Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

In the literary landscape of contemporary fiction, Alan Murrin’s “Coast Road” emerges as a poignant exploration of the human condition. Set against the backdrop of 1990s Ireland, a time when the country grappled with the constraints of traditional values, Murrin weaves a tale that is as much about the scenic Irish coast as it is about the inner landscapes of his characters.

The novel follows the intertwined lives of Izzy Keaveney and Colette Crowley, two women whose personal struggles reflect the broader societal challenges of the era. Izzy, trapped in a stifling marriage, seeks solace in the companionship of a parish priest, while Colette, a poet, grapples with the consequences of leaving her family for an affair. Their friendship becomes a lifeline, but also a catalyst for events that will alter their lives irrevocably.

Murrin’s prose is a masterclass in subtlety and depth. He captures the essence of the rugged Irish coast with a painter’s precision, using it as a metaphor for the tumultuous emotional states of his characters. The narrative is paced like the ebb and flow of the tide, pulling the reader into the depths of the characters’ experiences and then casting them back onto the shore, transformed.

The author’s portrayal of women’s autonomy is particularly striking. In a society where divorce is not yet legal, the female characters’ quest for independence is fraught with obstacles, yet their resilience shines through. Murrin does not shy away from the darker aspects of their journey, presenting a raw and unflinching look at the price of freedom.

“Coast Road” resonates with the echoes of Ireland’s past, yet its themes of struggle, empowerment, and redemption are timeless. It is a testament to the enduring spirit of its characters and the transformative power of human connection.

Set in Ireland in the 1990s, as the country approaches a referendum which will legalize divorce nationwide, The Coast Road shows the affects of marriage and patriarchy on the lives of those living in a small coastal town. Collette returns after leaving her family for a married man, only to have her husband refuse to let her see her children. Through a friendship she develops with Izzy, secret meetings with her youngest son are arranged, which will result in consequences for all involved. For fans of Elizabeth Stout and Colm Toibin.

Wow! This is a debut?! Smooth, lyrical and authentic prose, believable characters, and a suspenseful, well paced plot. This book honestly has everything I personally want in a novel. I read it in one sitting and let things slide to find out what happened. I was born and raised in Ireland and remember clearly the divorce debate. I appreciate the history and political angle that fit seamlessly with an excellent story. The three women and their various types of marriage were relatable and real. I have friends who could have been them. Their individual situation
and the decisions that each ultimately made were so well described that I was honestly surprised to see that the author is male. Thanks so much for an excellent novel, Alan Murrin, and hurry up with the next one. Thanks to Net Galley and to the publisher for my preview copy.

The Coast Road
by Alan Murrin
Pub Date: June 4, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
Set in 1994, The Coast Road tells the story of two women—Izzy Keaveney, a housewife, and Colette Crowley, a poet. Colette has left her husband and sons for a married man in Dublin. When she returns to her home in County Donegal to try to pick up the pieces of her old life, her husband, Shaun, a successful businessman, denies her access to her children.

The only way she can see them is with the help of neighbor Izzy, acting as a go-between. Izzy also feels caught in a troubled marriage. The friendship that develops between them will ultimately lead to tragedy for one, and freedom for the other.
The story has strong female voices, tragic relationships, and mixed with a bit of mystery but mostly it is fraught with bad timing. Women, born of a time where they are bound by the rule of law and limitations set by a patriarchal society. Topics include marriage, friendships, career, divorce, abortion, family law, and parental rights.

Addictive as Big Little Lies with a depth and compassion that rivals the works of Claire Keegan, Elizabeth Strout, and Colm Tóibín, The Coast Road is a story about the limits placed on women’s lives in Ireland only a generation ago, and the consequences women have suffered trying to gain independence. I found this book to be very enlightening.
4 stars

This is a heart wrenching story following several women who are stuck in difficult marriages while divorce is still illegal in Ireland (1994-95). They all had separate, unique stories and challenges in their marriages, but their stories were intertwined in such a perfect way. This book was beautifully written and although it is a quite different setting from many popular historical fiction books, I think historical fiction lovers should definitely pick this one up!

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC of this book in exchange for my review.

I thought this was a wonderfully told story. It was heartbreaking but also inspiring. This book praises the strength of a woman. Great story!

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than anything else I've read recently. I couldn't put it down! I will keep an eye out for this author's future work!

The Coast Road is set in the 1990s in small town Ireland pre- legalization of divorce. It follows several middle-aged women stuck in unfulfilling unhappy marriages. The book is very character-driven without a lot of plot until the end. Because of this, I found it a little tedious because the many different characters are hard to keep straight. Also, are there any kind men or happy marriages in this town or are all the husbands scumbags??? With that being said, while it took me a long time to get into, it was really beautifully written and quite moving. Once I got to know the characters, I was invested in them and felt their frustrations. I think a lot of people are going to like this book. Like, my mom is going to like this book. But you can't go into it hoping for a fast-paced plot.

The Coast Road tells the story of three women in Ireland in the 1990s - when it was still illegal to divorce. That historical fact alone shocked me.

The friendship of the women of this small town bond as they negotiate a world in which love goes wrong, and one woman's choices leads to the loss of her children. The story is haunting, and the language evocative and transports the reader into this highly disturbing and misogynistic world.

Set in Ireland in the 1990s ahead of the vote to narrowly make divorce legal, this novel explores troubled women in troubled marriages and how they manage their relationship with their husbands, their children and their peers. The premise of the book makes it sound dark, but there are funny and thought provoking moments as well. It’s easy to think about what one would do in any given circumstance, but this is a historical fiction set in a foreign country, so the reader can only root for the women and hope their stories end well.
Once the characters were established, the book slows a bit as the reader starts to see the tangled web between the women and tries to remember who is who, but the novel steps on the gas about mid point and has a twisty exciting climax and finish.
A slice of history in a country I’d love to move to tomorrow. I really enjoyed these characters and their stories.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance reader copy. The review will appear on Goodreads.
4 solid stars.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperVia Publishing for an eARC ♥️

Ah, "The Coast Road" by Alan Murrin, a symphony of words that whispers tales of three women, their lives entwined like the gentle lapping of waves on the Irish shore. Dolores, Izzy, and Colette, each a unique melody, harmonize in a poignant chorus of love, loss, and longing.

In 1990s Ireland, where divorce is a distant dream, they navigate treacherous tides of marriage, motherhood, and identity, their stories unfolding like the ebb and flow of the sea. Murrin's masterful pen crafts a narrative that's both a lament and divine.

Each sentence a lyrical stroke, "The Coast Road" paints a world of rugged beauty, where the wind howls and the rain pounds, yet hope lingers like a haunting refrain. As the women search for freedom, their journeys become a symphony of resilience, a testament to the human spirit that will leave you breathless and moved.

I absolutely in love with the cover of the book ♥️

Thank you NetGalley and HarperVia for the copy of The Coast Road by Alan Murrin. I love debut novels and books set in Ireland, so I knew this was the book for me and I wasn’t disappointed because this is a stunning book. Murrin’s lyrical writing and how he introduced the characters with vignettes of their lives to make the reader care about them and then wove them all together reminded me of my favorite Maeve Binchy books. Do not miss this book if you love being immersed in great stories with characters you believe in.

A big thank you for the opportunity to read Alan Murin's novel, The Coast Road. Set in Ireland in the 1990's it tells the story of several women who are estranged from their husbands.

Unbelievable as it was to me, Ireland did not grant divorces until June of 1997. Women and men were forced to stay in loveless marriages, some separating but unable to move forward towards finding happiness and love with another partner.

This was a very sad book, and at times, quite heartbreaking. The writing was eloquent and the characters fully fleshed out. It was a great read...

A brilliant debut novel.I was drawn in from the first pages the women the characters immediately became alive.Three women each in unhappy marriages in Ireland where divorce was not legal till 1996.each suffering only one separated.Alan Murrrin writes so beautifully capturing their emotions their daily desperation.I will be looking forward to more novels from him.#netgalley #harpervia

I really enjoyed this book.
The story takes place in 90s Ireland, pre legalization of divorce. We follow three women Dolores who is married to an adulterer, Izzy who is married to a politician and Colette who is married but separated from her well to do husband.
The writing is superb, a real character study. I loved following these women's lives while they maneuver through messy situations. I can't get over how good the writing is...lyrical, in depth, moving... A great book for people that like to read about the day to day madness of ordinary people.

The Coast Road is a historical fiction novel set in the 1990's while Ireland was undergoing the vote to legalize divorce. First of all, it's shocking to learn that Ireland took until 1996 to legalize divorce and it barely passed the vote. That bit of information left me gobsmacked!
The Coast Road focuses upon relationships of a few different families all from the same small town. Colette is the main focus of the story as she has recently left her husband for another man. We learn of her plight to fight her husband to see her children as she moves back to the small town to be near them. Colette is the main narrative of the story however Izzy and Dolores and their marriages are also interwoven into the story.
The main storyline is about the limitations of small-town Ireland, its patriarchal society with peer pressure and gossip, all overshadowed by the control of the church. Women were expected to care for their homes, children, and support their husband without regard for their own aspirations.
The story has strong female voices, tragic relationships, and mixed with a bit of mystery but mostly it is fraught with bad timing. Women, born of a time where you are bound by the rule of law and limitations set by a patriarchal society. Topics include marriage, friendships, career, divorce, abortion, family law, and parental rights.
I found the storytelling spellbinding and the author's unraveling of Colette's complicated story well told. I enjoyed the multi-layers of each community member's interpersonal relationships.
My favorite quote from the book, "She had exhausted herself with stories, spent her life and energy in always wanting things to be another way. The only thing that seemed to offer her comfort was the lesson she had taken from Colette-that acceptance was not the same as resignation."

I loved this book and couldn’t believe it was a debut. Set in Ireland in the 1990’s when divorce was still illegal, it highlights the stories of three different woman, their marriages and how their lives will be entangled forever. This book explores the cost of independence and the price you often have to pay for freedom. Colette, a successful poet, has left her husband after an affair and rents the summer cottage of Delores and Donal Mullen. She teaches a writers workshop where she meets Izzy. Izzy is one of the few women in town who doesn’t judge Colette and they develop a friendship. Colette, Izzy and Delores become entangled in each others lives as the book races to a devastating conclusion. The role of church and state, the imbalance of power between men and women in relationships and a picture of life and gossip in a small town. Beautiful, intricate with a touch of humor because it is Irish after all . Such a great story, layered. well developed characters and humorous, real dialogue. I’ve preordered my copy. Just loved this book!

I found this novel to be a story about the empowerment of women. Set in Ireland in the mid 1990’s, the timeline is parallel with the vote to legalize divorce. I was amazed to discover that before 1996, divorce was illegal in Ireland. Not only that, but that men could refuse to allow their wives to see their children if they chose to separate themselves from their marriage.

The novel highlights the lives of a few different families and the roles of the husbands and the wives. It showcases the detailed thoughts that many women find themselves having as the primary housekeeper and caretaker of the children, namely in a home that is very much under patriarchal control.

I felt the characters grew and developed nicely throughout the story. Allies were formed in surprising places. One of my favorite scenes was when Colette and Carl are at the beach and she teaches him that anger can be had, but that it needs to be released in particular ways in order to be safe and productive. She had made many mistakes in her life, but it was clear that she wanted only good things for her children and was willing to go to great lengths to be present in their lives. It was a telling piece of the story that went to show that removing mothers from their children’s lives was not always the best approach. One decision was made and she lost all that was known to her, including her community.

Izzy played a very strong female role and made it known that you can be a mother as well as a business woman. You dont have to choose one or the other. A woman is capable of being both and doing it well. I felt her character was a great spotlight that friends can come about in a variety of ways. Regardless of her feelings about Colette’s choices in life, Izzy went on to be an advocate for Colette and her children. She was fantastic at reminding people, men specifically, that she was well aware how to navigate a patriarchal society and wasn’t afraid to use her voice.

Told through a few different voices, the book proves to be a snapshot in small town living and how that can have a huge impact on everyday life for all its people.

This is an ARC read and I read and reviewed it voluntarily.