Over time relationships mature and develop, with some growing closer and others splintering like firewood. It gradually becomes clear though that all is not so smooth. They visit the finest hotels, go to boutique festivals, and drink the best wine. The extended family always get together for important calendar dates, all of it organised by Jessie who with her own successful business has the cash to splash and she wants to spend it on bringing the family together. That is until sweet, homely Cara suddenly starts spilling secrets to life altering effect.Īfter the prologue we find the Casey’s 6 months earlier, spending Easter in Kerry. All families operate on a system of withholding and blurring information and the Casey’s’ are no different.

And frankly he would rather be somewhere else. The oldest of the three Casey brothers, all talented and good looking with impressive wives, he is turning 49 and powerhouse wife Jessie is throwing him a birthday party – whether he wants one or not. If you groan inwardly at the very thought of a family dinner party then you are on the same page as Johnny Casey. And it isn't entirely ludicrous to suggest that sometimes things might work out for the best.We start at a dinner party.

So no way I'm going to write a downbeat ending. I write for me and I need to feel hopeful about the human condition. In her 2017 Desert Island Discs interview, she said: 'I've always used humour as a survival mechanism. However, although her novels are courageous in their honesty, they are ultimately uplifting. She is a recovering alcoholic, and frequently addresses the subject of addiction in her work, as well as sensitively exploring other complex issues including partner abuse, eating disorders and Ireland’s abortion ban. Read more: ‘The Mermaid of Black Conch’ and previous Costa Book of the Year Award winnersĮvery work is a testament to the generosity with which she has shared the more painful details of her personal life. She’s a prolific novelist as well as a beloved essayist, and even has a cookbook to her name – Saved By Cake is a funny and moving collection of recipes where the author opens up about how baking allowed her to get through a period of debilitating depression. Since the publication of her first novel, Watermelon, in 1995, Keyes has been a fixture on the bestseller lists.

Grown ups keyes