It was my wife who introduced me to Marian Keyes. Not literally, but that would be nice. She is a better novelist than anyone gives her credit for. I mean, she is already a worldwide success. But when Grown Ups hits Netflix with a mighty TU-DUM in 2026; some of us we can say we read it in six years ago before the world got weird.

Like her previous novel, Again Rachel, she’s returned to The Walsh family. Like most families, a wonderful ball of tension. Anna pivots from a swanky job in New York and a broken relationship, to overseeing a wellness retreat in the rural Irish town of Maumtully. Assisting her, is Joey -possibly, the great unspoken love of her life. Can they build happiness as much as keep small town gossip at bay?

You’re in for a treat, whether you’re a newbie. Keyes is brilliant with language, as deft as she is Rabelaisian. So, we get a full description of what a ‘feathery stroker’ is a much as we get a new phrase, beardy glarer. She’s also brilliant with set pieces - so here, we get a party (that almost develops into a threesome), a karaoke evening, a gallery opening and a family party.

Above all though, there is the genuine craft of a novelist whose books are funny, warm, good natured and are given the space to breathe. She writes excellent sex scenes too!

I can’t recommend this enough. It’s published on 11th April by Michael Joseph and I thank them for a preview copy. #myfavouritemistake.

Well why can I saw? Worth the wait!,

Marian has, to the delight of millions, revisited once again her beloved Walsh family. This time the protagonist is Anna, last seen mourning the sudden and devastating loss of her beloved husband whilst living in New York (although she been glimpsed in subsequent Walsh books). This time, Anna is back in Ireland. Back in the bosom of her family. With no job, no HRT, o money and no get up and go. Until she quite literally gets an offer she can’t refuse…..

As well as revising many characters from the previous books, Marian cleverly introduces new faces as Anna starts to make her way out into this brave new world in which she finds herself. But in the midst of everything going on, there’s one major spanner in the works. A spanner named Joey (again long term fans will be pricking up their ears here!)

I was absolutely overjoyed to be able to read and review this book and I left abandoned housework, children and much more behind as I indulged myself with this book. I literally did not want to put it down at all.

Thank you Marian for continuing to delight your legions of fans.

The continuing saga of the delightfully eccentric Walsh family. This time it is Anna, penultimate youngest of the five daughters.

Anna has the best job in the world, a job that her sisters love, working for McArthur On The Park, PR company to the BIG (HUGE) makeup brands. Never short of a serum or a moisturiser, Anna is the go to girl for freebies, all lapped up by her sisters and her mum. During lockdown Anna makes a big decision to not only split up with ultimate Feathery Stroker Anjelo, but also to leave MOTP and return home to Ireland. The other Walshes think she has lost the plot. Taking a temporary job to help out family friend Brigit, Anna reconnects with Narky Joey, a blast from the past.

OMG it’s good to have these lovely characters back! From page one I knew I would love this book as I have done all the others (ssshhh! Don’t tell anyone but Rachel and Anna are my favourite sisters 😱). Marian Keyes is a joy to read. Her stories are a delight and I never want the book to end. The old gang are all back together and though recollections amongst them may differ, it’s so good to hear from them again.

With a cast of thousands there are personalities galore, all perfectly depicted in a typically wonderful Irish town. There is humour and angst, all in a story that has you laughing then crying.

The most magical of storytellers has done it again, the world would be a far sadder place without Marian Keyes.

Thank you NetGalley and Michael Joseph.

I loved the Walsh family series first time around and catching up yet again with the (mostly) more mature sisters is just as lively as ever. This time we’re back in Anna’s life right in the middle of her deciding she needs to leave her boyfriend, job and - to her family’s consternation - her New York life and move back to Ireland. Unable to find a suitable job she agrees to help out Rachel’s friend Brigit for a week as she’s personally suffering a family tragedy right at the same time the business venture they’ve sunk everything into is under threat. With the assistance of Joey, whom Anna last saw in painfully circumstances, she’s aiming for a PR triumph in a brilliant sounding Irish village which has such fabulous characters and the situation really brings out Anna’s best self. The Walsh family drive her as insane as ever which is such good fun and the charged atmosphere between her and Joey obviously adds to the whole story. In amongst the whole warmth of this there’s Brigit’s family worries and Anna’s issues contending with menopause and the varied attitudes of health professionals which is beyond relatable. I did really love this book, there’s a special Marian Keyes magic in all the Walsh family books and this totally lived up to my expectations, it was engaging, funny, sad and everything in between with that wonderful familiarity certain book characters just have - brilliant.

Anna leaves a seemingly glamorous life in New York to go to Ireland. Her family think she is crazy, especially since she gave up a great job in the beauty industry. Also her apartment and her partner.
This is a funny, and sometimes sad book, very reflective and it describes the effects of the pandemic and lockdown in a way that is hilarious.
Highly recommended.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of the novel.

My thanks to Michael Joseph for the ARC and Marian Keyes for continuing to exist. Honestly I don't know what I'd do without her. Having been a fan since I was fifteen, she's not even making the menopause seem less scary by tackling it - along with a host of other issues, as usual - in her latest novel, My Favourite Mistake.

Anna Walsh is my favourite of the sisters, closely followed by Rachel, so this wasn't a hard sell. But it has a few risky elements - in the first Anna book, there isn't even what she'd call a 'vrizzon,' between herself and her romantic interest in this book, Joey Armstrong. Her mind, in Anybody Out There? is firmly on her recently deceased husband Aidan (a heartbreaking story), being there for her pregnant best friend Jacqui and choosing between three potential lovers, ending up with Angelo Torres, who she breaks up with in lockdown at the start of this novel.

I wouldn't pick Narky Joey over Angelo myself, but Marian Keyes is mistress of the ret-con, having turned two of her former side characters (boring 'lickarse' Margaret and 'space-case,' Anna) into dynamic, sexy heroines of their own stories. (The only Walsh book I wouldn't return to is Helen's - she's best in small doses - and I can see why she hasn't done another full Claire book, despite her story being the one to start it all off). Jacqui's memories of their time in New York are not the same as Anna's, and sometimes in this book her 'tell it like it is,' attitude seems cruel to Anna, but it's still a relief to see Rachel and Brigid, and Anna and Jacqui, back together as best girlfriends.

There are a few too many characters and a few weird names (though not as many as she was putting in a few years ago, thankfully) but I feel like it will improve on further readings, as many of hers do, and I was delighted to get the bonus of an advance Marian, which, like many of her books, has helped me get through a busy week and see the light on the other side (and be less worried about the menopause)! Thank you, Marian!