How far would you go to protect your family?
’Full of heart and essential truth, this moving book will sweep you to a very satisfying ending and perhaps a few happy tears’ KATIE FFORDE
‘A riveting family saga, with terrific characters, that has you utterly engrossed from start to finish. I loved it’ PATRICIA SCANLAN
‘I absolutely adored every page of it . . . No one blends love and loss, happiness and heartbreak quite the way Carmel does. Not since the late, great Maeve Binchy’ CLAUDIA CARROLL
‘An emotional family drama . . . full of the warmth we’ve come to associate with Carmel’s writing’ HAZEL GAYNOR
‘An exploration of familial love and grief . . . and how in the face of our greatest trials, our strongest bonds can be forged’ ROISIN MEANEY
’Warm, uplifting and thought-provoking . . . The perfect book club read!’ DEBBIE JOHNSON
‘Beautifully written, warm and wise. I adored it’ ALEX BROWN
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
While Rachel Butler likes her life in a pretty Dublin coastal village, her heart lies in Hawke’s Bay, where she grew up. Visiting for the first time since tragedy tore her family apart, she and her stepchildren fall for its beauty and outdoor lifestyle.
Malahide, Ireland
As Rachel picks up the threads of her life as a single parent, she can’t shake off the memories of her loving family in New Zealand – and her dream house, the villa on the bay. But it’s time to move forwards with their life in Ireland, close to the children’s grandparents, amid the familiar surroundings they all know well.
Until the children’s grandmother, still grieving, starts to interfere, questioning Rachel's position as stepmother.
Until Rachel’s attempts to strengthen the family she loves so dearly backfires, pitting everyone against each other.
And until her late husband’s parents mend the rift that has existed as long as she’s been married – bringing with them an explosive secret . . .
From the USA Today and Irish Times bestselling author of The Moon Over Kilmore Quay comes an emotional and poignant story of love, family and resilience.
Meet Grace…
When young single mother Grace Devlin is diagnosed with cancer her best chance of survival is to find a bone marrow transplant. Only Grace is adopted and her one previous attempt to connect with her birth mother resulted in bitter disappointment.
But with her young son Jack to think about, and the return of his father Liam reminding her of feelings she’d thought she’d buried long ago, Grace refuses to give up hope just yet.
With the help of her friends she bravely embarks on a journey of discovery – one that will bring her from her home in vibrant Dublin to the unspoilt beauty of the picturesque Wexford coast where Grace must unravel a web of lies and deceit that has spanned over thirty years.
With a wonderful cast of supporting characters and plenty of Irish charm, this unforgettable novel will have you laughing and crying at the turn of a page.
It’s time to curl up with Carmel…
Carmel Harrington is an exciting new Irish voice in women’s fiction – a must read for fans of Jean Grainger, Maeve Binchy and Jojo Moyes!
Readers love Carmel Harrington:
“This book. There are no words and five stars seems such a low bar when this book is as shockingly good as it is. I even found myself screaming NO WAY and almost woke my baby just because the twists and turns had me that shocked.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“It’s FULL of heart and I’m warning you, it’ll SMASH yours – but put it back together again just before the end.” USA Today bestselling author, Catherine Ryan Howard
“An unputdownable journey between New York and Wexford. It is a story about family and identity, about legacy and secrets, and is ultimately a touching love letter to Ireland… She delivers heartache and laughter, and plenty of surprises along the way.” New York Times bestselling author, Hazel Gaynor
“It’s a BEAUTY!… Quite simply up there with Colm Toibin’s Brooklyn.” No.1 bestselling author, Claudia Carroll
It's time to curl up with Carmel...
When your heart belongs in two places, can you ever truly find home?
Brooklyn, New York,
Bea has grown up in the heart of the Irish community, always hearing stories of home. When she discovers a letter from her younger self, written years before, it sends her deep into her own family history.
Kilmore Quay, Ireland.
Years earlier, Lucy Mernagh leaves her much-loved home and family in search of the New York dream. The Big Apple is a world away from the quiet village she grew up in, and the longing for home aches within her.
When Bea uncovers a shocking secret, it takes her back across the water to Kilmore Quay, where - finally - long-buried truths will come to light. But fate has one last twist in store...
This is a joyful, uplifting book for those of us who sometimes wake up and feel we’re not good enough. Spoiler alert: we are!
‘Original, funny, moving and brutally honest…perfect for fans of Ruth Jones’ Debbie Johnson
‘So many women will find this book speaks to them. It makes you laugh and cry but it is truly inspiring’ Sunday Times bestseller Katie Fforde
Meet Greta.
She’s funny.
She’s flawed.
She’s hiding so much behind her big smile she’s forgotten who she is.
But Greta is about to discover that the key to being happy is…being you.
Greta Gale has played the part of the funny fat one her entire life, hiding her insecurities behind a big smile. But size doesn’t matter when you can laugh at yourself, right?
Until Greta realises she’s the only one not laughing. And deep down, she’s not sure if she’ll ever laugh again.
But with her world feeling like it’s falling down around her, Greta is about to discover she’s stronger than she feels. And that sometimes the best moments in life come when it’s all gone a bit pear-shaped…
Everyone loves Greta:
‘Poignant and profound, warm and witty, Carmel’s brilliant writing invites us to look beyond the smiley face to the complex tangle of emotions inside us all. I absolutely adored it’
Sunday Times bestseller Cathy Bramley
‘Warm, engrossing storytelling at its best’
Irish Times bestseller Sheila O’Flanagan
‘I bloody loved it. Funnny, heart-wrenching and uplifting all in one’
Beth Reekles, author The Kissing Booth
‘There's something about Greta we can all relate to, and her story has, perhaps, never been more relevant or important. This is a novel full of heart, wisdom, and courage, and you're in for a real treat!’
New York Times bestseller Hazel Gaynor
'Warm, uplifting & important...a very VERY special book' Marian Keyes
'Beautifully moving and uplifting' Cecelia Ahern
'Convincing characters, always gripping, endearing, with a cracking pace' IRISH INDEPENDENT
'Beautifully written, emotionally intelligent & moving in the extreme' DAILY MAIL
Meet Tom. Or Dr O'Grady, as he used to be called. When you pass him on the street, most people don't even give him a second glance. You see, Tom isn't living his best life. Burdened by grief, he's only got his loyal dog, Bette Davis, for company and a rucksack containing his whole world.
Then there's Ruth and her son, DJ, who no longer have a place to call home. But Ruth believes that you can change the world by helping one person at a time - and Tom needs her help.
There are a thousand ways to find your home - you just need to be brave enough to look for them.
Why readers and authors love Carmel Harrington:
'At 72 years old I have lived a life that encompasses most of your stories and you give a lift to my soul that inspires me' Ruth, Norwich
'Brave and original' Liz Nugent
'Important, life-affirming and bursting with Carmel's trademark warmth and hope. It belongs on everyone's shelf, and in everyone's hearts' Hazel Gaynor
'Timely, moving and FULL of heart' Catherine Ryan Howard
'A remarkable, special, joyous book that captured my heart' Alex Brown
'Fearless, brave and so full of heart...Carmel has written her first number one' Claudia Carroll
'Anyone who loved the great Maeve Binchy will adore this gorgeous gem of a book' - Claudia CarrollEvery family has a story...But for the Guinness family a happy ending looks out of reach. Olly and Mae's marriage is crumbling, their teenage daughter Evie is on a mission to self-destruct and their beloved Pops is dying of cancer.
Their once strong family unit is slowly falling apart.But Pops has one final gift to offer his beloved family - a ray of hope to cling to. As his life's journey draws to a close, he sends his family on an adventure across Europe in a camper van, guided by his letters, his wisdom and his love. Because Pops knows that all his family need is time to be together, to find their love for each other and to find their way back home...
What readers are saying about Carmel Harrington:
'Carmel Harrington...will make you see life in a different way' - Woman's Way
'A wonderfully life-affirming, heart-warming book. Carmel Harrington writes with such honesty, you'd have to be made of stone not to laugh and cry' - New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor
'I always feel a little richer for having read one of Carmel's books...this inspiring and emotional family-centred read stole my heart' - Between the Lines
