A debut novel that has an emotional hit, especially as I know someone who suffered in a coercive relationship and even though free now, still suffers with mental health. Ciara has been a victim of coercive control throughout her marriage, not able to see family or friends, not able to work as Ryan always had very good reason why she should not do these things. With two young children and another on the way, she decides that she needs to leave. Ryan’s abuse is not physical but she does wonder if one day it might be. Caught up in the Irish housing crisis, she finds herself in a hotel room with her two daughters and this book is her struggle to be free of Ryan because he is never going to let her go. Demands to see his daughters, pleas to her about how much he loves her, everything to grind her down. As a reader you are so angry on her behalf adnthere are moments when you scream at the book ‘No, don’t let him!’ An emotional read at times but what shines through is Ciara’s love for her daughters and her desire to protect them at all times. There is nothing like a mother’s love. An excellent read.

This story is not a comfortable read. Ciara has a controlling, manipulative husband who seems a nice, caring bloke to the rest of the world. He's kind and thoughtful - as long as Ciarais behaving exactly as he wants. But he keeps changing the goal posts and then blaming her when he gets angry.
Until one day, she can take no more and walks out, taking the children with her. We chart her journey to escaping from Ryan's control and the trials that she has to go through.
A roller coaster of emotions as you will Ciara to make it. Fab debut novel.

This is a slow dark read, and not an easy read. Ciara has left her husband, taking her two young daughters, she packs what she can into her car. She knows her husband Ryan will be mad when she doesn’t return, he is verbally abusive, manipulative and controlling, he has isolated Ciara from her family and friends.
This story illustrates the struggles of a single mum trying to get social housing during a housing crisis in Ireland. She is allocated a room in a ‘hotel’ as emergency accommodation, one room for herself and her two girls, she has also just discovered she is pregnant.
Ciara has no job, very little money but she finds the strength and determination to keep going, leaving her husband was difficult, staying away is even more difficult and she questions her choices. Ryan is relentless in pursuit of her and takes her to court to fight for custody and access to his children. They are still living in the hotel when her baby son is born, she is now struggling with a new born, breast feeding and exhausted
This is an emotionally charged raw read, the reader can feel Ciara’s hopelessness at times, but Ciara discovers strength, she makes new friends, they are a mismatched group, but they become a family, helping and supporting one another, enabling Ciara to rebuild her life, in a new home with her children. This book reminds us that there is always hope and a mother will always find away to provide for her children.
Many thanks to Net galley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

To say I enjoyed this book feels wrong given the subject matter but that aside it is a fantastic, beautifully written book. I can't believe it is a debut novel. It deals with issues I have no personal experience of - coercive control, emotional abuse, homelessness, but certainly gave me some insight into the despair that comes with them. Ciara the main character seems so real. Her feelings of despair and hope and love for her kids just jump off the page at you. A very sad, heartbreaking yet hopeful book that I would happily recommend to anyone.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

A great debut. The beginning was a little slow but the plot is interesting and centres around a controlling relationship. I found myself routing for Claire but despaired at many of the choices she initially made. It was so sad but had a great ending. I reallyy felt immersed in th book.

What a memorable, thought provoking, tearjerking novel. It covers marital relationships that go horribly wrong and end in numerous forms of abuse. Clara decides to try and leave her husband- not the first time she has done so, but ends up homeless. I felt on edge wondering how the situation would turn out and hoping Ciara and her children would be okay.

4.5!! What a great debut novel to hit the bookshelves in 2025! I wasn’t sure what to expect exactly going into it, but from the first few pages I was invested. We meet Ciara, a woman who has lost her identity, raising two small children (and eventually a third) under the coercive control of her husband Ryan. She gains the courage to leave him but having no money, no accommodation and unsure of how she is going to survive, we see through Ciara’s story how hard it is to leave, but even harder to stay away.

Nesting is a novel that will fill you with rage, from the first few pages it was clear how horrid Ryan was, and for a debut novel the author showed this fantastically without graphic descriptions of abuse. I thought the author showed how someone can become isolated and the realities of living with domestic abuse and coercion very well. How someone can be conditioned to think that no one will believe them, that they’re the problem and there’s no way that they could be better out of the situation.

One thing that was clear was how much Ciara loved and protected her children. The descriptions of living in emergency accommodation broke my heart (it felt like the author had put a lot of research into the book) but at the same time the feeling of community and friendliness from people in the hardest situations was amazing. The courage, strength and resilience of anyone who is in this situation is incomprehensible and we must continue to support those that have the courage to speak out.

It feels like Nesting is already being recognised for how brilliant of a read it is but if you haven’t seen it yet definitely get it on your list for 2025.

A beautifully written book with a gritty story. The characters were well thought out and relatable, and the plot kept me engaged until the last page, sad in parts but engrossing. I really liked it.

This book starts slowly, setting the scene with a good relationship turned bad.
At this point the reader needs to fasten their safety belt for a roller coaster ride.
It looks like it will end badly, then there is light at the end of the tunnel, then it turns bad again.
How will it end?
Excellent scenario, excellent characters (not all good), excellent storyline.
I loved it.
My thanks to the author for the hours of enjoyment that the book has brought me, I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is not an easy read. I had a visceral reaction to it to the point where my feet were kicking the table and my fists clenching. I'm just giving you the heads up.

Nesting follows the story of Ciara and her children - Sophie, Ella and (eventually) baby Noah. Ciara has been subjected to coercive control by husband Ryan from early on in their marriage and despite leaving once she has always been persuaded by him that her place is with him. But this time she's not going back even though it means an uncertain existence for herself and her children.

Nesting is one of those books that I have nothing in common with, having been lucky enough to be married to a truly wonderful man for 27 years. However I am a woman and the feeling of outrage at Ciara's situation, as I read this book, was almost overwhelming at times.

I have no personal experience of coercive control but Ciara's story affected me deeply. Following her story through all it's disturbing phases was quite shocking but I also thought it an important and interesting read. Perhaps it will help others to recognise the same signs or perhaps it would encourage a person being subjected to coercive control to get away.

Excellent. Highly recommended. I should note that GR has this down for being published in February but Amazon says 30th January.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the advance review copy.

This is about escaping a controlling relationship, with young children and finding a safe place to stay. It is a thought provoking read about one woman's determination to survive and provide a better life for her children. It may inspire other women to take that first step to safety, which takes enormous courage and strength of character. Set in Ireland, not an easy read but thought provoking. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I absolutely loved this. It’s beautifully written and so real. A stunning debut.
It’s a moving and inspirational story of emotional abuse and coercion as a mother tries to leave her marriage and protect her children.
It’s tense, emotional and heartbreakingly uplifting. The writing is so captivating. I couldn’t put this book down. I was totally engrossed.
I love the authors writing style. She really captures the struggles and fear of Ciara brilliantly. You truly feel every one of her highs and lows. The characters are all believable and Ciara is a great character who you really root for. The story is so genuine and raw.
Overall, a compelling though provoking read which will stay with you.
This is definitely one of my favourite reads of 2024.
Highly recommend.
I can’t wait to see what @roisinodonnellwriter brings us next.
With thanks to #NetGallery @simonschusteruk @simonschusterpr for an arc of #Nesting in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 30 January 2025.

A broken marriage, a housing crisis in Dublin, two small girls. Tough choices, strength and hope lead Ciara towards a new life.

An all too familiar situation for a woman to find herself in, wanting to leave a coercive relationship but how does she do that when family is a long way away.
The portrayal of what a life, with 2 children, is like when living in a hotel room.
It is an uncomfortable and depressing read, I think that is because it feels so accurate.

I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Roisín O'Donnell offers a poignant and gripping portrayal of Ireland's housing crisis through the eyes of a young mother, Ciara. With two children and another on the way, Ciara is forced to flee her abusive husband, who refuses to let her stay in their home unless it's on his terms and denies her any financial support.

Finding herself with no other option, Ciara moves into a hotel room provided by social housing. This situation, as she discovers, is all too common for many families struggling to find stable housing. O'Donnell's narrative is both engulfing and emotional, shedding light on the harsh realities faced by those in similar circumstances.

The novel's strength lies in its ability to make the housing crisis deeply personal and relatable. Through Ciara's story, readers gain a profound understanding of the challenges and injustices that many people endure. The writing is powerful and evocative, making "Nesting" a compelling read that stays with you long after you've turned the last page.

Wow! This was excellent, and so good I read it over 2 short evenings. We follow Ciara, who is pregnant and who has just left her abusive husband Ryan, taking her two daughters Ella and Sophie, as she tries to move away from him and rebuild her life.

People often ask why an abused woman "didn't just leave" and that was a good illustration of just why: no money, no housing, landlords won't take a single mum on benefits, no support, and the constant fear. Ryan was not a particularly deep character - after 400 pages I am still unsure what exactly was his job, we don't know much about him, but he is a shadow throughout the whole book, his texts and questions appearing every few pages, a not-so-distant threat.

I think at times the secondary characters felt unnecessary and a bit tokenist, but overall I liked the tone - it read a bit like a thriller - and the anxiety I felt reading this novel.

A compelling and heartbreaking read. The author tackled the subject matter so well and shone a light on the plight of families in need who are running from those who should be protecting them. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy.

Beautifully crafted and incredibly touching, this is a book about a woman desperately struggling for independence from her emotionally abusive husband. Really well-written, with great character development.

Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley for my review copy.

Nesting follows Ciara as she tries to leave an abusive marriage and protect herself and her children. This book hooked me right from the start and honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like this. I found it really compelling and addictive to read, the story is told so well and I really felt for Ciara and wanted to reach through my kindle and give her a hug. A really powerful, emotional, yet inspiring read.

Ah but this broke my heart over and over again. Compelling to read, enlightening if devastating. Accessible prose, I flew through it. I was left a little unsatisfied by the end.