Originally published on April 13, 2024 | Last updated on April 13, 2024
Stand by Me is the first book I’ve read by Sheila O’Flanagan. Read on to find out my thoughts!
Plot
Dominique Brady’s life completely changed the day she met Brendan Delahaye. Madly in love, she was over the moon when he asked her to marry him. Now Brendan’s one of Ireland’s most successful businesssmen, and they are a well-known power couple living a very glamorous lifestyle.
That’s until Brendan disappears without a trace. Dominique’s world is turned upside down as she is left to pick up the pieces. Will Brendan ever return? And if he does, will Dominique stand by her man?
Review
I really enjoyed the portrayal and evolution of the main character, Dominique (Domino) in Stand By Me. She goes from a young and very insecure girl to “dazzling Domino” — a confident and independent woman. We go on an emotional journey with Dominique as we witness this transformation. When she is young, she fears being single and having to live with her strict parents forever. As a wife, she always compromises her feelings to try to please her husband. By the end, she has found her independence and discovered herself. I admired Dominque’s character, and as a reader, you do find yourself rooting for her.
We also get a glimpse into the lives of those closest to Dominique and Brendan. There’s Kelly, the couple’s daughter, the Brady’s (Dominque’s strict religious parents and Gabriel, her priest brother) and the Delahaye’s (Brendan’s side of the family that includes his parents and siblings.) The marriage of Greg and Emma, Brendan’s brother and Dominique’s friend, is also an important part of the story. Although Emma is married to Greg, in her teens she always lusted after Gabriel, Dominique’s brother. This, of course, causes a lot of tension in the story. When Brendan disappears, we learn how this affects all of the characters’ lives.
Sheila O’Flanagan writes very well. I found parts of the novel to be very gripping and there were times when I couldn’t put it down. However, it is quite a lengthy read and I did find that some parts were a little long-winded. The characters are developed well and you find that you are invested in their stories. I liked the ending of the story, but I think that it would have been nice to read an epilogue to see where all of the characters ended up.
Stand By Me Rating: 4/5
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Stand By Me is a story about a woman discovering herself. As we follow Dominque’s journey, we watch her evolution from a young, insecure girl into a confident, independent woman. A great story with very well-developed characters. I would definitely recommend giving it a read!
Have you read any books by Sheila O’Flanagan?
