Carol is a divorced teacher living in a small town in Ireland, her only son now grown. A second chance at love brings her unexpected connection and belonging. The new relationship sparks local speculation: what does a woman like her see in a man like that? What happened to his wife who abandoned them all those years ago? But the gossip only serves to bring the couple closer.
When Declan becomes ill, things start to fall apart. His children are untrusting and cruel, and Carol is forced to leave their beloved home with its worn oak floors and elegant features and move back in with her parents.
Carol's mother is determined to get to the bottom of things, she won't see her daughter suffer in this way. It seems there are secrets in Declan's past, strange rumours that were never confronted and suddenly the house they shared takes on a more sinister significance.
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The Back Quay of Ballytoor was where things used to be.
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(@CoronetBooks, 29 September 2022, e-book, 364 pages, ARC from the publisher via @ NetGalley)
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I really enjoyed Forever Home. I've read the author's other books so knew I was in for a treat. This book, like his other ones looks like an innocent family saga based on the front cover and the blurb and the first few chapters lure you into a false sense of security and then things start to get dark. Forever Home doesn't get as dark as A Keeper but there are some unpleasant moments. There is also a lot of humour which works well against the darker moments in the book. I really enjoyed this.
