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Fionnuala Kearney lives in Ascot with her husband. They have two grown-up daughters (both with deliberately simple monosyllabic names). One of seven children, Fionnuala likes to write about the nuances and subtle layers of human relationships, peeling them away to see what's really going on beneath.
Author photo © Laura Thomson
The normal, the extraordinary, the highest ups and very deepest downs, this absolutely gorgeous book is about life, in all of its wonderful, charming, heartbreaking glory. I’m very conscious about the fact that I will probably gush with enthusiasm because I quite simply adored it, sorry (not sorry), you’ll just have to go with me on this one. Erin and Dom marry in 1996, and her father gives them an empty book, a book to write what can not be said, an opportunity to create honesty, love, commitment, and so we are introduced to The Book of Love. Little excerpts from the book start each chapter, we hear from either Erin or Dom as we view their life, travelling in time from now which is 2017, and then, which starts in 1996 and travels forward to meet now. I will warn you that I whimpered and cried, I also smiled, laughed, and felt the joy of this couple, but there are points when I really really cried. Fionnuala Kearney allows you to get to know Erin and Dom without judgement getting in the way, she writes with huge compassion and brings their story to vibrant life, this is glorious writing, just glorious. I gobbled up the words, which join together to create a simple, touchable, beautiful tale. The Book of Love is one of my picks of the month, yes, yes, I loved it!
One of our Books of the Year 2016. A mesmerising and eloquently emotional novel exposing the complexity of relationships and the hidden, the things left unsaid and untold. I adored Fionnuala Kearney’s debut novel, so was very much looking forward to ‘The Day I Lost You’. She has the ability to see beneath normality, to the darker side within, and she writes with the perfect blend of heartbreak and hope. 48 year old Jess’s daughter Anna is reported missing in an avalanche, releasing a deluge of hurt, suspicion and the discovery of secrets. The focus remains on Jess, Anna, and Theo (their friend), their stories written in different ways, ensuring the transition from each flows, highlighting their individual thoughts and emotions. The supporting cast of characters are beautifully realised and makes this wonderful family drama feel realistic and touchable. As little quivers of suspicion started to arise and my mind darted to and fro, Fionnuala Kearney maintained a subtle balance, encouraging me to trust my instincts, yet laying artful trip hazards along the way. ‘The Day I Lost You’ is touching, heart wrenching, and I found myself completely lost in this gorgeously written tale. ~ Liz Robinson October 2016 Book of the Month.
July 2015 Debut of the Month. A fabulous debut novel, You, Me and Other People is clever, wistful and endearing. Beth and Adam have been married for years, secrets also kept for years are set to rampage though and trample over their lives. In alternate chapters over several months we hear from them both, as time passes, shocks, surprises and all the emotions they bring, lie in wait. While Fionnuala Kearney covers heartbreak and despair, this is not a melancholy book, instead it is full of smiles, warmth and hope. The author writes with a beautiful heartfelt balance, it feels as though she has reached into her characters hearts and minds and exposed their inner core. it is difficult to put this wonderful book down, each page encourages you to keep reading and once finished, to look forward with anticipation to the author's next novel. ~ Liz Robinson
