MacMahon takes an oft told tale and makes it fresh in her tender debut novel of love in a time of personal and social upheaval. During the first rumblings of the financial collapse and the 2008 U.S. presidential elections, former Lehman Brothers employee Bruno boards a plane bound for Ireland in order to discover his roots, and hopefully himself. But it's what he doesn't expect to find that changes his life. On a beach in Dublin, Addie contemplates the departure of her former flame, the loss of her job as an architect, and her newfound responsibilities as her ailing father's caretaker, settling on her spaniel, dad, and sister as the only things worth living for. But fate brings Bruno and Addie together—just in time to salve each other's wounds, and test their love in the midst of a new tragedy. The running backstory of the recession and political squabbling is distracting and unnecessary, but MacMahon's portrayal of Bruno and Addie's relationship, along with a charming supporting cast, make this a believable and warm tale. (Aug.)
Praise for THIS IS HOW IT ENDS:
"Readers mourning the loss of Irish author Maeve Binchy may find a new friend in MacMahon, who delivers a similar sort of family drama well suited to drowsy afternoons and a cup of tea with a packet of tissues nearby."—Carol Memmott, USA Today (Three Stars)
"[A] very satisfying story of people who are easy to believe in and hard to forget. Kathleen MacMahon writes with a confidence and ease and with an unerring sense of timing.... When you have long forgotten many other fictional lovers, there is something about Addie and Bruno, their past and their world, that will not go away."—Maeve Binchy, The Irish Times
"This Is How It Ends is an unforgettable story of love and hope."—Cecelia Ahern, author of P.S. I Love You
"MacMahon's enthralling debut novel features marvelous characters who will linger long in readers' hearts. This moving book will appeal to those who enjoy popular contemporary fiction, particularly the work of Maeve Binchy and Barbara Delinsky."—Library Journal, Starred Review
"I was moved by This Is How It Ends, a tender-but never sentimental-story of unlikely love. With great wit and humor, Kathleen MacMahon skillfully captures the nuances and complexities of relationships old and new."—Catherine O'Flynn, author of What Was Lost and The News Where You Are
"An autumnal novel that combines the poignancy of Persuasion with the sentimentality of Love Story."—Kirkus
"Unexpectedly quirky, grown-up but pleasingly whimsical. Watching Addie cross over from her dark lonely place, accepting her single status, to girlish glowing happiness is enough to have you cheering out loud.... I hope it goes on to sell enough copies to kickstart the Irish economy."—Nicola Barr, The Guardian
"A transatlantic love story beginning at the start of the current recession, it is truly a story for our time.... MacMahon writes movingly about the balm of hope and the redemption of love, about the very real pain of loss and the restorative power of family... [This is How it Ends] signals the belated arrival of a new Irish commercial writer with an extraordinary gift and a voice that is entirely her own."—Irish Independent
"[MacMahon's] prose couldn't be tighter; yet it could not appear more effortless or beautiful.... Shereaches unashamedly for the heart.... [A] bittersweet, engaging novel that will no doubt become a book-club darling."—Lorraine Courtney, The Sunday Independent
"[This Is How It Ends] has 'future classic' written all over it."—Glamour UK
"A tender love story.... A book about love, family, children and that glorious sense of being alive."—Irish Examiner
"MacMahon quickly reaches the unadorned essence or soul of all her characters.... MacMahon lends her subjects grace and dignity as they deal with problems that are not sorted by money. Her fluid, no-frills narrative is reminiscent of Brian Moore."—RTÉ
"A tender love story.... A book about love, family, children and that glorious sense of being alive."
"[MacMahon's] prose couldn't be tighter; yet it could not appear more effortless or beautiful.... She reaches unashamedly for the heart.... [A] bittersweet, engaging novel that will no doubt become a book-club darling."
"A transatlantic love story beginning at the start of the current recession, it is truly a story for our time.... MacMahon writes movingly about the balm of hope and the redemption of love, about the very real pain of loss and the restorative power of family... [This is How it Ends] signals the belated arrival of a new Irish commercial writer with an extraordinary gift and a voice that is entirely her own."
"[A] very satisfying story of people who are easy to believe in and hard to forget. Kathleen MacMahon writes with a confidence and ease and with an unerring sense of timing.... When you have long forgotten many other fictional lovers, there is something about Addie and Bruno, their past and their world, that will not go away."
"I was moved by This is How it Ends, a tender-but never sentimental-story of unlikely love. With great wit and humor, Kathleen MacMahon skillfully captures the nuances and complexities of relationships old and new."
Praise for THIS IS HOW IT ENDS:
"Readers mourning the loss of Irish author Maeve Binchy may find a new friend in MacMahon, who delivers a similar sort of family drama well suited to drowsy afternoons and a cup of tea with a packet of tissues nearby."
"[This Is How It Ends] has 'future classic' written all over it."
"Unexpectedly quirky, grown-up but pleasingly whimsical. Watching Addie cross over from her dark lonely place, accepting her single status, to girlish glowing happiness is enough to have you cheering out loud.... I hope it goes on to sell enough copies to kickstart the Irish economy."
"This Is How It Ends is an unforgettable story of love and hope."
MacMahon quickly reaches the unadorned essence or soul of all her characters.... MacMahon lends her subjects grace and dignity as they deal with problems that are not sorted by money. Her fluid, no-frills narrative is reminiscent of Brian Moore.
MacMahon quickly reaches the unadorned essence or soul of all her characters. They may seem lightly sketched but are fully realised and rounded, a tribute to the author's narrative skill.... MacMahon lends her subjects grace and dignity as they deal with problems that are not sorted by money. Her fluid, no-frills narrative is reminiscent of Brian Moore.
After losing his job at Lehman Brothers, Bruno Boylan travels to Ireland in fall 2008, finally fulfilling a promise he made to his father. In search of his family roots, he meets and falls in love with Addie, an out-of-work architect who is a distant cousin and at first not thrilled with this enthusiastic American. Their developing relationship combines humor with a real sense of joy at finding love at midlife and knowing with absolute certainty that it is right. Secondary characters, including Addie's sister Della and wonderful little dog, Lola, are just as realistic and important to the story. And Bruno's efforts to share his love of Bruce Springsteen's music with Addie make a nice counterpoint to the Irish scenery. When tragedy strikes, it is as unexpected as it is devastating. Tissues will be needed. VERDICT Television journalist MacMahon's enthralling debut novel features marvelous characters who will linger long in readers' hearts. This moving book will appeal to those who enjoy popular contemporary fiction, particularly the work of Maeve Binchy and Barbara Delinsky.—Elizabeth Mary Mellett, Brookline P.L., MA
A disenchanted--and recently unemployed--banker goes to Ireland to trace his ancestral roots and finds life and love in the form of Addie, his second cousin. It's October 2008, and Bruno Boylan has had it. He's just lost his buttoned-down life at Lehman Brothers, and the presidential election, only three weeks away, looms large in his consciousness. He impulsively gets a round-trip ticket to Ireland, with a return on Wednesday, November 5th, but vows that if Obama loses he'll stay on the Ould Sod. Although Bruno has gotten some sketchy information about family ties from his aunts, once he arrives in Dublin, he realizes how little he actually knows about the family. Still, he makes an effort, arranging a "chance" meeting with Addie on the beach while she walks her dog. Addie is far from impressed by the 50-year-old, for she's seen the type before--Americans who romanticize their Celtic roots and seek connections to an imagined past they've never had. Despite her reservations and her initial coldness, Addie quickly finds herself taken by Bruno, for his vulnerability and "lostness" appeal to her. In her late-30s, Addie has recently lost a child, and she finds Bruno genuinely interested in her life experience, the first man who has shown her both empathy and respect. Addie also has to deal with her abrasive father, Hugh, a physician who's temporarily laid up, and like many physicians, he's a demanding patient. He also faces an inquiry into medical negligence that's preoccupying for the two of them. What starts as a passionate love affair for Bruno and Addie eventually leads to a marriage cut short by tragedy. An autumnal novel that combines the poignancy of Persuasion with the sentimentality of Love Story.
