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About Us
Three couples. One therapist's couch ...
Alice and Niall used to be lovers, best friends and parents, in that order. Now they're no longer on the same page or even reading from the same book.
Ann thought when she and Ken retired, it would be their second spring. Instead, it feels more like an icy winter.
Orla is falling in love with boyfriend Paul , but her complicated past makes her unsure if she can ever be intimate with anyone.
Three couples find themselves telling a stranger about the most private part of their lives - their hopes, their disappointments, their awkward realisations.
Can they learn to be honest with each other? And what life-changing decisions will be made when they do?
Alice and Niall used to be lovers, best friends and parents, in that order. Now they're no longer on the same page or even reading from the same book.
Ann thought when she and Ken retired, it would be their second spring. Instead, it feels more like an icy winter.
Orla is falling in love with boyfriend Paul , but her complicated past makes her unsure if she can ever be intimate with anyone.
Three couples find themselves telling a stranger about the most private part of their lives - their hopes, their disappointments, their awkward realisations.
Can they learn to be honest with each other? And what life-changing decisions will be made when they do?
384 pages, Paperback
Published July 15, 2021
77 people are currently reading
887 people want to read
About the author
Sinéad Moriarty
31 books496 followersSinéad was born and raised in Dublin where she grew up surrounded by books. Her mother is an author of children’s books. Growing up, Sinead says she was inspired by watching her mother writing at the kitchen table and then being published. From that moment on, her childhood dream was to write a novel.
After university, she went to live in Paris and then London. It was at the age of thirty, while working as a journalist in London that she began to write creatively in her spare time – after work, at lunch times … and, truth be told, during work hours.
After a couple of years toying with ideas, she joined a creative writing group and began to write The Baby Trail. The bitter-sweet comedy of a couple struggling to conceive hit a nerve in publishing circles. It was snapped up by Penguin Publishing in the UK and Ireland and has, to date, been translated into twenty languages.
Since writing The Baby Trail, Sinead has moved back to Dublin where she lives with her husband, two sons and baby girl.
Her second book A Perfect Match has been published worldwide. The US version of A Perfect Match is called The Right Fit. Her third novel – From Here to Maternity – is the third installment of the Emma Hamilton series. Her fourth book – In My Sister’s Shoes – is about two sisters who help save each other. Her fifth book has been published under two different titles: Whose Life Is It Anyway? in Ireland and Keeping it in the Family in the UK.
Her sixth book, Pieces of my Heart, about a family dealing with a terrible crisis, went straight in at number 1 in the Irish charts and was nominated for an Irish Book Award.
Her seventh book – Me and My Sisters – went straight in at number 1 in the Irish charts and was nominated for an Irish Book Award.
Her most recent novel Mad About You is the fourth novel in the Emma Hamilton Series.
After university, she went to live in Paris and then London. It was at the age of thirty, while working as a journalist in London that she began to write creatively in her spare time – after work, at lunch times … and, truth be told, during work hours.
After a couple of years toying with ideas, she joined a creative writing group and began to write The Baby Trail. The bitter-sweet comedy of a couple struggling to conceive hit a nerve in publishing circles. It was snapped up by Penguin Publishing in the UK and Ireland and has, to date, been translated into twenty languages.
Since writing The Baby Trail, Sinead has moved back to Dublin where she lives with her husband, two sons and baby girl.
Her second book A Perfect Match has been published worldwide. The US version of A Perfect Match is called The Right Fit. Her third novel – From Here to Maternity – is the third installment of the Emma Hamilton series. Her fourth book – In My Sister’s Shoes – is about two sisters who help save each other. Her fifth book has been published under two different titles: Whose Life Is It Anyway? in Ireland and Keeping it in the Family in the UK.
Her sixth book, Pieces of my Heart, about a family dealing with a terrible crisis, went straight in at number 1 in the Irish charts and was nominated for an Irish Book Award.
Her seventh book – Me and My Sisters – went straight in at number 1 in the Irish charts and was nominated for an Irish Book Award.
Her most recent novel Mad About You is the fourth novel in the Emma Hamilton Series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews
June 10, 2021
Set in Dublin, Sinead Moriarty writes of the issues that arise in relationships, marriages, families, the stresses, pressures and exhaustion of being a stay at home mother with four young children with no support, and the trauma of a childhood and past that impacts on having sex and threatens the possibility of having a boyfriend. Ann is approaching her 65th birthday and the upcoming retirement of her husband, Ken, they have been married for 38 years, with fear and trepidation. She has raised her two children, Zoe and John, and with both having flown the nest, she misses them terribly. Ken is grumpy, stuck in his ways, unwilling to move from his chair, watching sports on TV, uninterested in sex, only going out when he has to, and then wanting to leave as quickly as possible.
There is no communication between them, and Anne is desperately lonely, feeling life is passing her by, and whilst working part time at a charity shop helps, she wants to be more adventurous, dreaming of dancing the tango and travelling to Argentina. With Ken refusing to entertain any change in their circumstances, Ann is going to have to consider making hard decisions when it comes to her marriage. Alice is the mother of 4 demanding children, prioritising their needs above those of herself, losing her sense of identity and plagued with low self-esteem. She has nothing left over for ambitious lawyer husband, Niall, and he has had enough. Niall and Ann drag their reluctant partners to a American psychotherapist, Maggie Purcell, in an effort to save their marriages, along with teacher, Orla. Orla is falling for the father, Paul, of one of her school children, Lulu, but serious issues stand in the way of their relationship, will Maggie be able to help?
Moriarity depicts with skill the realities of the situations facing Ann and Ken, and countless mothers will recognise Alice's situation, the chaos, mayhem and exhaustion that arises on bringing up children that are dearly loved, but which drive parents to the end of their tether. Orla's issues are more unusual, but they are destroying her from the inside out. With Maggie, they find themselves raising concerns and issues that they cannot do by themselves, learning to look at their positions from different perspectives and make efforts to address their worries with varying degrees of success. This is an engaging read, for me it is always fascinating to see the inner dynamics of marriages and families, and it was particularly eye opening to learn of poor Orla's dilemmas. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
There is no communication between them, and Anne is desperately lonely, feeling life is passing her by, and whilst working part time at a charity shop helps, she wants to be more adventurous, dreaming of dancing the tango and travelling to Argentina. With Ken refusing to entertain any change in their circumstances, Ann is going to have to consider making hard decisions when it comes to her marriage. Alice is the mother of 4 demanding children, prioritising their needs above those of herself, losing her sense of identity and plagued with low self-esteem. She has nothing left over for ambitious lawyer husband, Niall, and he has had enough. Niall and Ann drag their reluctant partners to a American psychotherapist, Maggie Purcell, in an effort to save their marriages, along with teacher, Orla. Orla is falling for the father, Paul, of one of her school children, Lulu, but serious issues stand in the way of their relationship, will Maggie be able to help?
Moriarity depicts with skill the realities of the situations facing Ann and Ken, and countless mothers will recognise Alice's situation, the chaos, mayhem and exhaustion that arises on bringing up children that are dearly loved, but which drive parents to the end of their tether. Orla's issues are more unusual, but they are destroying her from the inside out. With Maggie, they find themselves raising concerns and issues that they cannot do by themselves, learning to look at their positions from different perspectives and make efforts to address their worries with varying degrees of success. This is an engaging read, for me it is always fascinating to see the inner dynamics of marriages and families, and it was particularly eye opening to learn of poor Orla's dilemmas. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
September 29, 2021
This is a relationship/domestic drama about three loosely connected women. Ann, in her sixties, is in a rut with her near retirement husband. Alice is a middle aged stay at home mum with four loud and obnoxious kids and an ambitious husband who is mostly absent. And lastly Orla, a young schoolteacher with her own issues. They all end up going to the same therapist. While I found their stories readable, I did find it repetitive, particularly the sessions with the therapist, Maggie, who isn’t really a character, just a sounding board, and the book is probably too long, I struggled a bit to get to the end. There are some lighter moments, some of the things the kids say and do are funny. I did like the resolution of Orla’s story and overall it’s a lightish read that deals with some deeper issues within relationships.
August 16, 2021
I just have to give this 4*.
I love this authors work and she’s fast becoming an auto purchase for me. Her style in which she writes just is a marriage made in heaven between author and reader.
Two different couples. One person with trying to form an “active” loving relationship.
All unknown to each other.
Different age groups and timelines in they’re marriages/life.
The couples.
Each have lost that “loving” feeling in their marriage.
One couple with husband focused on bettering himself in the workforce so that he can provide his family with a better future. That means longer hours. Leaving wife raising four children.
Another couple in their mid life. Children flown the next. Hubby soon to retire.
Then a young Teacher who needs a therapist as she has a problem and it’s interfering in any relationship she has. Making her feel a freak.
What I loved was the dialogue.
The different couples relating to each other in front of the therapist and outside of it when “homework” was provided.
There’s one scene that I related to when my kids were young. It was hilarious as I’d be thinking the same thing!
If you read this or have read this, I’m talking about the oil and the sheets!
This book does make you think though, even with the older couple (that’s where we are now, but our grown children remain at home, but definitely similarities)
Do we make time for each other?
Have you grown apart?
Could you be brave like this young girl who had to reveal some embarrassing topic?
I actually loved it. Started it last night, finished it today.
If you like realistic problems.
If you enjoy looking out your window peeking at neighbors, you’ll love this! It’s an inside seat!
I love this authors work and she’s fast becoming an auto purchase for me. Her style in which she writes just is a marriage made in heaven between author and reader.
Two different couples. One person with trying to form an “active” loving relationship.
All unknown to each other.
Different age groups and timelines in they’re marriages/life.
The couples.
Each have lost that “loving” feeling in their marriage.
One couple with husband focused on bettering himself in the workforce so that he can provide his family with a better future. That means longer hours. Leaving wife raising four children.
Another couple in their mid life. Children flown the next. Hubby soon to retire.
Then a young Teacher who needs a therapist as she has a problem and it’s interfering in any relationship she has. Making her feel a freak.
What I loved was the dialogue.
The different couples relating to each other in front of the therapist and outside of it when “homework” was provided.
There’s one scene that I related to when my kids were young. It was hilarious as I’d be thinking the same thing!
If you read this or have read this, I’m talking about the oil and the sheets!
This book does make you think though, even with the older couple (that’s where we are now, but our grown children remain at home, but definitely similarities)
Do we make time for each other?
Have you grown apart?
Could you be brave like this young girl who had to reveal some embarrassing topic?
I actually loved it. Started it last night, finished it today.
If you like realistic problems.
If you enjoy looking out your window peeking at neighbors, you’ll love this! It’s an inside seat!
July 7, 2023
4.5⭐️
Wow, this was an interesting book. I even thought about not starting it, but it was amazing. It focused on 3 couples that went to the same therapist, and I loved reading about them discovering themselves again and trying to save their relationships. The characters I liked the most were Orla, Paul and Ann :) This book showed an insight about what therapy is like, and that it’s really needed for us. Because I actually thought that some of the relationships couldn’t be saved… It actually taught me many new things. I would recommend.
Wow, this was an interesting book. I even thought about not starting it, but it was amazing. It focused on 3 couples that went to the same therapist, and I loved reading about them discovering themselves again and trying to save their relationships. The characters I liked the most were Orla, Paul and Ann :) This book showed an insight about what therapy is like, and that it’s really needed for us. Because I actually thought that some of the relationships couldn’t be saved… It actually taught me many new things. I would recommend.
August 4, 2021
I found parts of this to be enjoyable and I like the fact that the author has tackled some rarely spoken of issues. But I didn't warm to the characters at all and found them rather annoying, especially the children who were possibly meant to be funny but were in my opinion rude and strangely speaking like adults. When the therapist was speaking to the couples I just felt like I was reading a non fiction book. Sorry to be so negative (I seem to be in the minority with this one) but I just wanted to get to the end.
I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
July 2, 2021
I had to force myself to finish this I'm afraid. Fair play to the author for taking on three under discussed sexual relationship issues but at times it was just cringey especially the scenes set in the pop psychologists office. I can't believe any men could be as blind to their wive's distress as Ken and Niall and as for Orla........
July 14, 2021
This was my first Moriarty, and let me explain the shallow motives that drawn me to this book.
First of all the name of the author sounded so Irish, and I was in the mood for an Irish read. Secondly: Moriarty is a character in Sherlock Holmes, impersonated in the series by the wonderful actor Andrew Scott, aka the hot priest in Fleabag. So yes, my motives were very, very shallow.
But from shallow motives can come wonderful surprises, like this one!
What a delightful book! The characters are so relatable and well described you have the sensation you've known them all your life, the problems they have in their daily life and in their relationships are also your own, and their path with with therapist Maggie is somewhat healing also for the reader.
I must add other Moriarty's to my TBR pile, I absolutely love her style.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
First of all the name of the author sounded so Irish, and I was in the mood for an Irish read. Secondly: Moriarty is a character in Sherlock Holmes, impersonated in the series by the wonderful actor Andrew Scott, aka the hot priest in Fleabag. So yes, my motives were very, very shallow.
But from shallow motives can come wonderful surprises, like this one!
What a delightful book! The characters are so relatable and well described you have the sensation you've known them all your life, the problems they have in their daily life and in their relationships are also your own, and their path with with therapist Maggie is somewhat healing also for the reader.
I must add other Moriarty's to my TBR pile, I absolutely love her style.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2021
I was ready to change the (reading) pace by venturing out of my usual psychological thrillers when this book landed in my inbox. Grateful to NetGalley and Harper Collins Canada for providing me with an ARC of Sinead Moriarty's About Us in exchange for an honest review.
Though it tackles some serious subject this book still managed to come across as fun and lighthearted. The story revolves around 3 couples at very different stages in their relationships but one thing in common - they all find themselves telling their story to a family therapist. Ann and Ken have raised two kids, built a life together and now at the doorstep of retirement one of them is wondering if this is all there is to marriage and life. Alice is a stay at home mom of 4 and though she's always wanted a big family lately things don't feel as fulfilling as she thought they would. There is a lot of love between her and her lawyer husband Niall but sometimes life gets so busy that that connection might start slipping away. And finally, dedicated school teacher Orla has lots of patience and love for her students but struggles to allow those same things in in her personal life.
Overall I enjoyed the story and got to care about the characters in it and their destinies though parts of dialogue felt a bit awkward and repetitive. The relationship problems characters in the story face seem overall relatable and I really liked that there was a lot of grey territory and not clear cut good vs bad characters. I would recommend this to those readers looking for something quick and easy to get through.
Though it tackles some serious subject this book still managed to come across as fun and lighthearted. The story revolves around 3 couples at very different stages in their relationships but one thing in common - they all find themselves telling their story to a family therapist. Ann and Ken have raised two kids, built a life together and now at the doorstep of retirement one of them is wondering if this is all there is to marriage and life. Alice is a stay at home mom of 4 and though she's always wanted a big family lately things don't feel as fulfilling as she thought they would. There is a lot of love between her and her lawyer husband Niall but sometimes life gets so busy that that connection might start slipping away. And finally, dedicated school teacher Orla has lots of patience and love for her students but struggles to allow those same things in in her personal life.
Overall I enjoyed the story and got to care about the characters in it and their destinies though parts of dialogue felt a bit awkward and repetitive. The relationship problems characters in the story face seem overall relatable and I really liked that there was a lot of grey territory and not clear cut good vs bad characters. I would recommend this to those readers looking for something quick and easy to get through.
June 29, 2021
Yet again Sinead Moriarty has written an absolutely brilliant book.
Three different women at different stages in their lives and they are dealing with problems in their relationships. Maggie is the therapist who will do her best to help them all to overcome the issues they have. This book made me laugh and also at times made me cry . There is lots of emotion coming from this book as you read about what each couple is going through. This book just grabbed me from the first chapter and every time I put it down I couldn’t wait to pick it back up to continue reading this wonderful book.
Three different women at different stages in their lives and they are dealing with problems in their relationships. Maggie is the therapist who will do her best to help them all to overcome the issues they have. This book made me laugh and also at times made me cry . There is lots of emotion coming from this book as you read about what each couple is going through. This book just grabbed me from the first chapter and every time I put it down I couldn’t wait to pick it back up to continue reading this wonderful book.
July 14, 2021
This was my first Moriarty, and let me explain the shallow motives that drawn me to this book.
First of all the name of the author sounded so Irish, and I was in the mood for an Irish read. Secondly: Moriarty is a character in Sherlock Holmes, impersonated in the series by the wonderful actor Andrew Scott, aka the hot priest in Fleabag. So yes, my motives were very, very shallow.
But from shallow motives can come wonderful surprises, like this one!
What a delightful book! The characters are so relatable and well described you have the sensation you've known them all your life, the problems they have in their daily life and in their relationships are also your own, and their path with with therapist Maggie is somewhat healing also for the reader.
I must add other Moriarty's to my TBR pile, I absolutely love her style.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
First of all the name of the author sounded so Irish, and I was in the mood for an Irish read. Secondly: Moriarty is a character in Sherlock Holmes, impersonated in the series by the wonderful actor Andrew Scott, aka the hot priest in Fleabag. So yes, my motives were very, very shallow.
But from shallow motives can come wonderful surprises, like this one!
What a delightful book! The characters are so relatable and well described you have the sensation you've known them all your life, the problems they have in their daily life and in their relationships are also your own, and their path with with therapist Maggie is somewhat healing also for the reader.
I must add other Moriarty's to my TBR pile, I absolutely love her style.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 24, 2022
Sinéad Moriarty’s About Us grabbed my attention within the first few pages I read. A story
about three women in different stages of life, trying to manage their marriages, their
expectations, their past and their future. Ann is a lively almost-65-year-old woman who has
always identified as a mother and a wife. After her children grow up and leave the nest (her
son also leaves the country) she finds herself bored and depressed. She realises her life and her
marriage don’t satisfy her, both physically and emotionally. Conversations with her husband
are dull and should probably be categorised as chit-chats about chores and weather instead of
actual conversations. What she really wants are romance, affection, sex and excitement.
Those are also all the things Niall expects from his wife Alice who is way too overworked to
care about her husband’s needs. If anything, she avoids her husband out of fear he’d only want
sex. She’s a stay-at-home mother of four who chose to be a full-time mum who finds herself
struggling. Alice always puts her children first and yet she feels like a failure. The pressure to
be the best mother but also a sexy and fit wife is killing her. Her husband comes home late and
basically avoids his own children. Instead of confiding in her husband, Alice bottles it up,
trying to secretly suppress those feelings with biscuits and cigarettes. The relationship and
friendship the couple had before they had children is gone and Alice believes that this is just a
temporary dry-spell in their marriage but Niall is convinced their marriage is failing.
Third woman, Orla, doesn’t really feel like a woman. Her mother’s death at childbirth and her
father’s constant blaming for his wife’s death cause her to completely close up from any
physical and emotional connection from anyone she might fancy. Her sex-obsessed housemate
is dragging her to clubs and parties, and after the housemate leaves with her man of the night,
Orla ditches her stranger from the club and spends the night in Starbucks. Her vaginismus
condition and her perception of herself as a “freak” cause problems in her new relationship
with a single dad, Paul. Orla decides to go to a therapist Maggie who helps her accept her
condition and the fact that she deserves to be loved and accepted.
What all these women have in common is a therapist Maggie. She helps the couples to speak
up about their own experiences and expectations, as well as listen to their partner and their
needs. I found those therapy sessions very touching and at the same time a great portrayal of
how complex relationships are. Two people that can love each other can still struggle with
intimacy and communication. And even when they hear their partner's thoughts and needs, it
is still hard to meet them halfway. It took Alice a while to feel close to her husband again, and
small steps and “homeworks” were needed for her to feel safe and relaxed around him. But
homework just wasn’t enough for Ann and her husband Ken. Despite loving each other, Ann’s
needs weren’t met and she then realised that it wasn’t her husband that changed, it was her.
She wanted to live and experience things and fear of dying without seeing the world made her
leave her husband to go to Argentina. It was Ann’s absence that made Ken realise how much
he needed her and at the end of the novel, he decided to make a big gesture and go after her.
I found these stories very impactful and a tear escaped my eye here and there. Reading about a
woman who is insecure and afraid because of her condition was very powerful and I believe
relatable to many women who are afraid to speak about it due to immense shame. But reading
about marriages where women focus on children and manage their household, only to get no
support and feel lonely was even more devastating. I imagine years of marriage can do that to
a couple – they begin to put in less effort, they’re busy with work or they’re just happy the
way it is, peaceful and boring. These people learned that honesty is key. Orla being honest to
her boyfriend about her condition, Ann being honest about her expectations and Alice finally
letting out her struggles and feelings of inadequacy was detrimental for their relationships to
succeed, or in Ann’s case, to be true to herself and not feel trapped in her house.
I enjoyed Moriarty’s style of writing – easy to read, occasionally funny and with very realistic
characters. I thought her novel was incredibly good at making all their struggles, as well as
solutions very relatable. Despite not being a wife or a mother, I could see certain scenes
involving children like a flashback from the past that reminds me that parenting, chores and
work aren’t easy to handle.
I think the novel ended on a good sort-of cliffhanger – with Ken about to look up flights to
Argentina. It leaves things open because you never know what can happen next. Couples might
succeed or they might break up and find happiness elsewhere. Not knowing what the end result
for Ann and Ken might be or whether Orla truly ever accepts or gets rid of her vaginismus, and
whether Alice gets a part-time job and for once puts her marriage before her children is
something I’d love to know the answer to. I wanted to see that not all marriages are like that
and that relationships can be saved, even if both parties seem to be growing apart. I’m a sucker
for happy endings and I want to hear something optimistic about marriage and motherhood –
however, making all these stories a happy ending would be very idealistic. Not all marriages
and relationships are meant to be and even if they are, it’s not always easy and constantly
sailing smoothly. That’s why if Moriarty intended for those couples to fail, I would rather not
know. I gave this novel four stars because I enjoyed it and I thought it was meaningful and
relatable, well-written and entertaining but I tend to reserve five stars to books that leave me
completely speechless and in love.
about three women in different stages of life, trying to manage their marriages, their
expectations, their past and their future. Ann is a lively almost-65-year-old woman who has
always identified as a mother and a wife. After her children grow up and leave the nest (her
son also leaves the country) she finds herself bored and depressed. She realises her life and her
marriage don’t satisfy her, both physically and emotionally. Conversations with her husband
are dull and should probably be categorised as chit-chats about chores and weather instead of
actual conversations. What she really wants are romance, affection, sex and excitement.
Those are also all the things Niall expects from his wife Alice who is way too overworked to
care about her husband’s needs. If anything, she avoids her husband out of fear he’d only want
sex. She’s a stay-at-home mother of four who chose to be a full-time mum who finds herself
struggling. Alice always puts her children first and yet she feels like a failure. The pressure to
be the best mother but also a sexy and fit wife is killing her. Her husband comes home late and
basically avoids his own children. Instead of confiding in her husband, Alice bottles it up,
trying to secretly suppress those feelings with biscuits and cigarettes. The relationship and
friendship the couple had before they had children is gone and Alice believes that this is just a
temporary dry-spell in their marriage but Niall is convinced their marriage is failing.
Third woman, Orla, doesn’t really feel like a woman. Her mother’s death at childbirth and her
father’s constant blaming for his wife’s death cause her to completely close up from any
physical and emotional connection from anyone she might fancy. Her sex-obsessed housemate
is dragging her to clubs and parties, and after the housemate leaves with her man of the night,
Orla ditches her stranger from the club and spends the night in Starbucks. Her vaginismus
condition and her perception of herself as a “freak” cause problems in her new relationship
with a single dad, Paul. Orla decides to go to a therapist Maggie who helps her accept her
condition and the fact that she deserves to be loved and accepted.
What all these women have in common is a therapist Maggie. She helps the couples to speak
up about their own experiences and expectations, as well as listen to their partner and their
needs. I found those therapy sessions very touching and at the same time a great portrayal of
how complex relationships are. Two people that can love each other can still struggle with
intimacy and communication. And even when they hear their partner's thoughts and needs, it
is still hard to meet them halfway. It took Alice a while to feel close to her husband again, and
small steps and “homeworks” were needed for her to feel safe and relaxed around him. But
homework just wasn’t enough for Ann and her husband Ken. Despite loving each other, Ann’s
needs weren’t met and she then realised that it wasn’t her husband that changed, it was her.
She wanted to live and experience things and fear of dying without seeing the world made her
leave her husband to go to Argentina. It was Ann’s absence that made Ken realise how much
he needed her and at the end of the novel, he decided to make a big gesture and go after her.
I found these stories very impactful and a tear escaped my eye here and there. Reading about a
woman who is insecure and afraid because of her condition was very powerful and I believe
relatable to many women who are afraid to speak about it due to immense shame. But reading
about marriages where women focus on children and manage their household, only to get no
support and feel lonely was even more devastating. I imagine years of marriage can do that to
a couple – they begin to put in less effort, they’re busy with work or they’re just happy the
way it is, peaceful and boring. These people learned that honesty is key. Orla being honest to
her boyfriend about her condition, Ann being honest about her expectations and Alice finally
letting out her struggles and feelings of inadequacy was detrimental for their relationships to
succeed, or in Ann’s case, to be true to herself and not feel trapped in her house.
I enjoyed Moriarty’s style of writing – easy to read, occasionally funny and with very realistic
characters. I thought her novel was incredibly good at making all their struggles, as well as
solutions very relatable. Despite not being a wife or a mother, I could see certain scenes
involving children like a flashback from the past that reminds me that parenting, chores and
work aren’t easy to handle.
I think the novel ended on a good sort-of cliffhanger – with Ken about to look up flights to
Argentina. It leaves things open because you never know what can happen next. Couples might
succeed or they might break up and find happiness elsewhere. Not knowing what the end result
for Ann and Ken might be or whether Orla truly ever accepts or gets rid of her vaginismus, and
whether Alice gets a part-time job and for once puts her marriage before her children is
something I’d love to know the answer to. I wanted to see that not all marriages are like that
and that relationships can be saved, even if both parties seem to be growing apart. I’m a sucker
for happy endings and I want to hear something optimistic about marriage and motherhood –
however, making all these stories a happy ending would be very idealistic. Not all marriages
and relationships are meant to be and even if they are, it’s not always easy and constantly
sailing smoothly. That’s why if Moriarty intended for those couples to fail, I would rather not
know. I gave this novel four stars because I enjoyed it and I thought it was meaningful and
relatable, well-written and entertaining but I tend to reserve five stars to books that leave me
completely speechless and in love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2021
I love Sinead moriarty’s books and this is no exception. Sinead always writes about heart felt moments and situations to make you think. Three couples in different stages of their life. Alice and Niall used to be everything to each other, now their not sure who they are,Older couple Ann and Ken, Ann has questions and she wants answers. Orla is falling in love but something from her past is stopping her from letting herself go. They all see see someone they don’t know, and tell their deepest darkest feelings. This was very well done. I liked the alternating chapters, it flowed well. And I loved almost all the characters but over time I loved them all. The reason I gave it a three star is I found it slow in parts, and part of me didn’t think them talking to a stranger helped them.
I have a few more of Sinead’s books on my tbr and will have to bump them up.
Thanks goes to the author, publisher and net galley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I have a few more of Sinead’s books on my tbr and will have to bump them up.
Thanks goes to the author, publisher and net galley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 6, 2022
3.5⭐️
In some ways this is a light read about love, but it does tackle some significant relationship issues that many will relate to.
The book revolves around three tenuously linked couples, who all start seeing the same couple’s therapist;
There’s Ann and Ken. In their 60s with an empty nest. Ann is bored with how stale and monotonous her life has become. She yearns for excitement and to get her old Ken back but Ken doesn’t like change and is happy with a quiet life.
Ann’s daughter’s flatmate is Orla. She has some very painful memories of childhood which she’s worked hard to escape, but they’ve left her vaginismus - a physical inability to have sex. Now she’s met Paul and desperately needs this to change.
Alice and Niall have twins in Orla’s class. Alice is a stay at home mum to four children. Niall is working long hours trying to make senior partner at work, which doesn’t leave him many to spare with his family. Alice doesn’t want her husband to leave her for a younger model but she is tired, feels unsexy and sex has become a chore she can do without.
I really liked the way relationships at different stages are explored here. I think some of the issues are very relatable and I really felt for some of the characters. I thought the approach was very balanced, as no-one was painted out to be the bad guy in the relationship and everyone had a valid point of view.
I did feel quite frustrated at some of the characters sometimes though, as they did seem to be going round in circles a lot of the time. Some seemed to have no empathy for their partners’ feelings either.
As a teacher, I squirmed a bit at the developing relationship between Orla, a primary school teacher, and Paul, dad of one of the pupils. Not exactly professional!
Overall though, this is a nice easy read and shows that wherever you are in life, a relationship needs work, honesty, empathy, kindness and compromise.
In some ways this is a light read about love, but it does tackle some significant relationship issues that many will relate to.
The book revolves around three tenuously linked couples, who all start seeing the same couple’s therapist;
There’s Ann and Ken. In their 60s with an empty nest. Ann is bored with how stale and monotonous her life has become. She yearns for excitement and to get her old Ken back but Ken doesn’t like change and is happy with a quiet life.
Ann’s daughter’s flatmate is Orla. She has some very painful memories of childhood which she’s worked hard to escape, but they’ve left her vaginismus - a physical inability to have sex. Now she’s met Paul and desperately needs this to change.
Alice and Niall have twins in Orla’s class. Alice is a stay at home mum to four children. Niall is working long hours trying to make senior partner at work, which doesn’t leave him many to spare with his family. Alice doesn’t want her husband to leave her for a younger model but she is tired, feels unsexy and sex has become a chore she can do without.
I really liked the way relationships at different stages are explored here. I think some of the issues are very relatable and I really felt for some of the characters. I thought the approach was very balanced, as no-one was painted out to be the bad guy in the relationship and everyone had a valid point of view.
I did feel quite frustrated at some of the characters sometimes though, as they did seem to be going round in circles a lot of the time. Some seemed to have no empathy for their partners’ feelings either.
As a teacher, I squirmed a bit at the developing relationship between Orla, a primary school teacher, and Paul, dad of one of the pupils. Not exactly professional!
Overall though, this is a nice easy read and shows that wherever you are in life, a relationship needs work, honesty, empathy, kindness and compromise.
July 25, 2021
About Us is the fifteenth contemporary novel from Irish author, Sinead Moriarty, an engaging novel about three couples facing intimacy issues in their relationships.
Exhausted by the daily demands of caring for their four rambunctious young children, feeling inadequate and frumpy, Alice has an excuse ready every time her husband reaches for her. Niall, an ambitious lawyer, loves his wife but is hurt by her repeated rejection and desperate for something to change.
With her sixty fifth birthday approaching, her children living their own lives and her husband on the cusp of retirement, Ann is bored and restless but her husband is not the least bit interested in adventure or, it seems, her. Ken doesn’t understand why, after 39 years of marriage, Ann is no longer happy with the status quo, he just wants things to stay just as they are.
Orla has escaped her father’s boundless grief but not her mother’s legacy. She’s convinced that she’s a freak who will never have the only thing she wants - love, marriage and children, but Paul, the divorced father of one her students, wants the chance to convince her otherwise.
Desperate to improve their situations Niall, Ann and Orla make an appointment with American sex and relationship psychotherapist, Maggie Purcell, who helps them voice their deepest fears, disappointments, wants and desires.
Moriarty writes with honesty and sensitivity about issues related to identity, marriage, family, and intimacy at different stages of life in About Us.
I thought the couples relationships were relatable, aspects of the issues in the marriages of Alice and Niall, and Ann and Ken are likely to resonate with many readers. Moriarty’s insights were thoughtful and genuine and she was pretty fair to each partner, though I had more empathy for the women, particularly at first.
Orla isn’t in a relationship, but she wants be. The issue that prompts her to seek out Maggie is a little known condition and one I’m glad that Moriarty addresses. I had a lot of sympathy for Orla, who has a tragic background, and though I didn’t really relate to her, I wished the best for her.
I liked About Us, Moriarty offers a story with emotional depth, written with warmth, humour, and honesty.
Exhausted by the daily demands of caring for their four rambunctious young children, feeling inadequate and frumpy, Alice has an excuse ready every time her husband reaches for her. Niall, an ambitious lawyer, loves his wife but is hurt by her repeated rejection and desperate for something to change.
With her sixty fifth birthday approaching, her children living their own lives and her husband on the cusp of retirement, Ann is bored and restless but her husband is not the least bit interested in adventure or, it seems, her. Ken doesn’t understand why, after 39 years of marriage, Ann is no longer happy with the status quo, he just wants things to stay just as they are.
Orla has escaped her father’s boundless grief but not her mother’s legacy. She’s convinced that she’s a freak who will never have the only thing she wants - love, marriage and children, but Paul, the divorced father of one her students, wants the chance to convince her otherwise.
Desperate to improve their situations Niall, Ann and Orla make an appointment with American sex and relationship psychotherapist, Maggie Purcell, who helps them voice their deepest fears, disappointments, wants and desires.
Moriarty writes with honesty and sensitivity about issues related to identity, marriage, family, and intimacy at different stages of life in About Us.
I thought the couples relationships were relatable, aspects of the issues in the marriages of Alice and Niall, and Ann and Ken are likely to resonate with many readers. Moriarty’s insights were thoughtful and genuine and she was pretty fair to each partner, though I had more empathy for the women, particularly at first.
Orla isn’t in a relationship, but she wants be. The issue that prompts her to seek out Maggie is a little known condition and one I’m glad that Moriarty addresses. I had a lot of sympathy for Orla, who has a tragic background, and though I didn’t really relate to her, I wished the best for her.
I liked About Us, Moriarty offers a story with emotional depth, written with warmth, humour, and honesty.
March 23, 2022
This book gives you all the feels, laugh out loud moments, sympathy, anger and second hand embarrassment (especially for Max!)
All the characters are so different and relatable’, I enjoyed that they all had their own storylines but also they all came together for the main plot.
I’m not sure I had a favourite character, but I loved Alice and her kids and their relationship.
I need to read more books by this author
All the characters are so different and relatable’, I enjoyed that they all had their own storylines but also they all came together for the main plot.
I’m not sure I had a favourite character, but I loved Alice and her kids and their relationship.
I need to read more books by this author
July 19, 2021
Like another reader I had to force myself to finish this book where three couples find healing in their relationships. I just find some of their problems were pretty routine with aging , caring for a young family, job commitments, and stress of every day living. Therapists certainly can be useful but I did not connect with these characters and their issues.
August 31, 2021
About Us is a character-driven novel about three women: Ann, Alice, and Orla. While they are of different ages and points in their lives and relationships, they are each going through their own trying times, and share one thing in common: their therapist.
I am always intrigued by novels about relationships. I’ve been married for a number of years, and I know that relationships are hard work. No relationship is perfect, and Sinéad Moriarty explored the many issues that couples face. She kept it normal, raw, and honest. She didn’t try to make it glossy and ideal. The emotions and feelings felt real, dealing with the nitty gritty that isn’t always easy to be open about, even with the ones that you love.
I was equally invested in all three of the characters’ lives. Ann was an empty nester, who found her life with her husband of thirty-eight years to be repetitive and stagnant. Alice was a stay-at-home mom with four demanding children and a husband who spent more time at the office than at home. Orla was a teacher whose past created pain and difficulty in her dating life, leaving her hopeless and lonely.
This is a fast-paced novel that alternates between the three couples. It was like being a fly on the wall in people’s most private lives and conversations. I felt for the characters, was angered on their behalf, saddened, and had my share of laughs. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to put the book down. One chapter quickly became two, then three, and so on.
Some of the characters had qualms about opening up to a therapist and admitting that their relationships needed help. It was about being honest with each other and themselves, even when it was tough and uncomfortable to put it all out there on the table. They needed to realize what they each wanted as individuals in order to express it adequately to their partners. They needed to share their shortcomings, fears, and dreams. Moriarty never made me feel as though everything was going to work out for these couples. She kept it honest and real, and kept me on pins and needles in the process.
About Us is a captivating novel that I just couldn’t read fast enough. My favorite element about this book was that the emotions and relationships felt so authentic. It could have been about anyone. It could have been about someone you know: a neighbor, a close friend, a family member…or maybe even you.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via NetGalley).
I am always intrigued by novels about relationships. I’ve been married for a number of years, and I know that relationships are hard work. No relationship is perfect, and Sinéad Moriarty explored the many issues that couples face. She kept it normal, raw, and honest. She didn’t try to make it glossy and ideal. The emotions and feelings felt real, dealing with the nitty gritty that isn’t always easy to be open about, even with the ones that you love.
I was equally invested in all three of the characters’ lives. Ann was an empty nester, who found her life with her husband of thirty-eight years to be repetitive and stagnant. Alice was a stay-at-home mom with four demanding children and a husband who spent more time at the office than at home. Orla was a teacher whose past created pain and difficulty in her dating life, leaving her hopeless and lonely.
This is a fast-paced novel that alternates between the three couples. It was like being a fly on the wall in people’s most private lives and conversations. I felt for the characters, was angered on their behalf, saddened, and had my share of laughs. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to put the book down. One chapter quickly became two, then three, and so on.
Some of the characters had qualms about opening up to a therapist and admitting that their relationships needed help. It was about being honest with each other and themselves, even when it was tough and uncomfortable to put it all out there on the table. They needed to realize what they each wanted as individuals in order to express it adequately to their partners. They needed to share their shortcomings, fears, and dreams. Moriarty never made me feel as though everything was going to work out for these couples. She kept it honest and real, and kept me on pins and needles in the process.
About Us is a captivating novel that I just couldn’t read fast enough. My favorite element about this book was that the emotions and relationships felt so authentic. It could have been about anyone. It could have been about someone you know: a neighbor, a close friend, a family member…or maybe even you.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via NetGalley).
September 6, 2021
You can also find my full review on my blog: https://rebekahreads.ca/about-us-by-s...
And a mini review on my bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTfdvX3rtNU/
Book: About Us by Sinéad Moriarty
Published: August 31, 2021 - OUT NOW
Rating: 4 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it to be such a pleasant surprise. About Us is an extremely relatable romance novel (family drama/contemp. fiction) that highlights the various issues and common hurdles that can arise in relationships, marriages, and families. Although it was a long-‘er’ book, I found that as soon as I was invested in the characters and their relationship dynamics I flew through it. It was surprisingly* a good, quick, and engaging read.
In About Us, Moriarty tells us the story of three very different couples: Ann and Ken; Alice and Niall; and Orla and Paul. Ann and Ken are a married couple in their 60s (married for 38 years) who are in a bit of a rut—Ann wants a bit of excitement in her life now that the kids have grown up and moved out and on with their lives, while Ken is stuck in his ways, unwilling to leave his T.V. chair and hardly wanting to go out or do anything fun. They don’t even sleep in the same bed anymore and haven’t for three years. Alice and Niall, on the other hand, are younger (40s) and the parents of four young, demanding children. Niall is a workaholic while Alice is a stay-at-home-mom who priorities her children’s needs above her own—leaving her with very little energy to take care of herself or spend time with her husband after his work day. With Orla (24) and Paul (30s), they have just met, are getting to know each other, and are quickly falling for one another—however, Orla’s past traumas seem to be getting in the way of their blossoming relationship. All of these different relatable real-life situations are what eventually lead each couple to Maggie: an American relationship and sex therapist. With Maggie’s help and advice, each couple slowly finds their way to a resolution, even if it isn’t the outcome they were hoping for.
I really enjoyed how real the struggles of each relationship were and how I could see myself in different ways, through Ann, Alice and Orla. I also just LOVED Orla—she was such a sweetheart and by far my favourite character.
*I say surprisingly because I recently read another romance novel (Ghosts by Dolly Alderton) that wasn’t at all what I was expecting it would be and was extremely disappointed by it—whereas with this one, I wasn’t expecting anything at all with it and I was surprised to see just how much I enjoyed it, especially when compared to the other novel.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for giving me a free electronic ARC of About Us in exchange for an honest review.
And a mini review on my bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTfdvX3rtNU/
Book: About Us by Sinéad Moriarty
Published: August 31, 2021 - OUT NOW
Rating: 4 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it to be such a pleasant surprise. About Us is an extremely relatable romance novel (family drama/contemp. fiction) that highlights the various issues and common hurdles that can arise in relationships, marriages, and families. Although it was a long-‘er’ book, I found that as soon as I was invested in the characters and their relationship dynamics I flew through it. It was surprisingly* a good, quick, and engaging read.
In About Us, Moriarty tells us the story of three very different couples: Ann and Ken; Alice and Niall; and Orla and Paul. Ann and Ken are a married couple in their 60s (married for 38 years) who are in a bit of a rut—Ann wants a bit of excitement in her life now that the kids have grown up and moved out and on with their lives, while Ken is stuck in his ways, unwilling to leave his T.V. chair and hardly wanting to go out or do anything fun. They don’t even sleep in the same bed anymore and haven’t for three years. Alice and Niall, on the other hand, are younger (40s) and the parents of four young, demanding children. Niall is a workaholic while Alice is a stay-at-home-mom who priorities her children’s needs above her own—leaving her with very little energy to take care of herself or spend time with her husband after his work day. With Orla (24) and Paul (30s), they have just met, are getting to know each other, and are quickly falling for one another—however, Orla’s past traumas seem to be getting in the way of their blossoming relationship. All of these different relatable real-life situations are what eventually lead each couple to Maggie: an American relationship and sex therapist. With Maggie’s help and advice, each couple slowly finds their way to a resolution, even if it isn’t the outcome they were hoping for.
I really enjoyed how real the struggles of each relationship were and how I could see myself in different ways, through Ann, Alice and Orla. I also just LOVED Orla—she was such a sweetheart and by far my favourite character.
*I say surprisingly because I recently read another romance novel (Ghosts by Dolly Alderton) that wasn’t at all what I was expecting it would be and was extremely disappointed by it—whereas with this one, I wasn’t expecting anything at all with it and I was surprised to see just how much I enjoyed it, especially when compared to the other novel.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for giving me a free electronic ARC of About Us in exchange for an honest review.
September 14, 2021
This book is different than what I’ve been reading/have read. It follows two couples, Alice and Niall and Ken and Ann, as well as Orla, a young single woman. Each are struggling in their relationships with different problems and decide that to save their relationships they’ll start seeing a therapist, Maggie. Maggie meets with each of them and slowly begins to get to the deeper issues surrounding the situations they’re facing, ultimately helping them decide if the relationship is worth saving at all.
I have mixed thoughts on this book. On a positive note I did enjoy it, it was different, it touched on many real issues that I feel aren’t always discussed or portrayed, and it kept me reading, I really did want to know what happened. However, on the other hand, the characters are very whinny, of course during the therapy this is obvious but outside of that it got extremely repetitive. All of their problems are of course their own doing, but it can be frustrating to read as they do take a really long time to overcome them. There aren’t many breakthroughs until very deep in, a lot is just rehashing the same things. The side characters are all horrible, the kids, the ex’s, the friends, the parents, there’s no way around it, except for Ann’s children; everyone is rude, mean, treats the others horribly, etc. And that really didn’t change by the end. I liked the characters enough, seeing them grow and change was lovely to read about. However, this book made me scared, if anything, for the future. I’m not in the same situation as any of these characters and can’t really relate to them, but this book really made me anxious of what could happen in the future.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free preview in exchange for an honest review.
I have mixed thoughts on this book. On a positive note I did enjoy it, it was different, it touched on many real issues that I feel aren’t always discussed or portrayed, and it kept me reading, I really did want to know what happened. However, on the other hand, the characters are very whinny, of course during the therapy this is obvious but outside of that it got extremely repetitive. All of their problems are of course their own doing, but it can be frustrating to read as they do take a really long time to overcome them. There aren’t many breakthroughs until very deep in, a lot is just rehashing the same things. The side characters are all horrible, the kids, the ex’s, the friends, the parents, there’s no way around it, except for Ann’s children; everyone is rude, mean, treats the others horribly, etc. And that really didn’t change by the end. I liked the characters enough, seeing them grow and change was lovely to read about. However, this book made me scared, if anything, for the future. I’m not in the same situation as any of these characters and can’t really relate to them, but this book really made me anxious of what could happen in the future.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free preview in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2021
Thiis a first book by this author for me.
There are three storylines in ABOUT US. The first involves Orla, a 20 something teacher. The second Involves Alice and Niall (and their 1000 children - well 4 children but there’s so darn many of them it’s overwhelming). And the third involves Ann and Ken, a couple in their sixties. Each storyline focuses on the trials and challenges of each person/couple and their eventual decision to seek therapy, interestingly with the same therapist Maggie. What follows is their insights, decisions and.outcomes specific to their situation.
The start of the book was a little lengthy but ensures the reader has a sound foundation for where each person/couple sits, their thoughts, motivations etc There were some humorous parts and some emotional parts - particularly around loss and grief, feelings about self, and identity (particularly around stereotypes and attitudes towards parenting).. There was an absence of glamorisation in terms of the parenting role and recognition that different stages presents different challenges. This book also tackles a character who does not wish to have their own child and also difficult subjects such as those discussed above, as well as issues with intimacy, and sexual dysfunction. An interesting book bringing these vastly different characters together through Maggie.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me the opportunity to read and review this book. It’s been out since mid-July 2021.
There are three storylines in ABOUT US. The first involves Orla, a 20 something teacher. The second Involves Alice and Niall (and their 1000 children - well 4 children but there’s so darn many of them it’s overwhelming). And the third involves Ann and Ken, a couple in their sixties. Each storyline focuses on the trials and challenges of each person/couple and their eventual decision to seek therapy, interestingly with the same therapist Maggie. What follows is their insights, decisions and.outcomes specific to their situation.
The start of the book was a little lengthy but ensures the reader has a sound foundation for where each person/couple sits, their thoughts, motivations etc There were some humorous parts and some emotional parts - particularly around loss and grief, feelings about self, and identity (particularly around stereotypes and attitudes towards parenting).. There was an absence of glamorisation in terms of the parenting role and recognition that different stages presents different challenges. This book also tackles a character who does not wish to have their own child and also difficult subjects such as those discussed above, as well as issues with intimacy, and sexual dysfunction. An interesting book bringing these vastly different characters together through Maggie.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me the opportunity to read and review this book. It’s been out since mid-July 2021.
August 18, 2021
On the surface About Us seems like it might be a light and fluffy book to read. But, it actually becomes much more than that.
This book revolves around two couples and one single woman, all of whom are having problems with their relationships. They all seek out the help of a councillor. Throughout the book, we witness their interactions with each other and their journey through counselling. This is not one of the books where all the characters lives eventually intersect with the others. There are 3 distinct stories, the commonality is their councillor, Maggie.
The problems are realistic…..I think many readers will be able to identify with the problems. The age of the characters ranges from young to middle age to ready for retirement. Some of the story is told with humour. I really liked that aspect as it lightens some of the more serious moments.
This was a fast read, an easy read. I found myself invested in each of the relationships. I was cheering for the outcome that each of the characters was hoping for. The ending was satisfying for me.
This is my second book by Sinead Moriarty. Again, this book may look like chick lit fluff, beach read. While I did read this one sitting by the ocean, both books had much more substance and depth than I expected. A pleasant surprise. I need to check out some of her other books.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an Advance Readers Copy.
This book revolves around two couples and one single woman, all of whom are having problems with their relationships. They all seek out the help of a councillor. Throughout the book, we witness their interactions with each other and their journey through counselling. This is not one of the books where all the characters lives eventually intersect with the others. There are 3 distinct stories, the commonality is their councillor, Maggie.
The problems are realistic…..I think many readers will be able to identify with the problems. The age of the characters ranges from young to middle age to ready for retirement. Some of the story is told with humour. I really liked that aspect as it lightens some of the more serious moments.
This was a fast read, an easy read. I found myself invested in each of the relationships. I was cheering for the outcome that each of the characters was hoping for. The ending was satisfying for me.
This is my second book by Sinead Moriarty. Again, this book may look like chick lit fluff, beach read. While I did read this one sitting by the ocean, both books had much more substance and depth than I expected. A pleasant surprise. I need to check out some of her other books.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an Advance Readers Copy.
August 19, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up!
About Us is the first book I’ve read of Moriarty’s, so I went into it with a fresh set of eyes. I really enjoy multi-POV stories that all end up intertwined, so the writing style was a hit for me. Though the book tackles some heavy relationship curveballs, I still found it somewhat lighthearted to read.
About Us tackles authentic scenarios in relationships, varying through different stages, with problems that ultimately lead them to the same therapist. I really admired that Moriarty chose to cover topics that aren’t often discussed. Having a woman’s perspective, I felt so deeply for each of the women in this novel, and although I couldn’t directly relate much to the characters, I still felt incredibly attached to them by the end of the book.
Their very real-life problems were both endearing and heartbreaking to read, but I think that’s what I loved most about this book. As I’ve never read any of Moriarty’s work, I’m not sure if this is standard for her, but if it is, I absolutely love it.
Moriarty has found a way to write about heavy topics with humour and sincerity--something I think we all can relate to in our own lives. I am certain this will not be my last Moriarty book.
Thanks to Sinead Moriarty, Sandycove Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
About Us is the first book I’ve read of Moriarty’s, so I went into it with a fresh set of eyes. I really enjoy multi-POV stories that all end up intertwined, so the writing style was a hit for me. Though the book tackles some heavy relationship curveballs, I still found it somewhat lighthearted to read.
About Us tackles authentic scenarios in relationships, varying through different stages, with problems that ultimately lead them to the same therapist. I really admired that Moriarty chose to cover topics that aren’t often discussed. Having a woman’s perspective, I felt so deeply for each of the women in this novel, and although I couldn’t directly relate much to the characters, I still felt incredibly attached to them by the end of the book.
Their very real-life problems were both endearing and heartbreaking to read, but I think that’s what I loved most about this book. As I’ve never read any of Moriarty’s work, I’m not sure if this is standard for her, but if it is, I absolutely love it.
Moriarty has found a way to write about heavy topics with humour and sincerity--something I think we all can relate to in our own lives. I am certain this will not be my last Moriarty book.
Thanks to Sinead Moriarty, Sandycove Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2021
Thank you Penguin for sending us a copy to read and review.
Three couples.
Three turbulent love lives.
One therapist.
Ann and Ken, an older couple who have lost the spark in their marriage.
Alice and Niall, parents of four kids who used to be best friends but now are too busy for each other.
Orla and Paul, a new couple who are in the early stages of love but one holds onto something very private.
Sinead has written a wonderful realistic story of relationships and how everything is not always perfect.
An engaging and entertaining read that unfolds and dissects the inside dynamics of marriages, partners and families.
Very relatable, humorous, honest and genuine this book will have you smiling, nodding, laughing and shaking you head.
An emotional journey, the good the bad and the ugly and an ending that you will be happy with.
A solid, enjoyable and absorbing plot with deep caring characters all against a setting of Irish suburbia.
So pick up Sinead’s latest and enjoy.
Three couples.
Three turbulent love lives.
One therapist.
Ann and Ken, an older couple who have lost the spark in their marriage.
Alice and Niall, parents of four kids who used to be best friends but now are too busy for each other.
Orla and Paul, a new couple who are in the early stages of love but one holds onto something very private.
Sinead has written a wonderful realistic story of relationships and how everything is not always perfect.
An engaging and entertaining read that unfolds and dissects the inside dynamics of marriages, partners and families.
Very relatable, humorous, honest and genuine this book will have you smiling, nodding, laughing and shaking you head.
An emotional journey, the good the bad and the ugly and an ending that you will be happy with.
A solid, enjoyable and absorbing plot with deep caring characters all against a setting of Irish suburbia.
So pick up Sinead’s latest and enjoy.
August 23, 2021
I think one thing missing from a lot of contemporary women's fiction is representation of couples at different stages of their of their relationships. We tend to focus on either new relationships or those that are extremely well seasoned. Rather than seeing the years in the middle.
I very much enjoyed the maturity with which this story was told. it was interesting to see the impact that kids, jobs, and busy years can have on a couple's life together. This is another book that I felt did a very good job of addressing real life issues without making them feel overly dramatic. It felt very genuine. The one thing I did find lacking was the dialogue. It did often feel a bit awkward and sometimes as though it was a little bit repetitive. I think that these stories themselves were better than the way they were written. Does that make sense? I will say that this book felt very sincere and very sweet. A quick easy read.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC.
I very much enjoyed the maturity with which this story was told. it was interesting to see the impact that kids, jobs, and busy years can have on a couple's life together. This is another book that I felt did a very good job of addressing real life issues without making them feel overly dramatic. It felt very genuine. The one thing I did find lacking was the dialogue. It did often feel a bit awkward and sometimes as though it was a little bit repetitive. I think that these stories themselves were better than the way they were written. Does that make sense? I will say that this book felt very sincere and very sweet. A quick easy read.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC.
August 24, 2022
Sinéad Moriarty’s fifteenth novel, About Us, is the definition of a fast and easy summer read that will keep readers interested in couple and character relationships throughout. The novel follows three couples in various stages of life and relationships. The reader is first introduced to Ann and Ken, a couple of forty years, who are going through a time of transition as Ken prepares for retirement and Ann deals with the children growing up and out of the house. Next are Alice and Niall who are parents of four children ten years old and under. Both struggle to maintain their identities as individuals and as a couple while dealing with full time occupations, Alice as a full time mother and Niall as a lawyer working towards becoming senior partner. Finally, Orla is in her early twenties and desperately wants to be in a relationship with Paul. However, her childhood trauma and a physical condition are preventing her from embracing the love that is before her. As all their lives loosely overlap, the narrative alternates between each couple and their experiences seeking therapy with the sex and relationship counselor, Maggie.
Sex is a recurring issue in each plot line. Ann struggles to get Ken to shake himself up and become interested in sex in his old age. Alice struggles with body-image issues and rejects Niall’s advances because she doesn’t feel sexy enough to be intimate. Orla has such an internalized fear of sex that her body rejects it. While many people can undoubtedly relate to feelings of insecurity or hesitation about sex and intimacy, there is little in the way of resolution from these issues from the therapist in the book. Maggie is a one-dimensional character whose appearance is rhythmic and repetitive. The dialogue that occurs in her office follows a simple pattern with each couple and results in advice that boils down to ‘try listening to each other and make an effort’. Maggie acts as a sounding board to facilitate communication between the characters and adds little else to the narrative besides a place where the characters can openly speak their thoughts.
The reader is faced with a lot of repetition in the novel as each couple follows the same arc. There is a similar flow to each story in which the reader is presented with an unhappy couple stuck in their own thoughts and unable to express themselves. The couples seek help, resist the help, come to a breaking point, struggle a bit more and then each situation resolves neatly. Combine that with writing comprised of simple sentences and syntax choices and interest in the drama created by their respective issues wanes and gets slightly tired. I personally felt the book could have been about 100 pages shorter and would have produced the same story and overall effect.
Despite the basic construction of the stories, Moriarty does take the opportunity in this novel to address a relatively unknown and complex women’s issue. Orla is dealing with vaginismus and considers herself to be a freak of nature because her body doesn’t respond to sex despite her desire for it. She seeks therapy because she wants to lead a normal life and overcome her condition. Moriarty tactfully uses Maggie to educate Orla and the reader about the condition and ways to treat it. The therapist speaks openly about how there may not be a way to cure Orla’s vaginismus, but there are ways to live a healthy and fulfilled life around it. Orla’s struggles are some of the most vivid and emotive scenes in the book as she tries everything she can to make herself feel worthy of being in a relationship with a person she admires. Most readers seem to have the most sympathy for her character, ironically, considering she is the only plot line that isn’t actually in a relationship until the end of the novel. Orla as an overall favorite character speaks to Moriarty’s skillful depiction of her dilemma.
Because this novel is a character study and largely focuses on the women, I found it distracting to wonder about each female character’s financial independence. Ann, Alice, and Orla deal with issues of self-doubt and failure against the backdrop of their stable living situations and open employment prospects. For Ann and Alice, part time employment is a way to keep busy or escape the family sphere and not strictly necessary due to their husbands’ jobs. Even Orla is willing and able to give up ‘a good pensionable job’ as her father says when she plays with the idea of running away to South America. When Ann fails to pull Ken out of his rut so they can be adventurous together, she opts to move to Argentina for an uncapped amount of time. Details like these were distracting to me as I was wondering how real-life financial aspects would apply. Is Ken funding his wife living on another continent with his pension? Could all of Alice’s issues be solved by hiring a babysitter? It seemed at times outdated and unrealistic while reading these characters’ stories, which took away from the author’s intended themes of sex and intimacy, marriage and family, as well as identity and trauma.
These themes were interestingly developed due to the age difference between each couple. Moriarty tells stories from the perspectives of young and old characters without creating a disruption in the reading. This was a unique way to explore relationships and a clever way to engage a wide ranging audience. However, I don’t think the novel unearthed any new topics or solutions to relationship problems. While it was relatable, it was not very insightful. While I read this book quickly and with some interest in the outcomes of each couple, I wouldn’t say that it was particularly impactful either. The only piece of substance that I take from this novel is learning about vaginismus and people who struggle with it. The rest is quickly forgettable. If you want a book that you can casually pick up and then leave, this one suits that purpose.
Sex is a recurring issue in each plot line. Ann struggles to get Ken to shake himself up and become interested in sex in his old age. Alice struggles with body-image issues and rejects Niall’s advances because she doesn’t feel sexy enough to be intimate. Orla has such an internalized fear of sex that her body rejects it. While many people can undoubtedly relate to feelings of insecurity or hesitation about sex and intimacy, there is little in the way of resolution from these issues from the therapist in the book. Maggie is a one-dimensional character whose appearance is rhythmic and repetitive. The dialogue that occurs in her office follows a simple pattern with each couple and results in advice that boils down to ‘try listening to each other and make an effort’. Maggie acts as a sounding board to facilitate communication between the characters and adds little else to the narrative besides a place where the characters can openly speak their thoughts.
The reader is faced with a lot of repetition in the novel as each couple follows the same arc. There is a similar flow to each story in which the reader is presented with an unhappy couple stuck in their own thoughts and unable to express themselves. The couples seek help, resist the help, come to a breaking point, struggle a bit more and then each situation resolves neatly. Combine that with writing comprised of simple sentences and syntax choices and interest in the drama created by their respective issues wanes and gets slightly tired. I personally felt the book could have been about 100 pages shorter and would have produced the same story and overall effect.
Despite the basic construction of the stories, Moriarty does take the opportunity in this novel to address a relatively unknown and complex women’s issue. Orla is dealing with vaginismus and considers herself to be a freak of nature because her body doesn’t respond to sex despite her desire for it. She seeks therapy because she wants to lead a normal life and overcome her condition. Moriarty tactfully uses Maggie to educate Orla and the reader about the condition and ways to treat it. The therapist speaks openly about how there may not be a way to cure Orla’s vaginismus, but there are ways to live a healthy and fulfilled life around it. Orla’s struggles are some of the most vivid and emotive scenes in the book as she tries everything she can to make herself feel worthy of being in a relationship with a person she admires. Most readers seem to have the most sympathy for her character, ironically, considering she is the only plot line that isn’t actually in a relationship until the end of the novel. Orla as an overall favorite character speaks to Moriarty’s skillful depiction of her dilemma.
Because this novel is a character study and largely focuses on the women, I found it distracting to wonder about each female character’s financial independence. Ann, Alice, and Orla deal with issues of self-doubt and failure against the backdrop of their stable living situations and open employment prospects. For Ann and Alice, part time employment is a way to keep busy or escape the family sphere and not strictly necessary due to their husbands’ jobs. Even Orla is willing and able to give up ‘a good pensionable job’ as her father says when she plays with the idea of running away to South America. When Ann fails to pull Ken out of his rut so they can be adventurous together, she opts to move to Argentina for an uncapped amount of time. Details like these were distracting to me as I was wondering how real-life financial aspects would apply. Is Ken funding his wife living on another continent with his pension? Could all of Alice’s issues be solved by hiring a babysitter? It seemed at times outdated and unrealistic while reading these characters’ stories, which took away from the author’s intended themes of sex and intimacy, marriage and family, as well as identity and trauma.
These themes were interestingly developed due to the age difference between each couple. Moriarty tells stories from the perspectives of young and old characters without creating a disruption in the reading. This was a unique way to explore relationships and a clever way to engage a wide ranging audience. However, I don’t think the novel unearthed any new topics or solutions to relationship problems. While it was relatable, it was not very insightful. While I read this book quickly and with some interest in the outcomes of each couple, I wouldn’t say that it was particularly impactful either. The only piece of substance that I take from this novel is learning about vaginismus and people who struggle with it. The rest is quickly forgettable. If you want a book that you can casually pick up and then leave, this one suits that purpose.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2021
I read this in 24 hours I couldn't put it down! It was fascinating and it hooked me emotionally.
Set in Dublin, it is about 3 women in various stages of their lives;
Ann is 64, is an empty nester. She loves Ken, 68, and he’s retiring soon.
Alice is 40,is a full-time mother of 4 children under 10 whose husband, Niall, works around the clock in pursuit of a promotion to senior partner in his law firm.
Orla is 25, a primary grade teacher with a medical condition compounding a life of loneliness as 'the killer of her mother who died giving birth'.
They all find themselves clients of therapist Maggie Purcell who specializes in the sex side of relationships.
The plot moves swiftly through complex emotions and offers some great advise.
I highly recommend this book!
I volunteered to read an ARC through Net Galley.
Release date Aug 31, 2021.
Set in Dublin, it is about 3 women in various stages of their lives;
Ann is 64, is an empty nester. She loves Ken, 68, and he’s retiring soon.
Alice is 40,is a full-time mother of 4 children under 10 whose husband, Niall, works around the clock in pursuit of a promotion to senior partner in his law firm.
Orla is 25, a primary grade teacher with a medical condition compounding a life of loneliness as 'the killer of her mother who died giving birth'.
They all find themselves clients of therapist Maggie Purcell who specializes in the sex side of relationships.
The plot moves swiftly through complex emotions and offers some great advise.
I highly recommend this book!
I volunteered to read an ARC through Net Galley.
Release date Aug 31, 2021.
June 13, 2021
I loved this book! The three main characters were all at very different points in their lives and all facing different problems in their relationships, but were so relatable. Each woman has a different reason to seek help from a sex and relationships therapist and I found the sessions and advice given really interesting. Each of their stories drew me in, I found myself identifying most with Amy and reading their therapist’s unpicking of the emotions behind the problems in their marriage was actually really eye opening. A definite must read - light enough for a summer read but enough depth to keep you reading!
Thanks so much for this arc.
Thanks so much for this arc.
February 12, 2022
Set around the subject of couples therapy About Us looks at three relationships, all at very different stages, that have hit a rocky patch which has led them to seek professional help.
The beauty of this book is that you can recognise a little of yourself in each of the characters. Sinead Moriarty made me feel sympathy for all of the situations the main characters found themselves in & I welled up a few times during the therapy sessions as they laid themselves bare.
This had a balance of serious & light hearted moments, at first I didn't have a favourite character but I did end up leaning towards Alice (stay at home mum of 4, shocker 😂) & Ann (retiree looking for adventure).
The beauty of this book is that you can recognise a little of yourself in each of the characters. Sinead Moriarty made me feel sympathy for all of the situations the main characters found themselves in & I welled up a few times during the therapy sessions as they laid themselves bare.
This had a balance of serious & light hearted moments, at first I didn't have a favourite character but I did end up leaning towards Alice (stay at home mum of 4, shocker 😂) & Ann (retiree looking for adventure).
August 13, 2021
I loved every single character in this book, I could relate to every story, every problem. What a fabulous idea, to learn of the characters through their therapist, and how it heals us as readers reading our own story unfolding on the pages before us.
This is such a beautiful book. A must read in 2021
This is such a beautiful book. A must read in 2021
March 15, 2022
Three different women at three different stages of life; and the situations that bring them to a therapist’s couch. An easy read that had characters you could fully picture, the madness of the household with 4 kids I could fully relate to 😂. Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK for the ARC
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