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Nesting

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Nesting

By: Roisin O'Donnell
Narrated by: Louisa Harland
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About this listen

 Winner of the 2025 Irish Book Awards, Novel of the Year
Longlisted for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction

From an unforgettable new voice in Irish fiction, a heart-pounding, life-affirming story about one woman trying to leave her marriage and start over. For fans of Claire Keegan and Emma Donoghue.

‘Contains all the twists and turns of a classic thriller … Immersive and emotional’ New York Times
‘An escape story from Jodi Picoult territory, but with a lot more bite.’ The Age
‘Turns the idea of the domestic novel inside out … Not just riveting and deeply humane but – in an understated, ‘domestic’ way – radical, too.’ Observer

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.

Tense, beautiful and gut-wrenching, Nesting is an unforgettable story of motherhood, underpinned by love, hope and resilience. Editors Select Family Life Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction Women's Voices World Literature Marriage Heartfelt Inspiring

Editorial Review

Gaslighting extinguished
This debut novel by Roisín O'Donnell immediately grabbed me and would not let me go. I’ve not rooted for a character this hard in a long time—Ciara Fay is a woman propelled into action despite immense internal and external pressure to relent and just go back to her controlling husband. He's almost convinced her that everything bad in their lives is her fault, but deep down she knows his abuse will only get worse. Even more profound to me is how, despite an almost complete loss of self, something in her knows she can regain that self-worth and create a thriving and love-filled life for herself and her children. But the obstacles are relentless—how much can one woman take? The tension is palpable, and so skillfully brought to life by narrator Louisa Harland (of Derry Girls fame). —Tricia F., Audible Editor

Critic Reviews

‘Contains all the twists and turns of a classic thriller … Immersive and emotional’
‘Turns the idea of the domestic novel inside out … Not just riveting and deeply humane but – in an understated, ‘domestic’ way – radical, too.’
‘An escape story from Jodi Picoult territory, but with a lot more bite.’
‘Paced like a thriller, Nesting is a deep, beautiful, hopeful meditation on trauma, healing and love.’ (Jessica Stanley, author of Consider Yourself Kissed)
‘Powerful’
‘The emotions are unflinching, the details are intricate, and the tension is tight … Reading this book will change you’
‘This book is a key. It will open eyes, hearts and minds, and if there is any justice it should also open doors and wallets. Raw, heartbreaking and hopeful, this book will resonate with so many women. It is one of the most forensic and unflinching portraits I have ever read of coercive control and its devastating impact. I don’t think it is an exaggeration to say that this book could save lives.’ (Laura Bates)
'What's striking is the novel’s dizzying speed – reading it is more akin to devouring a thriller than a work of domestic realism.'
‘As if we needed further proof of Ireland’s literary supremacy, along comes this absolutely stunning debut. A masterclass in emotivity and artful detail, O’Donnell steers us back and forth to the brink, as our heroine navigates her devastating and all too common reality. Deeply invested, Ciara’s wins become our wins, her losses ours too. I was on tenterhooks the whole time and enjoyed every second of it.’ (Nadine J. Cohen, author of Everyone and Everything)
'Nesting is a powerful novel. Brand new, urgent, and hugely satisfying.' (Roddy Doyle, author of The Women Behind the Door)
All stars
Most relevant
This story held me form the very start. Tension created in the sinister, quiet, humiliating cruelty from a husband towards his wife. Emotional abuse is so difficult to articulate for the person enduring this treatment, and O’Donnell has captured this relationship so eloquently. Emotional abuse and coercive control can be shaped in many forms and told in so many different examples - this is just one story. It’s important that we understand the mental anguish victims must feel so we can support and help them escape these situations.

Important eye-opening read

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Very detailed story of the struggle to get away from an emotional abuser. Narrated by an Irish actor who was good at accents, although I don't know where she thinks "Belina" in Mayo is, does the book refer to Ballina? Could have done without the children's dialogue & the horrible grating voice she used for them though.

Gripping story

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This was a tough read, I almost pulled out at the start as the content was heavy but I’m so glad I pushed through. Compelling and heartbreaking story that highlights the gruelling reality of leaving an unsafe relationship.

A story of strength and kindness

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Roisin O’Donnell has used such descriptive language throughout-brings the story to life. Brilliant book.

Beautifully written

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Nesting is not just a book — it’s many people’s story. You can’t read it and remain unaffected. With raw honesty and poetic clarity, it moves through despair, frustration, and love, exposing the layered reality of domestic violence.

Rather than sensationalizing trauma, Nesting respects survivors’ voices — women, children, and communities — please don’t judge people kindness is the answer an urgent calls for change. It sheds light on the system’s failures and asks the hard questions.

Whether you’re a frontline worker, policymaker, or someone trying to understand or heal, this book is both a mirror and a guide. It’s time we stop looking away.

Roar and powerful ! This book affected me deeply !

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