Search results for ""hachette books""

'Maeve Binchy fans will adore it - she just gets better and better' Patricia Scanlan'Such a glorious read!! It's magical and transporting and I adore it' Claudia CarrollIt's summer in Finfarran on the west coast of Ireland. Librarian Hanna Casey is looking forward to al fresco lunches with friends, and balmy evenings with her boyfriend Brian in their stunning new home in the beautiful Hag's Glen.With family drama and a painful divorce behind her, Hanna is browsing romantic holiday brochures and making plans with Brian for the future. Then, unexpectedly, Brian's adult son moves in with them, and Hanna re-encounters Amy, one of three girls with whom she shared a London flat in her twenties. And all of a sudden, Hanna begins to question her apparently perfect life. When Amy suggests a visit to London's bright lights and a flatmates' reunion, Hanna accepts. But, while it might be a short hop to England, somehow she feels like she's leaving Brian too far behind.And when Hanna is given a new opportunity, the chance to be more than a local librarian who's settled back into the little rural community where she grew up, she realises she has tough choices to face...

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'A brilliant blend of sweeping satisfying family drama with a tense undercurrent of psychological thriller that hooks on and doesn't let go until [Hourican] delivers her last devastating page' Sunday Independent'The Outsider is everything you could want from high-end commercial fiction - it's sharp, compelling, and full of keenly observed truths about human behaviour. Emily Hourican has always been an insightful, astute writer but this may be her best novel yet.' Louise O'NeillTwo very different families ... One is loud, eccentric, rich and confident. The other is less sure of their place in life. On holidays in Portugal, a near-drowning brings the ten-year-old daughters, Jamie and Sarah, together and a friendship is formed. As the bond between the girls grows deeper, so too do the ties between their families and an unsettling closeness develops between two of the adults. Then, as Jamie begins to feel suffocated by the intensity of Sarah's friendship, cracks begin to show. What will it take to shatter the façade of friendship? The affair? The obsessive crush? And which family will be left whole? The Outsider is the compelling and unforgettable story of the complexity of friendship, marriage, hidden passions and teenage desire.

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'Honest, witty and poignant observations on life that are both heart breaking and heartwarming' Amy HubermanAs a child, being in new places made Stefanie Preissner ill, which is why her family holidayed in the same apartment on the same island off the Spanish coast for nine years in a row. And why, at Christmas, she wrote lengthy letters to Santa (note: letters, plural) begging him not to bring any surprises. Change was the enemy. But, as it turns out, one Stefanie hasn't been able to avoid. And, in spite of herself, one she has sometimes invited into her life.Here, in her first book, Stefanie looks at the ways in which her life has changed. From birthdays, friendships and how she celebrates the festive season, to social media (no FOMO here), the importance of asking WWNSD? (What Would Nicole Scherzinger Do?) when faced with big decisions, and her career as a writer, Why Can't Everything Just Stay the Same? is the hilarious and honest account of one woman's journey to and through adulthood, coping (sort of) with the terror, inevitability and beauty of change.'It's Stefanie's life, but her struggles are universal. Insecurity? Check. Anger? Check. Weight issues? Big fat check. Stefanie shines a light on human frailty and human strength, proving they are not opposites, but often walk hand-in-hand ... an inspiring, thoroughly enjoyable book.' Nell Scovell, creator of Sabrina the Teenage Witch and author of Just the Funny Parts

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'Vintage Emma: Wise, funny, full of wit and sparkle. Read and be uplifted' Cathy Kelly 'A beautiful story about fractured families, unconditional love and the importance of friendship. I read it in one sitting' Sinéad Moriarty'Brimming with warmth, love and friendship - Emma is on every page of this absorbing, heartfelt read' Patricia ScanlanFrom the Number One bestselling author Emma Hannigan comes The Gift of Friends, a magical story of love, friendship and hope.Kingfisher Road - a leafy, peaceful street in the town of Vayhill. But there are whispers behind closed doors. Who is moving into Number 10?Danielle appears to her new neighbours to have the perfect, glossy life. But not everything is as it seems...In fact, the four women who live close by - each at very different stages of their lives - are busy guarding their own secrets.But could a gift be waiting on their doorsteps? And, by opening their front doors, and their hearts, to each other, could the women of Kingfisher Road discover all the help they need?The final novel from the beloved and inspiring Emma Hannigan is a life-affirming, uplifting story that celebrates the strength and joys of female friendship across generations.

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'Walsh writes with a warmth and humour about the disparate lives of four new mothers over one summer in Dublin. This is a touching, enjoyable tale of friendship in all of its complexities.' Anne GriffinA long, hot summer has just begun. Three new mothers gather in the park, in the shade of the trees, forming a tight circle. They keep each other close, sharing gossip, parenting wisdom and deep secrets. Gracie appears to have adapted to motherhood with ease, but secretly she wonders if the cost - to her job and her relationship - is too high. Free-spirited Lina is a single parent by choice, but finds that her decisions have consequences, for her daughter and for herself? And shy Jane is facing the battle of her life, against the man who should be her rock, and with the echoes of a painful decision she made years before.When a lonely new mum asks to join them, the circle opens to let her in. But Elise's arrival provokes mixed emotions amongst the other mothers, as each is forced to confront her true self and the fact that life will never be the same again.

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In his book, Niall Breslin speaks openly about living with depression and anxiety, and his crippling journey to finally acknowledging 'Jeffrey' - the name he chose for it - years after he took the decision to conceal his growing mental health issues from the world, at age 15.Told with raw honesty, it is a story of the demons that lay beneath outward success, and how they impacted on his career in sports and later music, as he coped with a condition that at times seemed hell bent on wrecking everything in its wake. It is also the story of a road to reconciliation with brokenness - beginning after a massive panic attack before a live TV appearance in 2012 - leading to brighter horizons.Me and My Mate Jeffrey is an essential book for anyone who knows what it is to feel alone, and who doesn't know how to ask for help - or anyone who wants to better understand that journey.

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'Harding writes like an angel' Sunday TimesTalking to Strangers, from the No.1 bestselling author of Staring at Lakes, Hanging with the Elephant and On Tuesdays I'm a Buddhist is a book about love, about the stories we share with others, and the stories we leave behind us.Too much wine and a casual browse of an airline website - this is how Michael Harding found himself in a strange flat in Bucharest in early January, which set the tone for the rest of that year.After an intense stint in a high-profile production of The Field, Harding returned to the tranquil hills above Lough Allen and started to plan some dramatic changes to his little cottage. Surely an extension would give him a renewed sense of purpose in life as he approached old age.But as the walls of his home crumbled, so too did his mental health, and he fell, once again, into depression -- that great darkness where life feels like nothing more than a waste of time.And yet, it is in that great darkness that we discover what really makes us human.'Michael Harding is no ordinary man or memoirist ... a book that champions the kindness (or at least company) of strangers as essential for that elusive state known as happiness' RTÉ Guide

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'Searingly honest, funny, self-deprecating, Harding's narrative seems to rest on the pulse of Ireland' Irish TimesOne day in the summer of 2016, Michael Harding's wife brought an unusual gift home from Warsaw. All of a sudden, he found himself falling back into the old religious devotions of an earlier time. The meaning he had found through years of engagement with therapy began to dissolve.Here, in On Tuesdays I'm a Buddhist, Harding examines the search for meaning in life which keeps him fastened to the idea of god.After many therapy sessions focused on an effort to uncover personal truth, and long solitary months on the road with a one man show, Harding is finally led to an artists' retreat in the shadow of Skellig Michael.Mixing stories from the road with dispatches from his Irish Times columns, On Tuesdays I'm a Buddhist is a spell-binding and powerful book about the human condition, the narratives we weave around the self, and the ultimate bliss of living in the present moment.'What happens between one story and the next? That's the really interesting part. That's the space where we find bliss; where we float sometimes, suspended, and only for a brief moment. Perhaps only for a few scarce moments in an entire life.'

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'Simmering with repressed rage from the off, this complex tale of revenge, betrayal and loss is an absolute cracker' Sunday IndependentOne Good Reason is a gripping human drama about revenge, family secrets, and lies that can ripple beneath the surface of successful lives, waiting to be disclosed.Laura has never been like other girls. She thinks about sadness rather than feeling it. Anger, jealousy, deceit - they just seem more useful.So when her family unit is shattered after a violent break-in to their home, she becomes intent on getting even. The perpetrators have walked away unpunished but her father wasn't so lucky, falling prey to a fatal heart attack in the aftermath.Paddy Skellion - father of one of the offenders - is a renowned artist, who will go a long way to protect his reputation. When Laura's mother Angela gives her daughter her blessing to travel to the South of France, to visit the family in the hope of an apology, she knows little of Laura's true intent.Laura has one good reason to enter their lives in ways they can't foresee. But even the best laid plans don't always go as intended...

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'A thoughtful, engrossing read. Warm and insightful. Roisin Meaney is a skillful storyteller' - Sheila O'Flanagan, author of The Missing Wife, on The Reunion.It's their twenty-year school reunion but the Plunkett sisters have their own reasons for not wanting to attend ... Caroline, now a successful knitwear designer, spends her time flying between her business in England and her lover in Italy. As far as she's concerned, her school days, and what happened to her the year she left, should stay in the past.Eleanor, meanwhile, is unrecognisable from the fun-loving girl she was in school. With a son who is barely speaking to her, and a husband keeping a secret from her, revisiting the past is the last thing on her mind.But when an unexpected letter arrives for Caroline in the weeks before the reunion, memories are stirred.Will the sisters find the courage to return to the town where they grew up and face what they've been running from all these years?The Reunion is a moving story about secrets, sisters and finding a way to open your heart.

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Old friends, new complications - will this be a season to remember?'A pure delight ... Ally Bunbury is on my list of new favourite authors' Reader reviewThe countdown to Christmas is on at Shillington's luxury department store in Dublin city ...Immy Brooks has just been put in charge of personal shopping and seems to have a gift for knowing exactly what people want. The one person whose mind she can't read is her best friend (and soon-to-be boss), Lando Shillington. The night before he leaves for Paris, the two share a drunken night of passion - but Immy hasn't seen or heard from him since ...Lando can't get Immy out of his head but he is under pressure to save the family business and he's in Paris to learn the ropes from the retail magnate, Charles de Croix. Radical changes are needed if Shillington's is to return to its former glory. But Lando hadn't banked on getting on quite so well with Charles' daughter, the glamorous and eminently dateable Celine.Christmas is in the air when Lando returns to Dublin with Celine and de Croix, both determined to give Shillington's a Parisian makeover, but does their arrival spell the end for Immy and Lando, before they even get started?

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'A gloriously good read' Sunday Independent LIFESURROUNDED BY WEALTH, GLAMOUR AND EXCITEMENTLady Honor Guinness is a reluctant wallflower. But that all changes when she marries Henry 'Chips' Channon, a charming and ambitious American. On his arm, she finds herself at the heart of 1930s London's most elite social circles, mingling with aristocrats, politicians and royalty. But it's not too long before Chips begins toprioritise his aspirations over all else, and Honor begins to wonder who exactly she has married.By her side is her best friend Doris, a young woman eager to establish her place in society. A social butterfly who keeps the details of her family background to herself, Doris is hopeful her beauty and charm will win her a suitable husband, but she has no interest in a romantic attachment. Until she is introduced to 'the most devastating man in London'.Inspired by true-life events, The Other Guinness Girl: A Question of Honor is an elegant, captivating story of two young women navigating friendship, loneliness, love and desire as they try to find their places in a society where the rules seem to change every moment.PRAISE FOR THE GUINNESS GIRLS NOVELS'Utterly captivating ... an absolute page-turner' IRISH INDEPENDENT'Masterfully and glamorously told' SUNDAY BUSINESS POST'Fans of Downton Abbey will adore this' SUNDAY TIMES

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In Running from the Shadows Stephanie Hickey tells, in her own words, how she survived abuse at the hands of a trusted family member and of how running, a simple physical activity helped her achieve mindfulness, but also to rediscover love and faith in her body - to reclaim it. Charting her life growing up in the rolling countryside of Waterford in the safety of her beloved family to the moment her childhood was shattered, to the court case where she waived her anonymity, to how she was able to reclaim a sense of herself through the sport which became like a therapy, Running from the Shadows is told with humour, strength and incredible courage -- a book that reveals how, even when things seem at their bleakest, a run through the Irish countryside, can bring you back into the light.

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Her life seemed perfect. Until the day she disappeared without a trace . . .Once inseparable, years of resentment and jealousy have driven Alice and Holly apart. But, though they barely speak these days, Alice knows her sister is hiding something.When she hears that a discovery at a soon-to-be-demolished apartment building has led police to re-open an 'accidental death' case, Alice thinks nothing of it. She's distracted by a recent chance encounter with a charismatic man named Damien, and the possibility of romance when she had given up all hope. Until someone knocks at her door, with questions about Holly.Alice doesn't believe her sister is capable of involvement in anything so sinister. But when she tries to contact Holly, she can't be reached...Forced to dig through the past in order to uncover the truth, Alice starts to uncover years of Holly's secrets - and to doubt her innocence. As the evidence mounts up, Alice has a choice to make: does she want to help her sister clear her name, even if the price is her own future with Damien?

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The message is simple: excellent food is available at affordable prices. You just have to know what you're looking for - and where to find it.Shrewd Food is the definitive guide. Inspired by the hugely popular website shrewdfood.ie, set up in 2009 by dedicated foodie and home-cook extraordinaire Elizabeth Carthy - who knows first-hand the challenges of feeding a family on a budget - this collection of over one hundred recipes for every occasion also includes information on:Shopping for best-value and qualityShrewd cooking tips The shrewd cupboardSeasonal cookingOccasion cooking on a budget.In easy-to-follow recipes containing fresh, affordable ingredients, Elizabeth shares with us her knowledge of traditional Irish cuisine - learned from her mother - to shrewd recipes from Europe and the East, gathered during her many years living abroad.More than just a cookbook, Shrewd Food is a way of life.

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'No' is the first thing I ever said. It was actually the only thing I said in my first speaking months. Like most children, I was born with an innate ability to set boundaries for myself. 'No.' 'Mine.' I intuitively knew how to practise self-care and self-preservation. Then, at some point, just like my ability to shuffle across the floor on my butt, I forgot how to say no...Traumatic childhood sleepovers, stressful social occasions, unrealistic demands at work, unwanted second dates and endless offers of cake, in her memoir, award-winning writer Stefanie Preissner leaves no NO unexplored. From the issue of consent, and what happens when a whole country comes together to say Yes, Can I Say NO? is one woman's honest and hilarious take on how re-learning one small word can pave the way to saying YES to who you really are.

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Three years ago, when Cavan footballer Alan O'Mara was twenty-two, he spoke out about his battle with depression which led him to contemplate suicide. Only the thought of his parents and the pain that they would experience in his death prevented him from taking his own life. Now, in The Best is Yet to Come, he tells his story.From the role the GAA played in his life, to the decision he made to share his journey, this is an account of an ordinary young man, a GAA star, who found a way to move past the dark thoughts that beset his mind during his worst days, and who discovered that the only way out of the darkness is to ask for help.'In summoning his courage and becoming the first active inter-county player to speak of his experiences with depression, Alan O'Mara gives a much needed voice to an aspect of human experience that has been cloaked in silence and stigma. This book, which is needed now more than ever, gives a rare glimpse into the complex inner world of depression and will give hope to those suffering in silence, guidance to those seeking solutions and inspiration for families and friends supporting loved ones.' Conor Cusack

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Though they have never met, Cassie is coming to think of E.L. as her truest friend. Lately it feels as though Cassie's life has been slowly collapsing around her - her beloved grandfather has died, her father has just moved out of the family home, and her mother is drinking more than she used to. But when she talks to E.L., she feels less alone.However, Cassie isn't entirely sure that E.L. is real. A slave girl living in 1840s South Carolina, E.L. visits Cassie first in her dreams, then begins to speak to her while she's awake. Are their conversations a sign that Cassie has inherited her grandfather's gift of communicating with the dead, or is Cassie slowly losing her mind?As the young women become closer across the miles and years that separate them, they find solace in each other and, as Cassie learns of the horrors of E.L.'s reality, she resolves to help her escape. But is E.L.'s future already written? And could Cassie's obsession damage her own life beyond repair?Powerful, moving and unforgettable, I'm Right Here is a beautifully-told story of friendship, love and courageous hope.

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'A wonderful, magical storyteller' Cathy KellyChristmas at Huntersbrook House has always been a family tradition - log fires, long walks through the snowy fields and evenings spent in the local pub. And this year the three grown-up Craig children are looking forward to the holidays more than ever. Pippa to escape her partying lifestyle and mounting debts in Dublin; Joey the demands of his gorgeous girlfriend who seems intent on coming between him and his family; and Lainey to forget about her controlling ex and his recent engagement to another woman.But with the family livery yard in financial trouble, this Christmas could be the Craig family's last at Huntersbrook as they face the prospect of selling the ancestral house.As the holiday season gets underway, the family need to come up with a way to save their home, and face the problems they've been running away from in Dublin. And what better way to figure things out than around the fire at Huntersbrook House.

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For readers who loved The Invention of Wings, I'm Right Here is the startling story of two girls inextricably linked across time and distance. 'I always knew about Grandad's gift - being able to communicate with dead people. When he told me it was my gift too, I didn't understand what that would mean until I began to hear E.L. And that's when the trouble really started ...'Cassie's life is falling apart. She's lost her grandfather, her mother has appeared on national TV talking about her own abusive childhood, and now her father has just moved out of their Brooklyn brownstone. So when she starts to hear the voice of E.L., a young slave girl living on a plantation in South Carolina one-hundred-and-fifty years before Cassie was born, she feels like she's losing her mind - and nobody except E.L. is listening to her. As Cassie gets drawn into E.L.'s world, the lines between her life and E.L.'s become more blurred and her obsession with helping E.L. escape begins to take over her life. But what happens to Cassie if E.L.'s future is already written? I'm Right Here is an unforgettable story about identity, loss and friendship and ultimately, what it means to be free

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In The Great and the Good, Ireland's leading football pundit and legend of the game John Giles looks back on more than fifty years of football, at developments in the game from the post-War period to the present day, the great players who drove it forward, the visionary managers and their teams, and the age-old question of what makes a player good and what makes one great.From his earliest days, John Giles can recall pondering the subject. 'You'd hear about certain 'great' players, such as Stanley Matthews, but no one would ever explain why they were great. And it's a thing that has always frustrated me: trying to define what makes a player great, and what separates the great from the good.'Now the man himself brings us the answers and celebrates the great ones, from Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney, Dave Mackay, John Charles, Johnny Haynes and Jimmy Greaves to Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, John Robertson, Diego Maradona, Marco van Basten, Lionel Messi, Paul Scholes and many more. It will include a section on Irish players including detailed analysis of such greats as Roy Keane, Liam Brady and Paul McGrath. And, finally, Giles names the player he considers the greatest of them all.

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'Tis the season to be jolly, except for single Dubliner Jenny Breslin ... 'An absolutely dreamy holiday read.' Goodreads 'A funny, heart-warming novel ... with Jenny Breslin, Maria has created a Bridget Jones for the social networking generation.' Off the Shelf, Hello Magazine blog. Everything about her life - her boring job at the bank, the complete lack of romance - has been untouched by holiday magic, and she dreads the thought of spending yet another festive season with her larger-than-life mother and her mother's new boyfriend.Thank God for Twitter, a place where there are always people ready and waiting to have a chat. She's even managed to make a couple of genuine friends there, even though she's never met them IRL.'So who's on for a few days in Dublin? Would love to meet you all in person. I have a spare room in my house'- this drunken tweet to her Twitter pals changes Jenny's life forever. Before she knows it, she's counting down to a Christmas visit from London-native Zahra Burns, make-up artist to the stars; Fiona Lee, a stay-at-home mum from Galway, and nurse Kerry (the Twitter buddy Jenny feels closest to).Suddenly, Jenny becomes aware of how her life will appear to these strangers. In a word: Boring. It's easy enough to pretend that you're an exciting and sophisticated person when nobody can see you, but now Jenny's worried about being caught out in the occasional lies that she's told. All the more incentive to change her life for the better! But once her pals arrive, Jenny finds herself pining for the past and wondering if people are ever who they claim to be.

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Fr Michael Flaherty returned to the Island to hide from the world, knowing that those he loves are in danger just because he is alive.But try as he might, he can't escape his past - and, soon, a phone call in the night makes him realise that he has to face his enemy one final time to rid himself of the evil that threatens everything - and everyone - he holds dear.He finds himself in the middle of Jerusalem and in the middle of a fight for the greatest resource the city has - water. As the leaders of the Christians, the Muslims and the Jews argue over which of them owns the vast underground lake beneath the city, those at ground level are involved in a much more simple argument - who should live and who should die?As Michael struggles with his own salvation will he know who to trust and who to destroy?

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''Invaluable . . . A whistle-stop tour down through the ages'' Jarlath Burns, GAA PresidentThe ultimate book to celebrate 140 years of Ireland''s greatest sporting and cultural institution - The GAA.Pulse of the Nation is a celebration of the GAA''s 140 years at the centre of Irish life, from its foundation inNovember 1884 to the present-day institution that has expanded massively at home and abroad.It zones in on the greatest players in football and hurling, ranking them one-to-ten, accompanied by profiles, in each of the fifteen positions in both codes.The ''greatest day'' for all 32 counties is explored, along with a trawl through the various competitions, from the All-Ireland championships with their ''Heartbeat of the Irish Summer'' billing, to those that were once popular but are no longer in place.Controversies are examined, the changed managerial environment is assessed - including the impact ofsome of the

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When Kathleen ''Kick'' Kennedy left London four years ago, Europe was facing war and Billy Cavendish, the man she loved, had told her he could never marry her. Now, as London stands a shell of its former self, Kick returns to volunteer with the Red Cross, determined to do what she can for the city that holds a part of her heart, and to reconnect with Billy - despite what London society thinks of her.For Lady Brigid Guinness, life is unrecognisable. She has swapped dinner parties, social engagements and high fashion for long shifts as a nurse helping wounded soldiers. And the only person she can really talk to is a man shunned by her inner circle. When Sissy, a young Irish girl, arrives from Wicklow under the care of the Guinness family, she brings her own secrets and all three women begin to realise that in a time of war, friendship might be the only thing they can rely on. A Kennedy Affair is a story of forbidden love, family discord, and how in the w

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A heart-warming page-turner set at a glamorous department store during the countdown to Christmas

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ONE WOMAN, THE SECRETS OF A SMALL TOWN, AND A QUEST FOR JUSTICE THAT ROCKED A NATION. Catherine Corless could not have known where her interest in local history would lead her, as she began researching the Tuam Mother and Baby Home in Galway in 2010. Uncovering no less than 796 missing burial records of children born there, the stark truth of their place of rest became clear: a disused sewage tank on the old home site, where two boys had once stumbled upon bones. But who were these lost children, and what had happened to them in the care of the Bons Secours order of nuns? Determined to know more, Catherine's painstaking research led to a quest for justice that continues still as, often against fierce resistance, she brought to light a terrible truth that shocked the world, impacted the Vatican, and led to a Commission of Investigation in Ireland. Part memoir, part detective story, Belonging is both a personal account - of identity, beginnings and Catherine's search for her own mother's lost story - and a recounting of her forensic crusade on behalf of the lost babies of Tuam. It speaks to the tender love of a mother and her child; to the unforgettable screams which echoed through the corridors as babies were taken against the parent's will; and to a mystery which continues to this day, as so many still search to know where, and to whom, they belong.

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''Multi-layered and immersive ... Hughes casts the seeds of mystery and doubt like a pro'' Irish Independent''Compelling, unsettling and very creepy'' Catherine Kirwan''Atmospheric and filled with twists and turns ... a fantastic read'' Patricia GibneyEveryone is talking about the disappearance of Emma Harte.A high-achieving university graduate and young entrepreneur, she was last seen in the early hours of the morning on grainy CCTV footage in Dublin''s city centre before vanishing into thin air. While a national debate about women''s safety rages, eyes turn to Emma''s boyfriend, Tom - who is nowhere to be found.Meanwhile, archivist James Lyster is following the story with undue interest. When a comment he makes about Emma goes viral on social media, he finds himself drawn into the world of a group of idealistic university students involved in the search - and attracting the attention of the police detective in cha

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'Honest, vulnerable and empowering' Angela Scanlon'Poignant, profound, and moving, I have no doubt that this beautifully written book will comfort anyone who is in the process of falling apart' Louise O'Neill'Liadán Hynes writes with so much heart. Her story will help shine a light during uncertain, painful times. After reading, you'll be ready to heal' Cecelia AhernWhen journalist and podcaster Liadán Hynes's marriage ended, it felt like a loss: of her best-friend, and of the happy ending she had envisaged on their wedding day. In the months that followed, she had to adjust to a different future - as a single mum juggling work and managing a home -- without someone to share the ups and downs of the everyday. Here, in this honest, poignant and beautifully written memoir, she gives an account of her experience. From navigating Friday-night dinner parties and Saturday nights alone on the couch, to counselling and having more gurus than is sensible, How to Fall Apart is a story of one woman who discovered the value of different kinds of love and, in doing so, found herself: single, stronger and surrounded by love.

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'I was utterly charmed - a pitch-perfect delight' Marian KeyesDistance makes no difference to love...Eager to cheer up her recently-widowed gran, Cassie Fitzgerald persuades Lissbeg library to set up a Skype book club, linking readers on Ireland's Finfarran Peninsula with the little US town of Resolve, where generations of Finfarran's emigrants have settled. But when the club decides to read a detective novel, old conflicts on both sides of the ocean are exposed, hidden love affairs come to light, and, as secrets emerge, Cassie fears she may have done more harm than good. Will the truths she uncovers about her granny Pat's marriage affect her own hopes of finding love? Is Pat, who's still struggling with the death of her husband, about to fall out with her oldest friend? Or could the transatlantic book club itself hold the clue to a triumphant happy ending?

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HOME IS WHERE THE SECRETS ARE BURIED''Gripping'' Jeanine Cummins''Original'' Andrea Carter''Compelling'' Sheila O''Flanagan''A page-turner'' Ryan Tubridy''This perfectly paced slice of rural noir is extremely addictive'' Business PostWhen two bodies are found on Glenbeg Farm, the local community is reeling.Wealthy matriarch Ursula Kennedy and her farmer husband Jimmy seem to have died in a tragic accident. But who knows what happens behind the closed doors of a family home?Rob, the Kennedys'' eldest son, gave up a high-flying legal career to help with the family business. Given the recent tensions with his parents about money, is he really as distraught as he seems?Rob''s wife Kate struggled with Ursula''s controlling nature - it must be a relief to have her out of the picture now.And Christina, the victims'' fragile daughter, has been struggling to keep a

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It's the time of year ... to run away from your lifeHolly is looking for an escape - from the trappings of Christmas, her least favourite time of year, and from the fallout of her decision to call off her wedding six weeks before the big day.A job decluttering a remote country house back in Ireland seems like the answer to her prayers. But when Holly arrives at Knockboden, it's in a far worse state than she expected, and there's no money available to carry out glamorous owner Serena's very big, and very unrealistic, renovation plans.Just when Holly is tempted to run away again, Serena gets a phone call that looks set to change the fate of Knockboden - and she'll need Holly to make it happen. So, as the countdown to Christmas begins, Holly ignores the interference of Serena's handsome but moody son and works hard to help save the Harpur family home. And at the most wonderful time of year, nothing can go wrong ... right?'Joyously exuberant' Irish Examiner'Unputdownable' Irish Central

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'Absolutely mesmerising' Gillian Flynn, author of Sharp Objects and Gone GirlThe photo shows a boy who was murdered a year ago.The caption says, 'I KNOW WHO KILLED HIM'.Detective Stephen Moran hasn't seen Holly Mackey since she was a nine-year-old witness to the events of Faithful Place. Now she's sixteen and she's shown up outside his squad room, with a photograph and a story.Even in her exclusive boarding school, in the graceful golden world that Stephen has always longed for, bad things happen and people have secrets. The previous year, Christopher Harper, from the neighbouring boys' school, was found murdered on the grounds. And today, in the Secret Place - the school noticeboard where girls can pin up their secrets anonymously - Holly found the card.Solving this case could take Stephen onto the Murder squad. But to get that solved, he will have to work with Detective Antoinette Conway - tough, prickly, an outsider, everything Stephen doesn't want in a partner. And he will have to find a way into the strange, charged, mysterious world that Holly and her three closest friends inhabit and disentangle the truth from their knot of secrets, even as he starts to suspect that the truth might be something he doesn't want to hear.

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For sisters Mary Kennedy and Deirdre Ní Chinnéide, spirituality has been at the centre of their lives since childhood. Their home on St Brigid's Road in Clondalkin, Dublin, was around the corner from a holy well, a place that signalled family, community and divinity.In these pages, they draw on this heritage, with an emphasis on Celtic spirituality - a key focus in Deirdre's work and a long-held area of interest for Mary. The journey to the well is a pilgrimage to source, to that which remains steadfast whatever challenges we face. Traversing the Celtic seasons of Samhain, Imbolc, Bealtaine and Lughnasa, the authors explore themes such as hope, love and loss, resilience and new dawns, through personalreflections, stories, lore and healing words.Journey to the Well is a book of rich connection that celebrates the divine within each of us.

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'A propulsive mystery that feels both fresh and assured' Catherine Ryan Howard'A clever twisty tale that feels completely authentic, Catherine Kirwan is onto another winner' Jane Casey'Atmospheric and intriguing with a brilliantly relatable heroine and an explosive, gripping conclusion, nothing in Cruel Deeds is quite as it seems.' Sam Blake'Thrilling ... a page turning read' Patricia GibneyA SUCCESSFUL LAWYER IS FOUND MURDERED - WHAT WAS SHE HIDING?Finn Fitzpatrick and Mandy Breslin work at the same law firm but move in very different circles. Mandy is a member of the privileged senior partners' clique. Finn keeps to herself.When Mandy's body is found at an abandoned house, everyone at the firm is left reeling - but the partners move fast. If Mandy was involved in something that got her killed, they want to be the first to know.As Finn investigates Mandy's work, she finds herself drawn deeper into her dead colleague's life, and soon discovers that Mandy wasn't the only one with secrets. Will uncovering this web of lies put Finn at risk too? And who can she turn to when she can't trust anyone?'Pacy, twisty and ingeniously plotted ... a real page-turner' T.M. Logan'Money and greed, office gossip and secret affairs; twisty and pacy' Andrea Mara'Pacy, gripping and atmospheric ... a cracking read!' Andrea Carter

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Every baby's bracelet held a mother's secret...'Utterly moving and compelling' Patricia Scanlan'A true storyteller who keeps you turning the pages' Cathy KellyFor almost fifty years, Katie Carroll has kept a box tucked away inside her wardrobe. It dates from her time working as a nurse in a west of Ireland mother and baby home in the 1970s. The box contains a notebook ... and a collection of babies' identity bracelets.Now, grieving the loss of her husband, Katie makes a decision. The information she possesses could help reunite people with their birth mothers. She posts a message on an online forum and soon the replies are rolling in, from as far away as Boston. Katie encounters success and failure, heartbreak and joy. But is she prepared for shocking secrets to be uncovered in her own life?

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'A page-turner ... I adored it' Joanna Lumley'An absolute joy to read!' Carmel Harrington'A heart-warming tale of love, loss and hope' Roisin Meaney'A fascinating generational saga ... beautifully written' Patricia ScanlanOne family. Three generations. And the threads that bind them together ...Ambitious TV producer Penny has always been a planner. She knows exactly what her future looks like - until anunexpected pregnancy forces her to rethink everything, especially her relationship with the baby's father.Penny's mum Val raised her alone and always taught her daughter to be independent. So why is Penny pushing Val away now, when she needs her more than ever?To help heal this rift, Marguerite, Val's recently widowed mother, joins Val in sewing together a keepsake quilt for the baby. But as the quilt takes shape, memories surface, and all three women begin to discover more about each other than they ever could have imagined. As the arrival of their new family member approaches, will they finally realise that maybe they've been looking for happiness in all the wrong places?'Warm, funny and full of heart' Claudia Carroll'A beautifully crafted story, I loved it' Mary Kennedy

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SHE TOOK CONTROL OF HIS COMPUTER. NOW HE'S LOST CONTROL OF HIS LIFE . . .'A provocative, fast-moving mystery' Irish IndependentSomeone is always watchingThey're the perfect couple. James, a high-profile lawyer at a successful City firm, and Bella, a beautiful teacher at a prestigious private school.SOMEONE IS WAITING TO DESTROY YOUR PERFECT LIFE ...Then one night, James loses an important file linked to a multi-million-pound deal and, in a panic, contacts the company's IT helpdesk. A friendly woman answers his call and quickly fixes the issue. All is well once more. But in the weeks after, James is accused of more mistakes at work, ones he doesn't remember making and can't explain. Meanwhile Bella finds herself the target of vicious rumours at school - and no one believes her side of the story.AND IT ALL BEGAN WITH ONE PHONE CALL.Who is the woman at the other side of the computer screen? And why do Bella and James suddenly find their privileged existence - their jobs, their marriage, maybe even their lives - in peril?'Pacy and full of twists and turns' Woman's Way

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'Full of hope and love' Emer McLysaght'Warm ... insightful' Rachael EnglishNUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHORGeorge is happy. Mostly. He loves his teaching job and his daughter Suzi, though he wishes he saw her a little more. All the same, it feels like time for a change - getting over Suzi's mum is definitely long overdue. So George sets up an online dating profile ... and waits to see what will happen.Alice was happy. Until she found out her boyfriend was lying to her. So she returns to her hometown determined that this fresh start will work out. All she has to do is say yes to things - yes to a spare room at her aunt's, yes to writing for the local paper, maybe even yes to falling in love again.As Alice and George try to make everyday changes, their lives begin to overlap more and more. And maybe the day they finally meet will be the day everything changes forever ...

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Popular Fiction Book of the Year - An Post Irish Book Awards 2023'EXTREMELY funny and refreshingly honest about the unacknowledged complexity of female friendship' Marian Keyes'Her best yet. It's astute, relatable, hilarious, insightful, and utterly impossible to put down' Louise O'Neill'Unputdownable ... a darkly funny, raw story about friendship, vulnerability and honesty' Irish TimesLexi is on top of the worldThe podcast she co-hosts with her ride-or-die bestie is going stratospheric. But will all this fame and success cost them their friendship?Joanne's just had a babyBut her pals keep forgetting that she's no longer available for tequila-fuelled nights out. She loves her son and her boyfriend but the loneliness is killing her.Claire is feeling left outThe Whatsapp chat with her old school friends is ominously quiet these days, which can only mean one thing: a side group without her. Can she convince them to give her another chance, or is it time to move on and seek out new BFFs?Fate brings Claire, Joanne and Lexi together as they navigate the knotty, joyful and occasionally toxic swamp that is female friendship. But how will they each decide which friendships to fight for, and which to let go forever?What people are saying about Sophie's books:Sharp, funny ... with characters you'll fall in love with' BETH O'LEARY'Astutely observed, whip-smart and very, very funny' SARAH BREEN'A modern, witty, razor-sharp page-turner' EMER MCLYSAGHT

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'Steve beautifully communicates his vulnerabilities in his music -- he does the same in this powerful story' Niall Breslin As lead singer and songwriter of hugely successful Irish rock band Kodaline, Steve Garrigan plays to thousands of fans worldwide - his business is being in the spotlight. But, for years, Steve was privately battling his own demons.High Hopes is a deeply personal memoir about how everyone carries a story. In his down-to-earth and often humorous style, Steve takes us from his childhood growing up in Dublin and the shyness that only dissolved in front of a microphone, to the highs of rock star success touring and playing stadiums, and the lows of anxiety, depression and panic attacks. Ultimately, his story describes how it is only by learning to share our deepest vulnerability - embracing all aspects of our true selves - that we can work through darkness and ultimately find freedom.

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"When my parents signed me up to Trojan Swimming Club, they had no idea of the evil behind Gibney's interest in me. As a thirteen-year-old, who knew nothing but kindness and love, I was ill-equipped to understand what was happening as he insidiously dominated my thinking and isolated me from anyone who might come between us. The process of entrapment was quick, and in full view of my family and team-mates I became a prisoner - bullied, manipulated and abused, unnoticed by those close to me. So complete was Gibney's control of me that not only could I not see a way out, it didn't even occur to me to look for one."At age thirteen, Trish Kearney's idyllic childhood was abruptly ended when her swimming coach - the internationally recognised George Gibney - began abusing her. Six years later, the Seoul Olympics firmly within her sights, she sacrificed a promising swimming career to walk free of her abuser.In her memoir, she describes how suppressed memories of those difficult years resurfaced after the birth of her first child, and the momentous journey set in train when a letter arrived from former team-mate Gary O'Toole, opening the Pandora's box on the abuse - leading to a failed court case and Gibney's ultimate exposure in the press as a rampant, controlling paedophile. Above Water is a survivor's story, of coming up for air after decades of burying trauma, and of learning to breathe again. It shines a light into dark places just as it casts its beam outwards, signalling the healing power of love, family and one woman's indomitable spirit.

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In 2018, after receiving a life-changing diagnosis, broadcaster Gareth O'Callaghan retired from full-time work and gave up the career that he had loved for decades.In this deeply personal and inspiring memoir he tells that story, from the moments after his doctor uttered the words Multiple System Atrophy - a progressive and incurable neurological disease that ultimately carries a fatal prognosis - to his struggle to come to terms with a life unplanned.Recounted with insight and searing honesty, What Matters Now reveals how, regardless of circumstance, we can choose how we live, to the fullest. A stunning and life-affirming account of the power of the human spirit, and the potential for hope even in the darkest times."For me, this is not a choice. It's all I want, namely a full and loving life that I strive to choose every day over everything else - considering that maybe the big odds are heavily stacked against that. But I don't care what the odds might be; I'll keep defying them for as long as I can keep fighting and living."

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'Intriguing and compelling ... will enthral you to the end' Liz Nugent 'Absolutely gripping ... an addictive page turner.' Patricia GibneyIn a small town south-east of Boston, a young nanny awaits trial for murder.The evidence - and the media - is against her, but Abby Jones swears she is innocent.Defence attorney Heather Baxter believes Abby is telling the truth, but convincing a jury will not be easy. And she knows that in a place like Corham, where her own mother's murder remains unsolved, justice isn't always served.As the lawyer starts to dig deeper into Abby's case, Heather soon realises there may be a link to the shadows of her own past -- and those involved will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried ...'A gripping courtroom drama with a courageous new heroine in Heather Baxter. Pacy, tightly plotted and full of suspense. The Hiding Game was worth the wait!' Andrea Carter 'Riveting, thought provoking and compulsive.' Arlene Hunt

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'Page-turning grit lit - compelling characters that blaze a trail through a riveting plot' LIZ NUGENT'Brilliant ... I was riveted from first page to last' ADRIAN MCKINTY'Among the cleverest, most accomplished and compassionate of Irish crime writers' JOHN CONNOLLYWhen Jody Kavanagh is discovered close to death in her home, it's hard to believe someone wanted to hurt her. Young, talented, loved - she appears to have it all. As she lies in a coma, Detective Inspector Elliot Ryan and Sergeant Nola Kane begin to piece together a picture of her life - but the image revealed is far from perfect. Is her ex-husband really who he seems to be? Why are her mother and sister estranged? Why is her house full of cameras? Who was Jody afraid of? Haunted by guilt and in chronic pain, DI Ryan has his own demons. And Kane, who is recovering from an incident where the professional and personal overlapped, needs to prove herself.From the shaky glamour of Irish high society to the cold heart of two broken families, Ryan and Kane must work against hidden forces to restore their reputations and find who wanted to kill Jody - and why.'A witty and cleverly plotted mystery' Irish Independent

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'A wonderfully empathetic exploration of human frailties and our capacity to heal ... brutally truthful and beautifully uplifting' Sophie White'Moving, unexpected and compassionate' Louise O'Neill'A heartfelt reminder of the importance of connection - to nature, to others, to ourselves' Calum McSwigganJenna Walker has suddenly found herself with no job, no boyfriend, nowhere to live - and she's been wondering for a while now if, apart from her beloved cat Bertie, she has anything to live for. The last thing she wants is to turn up on her sister's doorstep, but that feels like her only option...Rosie Walker spends a lot of her time thinking about the life she used to have. These days she's stretched too thin, and she's not sure she can cope with taking care of another person. If only one thing in her life would work out the way she wants it to...David is Rosie's next-door neighbour. A retired doctor, he has had a big idea, one inspired by his late wife June: a community garden project for those who are struggling.The sisters reluctantly agree to take part, even though they're sure it'll be a waste of time. How could fixing up an overgrown plot of land make anyone's life better? But as the group works together to bring the garden back to life, new friendships blossom and old wounds start to heal. And Jenna and Rosie come to realise that the world around them might have more to offer than they had once believed.From the author of bestseller If Only, Glass Houses is a heartfelt, uplifting novel about family, growth, friendship and hope.'Evocative, emotional and visceral' Briana Morgan

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Erin wants a fresh start.With her thirtieth birthday coming up, she's taken a long hard look at her life (the job she hates, the wedding she just cancelled) and concluded that it's basically a mess.If only she knew where to begin.A trip to her hometown in Ireland to visit her beloved grandmother is a welcome escape from her disappointments. But, there, Erin also finds an unexpected solution to her problems, in the form of a magical family heirloom. No more of the 'what ifs' she's been tormenting herself with -- now all she needs to do is whisper two little words and she'll be able to see for herself what might have been, had she chosen a different path.But as Erin gets caught up in one 'if only' after another, changing her life proves more complicated than expected. And she starts to realise that, by chasing dreams and searching for an easy fix, she might be missing out on what's right in front of her...

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In late 2018, Michael Harding was in a hotel room in Blanchardstown experiencing severe pains in his chest. He eventually phoned an ambulance and was admitted to hospital, suffering from an acute heart attack. Here, in Chest Pain, he looks at the months before the heart attack when he kept the signs of failing health from his beloved and instead retreated into solitude -- and with his own inimitable style and humour takes us with him through the months after a stent had been inserted in his heart, where he travels the roads of Donegal in a camper van in a journey back to the beloved, and to himself.Chest Pain is a thought-provoking, spell-binding memoir about togetherness and what it means to be alive.

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