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La ballata di Ronan McCoy
'A painfully optimistic book that does the favour of making you laugh as it breaks your heart' Kenneth Branagh
'A tender, elegant novel about the beauty and importance of friendship…One of the most moving books I’ve read in some time' John Boyne
'Soaring, lyrical and heart-breaking' Michelle Gallen
'A fresh and authentic voice is found in this impressive and original debut about grief, loss and the enduring power of love' Christine Dwyer Hickey
***
A tender coming-of-age story about friendship, first love, loss, and facing the ultimate who am I going to be? For fans of Douglas Stuart, Michael Magee, David Nicholls and Andrew O'Hagan
Brendan's best friend, his only friend, is Ronan McCoy. He knows things about Brendan that no one else about his job washing the cars at Feeney’s Funeral Home, about the loneliness he sometimes feels even when surrounded by hundreds of others at school. But Brendan never told Ronan about the dark feeling that sits at the bottom of his stomach, the feeling that tells him something bad is coming. It never comes when Ronan's around.
Ronan is smart and sporty and popular, totally comfortable in his own all the things that Brendan himself isn't. But Ronan always makes him feel like a good friend, a good person, a better Brendan.
Standing at the school gates on the first day of term, the dark feeling begins to form in Brendan's stomach. And when Ronan doesn’t turn up, Brendan learns that something terrible happened to his best friend over the summer and he'll never be the same again. Over the course of the final year of school, Brendan will have to learn to navigate the new shape of their friendship and find a place for himself in the world without Ronan to protect him.
The Ballad of Ronan McCoy is a beautifully written, tender coming-of-age story about friendship and first love, loss and letting go, and the hopes and fears of a young man standing on the cusp of the rest of his life.
'A tender, elegant novel about the beauty and importance of friendship…One of the most moving books I’ve read in some time' John Boyne
'Soaring, lyrical and heart-breaking' Michelle Gallen
'A fresh and authentic voice is found in this impressive and original debut about grief, loss and the enduring power of love' Christine Dwyer Hickey
***
A tender coming-of-age story about friendship, first love, loss, and facing the ultimate who am I going to be? For fans of Douglas Stuart, Michael Magee, David Nicholls and Andrew O'Hagan
Brendan's best friend, his only friend, is Ronan McCoy. He knows things about Brendan that no one else about his job washing the cars at Feeney’s Funeral Home, about the loneliness he sometimes feels even when surrounded by hundreds of others at school. But Brendan never told Ronan about the dark feeling that sits at the bottom of his stomach, the feeling that tells him something bad is coming. It never comes when Ronan's around.
Ronan is smart and sporty and popular, totally comfortable in his own all the things that Brendan himself isn't. But Ronan always makes him feel like a good friend, a good person, a better Brendan.
Standing at the school gates on the first day of term, the dark feeling begins to form in Brendan's stomach. And when Ronan doesn’t turn up, Brendan learns that something terrible happened to his best friend over the summer and he'll never be the same again. Over the course of the final year of school, Brendan will have to learn to navigate the new shape of their friendship and find a place for himself in the world without Ronan to protect him.
The Ballad of Ronan McCoy is a beautifully written, tender coming-of-age story about friendship and first love, loss and letting go, and the hopes and fears of a young man standing on the cusp of the rest of his life.
382 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 18, 2026
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June 5, 2025merlin actor writing a gay coming of age novel I said oh im sure 🙂↕️🙂↕️
March 26, 2026
A tearjerker. But in the best possible way.
I lost count of how many times my eyes went blurry while reading this gorgeous book. It already started at the very beginning, when Brendan just knows that something has happened to his best friend Ronan after he doesn’t show up at school following summer break. And when I found out what was wrong with Ronan, tears immediately sprang to my eyes. And they kept coming and sometimes I had to put my ereader down because otherwise I would be a sobbing mess. But every now and then my lips would suddenly pull up, and the more I read, the more that smile grew, sometimes I even chuckled out loud.
The Ballad of Ronan McCoy is a story about friendship, about grief, about love. It’s a book to keep loads of tissues at hand, a story that crawls into your heart and warms you from the inside. The writing itself is pretty simple, Brendan’s voice a little younger than sixteen. But oh boy, set somewhere in the early aughts in Northern Ireland, this is a stunner of a novel in all its simplicity. And it feels incredibly personal.
Brendan and the McCoys had such a beautiful relationship and as a parent, I was in awe of those two people who were so optimistic and had so much love for Brendan despite what had happened to their son.
That last part wrecked me. I read a bit, started sobbing, did some laundry, read a bit more until the dam broke again, did some more chores, tried to read again, but my eyes blurred the moment I started. I finally thought the water had settled in me, and then Brendan suggested something, and the flood came pouring back again.
Sometimes life is so unfair. And sometimes, even in the ugliest moments, it is so beautiful…
Thank you, HQ Stories and NetGalley, for this beautiful ARC.
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I lost count of how many times my eyes went blurry while reading this gorgeous book. It already started at the very beginning, when Brendan just knows that something has happened to his best friend Ronan after he doesn’t show up at school following summer break. And when I found out what was wrong with Ronan, tears immediately sprang to my eyes. And they kept coming and sometimes I had to put my ereader down because otherwise I would be a sobbing mess. But every now and then my lips would suddenly pull up, and the more I read, the more that smile grew, sometimes I even chuckled out loud.
The Ballad of Ronan McCoy is a story about friendship, about grief, about love. It’s a book to keep loads of tissues at hand, a story that crawls into your heart and warms you from the inside. The writing itself is pretty simple, Brendan’s voice a little younger than sixteen. But oh boy, set somewhere in the early aughts in Northern Ireland, this is a stunner of a novel in all its simplicity. And it feels incredibly personal.
Brendan and the McCoys had such a beautiful relationship and as a parent, I was in awe of those two people who were so optimistic and had so much love for Brendan despite what had happened to their son.
That last part wrecked me. I read a bit, started sobbing, did some laundry, read a bit more until the dam broke again, did some more chores, tried to read again, but my eyes blurred the moment I started. I finally thought the water had settled in me, and then Brendan suggested something, and the flood came pouring back again.
Sometimes life is so unfair. And sometimes, even in the ugliest moments, it is so beautiful…
Thank you, HQ Stories and NetGalley, for this beautiful ARC.
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January 31, 2026
One of the best literary fiction novels I've read.
This book was heartfelt and hopeful with an underlying reminder of the solemnity of the human existence. Ronan and Brendan's relationship was complex and understandable in their new context of friendship with Morgan weaving threads together to pull us into their lives so deeply that they'll leave their marks on us. I was transfixed by this book and honestly just think it's a wonderful story that was told beautifully, it was subtle in its simplicity but was packed with powerful emotion. A five star debut from Colin Morgan.
31/01/2026 - re-read: still a five star read and even more impactful upon a second read, I noticed so many elements of the book that I didn't in the first instance and in fact, noticing them has made me already want to go back to the beginning and take in the story again.
This book was heartfelt and hopeful with an underlying reminder of the solemnity of the human existence. Ronan and Brendan's relationship was complex and understandable in their new context of friendship with Morgan weaving threads together to pull us into their lives so deeply that they'll leave their marks on us. I was transfixed by this book and honestly just think it's a wonderful story that was told beautifully, it was subtle in its simplicity but was packed with powerful emotion. A five star debut from Colin Morgan.
31/01/2026 - re-read: still a five star read and even more impactful upon a second read, I noticed so many elements of the book that I didn't in the first instance and in fact, noticing them has made me already want to go back to the beginning and take in the story again.
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July 4, 2026Knowing Colin, this is going to be depressing af. I’m ready 🙂↕️🥲
Edit: finished the book. I was right. But it was also really beautiful, and it's going to stick with me for a very long time. I think it is safe to say that this book has changed me.
Edit: finished the book. I was right. But it was also really beautiful, and it's going to stick with me for a very long time. I think it is safe to say that this book has changed me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The best compliment I can pay this book is that I can't currently write a proper review of this as I will just end up in tears. One of my favourite books of the year. Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I may come back and add to this or I may just leave this beautiful book in my now broken heart 💔
May 22, 2026
did i finish this book or did it finish me? 💔
April 6, 2026
I am very tight fisted with my 5 star ratings, but this book totally got me. What a devastatingly poignant book from beginning to end. It’s a gorgeously written story of unconditional teenage friendship, loss and grief. I lost count of the times I cried, and spent most of the book with a lump in my throat.
I wouldn’t recommend this to everybody at any time, because it is just so heart shattering and sometimes the sadness is overwhelming. However, if you’re in the mood for a book that is character driven and devastating, and need a really good cry, this is fantastic.
Two of my favourite quotes:
“Coffins are made from great tall oaks. I think I’d choose oak. Out there, somewhere in the world, there’s a tree and it’s growing. It’s growing for me.”
“Promise less, give more.”
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this outstanding book. I’ll be thinking about it for a very long time.
I wouldn’t recommend this to everybody at any time, because it is just so heart shattering and sometimes the sadness is overwhelming. However, if you’re in the mood for a book that is character driven and devastating, and need a really good cry, this is fantastic.
Two of my favourite quotes:
“Coffins are made from great tall oaks. I think I’d choose oak. Out there, somewhere in the world, there’s a tree and it’s growing. It’s growing for me.”
“Promise less, give more.”
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this outstanding book. I’ll be thinking about it for a very long time.
October 17, 2025
I couldn’t stop annotating this book! Every few pages there was a line so raw and beautiful that I had to pause and take it in. Colin Morgan writes about grief, love, and friendship with such honesty and tenderness that it lingers long after the last page. This is a story that feels deeply human, heartbreaking, and yet full of quiet hope.
Beautifully written, unforgettable, and profoundly moving.
Thank you so much to HQ Stories for the gifted copy of The Ballad of Ronan McCoy!
Beautifully written, unforgettable, and profoundly moving.
Thank you so much to HQ Stories for the gifted copy of The Ballad of Ronan McCoy!
audiobook-tbr
September 21, 2025Merlin actor writing a coming of age literary fiction?? I am SO reading to get my heart broken
June 29, 2026
Colin Morgan you are paying for my therapy 😭😭
September 24, 2025
This is heavy. Yet there are moments that were so light and lovely that it had me smiling. The Ballad of Ronan McCoy tells the story of friendship, family, love, and above all grief. Grief is explored in so many different variants but at the heart of this book is the tale of Brendan and his best friend Ronan.
Colin Morgan has made my heart ache in both a good and bad way. There are lots of moments I could talk about but specifically there is a scene that stood out to me, Brendan and his Mum are talking about a death in the family and the instant reaction to that was so bizarre and made no sense. Brendan was making a sandwich, he couldn’t stop making this sandwich and it made him and his dad late to the hospital. Something so small and simple, yet it resonated with me so much. The night my dad died, I had this box of chocolates, it was a big box that was gifted for Christmas. I sat after coming home from the hospital just chatting and eating these chocolates and it was so normal but also like what was I doing? Eating my favourite chocolates just after my dad had died. This book made me feel and remember things that I haven’t thought of in so many years. It really touched me and hit in a way very few books do.
I really believe everyone should read The Ballad of Ronan McCoy, it’s touching and painful but there is so much truth and power in the words. It’s truly heart wrenching and beautiful. The journey of grief in this book is a painful truth that is stunningly written. A tremendous debut novel from Morgan!
5/5 ⭐️
Release date: June 2026
Thankyou so much @whatcarolineread / @hqstories for gifting me such an early copy.
Colin Morgan has made my heart ache in both a good and bad way. There are lots of moments I could talk about but specifically there is a scene that stood out to me, Brendan and his Mum are talking about a death in the family and the instant reaction to that was so bizarre and made no sense. Brendan was making a sandwich, he couldn’t stop making this sandwich and it made him and his dad late to the hospital. Something so small and simple, yet it resonated with me so much. The night my dad died, I had this box of chocolates, it was a big box that was gifted for Christmas. I sat after coming home from the hospital just chatting and eating these chocolates and it was so normal but also like what was I doing? Eating my favourite chocolates just after my dad had died. This book made me feel and remember things that I haven’t thought of in so many years. It really touched me and hit in a way very few books do.
I really believe everyone should read The Ballad of Ronan McCoy, it’s touching and painful but there is so much truth and power in the words. It’s truly heart wrenching and beautiful. The journey of grief in this book is a painful truth that is stunningly written. A tremendous debut novel from Morgan!
5/5 ⭐️
Release date: June 2026
Thankyou so much @whatcarolineread / @hqstories for gifting me such an early copy.
October 1, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Firstly a huge thank you to HQ stories for the early proof copy! I’ve always been such a huge fan of Colin Morgan from watching him in Merlin when I was younger so when I found out he was releasing a novel I just knew I had to read it.
What an outstanding debut novel it is. The story felt so raw and real to me, I could picture everything in my head so perfectly and that is one of my favourite things as a reader. Having struggled in high school myself I could really relate to Brendan and wished I had someone like Ronan to lean on during those dark days. Their friendship was so special and it truly captured my heart.
The novel beautifully covers the theme of friendship and coming of age so effortlessly. I found myself tearing up during several moments, whilst also enjoying the heartfelt happy moments, I went through all the emotions while reading this. Another thing I loved was Brendan’s kindness and his connections with the McCoy’s. I just wanted to give him a big hug, he always tried his best to make sure everyone else was okay leaving little to no time for himself! Such a selfless individual, his friendship with Ronan is too pure for this earth and I’m grateful to have been apart of it in some way as a reader.
I will be recommending this to all my friends and family, this book must be on your radar for 2026!
Firstly a huge thank you to HQ stories for the early proof copy! I’ve always been such a huge fan of Colin Morgan from watching him in Merlin when I was younger so when I found out he was releasing a novel I just knew I had to read it.
What an outstanding debut novel it is. The story felt so raw and real to me, I could picture everything in my head so perfectly and that is one of my favourite things as a reader. Having struggled in high school myself I could really relate to Brendan and wished I had someone like Ronan to lean on during those dark days. Their friendship was so special and it truly captured my heart.
The novel beautifully covers the theme of friendship and coming of age so effortlessly. I found myself tearing up during several moments, whilst also enjoying the heartfelt happy moments, I went through all the emotions while reading this. Another thing I loved was Brendan’s kindness and his connections with the McCoy’s. I just wanted to give him a big hug, he always tried his best to make sure everyone else was okay leaving little to no time for himself! Such a selfless individual, his friendship with Ronan is too pure for this earth and I’m grateful to have been apart of it in some way as a reader.
I will be recommending this to all my friends and family, this book must be on your radar for 2026!
July 7, 2026
ci sono momenti nella nostra vita che dobbiamo accettare: dei veri e propri traumi che fanno parte della nostra vita, come la perdita di qualcuno o un'amicizia finita, per esempio. ecco, 'la ballata di ronan mccoy' secondo me parla di questo, anche se ha un punto di vista specifico, in questo caso quello di brendan e come è arrivato al punto di accettare una situazione che non si sarebbe mai potuto aspettare che sarebbe successo: la sua vita è cambiata, perché il suo migliore amico ronan ha subito un incidente quasi mortale che lo ha cambiato per sempre.
la ballata è quel tipo di storia di amicizia, sì confermo solo di amicizia, che porta a riflettere su quanto l'amore che proviamo nei confronti di chi vogliamo bene e che stanno al nostro fianco possa essere grande. brendan infatti per me è un personaggio meraviglioso: il punto di vista di chi subisce una situazione imprevista, anche se non è lui in prima persona a farlo, come capita nella vita quando qualcosa di colpisce in prima persona; ci sono delle conseguenze anche nei confronti di chi ci circonda.
è un romanzo che mi sento di consigliare a tutte quelle persone che non si sono mai sentite protagoniste della loro stessa vita: colin morgan è riuscito a cogliere nel segno, mostrando come non solo la vita possa essere imprevedibile, ma anche che non dobbiamo farci abbattere da questo e piuttosto accettare di andare avanti. una storia che commuove, racconta e definisce tutto ciò che siamo in quanto esseri umani. come primo romanzo dell'autore è validissimo.
ringrazio ancora @oscarvault per la copia in omaggio!
la ballata è quel tipo di storia di amicizia, sì confermo solo di amicizia, che porta a riflettere su quanto l'amore che proviamo nei confronti di chi vogliamo bene e che stanno al nostro fianco possa essere grande. brendan infatti per me è un personaggio meraviglioso: il punto di vista di chi subisce una situazione imprevista, anche se non è lui in prima persona a farlo, come capita nella vita quando qualcosa di colpisce in prima persona; ci sono delle conseguenze anche nei confronti di chi ci circonda.
è un romanzo che mi sento di consigliare a tutte quelle persone che non si sono mai sentite protagoniste della loro stessa vita: colin morgan è riuscito a cogliere nel segno, mostrando come non solo la vita possa essere imprevedibile, ma anche che non dobbiamo farci abbattere da questo e piuttosto accettare di andare avanti. una storia che commuove, racconta e definisce tutto ciò che siamo in quanto esseri umani. come primo romanzo dell'autore è validissimo.
ringrazio ancora @oscarvault per la copia in omaggio!
July 1, 2026
utterly devastating — do not listen to this audiobook while driving
beautiful debut from Colin Morgan
beautiful debut from Colin Morgan
July 1, 2026
colin morgan when I catch you
July 2, 2026
Beautiful and absolutely heartbreaking. The audiobook was wonderful.
June 27, 2026
all during gcse season? i'd have imploded
June 23, 2026
Well, that’s me ruined.
I was very kindly gifted an advanced copy and what I thought the book was going to be wasn’t at all what it was. This book is a coming-of-age story of sorts, but more than that it is a beautiful tribute to friendship, to finding new paths through difficult things, and to the light that can be found in the dark.
Narrator of the story is Brendan, best friend of the eponymous Ronan McCoy, both of whom are 16 when the book begins. I felt his voice in the story was younger than that, I’m not sure it totally rang true as the mind of a 16 year-old boy. But that didn’t detract from the story; perhaps it added to it, in a way. What a world it would be if more 16 year-olds (and indeed people of any age) thought more like him.
Brendan has a part time job cleaning cars at a funeral home and the book pays wonderful tribute to those who work in that industry - an industry that is often considered to be weird or creepy, but in fact is one of the most deeply profound and respectful roles in life that anyone can do.
I don't want to say too much about what happens in the actual book other than the few details above because I went in somewhat blind and it was even more impactful as a result. This was a lovely, heartbreaking and hopeful book. Beautiful and poignant in all its raw simplicity - it's one I won't be forgetting for a long while.
Thank you so much to HQ and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book, even though you ruined me and had me sobbing. All opinions are my own.
I was very kindly gifted an advanced copy and what I thought the book was going to be wasn’t at all what it was. This book is a coming-of-age story of sorts, but more than that it is a beautiful tribute to friendship, to finding new paths through difficult things, and to the light that can be found in the dark.
Narrator of the story is Brendan, best friend of the eponymous Ronan McCoy, both of whom are 16 when the book begins. I felt his voice in the story was younger than that, I’m not sure it totally rang true as the mind of a 16 year-old boy. But that didn’t detract from the story; perhaps it added to it, in a way. What a world it would be if more 16 year-olds (and indeed people of any age) thought more like him.
Brendan has a part time job cleaning cars at a funeral home and the book pays wonderful tribute to those who work in that industry - an industry that is often considered to be weird or creepy, but in fact is one of the most deeply profound and respectful roles in life that anyone can do.
I don't want to say too much about what happens in the actual book other than the few details above because I went in somewhat blind and it was even more impactful as a result. This was a lovely, heartbreaking and hopeful book. Beautiful and poignant in all its raw simplicity - it's one I won't be forgetting for a long while.
Thank you so much to HQ and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book, even though you ruined me and had me sobbing. All opinions are my own.
June 19, 2026
Excellent. I feel as if I’ve been shot and I will never recover.
May 13, 2026
Update: I can’t stop thinking about this book. I urge anyone who reads this review to grab a copy when it’s out.
Oh my goodness, this was so beautiful and heart wrenching. I couldn’t get enough of this book and found myself looking forward to reading just one more page at any given opportunity.
This book depicts the purest, most beautiful friendship between two teenage boys about to end secondary school. I don’t want to divulge more than that because knowing too much would ruin the magic.
Be warned, there is a lot of heartbreak and grief involved. Your own heart will probably be broken several times too. But it will also be put back together and you’ll come out the other side with your heart full and all the better for having spent time with the boys, their families and their friends.
If you want a story of friendship, love, grief, family and community, this one is for you. I can’t stop thinking about it.
Thank you to netgalley and HQ for this e-ARC.
Oh my goodness, this was so beautiful and heart wrenching. I couldn’t get enough of this book and found myself looking forward to reading just one more page at any given opportunity.
This book depicts the purest, most beautiful friendship between two teenage boys about to end secondary school. I don’t want to divulge more than that because knowing too much would ruin the magic.
Be warned, there is a lot of heartbreak and grief involved. Your own heart will probably be broken several times too. But it will also be put back together and you’ll come out the other side with your heart full and all the better for having spent time with the boys, their families and their friends.
If you want a story of friendship, love, grief, family and community, this one is for you. I can’t stop thinking about it.
Thank you to netgalley and HQ for this e-ARC.
November 9, 2025
4,5? zaskakująco dobry debiut Colina Morgana (tak, tego od Merlina)
poruszająca, spokojna, nieefektowna historia o chłopięcej przyjaźni, o stracie, przedłużonej żałobie, samotności, napisana z wyczuciem, bez patosu, bez ckliwości. to nie jest historia o nadludzkiej sile czy o cudzie, tylko o tym, co się dzieje, gdy cud się nie wydarza. żałoba, wina, lojalność, pożegnania i trochę irlandzkiego błota
bardzo dobrze napisana, choć czasem zbyt powściągliwa, ale za to realistyczna — naprawdę udany debiut
poruszająca, spokojna, nieefektowna historia o chłopięcej przyjaźni, o stracie, przedłużonej żałobie, samotności, napisana z wyczuciem, bez patosu, bez ckliwości. to nie jest historia o nadludzkiej sile czy o cudzie, tylko o tym, co się dzieje, gdy cud się nie wydarza. żałoba, wina, lojalność, pożegnania i trochę irlandzkiego błota
bardzo dobrze napisana, choć czasem zbyt powściągliwa, ale za to realistyczna — naprawdę udany debiut
Want to Read
November 4, 2025MERLIN WROTE A BOOK!
July 5, 2026
audiobook was exquisite smashing job colin x
June 23, 2026
My childhood hyperfixation wrote a book and I thought I’m about to have a nice time! Have I learned nothing from Merlin? Why do things I love bring me pain????
June 22, 2026
this was such a beautiful depiction of friendship and teenage boyhood. the writing made me feel absolutely everything; the love, the fear, the desperation, the grief. there was this constant sense of dread while reading because you know something terrible is coming. i think what affected me the most was how deeply it understood the way teenage friendships can consume your whole world. the intensity of having one person who knows you completely, who you would do anything for, and how complicated and painful growing up and changing can be.
overall, this was such a beautiful teenage coming of age story and i’m excited to see what colin writes next!
overall, this was such a beautiful teenage coming of age story and i’m excited to see what colin writes next!
June 22, 2026
If I could give this book six stars, I would. I’m finding it difficult to gather my thoughts because I’m actually crying (ugly crying) as I type this. I think I’ve cried five times since picking up this book. I was gifted this book by Wordsworth Books as their book of the month. It is now, most likely, going to be my book of the year. I find it difficult to believe that this is a debut novel because it is so powerful in the use of language and setting in a way that felt far too real for fiction. I felt like every chapter was a diary entry of real events.
The characters felt like my friends and neighbours. Their joy felt like my joy. Their grief and sadness were visceral. Evidently, I’m still unraveling from it all. When people said this book is about friendship and connection, the words used to express that really feel so small in comparison to the emotional attachment I have to this story and my expectations of that friendship. I wasn’t ready, mentally and emotionally, for the gut wrenching moments in this coming of age novel.
In summary, the story follows Brendan, a shy and lonely teenager in a small town in Northern Ireland. His closest friend is Ronan McCoy, who seems to have everything Brendan lacks; confidence, popularity, athletic ability, and self assurance. Ronan is Brendan's anchor in a world where he often feels isolated and uncertain.
What follows is a story of turmoil and triumph in the most unexpected moments. The lessons and anecdotes are something I will think about for months to come. I don’t even want to share parts of the book. It’s so good I wouldn’t want to spoil any aspect of the story. Again, I would give this one extra star because it crushed me in the best possible way. I wish I would could undo this week and read it again for the first time.
The characters felt like my friends and neighbours. Their joy felt like my joy. Their grief and sadness were visceral. Evidently, I’m still unraveling from it all. When people said this book is about friendship and connection, the words used to express that really feel so small in comparison to the emotional attachment I have to this story and my expectations of that friendship. I wasn’t ready, mentally and emotionally, for the gut wrenching moments in this coming of age novel.
In summary, the story follows Brendan, a shy and lonely teenager in a small town in Northern Ireland. His closest friend is Ronan McCoy, who seems to have everything Brendan lacks; confidence, popularity, athletic ability, and self assurance. Ronan is Brendan's anchor in a world where he often feels isolated and uncertain.
What follows is a story of turmoil and triumph in the most unexpected moments. The lessons and anecdotes are something I will think about for months to come. I don’t even want to share parts of the book. It’s so good I wouldn’t want to spoil any aspect of the story. Again, I would give this one extra star because it crushed me in the best possible way. I wish I would could undo this week and read it again for the first time.
July 2, 2026
Even weeks after finishing The Ballad of Ronan McCoy by Colin Morgan, it still feels like this book is haunting me.
There are stories that leave an impact while you’re reading them and then there are stories that quietly settle somewhere deep inside you afterwards, resurfacing in unexpected moments, and this was absolutely one of those books for me. I genuinely cannot stop thinking about Brendan and Ronan.
At the heart of this story is one of the purest and most beautiful friendships I’ve read in a very long time. Their bond feels so real in all of its tenderness and vulnerability, especially when the events of the story begin to complicate and test it in heartbreaking ways. Colin Morgan captures that feeling of knowing someone so deeply that they become woven into the fabric of who you are, and through Brendan and Ronan he explores the marks we leave on each other long after moments have passed. The ways grief, love and memory intertwine throughout this book are handled with such care and nuance that it honestly left me aching.
I truly cannot believe this is a debut. The emotional depth here feels so assured and beautifully crafted. The exploration of grief in particular is devastating, balancing absolute heartbreak with moments of such tender joy and warmth that at times (usually in public🙈) I found myself completely overwhelmed by it all. There were multiple points where I had tears streaming down my face, fully sobbing one moment and then smiling through it the next.
This book feels quiet in some ways but its impact is enormous. It lingers and aches and it haunts. I think this one’s going to stay with me for a very long time and is definitely going to be one of my top reads of the year.
There are stories that leave an impact while you’re reading them and then there are stories that quietly settle somewhere deep inside you afterwards, resurfacing in unexpected moments, and this was absolutely one of those books for me. I genuinely cannot stop thinking about Brendan and Ronan.
At the heart of this story is one of the purest and most beautiful friendships I’ve read in a very long time. Their bond feels so real in all of its tenderness and vulnerability, especially when the events of the story begin to complicate and test it in heartbreaking ways. Colin Morgan captures that feeling of knowing someone so deeply that they become woven into the fabric of who you are, and through Brendan and Ronan he explores the marks we leave on each other long after moments have passed. The ways grief, love and memory intertwine throughout this book are handled with such care and nuance that it honestly left me aching.
I truly cannot believe this is a debut. The emotional depth here feels so assured and beautifully crafted. The exploration of grief in particular is devastating, balancing absolute heartbreak with moments of such tender joy and warmth that at times (usually in public🙈) I found myself completely overwhelmed by it all. There were multiple points where I had tears streaming down my face, fully sobbing one moment and then smiling through it the next.
This book feels quiet in some ways but its impact is enormous. It lingers and aches and it haunts. I think this one’s going to stay with me for a very long time and is definitely going to be one of my top reads of the year.
July 2, 2026
"Time waits for no one.""
S U M M A R Y:
Brendan had always believed that he knew his best friend better than anyone, but when Ronan is keeping a secret about an event during a day he has to get start to ponder about their time together in Northern Ireland.
C H A R A C T E R S
🇮🇪 Brandon
Our mc who is very hardworking and who works at a funeral home.
🇮🇪 Ronan McCoy
Was rather compassionate and kind until an accident occurred which altered his fate.
M Y T H O U G H T S:
Colin Morgan surely knows how to kick me in the gut with his debut novel. He didn't have to do that. I was listening to the audiobook simultaneously which he narrated himself which definitely added that extra power in his own words! I would certainly recommend them to anyone who is deciding about giving this book a chance. I'd say do it.
The first part sets up the story where Brandon mees Ronan at school where you meet the staff and students. It surely then focus on howBrandon views Ronan throughout the rest of the book. The way that Colin wrote this genuinely captured my sou
trigger + content warnings: grieve, and loss. homophobia
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↠ Genre: Literary Fiction
↠ Reputation:
↠Published: Junne 16 2026
↠ Pov: First Person
↠ Type: Standalone
↠ Rating: 10
🌱☕️ ○ Milou the grumpy hobbit
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March 22, 2026
I loved this book so much. What a beautiful story. I read this in 24 hours. I felt so invested in the story, and like I actually knew the characters. Brendan and Ronan’s connection was so special. I teared up a few times and I even properly cried while reading. Loved!
July 7, 2026
“But I think there’s goodness in the grief too.”
A beautiful, devastating tale of the friendship between two teenage boys, Brendan and Ronan. The prose is simple and fitting for the teenage protagonist but this doesn’t stop the novel from packing a punch. Many a tear was shed.
A beautiful, devastating tale of the friendship between two teenage boys, Brendan and Ronan. The prose is simple and fitting for the teenage protagonist but this doesn’t stop the novel from packing a punch. Many a tear was shed.
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