Everything That Is Beautiful - by Louise Nealon (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"I absolutely loved it . . . So realistic about the complexity of loving people who will break our hearts."--Marian Keyes, internationally bestselling author of My Favorite Mistake

The #1 internationally bestselling, award-winning author of Snowflake returns with a luminous portrait of two Irish families riven by one great secret.

For Niamh Ryan, the Foleys are family. Her childhood flew by on their farm, playing with her best friend Peter and his sister Kate--while being doted on by their mother Helen and coached by their father Liam, a legendary former hurling player.

Now, following a distressing series of events, those ties are strained. Niamh receives drunken phone calls and messages from Peter who can't understand what derailed their burgeoning relationship three years ago. Helen tries her best to escape her life by checking into guesthouses under the names of old classmates. And Kate, living in Belfast, works to maintain her job and a relationship while carrying the weight of the family's secrets.

As a family wedding looms, Niamh, Helen, and Kate find themselves face to face once again--and the knotty love that has bound them might just bring them back together again.

Told through the perspectives of three very different women, Everything That Is Beautiful is an unforgettable story of love and family, heartbreak and hope--and who we might become after we pick up the pieces.

Review Quotes

"I absolutely loved it . . . So realistic about the complexity of loving people who will break our hearts." -- Marian Keyes, internationally bestselling author of My Favorite Mistake
"Intimate and panoramic, tender-hearted and clear-eyed, poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, this dazzling novel brims with compassion and unforgettable characters. A book you'll read and love, then immediately buy for those you love." -- Colin Walsh, #1 bestselling author of Kala
"A deeply moving exploration of all the joys and pains of living in community. Beautifully written, funny, emotionally complex and always quietly hopeful. I loved it." -- Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin, award-winning author of Ordinary Saints
"It's rare to read a novel where rage and compassion are so delicately balanced on each page. This book made me want to open a window and shout." -- Sheila Armstrong, author of How To Gut a Fish
"A striking portrait of three women and their strength and devotion in the face of devastation. Everything That is Beautiful is wrought with tension, humour, irreverence and warmth. Louise Nealon captures so well the nuances of Irish family life--the chaos, the imperfections, and the unconditional love. I felt I was in the family kitchen, experiencing their laughter and celebrating their triumphs--and heartbreak. The Foleys will inhabit your heart long after the last page." -- Charleen Hurtubise, author of The Polite Act of Drowning
"Snowflake is mad and wonderful. I thought I was reading one thing, then discovered--several times--that I was reading a different, even better thing." - Roddy Doyle on Snowflake
"Nealon's razor-sharp focus on the shame surrounding mental health issues, sexual promiscuity and substance abuse in Irish culture--and her female characters' determination to not only face but conquer their shortcomings . . . makes an indelible mark." - Washington Post on Snowflake
"Snowflake is a beautiful novel; tender, laugh-out-loud funny, and deeply moving." - Louise O'Neill on Snowflake
"In an entirely unique, dark, and hilariously human novel, Nealon manages to weave the pressure of youth with the hopeful reality of unconditional love." - Shondaland on Snowflake
"An endearingly off-kilter coming-of-age story . . . . Debbie will win your heart." - People, "The Best New Books," on Snowflake