This is not an easy read. I had a visceral reaction to it to the point where my feet were kicking the table and my fists clenching. I'm just giving you the heads up.

Nesting follows the story of Ciara and her children - Sophie, Ella and (eventually) baby Noah. Ciara has been subjected to coercive control by husband Ryan from early on in their marriage and despite leaving once she has always been persuaded by him that her place is with him. But this time she's not going back even though it means an uncertain existence for herself and her children.

Nesting is one of those books that I have nothing in common with, having been lucky enough to be married to a truly wonderful man for 27 years. However I am a woman and the feeling of outrage at Ciara's situation, as I read this book, was almost overwhelming at times.

I have no personal experience of coercive control but Ciara's story affected me deeply. Following her story through all it's disturbing phases was quite shocking but I also thought it an important and interesting read. Perhaps it will help others to recognise the same signs or perhaps it would encourage a person being subjected to coercive control to get away.

Excellent. Highly recommended. I should note that GR has this down for being published in February but Amazon says 30th January.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the advance review copy.

This is about escaping a controlling relationship, with young children and finding a safe place to stay. It is a thought provoking read about one woman's determination to survive and provide a better life for her children. It may inspire other women to take that first step to safety, which takes enormous courage and strength of character. Set in Ireland, not an easy read but thought provoking. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I absolutely loved this. It’s beautifully written and so real. A stunning debut.
It’s a moving and inspirational story of emotional abuse and coercion as a mother tries to leave her marriage and protect her children.
It’s tense, emotional and heartbreakingly uplifting. The writing is so captivating. I couldn’t put this book down. I was totally engrossed.
I love the authors writing style. She really captures the struggles and fear of Ciara brilliantly. You truly feel every one of her highs and lows. The characters are all believable and Ciara is a great character who you really root for. The story is so genuine and raw.
Overall, a compelling though provoking read which will stay with you.
This is definitely one of my favourite reads of 2024.
Highly recommend.
I can’t wait to see what @roisinodonnellwriter brings us next.
With thanks to #NetGallery @simonschusteruk @simonschusterpr for an arc of #Nesting in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 30 January 2025.

A broken marriage, a housing crisis in Dublin, two small girls. Tough choices, strength and hope lead Ciara towards a new life.

An all too familiar situation for a woman to find herself in, wanting to leave a coercive relationship but how does she do that when family is a long way away.
The portrayal of what a life, with 2 children, is like when living in a hotel room.
It is an uncomfortable and depressing read, I think that is because it feels so accurate.

I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Roisín O'Donnell offers a poignant and gripping portrayal of Ireland's housing crisis through the eyes of a young mother, Ciara. With two children and another on the way, Ciara is forced to flee her abusive husband, who refuses to let her stay in their home unless it's on his terms and denies her any financial support.

Finding herself with no other option, Ciara moves into a hotel room provided by social housing. This situation, as she discovers, is all too common for many families struggling to find stable housing. O'Donnell's narrative is both engulfing and emotional, shedding light on the harsh realities faced by those in similar circumstances.

The novel's strength lies in its ability to make the housing crisis deeply personal and relatable. Through Ciara's story, readers gain a profound understanding of the challenges and injustices that many people endure. The writing is powerful and evocative, making "Nesting" a compelling read that stays with you long after you've turned the last page.

Wow! This was excellent, and so good I read it over 2 short evenings. We follow Ciara, who is pregnant and who has just left her abusive husband Ryan, taking her two daughters Ella and Sophie, as she tries to move away from him and rebuild her life.

People often ask why an abused woman "didn't just leave" and that was a good illustration of just why: no money, no housing, landlords won't take a single mum on benefits, no support, and the constant fear. Ryan was not a particularly deep character - after 400 pages I am still unsure what exactly was his job, we don't know much about him, but he is a shadow throughout the whole book, his texts and questions appearing every few pages, a not-so-distant threat.

I think at times the secondary characters felt unnecessary and a bit tokenist, but overall I liked the tone - it read a bit like a thriller - and the anxiety I felt reading this novel.

A compelling and heartbreaking read. The author tackled the subject matter so well and shone a light on the plight of families in need who are running from those who should be protecting them. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy.

Beautifully crafted and incredibly touching, this is a book about a woman desperately struggling for independence from her emotionally abusive husband. Really well-written, with great character development.

Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley for my review copy.

Nesting follows Ciara as she tries to leave an abusive marriage and protect herself and her children. This book hooked me right from the start and honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like this. I found it really compelling and addictive to read, the story is told so well and I really felt for Ciara and wanted to reach through my kindle and give her a hug. A really powerful, emotional, yet inspiring read.

Ah but this broke my heart over and over again. Compelling to read, enlightening if devastating. Accessible prose, I flew through it. I was left a little unsatisfied by the end.

Thank you to the author and publishers for this arc.

When a book is so well written that it reads like a true life story and the struggles that someone goes through,it’s hard to say how much I enjoyed it. It was as if Ciara was an actual person and this is because her story is a true reflection of what many people are experiencing everyday in many towns and cities.

This is a hard hitting story about coercion and verbal manipulation and a woman’s struggle to get away from her husband with her 2 young daughters and a baby on the way. Ciara’s story and the fact that she has been placed in a hotel room and having to report in daily, so she does not lose the room is not uncommon. Beautifully written and this book and Ciara’s story will stay with me for a while.

A powerful hard hitting story. Women have to be incredibly brave to leave an abusive relationship, especially when they have children. This tells such story. The heartbreak of making yourself homeless to living in temporary accommodation in a hotel. Well researched.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the advance copy of this book.

I did mostly enjoy this. It felt like a sort of book version of the film "I Daniel Blake" in how realistic it was. That said, some parts of it were almost too realistic? Like just an account of what happened, not so much a story as a list. It was also stressful as I have a friend who has a partner very similar to Ryan and we're all waiting on tenterhooks for the day she finally leaves him and finds joy in life again. When this is published I'd actually love for her to read it, see that even though it's a difficult and horrible process, it is possible and there is always help available.

Thank you for the ARC :)

Couldn’t put this one down. Nesting is a powerful novel.The writing is outstanding and the plot hard hitting. The author takes us on a heart-breaking journey into the difficult subject of domestic non-violent abuse. Ciara’s husband Ryan might seem like the perfect husband to others, but inside the marriage he is controlling, manipulative, and relentless in his mental abuse of Ciara.

While taking place in Ireland, Ciara’s situation is very real and experienced by women everywhere, daily. Her resilience and courage is heart-rending. This story will linger for days, if not weeks after reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*4.5 stars*

On a beautiful Spring afternoon in Dublin, Ciara Fay makes a decision, a spur of the moment thing, but actually one that’s been a long time coming - she frantically grabs clothes straight from the washing line, straps her two young daughters, Sophie and Ella into the car, and drives away from her home and husband, Ryan. She has no idea what she’s going to do or where she’s even going, but the need to escape Ryan is overwhelming, not just for herself but for her daughters too.

On the face of it, Ryan Fay appears to be Mr charming himself, but behind closed doors he uses emotional abuse to control and cause utter fear- he has isolated Ciara from family and friends and she can take no more. This won’t be the last she hears from Ryan though, because he’s relentless in his pursuit of her, demanding that she returns, telling her what a bad mother she is.

With very little savings and no job, Ciara’s future looks very bleak and she becomes one of the many who rely on emergency accommodation, living in a ‘hotel’ with others in the same position, where somewhere they can call home is something they can only dream of.

Set against the backdrop of the housing crisis in Ireland, this is tense and emotionally charged, and relates just how hard it is to escape a controlling relationship and at the same time find the courage and strength to make a new life out of the tatters of a marriage - because leaving is one thing, but staying away takes enormous strength. A heart wrenching but hopeful read, and I loved it.

Nesting, the debut novel by Roisin O'Donnell, is an accomplished work, which makes it surprising that it is a debut. This is a writer that feels at the top of her game. It is all too-true fictional story of a woman and her children attempting to escape a non-physical but nevertheless abusive relationship. I have been a child in such a relationship, and I can see how accurately O'Donnell has portrayed this. Not a word is wasted. This is the type of novel that will leave you feeling breathless, make you care deeply about it's characters and situations, and move you totally by the end. It could easily have been sensationalist, or manipulate in it's use of emotion, but O'Donnell keeps tight control of the work. This is highly recommended and I fully expect to see it on some awards lists by the end of the year (2025). I am also very keen to read what she does next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

The agony of having no money and nowhere to turn, as well as Ciara's decision to leave her abusive husband, are the subjects of this nerve-racking, suspenseful novel. This is a tale of optimism and how, after years of being afraid to do anything that would irritate her spouse, a life can be transformed and new friendships can be formed. Strong and endearing, the writing is incredible, and it will stay with me for a long time.

From the first page, Nesting is addictive.

Ciara's story is not an uncommon one, but it is a story so often hidden out of shame and guilt.

Roisin O'Donnell has written a powerful novel that explores emotional and psychological abuse within intimate relationships. Set against tge backdrop of the housing crisis in Ireland, the situation becomes even more desperate. There is a panicked, claustrophobic energy that permeates this novel and will have you staying up late to find out what becomes of Ciara and her children.

I highly recommend 'Nesting'.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Nesting by Roisin O’Donnell

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A truly inspiring book. More than a “story” - I also learned so much about emotional abuse and the scale and hideous reality of homelessness when you have a family. The sheer scale of the issue blew me away. But this is not a sad story, though at times I felt both sad and angry, it’s an uplifting tale of triumph over adversity, love, and the unexpected kindness of others.
Thanks to the author, publisher and to netgalley for providing me with this advance digital copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.