This book wasn't for me, but I think it would do well as a book group selection as there are lots of things to discuss.

So many secrets so much insight. A great Graham Norton story.a fun read and the narrator was fantastic

Forever Home is a family drama full of secrets and hurt feelings with a little surprise murder mystery thrown in for good measure. I really enjoyed every time Moira was in the story, but the other characters were nearly insufferable in their timidity or selfishness. The author narrated his own book and I enjoyed that aspect as well as the surprise twist with the mystery. Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for the early listen in exchange for my honest opinion. 3.5 stars

Absolutely fabulous. I had no idea Graham Norton was an author; after listening to this book ( Graham is a wonderful narrator), I couldn’t wait to read his other works!

Thanks to Harper Audio and NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Graham Norton certainly seems to be the heir apparent to Maeve Binchy - I haven't found anyone else who embodies small-village Ireland in a feel-good package. This book gets a bit off course towards the middle, and you have to suspend your disbelief a bit, but it's still overall enjoyable.

Declan and Carol have been together, unmarried. for a dozen years. Declan is much older, and his wife apparently left him and disappeared years ago. Carol taught Declan's daughter at school, which led to tutoring her at her home, which led to romance with Declan and Carol's moving in.

Now, though, Declan is having memory issues. Carol is holding it together with him at their home, and has even quit her teaching job in order to care for him 24/7. Enter Declan's son, who strongarms his sister into putting Declan into a care facility, kicking Carol out, and selling the house. But Carol, though feeling defeated, has a few tricks up her sleeve, with the help of her indomitable mother, Moira, and a surprising ally ...

This one was less compelling than Home Stretch (I was actually hoping for a continuation of those characters but it was not to be), but Norton does another excellent job of narrating. Enjoyable if not amazing.

I’m always a bit skeptical about celebrity novels, but this was a thoroughly entertaining and heart- felt novel imbued with good humor and keen social observations. I also usually shy clear of audiobooks read by the author, but Norton is a terrific narrator. Unputdownable.
Highly recommended for all fiction readers.

Audiobook Version of Forever Home by Graham Norton 3.5 Stars (Almost 4!)

How did I not know Graham was an established author? I adore him feel ridiculous that I didn't know he had so many published books. When I saw this pop up in NetGalley as an auto approved audiobook, I thought it looked really interesting, had no idea that it was written by "My Graham Norton"! As I started the audiobook, I thought, "this sounds like Graham Norton...wait a minute". Hence the moment the lightbulb went on a revelation was born.

This book feels like it fits into so many genres. Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Thriller. It has a bit of every flavor. We meet Carol, a school teacher who is divorced, her son is grown and gone and she is looking at what love looks like a second time around. However; Declan, the man she falls for isn't what other people would call conventional and they are the topic of all the town gossip. They don't care and build a beautiful life together and make a home together. Of course, it can't just be that simple. Declan's family becomes it's own main character and they throw a wedge in between the two as Declan's health is in decline. This is where the drama, secrets and tension start to unravel.

Overall, I thought this was a great reading experience. I would rate this a solid 3.5 stars. The only reason this isn't a 4 star read for me... the pacing. It felt really slow in the beginning. Especially as the character backstories are being built, felt clunky and long winded. The characters are so great thought and the plot is so great that you quickly get over it. I really enjoyed the audiobook version because Graham himself narrates the book, that was a treat. Plus the ending is so fun as we learn all about Declan's past and how Carol moves forward... or does she?

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

What a great narrator!! I was aware of Graham Norton from clips I saw on Instagram from his show. I always enjoy his personality and interaction with the celebrities he has on his show but I didn't realize he also was an author - - and a narrator.

This book has an interesting story and good characters - made even more enjoyable by Norton's fun and unique accents for each character.

I'm going to read Norton's past books - - and look forward to his next one.

This is a review of the audiobook edition, narrated by the author, Graham Norton.

I was drawn to this book due to the author, as a longtime fan of The Graham Norton show, and was curious to find out that he had branched out to novels (although this is not his first).

I struggled to get into book and was about to give up when the story suddenly picked up about 1/3 of the way through. The first third of the book was spend setting up the characters and not much with regards to plot development. I am glad that I stuck with it as I enjoyed this story and found it amusing at times and relatable when sharing the very different family dynamics for all of the characters. I look forward to reading other Graham Norton novels.

Thank you to NetGalley, Graham Norton, and Harper Audio for this advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this audio edition of Forever Home by Graham Norton.

This is what I call a "story telling story." It's hard to really put it in a genre, other than just a really good story. It's part domestic, part mystery, and full of personality!

Carol, who once shared a nice life with her partner Declan in his beautiful home, has had her life turned upside down. After making the excruciating decision to put him in a home when his mind deteriorates, she learns that his children are out to sell his home, rendering Carol homeless. But Carol's parents won't stand for it, they buy the house and find something incredibly shocking in the basement that might change everything that Carol once knew about her life...

This really had everything, including so much humor and charm, The characters were well fleshed out, and each side story did well to serve the whole. I fully enjoyed it and look forward to more of Norton's books!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the free audio book in exchange for an honest review. This is narrated by the author and its fun to listen to! You get the sarcasm and humor plus the lovely irish accent!

I am new to Graham Norton and this will not be my last book by him! This was such a fast paced read! Carol loves and lives with Declan later in her life, and unfortunately, he has developed early onset dementia. When his children move him suddenly into a nursing home, Carol has to move back home with her parents and no job, at an age when even her grown son is on his own. As Carol starts coming to terms with her life change, some secrets emerge from Declan’s past, causing Carol to now question everything she knew about him. Enter Moira, Carol’s mother, who adds a sarcastic wit to the situation as well as a crazy resolution to the drama. Got to love our dysfunctional families, especially salty moms like Moira!

Fast paced, funny and great characters that are so real that you have empathy for them!

Highly recommend!!

I could listen to Graham Norton read this book all day - unfortunately that would be more for the lyrical magic of his narration rather than any magic I found in the story itself. I must confess that I could not connect to the characters here and could not stop being irritated at the characters long enough to find my way into feeling anything for them other than a sense of frustration for various reasons depending on the character. Even Norton's fantastic voice and lyrical relating of language could not save this one for me. It just was not a good fit...

Thank you HarperAudio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.
I LOVED IT!
I have never laughed so much listening to a book as I did this one.
Even though some of the storyline might be considered a bit gruesome, what came out of Moira's mouth was deadpan comedy. It reminded me of the Dowager Gratham (Dame Maggie Smith) in Downton Abby or Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet, if you please) in Keeping Up Appearances.
I was so entertained by this book and by Graham Norton's performance, I was shocked I had already listened to the entire thing and it came to an end.
The author could have done deep dives into more of the characters' backstories too make a much longer book and I would have loved every second of it.
This would make a fantastic movie.
The setting and characters are so vivid.
Graham Norton is an exceptional narrator bringing every character to life with unique voices.

I really like Graham Norton and find him very funny. I had no idea he wrote books so I jumped at the chance to listen to his newest one, Forever Home. Read by Norton himself, Forever Home is a sweet, funny mystery (of a sort).

Carol is enraged at being displaced by her partner's grown children when her partner develops dementia and goes in a home. All she wants to do is take care of Declan in the home he never wanted to sell but his children won't follow his wishes.

It's a book about family relationships, dark secrets and loneliness. Like every Irish person I've ever met, Norton finds the humour in the darkest of times. I really enjoyed it and felt like I lived down the road from Carol as Norton really sets the scene and the characters.

I must check out his other books. I think I'll keep going with the audiobooks - Norton does such a great job reading them.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Audio for the audio version of this book.

I was immediately captivated by Forever Home, and what made it even better was that it was narrated by the author himself, Graham Norton. The story delved into the intricacies of family dynamics, taking unexpected turns that kept me thoroughly engaged. Some might argue that certain aspects were far-fetched, but for me, it only added to the charm and enjoyment of the book. Each character felt authentic and multifaceted, like real people with their own complexities. Among them, Moira became my favorite, leaving a lasting impression.

Forever Home is a delightful exploration of secrets, family, and the impact of past events. It may take unexpected twists and turns, but that's precisely what makes it such an enjoyable and entertaining read. Graham Norton's storytelling prowess shines brightly, making this book a must-read for fans and newcomers alike.

Note: This review is based on the audiobook version, narrated by the author himself.

Thank you to Graham Norton, Harper Audio, and NetGalley for this ARC audiobook! Forever Home is a Contemporary Mystery set in Ireland. The beginning of this book was really beautiful, almost haunting. Toward the middle/end, I started feeling a bit disappointed, as the plot seemed far-fetched. I really enjoyed Graham’s narration, though, and would likely read more of his work! Regardless of the unlikely plot, I’d still recommend this to other fans of Norton.

Graham Norton is a gifted storyteller and his narration of the audiobook was top notch. This is a mother-daughter story, and while I love a good dysfunctional family story, this one missed a few opportunities to explore the relationship while a series of unexpected events take place. Liked it well enough and found it to be an entertaining listen.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the advanced reader's copy.

Along with Richard Osman, Graham Norton, too, shows us how multitalented he is with his latest offering, Forever Home, which he narrates beautifully. Norton tells the story of Carol, a divorced teacher who falls in love and moves in with Declan, the father of a student whom she's tutoring. Declan's wife (they never divorced), disappeared years before and the story fast-forwards to the present, when Declan is institutionalized with dementia and his two grown children are struggling with their own lives. Forever Home can be read either as an easily accessible story of parent/child relationships and/or a dark comedy, in which nothing is really what it seems on the surface. Many of the characters border on being formulaic portrayals: adult daughters who cower under their mothers' control; gay men who show all the (hopefully previous) stereotype;, understanding fathers who clean up their spouses' and children's messes; an aging fisherman with only 2 teeth. The plot is straight-forward yet comedically absurd and in the end one overlooks the book's flaws. Readers will find this an enjoyable and easy read/listen.

Having been a long fan of his talk show, I was excited to hear Graham Norton narrate his newest book. I found it charming and the stories and characters really drew me in. The writing is very sharp and atmospheric.

Thank you to the publishers for providing this ebook and audiobook.

Engaging, heartfelt, and expertly narrated. A recommended first purchase in all formats for most collections.