Once In A Lifetime

Dreams on the Brink of Change

In Once In A Lifetime by Cathy Kelly (2009, Harper), four women stand at pivotal moments in their lives, each yearning for something more. When Roisin’s long-suppressed ambitions lead her to Dublin’s bustling streets, she discovers that courage can spark in the most ordinary moments. Across the ocean, Donna faces the ache of motherhood and the haunting question of “what if,” while Mary navigates her late-blooming love with a tender hope she never thought possible. All the while, journalist Sinead uncovers a story that will challenge her notions of loyalty and truth.

Crossroads of Heart and Hope

As their paths intersect in unexpected ways—through chance phone calls, shared confidences over coffee, and whispered secrets in moonlit gardens—each woman finds that her journey is woven into the others’. Cathy Kelly’s warm, empathetic prose captures the small miracles that arise when strangers become sisters: a comforting embrace after loss, a burst of laughter that mends old wounds, and the gentle reminder that we never travel alone.

A Tapestry of Second Chances

Facing heartbreak, reinvention, and the delicate art of letting go, the four friends learn that sometimes the greatest gift is the one we give ourselves: permission to start anew. Once In A Lifetime is a moving celebration of resilience, friendship, and the belief that every ending can bloom into a beautiful beginning.