Tamara Goodwin has always got everything she’s ever wanted. Born into a family of wealth, she grew up in a mansion with its own private beach, a wardrobe full of designer clothes and all that a girl could ever wish for. She’s always lived in the here and now, never giving a second thought to tomorrow. But then suddenly her dad is gone and life for Tamara and her mother changes forever. Left with a mountain of debt, they have no choice but to sell everything they own and move to the country. Nestled next to Kilsaney Castle, their gatehouse is a world away from Tamara’s childhood. With her mother shut away with grief, and her aunt busy tending to her, Tamara is lonely and bored and longs to return to Dublin.When a travelling library passes through Kilsaney Demesne, Tamara is intrigued. Her eyes rest on a mysterious large leather bound tome locked with a gold clasp and padlock. What she discovers within the pages takes her breath away and shakes her world to its core.

Goodwin as in “good”-”win”, because there is always possibly a “bad”-”win”, which is what Tamara is constantly aware of (note the sarcasm). Those settings that seem just a bit too obvious, too-good to be true. Because unfortunately for Tamara her life was just that, too-good to be true. Her father has recently died (very-dead), leaving her mother and herself with next to nothing to survive on and now they’re forced to move into her Aunt and Uncle’s home in the country. What starts out as a journey into seeming nothingness turns into much more than Tamara ever expected. With the help of a bit of magic and a very unique book, she’s about to embark on a path that might open her eyes forever.

Brilliant. Truly a delightful read. As someone who’s never read a Cecelia Ahern novel, I truly had no idea what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised. I’d seen a few reviews written by both Chloe and Leah, many of which were very positive, but still I wondered. I’m so thrilled I took the opportunity when it was presented. Much like Sarah Addison Allen and Aimee Bender, Ahern blends a little touch of magic to The Book of Tomorrow to create a world in which almost anything is possible, but not quite.

Tamara Goodwin begins as a shattered young girl, devastated by the loss of not only her father, but nearly every earthly possession she had been given throughout her life all the way down to her expensive shampoo. For the majority of her life she’s walked around with blinders on, aware of no one but herself and her small circle of influence. Unfortunately, for many in this position it takes something earth shattering to truly change their hearts and minds, as is the case with Tamara. Not even the change in surroundings seems to change her. In the end, it’s her concern for her mother, the only remaining thing of value in her life that drives her to change and reach out.

What I truly loved about the story, besides the quirky list of characters (Aunt Rosaleen the worst offender), was the magic. I absolutely adore magical realism! It provides just enough possibility in an otherwise normal situation. Without the element of the magical book in Tamara’s life her story could have been much more tragic, possibly more dull, and most of all without that element of progression. What the book does for her in terms of realization is wonderful, not only for her personally, but for the reader as well.

Without a doubt, one of my new favorite Chick Lit authors. Cecelia Ahern’s The Book of Tomorrow is a book that will delight it’s readers by enchanting them with a seemingly ordinary story turned magical. Tamara Goodwin is propelled into a life as an “adult” through events beyond her ability to change, or so she thinks. The sudden discovery of a basic blank book leads to the possibility of futures without fences. The Book of Tomorrow was a book that had me on pins and needles until the very end. A chick lit book with a dash of mystery and magic that will have you questioning your very own actions each day of your life. This is absolutely a book you cannot miss!

I’d like to thank the publisher, HarperCollins, for sending me a copy of this book for review!

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