4.5 ⭐️

I absolutely adored Boys Don’t Cry by this author so my expectations were high for this book and they were absolutely met! I love books written by Irish authors as I can just relate to them so much. This book was a great mix of literary fiction and romance and I really enjoyed the story. Definitely shed a few tears too! 100% recommend giving this book a go!

Following Dean and Shauna from childhood to adulthood was enjoyable with Scarlett’s prose, at times emotional and others infuriating (miscommunication) but all characters felt authentic and I really felt for Shauna.

The layout of the time jumps was a little confusing at the start but then it started to feel right for the story and the way it was told.

Will be keeping my eyes out for what Scarlett writes next.

"May All Your Skies Be Blue" by Fíona Scarlett is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the enduring impact of childhood friendships. Set in Dublin during the summer of 1991, the novel introduces readers to Dean and Shauna, two teenagers whose bond blossoms amidst personal challenges and societal expectations. As their relationship deepens, they grapple with responsibilities that threaten to separate them, prompting reflections on missed opportunities and the passage of time.

Scarlett's narrative alternates between past and present, effectively capturing the essence of inner-city Dublin life. The unique formatting, interspersed with entries from Shauna's salon booking diary, adds depth to the storytelling and highlights the significance of community ties. The novel delves into universal themes such as grief, sacrifice, and the complexities of human connections, all portrayed with warmth and tenderness.

Critics have lauded the book for its emotional resonance and authentic depiction of working-class life. Elaine Feeney describes it as "poignant," while Donal Ryan praises it as "a beautiful, deeply affecting story." Joseph O'Connor commends Scarlett as "a very major literary talent."
WATERSTONES

Readers have also expressed profound reactions. One reviewer shared, "I will review this book when I stop sobbing, which might be never," underscoring the novel's emotional impact.
GOODREADS

"May All Your Skies Be Blue" is scheduled for publication on February 13, 2025, and is available for pre-order.
BOOKSHOP UK
This novel is a testament to Scarlett's storytelling prowess, offering a heartfelt narrative that lingers long after the final page.

The pacing and writing made this a little difficult to get into and to keep my attention but overall it was an interesting book with characters you could really get behind. It is very sad and I definitely felt for Shauna which is what kept my interest. A solid 3.75.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was such an intense book to read. At the beginning I wasn't feeling it too much, I couldn't get a grasp of the language, too raw for my taste. But once I got into the story, it didn't really matter. I couldn't put it down and needed to know where the story was going. I couldn't understand it initially, but halfway through I got it. I didn't want it to be true, but I knew.
I knew it would completely destroy me.
My heartbeat was going so fast till the last line, when I started crying my eyes out.
I'm giving only 4 stars rather than 5 only because I didn't like that there was no clear separation between the past and the present and it took me a while to figure it out.
Other than that, I can only say this: Absolutely heartbreaking.

Thank you so much to the publishers & Netgalley for this arc!

After reading Boy’s Don’t Cry in 2024, I instantly fell in love with Fiona Scarlett’s writing so when I saw May All Your Skies Be Blue on Netgalley I ran at the chance to get my hands on it early. Her writing is so raw and heartfelt that it gets you right to the bones.

I really adored this book. It was Devastatingly beautiful & heart breaking. It kept me hooked to the point I read it in one sitting and completely blew me away. My only criticism is that at times it was very confusing and I had to read certain sections a few times over to be able to understand what was going on.

I guessed the plot twist a few chapters before it happened but it still completely broke my heart & still shocked me when reading it. It was a very emotionally charged read with hard hitting and complex parts between characters, making it extremely memorable.

Highly recommend both of Fiona Scarlett’s books and she has definitely become an auto buy author for me.

I was asked to review by NetGalley

Wow what a read so enjoyed. Wow this packed a punch, emotion and sadness -have the tissues at hand. This is a story of friendship also. There are four main characters and with the highs and turmoils. The author tackles the impact of alcohol and dementia and the effects. The author has not been afraid to tackle these issues.
it is not all doom and gloom and the author brings to the table irish humour.

So well written and due for publication on the 13 February 2025

Beautiful and emotional, a gorgeously written story. Had me in tears by the end. It’s amazing what Fiona Scarlett can do.

There were many good reviews of this book so i thought i needed to give it a go. Sadly i was a bit disappointed. I nearly gave up halfway through as i just could not get to grips with the writing style, it just didn’t flow smoothly to me, it felt a bit disjointed. The concept of the story was very endearing about a group of friends growing up together and experiencing life in general and the ending was extremely emotional. I will read more by this author and give her another try.

Thanks to Faber and Faber Ltd and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy to read in exchange for my open and honest review. As always, my reviews will also be posted on Amazon, Goodreads and Waterstones and interaction on Facebook and instagram where possible.

Fiona Scarlett’s May All Your Skies Be Blue is a uniquely Irish tale that blends a conversational tone with literary depth. The book is steeped in Irish culture, particularly during the 1990s and early 2000s, and it’s clear that a familiarity with that era and its cultural touchpoints enhances the experience. From references to pop culture to the distinctive parlance, there’s an authenticity here that feels both nostalgic and immersive—especially for those of us who lived through the 90s and can relate to its subtleties.

The story follows Shauna, who runs a local hair salon in the present day, and her connection to her childhood friends Dean, Pamela, and Mark. Through dual timelines, we’re taken back to when the quartet shared days as children, with Shauna falling in love with Dean. In the present, however, Dean’s return to town stirs up long-buried emotions and unresolved tensions. Something happened in the past—something painful—that makes Shauna hesitant to see him.

The narrative slowly unfolds, revealing a sad and tragic tale that ultimately pieces together Shauna’s life: her relationships, her love for Dean, and, most poignantly, her bond with her mother. While the ending does tie the story together in a satisfying way, this isn’t a romance in the traditional sense. It’s more a story of love in all its messy, complicated, and deeply human forms.

Is it enjoyable? Not overly. The sadness that permeates the story makes it hard to describe as a “pleasure read.” But is it well written? Without question. Scarlett crafts her characters with care and precision, and the conversational style lends the narrative an intimacy that draws you in, even if it leaves your heart a little bruised.

For me, this was a three-star read. It’s a beautifully told story, but its sombre tone makes it a challenging one to truly enjoy. If you’re in the mood for something deeply reflective and uniquely Irish, this might be the book for you.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley - all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was really looking forward to reading this book as I adored Boys Don't Cry. I enjoyed the story and I flew through it. Unfortunately it didn't quite hit the mark for me. Perhaps I had built it up too much in my head. As mentioned I did enjoy the story. Keeping track of everyone was a little confusing at times, I wasn't keen on the format, I found it read like a TV soap drama. This impacted my reading experience. I did think the characters were well written and the banter between them was enjoyable and realistic. I liked Shauna alot. I really felt for her. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Her love and loyalty to her mother was admirable. The last chapter broke me. I'd love to see this adapted for TV and I think this would work really great on audio.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review!

May All Your Skies Be Blue follows the story of four friends Shauna, Dean, Pam and Mark from the early 1990’s to present day. The story opens with Shauna and her mum having moved to a new area to run a hair salon.

The book is told in split timeline charting the friends growing up through the 90’s and early 00’s and also across the course of one day in the present through different appointments with Shauna and various characters in the hair salon.

I enjoyed the 90’s references in the past timeline and I think the way the story was told worked well for me as usually I am not always keen when too long is spent with younger characters in an adult book. The book also touches on issues including alcoholism and dementia.

The ending of the book did seem to be obvious from reasonably early on but this did not have a negative effect on my enjoyment of the book to find out how that point was reached.

I look forward to reading more books by this author having also enjoyed Boys Don’t Cry.

I am rating this book 4 stars.

Thank you to the publisher, Faber and Faber Ltd for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

When Shauna leaves Dublin City for the suburbs with her Ma, Dean enters her life as part of a soon-to-be-inseparable foursome of friends navigating the trials and tribulations of adolescence. The spark of friendship quickly blossoms towards something more for Shauna and Dean but, with their own struggles pulling them separate ways, they can’t seem to get to where they are meant to be. From having read her debut novel, Boys Don’t Cry, I already knew that Scarlett deftly captures great depth of emotion and, in this regard, this latest novel picks up beautifully where her last one left off. Moving back and forth in time, between adolescence and adulthood, with the timelines slowly coming closer together, May All Your Skies Be Blue is a heartbreaking and deeply moving story of family, friendship, the complexities of adolescence, love, loss, missed opportunity, regret, and the ties that bind us. The writing style is immediate, emotive, at times almost stream-of-consciousness, getting us right into the moment, into our protagonist’s joys, fears, frustrations, and sorrows, drawing us in and building momentum towards that ending. Loved this book, love Fíona Scarlett as a writer.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the DRC.

I was very excited to receive an ARC of ‘May All Your Skies Be Blue’ by Fiona Scarlett as I absolutely loved her devastating debut ‘Boys Don’t Cry’. In her follow up novel, set in Dublin, it follows the friendship and love between Dean and Shauna from their childhood through to adulthood. They both have incredibly difficult and overwhelming family dynamics which makes their relationship extremely complicated. The story alternates between flashbacks to their past and Shauna’s present (working in the hair salon that was originally opened by her mum). The chapters are short and easy to read, steeped in nostalgia whilst also packing an emotional punch. I really enjoyed it.

Shauna is a hairdresser working in Ireland, over the course of one day between appointments she looks back on her life growing up in 90s and early noughties - specifically her relationship with her best friend, Dean.

As the years pass the pair become estranged, and as you read on the reasons why begin to unravel.

This is a short book you can rip through in one sitting but it really does pack an emotional gut punch. The writing is so simple and fast paced and yet so completely raw and heartbreaking.

I absolutely loved Shauna and Dean and my heart ached for both of them. This is a look at how we become a product of our circumstances and how one small event or decision can change the entire outcome of your life.

I’ve already seen a few comparisons to One Day which naturally always happens with this type of book but it’s not like One Day at all, it’s a lot grittier and less romantic - it follows two working class kids who deserved so much better.

The writing style took me a few pages to get into but I really loved this book - Shauna and Dean (and Mark, Maggie, Pam and Audrey) will stick around in my heart for a long time.

‘May All Your Skies Be Blue’ is the sophomore novel by Scarlett, releasing mid next month on the 13th of February 2025. It’s a contemporary romance akin in overarching message and style to David Nichols ‘One Day.’ I may be alone in the country, not having read Scarlett’s debut, Boy’s Don’t Cry, so this was my first introduction to her writing.

The novel is split across timelines. The protagonist, Shauna, is a middle-aged hairdresser who throughout a singular day looks back on key moments of her teenage years with her first and only love, Dean. The memories are scattered across the late nineties and early naughties in Dublin.

While I appreciated being sent an early reader’s copy of this novel, I was apprehensive to dive into it given contemporary fiction and romance novels are my least favourite genres to read. Scarlett gave both Shauna and Dean compelling backstories but the Dublin setting didn’t feel true to the period or the city, for me. I appreciated Shauna’s struggle between living her own life and caring for her mother with early-stage dementia but Dean’s upbringing by two active alcoholics wasn’t fleshed out enough for me to care.

The big plot twist was well executed but around the 45% mark, the reader can decipher what it will be. Nonetheless, it is a tearjerker so if you enjoy the contemporary romance genre you will love this novel that provides a bittersweet slice of life.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and Faber for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for this honest review.


Genre: Contemporary Romance

Themes: Loss, Regret, Addiction, Nostalgia, Coming-of-age

This was just heart wrenching. To watch people that love each other just never figure out HOW to love each other. It's a book full of missed opportunities that unfortunately make up life. Loved it.

If you’ve read Fiona’s First book: Boys Don’t Cry, you know you’ve signed yourself for a tear jerker and a week of respective mourning. I knew this when I requested an early copy on NetGalley and I was so happy once my request was approved, foolishly forgetting what I had signed myself up for.

When I started the book and saw references to “Hoodstown”, “The Centre”, and “St. Brigid’s GAA”, this fictional town seemed to appear a lot like my own home town. This was confirmed later by further references to the bus routes 38 and 39, but that’s where the comparisons end for me.

We enter Shauna’s daily schedule of hair appointments, disgruntled clients, caring for her mother, unrequited love and past traumas. The reader is transported through several timelines, where we try to piece together her current reality of sacrifice, regret, grief and memories that just won’t fade away.

I definitely think this is the perfect time of the year for this book, as we’ve just overcome the Christmas holidays, possibly in our hometowns, bumping into the ghosts of our past and haunted by memories/people that won’t escape us. I really don’t want to spoil any more and I won’t compare it to her first novel which I know was adored by many. Definitely worth a read and you don’t have to be from Hood/Huntstown/Blanch to enjoy it
Thank you again to NetGalley and Faberbooks for this early release.
May All Your Skies Be Blue is set to release on Feb 11th 2025

Thank you to the author, publishers Faber & Faber and NetGalley UK for access to this as an advance reader’s ebook. This is an honest and voluntary review.

When Shauna moved to a new area with her mum the first people she meets are Dean, Mark and Pamela. From the start she is drawn to Dean and he to her. A deep bond tested by family challenges and changes over the years.

Another heartwarming and heartbreaking masterpiece from Fíona Scarlett. The characters are engaging, warm, honest and funny. The depth of relationships depicted in a small community over the years is exceptional. Whether it’s a brief encounter with a widowed customer who used to come to Shauna’s salon with his wife or a friendship visited repeatedly in encounters over the years the author is able to quickly establish a depth of character and understanding which is astonishing.

What I find even more amazing is how a story about missed opportunities, misunderstandings and self-sacrifice manages to avoid any sense of schmaltz or cliché. Partly it’s the vibrancy of the character voices, the accents coming through the writing without ever being forced. Mostly it’s just a sign of a very talented writer who obviously cares deeply about their characters and brings them alive for the readers.

I feel like I grew up with these people and shared their love for each other, their fears and their hopes. Make sure you have the hankies on standby, but don’t miss this book. It will stay with you a long, long time.

This book had big shoes to fill (and I think it did so). It’s a coming of age/never realised love story set across 2 timelines. One spanning Shauna (and her friends’) teenage years and young adulthood from the late 90s onwards and one a single day in the hair salon Shauna now runs following her Mum’s footsteps. It’s a story about a very focussed issue (the will they won’t they with Shauna and Dean) but has a broader scope dealing with friendships, difficulties in families, growing up, life in a small town and of course grief in many forms- for a parent who is physically here but suffering with advanced dementia, for Dean whose whereabouts/circumstance we are not clear of in the beginning, for chances not taken. This book will stay with me - I loved many of the characters though some I struggled to place at times (Eileen, Natasha and how she came to be in the later narrative.)