I found this book to be both entertaining and deeply thought-provoking. The characters were relatable, and the story kept me fully invested until the very end. I really enjoyed reading this and will be telling my friends it’s a must read for this year!!

The story follows Shauna and Dean, together with their families. Shauna arrives in town with her mother, who sets up the local hair salon. She soon is befriended by the locals, including Dean. Set in Dublin, they are both teens in the 1990s, and the story continues through for another thirty years. While a love story between Shauna and Dean, the complications of life bring significant challenges. Their struggles are not easy, and I found myself both captivated and saddened by the events that impact their lives. A memorable story that will leave you thinking after the last page is read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I wasn't sure whether I was going to like this book with
it's profusion of F... words and crude language but I found myself drawn in to the lives of this group of young Dubliners growing up together and sharing a profound and lasting friendship. Their stories are wound into the culture and music of the times and reflects the society as it was,with tight knit neighbours and small town values. The story is primarily a love story : enduring, deep, all encompassing yet doomed to failure when Shauna, our heroine, puts her dreams on hold when her beloved mother is diagnosed with early onset dementia. Dean , the love of her life, has fled his own unhappy home and alcoholic parents, hoping to make a new life in America with his beloved Shauna. The story unfolds interspersing the past and present and I must admit I was left a blubbering mess at the end. Excellent storytelling, brilliantly crafted characters and a new and exciting voice. Highly recommend

💈💇‍♀️ May All Your Skies Be Blue by Fíona Scarlett

It’s the 1990s, Oasis and Blur were bitter rivals, weekends were spent with blisters from skating around the local skating rink and kids were contacting the spirits through homemade Ouija boards.

Deane, Mark, Pamela and Shauna were four inseparable friends who are revelling in life as teenagers. The two main protagonists Deane and Shauna share quite a strong bond but have so much tension in their own lives that they can’t bring themselves to admit their true feelings for one another.

Finally, as they come together and begin to make plans life has other ideas for them. Their relationship is put on hold with heartfelt promises are made but again life and responsibilities take precedence over their love for each other and their promises go unfulfilled.

The story is told through a dual perspective timeline from when Dean and Sharon were kids and then as adults. It is a story of young love and lost love, friendship and regrets. Scarlett takes us on an emotional rollercoaster through the lives of these friends from childhood to adulthood.

When I saw this on NetGalley I knew I had to read it, not only because of the intriguing premise but also because I adored the author's previous novel Boys Don’t Cry. However, I didn’t love it as much as her first. It was too heavenly dialogued and I didn’t think the romance was very real or intense.

Deane and Sharon were together as teenagers for a few weeks and from this they spent their whole lives thinking about their great love affair. It was too unrealistic, very slow to take off anywhere and I just didn’t warm to or believe in any of the characters. I wanted to love this so much but unfortunately, this wasn’t a hit for me. I still think the author has a huge talent and hope to love everything else she writes.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

This is a book about all about friendships. This was such an emotional read. A book that I will never forget . It takes alot for a book to make me cry and this one certainly did. I recommend this book highly.

Set in Ireland, this is an intriguing study of relationships from childhood through to adulthood. Scarlett has a crisp, authentic writing style, with strong echoes of Roddy Doyle. The structure draws you in with the right level of suspense. Some of the barriers to the central relationship felt a little weak in places, however, a very good read with Scarlett’s signature strong sense of place.

A book of many layers, told over several timelines. It seems to fit backwards and flow and it can be difficult to keep track. But it is moving and poignant.

Enjoyed reading this book and many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for this opportunity to read this book

I wasn't a fan of Fíona Scarlett's debut Boys Don't Cry and unfortunately I'm not a fan of this either.

In 1991 Shauna and her mum move for a fresh start. Her mum opens a salon and Shauna quickly falls in with a group of kids from the area. She is instantly infatuated with one of the boys, Dean.

In the present, over the course of one day, Shauna encounters people from her past as she works in the salon.

I think my biggest issue was I found the characters to be flat and the central relationship didn't feel real. This book relies on you being emotionally invested and I was not.

A miss for me sadly.

*read via NetGalley

Another cracker from Fiona Scarlett. This is the type of book that you want to devour in one reading but at the same time you know you don’t want it to end.
It’s Dublin in the early nineties and Shauna along with her mam is moving into the new hair salon across the road from where Dean and his pals live. They stroll over to have a look at the new owners and straight away they gel.
This is the beginning of a fabulous unputdownable story. The cast of characters is so good that you feel like you know them well. To tell anymore is to give away the story but honestly it’s a book that will stay with you long long after you’ve finished reading it. I adored Fiona’s first book Boy’s Don’t Cry and this one is equally as beautiful. Enjoy but savour every word.
Many thanks to #NetGalley and #FaberandFaber for my copy of this wonderful story. For me it’s a 5⭐️ read.

Really enjoyed this, lovely characters and was a real.page turner. Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy

Blubbing
This is the story of a group of young adults and their families as they grow up in a small town in Ireland, where everyone knows everything. Having grown up in a very similar small town, I can attest to this book very accurately describing the claustrophobia inherent surrounding where you feel that you’re watched and that every thing you do is fed back to your parents.
The story focuses on Shauna and her mother who run the local hair salon looks at Shaun’s relationships with her school friends particularly boys where she has two long lasting relationships with boys that she’s known from a young age.
The story touches an addiction, primarily alcoholism which affects one of her school friends families and ultimately himself.
Reading the book, made me feel quite old as I was a full grown adult in the 90s when the people in the story are kids
I love the sentence “it’s the first time I’ve ever felt even halfway beautiful “doesn’t that just somewhat perfectly how everyone feels at their school prom looking back we are all beautiful but at the time we don’t trust what we see with our own eyes.
Sadly, Shauna’s mother develops dementia and this story with this in a sensitive fashion. The coverage of dementia was imminently real and heartbreaking.
You has a clear easily read writing style and if very much enjoyed the book it’s an emotional read focusing on characterisation and character development more than Story .
There were times when I felt Goodness this is so sad. It made me cry.The Missed opportunities so poignant in the description of a life lived without the love that might have made it perfect will stay with me for a long time
The book is published in the UK on the 13th of February 2025 by Faber and Faber Limited
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, Storyville, Goodreads book blog bionicSarahsbooks.wordpress.com. After publication it was all also appear on Amazon UK.

This is a book about first love, lifelong friendships, community and the way that families can lie at the core of your life, in both positive and negative ways. It's a love story, but entwined with life in 1990s Dublin, the angst of being a teenager and all those 'could have, should have' moments. I found the dual timeline very effective but, personally, I didn't need the 'twist' at the end. The writing and the characters were enough to carry the story.

I absolutely loved Boys Don't Cry, but unfortunately I didn't connect with this book or its characters in the same way. I wanted to so badly, but sadly it didn't hit the same high notes.

Billed as a Hollywood weepie love story set around a Dublin hairdressing salon, Dean and Shauna are a couple who seem destined for each other, but life and familial circumstances keep getting in the way. Shauna has increasing responsibilities in her mother's salon and at home. Dean comes from an abusive home and can't seem to catch a break.

I loved the 1990s pop culture references and Dublin setting. There's a nostalgic quality to a lot of it for anyone my age (mid 40s) but it veers too far into schmaltz at times and it jarred with me. The ending left me unmoved; I saw it coming.

Other readers are rave-reviewing this one so it's a case of me rather than the book. It's been weeks since I finished it and I still can't help feeling regretful I didn't enjoy it more. 3/5 stars

*Sincere thanks to Faber Books for the advance proof copy. May All Your Skies Be Blue will be published in February 2025. As always, this is an honest review.

Fíona Scarlett's May All Your Skies Be Blue may be a short novel, but it is brimming with emotion and heartache.

From the outset, it’s clear that this is a devastating love story where a happy ending feels heartbreakingly out of reach.

As the story unfolds, the deep connection between the two main characters grows, making each chapter more poignant and heart-wrenching.

Beyond the love story, Scarlett deftly explores the dynamics of friendship.

The relationships between the four friends are beautifully crafted, capturing the ups and downs of growing up and coming of age with authenticity and nuance.

The novel doesn’t shy away from tackling heavy themes such as the impact of dementia and alcoholism on families, yet it avoids being overly sentimental.

Instead, Scarlett’s hallmark Irish humour and irreverent, sweary edge bring a fresh, authentic voice to the narrative, striking a perfect balance between heartbreak and levity.

This book is an emotional rollercoaster that will leave readers reaching for tissues, but it’s also a testament to Scarlett’s talent as a writer.

There;s lots of humour and raw emotion within the pages.

May All Your Skies Be Blue is a book that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page.

If you’re looking for a deeply moving and unforgettable read, this is it—pre-order it now!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've just read this whole novel in one sitting and it has broken my heart but wow, what a stunning book it is! It's set in Ireland and it follows Shauna in two timelines - the present day, and back with her group of friends starting in the early 1990s through to the point when the timelines converge. I loved the way this story is told, there is a lingering sense of sadness running all the way through the novel but at the same time you can feel the optimism of these characters in their youth when all the future looks bright. The characters are the same age as me so it was a nostalgic read as well as being just so beautiful and engaging. I could really identify with Shauna and the sacrifices she made in her life, the things she gave up and I felt broken for her. I feel like she is someone who is really going to stay with me. This is an incredible novel and I'll be recommending it to everyone. It's stunning!

Not typically my sort of book, but beautifully written. I enjoyed the characters who seemed relatable and was invested in their stories. The timeline was interesting too.

Sentimental throughout with layers of tradgedy and romance. Overall, a really enjoyable read.

found the begin slightly confusing as i got used to the format and structure of the novel, but once i was in, i was IN. this book was really beautiful and tragic. my heart strings were definitely pulled! this was my first book by the author & will definitely be reading her previous publications. thank you again netgalley for the ARC🫶

Thank you to netgalley, the author and publisher for sharing an early copy of 'May All Your Skies Be Blue'. It is a beautifully written story of love, hopes and dreams told through one day in the life of Shauna. Mostly set in 1990's Ireland it's nostalgic and emotional. It made me cry, laugh and cry again and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. A highly recommended 5*'s from me.

I knew this would be something exceptional, but it exceeded my already high expectations.

May All your Skies Be Blue is the definition of a devastatingly beautiful novel. It broke my heart and made me cry (not once!), but also made me smile and filled my heart with so much love and warmth. Scarlett's writing is so easy and authentic, and has so much depth. With its funny witty Irish dialogues the novel explores serious topics like dementia, alcoholism and the consequences these may have on families. Though, mainly, this book is still a love story and it will not disappoint you. It took me about 25 pages to get into it and then I just inhaled it in 2 days (including waking up very early in the morning to read).

The novel will be published on 13 February 2025 and I highly recommend pre-ordering it (and having a date with this book for Valentine's Day) 🙈

Synopsis: Shauna and Dean meet as children in suburban Dublin, and together with Pam and Mark form a tight friendship. Shauna and Dean's friendship develops into a beautiful love story, but as they grow up, family issues threaten to pull them apart. How will their story unfold?