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The Irish Goodbye
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Debut Novel (2025)'Absorbing, sharply funny and thoroughly satisfying' – Daily Mail
The US bestseller and Spotify Book of the Year
Three adult sisters reunited at their childhood home must confront a shared tragedy in The Irish Goodbye - the devastatingly beautiful debut novel form Heather Aimee O'Neill.
It's been years since the three Ryan sisters were all home together at their family's beloved house on Long Island. Two decades ago, their lives were upended by a tragic accident on their brother Topher's boat that drove him to suicide. Now, the Ryan women are back for Thanksgiving, but each carries a heavy secret.
The eldest, Cait, is still holding guilt for the role no one knows she played in the boat accident, when she rekindles a flame with her high school crush, Topher's best friend. Middle sister, Alice, has been thrown a curveball threatening her career and, potentially, her marriage. And the youngest, Maggie, is finally taking the risk to bring the woman she loves home to her devoutly Catholic mother.
When Cait invites a guest to Thanksgiving dinner, old tensions boil over and new truths surface. Far more than a family holiday will be ruined unless the sisters can find a way to forgive themselves – and each other.
'With beautiful writing and a cast of memorable characters, this is another debut you won't be able to put down' – The Mirror
'A sparkling debut' – Jenny Jackson, author of Pineapple Street
'The family saga we all need' – Jessica Soffer, bestselling author of This Is a Love Story
The US bestseller and Spotify Book of the Year
Three adult sisters reunited at their childhood home must confront a shared tragedy in The Irish Goodbye - the devastatingly beautiful debut novel form Heather Aimee O'Neill.
It's been years since the three Ryan sisters were all home together at their family's beloved house on Long Island. Two decades ago, their lives were upended by a tragic accident on their brother Topher's boat that drove him to suicide. Now, the Ryan women are back for Thanksgiving, but each carries a heavy secret.
The eldest, Cait, is still holding guilt for the role no one knows she played in the boat accident, when she rekindles a flame with her high school crush, Topher's best friend. Middle sister, Alice, has been thrown a curveball threatening her career and, potentially, her marriage. And the youngest, Maggie, is finally taking the risk to bring the woman she loves home to her devoutly Catholic mother.
When Cait invites a guest to Thanksgiving dinner, old tensions boil over and new truths surface. Far more than a family holiday will be ruined unless the sisters can find a way to forgive themselves – and each other.
'With beautiful writing and a cast of memorable characters, this is another debut you won't be able to put down' – The Mirror
'A sparkling debut' – Jenny Jackson, author of Pineapple Street
'The family saga we all need' – Jessica Soffer, bestselling author of This Is a Love Story
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2025
About the author
Heather Aimee O'Neill
4 books527 followersHeather Aimee O’Neill is the Assistant Director of the Sackett Street Writers’ Workshop, and teaches creative writing at CUNY Hunter College. An excerpt from her novel When The Lights Go On Again was published as a chapbook by Wallflower Press in April 2013. Her poetry chapbook, Memory Future, won the University of Southern California's 2011 Gold Line Press Award, chosen by judge Carol Muske-Dukes. Her work was shortlisted for the 2011 Pirate’s Alley Faulkner-Wisdom Writing Award and has appeared in numerous literary journals. She is a freelance writer for publications such as Time Out New York, Parents Magazine and Salon.com, and is a regular book columnist at MTV’s AfterEllen.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,194 reviews
November 19, 2025
if you’re looking for a book with a thanksgiving plot going into this week and next, here you go! 3 sisters back home for the holidays, each holding onto their own secrets and in turn, drama! i feel like this is one of those books i’ll remember that i read it, but the plot + characters will be forgotten lol. just a bit slow for me, but still enjoyed it!
October 8, 2025
Nothing like going to gathering, being overstimulated, overwhelmed, but also being able to exit without a goodbye. No long drawn out farewells. That's my kind of party. This story, not so much.
Three sisters are brought together at Thanksgiving. They have not seen each other in years. There are secrets they don’t discuss but we know their brother committed suicide and a friend of his died.
There is a lot of drama but not a lot of action. Sisters behaving badly might have been a better title. It flatlined for a generous portion of the story and managed to get a faint pulse toward the end but by then I had officially announced it: dead. Not for me.
3⭐️
Three sisters are brought together at Thanksgiving. They have not seen each other in years. There are secrets they don’t discuss but we know their brother committed suicide and a friend of his died.
There is a lot of drama but not a lot of action. Sisters behaving badly might have been a better title. It flatlined for a generous portion of the story and managed to get a faint pulse toward the end but by then I had officially announced it: dead. Not for me.
3⭐️
August 27, 2025
Three adult sisters gather with family to spend Thanksgiving in their childhood home on the eastern shores of Long Island. Their parents have aged, the house needs obvious repair, and tensions hang low in the air—the accident two decades ago altered their lives forever. Carrying the grief and loss is complicated by secrets, regrets, and unresolved resentments between them. The Ryan Family has a great deal to unpack this holiday...
The Irish Goodbye is a beautifully written and engaging story about a complicated family. I first fell in love with the cover, and when I began reading, I grew attached to each character. This is a family I could spend more time with, but I'm satisfied with how things lie between them.
An immersion reading experience, the audiobook is narrated by Kristen Sieh, who does a phenomenal job of bringing these complicated characters to life. Her skills truly enhanced my experience, and it's an audiobook I most likely will listen to again.
The Irish Goodbye is an impressive debut, and every bit as addictive as a Mary Beth Keane novel. I'm always in awe of an author who writes a book, this one at only 288 pages, that is as rich as much longer ones. This story is brief, yet complete, and I'm looking forward to what's next from Heather Aimee O'Neill!
4.75⭐
Thank you to Henry Holt and Co., Macmillan Audio, and Heather Aimee O'Neill for the gifted DRC and ALC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
The Irish Goodbye is a beautifully written and engaging story about a complicated family. I first fell in love with the cover, and when I began reading, I grew attached to each character. This is a family I could spend more time with, but I'm satisfied with how things lie between them.
An immersion reading experience, the audiobook is narrated by Kristen Sieh, who does a phenomenal job of bringing these complicated characters to life. Her skills truly enhanced my experience, and it's an audiobook I most likely will listen to again.
The Irish Goodbye is an impressive debut, and every bit as addictive as a Mary Beth Keane novel. I'm always in awe of an author who writes a book, this one at only 288 pages, that is as rich as much longer ones. This story is brief, yet complete, and I'm looking forward to what's next from Heather Aimee O'Neill!
4.75⭐
Thank you to Henry Holt and Co., Macmillan Audio, and Heather Aimee O'Neill for the gifted DRC and ALC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
November 24, 2025
A story about three sisters who reunite after many years apart. The Ryan family lives on Long Island and all three daughters come home for a family Thanksgiving with their elderly parents. Everyone has a secret and the family suffers from unresolved grief. There are many serious issues in the novel but I felt like nothing was deeply explored. This was just not as compelling as I thought it would be. It was still a decent debut and the author is promising. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was very good. An appropriately titled story!
This is a Read with Jenna Book Club selection for the month of October 2025
This is a Read with Jenna Book Club selection for the month of October 2025
August 11, 2025
This was a beautiful debut novel set on
Long Island, where the Ryan’s own a large Victorian home on the eastern shore, it has been in their family for generations.
Two decades ago, their lives were upended when a tragic accident happened on the oldest child Topher’s boat.
Since then, daughters moved away, a tragedy happens with Topher… secrets were withheld… The parent aged, and grandchildren were born.
They are now coming together now for a Thanksgiving dinner you won’t forget .
A great cast of characters, a story of family, grief, and forgiveness.
It was very hard to put this novel down at any point and I just wanted to stay with this family for a while longer!
Thank you to Netgalley and Henry Holt & Company for the free ARC!
Publishing September 30th
Long Island, where the Ryan’s own a large Victorian home on the eastern shore, it has been in their family for generations.
Two decades ago, their lives were upended when a tragic accident happened on the oldest child Topher’s boat.
Since then, daughters moved away, a tragedy happens with Topher… secrets were withheld… The parent aged, and grandchildren were born.
They are now coming together now for a Thanksgiving dinner you won’t forget .
A great cast of characters, a story of family, grief, and forgiveness.
It was very hard to put this novel down at any point and I just wanted to stay with this family for a while longer!
Thank you to Netgalley and Henry Holt & Company for the free ARC!
Publishing September 30th
October 22, 2025
I wanted to Irish exit reading it 🥲
May 10, 2026
This debut novel centers on two families bound together by tragedy and long-simmering resentment, largely stemming from the mysterious deaths of a brother from each family.
Set over a Thanksgiving weekend years later, the story unfolds with the children now grown, each carrying secrets, judgments, unresolved grief, and the heavy responsibility of caring for aging parents. As tensions rise, so does the question beneath every interaction: what really happened to the brothers?
The author does a relatively good job of sustaining the tension throughout the narrative. At times, however, the story feels overly drawn out, creating moments of frustration where readers may wish the novel would get to the point already. The constant withholding of information—not only between characters, but from the reader as well—can make the pacing feel tedious rather than suspenseful.
The shifting timeline between flashbacks and the present eventually reveals the full picture, though the structure can feel scattered and emotionally distancing at times. Still, there is enough momentum leading toward the climax to keep the pages turning, even if patience is occasionally required to get there.
Dark, uncomfortable, and steeped in messy family dynamics, the novel explores tradition, Catholic guilt, sibling rivalry, grief, and the complicated ways families wound and protect one another. While the payoff may not fully justify the slow burn for every reader, it is ultimately a thoughtful debut that captures the unease of buried secrets and the lingering damage they leave behind.
⭐️⭐️⭐️. 5 stars
Set over a Thanksgiving weekend years later, the story unfolds with the children now grown, each carrying secrets, judgments, unresolved grief, and the heavy responsibility of caring for aging parents. As tensions rise, so does the question beneath every interaction: what really happened to the brothers?
The author does a relatively good job of sustaining the tension throughout the narrative. At times, however, the story feels overly drawn out, creating moments of frustration where readers may wish the novel would get to the point already. The constant withholding of information—not only between characters, but from the reader as well—can make the pacing feel tedious rather than suspenseful.
The shifting timeline between flashbacks and the present eventually reveals the full picture, though the structure can feel scattered and emotionally distancing at times. Still, there is enough momentum leading toward the climax to keep the pages turning, even if patience is occasionally required to get there.
Dark, uncomfortable, and steeped in messy family dynamics, the novel explores tradition, Catholic guilt, sibling rivalry, grief, and the complicated ways families wound and protect one another. While the payoff may not fully justify the slow burn for every reader, it is ultimately a thoughtful debut that captures the unease of buried secrets and the lingering damage they leave behind.
⭐️⭐️⭐️. 5 stars
April 7, 2026
Heather Aimee O'Neill was my creative writing professor at CUNY Hunter College back in 2008-2009 (ENG 301). She was wonderful, creative, very encouraging. She made you WORK HARD, which I appreciated because I always struggled with writing. I had nothing but the best things to say about her. Now many years down the line, I’ve read her novel.
I hope she writes another book in the near future!
Full review to follow!
I hope she writes another book in the near future!
Full review to follow!
September 30, 2025
An Irish Goodbye is the act of slipping away quietly from a social gathering.
The Irish Goodbye is a touching debut about a family where everyone has a secret. Three adult sisters return to their parents for Thanksgiving. Things haven’t been right since an accident on their brother’s boat led to a death. Then their brother committed suicide.
This was a realistic novel despite the sheer volume of issues. Everyone who has multiple kids has been subject to those times when there’s something going on in everyone’s life that impacts a gathering. Each of the characters felt fully developed with their own strengths and weaknesses. I could understand their issues even when I didn’t agree with their actions.
The book has multiple themes, including parenting, self-care especially in contrast to religious beliefs, marital roles and aging parents. The writing is beautiful and the one phrase that really hit me was “the emotional labor of caregiving”. Things did tie up a little too neatly at the end but it didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the story.
I listened to this and Kriste Sieh did a great job as the narrator.
I recommend this for fans of Ann Patchett, Celeste Ng and Angie Kim.
My thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this book.
The Irish Goodbye is a touching debut about a family where everyone has a secret. Three adult sisters return to their parents for Thanksgiving. Things haven’t been right since an accident on their brother’s boat led to a death. Then their brother committed suicide.
This was a realistic novel despite the sheer volume of issues. Everyone who has multiple kids has been subject to those times when there’s something going on in everyone’s life that impacts a gathering. Each of the characters felt fully developed with their own strengths and weaknesses. I could understand their issues even when I didn’t agree with their actions.
The book has multiple themes, including parenting, self-care especially in contrast to religious beliefs, marital roles and aging parents. The writing is beautiful and the one phrase that really hit me was “the emotional labor of caregiving”. Things did tie up a little too neatly at the end but it didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the story.
I listened to this and Kriste Sieh did a great job as the narrator.
I recommend this for fans of Ann Patchett, Celeste Ng and Angie Kim.
My thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this book.
October 8, 2025
3 stars ⭐️
I really don’t have much to say about this book.
A generational family drama that was just a “fair” read to me. There was nothing different or outstanding. The author took on so many controversial topics in 270 pages and yet none really touched me deeply or were explored beyond a surface level. There were no words of wisdom, and no quotes that stuck out to me. I struggled with the pacing and it just a book about characters who are really not admirable people.
I expected more but did finish, as it was a super quick read.
I really don’t have much to say about this book.
A generational family drama that was just a “fair” read to me. There was nothing different or outstanding. The author took on so many controversial topics in 270 pages and yet none really touched me deeply or were explored beyond a surface level. There were no words of wisdom, and no quotes that stuck out to me. I struggled with the pacing and it just a book about characters who are really not admirable people.
I expected more but did finish, as it was a super quick read.
April 2, 2026
🍀📖 The Irish Goodbye by Heather Aimee O’Neill 📖🍀
🎧★★★★☆ 4 Stars (Audio)
A moving, character-driven novel about grief, silence, and the lasting impact of family secrets.
I was delighted when my library request for the audiobook of The Irish Goodbye was fulfilled. Kristen Sieh delivers a beautiful narration that enhances this emotionally rich story. The novel offers a compelling exploration of how repressed feelings, especially those tied to grief, can snowball into misunderstandings, frustration, and lasting guilt.
In her acknowledgments, author Heather Aimee O’Neill notes that the book was inspired in part by the work of The Jed Foundation, a national organization focused on young adult mental health and suicide prevention. Although the novel includes a suicide, O’Neill handles the subject with sensitivity and care, without gratuitous detail.
The Ryan family is a traditional Irish Catholic family, with faith deeply woven into their daily lives and a close relationship with their parish priest. Nora, the matriarch, immigrated from Ireland and raised her children with strong Catholic values. The story is set in November 2015, as Nora insists the family gather for Thanksgiving at their Long Island home, known as the Folly, on the North Fork.
The family has been estranged for years, largely due to a tragic boating accident in 1990 that resulted in the death of a young boy on Topher Ryan’s boat. The weight of that event, and the guilt it carried, contributed to Topher’s death by suicide thirteen years earlier. The youngest daughter, Maggie, was the one who discovered him.
A family shaped by silence, where what remains unspoken carries the greatest weight.
Now the remaining siblings return home. Maggie, age thirty-four, is a teacher living in Vermont and is in a relationship with her girlfriend, Isabel, though her mother struggles to accept her sexuality. Alice, the middle sister, lives nearby with her husband and children and has taken on much of the responsibility for caring for their aging parents. Cait, the eldest, is a recently divorced lawyer with two children.
Tension arises immediately. Nora insists that Isabel stay in the guest cottage rather than share a room with Maggie. Alice is quietly dealing with a new pregnancy that complicates both her health and her career aspirations. Cait, meanwhile, reconnects with Luke, a neighbor who is also the brother of the boy who died in the boating accident. Both Cait and Luke carry long-buried secrets about that night.
What unfolds is a layered portrait of a family shaped by silence. Each member carries secrets, believing that withholding the truth offers protection. O’Neill shows how, in reality, those unspoken truths deepen the trauma. Even small details, such as a box of unopened condolence cards, reveal Nora’s inability to face her son’s death. The ripple effects of the accident have shaped this family for decades, creating a pattern of emotional avoidance and an inability to engage in open, vulnerable communication.
A special note for the audio: Kristen Sieh’s performance is outstanding. She handles a range of accents with ease, from Nora and the priest’s Irish tones to the voices of Cait’s children. Her narration adds depth and warmth to an already moving story. 🎧✨
I highly recommend the audiobook format for this novel. 📚
October 7, 2025
3.5 rounded to 4 for GR! what a juicy messy family drama! Jenna’s picks are always fun to read and this was no exception. at under 300 pages, it’s quick and grabs you right away which was exactly what i was looking for right now.
if you liked BLUE SISTERS or THESE SUMMER STORMS or even THE PAPER PALACE, you’ll like this. very similar vibes—family drama, siblings being messy and arguing, parents all tangled into it, a twist that could change everything, etc. to me, this wasn’t as good as those 3 (some of my favorites tbh) but it was very similar and that’s why i enjoyed it.
this story follows a family that all comes back together for thanksgiving and as it usually does, drama ensues. and more than one of the siblings is carrying a secret… 👀
what i loved in this one was the multiple POVs of each sibling. Cait was probably my favorite and brought the drama lol! i wish we got a POV from one parent or even the brother to bring it full circle and give one other perspective.
the setting was also a vibe—think THESE SUMMER STORMS with a huge mansion on the east coast.
i also would have loved an epilogue 5 years later to see where everyone was.
all in all, a fun easy read and it helped me through a reading slump so for that i recommend!
if you liked BLUE SISTERS or THESE SUMMER STORMS or even THE PAPER PALACE, you’ll like this. very similar vibes—family drama, siblings being messy and arguing, parents all tangled into it, a twist that could change everything, etc. to me, this wasn’t as good as those 3 (some of my favorites tbh) but it was very similar and that’s why i enjoyed it.
this story follows a family that all comes back together for thanksgiving and as it usually does, drama ensues. and more than one of the siblings is carrying a secret… 👀
what i loved in this one was the multiple POVs of each sibling. Cait was probably my favorite and brought the drama lol! i wish we got a POV from one parent or even the brother to bring it full circle and give one other perspective.
the setting was also a vibe—think THESE SUMMER STORMS with a huge mansion on the east coast.
i also would have loved an epilogue 5 years later to see where everyone was.
all in all, a fun easy read and it helped me through a reading slump so for that i recommend!
June 23, 2025
Available Now
This is a beautiful family drama. The Ryan sisters are back together for Thanksgiving holiday they haven’t seen each other in years. Years ago, there was a tragedy, when their brother’s friend was killed in a boating accident.
Cait invites a friend to the Thanksgiving feast. He happens to be the brother of the boy that was killed in the tragedy Old wounds are opened as the sisters share their stories. This story is told in alternating POV’s between the sisters. Cait, Maggie and Alice. Each sister has a story to tell as secrets are revealed. Emotions run high.
This is a heartfelt debut book that was beautifully written. It just drew me right in. I loved the setting on Long Island, as I live there. I enjoyed the relationships the sisters had loved reading about the drama.
Thank you to Henry Holt and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy.
Highly recommended.
This is a beautiful family drama. The Ryan sisters are back together for Thanksgiving holiday they haven’t seen each other in years. Years ago, there was a tragedy, when their brother’s friend was killed in a boating accident.
Cait invites a friend to the Thanksgiving feast. He happens to be the brother of the boy that was killed in the tragedy Old wounds are opened as the sisters share their stories. This story is told in alternating POV’s between the sisters. Cait, Maggie and Alice. Each sister has a story to tell as secrets are revealed. Emotions run high.
This is a heartfelt debut book that was beautifully written. It just drew me right in. I loved the setting on Long Island, as I live there. I enjoyed the relationships the sisters had loved reading about the drama.
Thank you to Henry Holt and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy.
Highly recommended.
October 26, 2025
the setup…
It’s 2015 and the Ryan family is gathering at the Port Haven, New York home to celebrate Thanksgiving with Parents Robert and Nora as the hosts. Daughter Cait is flying in from London with her twins; Alice and husband Kyle live nearby but will stay overnight with their two sons; and youngest Maggie is coming with her new girlfriend Isabel, a first. It’s been twenty-five years since the family was rocked by the death of their son Topher’s friend’s younger brother in an accident on his boat and the lawsuit that crippled them. And, it’s been eleven years since Topher’s suicide. Both events still weigh heavily on them all and each child is bringing new secrets and baggage with them.
the heart of the story…
An Irish goodbye is defined to be a stealthy exit from a party without fuss or fanfare, a secret escape. Cait is burdened by guilt associated with what happened the day Topher’s friend died. Alice has just learned something that will threaten her burgeoning design career and marriage. Maggie is keeping a secret from Isabel that could end their relationship before it gets started. All just want to quietly slip away to just deal. Combined it was a dish that threatens to be served up hot on this holiday.
the narration…
It’s all about the storytelling and Kristen Sieh did an outstanding job of that, including expert voice distinctions. She had me riveted.
the bottom line…
Family drama at its finest without a lot of…well, drama. It’s all in the unsaid as everyone tries to quietly find a way out of dealing with their issues, even though the stress of it all overlayed everything. I liked these people, even Cait who comes across a bit self absorbed but those two deaths left a permanent mark on all of them that they never dealt with head on. This is a fascinating study of how a tragedy shaped a good family and a defining holiday where it all rises to the surface.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
It’s 2015 and the Ryan family is gathering at the Port Haven, New York home to celebrate Thanksgiving with Parents Robert and Nora as the hosts. Daughter Cait is flying in from London with her twins; Alice and husband Kyle live nearby but will stay overnight with their two sons; and youngest Maggie is coming with her new girlfriend Isabel, a first. It’s been twenty-five years since the family was rocked by the death of their son Topher’s friend’s younger brother in an accident on his boat and the lawsuit that crippled them. And, it’s been eleven years since Topher’s suicide. Both events still weigh heavily on them all and each child is bringing new secrets and baggage with them.
the heart of the story…
An Irish goodbye is defined to be a stealthy exit from a party without fuss or fanfare, a secret escape. Cait is burdened by guilt associated with what happened the day Topher’s friend died. Alice has just learned something that will threaten her burgeoning design career and marriage. Maggie is keeping a secret from Isabel that could end their relationship before it gets started. All just want to quietly slip away to just deal. Combined it was a dish that threatens to be served up hot on this holiday.
the narration…
It’s all about the storytelling and Kristen Sieh did an outstanding job of that, including expert voice distinctions. She had me riveted.
the bottom line…
Family drama at its finest without a lot of…well, drama. It’s all in the unsaid as everyone tries to quietly find a way out of dealing with their issues, even though the stress of it all overlayed everything. I liked these people, even Cait who comes across a bit self absorbed but those two deaths left a permanent mark on all of them that they never dealt with head on. This is a fascinating study of how a tragedy shaped a good family and a defining holiday where it all rises to the surface.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
September 29, 2025
Family issues galore! One can never escape them.
A family comes together at their family home at Thanksgiving, a holiday designed for happiness and family bonding. However this family has issues that keep each of the remaining daughters and their mother seemingly on tenterhooks.
The suicide death of their brother, twenty years ago, after a boating accident that took the life of another, has in bedded itself into all of them. Years have separated them and this is the first time they have been together in a long time.
Cait, the eldest, has to come to terms with her growing affection for the brother of the young man who died on that boat. After his family sued her family nearly into bankruptcy, how will they react to her new flame?
Alice has been moving on, successful in her new career when something is throwing a roadblock into her ambitions, especially since her husband opposes her decision and that might mean the end of their marriage.
The youngest sister, Maggie, a gay young woman, is bringing her current partner to the dinner. How will her strict Irish Catholic mother react?
Unless the girls and their mother can come together this family might be doomed.
A family comes together at their family home at Thanksgiving, a holiday designed for happiness and family bonding. However this family has issues that keep each of the remaining daughters and their mother seemingly on tenterhooks.
The suicide death of their brother, twenty years ago, after a boating accident that took the life of another, has in bedded itself into all of them. Years have separated them and this is the first time they have been together in a long time.
Cait, the eldest, has to come to terms with her growing affection for the brother of the young man who died on that boat. After his family sued her family nearly into bankruptcy, how will they react to her new flame?
Alice has been moving on, successful in her new career when something is throwing a roadblock into her ambitions, especially since her husband opposes her decision and that might mean the end of their marriage.
The youngest sister, Maggie, a gay young woman, is bringing her current partner to the dinner. How will her strict Irish Catholic mother react?
Unless the girls and their mother can come together this family might be doomed.
May 7, 2025
Calling all readers that love family dramas! The Irish Goodbye sits just under 300 pages and while I wish we could stay with this family for a bit longer, it packed a punch with it's story and characters. I think what's tricky in this genre is that either the book needs to be 600 pages to really capture the depth of the family relationships and intricacies, but the author needs to know how to develop each moment in a single sentence for the under 300 pager dramas to actually WORK. Stories like Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro and The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff come to mind of family dramas under 300 pages that accomplished this. However, the Tracey Lange books are examples of the under 300 pagers that unfortunately don't work. I think the Irish Goodbye sits in the middle where we probably needed 50-75 pages more and a bit more emotion in the writing for it to really stand out as a 5 star winner.
September 20, 2025
✨REVIEW: The Irish Goodbye by Heather Aimee O’Neill✨
🎧2.75⭐️
I wasn’t going to post my feelings about this book. I realize that my worldview might not be the same as yours, and this book might work for you. But I’ve gotten DMs asking specifically what I didn’t like. So here goes. SPOILER FREE!
😌First, here’s what I DID appreciate:
-Strong writing that made me feel invested in the story right away
-Great audio narration
-So much complexity wrapped into a relatively short book!
-The idea of looking back on life events with regret and choosing what burdens to let go of
🤔But…
I can’t abide stories that treat children as a burden rather than a blessing. Two of the three sisters in the story treat kids as a major interruption in their lives and to their personal desires.
Stick with me here- I’m not talking about acknowledging that parenting is difficult or that having kids changes your life. I’m talking about choosing your own personal (current) wants above what’s best for your children, spouse or family; neglecting right and wrong to do what you want.
AND (here’s the kicker)- acting like those choices will never be a source of regret or problem in your relationships.
This message was mostly subtle, but it was there. And I will NEVER recommend a book that advances that type of messaging.
🥰If you hold a different worldview or enjoyed books like Sandwich, this might be for you.
⚠️Profanity: 3/5 (I can’t remember the exact amount, but I know it was at least occasional.)
Sexual: 3/5 (some detail, including a same sex relationship and a girl losing her virginity)
Other: Some triggers are spoilers. DM me for specifics.
🎧2.75⭐️
I wasn’t going to post my feelings about this book. I realize that my worldview might not be the same as yours, and this book might work for you. But I’ve gotten DMs asking specifically what I didn’t like. So here goes. SPOILER FREE!
😌First, here’s what I DID appreciate:
-Strong writing that made me feel invested in the story right away
-Great audio narration
-So much complexity wrapped into a relatively short book!
-The idea of looking back on life events with regret and choosing what burdens to let go of
🤔But…
I can’t abide stories that treat children as a burden rather than a blessing. Two of the three sisters in the story treat kids as a major interruption in their lives and to their personal desires.
Stick with me here- I’m not talking about acknowledging that parenting is difficult or that having kids changes your life. I’m talking about choosing your own personal (current) wants above what’s best for your children, spouse or family; neglecting right and wrong to do what you want.
AND (here’s the kicker)- acting like those choices will never be a source of regret or problem in your relationships.
This message was mostly subtle, but it was there. And I will NEVER recommend a book that advances that type of messaging.
🥰If you hold a different worldview or enjoyed books like Sandwich, this might be for you.
⚠️Profanity: 3/5 (I can’t remember the exact amount, but I know it was at least occasional.)
Sexual: 3/5 (some detail, including a same sex relationship and a girl losing her virginity)
Other: Some triggers are spoilers. DM me for specifics.
November 21, 2025
Oh no we’re catholic and doing all the cliche sins and our Irish mother can’t possibly survive it
September 27, 2025
Read with Jenna - October ‘25 pick.
5 stars. Loved loved loved. Talk about an engrossing epic story that is raw and emotional. Its left a major impression at a short 288 pages and is so PERFECTLY titled. “THE IRISH GOODBYE” is a well-crafted family drama with a touch of mystery that is richly layered with grief, loss and regret that spans from a past tragedy two decades before. As the Ryan family + one guest, gather round for Thanksgiving at the family home on Long Island.. secrets spill, resentments flare, and old wounds are opened as the three adult Ryan daughters share their stories that are told in their own POV’s. They reveal hardships from the past to problems now and the effects it’s had on them. Can this dysfunctional family heal? It amazes me how O’Neill has the ability to bring her characters to life, to actually feel their emotions, frustrations and pain.. and for this to be a debut is truly outstanding. Highly recommend this. And the audio, fantastic. ❥ Pub. 9/30/25 🎧
Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
5 stars. Loved loved loved. Talk about an engrossing epic story that is raw and emotional. Its left a major impression at a short 288 pages and is so PERFECTLY titled. “THE IRISH GOODBYE” is a well-crafted family drama with a touch of mystery that is richly layered with grief, loss and regret that spans from a past tragedy two decades before. As the Ryan family + one guest, gather round for Thanksgiving at the family home on Long Island.. secrets spill, resentments flare, and old wounds are opened as the three adult Ryan daughters share their stories that are told in their own POV’s. They reveal hardships from the past to problems now and the effects it’s had on them. Can this dysfunctional family heal? It amazes me how O’Neill has the ability to bring her characters to life, to actually feel their emotions, frustrations and pain.. and for this to be a debut is truly outstanding. Highly recommend this. And the audio, fantastic. ❥ Pub. 9/30/25 🎧
Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
August 24, 2025
THE IRISH GOODBYE
By Heather Aimee O’Neill
Narrated by Kristen Sieh
A big-hearted family saga filled with secrets and regrets, this authentic debut set on Long Island follows the Ryan sisters—Alice, Cait, and Maggie—as they return to their childhood home for Thanksgiving weekend. Along with their families, they bring decades of emotional baggage. A long-buried tragedy that was never truly resolved hangs over them all. As tensions rise and long-hidden truths come to light, will this holiday fracture their bond for good—or offer a chance to forgive and heal?
The exploration of each well-developed character was done beautifully in this just-under-300-page novel. It’s well written and I was fully invested in these characters—their struggles, flaws, and growth. I’m looking forward to more from this gifted storyteller. The Irish Goodbye explores themes of sisterhood, marriage, grief, and forgiveness.
Kristen Sieh captures the emotional depth of the story beautifully.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. Publishing September 30, 2025
By Heather Aimee O’Neill
Narrated by Kristen Sieh
A big-hearted family saga filled with secrets and regrets, this authentic debut set on Long Island follows the Ryan sisters—Alice, Cait, and Maggie—as they return to their childhood home for Thanksgiving weekend. Along with their families, they bring decades of emotional baggage. A long-buried tragedy that was never truly resolved hangs over them all. As tensions rise and long-hidden truths come to light, will this holiday fracture their bond for good—or offer a chance to forgive and heal?
The exploration of each well-developed character was done beautifully in this just-under-300-page novel. It’s well written and I was fully invested in these characters—their struggles, flaws, and growth. I’m looking forward to more from this gifted storyteller. The Irish Goodbye explores themes of sisterhood, marriage, grief, and forgiveness.
Kristen Sieh captures the emotional depth of the story beautifully.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. Publishing September 30, 2025
October 9, 2025
I really liked The Irish Goodbye, a family drama set over a holiday weekend. Adult sisters Cait, Alice, and Maggie, reunite at their parents’ house for Thanksgiving. Each sister is dealing with their own secrets and challenges, and reflecting on the past. Together again with their parents, kids, and significant others, it all comes to light.
The Irish Goodbye has some heavy topics, along with drama. I flew through this book. A good read any time, but especially for Fall — 4.5 stars
The Irish Goodbye has some heavy topics, along with drama. I flew through this book. A good read any time, but especially for Fall — 4.5 stars
November 22, 2025
Heads up, not just about suicide but abortion and a skewed version of religion. Horrible read. These women are depressing and insufferable. Wish I didn’t waste my time reading this.
September 21, 2025
4⭐️ I enjoyed this family drama about the Ryan family coming together in their family home on Long Island for Thanksgiving.
Generations of Ryan’s have called the large Victorian home, but now the aging parents are there alone after their daughters have moved away and their only son Topher died. A tragedy has haunted the family for years and filled their lives with grief, secrets, and longing.
Alice and her husband Kyle and their 2 sons still in the area, feel the burden on them in the care giving and home upkeep. Cait mother of twins, newly divorced and visiting from London. Maggie in a new relationship with Isabel, coming home to introduce her to the family. And the ever present memories of Topher and the day that changed the family forever.
Beautifully written with engaging, complicated characters I wanted to keep reading about this family and follow them all forward into the future!
Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Generations of Ryan’s have called the large Victorian home, but now the aging parents are there alone after their daughters have moved away and their only son Topher died. A tragedy has haunted the family for years and filled their lives with grief, secrets, and longing.
Alice and her husband Kyle and their 2 sons still in the area, feel the burden on them in the care giving and home upkeep. Cait mother of twins, newly divorced and visiting from London. Maggie in a new relationship with Isabel, coming home to introduce her to the family. And the ever present memories of Topher and the day that changed the family forever.
Beautifully written with engaging, complicated characters I wanted to keep reading about this family and follow them all forward into the future!
Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 14, 2025
Great title and a decent family drama. The story mostly unfolds over a Thanksgiving visit, where three sisters who haven’t spoken in years return home carrying their own mix of grief, guilt, and unresolved stuff. The setup is solid, but some of the flashbacks felt a bit misplaced, and a few conversations read younger than the characters actually are. I also wanted a little more depth from each sister to really feel their emotional weight.
Overall, it’s a fine family story with some nice moments, just not quite nuanced enough for me to rate it higher than 3 out of 5. It’s a debut novel and I would still seek out O’Neill’s future works.
Overall, it’s a fine family story with some nice moments, just not quite nuanced enough for me to rate it higher than 3 out of 5. It’s a debut novel and I would still seek out O’Neill’s future works.
December 6, 2025
🍀🍀🍀🚺🚺🚺
Heather Aimee O’Neill’s debut captivated me with its tender, clear‑eyed look at family. She writes the Ryan sisters with such honesty, showing how loyalty, silence and inherited stories shape them long before they understand the weight they’re carrying.
I appreciated the generational contrast. Their parents come from a world where stoicism is survival, humbleness is expected and secrets are protection. Love is something you show quietly by absorbing pain and keeping the peace. The daughters, by contrast, want their needs met and value emotional clarity. They refuse to keep repeating the patterns that broke the generation before them, and that tension gives the novel its emotional charge.
I also loved the sisters’ hearty, familiar bickering. They know exactly how to frustrate each other, the portrayal realistic. My favourite moment comes when they choose to leave a particular truth unspoken, not out of avoidance but out of a shared understanding that saying it aloud was not needed, its didn’t serve anyone. It felt like they’d finally learned and stepped up. The kind of choice their mother would have recognised and quietly approved of.
A beautifully told debut about what families hide, what they pass down and the fierce, complicated love that survives it all. I don’t have a sister, but I loved their dynamic, the drama and the way their love found its way. I loved their love.
I read this a month ago, it was my ninth 5⭐️ in a row, this is not as fresh as the author deserves. A Suz issue of course, but I’m very impressed.
I listened to this via the Libby app and my public library.
Heather Aimee O’Neill’s debut captivated me with its tender, clear‑eyed look at family. She writes the Ryan sisters with such honesty, showing how loyalty, silence and inherited stories shape them long before they understand the weight they’re carrying.
I appreciated the generational contrast. Their parents come from a world where stoicism is survival, humbleness is expected and secrets are protection. Love is something you show quietly by absorbing pain and keeping the peace. The daughters, by contrast, want their needs met and value emotional clarity. They refuse to keep repeating the patterns that broke the generation before them, and that tension gives the novel its emotional charge.
I also loved the sisters’ hearty, familiar bickering. They know exactly how to frustrate each other, the portrayal realistic. My favourite moment comes when they choose to leave a particular truth unspoken, not out of avoidance but out of a shared understanding that saying it aloud was not needed, its didn’t serve anyone. It felt like they’d finally learned and stepped up. The kind of choice their mother would have recognised and quietly approved of.
A beautifully told debut about what families hide, what they pass down and the fierce, complicated love that survives it all. I don’t have a sister, but I loved their dynamic, the drama and the way their love found its way. I loved their love.
I read this a month ago, it was my ninth 5⭐️ in a row, this is not as fresh as the author deserves. A Suz issue of course, but I’m very impressed.
I listened to this via the Libby app and my public library.
Read
April 29, 2025I received a free copy of, The Irish Goodbye, by Heather Aimee O"Neill, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Cait, Alice, and Maggie, are the Ryan sisters, who have been apart for awhile after an incident with their brother Topher. This year will be the first time they are all together in over two decade. This was not a light read at all.
November 6, 2025
Major snooze 😴 nothing overtly wrong with this just very anticlimactic. I did like how all the different characters had their own things going on but I was kind of expecting more to come out of the actual Thanksgiving dinner when everyone was together.
August 3, 2025
ARC Review
This book follows a dysfunctional family over a Thanksgiving weekend. We follow the three daughters Cait, Alice, and Maggie.
Cait throughout the vast majority of this book is selfish and really only thinks about her wants. Even in the flashback chapters she was selfish so I really couldn't stand her throughout most of this book, but she did manage to make me like her when she stood up for her sister... and then immediately make me dislike her again about a page later. So she's kinda an awful person but a pretty decent sister.
Alice is the push over and people pleaser, she stretches herself paper thin trying to do everything and be there for everyone. And also greatly resents her sisters mainly Cait because they moved away and they haven't had to sacrifice as much. When Alice eventually starts thinking about her own self interests I was rooting so hard for her.
Maggie's story line in this wasn't as interesting to me, I didn't dislike her as much as I did Cait and she wasn't as compelling as Alice. So I'm very middle of the road on my feelings for her.
Everyone in this family is a train wreck and couldn't have a conversation with each other if they tried. Not a single conversation felt like it had any sort of satisfying conclusion, they just talked around the issue or they'd constantly get interrupted. Also this book seems like a great ad for birth control, because all of these children were irritating. Every time a notable conversation/argument happened one of these little crotch goblins would interrupt.
This book was a struggle for me to get through, but I clearly seem to be in the minority so if a somewhat sad family drama sounds like something you'd be into I'd definitely recommend giving this a shot. It's written very well, and I would be interested in reading more from the author. But this one was sadly a miss
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher (Henry Holt & Company) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows a dysfunctional family over a Thanksgiving weekend. We follow the three daughters Cait, Alice, and Maggie.
Cait throughout the vast majority of this book is selfish and really only thinks about her wants. Even in the flashback chapters she was selfish so I really couldn't stand her throughout most of this book, but she did manage to make me like her when she stood up for her sister... and then immediately make me dislike her again about a page later. So she's kinda an awful person but a pretty decent sister.
Alice is the push over and people pleaser, she stretches herself paper thin trying to do everything and be there for everyone. And also greatly resents her sisters mainly Cait because they moved away and they haven't had to sacrifice as much. When Alice eventually starts thinking about her own self interests I was rooting so hard for her.
Maggie's story line in this wasn't as interesting to me, I didn't dislike her as much as I did Cait and she wasn't as compelling as Alice. So I'm very middle of the road on my feelings for her.
Everyone in this family is a train wreck and couldn't have a conversation with each other if they tried. Not a single conversation felt like it had any sort of satisfying conclusion, they just talked around the issue or they'd constantly get interrupted. Also this book seems like a great ad for birth control, because all of these children were irritating. Every time a notable conversation/argument happened one of these little crotch goblins would interrupt.
This book was a struggle for me to get through, but I clearly seem to be in the minority so if a somewhat sad family drama sounds like something you'd be into I'd definitely recommend giving this a shot. It's written very well, and I would be interested in reading more from the author. But this one was sadly a miss
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher (Henry Holt & Company) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 2, 2025
The characters were so annoying and insufferable I literally didn’t care what happened to them and I was bored a third of the way in.
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