Can miracles occur? Is it possible to see the invisible or touch the intangible? Elizabeth Egan has never believed so. This 30-something single woman is an interior designer living in a small Irish town that she has always hated. Despite the fact that she loves to give things a good makeover, she hasn’t been able to rearrange her mundane life by filling it with color, laughter or adventure. She’s never tried because adding these qualities to her life could make her lose control. This organized woman deals only with facts and reality because dreams and wishes, hope and love, frivolity and spontaneity have only brought her heartache. They have caused each of her family members to fly out of her life in different directions, leaving her solely responsible for a six-year-old nephew even though she vowed never to have children.
Is there a reason for everything? Ivan certainly believes so. That’s natural, given that he’s an imaginary friend, only seen by children who need him. His work becomes more complicated the day he enters the life of Elizabeth’s nephew, Luke. Luke isn’t the problem. It’s Elizabeth. Not only can she sense his presence, she is also able to see him. And he is drawn to her in a way he can’t explain. Ivan can hear the pain and loneliness in her silence, so, like any good friend, he tries to show Elizabeth a way to be happy. But before she can accept his gift, she’s got to believe.
Cecelia Ahern, the daughter of Ireland’s prime minister, has written a romantic, whimsical and beautiful third novel. Her characters are warm and embraceable. If You Could See Me Now illustrates what can happen when we see with more than our eyes. Tanya S. Hodges writes from Nashville.
