The next book to be featured on the Jo Whiley Radio 2 Book Club will be Grown Ups, the new novel by bestselling author Marian Keyes. Marian will be on the show on Monday 9 March and the book was released on 6 February.
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We have an exclusive extract available for you to read.
Grown Ups
They’re a glamorous family, the Caseys.
Johnny Casey, his two brothers Ed and Liam, their beautiful, talented wives and all their kids spend a lot of time together – birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, weekends away. And they’re a happy family. Johnny’s wife, Jessie – who has the most money – insists on it.
Under the surface, though, conditions are murkier. While some people clash, other people like each other far too much…
Everything stays under control until Ed’s wife Cara, gets concussion and can’t keep her thoughts to herself. One careless remark at Johnny’s birthday party, with the entire family present, starts Cara spilling out all their secrets.
Selection panel review
The book was selected with the help of a panel of library staff from across the UK. Our readers loved Grown Ups – here are some of their comments:
“The writing is observant and funny. All of the characters are so well formed I almost feel like I know them. All the finer details of ordinary family life are captured in such a clever and astute way. There are touches of comedy and yet there are also sad moments. It is these tiny subtle nuances that Keyes writes about so well. This is definitely a book that will appeal to all readers as it such an entertaining and delightful read.”
“Marian Keyes handles such difficult topics with lightness, without ever undermining their importance. She finds the humour and humanity in the simplest and most challenging of places. There are so many well-drawn characters in this book that there is someone for everyone to identify with. I think this might be my favourite book of hers so far!”
About the author
Marian Keyes is one of the most successful Irish novelists of all time. Grown Ups is her 14th novel, and she has also written Watermelon, Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married, Rachel’s Holiday, Last Chance Saloon, Sushi for Beginners, Angels, The Other Side of the Story, Anybody Out There, This Charming Man, The Brightest Star in the Sky, The Mystery of Mercy Close, The Woman Who Stole My Life, and The Break.
Her books have all been bestsellers around the world, with a total of over 30 million of her books sold to date in 33 languages. Anybody Out There won the British Book Awards award for popular fiction and the inaugural Melissa Nathan Prize for Comedy Romance. This Charming Man won the Irish Book Award for popular fiction.
Marian is also the Chair of Judges for the Comedy Women in Print Prize, supporting funny fiction by female writers.
Get involved
Tune in to Jo Whiley’s show on Monday 9 March to hear a live interview with Marian.
Have you read Grown Ups? Or any other books by Marian? You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter using #GrownUps, and you can also follow Marian.
You can also see what other readers thought or add the book to your group’s reading list.Planning to buy Grown Ups for yourself or your group? Buy books from Hive and support The Reading Agency and local bookshops at no extra cost to you.
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You can join the Radio 2 Book Club Facebook group, and also follow Jo Whiley on Twitter.
