Three adult sisters reunited at their childhood home must confront a shared tragedy in The Irish Goodbye – the devastatingly beautiful debut novel from Heather Aimee O’Neill.

It’s been years since the three Ryan sisters were all home together at their family’s beloved house on Long Island. Two decades ago, their lives were upended by a tragic accident on their brother Topher’s boat that drove him to suicide. Now, the Ryan women are back for Thanksgiving, but each carries a heavy secret.

The eldest, Cait, is still holding guilt for the role no one knows she played in the boat accident, when she rekindles a flame with her high school crush, Topher’s best friend. Middle sister, Alice, has been thrown a curveball threatening her career and, potentially, her marriage. And the youngest, Maggie, is finally taking the risk to bring the woman she loves home to her devoutly Catholic mother.

When Cait invites a guest to Thanksgiving dinner, old tensions boil over and new truths surface. Far more than a family holiday will be ruined unless the sisters can find a way to forgive themselves – and each other.

This is the kind of book that sits quietly with you rather than knocking the wind out of you. I went in expecting an emotional gut punch, and while it didn’t quite hit that level for me, I still found myself deeply engaged with the story and the family at its center.

The novel follows the Ryan family, focusing on sisters, Cait, Alice, and Maggie, who are reunited at their childhood home on Long Island for Thanksgiving. It’s the first time they’ve all been back together in years, and the weight of the past hangs heavy over the gathering. Two decades earlier, their brother Topher died by suicide after years of dealing with the aftermath of a tragic accident on his boat. That loss fractured the family in ways that never fully healed, and each sister carries her own version of guilt, grief, and unfinished business.

What worked best for me here is the family dynamic. The relationships between the sisters was believable. There’s resentment, tenderness, frustration, and a lot of unspoken hurt simmering just below the surface. The pain surrounding Topher’s death is palpable in every interaction. It’s not always front and center, but it informs everything. The way the family avoids certain topics, the way they talk around each other, and the way old wounds resurface during a holiday meant to bring people together.

Each sister is dealing with her own private reckoning. Cait, the eldest, is quietly suffocating under guilt for a role she played in the events that led to Topher’s death. Alice, the middle sister, is facing a disruption that threatens both her career and her marriage. Maggie, the youngest, is preparing to bring the woman she loves home to their devoutly Catholic mother, a step that feels both brave and terrifying. These individual storylines are handled with care, and I appreciated how the book gives each woman space to exist as a fully formed person rather than reducing them to a single issue.

The writing style is a definite strength. O’Neill’s prose is thoughtful and controlled, never overwrought, and it suits the introspective nature of the story well. She has a good handle on quiet moments and internal conflict, and she allows scenes to breathe without rushing them toward confrontation. The tension builds gradually, and when old truths finally surface, they land with purpose even if they didn’t completely floor me.

That said, I found myself wanting the emotional impact to cut a little deeper. The ingredients for something devastating are all here, but for me, the story stayed just shy of that full emotional release. I connected with the characters, but I didn’t quite feel wrecked by their revelations in the way I expected to. That’s not necessarily a flaw, but it did shape my overall experience.

I listened to this on audiobook, and the narration deserves special mention. Kristen Sieh does an excellent job bringing the Ryan family to life. She handles multiple accents with ease and captures the emotional tone of the story beautifully. Her performance added warmth and nuance, especially in the quieter, more reflective moments. If you’re an audiobook listener, this is a great way to experience the book.

This is an engaging family drama that explores grief, guilt, forgiveness, and the complicated bonds between sisters. It may not have been the emotional knockout I was hoping for, but I still enjoyed spending time with these characters and appreciated the care taken with their story. If you enjoy character-driven family dramas and stories about the long shadow of shared tragedy, this one is well worth your time.

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