Once in a Lifetime

Where do I start... I've read this book several times and love it more with each reading. On the surface, it's a story of a middle-aged woman suddenly finding herself single and haunted by the ghost of her one true love. But it is so much more. This is a book about survival, about finding yourself again, about picking up the pieces and carrying on with your life. It's about discovery and friendship and learning to love again, yourself as well as others. This book is about the female spirit ... woman, wife, lover, mother, friend. Truly a wonderful book full of hope and laughter and tears. Definitely a keeper.

I normally don't really care for a book that is so full of sadness, but although its sad this book is so full of hope that it makes you believe happy endings are possible. After her husband of 19 years decides he is bored with her and starts having affairs and leaves her and their twin teenagers, Maureen seriously considers committing suicide. Just as she is about to drive her car into direct traffic, the ghost of her childhood/teenage boyfriend Bobby appears and stops her. Bobby was killed in a traffic accident years ago when he was traveling home to tell Maureen that he loved her. Now Bobby has been unable to "move on" and knows his mission is to teach Maureen how to be happy. Maureen's selfish husband Dan has erased all her self esteem and confidence, with the help of several dreams where a self aware Maureen revisits the past and makes a couple of subtle changes, Maureen learns that she has always lived to please her family not herself. When Maureen meets the perfect man "Matt" she learns what it really feels like to be loved by a man but she is terrified of being hurt again. Not to spoil the story, but there was a time when I was really upset about how the story was going but I hung in to the end and there was redemption. Happy endings are delivered in several different ways. Wonderful, unique story...Great!

I found this book 5 years ago. I have read it 4 times. Ms. O'Day-Flannery hits the bullseye. Forty-something women finding herself with no husband after 20 years of marriage and dedication to her family. She caught the essence of feelings, hopes and dreams. Mine at least. I believe my guardian angel lead me to this book. I want to thank the author for giving hope, that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Each time I read it, there is something more I learn about myself and Maureen. Thank you.

I discovered Flannery years ago via a friend. If you want some romance,intrigue and fantasy for a respite from the awful day's hectic rat race, cut off the phone, get in your pj's,some popcorn and dream along with the BEST writer to melt time,space and hopefulness and LOVE into one heck of a good read,yet you will be wistfully waiting in your day dreams for a man just like you heard it could be. Your prince has arrived, yet worth the work to nab 'im. A author definitely needing to have her books come to us in film formulation.

If you'd like to read a great "go to the rescue ghost story" and have a laugh. This is the book for you. When Maureen first realises she was being haunted she was really scared. She went from scared to falling in love all over again with the ghost. Leaping in and out of her own past she relives certain parts of her youth. Telling her teenage friends about sex was one of the funny parts. Then finding out at the reunion that she really had told them (and therefore had really travelled in time). She finally finds herself in the end and can then start a new life with out feeling guilty about her (ex-)husband or about her lost love (the ghost).