Book review: P.S I love you

My rating: 4.5 / 5
Author: Cecelia Ahern
Country: Dublin, Ireland

I loved this book just as much as I hated it. I was amazed to know that this was the debut novel of Cecelia Ahern. I totally loved this for it was a simple yet beautifully told story. I totally hated it for it made me cry every single page….trust me, every single page!!

This is the story of Holly and Gerry, a happy-go-lucky couple. Life is filled with joy, wonderful friends and a supporting family. All wells until the day Gerry dies of a tumour and its all hell for Holly. She loses her childhood sweetheart, a best friend and a wonderful husband all together with Gerry gone! Her life is miserable and she doesn’t know how to move on without him. Touching!

When Cecelia describes all the things Holly does to keep Gerry’s memories alive, even a handful of tissues wouldn’t suffice. It makes you want to close the book, stop your thoughts, cry for a while and then continue again….

Holly shuts herself from everyone until the day she receives a bundle of 10 letters marked for each month. The letters are from Gerry who wrote them while he was alive. These letters become Holly’s life and gets her to move on without Gerry, yet, feeling his presence all the time.Gerry instructs her to open each letter on the first day of every month. Each letter has a message for Holly and what she needs to do for that month. It ranges from her going shopping for a bedside lamp, buying herself a beautiful dress to taking part in a Karaoke contest to a paid holiday with her best friends in Spain. At the end of each note, Gerry signs off…..P.S I love you

While most of her family and friends start to worry how Holly would cope after the 10th month when there are no more letters, Gerry’s notes actually get Holly to sail through the depression and start to lead a normal life again…..without him!

Well, I had to face so many hurdles to get past this book. Firstly, my husband and my dad were totally against me reading this as they felt I was unnecessarily inflicting misery on myself. I’m glad that I managed to find the book which my husband so thoughtfully hid :)

On hindsight, the book actually has made me a stronger person. I cried and cried. Yes. But then, I realised that life could be short yet beautiful…make the best of each day as it comes! Forget the old tiffs, always keep smiling, reconnect with lost friends, treasure the dear and near ones you have!! Have goals in life as Gerry writes in one of his notes – You need to reach for the moon, if you lose, you’ll atleast be among the stars.
Yet, never forget to enjoy life, age no bar!!

The language is simple, the story extremely realistic and very mushy…what more could girls ask for ;)

I did not give this book a full rating as there are places where the story drags a bit but then, I think it was a great concept and well told by a debutant.

I would recommend this if you have previously enjoyed Erich Sehgal’s Love Story, the TV series Sex and the City or any other romantic genre.