I was sent a copy of Forever Home by Graham Norton to read and review by NetGalley. I love Graham Norton’s writing; it generally has a lyrical and intrinsically Irish nature to it. Unfortunately I didn’t feel quite the same with this novel. Whether it was the subject matter or the lack of real opportunity but I didn't feel any of the wit or humour or the lightness of touch that I usually love. The story was still engaging and it did ramp up towards the end, which is why I have chosen to give it 4 stars and not 3, but I am hoping that the next offering will return more to the author’s signature style.

One of the very best celebrity authors, a dark tale of a long-kept secret set in a small Irish town, an exploration of dysfunctional families and how they affect other relationships, a well-crafted plot with twists and turns - this book has all the ingredients to be a sure-fire hit and it probably will be. And yet … for this reader, it missed the target, not by a lot but by enough for me to rate it somewhere between 2 and 3 stars. I found it hard to empathise with or relate to the cast of characters (apart from the indomitable Moira Crottie - a wonderful creation); the humour provoked in me no more than an occasional smile; and the exposition of the book’s central mystery was interesting rather than shocking or even fascinating. A good book but not a great one.

Carol is devastated when her long-term partner, Declan, is diagnosed with early onset dementia. She has no claim on the house they shared and his grown up children want to sell, it. Declan had made Carol promise that the property would never be sold. When it goes on the market, with the help of her parents, she buys it. This leads to a shocking discovery which sets off a whole chain of events.

Darkly funny with terrific characters, especially Moira, Carol's redoubtable mammy who always has to be in charge, this was an entertaining read. The dialogue and setting take you straight to the heart of Irish families and communities.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Graham Norton has such a wonderful way of writing.
This story is full of relatable characters, humour and gossip!
The reader is soon dragged in to the small Irish town mystery.
My thanks to the publisher and netgalley for my copy.
I could read this book all over again.

I was over the moon to be approved for this ARC having read of all Grahams previous novels and loved them. I was not disappointed with this new outing. Where to begin??? I don’t have the words apart from JUST READ IT!!! All I will say is that Graham Norton loves up to his famous name in terms of fame and hype the man can write while his name might bring in the readers in the first instance they will keep coming back for the writing . This book like all the previous is funny, heartwarming and has a touch a mystery. To say it’s pure gas is a understatement, the humour is understated but packs a punch. Again like all the previous books Norton writes the most likeable, real to,life characters, in this I cousins get enough of Moria. This story is about ordinary people with ordinary lives but are anything but ordinary. This a book I will buying for my Mammy do yourself a favour and do the same…

I've had a soft spot for Graham Norton ever since his Father Ted days and have more recently enjoyed his novels along with his chat shows. As usual, this one starts with a gentle slice of Irish village life and characters, but soon descends into something darker. A warm, easy to read story with relatable characters and "what would I do" scenarios.
One annoyance was that I read it on a kindle and the lack of chapter breaks was really irritating but hopefully this will be rectified in the book.
thank you to netgalley and hodder and Stoughton for an advance copy of this book

I really enjoyed Forever Home. I’ve read the author’s other books so knew I was in for a treat. This book, like his other ones looks like an innocent family saga based on the front cover and the blurb and the first few chapters lure you into a false sense of security and then things start to get dark. Forever Home doesn’t get as dark as A Keeper but there are some unpleasant moments. There is also a lot of humour which works well against the darker moments in the book. I really enjoyed this.

Carol Crottie and Declan Barry have lived together for ten years. Marriage was never on the cards. They’d both been married previously. Carol was divorced but Declan’s wife had walked out on the family years previously so technically he was still married. When Declan is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s his grown children throw Carol out of their father’s house and prevent her from having any say in his care. Declan had made Carol promise that the house would never be sold so when she discovers it is on the market she has to act fast and this leads to a shocking discovery.

I absolutely loved this book, simply couldn’t put it down. The opening pages reminded me very much of the opening of an old film where the scene is set by panning slowly across a landscape before gradually focusing on one particular point. Graham Norton does exactly the same as we move through the small Irish town of Ballytoor, arriving at Stable Row and focusing on number seven.

We’re then introduced to Carol and her confrontation with Declan’s grown children, Sally and Killian. I was immediately filled with anger and sadness as it became clear that Carol was being thrown out of her home. We slowly discover that Carol and Declan had never married and Declan had never made a will so she had no rights to remain in the house. It was very clear that there was animosity between Carol, Sally and Killian.

As we slowly learn about Declan’s decline with Alzheimer’s and Carol’s determination to keep him at home for as long as possible we build a better picture of the dysfunctional family.

With nowhere else to turn Carol has to move back in with her parents. This really hit home that no matter how old you are your parents will always be worried about you. Dave Crottie tries to remain in the background letting his wife deal with the emotional stuff. Moira Crottie is a force to be reckoned with. Despite being eighty she seems to have boundless energy and the fierceness and cunning of a lioness protecting her young.

When Carol’s parents buy the house on Stable Row for her they make a startling discovery. Carol begins to question if she truly knew the man she had lived with. Things become even more involved when a stranger from the past suddenly appears.

The last quarter of the book contains some very black humour, most of it instigated by Moira, proving how strong-willed she is. We also see how Carol reverts to being almost child-like and never questions her mothers decisions.

I'm not an expert on Graham Norton's books but I did read "Holding" and really enjoyed it. I'm not sure what to make of "Forever Home" though. The story was fine but not brilliant. Maybe part of the problem was that my ARC had no chapters or break clauses, meaning it was one continuous thought and sometimes it is difficult to see which set of characters are talking etc. The main part/mystery, solving the "stink" was fun but the outcome wasn't as interesting as it could have been. Also, this book has been referred to as a comedy but I didn't really pick up on these elements. Not the best book written in 2022 by a celebrity but by no means the worst either.

Read in one day I really enjoyed this.
This seems to be a slight departure from Graham’s previous books, all of which have been brilliant.
As always beautifully observed, the beginning is his usual insightful look at people and their actions and interactions, so much so, I found myself thinking “this is our new Maeve Binchy”, which is high praise indeed. Then he takes us on diversion that’s almost slapstick in places as there’s a crime to be solved.
A great read and as usual capturing small town Ireland perfectly

Carol Crottie is devastated. Her soulmate and partner, Declan Barry, is no longer by her side, and she is being evicted from the home they shared by his grown up children. Unable to reason with them, she has no alternative than to move out, back to her parents home. To her dismay, she discovers that the Barry siblings have put the house up for sale, despite it being their father’s wish for the house never to be sold. Carol’s parents come up with a plan that Carol is not entirely happy with, but circumstances force her hand and she has to go along with their scheming and plotting. Obviously things don’t go smoothly, and the house has a secret that none of the Crotties could ever have imagined.

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.

Reading anything by GN is like revisiting an old friend, comforting, and reassuring but with all the gossip! From the first pages the story draws you in and it’s impossible to put down, a case of just one more page.

Loved, loved, loved it! Another triumph by GN

5*

Thank you NetGalley.

What a lovely book this was to read. Great characters that you so got into. A storyline that was very intriguing but gripping at the same time with a number of nice twists and turns that fitted in so well. Highly recommend reading the book.

I’d like to thank Hodder & Stoughton, Coronet and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Forever Home’ by Graham Norton in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Carol Crottie has lived with Declan Barry for ten years since her marriage ended and his wife left him and their children. As Declan’s dementia worsens his children move him into a nursing home and sell Declan’s house at Stable Row forcing Carol to move back into her parents’ bungalow. It’s only when Carol’s parents buy the house as an investment that a gruesome secret is discovered in the basement that will need to be dealt with discreetly and makes her reassess the man she lived with for so many years.

‘Forever Home’ is the latest wonderful novel by the very talented Graham Norton who’s given us a dark family drama set in a small Irish town called Ballytoor. He has the amazing ability to weave a poignant tale of family life with perfectly described characters, unexpected twists, and humour that’s kept me smiling from the first page to the last. It’s so beautifully written that I’ve been totally captivated and devoured it in a day as I haven’t been able to stop reading. This is a wonderful story that flows off the page and is an absolute joy to read. I can thoroughly recommend it.

This is a story of families and their secrets. When Carol’s partner Declan is moved into a care home, she is forced to return home to live with her parents. As Declan’s children have put his house up for sale her Dad decides to buy it for her. However, following a sinister discovery in the basement Carol is forced to reassess the life her and Declan shared together.
This book is a slightly dark and twisted but emotional read from a truly excellent author.
Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Coronet for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A genuinely original twist on the classic Irish family story, with the bonus of a lively Cork setting. A power cut will never seem the same again...

A small family drama about secrets, this was an interesting read but it felt like it was lacking the author’s usual warmth and humour.
The characters were a little bit flat and formulaic, I found it quite difficult to actually feel invested. I think I wanted more emotional connection. Especially with Sally, there was so much potential for a plot twist but it never really felt properly explored.
Slightly underwhelming but still an excellent author.

I love Graham Nortons writing and I’m always perplexed why his books aren’t bigger sellers than they are in mainland UK. In this latest novel, Forever Home, I felt a slight change of direction than previous and almost entering crime territory, but maybe in a Richard Osman non gruesome way rather than real hard crime.
Carol has lived with Declan for many years after the breakdown of both their first marriages. But as his health declines with dementia she finds herself homeless as his older children move him into a home and sell his house. Back living with her parents, her Dad decides to buy the house for her that she’s called home for many years. But a sinister discovery in the basement leads Carol to totally reassess the life she’s lead and the man she planned to grow old with.

Published on September 29, this is an unexpectedly darker, more emotional novel than I expected from Graham, whose other books I have adored. That said, it is full of the wit that you’d expect from the comedian and writer, and his way with words means you’ll not want to put this book down. Carol is living in a small town in Ireland, decisions about life almost being made for her. A second chance of love is grasped, and clung to, and rightly so, but when the unexpected happens, and shifts between loved ones (and supposed loved ones) occur, Carol is back with her parents. Her mother is keen to find out what’s gone wrong, and why her daughter is being cast aside so carelessly. But no one is going to predict the turn that the novel makes – and it’s a really good one. Secrets have a pesky habit of popping up when you least expect, don’t they? You’ll want to laugh out loud, then sympathise, then shed a tear as you read this. It touches on a lot of big topics but does so carefully and thoughtfully.