The Irish Goodbye by Heather Aimee O’Neill @heatheraimeeoneill @kristensieh @macmillan.audio @macmillanaudio.bsky.social #TheIrishGoodbye

the setup…
It’s 2015 and the Ryan family is gathering at the Port Haven, New York home to celebrate Thanksgiving with Parents Robert and Nora as the hosts. Daughter Cait is flying in from London with her twins; Alice and husband Kyle live nearby but will stay overnight with their two sons; and youngest Maggie is coming with her new girlfriend Isabel, a first. It’s been twenty-five years since the family was rocked by the death of their son Topher’s friend’s younger brother in an accident on his boat and the lawsuit that crippled them. And, it’s been eleven years since Topher’s suicide. Both events still weigh heavily on them all and each child is bringing new secrets and baggage with them.

the heart of the story…
An Irish goodbye is defined to be a stealthy exit from a party without fuss or fanfare, a secret escape. Cait is burdened by guilt associated with what happened the day Topher’s friend died. Alice has just learned something that will threaten her burgeoning design career and marriage. Maggie is keeping a secret from Isabel that could end their relationship before it gets started. All just want to quietly slip away to just deal. Combined it was a dish that threatens to be served up hot on this holiday.

the narration…
It’s all about the storytelling and Kristen Sieh did an outstanding job of that, including expert voice distinctions. She had me riveted.

the bottom line…
Family drama at its finest without a lot of…well, drama. It’s all in the unsaid as everyone tries to quietly find a way out of dealing with their issues, even though the stress of it all overlayed everything. I liked these people, even Cait who comes across a bit self absorbed but those two deaths left a permanent mark on all of them that they never dealt with head on. This is a fascinating study of how a tragedy shaped a good family and a defining holiday where it all rises to the surface.

Book Info

• Release Date: September 30, 2025
• Narrator: Kristen Sieh
• Audio Length: 8 hours, 35 minutes
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio

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(Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)