Forever Home: THIS SUMMER'S MUST-READ NOVEL FROM GRAHAM NORTON

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Carol’s mother is determined to get to the bottom of things, she won’t see her daughter suffer in this way. It seems there are secrets in Declan’s past, strange rumours that were never confronted and suddenly the house they shared takes on a more sinister significance. Carol is a divorced teacher living in a small town in Ireland, her only son now grown. A second chance at love brings her unexpected connection and belonging—and sparks a flurry of speculation. What does a woman like her see in a man like that? What happened to his wife who abandoned him and his children all those years ago? Carol and Declan know their relationship is the talk of the town, but the gossip only serves to bring the couple closer. heard great things about this author’s previous book so I was really excited to get an early copy of his new release. I figured the wit he shows during his interviews for his TV show would surely factor into the story and it definitely did. NORTON: ...As she drives along. A kind of - I wouldn't like to live there. She always has washing out. That dog looked killed (ph). And - until finally you get to where you're going and you've parked wrong. And that's... I really hope readers enjoy losing themselves in the twists and turns of this tale as much as I have."

Forever Home: GRAHAM NORTON: The KING of dark comedy

I really enjoyed Forever Home and I can equally imagine reading it on holiday somewhere sunny as I could whilst curled up inside when it's chilly outside. If youWhen the sale is done and they go to the house, something just doesn't smell right. Carol and Moira find themselves in a horrible situation which they can't tell anyone about, especially Dave and have a mystery they have no idea how to solve. An unexpected twist, about halfway, kept me glued to the story and attempting to figure out who it was and how everyone involved was going to fix the mess they found themselves in. It was quite the dilemma and definitely kept me guessing. Neither of Declan's children were particularly likeable. The youngest, Sally, is single and hasn't got much of a life. She has an undemanding job, lives alone in her own personal squalor, and her only social life is online. Killian and his husband are thinking of having a baby via a surrogate. Killian seems to not really know what he wants and treats those in his life with a callousness that deems him intrinsically selfish. I’ve enjoyed all of Graham Norton’s novels thusfar, especially A Keeper and Home Stretch. This one actually probably most resembles Holding (which I would consider his weakest) in the sense that it is effectively a dark comedy, a caper, veering into farce at times. Once you accept this is what it is, it’s a very enjoyable read, full of warmth and humour, and an excellent character in Moira.

Graham Norton announces the release of his fourth book Graham Norton announces the release of his fourth book

The characters were all so well fleshed out and real. I rooted so much for the protagonist Carol who has to deal with all kinds of stuff—starting with some petty idle gossip because she is a school teacher in a small town, which makes her somewhat of a public figure, and ending with the unexpected darkness in Declan's past that she cannot even discuss with Declan himself. I empathised with Carol so much when she admonished herself for being a passive lump that allows things to happen to her. And I could not but marvel at and admire Carol's mother Moira— an 80-year-old powerhouse of a woman. Oh my GOD Forever Home is FABULOUS... His skill at gimlet-eyed observation and nuanced characterisation is *chef's kiss* but this book is SO FUNNY... It's a DELIGHT.' MARIAN KEYES NORTON: Well, now, I don't know about you - I'm in awe of young people who write novels because - I don't know - when I was in my kind of late teens, early 20s, 30s, I was out. You know, I didn't have time to sit... The latest comedy noir by Graham Norton features fractured families at their worst. I loved it!' LIZ NUGENT

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I absolutely loved this book. The arc I received was poorly presented, with no chapter breaks, nor, at times, paragraph breaks, so a fair bit of rereading took place, but this still did not detract from a great book. Carol has lived for years in a grand old terraced house with the “second love of her life”, Declan. Declan’s wife has long since disappeared, having left “poor Mr Barry” and their children without a trace, many years previously. That’s all in the past, or so it seems, until Declan falls ill and ends up in permanent care, and disputes over ownership of the house end up uncovering darker secrets involving, you guessed it, a dead body. If you are looking for action/plot then you may be disappointed; this is a character based novel that will pull you into the lives and hearts of this family. I feel the first half is stronger than the second where there are moments I caught myself daydreaming. There are secrets that are waiting to come out and twists you may or may not have guessed! The conclusion was a happy and satisfying one. Overall, I had a wonderful time listening to Graham Norton's delightful narration. 3.5⭐ Effortlessly readable, possessed of a super twist and full of rounded characters to keep close to your heart.' THE OBSERVER

Forever Home by Graham Norton | Waterstones Forever Home by Graham Norton | Waterstones

With all the dramas that Carol has to go through (from small and tedious to horrific and chilling, or rather, freezing), with all the emotional bumps and bruises she suffers as she uncovers more and more of the dark and tragic past of her partner's family, this story is ultimately nothing but pure kindness and compassion, with a fair share of good-natured irony sprinkled here and there because come on, it's Graham Norton! :) A second chance at love brings her unexpected connection and belonging. But her relationship with Declan sparks local speculation: What does a woman like her see in a man like him? What happened to his wife who abandoned them all those years ago? But the gossip only serves to bring the couple closer.A winning mix of family drama and comedy crime caper ... you may well find yourself reading it in one sitting.' HEAT Dark, funny, full of emotional intelligence and gripping from the start. ..beautifully written... Wonderful.' DAILY MAIL NORTON: Well, I began the story with Carol, who is the central character. And she's a woman in her middle age, and she's in her kind of second relationship. And when people are older and in relationships, you always imagine they're very stable and, you know, people are settled. But, of course, that's not the world we live in now. People are often in a second, third, fourth relationship. And, you know, if it's a new relationship, you have no claim on property, on homes. There's none of that. And that's what happens to Carol with her older, I suppose, boyfriend - you'd call him partner. And she was the way in. And it was a very kind of dark, bleak story. And then Carol's mother entered the scene, Moira, and... Where to start … I really enjoyed the first half or so of this book but then it all got a bit too farcical and far fetched for my liking. Many thanks to the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest review.