Nesting Audiobook By Roisín O'Donnell cover art

Nesting

A Novel

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Nesting

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

In this beautiful, urgent, and ultimately uplifting novel by a rising Irish literary star comes a heart-pounding, life-affirming story about one woman trying to leave her marriage and start over.

On a bright spring afternoon, Ciara Fay makes a split-second decision that will change everything. Grabbing an armful of clothes off the clothesline, she 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—and that this time, when she leaves, she must stay away.

On the surface, she has a perfect life: her husband, Ryan, is a good provider, sometimes even kind and attentive, from a nice Irish family, and they have another baby on the way. But he also monitors Ciara's every move, flies into unpredictable rages where he convinces her she can do nothing right, and has isolated her from work, friends, and her beloved family.

Was fleeing the right thing to do? With no job and no support, Ciara struggles to provide a sense of normalcy for her little girls. Facing a broken housing system, they move into a hotel room on a floor reserved for women like her, eating takeout, washing their clothes in the bathroom sink, and building a community with the other residents. Ryan, meanwhile, wages a relentless campaign to win her back, and Ciara wavers. He never hit her, after all, and don't the girls need a stable home?

For fans of Claire Keegan and Louise Kennedy, Roisín O'Donnell’s extraordinary debut creates a devastating and suspenseful portrait of gaslighting and emotional abuse—and even better, a triumphant story about family, love, and finding a new place to nest.

©2025 Roisín O'Donnell (P)2025 Algonquin Books
Editors Select Family Life Genre Fiction Women's Fiction World Literature Marriage Heartfelt Feel-Good

Critic reviews

"Nesting is a perfect portrayal of the insidious nature of intimate partner abuse where the bruises are not physical, but violently emotional. I fell in love with the voice of Ciara as she sets out to create a new life against all odds for herself and her children. A story of bravery, love, and redemption, chock full of emotional suspense—I couldn't look away. A high-wire act of a debut."—Chelsea Bieker, author of Madwoman and Godshot

"Nesting is a haunting, deeply affecting debut novel—a gripping and unflinching exploration of coercive partner control, societal inequality, motherhood and the terrifying reality of a world closing in fast when you have no options left. An incredibly compelling tale of survival. It is as emotionally charged as it is brutally real, the writing is flawless. I was profoundly moved."—Elaine Feeney, Booker-longlisted author of How to Build a Boat

"Delicate and forceful, this is a novel of constant, intelligent suspense about a broken marriage with traces of danger in it. All its characters feel justly and vibrantly true, as its plot resists cliché at every turn. A rare and outstanding work.—Joan Silber, bestselling author of Improvement

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

What listeners say about Nesting

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Jarring narration at times

While I found the writing and storytelling to be top notch, the narration of the children’s voices was jarring and distracting. All other narration was lovely—almost soothing, in fact, despite the harrowing story.

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Horrific marriage and courageous split

This was a difficult yet mesmerizing first person account of a marriage ending. The woman fleas to save her children and herself she suffers incredibly as to her children, and yet they survive and have the hope of a future without anxiety and fear.

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Gorgeous

Honestly, an almost perfect book. Lyrically beautiful. I look forward to seeing more from this author.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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I related to the main character

This story showed how mental / emotional abuse can affect a person as much as physical abuse.

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Loved the book - very well written

I loved the book and most of the narration, apart from how the narrator did the children’s voices.

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The main character feels like me- like my life.

The writing is utterly heartbreaking and breathtaking and I loved the setting and the main character and her bravery

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The odds are set against women and mothers

Unbelievably accurate account of how extraordinarily difficult it is for women and mothers when they leave an abusive relationship.
What to know what it's like to be in a relationship with a narcissist? Want to know how society, the odds, and the entire court system are dead set against women rescuing themselves and their children from dangerous partners & parents? Read this! Her success is NOT the norm.

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Ciara Tries so hard

Is it really abuse if there are visible marks? But what if it is abuse? You leave and try your best, even if everyone including you, sometimes thinks you're wrong. Well not your sister and Mom, they've always known who he really is. Really well written!

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Great book, the voice is off putting though

The narrator is doing a good job but omg the voices of the kids are so annoying. Why would anyone read kids voices like this? Actually made me stop listening a few times..

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Compelling story

Couldn’t stop listening. Intense insight into the world of an emotionally abused woman with children. Finding how to survive without monetary or emotional support.

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