Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“When all seems lost, will they find each other under the same blue sky?”

Where do I even begin with this one?! Will I ever recover?! After reading a few brilliant thrillers recently, this book was exactly what I needed as a palate cleanser. It completely broke me in two. It was utterly beautiful, yet one of the most heartbreaking and devastating books I’ve ever read. I just needed this book in my life and I will never, ever forget it. Please be prepared to be a blubbering mess if you read this, but you must read it. It’s one of those books I can see winning awards this year. I’m so so happy to be sharing my review for May All Your Skies Be Blue 💔

About the book

Summer, 1991.

Dean: sun-stung and sticky with cool ice-pop juice, walks to the middle of The Green to get a good gawk at the new salon. And at the owner’s kid. Hands deep in his pockets, his jet-black mop of hair hides the tension in his face at the thought of going back home.

Shauna: stands well hid behind her ma – her eyes dark and haunted like the rest of her. The salon is theirs, a fresh start. The smell of her ma’s Body Shop perfume clings to her jumper – Shauna can’t be anywhere else other than here.

Instantly inseparable, their friendship blooms. But as time passes and tell-tale blushes and school fights develop into something deeper, conflicting responsibilities threaten to pull Shauna and Dean apart.

When all seems lost, will they find each other under the same blue sky?

The beginning

God, this book didn’t half make me smile when I started reading it. I really appreciate such beautiful, poetic words (as well as perfectly placed profanity) in a book and this was such a prime example of all that. Each word was such a joy to read. After hearing such good things about the author’s previous book, Boys Don’t Cry, a book that became an international bestseller, I knew this one had a lot to live up to, but I was confident it would. I loved meeting a bunch of quirky characters in the first chapters, but Shauna in particular was someone I really loved. Her Ma has bought the local salon; it was a fresh start. A new venture for them both. And who would see her there but Dean and his friends, a group who would soon take Shauna under their wing. A group that would change her life for the better. I loved all the gorgeous descriptions, even down to the perfume Shauna’s mother wears that I swore I could smell too. Every small detail brought this whole place and all these people to life. I was transported to Ireland and couldn’t wait for the journey ahead of me.

“She will not be alright. She knows this. Because letting go is so much harder than holding on – and she refuses to lose her grip now.”

I loved the alternating timelines from when Shauna and her new friends met to the present day, where Shauna has taken over the salon, her Ma’s mind clearly in some form of decline. This really broke me in two. It was clear this story wouldn’t be an entirely happy one, so I was mentally preparing myself for a broken heart by the end. I loved the chapters set throughout the 90’s. There was a really wonderful sense of nostalgia here. Shauna, Dean and their group growing up, just loving life. Freedom. Not a care in the word (well, for the most part.) The salon started to feel like such a familiar place for me really quickly, especially as we meet all the regulars, including grown up versions of Shauna’s friends who have kids of their own. There was something bittersweet about looking back on all the times Shauna had, especially with Dean. But where was Dean now? There are hints that something had happened which made me nervous for what we were going to discover. Just what did their relationship look like at this point? Did they even have one after everything they shared growing up?

The middle

Exploring the bond Shauna and Dean share over the years was something really special. This author writes characters and their relationships so incredibly well and it was so clear how much these two meant to each other. It’s a connection that flowed so deep, one that felt so strong. Friendship is also such a huge theme in this book and as the years pass, we see some turbulence, fall-outs, make-ups. And also some of the most fun times, times which always made me smile, the author’s use of language making me laugh on countless occasions. The contrast of all the messy parts of life with all the truly beautiful moments felt really good to read. The author covers tough, delicate topics which brought the tone back down, but my god was it all impactful and well tackled. It’s clear by this point that Shauna’s Ma is suffering from dementia. We read about Dean’s Ma in the past having an alcohol problem, something which really affects Dean as a person. I couldn’t believe how authentic all these characters felt, their experiences shaping who they were and who they would become.

“And she has no right. No right to him anymore. So she won’t descend into that darkness. Because this time. She doesn’t think she’ll be able to get herself back out.”

We see all these characters grow up before our very eyes. We see how they tackle life, how they navigate hardships. But also how they embrace the good. The beauty of Shauna and Dean’s friendship and that transition to the next stage in their relationship was breathtakingly written. They make plans to run away together, to start a life, to get away from Dean’s parents and their alcoholism that he couldn’t deal with any longer. But there was something about these plans that didn’t sit right with me. I could feel that something significant was going to happen to prevent them from living out their dream, to prevent them from being together like they should be. I knew I would never be ready for it. So many directions were swirling around in my head; after their deep connection for so many years, what could possibly prevent them from being together after they’d finally admitted how they feel for one another? I had to really mentally prepare myself for the ending of this book. And as expected, it was truly like a punch in the gut.

The end

Shauna makes a life altering decision in 1999, a decision which I believe most of us would have made, a decision which I felt was right. However, as a lot of us have probably learned through life, the right decisions aren’t necessarily the easiest. This part of the book really hit home for me which made it all the more devastating, and once again, all the tough parts are really given the attention to detail they need and deserve. Shauna’s relationship with her mother and the inevitable that would be coming their way was what made the tears fall for me at first. Good god it was powerful. I loved how the people around her were supporting her the best they could, and it shows just how important friendship is in times of need. There is some brilliant dialogue, some tough, heart-wrenching conversations and some truths for Shauna that are difficult to understand, so hard to take in. I just hoped the strength she’d gained over the years had toughened her, had made her strong enough for what lay ahead. It was a heavy read at times, but what a brilliant reading experience it was. I was desperate for some light for Shauna by the end, but I wasn’t sure she’d get it.

“And heartbreak. Your heart breaking. Happens so slowly. Creeps up on you. Gradually cracks. Shatters. Suffocates. Weighs you down. Watches you drown. The most painful of all breaking. Your heart. And it doesn’t even make a sound.”

Aside from the heartbreak, there was a glimmer of hope. Some light in the darkness. The years spent without Dean had obviously not altered their connection in any way. But as the two kept missing each other, I began to wonder whether they would ever reunite. When the realisation hit me about the thing that had been referenced, subtly mentioned by multiple characters along the way, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. It crushed me. It’s such a devastating, heartbreaking ending, but so very powerful. It made me think about so much. About happiness. About life. It made me want to reach out to all my loved ones, to keep them close. It very quickly became one of the most heartbreaking, thought-provoking books I’ve ever read. It will stick with you for a lifetime! After this book, I wouldn’t hesitate in reading anything Fíona writes. Her way with words combined with such breathtakingly real characters, settings and story lines will always have me coming back for more. This book is sure to win some awards this year. You need to add it to your reading list ASAP!

Overall thoughts

May All Your Skies Be Blue is a story of the what ifs, of the missed opportunities. About making difficult choices, and how these choices drastically affect the future. It’s about love and friendship in so many forms. And it’s also the devastatingly beautiful story of two characters with a deep connection, two people who have always known that they needed each other more than anything else. The way they shared the good times and the bad. Their hardships, their wants, their dreams became mine, too.

I found this book to be one of the most thought-provoking and poignant reads in recent years. It broke my heart and left me sad for days. There were so many obstacles in the way of the future Shauna and Dean deserved that made it near impossible for them to act on it. Things that pushed them further and further apart. There is regret, things these characters maybe wish they’d done differently. And things they’d choose again in a heartbeat. Characters were authentic and real, and there was such wonderful 90s nostalgia laced through the chapters. The whole reading experience was unlike anything I’ve experienced before. Refreshing and beautiful, yet heartbreaking and reflective. An absolute must read!

Huge thanks to the author, Fíona Scarlett, and the brilliant team at Faber Books for my proof copy! You can grab your own copy of May All Your Skies Be Blue right now on Amazon or wherever you buy your books. You can follow the author over on X/Twitter for more updates!

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