Osbourne Herald
Marian Keyes the Queen of feel good fiction is back ... this time with a story that revolves around a somewhat disorganised office which is the base for a newly established Irish women's magazine called (you guessed it) Colleen.
Holding the editor's position is Lisa Edwards, a Londoner who is not keen on being transferred from the bright city lights of "home" to Dublin, a city that she thinks is backward. In short she's not keen on living in Ireland and make that fact known to anyone who will listen.
But when she gets to the Colleen office she decides that she will rule the roost and has no hesitation in putting her staff in their place - whether they are right or wrong. In her view she is far more experienced and sophisticated than Ashling, Trix and the other Colleen crew and she doesn't let them forget it.
The only saving grace of the job is Jack Devine, Lisa's superior. His goodlooks and top-notch job made him a winner with Lisa but as the story unfolds it appears he holds a candle for another woman.
Running parallel to the "office saga" is the tale of Ashling's private life which revolves around an unlikely group of friends. It explores the effect of a best friend's deceit and the breakdown of a close friendship that was forged since the carefree school days.
In essence Sushi for Beginners is about searching for what everyone wants in their lifetime... true happiness. And it's a theme that Keyes, a Dublin based writer, knows all about from first hand experience.
For many years Keyes suffered from unhappiness which was the catalyst for her becoming addicted to alcohol. But in the end she broke the cycle and is now a happily married woman who had made a successful career out of writing.
Sushi For Beginners is looking set to be yet another bestseller for Keyes. More than 17,000 copies of the novel sold in New Zealand over a two-month period. So happy reading to all you Keyes fans.