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320 pages, Hardcover
Published July 4, 2024
Keely grows up lonely but loved. Her mother died when she was young. Her father spends his days doing backbreaking work dredging for coal in the sea off Ireland. But tragedy drives a wedge between her and her da and grief follows them both, reaching a breaking point.
Finn is being brought up by his grandparents. He too is lonely. He barely speaks, unable to find the words to articulate how he feels about the world. As a young man, he finds this ability in music, but this is short-lived.
When Keely and Finn meet, the connection is instant. Love blooms. But is it enough to save them both?
This story about love, grief and loneliness is rendered in heart-wrenchingly beautiful prose to the point where I wiped away tears. These themes are etched into the plot, and explored with deftness and aplomb.
Keely and Finn jump off the page, three-dimensional characters who feel real enough to touch. They're full of depth and I felt so protective of them. Keely, especially, stole my heart.
My only real criticism of the book is that the relationship between the characters develops too quickly. I've never been a fan of insta-love and I feel like the tensions between Keely and Finn would have been more pronounced and their heartache more profound if there had been more of a build-up.
Otherwise, I cannot recommend this stunning, lyrical novel enough.