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The Coast Road

‘A perfect book club read’ Sunday Times

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The Coast Road

By: Alan Murrin
Narrated by: Jessica Regan
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Bloomsbury presents The Coast Road by Alan Murrin, read by Jessica Regan

* WINNER OF THE AN POST IRISH BOOK AWARDS: NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR 2024 *

‘A perfect book club read ... Assured and powerful’ SUNDAY TIMES
‘I loved this novel ... An addictive read’ GILLIAN ANDERSON
‘Moves between rage, forgiveness and hope ... A stonkingly good novel’ SARAH WINMAN
‘A beautiful, accomplished debut’ LOUISE KENNEDY

It’s 1994 in County Donegal, Ireland, and everyone is talking about Colette Crowley: the writer, the bohemian, the woman who left her family to be with a married man in Dublin.

Returning to pick up the pieces of her old life, Colette finds that nothing – and everything – has changed. When the man to whom she is still married denies her access to their children, Colette enlists the help of Izzy, a housewife and mother of two, and the women forge a friendship that will send them on a spiralling journey – one towards a path of self-discovery, and the other towards tragedy.

A WOMAN & HOME and NB. MAGAZINE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024 Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Tear-jerking
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Critic Reviews

Beautifully written ... The novel is wonderful on what it means to live in a patriarchal society and the consequences women can suffer for trying to follow their dreams. Compelling
Murrin’s novel is immaculately crafted, his characterisation beautifully nuanced ... Murrin’s scrutiny of the community’s prejudice is shot through with humour, while he writes perceptively about love, desire and the limitations placed on women ... A compelling, compassionate page-turner
Packed with shenanigans – affairs, separations, deaths, priests and politics – the narrative unfolds in a gossipy rush that is well suited to the small town milieu. But Murrin attends to a different kind of desperation too, the real and heartbreaking lack of agency for women in difficult, unsatisfying marriages in twentieth century Ireland. This is what elevates his novel, bringing the lives of his distinctive female characters into high definition ... Murrin switches with remarkable ease between the perspectives ... An engrossing read ... A gripping character-driven novel that is accessible and literary in style
An absolute zinger ... A beautifully told, interwoven story full of really vivid characters ... If I didn’t know it was a man who wrote it, I would definitely say it was a woman who wrote it, because he gets under the skin of the women characters in particular really well. Highly recommend it, it’s a beautiful read (Barbara Scully, author of WISE UP [via Instagram])
If the book club queen Reese Witherspoon relocated to the Irish Republic, this would tick all her boxes ... This is an assured and powerful debut, and Murrin shows impressive imaginative power in inhabiting the hopes and fears of married, middle-aged mothers. It’s well worth a slot in your book club calendar ... It is thoughtful, readable and funny, and even occasionally thrilling
‘Scandal, hypocrisy and the stigma of divorce make this Irish novel sing ... The story is crisply told ... Murrin is sceptically yet tenderly observant'
With nuanced observations, humour and heartbreak, the novel mirrors the backdrop of the sea, whose ebb and flow belies dangerous currents below the surface
I loved this novel. All the female characters are complex and fascinating, and full of anger and hope. I found it an addictive read (Gillian Anderson)
Alan Murrin is a gifted storyteller, his characters so fully realised I fretted for them as I read. A beautiful, accomplished debut (Louise Kennedy, author of TRESPASSES)
I have been rooted to my sun bed gulping it down ... What an absolute triumph, and even more astonishing for being a debut. I loved everything about it and can’t wait to read what he does next (Gill Hornby)
All stars
Most relevant
This was a sad story but total immersion and raw. I felt for the characters and particularly their children, I cried often through out.. but I couldn’t stop listening.

Such a moving story

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It felt like stepping into a community then dogging away at all the appearances of happiness, fulfilment, what wealth is worth, what happiness is worth and how many ways to break a heart. Also how to love a life unfulfilled and what people are or aren't willing to do about it

Insightful

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This is not my normal genre. I had previously listened to several books narrated by Jessica Regan and went looking for more because she does such an AMAZING job! I came across this debut and bought it simply BECAUSE of Regan. Having said that, I THOROUGHLY enjoyed the writing and will definitely read his next!

The narrator led me to this book.

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A man writing beautifully from women’s perspective and with a fulfilling ending. Best book I’ve read in 2024!

Loved the ending

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The description of an Irish village and surrounds wa compelling . The characters were well developed with great dialogue. The narration was brilliant, The story line held my interest throughout.

Christine Eyres

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