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Nothing But Blue Sky
Nothing But Blue Sky | Kathleen MacMahon
17 posts | 9 read | 1 reading | 19 to read
Is there such a thing as a perfect marriage? David thought so. But when his wife Mary Rose dies suddenly he has to think again. In reliving their twenty years together David sees that the ground beneath them had shifted and he simply hadn't noticed. Or had chosen not to. Figuring out who Mary Rose really was and the secrets that she kept - some of these hidden in plain sight - makes David wonder if he really knew her. Did he even know himself? Nothing But Blue Sky is a precise and tender story of love in marriage - a gripping examination of what binds couples together and of what keeps them apart. 'Touching and enthralling' Sunday Times 'What a beautiful novel ... Elegant, understated, subtly powerful, and rings so perfectly true' Donal Ryan 'Heart-rending ... a tender and beautiful [love story] ... MacMahon's words ring with the honesty of truth, offering genuine insight into the human condition' Business Post 'Gentle and triumphant, MacMahon offers us a novel seeped in beautiful prose and poignant tenderness' Anne Griffin 'A beautifully written and powerful tale' Woman & Home 'Sure and subtle, MacMahon holds the reader in her spell. She is a born storyteller' Mike McCormack
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review
ChaoticMissAdventures
Nothing But Blue Sky | Kathleen MacMahon
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Pickpick

Women's Prize long listed in 2021
In the beginning I wasn't sure I would enjoy this. David is an unlikable character, but as we meander through his marriage with Mary Rose, his friendships with Deborah and Clair the story grows on you. By the end I was pulling out the tissue box. MacMahon writes in a languid and thoughtful way, and in the end David reminded me of Backman's Ove
This is a book for people who enjoy character studies.

5feet.of.fury Love the picture! 2y
DimeryRene I also love this photo 💙 2y
37 likes2 comments
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ChaoticMissAdventures
Nothing But Blue Sky | Kathleen MacMahon
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"'We live life forwards, we learn it backwards,' said Deborah (...), and it struck me at once as the truest and saddest thing."

Another book I have had for years and am finally getting to and really enjoying, why do I wait so long!

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ChaoticMissAdventures
Nothing But Blue Sky | Kathleen MacMahon
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I rounded up all the books I had about the sea/ocean and ran away from home for a couple of days.

DivineDiana Sounds like a wonderful plan! 2y
35 likes1 comment
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Penny_LiteraryHoarders
Nothing But Blue Sky | Kathleen MacMahon
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I loved her The Long, Hot Summer and I couldn‘t find this one anywhere here so Book Depository to the rescue!

32 likes1 stack add
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CarolynM
Nothing But Blue Sky | Kathleen MacMahon
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Thank you Helen, it's so kind of you to send me a gift. I'm very grateful for your friendship here. 💕😘 I've been wanting to read this one since you and quite a few others were reviewing it a while ago. I don't know about you, but Covid has done strange things to my perception of time passing. I keep thinking 2019 was last year, not 3 years ago😫

@squirrelbrain

squirrelbrain I know, it only seems like 5 minutes since I read the ARC of this book. I hope you have a lovely day! (Or actually, I guess it‘s your evening already so I hope you‘ve *had* a lovely day!) 😘 3y
LeahBergen Lovely! 🥰🥰 3y
CarolynM @squirrelbrain Thanks Helen, I had a lovely day😘 3y
57 likes3 comments
review
Curvybookgirl
Nothing But Blue Sky | Kathleen MacMahon
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Mehso-so

Our November book club pick from an author I hadn‘t heard of. The book was ok but I wouldn‘t be in a rush to read any others

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BarbaraBB
Nothing But Blue Sky | Kathleen MacMahon
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Pickpick

David and Mary Rose are happily married and are completely in sync, at least that‘s what David thinks. When Mary Rose tragically dies he revisits their favourite holiday spot in Spain. He tries his best and his grief is heartfelt. So is his acknowledgment that things weren‘t always as good as he thought. It is a wonderful novel about grief, marriage and regret about things that happened along the way. Words that were said or left unsaid.

vivastory Sounds interesting! 4y
76 likes5 stack adds1 comment
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rachaich
Nothing But Blue Sky | Kathleen MacMahon
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Pickpick

This was great!
Realistic characters, interesting back story, wonderful setting.
I'm definitely going to read nother by her.
😊😊

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rachaich
Nothing But Blue Sky | Kathleen MacMahon
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Really like the way this is written.
Flows really well, both the writing and the story.
Little glimpses of the past tragedy.

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rachaich
Nothing But Blue Sky | Kathleen MacMahon
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Another cover which drew me to pick it!

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JennyM
Nothing But Blue Sky | Kathleen MacMahon
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Pickpick

I thought this was a really great book. On the surface it was about a man grieving for his wife a year after her unexpected death. At a deeper level I think it asked us questions about marriage and, wider still, the influence of family. Tender and reflective, sad and hopeful. Much like life really. #Booked2021 #ColourInTitle

CarolynM Great review. Stacked. How are you feeling about our Real Life buddy read? Next week or two maybe? 4y
JennyM @CarolynM I‘m ready to go whenever suits you lovely. Next week would be great 👍 Looking forward to reading it with you. 😘 (edited) 4y
CarolynM 👍 I'll let you know when I start, I'll aim for Monday or Tuesday 🙂 Feel free to start whenever you're ready. 4y
See All 20 Comments
BarbaraBB Great review. I think I bought this because of @squirrelbrain ‘s review and am now extra looking forward to it 💙 4y
Kalalalatja Lovely photo 👌 4y
JennyM @CarolynM sounds good. I‘ll probably make a start on the weekend. X 4y
JennyM @Kalalalatja it‘s been hot today with lots of blue sky! Hope the new job is going well 😘 4y
JennyM @BarbaraBB I think (and really hope 🤞) you will enjoy it, Barbara. I felt there were shades of Ishiguro‘s Remains of the day in the way the MC is presented to the reader. Really well developed and realistic characters that I wanted to unpick. Did you get any ‘Butler flawed belief‘ vibes, Helen when you read it, or is it just me? @squirrelbrain (edited) 4y
Cinfhen Gorgeous review #stacked 💙 4y
JennyM @Cinfhen thank you my lovely friend. Hope you are looking after yourself😘😘😘 4y
JennyM @BarbaraBB I don‘t think it‘s in the same league, but did get definite similar vibes on how the character was developed and portrayed. But hold that thought until we hear what Helen @squirrelbrain thinks - it might be my brain is still influenced by too much chocolate at Xmas 🤪 (edited) 4y
squirrelbrain Jenny - I hadn‘t really thought about the MC in that way before but I do think that you‘re right. He is slightly unlikeable but also somehow pathetic and you do feel sympathy for him. I loved the character development in this book too. I think you‘ll like it @BarbaraBB 4y
Tanisha_A Stacked, stacked! Loving this conversation here 4y
JennyM @squirrelbrain @BarbaraBB that‘s exactly how I felt about him!!! I really hope you‘ll enjoy it, Barbara 🤞🤞🤞😘 4y
JennyM @Tanisha_A And I think you would definitely enjoy it, T. Some really lovely writing 😘 4y
Crazeedi I'm going to stack, great review and the accolades in comments have convinced me! 4y
Kalalalatja I am enjoying it a lot! It is super exciting, and I feel like I have landed in a good place ☺️ 4y
JennyM @Crazeedi hope you enjoy when you get to it 🤞 4y
JennyM @Kalalalatja that‘s so good to hear. Glad it‘s going well xxx 4y
70 likes7 stack adds20 comments
review
squirrelbrain
Nothing But Blue Sky | Kathleen MacMahon
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Pickpick

David has recently lost his wife and revisits their usual holiday spot where he looks back over their married life. I couldn‘t figure out if I liked this book or not. It made me uncomfortable because it was such a realistic portrayal of grief and David isn‘t a particularly sympathetic character. Having thought about it overnight I did like it. It‘s a challenging read but all credit to the author for making it so.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#netgalleyreviewathon

TrishB Stacked 👍🏻 great review 4y
BarbaraBB Another great review. #stackedtoo 😀😘 4y
MsMelissa Nice review! 4y
78 likes2 stack adds3 comments