A gripping, hyper-realistic account of coercive control and the Irish housing crisis. I have never felt this level of anxiety the whole way through reading a book. Some books you know will stay with you for a long time and this is one of them. With a range of well-developed characters and vividly described scenes, this feels like a story I truly witnessed rather than just read about.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an eARC of this stunning book. My review will be included in my reading wrap up on TikTok @ModernIdiot

There’s a sprinkle of commercial glitter to this story about a pregnant woman with two little girls escaping her emotionally abusive husband, and navigating life outside his control. And that’s exactly what makes Nesting so great. Like, I-can’t-see-it-not-being-one-of-my-favourite-books-of-the-year type great. Roisín O’Donnell tackles difficult subjects with real emotional heft—but never forsakes momentum for protracted interiority. This is high-voltage family drama that somehow stays the right side of melodrama.

When Nesting opens, Ciara’s husband, Ryan, hasn’t physically assaulted her—yet. But the threat of violence looms. This is man prone to dark mood swings. He gaslights, he undermines, he shouts and screams, and controls Ciara financially. And finally, she’s had enough. She can’t live like this. More than that—she can’t allow her children to live like this, under a cloud of menace. So a pregnant Ciara absconds with her children, and her paltry savings, and reaches out to social services for help.

But bureaucracies love to keep people adrift in a cycle of baffling paperwork, and hoops to jump through. Nothing is ever simple. And so, Ciara, Sophie, and Ella find themselves living in emergency accommodations in a hotel. Isolated from her family living in England, with Ryan breathing down her neck for custody of the kids, that fresh start Ciara hoped for seems impossible.

Nesting is utterly propulsive, and terrifyingly real. O’Donnell’s characterisation never takes a back seat to polemic, which would be forgivable, given her own experiences. This grips from start to finish.

Amazing, taunt, heartbreaking and tense, this novel will be on many reader’s top lists this year. Hard to believe this a debut.

Nesting touches on such incredibly important topics for any women/mother and is done in a way that has you tearing through the pages.

Highly recommend.

One of the most powerful books I have read for some time. If you have ever wondered why women stay in a bad marriage, then this is the book for you. Following the story of a woman experiencing coercive control, you will feel angry, sad, hopeful, fearful, all in the space of a few pages. Highly recommend!

People don’t know what reserves of strength they have until they are called upon to draw on them. At least, this was Ciara’s experience when she knew she had to get away from her coercive, narcissistic husband. She showed enormous bravery and determination to find accommodation for herself, her two small girls and her unborn baby through Dublin’s overcrowded welfare system.

This is a powerful book which moved me so deeply I found it hard to put down. There were so many times when it would have seemed easier for Ciara to go back to her former home but she knew she had to weigh up the hardship of making a new life for her children against the potential emotional damage they would suffer growing up with their father.

How to tell if overpowering love is going to turn into total control? Friends can sometimes see signs from the beginning of a relationship but if they try to raise them they risk losing their friend, or even their family member. I’m speaking as an outsider.

I hope this book reaches the people who need to read it. Ciara’s strength would be inspirational. In fact, anyone who loves stories of triumph over adversity would, I’m sure, find it as gripping as I did.

You won my heart, Roisin O’Donnell. I’ll have it back now, thank you!

Published by Scribner

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
What a compelling debut novel!
Ciara makes a split-second decision that will change her life forever—she flees her emotionally abusive husband with her two young daughters. Set against Dublin's housing crisis, Nesting explores her immense challenges in securing housing and navigating a complex and often unforgiving bureaucracy.

With limited resources and no immediate support system, Ciara's journey is a testament to resilience, motherhood, and the pursuit of safety. O'Donnell does not shy away from the harsh realities of escaping domestic abuse, making this novel both gripping and deeply affecting.

The author fearlessly tackles difficult topics, crafting a poignant and thought-provoking story. The novel provides a raw and unfiltered look into the life of a woman striving to break free from an abusive relationship while fighting for a better future for herself and her children.

Overall, Nesting is a powerful and emotionally charged debut that left a lasting impression. Roisín O'Donnell's writing is both evocative and profoundly moving, and I am eagerly looking forward to reading more from her in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) | Scribner Australia for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a compelling debut novel, following tbr journey of a mother who flees her emotionally abusive husband with her two young daughters. Set against the backdrop of Dublin's housing crisis, the narrative explores themes of resilience, motherhood, and the pursuit of safety.

With limited resources and no immediate support system, she faces the daunting challenges of securing housing and navigating a complex bureaucracy. O'Donnell masterfully portrays her internal struggles, capturing her fears, uncertainties, and the overwhelming sense of isolation.

It’s a raw and authentic depiction of domestic abuse and the systemic obstacles that survivors encounter, while feeling fast paced enough to keep you turning the pages way past your bed time.

It’s deeply painful, raw, almost claustrophobic - but also poignant and thought-provoking novel, an unflinching look into the life of a woman striving to break free from an abusive relationship. Roisín O'Donnell's evocative storytelling and empathetic character development make this a must-read for those interested in contemporary fiction that addresses critical social issues.

I’m trying not to gush too much about this book but it’s hard because it truly took my breath away.

This is the author’s first novel and in her acknowledgements she notes that the book was inspired by a 3000 word write for a radio station on the theme of ‘independence.’

“If you’re a bird, the nest is pretty much the most dangerous place you can be. Sure, predators know where to find you.”

‘Nesting’ follows the journey of Ciara Fay, a mother of two and soon to be three, as she leaves her abusive and controlling husband, Ryan. The sheer arduousness of taking such a leap of faith is laid out at every step. The housing crisis, overcrowded shelters, paltry support, excessive redtape, under-resourced systems, are underpinned by the opportunistic way in which Ciara escaped, with zero preparation and minimal belongings. Ryan controls her finances. She has nothing, but she has her children, and she soldiers on for them in appalling conditions.

‘Surely something happens to the love in these situations. Like fired sand, she thinks, love strengthens, brightens.’

Compounding the above outlined problems is the insidious complexity of coercive control and psychological abuse. As Ciara tries to escape Ryan’s grasp, he maintains a hold on her, communicating throughout, insisting he see his children, gaslighting her into questioning if things were really that bad. Despite wavering, and albeit with a few backwards steps, Ciara shows a level of grit and a determined spirit, doing everything she can for her children and finding friendship and support along the way. I think it’s so important in novels like this to show the goodness in humanity; the cheerleaders and the helpers, the kind strangers. Pages this heavy need to hold hope.

‘All those nights she half-slept, leaning against the back of that bedroom door, praying for morning. It’s hard to imagine what happened here. But isn’t that always the way? A crime scene yields no emotional evidence. We stand on the battle-fields waiting for the voices of history to hit us, and all we hear is birdsong.’

The writing is immersive, with the kind of melodic melancholy reminiscent of Charlotte Wood’s ‘Stone Yard Devotional’ (shortlisted for the Booker, no less). Ciara’s anxiety is palpable, her misery tangible, her love incandescent. At times, her panic rose in my own chest and every time her lows left me crestfallen.

‘Driving back into the city, she can’t stop her mind from leaping. Those two girls in Menorca, found in a duffel bag on the ocean floor. Their parents had separated, their mum had just started seeing someone new. That other woman and her three children in Australia. Her ex set their car alight. Her family said she had just started trying to rebuild her life.’

‘That other woman’ actually lived only a few streets away from me at the time. Down the street from where I live now, two suburbs away, three state borders, a six hour car ride or 18 hour plane journey, people all over the world are living with similar risk, trapped in manipulative relationships, not recognising the abuse, because their partner has ‘never hit me.’ In her acknowledgements the author says ‘Nesting’ is for these people; people in emergency accommodation, especially their children, those falling between the cracks and the ones faced with the age old question: ‘why don’t you just leave?’

If there ever was a novel that outlined with such precision and sadness how ‘just leaving’ is actually a mammoth and complex task, it’s ‘Nesting.’

Mark my words: there are awards in this one’s future.

It would be unfair of me to give this book anything less than 5 stars. I was a bit hesitant about reading this given the subject matter, but the quality of the writing, the plot and the characters were all well-worth it. In the end, I was completely sucked into this story, and was rooting for Ciara and the kids, as well as the other loveable side-characters. A fabulous, hopeful and realistic novel of the complexities of love and life, and a reminder that change is rarely linear, but all we can do is make the next decision with what we have at the time.
Thank you to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for access to the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

EXCERPT: 'Here, let Mammy have some of that.' She takes a bite of Ella's ice cream, aiming to get rid of it before it melts completely. The sweetness makes her stomach turn. She can feel Ryan watching closely. 'Oh, God. The state of them. Ice cream is never that brilliant an idea, is it?'
Ryan says nothing. Here it is. The start of another of his silences.
A headache is building at the base of her skull. Her body, flooded by the uncanny sense that she's trapped. Stuck in this bright day forever. She's invisible, walking unseen through the crowds. Other women are happily herding children, holding partners hands or strolling with friends, talking. Her little meandering family blends in perfectly, so why are these dark thoughts swirling again?
Two years since she returned to Ryan. A couple of months since she stashed the wetsuit money in the nappy bag on some blind impulse. A flush of guilt, as if she's a smear on the perfect day, sullying the moment. She remembers that wartime painting she once saw in the Tate on a school trip to Liverpool. People on a merry-go-round. From a distance they looked happy. It was only when you looked closer that you could tell they were screaming.

ABOUT 'NESTING': On a bright spring afternoon in Dublin, Ciara Fay makes a split-second decision that will change her life. Grabbing an armful of clothes from the washing line, Ciara straps her two young daughters into her car and drives away. Head spinning, all she knows for certain is that home is no longer safe.

It was meant to be an escape. But with dwindling savings, no job, and her family across the sea, Ciara finds herself adrift, facing a broken housing system and the voice of her own demons. As summer passes and winter closes in, she must navigate raising her children in a hotel room, searching for a new home and dealing with her husband Ryan's relentless campaign to get her to come back.

Because leaving is one thing, but staying away is another.

MY THOUGHTS: If you have ever looked at a woman and her relationship and thought 'I don't know why she doesn't leave him,' you need to read Nesting by Roisín O'Donnell. Nesting is the heart-wrenching story of Ciara Fay and her struggle to leave her emotionally abusive husband and build a new life for herself and her three children.

Over the years, Ryan has steadily isolated Ciara from her family, her friends. Where do you go when you have nowhere to go? Isn't she just imagining the coercive control, the veiled threats? Who is going to believe her? Everyone loves Ryan.

Nesting is a story of fear, of courage, of resilience, of falling down only to get back up again. There were times, reading and listening to Nesting, that I struggled to breathe, Ciara's struggles oh so painful that at times they seemed futile.

O'Donnell has done a masterful job of conveying Ciara's desperation, her fears, her uncertainty. Could it be that it's her that is wrong, is the problem? That Ryan is, as he keeps telling her, a loving and kind husband and father.

But if you're thinking this is a depressing read, you'd be wrong. It is inspiring. It is hopeful. In places I snorted with laughter at the children's antics. But they're not angels - far from it. They are unsettled, frightened, whiny, defiant. But they are also loving and Ciara will fight with everything she has to give them a loving and stable home life.

I wish I'd had this book when I was married to my 'Ryan'.

A stunning debut novel. A 'must read'.

I loved both formats of this book but slightly preferred the audiobook due to the superb narration of Louisa Harland.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#Nesting #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Roisín won the prize for Short Story of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards in 2018, and was shortlisted for the same prize in 2022. She is the author of the story collection Wild Quiet, which was longlisted for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize and shortlisted for the Kate O’Brien Award.
Nesting is her debut novel.
She lives near Dublin with her two children. (Source: roisinodonell.com) (abridged)

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Simon & Schuster (Australia) for providing an e-ARC and Hachette for providing an audio ARC of Nesting written by Roisín O'Donnell and narrated by Louisa Harland for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Such a misunderstood topic so sensitively portrayed. It's so hard for many of us to understand just how much it takes, and is at stake, in 'abandoning' the family home. Roisin O'Donnell takes us there. We feel it. All the indecision, the second-guessing, the hardship. But we also feel Ciara's strength, dealing with the hazards of a housing crisis in the middle of a life crisis. Personally, I feel that stories like Nesting are an essential fictional insight into the real experience of many. It makes you want to build a better world. Recommended.

This is an emotional and tense read. The story just pulled me in from the start. I found myself telling Ciara not to let him back, not to let him say that! Ciara has two small girls, and a new baby on the way. She left her husband Ryan once before, but he guilt tripped her into returning. He’s the abusive, coercive controlling type and cut Ciara off from friends, family and work. The book also gets into the homelessness crisis (seems to be happening everywhere in the Western world) when Ciara and her girls live in a hotel room while waiting for social housing. It’s a powerful read and I found it so hard to put down towards the end.

This book is so well written, even though it is such a difficult and confronting topic to tackle. I had a sense of dread and a deep pain in my guts worrying about the outcome for the main character and her children.

This is a heavy and hard hitting read, but it is totally worth every word. Nesting explores control, self worth, strength, community and resilience.

I loved Ciara’s resilience through adversity and control, and felt myself hoping for her through all the tears the book caused me.

This is one of those books I tell people to read all the time, with the proviso that they’re feeling safe and supported through the read.

I loved O’Donnell’s writing and can’t believe this is her debut novel. I felt entrenched in Ciara’s life and right beside her.

Nesting is truly a beautiful and breathtaking book.

Review posted at: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFKEmX2Rv_N/?igsh=MWc4bTdpYWhnNGoyZg==

Nesting is the story of Ciara escaping her abusive marriage with her two very young daughters. It's a split-second decision, taking only what they have and with very little money, no family close by or anywhere to stay, Ciara is faced with having to navigate the housing system which leaves her and her children living in a cramped hotel room for months on end.

Nesting was really difficult for me to read, sometimes only being able to read a few pages before I had to set it down. That isn't to say it's not brilliant, just very heavy. O'Donnell creates such a palpable tension throughout this novel. She often writes with such urgent, clipped prose to really immerse you into Ciara's state of mind and situation; it felt utterly claustrophobic.

Nesting paints a really powerful depiction of emotional and financial abuse, and coercive control. It does really well to portray what this type of abuse does to Ciara's sense of self and judgement; she and her family knows her marriage isn't safe yet her husband, Ryan's, manipulative words still plague her mind and leave her doubting her decisions in moments of desperation. It's also really difficult to see how Ryan manipulates the system, using his status and power, to stay tethered to Ciara.
Another key aspect of the story is exploring the housing crisis within Ireland, and how the housing system fails women and children experiencing domestic violence - truly infuriating and heartbreaking to read.

There's still so much more to Nesting I haven't touched on - Ciara's relationship with her sister and mother; the community Ciara finds within the hotel; the moments of hope with Ciara returning to teaching, something she takes so much pride in; and of course, Ciara's incredible strength and determination and the all-consuming love she has for her children. A very tough read, but definitely one to pick up if you're okay with the subject matter.

I enjoyed this book but sad that there is not enough done to help women and children in need throughout the world. Well written bringing a hard situation to the awareness of many more people.

I adored this haunting novel, but it's harrowing. Set in Ireland, Ciara's story of escaping an emotionally abusive relationship is heartrending. Ciara has two, then three young children and her experience is so difficult, and initially so frustrating, it was hard to read on, but I couldn't look away. There's hope for her, and family, and connection, but she endures so much to get there.

The language is beautiful, and I loved the snippets of Portuguese and Irish, and English-as-a-second-language. Secondary characters are thoughtfully drawn, and both help and hinder Ciara, but critically, they give her hope (especially Diego and Ciara's sisters).

It's beautifully written, and a credit to debut author Roisin O'Donnell, and I'd love to read more of her work.

Thank you Roisin O'Donnell, NetGalley and Simon & Shuster Australia for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Caira Fay has come to the end of her tether. She decides she can longer take the gaslighting and emotional abuse served up to her by her husband Ryan when he gets into a rage. She grabs her washing off the line and what little cash she has hidden away into her car, packs her two daughters into her car and takes off. With no job and no funds of her own she eventually ends up in temporary housing. A room in a hotel, with no cooking facilities that is hardly big enough for the three of them.

Ciara moved to Dublin from Sheffield to marry Ryan, and although her family are supportive of her actions they are not close by to help and Ryan won’t let the girls leave the country. Ryan didn’t let anyone visit the house, so Ciara no longer has any friends she can go to for help. She is soon at her wits end to find ways to feed her girls and not run back to Ryan, who is bombarding her with messages, smugly expecting that she will return once he has worn her down.

Roisin O’Donnell’s debut novel skilfully paints a heart-wrenching picture of how difficult it can be to leave an abusive marriage, especially if you are isolated and have no safety net of support or money. For Ciara finding a new nest for her babies is next to impossible in the middle of a housing crisis in Dublin. Pregnant with her third child, she soon finds herself in a desperate situation living in sheltered accommodation in a hotel room with no cooking facilites. She meets many other women in the hotel who are just as badly, if not worse, off, doing the best they can not to return to bad situations and together they find some strength.

Despite having her sense of self systematically worn down by Ryan, Ciara is more resilient and stronger than she realises, determined to forge a new life for her young family and not to return them to the nightmare of living with a controlling man. This is a difficult subject to read about, with plenty of tension as we become invested in Ciara’s struggle to break free of Ryan and keep her children safe and O’Donnell has written an insightful and emotional portrait of a woman under pressure that feels totally authentic.

A devastatingly brilliant debut novel that grips you from the very first page.

Ciara, a mother of two young daughters, Sophie and Ella, is trapped in a suffocating marriage to her abusive husband, Ryan. His abuse is not the type that can be seen by others, it’s more subtle - in his words and actions that taunt her everyday.

One fateful afternoon, in a moment of courage, Ciara decides to strip the clothes off the line, gather her daughters and flee the relentless grip of his control.

After years of suffering under coercive control, she knows she can no longer endure another day of his power and abuse. With no financial resources, no supportive family in Ireland, and nowhere to turn, fear gnaws at her. The thought of a life devoid of friends, autonomy, and safety fuels her desperate bid for freedom.

This poignant debut sheds light on the harrowing impacts of coercive control and the toll it takes on those who dare to escape. The journey doesn’t end with leaving however it often leads to the devastating realities of poverty, homelessness, and the daunting challenges of custody battles.

Heartbreaking and utterly immersive, Nesting is a page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat. By the end, my heart was in my throat, and the terrifying reality of such situations hit home—these stories unfold every day in our communities.

It was a sensational read and I know this is going to be booksta favourite.

Thank you @roisinodonnellwriter @netgalley and @simonschusterau for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Nesting is the debut novel of Irish author Roisín O'Donnell and it was a fresh and well written work that I think has definite Women's Prize longlisting potential.

Nesting is about a woman trying to leave her abusive marriage and the consequences for her and her young children as she tries to navigate life afterwards. Ciara Fay makes a spilt second decision one day to leave. Barely grabbing more than an armful of clothes she jumps in her car and leaves her husband Ryan. Ciara is now at the mercy of the housing system in Dublin, all the while dealing with Ryan's relentless campaign to get her back.

The first few chapters of Nesting had me holding my breath. The fear just under the surface! Almost from the first page the unease was palpable. And this is where O'Donnell has done such a good job of showing the reader just how insidious coercive control within a marriage can be. Ryan's actions and words are so visible on the page and yet Ciara falls into the gas lighting trap so easily and is constantly questioning her lived experiences. It is easy to see how this behaviour can go unnoticed by people outside the marriage as men like Ryan are so adept at hiding their control.

It is easy to be angry at Ryan but what Nesting also shows us is just how difficult the system is to navigate for women trying to protect themselves from domestic violence. Both the legal and housing systems are problematic. In Ireland much of the emergency housing is through hotels. It's called the hotelisation of housing and was not something I'd ever really given much thought to. Ciara and the children end up living in a single hotel room for months on end. But while living arrangements are a constant battle for Ciara it is there that she is able to build her own community. These friends that pull together to help each other are critical for Ciara in her battle to fully escape.

Coercive control is not a nice topic but this was a great read. It was page turner which I think lots more people should read. Thank you to @netgalley and @simonschusterau for my #gifted copy.