P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahearn

Blog by Ms. Diana Kelly

An Interview with author Cecelia Ahead at the P.S. I Love You premiere.

My father is fresh off the boat (a FOB as some might say). Ever since I was little we would make sporadic trips across the Atlantic to visit his family in Galway, Ireland. My dad grew up on a 60 acre cow farm outside of Athenry. Our family has lived on farm land since before records in the area. I was hoping to visit my family during February Break, but the plane fair is expensive, and unfortunately I don't have enough green to see the green fields of Athenry. 

I was feeling pretty bummed out. I really wanted to see my family. I wanted the infinite cups of Barry's tea and biscuits (cookies), the music, the oddly timed humor, the sound of cows mooing at night. I wanted my clothes to be heavy with the damp sodden air, and most importantly, I wanted to be around my family's charming dysfunction. 

I picked up Cecelia Ahearn's P.S. I Love You after seeing the movie (starring Gerard Butler and Hillary Swank). The story doesn't start out sunshine and rainbows. Holly and Gerry are married only a few years before Gerry develops terminal cancer. When Gerry passes, Holly is devastated. She mopes around her house like Miss Havisham, unsure of where to go once the love of her life is gone. One day a letter shows up- from Gerry. Gerry leaves Holly a series of letters, one for each month, to help her heal and become whole again. The book is sad, you'll tear up, but more than that it is a wonderful about a family taking care of one another during the most trying of times.  Cecelia Ahearn has a powerful sense of humor, and the book has delicately balanced moments of hilarity and profound sadness. The book and the movie are very different, they really only share basic plot points and the characters have the same names, but both are worth a gander.

I may not be boarding Aer Lingus come February break, but picking up this book helped satisfy some of my wanderlust. If you like Sarah Dessen, definitely check out this and other Cecelia Ahearn books.  Check our catalog or the Beebe Library's catalog if you'd like to pick up a copy.

February Vacation is right around the corner, if you're like me and will be hanging around town, be sure to grab a book. If you're off to somewhere wonderfully exotic (I AM JEALOUS), make sure to grab a good beach/travel read before you head out.