Life for Rosie Dunne and Alex Stewart, best friends since early childhood, begins and ends with one thing: their loyalty to each other. And over decades filled with career changes and derailments, marriages and divorces, infidelity and trust, parenthood and grieving, they’ve braved barriers across an ocean to remain close and share life’s dalliances, dramas and joys.

Cecelia Ahern’s Where Rainbows End (or, for those of us in the U.S., Love, Rosie) is the story of Alex and Rosie’s lives, told exclusively through letters, emails, instant messages and texts sent between them and their wide assortment of family and friends. Part novel and part confessional, Ahern’s story works effectively to bring to life two people who never stopped loving each other — though destiny seemed to conspire to keep them apart.

It was easy to love Rosie, a young Irish woman who tried so hard to make her parents proud — but struggled mightily to find her footing in life. At the age of 18, she becomes pregnant with Katie, and the two work hard to establish a life for themselves as Rosie bounces from job to job in search of her “calling” — which turns out to involve the managing of hotels, the object of her devotion since childhood. Alex, likewise, comes across as the steadfastly devoted friend and father as he moves from Dublin to Boston, where he begins his career as a cardiologist. Though miles apart, Rosie and Alex keep up with one another by maintaining a steady stream of contact — except when things get too sticky.

Though I knew in my heart of hearts how this story just had to end, it didn’t make getting there any less enjoyable. Spanning more than forty years, Where Rainbows End was a really fun, entertaining read that had me alternately pulling my hair out in frustration and tearing up with joy when things finally began to turn around. Because seriously? Poor Rosie. How much bad luck can one person have?

My only complaint with the novel is, weirdly, also one of the things I liked best about it (can that really be true?): it was long. Any story covering four decades is going to be lengthy, I suppose, but I did start to lose interest somewhere in the thick middle because things just couldn’t seem to get any worse for these folks. So many missed opportunities; so much misfortune. I wanted to play God, wave a magic wand and untangle all the messes before things got worse.

Favorite characters included Ruby, Rosie’s well-meaning but straight-shooting best friend, who seemed to be the only one talking sense at some points; Stephanie, Rosie’s sister who marries a Frenchmen and lives a fascinating life in Paris; and Katie, Rosie’s ambitious and free-spirited daughter, one who loves her mother fiercely but also possesses a sense of adventure not unlike her own mother’s. I also loved seeing a loyal, loving and functional family — Dennis and Alice Dunne, Rosie’s parents, would do anything to help her in her quest to expand beyond Dublin and make hers a life really worth living. Stephanie and Kevin, Rosie’s siblings, were realistically drawn and compassionate, though I wanted to give Kev a good shake a few times!

Fans of women’s fiction and those who love epistolary novels will enjoy the drama and romance of it all — and if you’re a fan of Irish fiction, so much the better! ( )

Thanks Jen!! Can't wait to read it!! :) Love ya!So..I just started reading it tonight & love it so far! Can't wait to see what happens between Rosie & Alex!! Already 100 pages into it! I really love this book..so cute & funny! Can't put it down! Just finished it..LOVED IT!! Her writing style reminds me of Maeve Binchy..that could be why I enjoyed it so much! And it takes place in Ireland of course! :) ( )

I heard an interview with Cecelia Ahern on Radio 4 and thought I would try one of her books. This is the first one I came across in the charity shop. Chic Lit isn't my usual thing but I found this a bit more than that. I loved the idea that the story was told through letters, emails, texts and instant messaging and that most of it was reviewing visits, events and conversations. It flowed really well and at well over 500 words wasn't onerous to read. It made me laugh and cry.

I would thoroughly recommend this and I am looking forward to reading my next Cecelia Ahern book. ( )

I love and hate me some 488 pages of pure love life drama. I love Cecilia Ahern ever since I've read her P.S I Love You book, it has moved me to tears and had the most bizarre symphaty for Holly. But reading Love, Rosie; I'm beginning to think Ahern is a sadist, why? because she makes her characters suffers so much, in this book Alex and Rosie had been best friends since they were 5 years old. it was so heartbreaking to read yet I got all glued to it, I cling to the book for the whole Saturday afternoon and night. It wasn't enough for her that the two characters that I have learned to care for so much is living in a different continent but had the most years of suffering not knowing they are both inlove with each other since the "Boston kiss" happened. This book is pure e-mails, chat room conversation and some texts between Rosie and Alex, along with the other important people surrounding their lives. By page 300, I was exhausted, I mean after Rosie had finally divorced his chauvinist pig husband Greg because he was a cheating bastard, it was clearly and should be the perfect time/opportunity for Alex and Rosie to be together, but no... Brian the Whine has to show up and Alex has to be a jerk by getting back with Bethany the Slut, seriously something was really really wrong about that. But it all worked out for the best. This review had gone too far giving out spoilers and I am stopping right now.Love, Rosie is a romantic-comedy: hilarious, witty and a page turner. Cecelia Ahern is still one of my favorite authors up to date. She is brilliant and wicked by making me cry, get pissed off and hold the book, refusing to let it go until I finish. I love the ending but I hate the the middle part but I love it anyways because it totally make sense. I regret not reading this as soon as it hit the bookstores 3 or 4 years ago. You'll all understand once you read it. ( )

Not bad of a novel. It makes you realize how fast life passes by. ( )