Watch Over Me

By: Daniela Sacerdoti

Narrated by: Helen McAlpine

Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

From the best-selling author of the Sarah Midnight Trilogy comes an instant classic - a beautiful and poignant love story about letting go and moving on.

Eilidh Lawson’s life has hit crisis point. Years of failed fertility treatments, a cheating husband and an oppressive family have pushed her to the limits. Desperate for relief, she seeks solace in the only place she’s ever felt at home - a small village in the Scottish Highlands. There, Eilidh slowly begins to mend her broken heart but soon learns she is not the only one in the village struggling to recover from a painful past.

Jamie McAnena, Eilidh’s childhood friend, is trying to raise his daughter Maisie alone. After Maisie’s mother left to pursue a career in London and Jamie’s own mother, Elizabeth, passed away, he has resigned himself to being a family of two. But sometimes there is more to a story than meets the eye.

Despite their reluctance, curious circumstances keep bringing Jamie and Eilidh together. For even when it seems all is lost, help can come from the most surprising places.

Daniela Sacerdoti was born and raised in Italy but has lived in Scotland for the past ten years. She holds a degree in Classics from the University of Turin and has taught Italian, Latin and Greek. She is also the author of the paranormal YA books The Sarah Midnight Trilogy.

©2011 Daniela Sacerdoti (P)2013 Audible Ltd

Critic Reviews

“A fabulous book. Watch Over Me is a poignant and beautifully crafted story...pretty impossible to put down. (9/10)”(Novelicious)
“This has got to be the most touching and emotional book I've read this year. Watch Over Me is such a delicate and beautiful read that you can't help but fall into the storyline from the first page. (5/5)” (Reabookreview)
“One of the best books I’ve ever read. This is a book that deserves to be read by everybody... An amazing debut novel from this magnificent writer who I am sure is going to be a massive success with, I hope, many more novels on the way in the future.” (Kim the Book Worm)

Twee and cosy, like a magazine story

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Not worth the listen. Storyline too predictable from early on. There were plot twists and turns, but direction still obvious. Too many descriptions of people's clothing and outfits.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Art world was unconvincingly portrayed: would an agent really drive up from London to rural Aberdeenshire to a gallery opening? Would an artist donate a work of considerable value to an Oxfam shop? The fictional town of Glen Avich is very strange. For a start, every one has blue eyes, apparently. Not a single character is mentioned as having brown eyes. Even with inbreeding, that would be truly remarkable. There are no farm animals nor farmers, no harvests, no unemployment, no oil, no fish farms or quarries, no teenagers, no social problems, no fights or addictions (apart from one which is quickly overcome by strength of will alone) in fact nothing much goes on apart from a lesbian relationship among some lesser characters, and the main romance. At one point,the main character plans to get a job as a nursery teacher in a nearby town, and buy a house and run a car on her salary alone. The artist/ blacksmith makes 'Scottish themed art including sculpture, wood cavings, jewellery AND metalwork. It is all is a little hard to believe.

What about Helen McAlpine’s performance did you like?

Good delivery, well paced. Accents were not spot on for North East Scotland and Southport, but that's a minor point. If It hadn't been for the reading (ie if this had been a book or a Kindle file) I'd have given up well before the end.

Did Watch Over Me inspire you to do anything?

It has made me want to avoid reading anything else by this author.

Any additional comments?

I grew up in a village in the West Highlands, as well as spending time in the North East of Scotland in the 1970s and quite honestly the place the author describes sounds more like Cloud Cuckoo Land than anywhere real. However, if you want a romance and are not much concerned with reality, this book will do the trick.

Loved the story and loved narration

Would you listen to Watch Over Me again? Why?

I will definitely listen to the story again in a bit. The story was capturing and I have related to it. I loved Helen McAlpine narration and her ability to use different accents. She is brilliant and she is definitely part of the success of this audiobook.

What about Helen McAlpine’s performance did you like?

Brilliant. One of the best. I will certainly look for books read by Helen :-)

Vapid twaddle - a jejune novel

Would you try another book written by Daniela Sacerdoti or narrated by Helen McAlpine?

A predictable and insipid basic storyline was made risible by the introduction of some weird and touches (watchful ghosts, helpful foxes). Harmless but not worth the trouble of reading

What could Daniela Sacerdoti have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Taken up knitting instead?

Have you listened to any of Helen McAlpine’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Not yet, but she did well despite the unpromising material, so I am tempted to try.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Boredom with occasional hoots of derision

Beautiful Story.

This is one of the loveliest books I have had the pleasure of listening to via Audible.

A well written, heartwarming story with excellent narration. Made me want to go to live in Scotland!

Will certainly be listening to other books from this author and narrator.

Boring!!!

If you're into boring fairytales you're in for a treat! Boring, boring and predictable! Couldn't wait for it to come to an end! Don't waist your time!

Good story to read

Very good story to read and enjoyed it very much and nice to have a happy ending

Sensational!

Full of love, emotion, hope and tenderness. Short story accounts, that will grip you and hold you for life, like a guide without end. A definite book to listen to!

Pleasant storyline but expected more.

Wasn't what I expected as the supernatural part was really unimportant to the story line. It was well narrated and a pleasant listen but vey predictable.
Too much chick lit for me but others might enjoy a gentle pleasant story. It it had been a book, I would have skim read this and flicked through to get to end.

Delightful.

The narration on this book was excellent, it made so much easier to listen to. I am going to try another of this authors books now.
A delightful story.

a bit more than just a love story

I found the author's thoughts on the afterlife interesting. It was predictable, but enjoyable non the less.