Nothing But Blue Sky

By: Kathleen MacMahon

Narrated by: Stephen Hogan

Brought to you by Penguin.

Is there such a thing as a perfect marriage?

David thought so. But when his wife Mary Rose dies suddenly he has to think again. In reliving their twenty years together David sees that the ground beneath them had shifted and he simply hadn't noticed. Or had chosen not to.

Figuring out who Mary Rose really was and the secrets that she kept - some of these hidden in plain sight - makes David wonder if he really knew her. Did he even know himself?

Nothing But Blue Sky is a precise and tender story of love in marriage - a gripping examination of what binds couples together and of what keeps them apart.

© Kathleen MacMahon 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Critic reviews

A poignant, gentle and astutely observed novel about marriage and the evolution of love

A piece of perfection - a subtle, thought-provoking investigation of a marriage. It rings true. It's the best book I've read all year

What a beautiful novel ... elegant, understated, subtly powerful, and rings so perfectly true ... Beautiful, poignant moments, drawn with such quiet power. And that quiet power is alive and at work on every page (Donal Ryan)

Beautiful and moving (Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled Ground)

Insightful and deeply moving, this is a story of one man's grief that somehow manages to hold onto its sense of humour. I loved this book (Christine Dwyer Hickey)

Skilfully written with a wonderful lightness of touch ... An acutely observed portrait of a relationship ... filled with astute observations of human behaviour

Kathleen MacMahon's prose could not appear more effortless or beautiful

Heart-rending ... a tender and beautiful [love story] ... MacMahon's words ring with the honesty of truth, offering genuine insight into the human condition

A tender dissection of marriage

This elegant, tender novel is an absolute pleasure

So very sad and real.

I only faintly recommend a “warning” to potential listeners who may be triggered by events in this novel..but then we seasoned readers have some idea what we might be up against in a story.
The melancholy realism that this writing evokes is so well constructed. Back and forth the writer’s memory takes us through the punishing truths of a particular group of people.
I was moved by the detailed authenticity. From irritations to major catastrophe, all readers may catch a glimpse of what they have been a part of, or so very, very luckily missed out on…and therein lies a huge difference.