Review: A Week to Remember by Ruth O’Leary
Author Ruth O’Leary has delivered another captivating second novel, this one set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Camino de Santiago. Known for its rich history and spiritual significance, the Camino serves as the perfect setting for a story of self-discovery, healing and adventure. I actually felt like I was on the Camino with the way Ruth intertwined the vivid descriptions of the Spanish countryside with the smells, and picturesque imagery, while also mastering the personal growth aspect along with the physical and emotional challenges of the pilgrimage.
I devoured this book (as I did with her first) as the narrative just flowed beautifully with emotional resonance and I was invested in the characters and how their journeys were going to unfold. We meet three women, Paula, Rachel, and Cathy, all strangers to each other who all go on a solo walking trip in the hopes that they will find answers to each of their personal issues and to re-evaluate their lives for the better. Each woman has a sliding door moment, I feel, with one door staying where they are in life, or choosing to break through their comfort zone down a new path, opening a new door and seeing what they’re made of and what they can become. They are all on a journey but connect to one another as the story goes on.
The people that they meet on the Camino are stepping stones to completing another puzzle piece of themselves, helping them to really think of what they truly need in life and it pushes them to make better decisions.
I have to say, some of the men in this book weren’t up to scratch and I was only delighted when Cathy’s coercive husband Ted got a taste of his own medicine! I feel like Cathy had the most character development and I was rooting for her to win at life and learn to love herself. I also loved Bernie’s outlook on life and nothing stopped her grit.
And I have to mention, why don’t people use Lyons Tea bags! It’s always Barry’s lol and I’m a Lyons girl.
Ruth O’Leary has proved that her talent is not just a one-book-wonder. With A Week to Remember, the reader is swept up in a story that celebrates the transformative power of the Camino and a renewed sense of hope and possibility when you take control of your own life and live it on your terms.
For those of you who have yet to discover Ruth O’Leary, get yourself a copy today and dive into a book that leaves a lasting impression.
A Week to Remember by Ruth O’Leary, is published by Poolbeg (2025) and is available in all good bookshops.
