The Sunrise Swimming Society

by Rosie Hannigan

A heartwarming novel to fall in love with

The day Heather, Niamh and Lauren met, they promised to be best friends for life, and that instant connection only grew stronger with their weekly sunrise swims in their stunning local lake. When they left school, they agreed that, no matter where life took them, every year on midsummer’s dawn, they would meet at their old spot and swim together.

Now, fifteen years later, the tradition has disappeared in the face of life’s realities. In fact, they don’t speak any more – not since that night . . .

But this summer, they find themselves back in their Irish hometown and realise this could be their last chance to recapture what they have lost. Will their return to sunrise swimming heal each of them, and help them rekindle the friendships they once treasured?

Genres: Fiction, Womens Fiction, Friendship

384 pages, Paperback

First published May 7, 2024

Reviews

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXCERPT: Sipping from her bottle of lemonade she watched the three girls and thought of her own group of friends. They'd helped her through thick and thin. Some of the most magical and the roughest moments had been safely navigated purely because of their support and love. Lauren, Heather and Niamh already looked like the best of friends. The way they were chatting and listening to each other warmed Rosemary's heart. There was something special between them, and that, Rosemary knew, was the best thing in the world. Deep in her heart, Rosemary hoped they's stay friends forever.

ABOUT 'THE SUNRISE SWIMMING SOCIETY': The day Heather, Niamh and Lauren met, they promised to be best friends for life, and that instant connection only grew stronger with their weekly sunrise swims in their stunning local lake. When they left school, they agreed that, no matter where life took them, every year on midsummer’s dawn, they would meet at their old spot and swim together.

Now, fifteen years later, the tradition has disappeared in the face of life’s realities. In fact, they don’t speak any more – not since that night . . .

But this summer, they find themselves back in their Irish hometown and realise this could be their last chance to recapture what they have lost. Will their return to sunrise swimming heal each of them, and help them rekindle the friendships they once treasured?

MY THOUGHTS: I'm going to start with the one negative, because other than this small fly in the ointment, I loved this read! It is too long and contains too much inconsequential information that adds nothing to the storyline. Do we really need to know that Niamh's parents met at an ABBA concert in 19whatever? No. This would have been a much better read at closer to 300 than 400 pages.

The story is told over two timelines - the current day and when the girls were growing up - and is told from the points of view of the three girls - Niamh, Heather and Lauren - and Rosemary, Lauren's grandmother. The characters are lovely. No one is perfect, and Rosie Hannigan does a wonderful job of depicting them in all their moods and different situations. I could envisage different scenes playing out in front of me like a movie, especially when the girls had their big bust up!

Their lives turned out very differently than they had envisaged (make plans and God laughs) and there is some resentment and envy when they all meet again, and issues that need to be worked through. Can they put their past differences and hurts behind them and resume their friendship, older and wiser?

My favorite character was Rosemary, a wonderful woman with a kind heart. Did I relate to her more because I am closer to her age than that of the girls? Probably.

I love a good read where the characters are interesting and relatable, and The Sunrise Swimming Society certainly fits that bill. A lovely multi-generational tale infected with Irish wit and warmth.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

#TheSunriseSwimmingSocietyRosieHannigan #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Rosie Hannigan writes uplifting novels of friendship, love, and hope. When she's not writing, she enjoys gardening, where she listens to podcasts and ponders what it is that makes us human and how marvelous it is that we prevail no matter what we come up against. When she's not gardening, she's stargazing, usually with the love of her life by her side and a glass of red in her hand. And every now and then she hops on the back of her husband's motorbike in the hopes that the passing countryside will serve her some inspiration.
Rosie lives in Ireland with her husband, her children, and her adored but ageing cat. (Amazon - abridged)

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Avon Books UK via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Sunrise Swimming Society by Rosie Hannigan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heather Moore, Niamh Kennedy and Lauren Dwyer meet on the first day of high school, they promise to be lifelong friends, and they enjoy their weekly sunrise swims in Lough Caragh. Rosemary Lauren’s granny owns Mill House, it’s built on the Lough's foreshore, the girls link up here before their swim and afterward Rosemary warms them up with a hot cuppa, something to eat and a bonfire.

The girls are typical teenagers, they talk about boys they like, their dreams for the future and what they want do when they leave school and on the last day they promise to meet every year to celebrate the summer solstice and swim in Lough Caragh.

The story has a dual timeline, its set in 2003 and in 2024, fifteen years apart and it’s told from the three main characters points of view.

Niamh is married to Evan, she has three daughters, her life hasn’t turned out how she expected, she wants to open a B&B, her husband is opposed to the idea and they seem to be drifting apart. Heather is a high profile travelling food critic, she leads a very different life now to when she was a teenager, her parents Pippa and Cash were young parents and hippies. Heather didn’t have a stable home life, her friendship with Niamh and Lauren was really important, they didn’t judge her and Rosemary took her under her wing. Lauren married her childhood sweetheart Shane, both are teachers and have been trying unsuccessfully to have a baby. Her doctor has advised Lauren to have a break and she decides to stay at Mill House and where she spent so many happy summers with her grandparents Rosemary and Paddy.

All three women are back in Caragh, in a small Irish village it will be impossible for them to not seen each other, will they be able to repair their friendship, move forward and celebrate Rosemary's legacy?

I received a digital copy of The Sunrise Swimming Society by Rosie Hannigan from Avon Books, UK and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The narrative focuses on the girl’s friendship, how it all went terribly wrong and their lives didn’t go as planned.

I had two best friends in high school, reading the story reminded me of being a teenager and our squabbles, hindsight is a wonderful thing and life doesn’t come with a crystal ball and you never know what will happen to you on the crazy journey to adulthood.

Ms. Hannigan's novel is full of wonderful and diverse characters and my favourites were Lauren, Heather, Rosemary, Paddy, Shane and Pippa. I love reading stories about friendships and their ups and downs, the summer and winter solace, beautiful Ireland, loughs (I was name after two and I feel a real connection to them) and four stars from me.

[Julie Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never pass up an opportunity to read an Ireland-set book. Throw in friendship and one of my favourite hobbies, open water swimming, and I’m sold. The question is, did the reading of the book live up to my high hopes for it?

This story covers two timelines, the here and now in the lives of three grownup, estranged women and flashbacks to their teenage years when they were the closest of friends. What happened in the intervening years to ensure they haven’t spoken to each other from then until now and how has the estrangement affected their lives. Women with a close group of friends will know how important this relationships are in our lives and for our mental wellbeing; I can’t imagine not having my closest friends in my life for five minutes, let alone years.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of how life never quite ends up how you believe it will turn out when you are young and carefree and believe the world if your oyster and nothing can touch you. How easy it is to take your opportunities and the people around you for granted and think nothing of squandering them. How different things look back with the benefit of hindsight, but of course you can never go back and change things, you have to move forward.

This is a book of gentle but truthful drama and very female centric. I really loved the characters, they were all interesting, flawed but eventually redeemable women that you would be quite happy to be friends with if they crossed your path. Their lives were believable; not straightforward but completely relatable to a normal woman picking up this book. If you enjoy seeing people like yourself reflected back at you from the pages of a novel, you can do much worse than this novel.

If, like me, you enjoy reading books sent in the beautiful, verdant scenery of Ireland, you will love immersive yourself in the world of Lough Carragh and its inhabitants. If you have travelled in rural Ireland, particularly in the south, the place will feel familiar and homely to you, and you will quickly relax into life there and feel part of the story.

Overall, this was a thoroughly lovely read that delivered everything I hoped it would when I picked it up and if you are a fan of the writing of Maeve Binchy, Cathy Kelly or Faith Hogan, you will love this book.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know exactly were this book is going from the first page, but the journey there is an absolute delight.
Three friends, now estranged, thrown back together in the village they grew up in. Did their life choices pan out as they thought they would? Are they happy in their lives? Can they ever get over their differences and get back their friendship?
A lovely warm blanket of a read that I would adore a sequel to as I’m now bereft I’ve left their company.

[Kimberly Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel takes place in rural Ireland, in a small lakeside town. Three young girls - wealthier golden girl who dreams of adventure, Niamh, unhappy and neglected Heather, who is bent on escaping the shadow of her hippie family, and Lauren, who dreams of one day having a large family with her steady boyfriend - meet and, despite their differences, become fast friends.

These three friends support one another throughout school and gather at each solstice to dive into the frigid local lake and to make their wishes for the new season at sunrise. Fast forward fifteen years, when all three women are in their mid-thirties. Their lives have not spooled out in the ways they imagined in their youth, and they are no longer friends. Or even speaking to one another.

This novel had a lot of elements I love in a story: its rural Irish setting, a somewhat unlikely friendship, digging into how life turns out differently to how the characters imagined it would as young girls, and the swimming angle. While I enjoyed it, I did find it a bit slow and I didn’t feel as drawn to the characters as I felt I could have. I think part of the issue is that so much emphasis is placed on a blow-up between the three girls as the reason for their break. When the explanation finally arrived, it felt anticlimactic.

Still, it’s a pleasant story in an enjoyable setting of smalltown Ireland and I’m certain many readers will appreciate this feel-good tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy - all thoughts are my own.

[Susanne Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how I loved this. It was an amazing story of friendship through different generations and times. Rosemary was a wonderful woman who touched so many lives, bringing happiness to so many. The ending on the beach brought a tear to my eye ( no spoilers here).

Each character had an element that was so relatable. We all can feel lonely and isolated, even when surrounded by people. We all say things in the heat of the moment and it’s hard to take it back and move forward, and the more time that goes past the harder it gets. And maybe more relatable is that we all look at others and assume they have everything they ever wanted, that their life is so much better than yours and they have no space in it for you.

This book shows that the power of friendship is an amazing thing and seeing it span through the years, even when there has been years of no contact is a wonderful thing.
From start to finish I was invested in each character and hoping that they get the happiness they deserved. A wonderfully uplifting read.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic. It made me wish that I lived closer to my girlfriends who I miss all the time.
A fantastic story of friendship and love of an important mother/aunt figure in your life.
Everyone comes home to celebrate the life of a woman that helped raise the friends, she was their constant sounding board while growing up and she never understood what broke them apart.
Coming home to celebrate her and hopefully rekindle friendships they’ve missed and how that happens.
I didn’t want this book to end and will for sure be suggesting it to everyone I know that reads.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy and to the author for such a great heartfelt book.

[Emma Crowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Sunrise Swimming Society is the latest book from Irish author Rosie Hannigan. I haven’t gotten round to reading her debut yet but it is edging ever closer to the top of my TBR pile. This is a story of friends and family. How we can be so close but then pulled apart but we can always be reunited if we are willing for this to be the case. It’s a relaxing and gentle read, perhaps a little too slow in places and maybe a little over long also but as this is only the author’s second book there was a sense of her settling into her writing pattern and rhythm and making things a bit tighter can come in future books. I think the author has great potential and we definitely need more Irish women authors on the writing scene as there doesn’t seem to be as many as there was in the heyday of Maeve Binchy and Emma Hannigan for example. The setting throughout is fabulous and there is a real sense of time and place and how important one’s home and family are. I liked the fact it was told in a duel timeline format dipping back and forth between the past and present. Although, I would say I preferred the present day setting but fully understood the need to explore the past. It afforded a means of understanding how the three women had come to know each other and how their friendship had developed and then subsequently splintered.

Lough Caragh means the lake of beloved friendship and once for Niamh, Heather and Lauren this was certainly true as it was the lake and of course Rosemary (Lauren’s grandmother) that united them at the beginning of their secondary school journey. Learning to swim and then spending hours in the lake afforded the girls an opportunity to get to know one another deeply. They became everything to each other and specifically at every solstice both summer and winter they would gather in the early morning sunrise and swim in the lake. This became a sacred ritual to them and Rosemary. Any negativity was washed away, and their intentions were set for the rest of the year. But something caused the friendship to shatter and splinter and for many years the girls now women have not laid eyes on each other nor spoken one word. Considering how close they had been, telling each other their problems, experiencing the ups and downs of being a teenager and sharing the good times and the bad what could possibly have caused their estrangement? I had high hopes that it would be something exciting, juicy and thrilling.

In the present day, Niamh has always remained in Lough Caragh and is married to Evan. She had gotten pregnant at 18 and now has three children. She really could do with something in her life changing as she feels she is in a rut of looking after the children, even though they are now teenagers, with days where everything is just repetition of the same old same old. She thinks it’s impossible for herself and Evan to get back to where they once where and he underappreciates her and everything she does. They have drifted far apart but as she swims in Lough Caragh on the winter solstice she receives a sense of hope and renewal as the lake provides her with a sanctuary and time to think. She really wants to take a new step in her life as the children have some independence now but that’s not to say the home can run itself and Evan wants another baby and this is certainly not in Niamh’s plans.

Niamh came across as being fed up and at a cross roads in her life. Having had her children so young she didn’t perhaps get to travel and gain the life experiences that she may have wished for. Were her wings curtailed a little bit and now was she regretting it? Given the pressure from Evan to commit to another child would she only be stuck to the house once again? This leaves her feeling, sad, heartbroken and alone and all I wanted her to do was be brave and say what she felt as she did have great plans of her own. I doubted had she the inner strength to do this as she was fragile and vulnerable. Niamh notices that Lauren and Heather seemed to have returned to the village. But is their return permeant or fleeting and what has brought them back considering their fallout all those years ago? All the easy laughter, crazy jokes and sharing and kindness they had, meant so much to her and as so much water has passed under the bridge can there be a chance for forgiveness? Or will continue to keep away from each other?

Out of the three women that feature, in my mind, Lauren was the best formed character and she was very well written. He returns to Lough Caragh to try and sort out Rosemary’s house now that she has recently passed away. Rosemary’s absence is keenly felt and Lauren recollects all the wonderful times she shared with her and her best friends on the lake. All that is gone now but is there a chance for a reconciliation with Niamh and Heather? Lauren is a teacher, living in Dublin and married to Shane but she is taking time out to rest and recover from trauma. The details of which I will not go into suffice to say it forms a strong part of her storyline and many women will find her really relatable and most definitely feel for her.

She is shattered and vulnerable and is considering a major decision that would wrench her world in two even further. I thought the portrayal of Niamh and her state of mind was very well done. She was pushing so many people away and I could see why she was doing this but I didn’t think she was in the right headspace to make such a monumental decision. As we learn more about her I believed if she went ahead with what she was planning she would deeply regret it. She is in a dark place with things disintegrating around her and if Niamh and Heather had been by her side and the fracturing of their friendship hadn’t occurred maybe she would have dealt with things better.

As for Heather, I thought she was the most stand offish of the three. She had made a life for herself outside of Lake Caragh and had never wanted to return. She is a social media influencer with her own travel blog and is back to review a local hotel. We slowly start to learn of her childhood and how difficult it was growing up with the parents she had. How this in turn affected the way she was viewed in the village. She was made to feel small and insignificant and all she ever wished for was a normal life with order and consistency. Her parents made her feel as if she didn’t matter so meeting Niamh, Lauren and Rosemary gave her a form of escape from her unsettled child and from being a parent to parents.

Heather was forced to take on responsibilities that no one of her age should have had to and now in the present day she is eaten up by anger, bitterness and resentment. She didn’t come across as being a happy person at all. Someone who had broken free of the shackles and was now happy and comfortable in their own skin having put the past behind them. Instead, it was the exact opposite. I felt she was prickly and unapproachable and the chip on her shoulder would take time to wear down and as her head was in such a state this was starting to affect her relationships. Until she could truly let go of the past both in relation to her parents and the reason for the fallout out between herself, Niamh and Lauren there was no way Heather was moving forward any time soon.

Overall, I did enjoy The Sunrise Swimming Society and as previously mentioned the author has great potential but for me it was just missing that little something to turn it into an excellent read rather than a very good one. For me, the reveal fell flat given thee had been so much mystery surrounding the estrangement of the three women. It felt anti-climatic given they had feuded for so long. I wanted the cause of their friendship separation to be something big and dramatic but it was a bit of a let down and their reunion too needed more passion and tumult. Saying all this makes it sound like this wasn’t a book for me but really I did enjoy it and these are just a few observations. I think it would make the ideal holiday read as it is a book that you can dip in and out of and never feel lost as to what is happening in the plot. I’ll certainly make sure to read book one, The Moonlight Gardening Club and whatever Rosie Hannigan may write in the future because I feel she is only on the cusp of what she can achieve with her stories.

[Lyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

My attraction to this book was my husbands’ connection to Ireland. He was born there. He also swam at the ‘Forty Foot’ an entry point to the frigid, Irish Sea. While he did a quick dip, he witnessed a young woman who had just had a baby, enter the water and stay in to complete her exercise regime. Those ‘hardy Irish’. His aunt also did a daily ‘dip’, as many others do.

This is another cold water story. Heather, Niamh and Lauren, meet on their first day of high school and promise to be best friends for life. That connection only grew stronger with their weekly, sunrise swims in Lough Caragh with Rosemary, Lauren’s grandmother. When the girls graduated from high school, they agreed that, no matter where life took them, they would meet every year on midsummer’s dawn, at their old spot, and swim together. Fifteen years later, the tradition is gone. Actually, they don’t even speak any more … not since that eventful night. However, this summer, they find themselves back in their hometown and they realize that this could be their last chance to recapture their friendships.

I did enjoy the book as it’s a feel-good tale. However, when you mix teenage girls, hormones, boys… promises are quickly forgotten. I didn’t feel an attachment to any of the characters. I could put my audiobook down and didn’t have to pick it up. There was no ‘pull’ to continue listening. Still, it’s a pleasant story in an enjoyable small town in Ireland.

[Kirsty (BookBlogger) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sunrise Swimming Society by Rosie Hannigan

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

The day Heather, Niamh and Lauren met, they promised to be best friends for life, and that instant connection only grew stronger with their weekly sunrise swims in their stunning local lake. When they left school, they agreed that, no matter where life took them, every year on midsummer’s dawn, they would meet at their old spot and swim together.

Now, fifteen years later, the tradition has disappeared in the face of life’s realities. In fact, they don’t speak any more – not since that night . . .

But this summer, they find themselves back in their Irish hometown and realise this could be their last chance to recapture what they have lost. Will their return to sunrise swimming heal each of them, and help them rekindle the friendships they once treasured?

My Opinion

This story is told in dual timelines. This was a great story of friendship and each character was relatable. I was pulled into this story and enjoyed it far more than I would have anticipated. Reading this will allow you to see the close bond that the friends have, even after 15 years.

Rating 4/5

[L A King · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exceptional novel of friends and family. This made me look back om my life with friends and family that I grew up with.  It also opened my eyes and realise that there is normally a good reason why we upset our friends and family too and how differently we all show our love.

The story is written in the past and present. Three girls become firm friends from the day that they meet. The solstice became very important to them. They went to the lake as the sun came up and swam. They all made their own intentions and tried to carry them out. Lauren, one of the girls had a marvellous grandmother.  She also went swimming at solstice.

After fifteen years, where they had not seen or spoken to one another, they come together for a very important solstice. Are they able to put the past behind them and carry on where it had gone wrong?

The characters were so true to life. Images of Ireland floated throughout the book and brought it to life.

Congratulations to Rosie Hannigan for a superb read. I have not read this authors books before, however I am hooked.

[Lisa Willis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lauren, Heather and Niamh met at secondary school and formed a friendship. They used to meet at Laurens grandmothers, Rosemary, to go swimming in the lake. 15 years later, they don't speak and are living their own lives after what happened one night that changed everything.

I loved Rosemarys character. She was just how my own grandmother was and would do anything to make sure her family was happy.

Lauren, Heather and Niamh were hard to get a connection with as they all felt so closed off and cold, until the end. Finding out what happened that night was a bit of a let down as I thought it was going to be something bigger than it was.

I did feel a little emotional towards the end and it was a nice story.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lauren, Heather and Niamh are best friends, all with very different families but brought together by Lauren's gran, Rosemary. For them, she is ki d and provides guidance and refuge from other parts of their lives.
But on the night of the girls finishing their exams, they had a huge row and as a result they haven't spoken to each other again.
The characters in this book pull you I to the story. You want to know what happens along with how their past affects their present.

[Megan]

The book is set in Ireland but refers to Penneys as Primark🙄

[Camilla Liberatore · Rating 4 out of 5]

One for the girls and their gal pals….

The Summer Swimming Society by Rosie Hannigan.

This is a charming story set in a country lakeside town of Ireland called Lough Caragh. Lough Caragh means "The lake of beloved Friendship" as Rosemary a character in this book describes the local lake utilized by all.

This is also the story of 3 teenage girls who meet at high school and who have big dreams for their future. They become good friends even though they are worlds apart in their characters and nature. In fact they aspire to be lifelong friends......or so they think.

Niamh Kennedy - who married Evan her highschool sweetheart, has had 3 children of her own at a young age. Now living with her parents, feeling unhappy and neglected..... her dream to run a B & B, will it happen?

Heather Moore - grows up in a hippie household to parents Pippa & Cash. She becomes a Travel blogger, has infrequent income and thankful her partner Simon is her opposite with a steady income to support her blogging lifestyle. She wants an escape of her life.... but where too?

Lastly, there is Lauren Dwyer - who grew up with her Grandparents Rosemary & Paddy, she wishes for a big family with her steady boyfriend.....but does her wish come true?

The 3 friends help, support and love being together through school and life by a common interest in swimming. They make a pat to get together each Solice at dawn to swim in the local lake, making their wishes each new season.

Move forward 15 years all 3 ladies are now in their thirties..... but has life changed and moved in an array of different directions. Yes, infact this is the case. None of their youthful dreams have been fulfilled and they even lost their friendships and don't even talk to each other no more.

Now they have come together to celebrate the life of Rosemary who helped raise the 3 of them. even once said to them "They were lucky to have each other".

What caused such a rift to pull their friendships apart?

Will they now continue to swim together. Meeting during Solice at dawn..... wishing to renew their friendships?

This book is for everyone who has close friends and or to remember friends of old and where life can lead you toward.

I really enjoyed this book it reminded me that you never really forget the value of family and friends. They are the gems in life you can hold dearly and treasure deeply.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Avon a division of Harper & Collins for this advanced copy of the book.

This is my review and I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

[Maggie's Book Collection · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an emotional story about three teenage girls who swear to be friends for life, this is until they have a falling out and they go their separate ways. Fifteen years later they all find themselves back in the town by the lake in Ireland. This story tells of their lives growing up together and then in the present day as they have to face up to the past. I loved the friendship and the wisdom of their elders that guided them. The sunrise swimming is done on the solstices at dawn, which is a nice touch in the book and a thread that runs through their lives.

The characters are really good, I liked Niamh, Lauren and Heather, despite their sometimes intransigents. The characters are well-written and easy to engage with. I particularly liked Rosemary, Lauren's grandmother, she was a very special lady and spoke a lot of sense.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the characters and their lives. It is an emotional story and I thought the ending was great, and yes, I did get emotional. This book is worth reading, although it had a little bit of a slow start once you get into it, you won't want to put it down.
#Netgalley #TheSunriseSwimmingSociety

[Mairead · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve read a few books now where we skip around in time to build up to a big moment and the payoff in this one is just really not worth it to me. And I’d soured on this book kind of early due to some repetitive writing. Too many warm looks, too many bobs, too many people running their fingers through their bobs lol

[Claire Mc Partlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really enjoyable story about three women who were friends in school, had a falling out at the end of their schooldays and didn't speak to each other again, until they meet up again when they are all in their mid-30s, all set in a small Irish village.

Heather, Lauren and Niamh were great friends in school, but fell out over the usual teenage histrionics, and never spoke again until they were in their 30s. Heather made her money travelling the world. Niamh married, stayed in the village and had three children. Lauren married and lived near Dublin, but had been left her grandmother's house by the lake, where she is spending most of her time now sorting things out.

The girls all used to swim in the lake, with Rosemary, and always met at each solstice. Rosemary, Lauren's grandmother, was a lynchpin for all the girls, and always there for them when they needed someone to talk to, especially Heather whose homelife wasn't great.

But Rosemary has recently died, and all the girls have reached a difficult point in their lives that they are working through and they all end up back in the village, albeit still avoiding each other initially.

The falling out, and the reason for each of them not talking to the other, wasn't as major as I expected, as we didn't learn about this until the end of the book, and seemed a bit ridiculous once they all talked about it, but I suppose they were all hurt by words spoken at the time.

Of course in the end everyone sorted out their personal issues, and eventually came together at the lake, when scattering Rosemary's ashes in her beloved Lough Caragh. The ending definitely made me shed a tear or two! Quite a slow story but with enough going on with each woman to keep you interested. Very enjoyable.

[Judy Christiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just okay to me. I never was attached to the characters as I should have been. The plot is based on the friendship of three girls that were supposed to be very close, and their friendship was broken by something horrific. I kept waiting for the awful situation and it did not meet my expectation. Honestly, I did not receive the information I wanted to understand why this friendship was so valuable.

The character I liked the best was an older woman, Rosemary, and for me, she made the story readable. I usually read a book in 2 to 5 days, but this one took longer. I stopped reading for periods and my mind did not wander to the story, as it usually does when I am reading, so that also was a sign to me, that I was reading to finish the book, instead of reading for pleasure.

Almost everyone in the story is dealing with difficulties and it was a bit hard to read without making my spirit very low also. Just a FYI to people that want a easy, carefree reading experience, this might not be for you.

I love the book cover and it definitely has the feel of the story. So many times, covers are misleading, and I want to applaud the person that chose this beautiful picture.

I want to thank Avon Books UK, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity of reading a book by a new to me author. My opinion is my own, not influenced by receiving the advanced reading copy.

[Jasminegalsreadinglog · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sunrise Swimming Society by Rosie Hannigan is a story of friendships, mistakes, and forgiveness. It's also a story of found family and second chances.

Niamh, Lauren, and Heather were best friends during their teenage years but have fallen out with other. Fifteen years later, all three women have no communication with each other, though they are updated on each other's lives. The common factor in their lives is Rosemary, Lauren's grandmother, who had taken the girls under her wing. She is gone, and the grief of losing her might be the catalyst for a reunion. But can broken relationships mend?

I might have shed a tear or two at the end of this book. I fell in love with Rosemary. Her character reinstated that no matter what our age is, we can start over and accomplish our dreams. The other characters were a sort of shadow for me because though they were best friends, their relationship was not really as fleshed out as I would have liked. Rosemary is what makes this book.

Thank you, Avon Books UK, and Netgalley for this book.

CW: Loss, Grief, Parentification, Neglect, Infertility, Infidelity, Alcohol

[Miki Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lauren, Naimh and Heather were firm friends from starting secondary school to the night of celebrating their leaving certificates. Then, they had a massive row and haven't spoken to each other since.
Fifteen years later they are all going to be in the village at Christmas. Naimh still lives there, despite having big plans to travel the world, she got married and had children.
Lauren has returned to convalesce both her body and mind after losing another baby. She has also inherited her grandmother Rosemary's house and needs to sort it out.
Heather has returned from her travels and has agreed to help Pippa her mother, sort out her house, now that her father has left.
When they were teens they used to swim in the Lough with Rosemary who firmly believed that the Lough was the cure for most things that ailed your mind. Individually they return to the Lough, but it's not until there is a near tragedy that invisible strings start to pull things together once more.
A lovely book to read and I enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed the previous book by this author.

[Breige · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the 1st day of secondary school, Heather, Niamh and Lauren were best friends, swimming in the nearby Lough Caragh. Along with Lauren’s grandmother Rosemary, they would have special solstice swims & vowed to meet up every year for summer solstice, no matter what was happening in their lives. But 15 years later, they haven’t spoken since having a big row at 18. They find themselves all back in their hometown at the same time, with the lake calling to them. Will it help heal their friendships or is it just too late?

I really enjoyed this book! It’s dual timeline, with flashbacks to when they were teens & we can see how their friendship developed & changed. The 3 girls have dreams & in the present timeline, we see how things didn’t quite work out for each of them.

Niamh is from a well off family, an only child with overprotective parents. She’s rebellious, not wanting to settle down but becomes pregnant soon after school finishes. Meanwhile Lauren wants nothing more than to settle down with children, something she is now struggling with. And Heather grew up with her hippy family the laughing stock of the town, having to look after her younger sister and craved Niamh’s stable life.

The flashbacks felt very realistic of the trials and tribulations of teenage girls & how things can build and explode. The healing process for these 3 women to talk again is slow, the story is as much them trying to fix their own lives as it is them being on speaking terms but I loved how it all came together in the end.

Lauren’s grandmother Rosemary is a small but special character, I loved her role in the plot. It added such a heartwarming element. I shed a few tears while reading this.

A charming, heartwarming tale of friendships, family and self-reflection

[Anjana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wild swimming continues to not only be a trend in the books that are coming out but also in my reading list.

This is slightly different from others I've read recently since this focuses more on the people than what gets them swimming in the first place. Swimming is more like a shared emotion than a focal point in the story.

Three friends who were extremely different but friends all the same had a terrible fight and never spoke again. There is a shared elder figure who introduced them to the concept of swimming on a particular day to refresh themselves to fight for themselves. Even she gets a voice in a few chapters. With four narrators we see multiple different lives and the main take away is that as external observers one tends to make assumptions about others, and how wrong most of it can be.

The fight itself did not seem strong enough to drive the wedge we see, but other than that it is a pretty solid book on friendships and finding different ways in life to move ahead.

I would recommend this book to fans of the genre.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Life changes people, but down deep are they really different?

This story centers around 3 women who were best friends until they were torn apart. It is told in two timelines, 20 years apart. Niamh, Heather and Lauren were high school friends and life has taken them along different paths. Heather is a facade to the outside world, Niamh feels unfulfilled and Lauren longs for a child. The story follows what happens when Heather returns to their town, and how they interact.

I don’t think I enjoyed this book as much as I did the last book by this author, The Moonlight Gardening Club, but it is a solid read for those who enjoy reading women’s fiction and friendship books. I will continue to look forward to future books by this author.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

[Ethel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can you be friends for life? When you're a teenager the possibility is "yes you can be." However, life doesn't quite happen that way. For Niamh Kennedy, Heather Moore and Lauren Dwyer during their high school years that sentiment rang true. making a pact to meet every solstice at dawn to swim in the local lake. The novel is set in a small rural town in Ireland and has a dual timeline. Moving forward 15 years later, we find the three girls not talking to one another. Coming back to their hometown to celebrate the life of a woman who was always there for them, we see that life hasn't honored their pact made in high school. What happened that set them apart? Can their friendship be restored? I loved reading this book and highly recommend it. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC and the opportunity to read it in exchange for an honest review.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The day Heather, Niamh and Lauren met, they promised to be best friends for life, and that instant connection only grew stronger with their weekly sunrise swims in their stunning local lake. When they left school, they agreed that, no matter where life took them, every year on midsummer’s dawn, they would meet at their old spot and swim together.

Now, fifteen years later, the tradition has disappeared in the face of life’s realities. In fact, they don’t speak any more – not since that night . . .”

This was a really great, feel good read. It’s about the power of female friendship and the love of family. The three friends have fallen out but they are all back and they believe that they are different but slowly and spurred on by a terrifying event they realise that in their hearts they are still 16 and nothing has changed as much as they think it has.

[Felicity Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sensitive insightful and touching tale of three best friends from a small town in Ireland who swim in their lake on early mornings.
Niamh Heather and Lauren became firm friends when they started at secondary school together but as the years go by a blow up between them pulls them apart. Fifteen years later can they pick up their friendships and live and support each other again.
This is a beautiful story of friendship and the different types of families there are in a community. Great characters, easy to visualise and warm to, their history and individual stories were brilliantly written. I really enjoyed this tale taking me to county Wicklow in Ireland. A moving story that made me smile.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the early read. Highly recommended.

[AHR - · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Lough Caragh a small town in Ireland, the story centres around three young girls who meet and become friends when starting high school. Niamh, Heather and Lauren. Lauren’s grandmother Rosemary plays an integral part in their stories, living in Mill House overlooking the Lake.
Centred around the lake, swimming and on the lake shore, the story moves from when the girls were young, to present day.

It’s a lovely book about growing up, maturing into adulthood with the trials and tribulations of life.
I really enjoyed reading this, I wanted to spend time swimming in Lough Caragh, which means The Lake of beloved friendship.
A lovely little gem of a book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own

[JANELLE · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book follows the lives of three teenage girls in dual timeline - as teenagers and as current day women. And Rosemary, one of the girls grandmother, and how she keeps going after the death of her husband.

On the morning of the solstices at sunrise, the 4 gather at the lake for a morning swim and proclaim their intentions. Until one night the three girls had a big fight and don't show up the next morning. And fracture their relationships. The problem with this story is - it takes until the end of the book to find out why they haven't remained friends over the years. It drags out and I almost gave up without reaching the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a digital, temporary ARC in return for my review.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The day Heather, Niamh and Lauren met, they promised to best friends for life, and that instant connection only grew stronger with their weekly sunrise swims in their stunning local lake. When they left school, they agreed that, no matter where life took them, every year on midsummer's dawn, they would meet at their old spot and swim together.

Now, fifteen years later, the tradition has disappeared in the face of life's realities. In fact, they don't speak any more - not since that night...

But this summer, they find themselves back in their Irish hometown and realise this could be their last chance to recapture what they have lost. Will their return to sunrise swimming heal each of them, and help them rekindle the friendships they once treasured?