Beautiful coming of age story set in a fictional Irish sea-side village in the hot summer of 1976. When a dolphin decides to play in the bay old rivalries are ignited and lines are drawn.

This was a book that I Really enjoyed this read and I would recommend to others easily, I will be looking out for other titles by this author.

I requested this book mostly because of its cover. The synopsis also sounded good, and that was my second reason to request it.
This book was, unfortunately, not one that really grabbed my attention. It was enjoyable enough to keep reading to see what happened next, but on the whole, it was kind of forgettable to me.
I think other people will definitely enjoy this one, though.

The book is a really interesting piece on prejudices arising from social class and on parochial hatred that blooms between different communities as they try to assert their dominance and notions of betterment over the other.

The MC Emer is a compelling character to read about. She’s at times incredibly naive and at others deeply perceptive. It’s really fascinating to read about her relationship with her parents and how she doesn’t actually realise how constrained her life is until she falls in love with someone that her father would not deem as suitable. And she doesn’t become the stereotypical rebellious type when she does begin to see how her life has been mapped out for her, she instead quietly finds ways to express who she is but yet by the book’s end she’s gone on a pretty massive journey character-wise. I really enjoyed her character arc and felt so keenly for all the emotional turmoil she went through throughout the book.

I absolutely loved the character of Seth “Dog” Cullen. His character is loosely based on the mythological character of Cú Chulainn and I really think that author Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick penned him perfectly. He was this juxtaposition of sensitivity and aggression, and it was very easy to see how Emer could fall for this boy with so many mysterious depths to his personality.

A dolphin rocks up in the bay of an impoverished Irish town in the hot summer of 1976, transforming the lives of the local community. For the adults, it's a chance to cash in, selling ice creams and boat trips but for Emer it's a chance to conenct with a wild creature, a means of escape from her restricted life at home - and a link to local badboy loner Seth "Dog" Cullen. But the town's good fortune enrages kids from the upmarket town nearby and a bitter feud rips the two communities apart. Emer, Dog and their friends find themselves trapped in the crossfire.

Although based on an Irish legend, On Midnight Beach feels gritty and real and although it's soaked in the hot, stifling details of the summer of '76 (tarmac melting, plagues of ladybirds) it's modern, fresh and compelling. I started the book slowly and hesitantly because I wasn't sure where it would take me but as I read on the characters (mainly Emer and noble outsider Dog) pulled me in. I was desperate to find out what was going to happen, but knew deep down that this kind of feud escalates, and unless Emer can stop the fighting, there's only one way it can end...

On Midnight Beach follows a group of teenagers who bond with a dolphin that enters their shores. It also follows the story of a boy from the rival town, and the conflict between the two towns because of this dolphin. I didn’t love this book, but it was still a nice read. I liked some of the characters, but found the story a bit over the top, I really enjoyed the friendships and all of the relationships between the characters. I did love the ending though. I would have liked to see more of a connection with the dolphin as they fought so hard for it, but there didn’t seem to be much of a connection there. I also would have loved more emotion, and to feel more, but the writing style didn't do that. Overall, this book nice, but I wouldn't rave about it.

'On Midnight Beach' is a young adult story about Emer who, together with three other teens, got obsessed over a dolphin in the bay. The four teenagers try to get closer to the dolphin. It's an adventure that brings up lots of other feelings. Love, friendship and growing-up are large themes in this book.

I adored the cover and the description of the book grabbed my attention immediately. When I started reading, the story didn't grab my attention. It wasn't boring, but it didn't feel exciting either. Emer is a fun and bubbly character which made me think that this wasn't her story.
I found the writing style not so pleasant. The story reads smoothly, but it stays that way. I found the writing method very monotonous.
The book did contain nice sub-themes such as friendship. They contain a lot of lessons for the reader. As a reader, you notice that the writer wants to tell more than just a story.
The characters and setting were also very well developed. The characters had their own unique character and therefore stood out of the group. Their personalities matched perfectly with the role they played in the story. The setting went with the atmosphere of the story.

I didn't think it was a bad book, but it didn't conquer me either. The story itself did not grab me enough to adore this story.

I loved this book. Not at all what I was expecting and kept changing and twisting until the very last pages. The main female character of Emer - what a girl. You feel for her at main points and for such a long girls and to go through so much in the space of only a couple months would make anyone stumble. The little town i feel won't ever be quite the same. I would love to see a follow on book and where her life goes next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick for allowing me to read this advanced copy. Can't wait to see what you publish next.