Kindle Price: $0.99

Save $9.00 (90%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Anne Louise O'Connell
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Mental Pause Kindle Edition

by Anne Louise O'Connell (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 24 ratings
See all formats and editions
Abbie is riding the hormonal roller coaster and hanging on for dear life. She finds herself in a body she no longer recognizes, a marriage that feels overwhelming, and she questions her very sanity. Her existence has become one big hot flash inflamed by killer moods. A chance meeting seems to give her the escape she's desperate for but at what cost? Accused of murder she finds herself in a jail cell accompanied by her regrets and the gnawing fear that her life may be changed forever. It’s a kind of mental pause that Abbie has never imagined, in a story that offers no letup from start to satisfying finish. Change of life, anyone? Mental Pause promises to take you way beyond.
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    230 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    February 21, 2013
  5. File size
    1761 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
Next page

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The novel is fast-paced, thrilleresque and funny at times. I found it very different and inventive. I haven't come across a book that speaks about this, at least not in the fiction genre." Zvezdana Rashkovich, author, Dubai Wives.

From the Back Cover

"Astonishingly honest this novel will take you on a wild ride with its unforgettable protagonist, a woman who is on a journey of shocking self-discovery. A book like 'Mental Pause' is long overdue and I am sure it will speak to millions of women who, like me, identify with its message." Zvezdana Rashkovich, author, Dubai Wives

"Love, attraction, hot flashes, pending empty nest, sizzling nights, shifting identity, the meaning of friendship, surprising twists and turns and missteps galore - it's all here! Anne O'Connell has written a fun debut novel about one menopausal woman's desire to let her hair down, and the trouble that can result." Linda Janssen, author, The Resilient Expat

"This novel zips along at a cracking pace and is full of fun. I loved it." Jo Parfitt, author and publisher, Summertime Publishing

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00BJDJUEO
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Anne Louise O'Connell (February 21, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 21, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1761 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 230 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0984927220
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 24 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Anne Louise O'Connell

Anne Louise O'Connell

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Author, developmental book editor and partner publisher, Anne Louise O’Connell, was a long-time expat, returning to Canada in 2016 after enjoying the sun and sand of Florida, Dubai and Thailand over a span of 23 years. Anne worked in the PR field for 17 years and then decided it was time to just write. From 2007 to 2016, Anne was writing books while freelancing, editing, author mentoring and social media consulting, along with conducting writing retreats and workshops. In 2013, she began facilitating the annual Paradise Writers’ Retreat. In 2016, she founded OC Publishing and she continues to write her own books while mentoring other authors and providing developmental book editing, writing coaching and publishing services.

While living the expat life, she contributed regularly to the Wall St. Journal Expat Blog, Global Living Magazine and Expat Focus. She has a passion for travel and that adventurous spirit has taken her all over the world. Anne grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia and has a bachelor of public relations and an early childhood education certificate, both from Mount St. Vincent University. She is the author of @Home in Dubai… Getting Connected Online and on the Ground; Mental Pause, her first novel, a 2013 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Book Award winner; and her latest novel, Deep Deceit, which launched March 8, 2015 and is the first in a planned mystery series. She has also contributed short stories to the Phuket Island Writers’ anthologies and has published a collection of travel and expat life stories called Swimming with the Elephants and Other Adventures.

Connect with Anne:

Website: www.ocpublishing.ca

Blog: www.anne-writingjustbecause.blogspot.com

Twitter: @ocpubhfx

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ocpublishing

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
24 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Padders
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read for both menopausal gals- and their partners
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2013
Verified Purchase
A must-read for those going through the "change" - and their partners too!

Hot flashes, night-time sweats, irascible mood-swings- sounds familiar to most of us peri-and post-menopausal women, doesn't it? We've all been there, done that. Anne O'Connell's main character, Abbie, in her debut novel "Mental Pause" is going through all this and more! Abbie's symptoms are extreme, as her hot flashes feel like "red ants" crawling all over her body, leaving "tiny, scorching footprints." Her supportive husband and sons try their best to understand her, but are more often than not at the receiving end of Abbie's emotional ups and downs.

Abbie takes comfort in her female friends - her newly-divorced best friend Rachel, and a new friend, the "hottie" Joan. She wants to be free, liberated, but what actually happens is that she lands straight from the frying pan into the fire!
Read what happens to Abbie in "Mental Pause." I can guarantee you that it is a page-turner, as Abbie is thrown into a situation where there seems to be no hope of escape.

The book is more interesting in that it actually falls between genres- it is chick-lit and murder mystery combined, with a fair dash of courtroom drama. So there's something in it for both the boys and the gals! It'll certainly appeal to the older woman who can identify with Abbie's peri-menopausal symptoms, and the fast-paced action would appeal to the guys. Added to that, most guys could also do with some "education" about what happens to a woman going through the change - something they'd learn about in this book.

Fast-paced, suspenseful, funny- that sums up "Mental Pause." A definite must-read. Get your copy today! I downloaded mine from Amazon Kindle, and I finished it in one sitting! Need I say more?
Helpful
 Report
amslie
4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and fast-paced with a good dash of suspense
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2013
Verified Purchase
Deftly-drawn and enticing characters kept me entertained throughout this quirky romp through one woman's menopausal misadventures.

Spiced with evocative descriptions of menopause's mental and physical onslaught, as well as spot-on dialogue and savvy passages that capture some of the complexities of female friendships, I read this great debut novel in a single sitting. The author sets the stage expertly with an intriguing collection of characters that feel familiar without being cliched, then puts the narrative into high gear with a spiralling set of circumstances that keeps you turning pages. We know from the outset that the main character, Abbie, is innocent of apparent crimes, but there's a good amount of suspense in finding out whether she will prevail - and interesting to observe as her convictions and sensibilities pass through the emotional wringer of 'the change' while she struggles to extricate herself from a mess just crazy enough to happen.

All in all a great read - check it out!
Helpful
 Report
Jaxon
5.0 out of 5 stars Introducing the meno-mystery!
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2014
Verified Purchase
I think this author may have created a new genre: meno-mystery!
Who would ever think of combining menopause and murder? Your answer to that question probably depends on whether you have gone through menopause! Anne O' Connell does a great job of describing the physical and emotional turmoil that menopause causes. The fact that she manages to do this in a story that is both humorous and suspenseful makes this an enjoyable read. If you have already gone through "the change" you know that her descriptions of it are not all that exaggerated. If you haven't, this book may cause you to go out in search of some supplemental estrogen. Plagued by hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and anxiety, Abbie needs a break! What starts out as a lark with friends ends up with Abbie being charged with murder and the story keeps rolling along at a fast pace from there.
Helpful
 Report
Merrie E Meyers
5.0 out of 5 stars Women Unite! Take a Mental Pause!
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2014
Verified Purchase
This is a great first novel. Every woman can identify with the mood swings and frustration of losing control of your hormones. Other than a too quick wrap up to the main dilemma, (wanted the book to go on longer), it was a great read.
Helpful
 Report
Diann Boehm
5.0 out of 5 stars Mental Pause
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2013
Verified Purchase
Love this book! Funny!

I have purchased it for myself and now purchase it for gifts. My friends have all loved it.
Helpful
 Report
Michele
5.0 out of 5 stars She is not alone
Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2013
Verified Purchase
Enjoyed the story and could so relate! Fast read and many laughs among the suspense. Perfect book for the hot summer months ahead.
Helpful
 Report
Gaele
4.0 out of 5 stars poignant, funny, shocking and provides a moment of "maybe I'm NOT the crazy one here" for readers.
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2013
This debut offering from independent author Anne O'Connell is poignant, funny, shocking and provides a moment of "maybe I'm NOT the crazy one here" for readers. Abbie is peri-menopausal with all of the symptoms that are alluded to, but never wholly defined or described to women in a way that every reader can empathize, sympathize or nod their head in agreement. Wholesale personality changes have taken over the formerly competent and functional wife and mother, and no one seems to understand why: least of all her.

Sometimes completely sobering then venturing into almost farcical situations, Abbie and her cohorts wander into situations and circumstances as they `go with' their curiosity and let their impulses take command of their adventures. Unfortunately, being the chief suspect in a murder trial doesn't soothe Abbie's frayed emotions or ally her symptoms, and everyone is wondering if she truly is insane.

Mixing humor, real life symptoms and extreme reactions, O'Connell manages to create Abbie into a character that speaks to many, stronger than she appears yet wholly fragile and driven by impulses that she doesn't always understand she is delightfully wacky and fun while still maintaining a sense of realness. The outrageous circumstances behind the murder charge, and the husband that is a cop and completely confused but trying to be supportive are well-played and keep the reader entertained even as we know that she is not the murderer. Friends also play a large part in this story: finally at the point where women are less about `competition' and more about support and real friendship - it was nice to see a portrayal of female relationships that didn't digress into mean-girl syndrome: where the bond and the support were more important to all of the friends.

I received an eBook copy from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Jane KM
5.0 out of 5 stars Well done!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 24, 2013
Verified Purchase
I started reading this book in the very same week that a character on Eastenders refused to acknowledge that she was menopausal (nope - not ashamed - love the soap!) and it got me thinking that there really are so many women out there for whom this must be a no-go area. So well done, author, for having pushed the issue of what it does with our bodies and brains right out there. If you think you are the only women going crazy during this period of your life, think again and be reassured by the pages of this fab book. Funny, sad, poignant, it is thoroughly deserving of your time.
Report
MM in NS Canada
4.0 out of 5 stars Amusing and one can relate, reads like a movie.
Reviewed in Canada on October 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
Comical and any woman can relate.
Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report