This month the book club is reading A Beautiful Loan by Mary Costello, as chosen by bookclubber Niamh Towey. The novel follows Anna Hughes, who , from the vantage of middle age, examines her life and the choices she made along the way. It's a story about obsessive love, memory, and self-discovery.

The next book club pick is London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe. The group will be discussing it in May.

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Bestselling author and podcaster Caroline Foran is back with her fourth book, Everything I Wish I’d Known about Anxiety. The book is for anyone struggling with anxiety who is unsure how or where to begin the healing process. Based on her own experience of overcoming debilitating anxiety, it blends storytelling with practical advice and offers a step-by-step roadmap to help quiet anxious thoughts and rediscover calm.

In this episode, Foran tells Róisín Ingle about the micro-changes that make a big difference, how ASMR has helped soothe her nervous system, and why self-compassion is so important. She also talks about the meaning behind her many tattoos and how motherhood - and the challenges it has brought - has shaped her.

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Author Louise O’Neill is back with her sixth novel, Whatever Happened to Madeline Stone? It’s a gripping page‑turner about the dark side of the entertainment industry, focusing on child star twins Madeline and Chelsea, who grow up in the spotlight under the tight grip of their controlling mother, Erin. In today’s episode, O’Neill joins Róisín Ingle to discuss toxic celebrity culture, the treatment of women in the media and how these themes inspired the story. She also speaks about her own experiences of fame, why she believes in fate, and how life has gotten even better since turning 40.

But first, Irish Times opinion editor Jennifer O’Connell joins us to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week, including the woman making history aboard the Artemis space mission and how an initiative in Northern Ireland is helping hairdressers spot signs of coercive control.

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