FRECKLES

 I am back to reading fiction, and I am enjoying it. Back in the day, I used to enjoy novels from local authors, Jane Austen and Agatha Christi. In my late 20s, I decided to strictly read non-fiction books about politicians, famous people, etc. I think the last non-fiction book I read was Laura Bush’s memoir. I came across this book in the library, and the title suggested it must be a girly story. I finished it in less than two weeks! It was a beautiful and touching story about a girl who grew up in a boarding school from the age of five. She would spend time with her dad on weekends. They stayed in the rural parts of Ireland on Valentia Island.  Her mother left her after she gave birth. The book describes the girl's relationship with her dad beautifully. He has always been there for her and understood her. She had her freckles from her dad’s side. 

After finishing school, she moved to Dublin to pursue a career and to find her biological mother. Her struggles in Dublin are described in detail, and how she is shy and awkward around people. She comes across a guy who tells her she is the average of the five people she spends most of her time with. She is trying to find those people amongst influential celebrities, and starts writing to them. For sure, she knows her dad is at the top of the list of influential figures in her life. She even tries to find that popular girl from her school days that she always wanted to be friends with. At the end, she realizes she has enough friends and influential figures around her already who inspire her and love her. 

The moment of truth in the book is when she finally introduces herself to her biological mother, and it is quite a surprise. Another touching moment in the book is when she is in a hair salon, and her biological mother is doing her hair, and she is loving it! I enjoyed reading contemporary fiction where people post things on Instagram, send emails, and have smartphones. She is a hardworking girl trying to figure things out while trying to build her self-confidence and pay her bills. There is a lot of growth in her throughout the story, and her love for her father is as strong as ever. It is quite unique because he is the one who wanted her and raised her.