Within Arm's Reach

The success of the author's last two books, Hello Beautiful, Dear Edward, and A Good Hard Look, has prompted the release of her first novel of 2024, Within Arm's Reach. While you can see much improvement in her writing over the last 20 years, her talent for creating compelling characters is evident in this family saga of Irish Catholics, spanning three generations. Told from multiple points of view, Catherine, the matriarch, is worried about her children and grandchildren, their loss of connection, a pregnancy out of wedlock, and a marriage on the drift, to name a few, and they are worried about Catherine. Always the driving force and north star in this large clan, her last fall has taken a toll, and the uncertainty of how much time she has left has fast-tracked everyone's agenda, making this a solid and tempting read for those who have loved her previous books. If you are new to Ann's work, a fun summer endeavor would be to read all her books in succession. She is a star novelist and a master of the familial saga!