Indeed, thank you to everyone at Curtis Brown, from the foreign rights department to TV & films, for taking such great care of my books.

Enormous thanks to the truly terrifying (although only when necessary…) Kealey Rigden for all the publicity and events work. As well as Fiona McMorrough and all at FMCM.

I’m so grateful to the people who read this book, in lumps and chunks, as I wrote it and who gave me all kinds of helpful feedback along the way: Jenny Boland, Róisín Ingle, Caitríona Keyes, Ema Keyes, Ljiljana Keyes, Mammy Keyes, Rita-Anne Keyes, Liz Nugent and Eileen Prendergast.

Special thanks goes to Louise O’Neill who, in November 2019, was the person who convinced me that I should try to write this book and who then encouraged me every step of the way.

And where would I be without my long-time bestie, ‘Posh’ Kate Beaufoy? She must have read this book at least twenty times, offering absolutely great editorial advice and always, always, love and encouragement.

I’m very grateful to Sarah Moore Fitzgerald who did an eleventh-hour pass of the manuscript just to put my mind at rest. Then Sophie White and Vicki Notora, my first readers of the ‘actual’ book, who promised me it was okay.

My sobriety is the foundation stone that the rest of my life is balanced on; without it I’d have nothing. Every person at every meeting I’ve ever gone to has shored this up. v I want to thank two special women who have held my hand, given me strength and enabled me to stay safe: my own Nola, the angel-in-human-form that is Judy McLoughlin and my stalwart AK.

There aren’t adequate words to thank my beloved husband. Always in my corner, he’s the perfect first reader, somehow managing to be both honest and entirely encouraging. Endlessly patient, calm, proactive, hard-working and very, very kind. None of this would be possible without him.

Booksellers up and down the land have supported my writing since day one. I’d like to thank them for their generosity, enthusiasm, kindness and support.

Likewise, the many book bloggers and reviewers who’ve taken the time and trouble to read my books and report on them with such positivity, please accept my delighted gratitude.

Over the years countless other writers have recommended my books, given me cover quotes and provided a community that’s supportive, funny and warm. There are too many to list individually, but thank you to every single one of them! Yizzer great!

I write (and never shut up talking…) about families. I fecken LOVE mine—Mammy Keyes, my brothers, my sisters, their spouses and my FABALISS nieces and my nephews. Spending time with them is what makes me happiest in life.