Where Rainbows End

Written by Cecelia Ahern

Narrated by Roger Rees and Moira Quirk

From the no. 1 bestselling author of PS, I Love You comes an enchanting novel about two childhood friends whom fate and destiny can't help toying with…

From naughty children to rebellious teenagers, Rosie and Alex have stuck by each other through thick and thin. But just as they're discovering the joys of teenage nights on the town and dating disasters, they're separated. Alex's family moves from Dublin to America – and Alex goes with them. For good.

Rosie's lost without him. But on the eve of her departure to join Alex in Boston, Rosie gets news that will change her life forever – and keep her at home in Ireland.

Their magical connection sees them through the ups and downs of each other's lives but neither of them knows whether their friendship can really survive the years and miles – as well as new relationships. And at the back of Rosie's mind is whether they were meant to be more than just good friends all along. Misunderstandings, circumstances and sheer bad luck have kept them out of each other’s arms, but when presented with the ultimate opportunity, will they gamble everything – including their friendship – for true love?

Destiny, Alex and Rosie discover, is a funny thing and fate isn't quite done with them yet…

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Jul 2, 2007
• ISBN: 9780007265404

Cecelia Ahern

Cecelia Ahern was born and grew up in Dublin. Her novels have been translated into thirty-five languages and have sold more than twenty-five million copies in over fifty countries. Two of her books have been adapted as films and she has created several TV series. She and her books have won numerous awards, including the Irish Book Award for Popular Fiction for The Year I Met You. She lives in Dublin with her family.

Reviews for Where Rainbows End

[kristymk18-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Written solely in the form of correspondences (letters, emails, online chats) Love, Rosie tells the story of Rosie and Alex over the span of 45 years. At first, I was unsure if I'd like this format, but I ended up thinking it worked really well. It allows you to get a glimpse of not only Rosie's and Alex's life/thoughts, but also those of their family and friends.

Alex and Rosie meet as young children and quickly become best friends. Their feelings for each other grow over the years, yet they never seem to leave the platonic stage of their relationship. At times I found this frustrating and wanted to yell at the characters "Just tell each other how you feel already!" So much heartache and insecurities could have been avoided if they had. The struggles they endured, the loss and the happy times, all felt very real and made the characters feel real too.

Perhaps the only complaint I have is that I felt the story dragged on. There were some conversations I found pointless or long winded. The journey could have been just as authentic and more impactful with less.

[susanbnm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Also published as LOVE, ROSIE. Good solid read in an unusual format. I enjoyed the banter between Rosie and Alex. Would recommend as a first choice intro to this author.

[maryjomac · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great author, would read author again

[nataliec7 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. The way it's written is brilliant. The characters have depth, the whole thing is just brilliant. I have watched the film of this but the book is so much better.

[saraxlindsay · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I love Ceclia Ahern, but found the email/letter type writing to be not my cup of tea. I found it hard to keep up with and never was able to get my self into the mind of the characters.

[lynziington · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In a message and letter type setting, this book is fantastic. You fall for both characters as you meet an decide the one who got away but neither of them wanted. After a night that got outta hand and that changed the girls life forever, you follow them both through the good and bad times. Never giving up even at the end. Would highly recommend to all chick flick romantic lovers.

[gingermama-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For chick lit, I thought this was quite good. Parts of it were laugh-out-loud funny. The letter/e-mail/instant message style did get tiresome, occasionally, but the well-drawn characters and snappy dialogue made up for it.

[beearedee · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read this all in one night. All 500 pages. I laughed, I cried, and I laughed and cried some more. But in the end, I just felt sad. I'm not sure what made me sad about it, but even though all of my questions were answered and everything was tied up in the end, I just felt weird about it. That's not to say I wouldn't read it again and I didn't highly enjoy the book, but something about it made me more sad than happy.

I also found myself getting more emotional about little things in the book than big things. I'm not sure why, but that's just what happened.

[mooqielove · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really loved this novel. This follows the life of two friends through their correspondence. It tells of friendship, trust, first loves and missed opportunities. I thought it was well written and at times extremely frustrating. It is definitely a love/hate relationship when you want to yell at the characters to stop missing each other by centimeters and screwing up their chances. It makes it so hard to read, but the meaning so much more important to you. One of my favorites.

[lvstrongpuff · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have mixed feelings about this book. I love the story, but at times I was just mad at why it was dragging. It is a wonderful love story, but I felt that towards the end it was just taking way to long. It could be me though. I plan on reading this book again later. Sometimes a second or third read can change a mind about a book.

[klack128-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A cute, fun read. Nothing spectacular, but I enjoyed it. The constant non-alignment of the stars for Alex and Rosie was really frustrating, but I did like the format. It was interesting getting a full story through letters, e-mails, and instant messages between characters. You were still able to get to know the characters (Rosie in particular), but at the same time there was a distance between them. I can't say I loved the very end when the perspective switched after the last letter, but the book was a fun, easy read.

[paulmorriss · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The device of only telling the story via messages (emails, IMs etc.) doesn't wear thin, as I thought it might. So apart from a few descriptive bits you mostly just get a pure soap opera plot. Having said that it is quite compelling because you want to see how it turns out in the end.It seems to me that using that device means you can skip months and years of time if you want to move the plot along, but, hey, if it works for her - all to the good.

[thursbest · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Read reviews of this before I picked it up, and wasn't disappointed. As a hopeless romantic, this was just right up my alley. As always, the book covers more than the movie, so I really recommend YA (or anyone, really) to pick it up. It's heartwarming.

[reckshow · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Not sure how I found this book, but WOW. A great concept - the story is told in letters, emails, texts and instant messages among the various characters. This is a wonderful read, highly recommended.

[curlycurrie_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[fueledbycoffee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I watched this movie today and thought I know this story! I'd read it years ago.Before the dawn of Librarything-ing, at the start of melting into my contemporary fiction, Sappy Nicholas Sparks Phase, I read this sweet book called Where Rainbows End, loaned the book, and forgot the title. Now I recall I picked it up after reading PS I Love You by the same author. I grabbed up Ms Ahern's books and ate them like candy.Today, I connected; this is the same story! But now I see actors faces where my imagination made characters. Not a bad thing, just made me reread the book in a different light. Like candy, I did.I admit, I still like the book better, by any name. Its the timeless story of best friends falling in love with all that life throws at them. Will they? Wont they? Will he/she be the one that got away? Go read and find out for yourself.

[january_f_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

As a person who really loves dialog between characters, that is pretty much all this book was. When the audio started, I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to sit through 11 hours of someone reading email, letters, and chats. Turns out it was a great way to get to know the characters! The story was engaging, and kept me interested in what was happening next. I really enjoyed the book, and look forward to reading more by this author.

[mrsdanaalbasha · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I bought this book because my girl friend kept telling me it is a must! So I bought it. When I saw it was written in letters, I closed it and didn't look at it for like 2 years. One day I felt very down and it looked so pink so I read it and without knowing how, I was in the middle rooting for Alex and Rosie to please be together!! *Spoilers* Though the ending is upsetting to me, they waited forever to be together but it was a happy one too, I loved this book because it was so real and touchingly human and I laughed for days about her stupid husband being beaten by the guys Rosie drunkenly spoke to at the bar!! I guess this is my favorite part in the book. And of course I loved Ruby!! Great Pal. When I was finally done, I thanked my friend for recommending this book, I just loved it!!

From the parts that made me laugh, this one was the best... you know when Rosie is depressed and she enters this shady bar and meet two criminal looking guys (they turn out to be criminals alright) and she tells them about her asshole ex-husband. When she discovers what happens to him, I just can't stop laughing!

[peaceloveandpat_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.

[Dawn Mac-O · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great story but the music was annoying as it was too scratchy and unnecessary

[momsterbookworm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really like this book, and that says a lot for someone who is not into chick lit. The entire story unfolds in the form of emails and letters spanning more than four decades. It is a story of friendship, heartbreak, facing life's challenges, picking oneself up and moving on, and most importantly of love -- love of family and friends, and of finding one's soulmate. I really like this story (I know I said that already) for making me laugh and because I've always had something for the magic of Ireland (where the story is set).

[magst_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

good read, but it got on my nerves how Rosie and Alex keep missing each other... I just couldn't imagine wasting all that time setteling for less then what I want.

[joeydag · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had to return this book to the library after I'd only read the first few chapters but I can see I would enjoy finishing it. A book in letters between out romantic protagonists that starts from childhood birthday invitations and misunderstandings through teens years. I look forward to coming back to this.

[pinkmouse_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Although i liked the story i found it hard to engange fully with it, reading it in bursts. I think this could have been because of the fragmented format of letters from the characters. It was her usual feel good style which although may have a few teary moments, had much hope in the end.

[ames3473 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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! :)

[pennma05-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Quite a few years ago I had read P.S. I Love You so I was very excited to find this title on NetGalley! My excitement ended there. The book is written as a series of letters and e-mails. I was hoping it was just going to be that first chapter. It was cute reading the letters written by young Rosie and Alex. But when that format continued throughout the entire book... No thanks. I found that it made it impossible for me to connect to either of the main characters and I found myself skimming more than I would like to admit. Unfortunately it was enough of an annoyance to me that I decided to not finish the book. It made me kind of sad because based on the plot summary this was a book I should have loved! But I just could not get passed the way the book was written. I guess I'll have to see the movie to find out what happens. I'll give it 2 stars rather than 1 because I really do think I would have loved this story if the writing style hadn't gotten in the way.

[rachh5x · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow! I picked this book up at a second hand book shop, thinking I would give it a go not really expecting much..but from the first to the last page I was HOOKED! I love the structure of the text in particular, it makes it a lot more interesting. Everything about this book is just amazing. One of my favourites by far. I laughed, I cried..i think it nearly managed to effect every one of my emotions!

[cloedoris · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was my first book by Cecelia Ahern & I was impressed, I think it took me about 2 days to read :) I was impressed, very impressed :)

[phaepang · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is written entirely in email and letter form. The narrative voice is also split into the two protagonists and later, Rosie's daughter is addded. A bittersweet story about love and second chances. I enjoyed it as my introduction to Ahern's style.

[debbiemccauley-2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Childhood best friends Rosie and Alex are very close but when they are aged 17 Alex and his family move from Dublin to Boston, devastating both of them. Rosie applies to colleges in the U.S. and is accepted into Boston University whilst Alex gets into Harvard. Alex doesn't make it back to Ireland to partner Rosie to her graduation, so she goes with someone else. Life takes a dramatic turn when she finds out that she is pregnant to that someone else and her plans for college are shattered. Both their lives take different paths filled with twists and turns and missed opportunities to be together. The letters, emails, instant messages, and newspaper articles that comprise the story are good but wearing a bit thin by about two thirds of the way through the book.