About 1/2 through this one. It's pretty good..although it's taken me 1/2 through the book to really get into it for some reason. It's going to be a Disney movie I read somewhere! Cute story..wasn't really into it until half way through, though. Still cute enough to read! ( )

Elizabeth Egan lives a life without fun. She alone holds her family together through the alcoholism and presumably mental illnesses of her absentee mother and sister. Her 6 year old nephew, who she is raising, adopts an imaginary friend and unbeknownst to her, enters her life as well.

I didn't read anything about this novel before starting it so I was surprised by the whole "imaginary friend" device. I was relieved at first because I thought it might be another dreary book about rising above the difficulties in ones life. It was refreshin to have a book take a truly unexpected turn.

I thought all in all it was pretty good fun. At its best it reminded me of books by Elizabeth McCracken and Anne Ursu - but those were brief moments. At its worst I would have to say the plot became very heavy handed and felt forced (especially in the last 1/3 of the book.) It wasn't terrible - it read very quickly and was a nice change from other chick lit type books. ( )

Do imaginary friends really exist? Or is it a coping mechanism that the brain uses to get us through a rough patch in our young lives? This book explores imaginary friends and the impact that one has on both a child and an adult. Choose to believe or not, Cecelia Aherns imagination is wonderful!
This is a great read that will make you smile. ( )

I usually enjoy this author for her light but likable novels, however, this book may be the exception. I could never like any of her characters and her main one frustrated me to no end. She seemed cliche in every way. Oh well, can't win them all. ( )

If You Could See Me Now was an interesting book. Spoiler Alert. It just didn't work for me. I think the whole idea of imaginary friends and adults just a bit too ludicrous. I guess part of the problem is that my son has imaginary friends right now (one is a good "bad guy" named Fragile - I have no idea how that started) and he always insists that he's pretend. Besides the movie DROP DEAD FRED already covered this. ( )

Cecelia Ahern's novels are some of my absolute favorites to read. They are always a light read, which makes it easy and quick, but they always manage to have an emotional punch. This novel was no exception to the rule. I loved everything about it. It dealt with a woman trying to cope with her family, her own life, her need for control in her world because of the turmoil that lives within her. And it also uses just a touch of the magic, the impossible, in order to truly explain the beauty and flaws of human nature. Sometimes in the process of hiding and protecting ourselves, we do lose the ability to hope. It just ends with a beautiful message. ( )

A plodding tale that never really picks up to any excitement. Such a disappointment- pick up anything else by this author and you'll be delighted but this is such a very major disappointment. The characters never become likable and this is a novel that relies on you caring for the characters and what happens to them. ( )

Great book....simlar to Sundays at Tiffanys ( )

Aranyos. Nagyon. ( )

Delightful and offbeat - though I disliked the female lead. ( )

Elizabeth Egan is a perfectionist. She's also the reluctant mother to her 6 year old nephew. One day Ivan enters their lives and life is never the same. This carefree, spontaneous, adventurous individual teaches lessons in how to live life in full color. And as Elizabeth begins to trust him, it seems he isn't at all who she thought he was. A thoroughly delightful story. ( )

So, she's 23 and has published three best-selling books. And what have I accomplished lately?

I hesitated to read P.S. I Love You because of the hype. (Hype is never good in my book) I finally picked it up in an airport. I was well-impressed. Forgetting that she was 21 when she published it, it was a good read. Sensitively written, I was a basket case most of the way through. And I liked that she was on her own at the end.

I haven't read Ahern's second book, but a friend gave me her third "If You Could See Me Now". Ahern really knows how to write dysfunction. I was a little frustrated with Elizabeth, but again I liked that it wasn't all tied up at the end. The Ekam Eveileb was a little contrived, but I was pretty sure Opal was someone it turned out that she wasn't.

Worth it for an airplane ride, for sure.
Originally posted March 5, 2006

this was sooo good. ivan is the type of man you wish would be real. and liz is such a broken character. he helps her tie up her wounds. ( )

http://360.yahoo.com/woodbear97 ( )

An interesting theory, explored.

In her third novel, the bestselling author of "PS, I Love You" introduces readers to two sisters at odds with each other, whose lives are about to change in ways they could never have dreamed of. Written with all the warmth and wit that fans have come to expect from Cecelia Ahern, "If You Could See Me Now" is a novel full of magic, heart, and surprising romance.
From www.ibs.it ( )

I really enjoyed this book. I usually read more challenging, thought provoking books so it was nice to have a bit of variety in this simple, very readable story. Yes, it can be called childish or unrealistic but thats what I loved about it. It's got that hint of magic and fairy tale to it and really made me smile. Its much like the film Love Actually. Yes, its cheesy but you can't help but admit that you loved it! It reminded me of the books I read as a child which transported me away to some magical world.

Although I wouldn't read this type of book all the time, it was a refreshing break that certainly put a smile on my face at the end of it.

I would recommend it to anyone who needs a bit of cheering up or loves a sense of fairy tale magic. ( )

Another wonderfully beautiful book by Cecelia Ahern. It made me laugh and cry at the same time. ( )

Elizabeth Egan is organised and likes it that way but her adopted nephew's invisible friend is determined to change that. ( )