I am so thrilled to be bringing you today’s giveaway. J Courtney Sullivan is one of my absolute favorite writers — The Engagements is one of my all-time favorite books; I have hugged it to my chest more than once — and her newest book, which comes out today, is a fabulous read. Let us flip it over and read the back:
A sweeping, unforgettable novel from The New York Times best-selling author of Maine, about the hope, sacrifice, and love between two sisters and the secret that drives them apart.
Nora and Theresa Flynn are twenty-one and seventeen when they leave their small village in Ireland and journey to America. Nora is the responsible sister; she’s shy and serious and engaged to a man she isn’t sure that she loves. Theresa is gregarious; she is thrilled by their new life in Boston and besotted with the fashionable dresses and dance halls on Dudley Street. But when Theresa ends up pregnant, Nora is forced to come up with a plan—a decision with repercussions they are both far too young to understand. Fifty years later, Nora is the matriarch of a big Catholic family with four grown children: John, a successful, if opportunistic, political consultant; Bridget, quietly preparing to have a baby with her girlfriend; Brian, at loose ends after a failed baseball career; and Patrick, Nora’s favorite, the beautiful boy who gives her no end of heartache. Estranged from her sister, Theresa is a cloistered nun, living in an abbey in rural Vermont. Until, after decades of silence, a sudden death forces Nora and Theresa to confront the choices they made so long ago. A graceful, supremely moving novel from one of our most beloved writers, Saints for All Occasions explores the fascinating, funny, and sometimes achingly sad ways a secret at the heart of one family both breaks them and binds them together.
I must note that I am an absolute sucker for stories about cloistered nuns — I used to think I wanted to be a nun, until I realized I actually just wanted to be Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music — and this book, which I was lucky enough to read before it came out, totally scratches that itch. Plus! Angsty Irish-Catholic family drama! Unexpected pregnancies! Love that cannot be! Did I mention cloistered nuns? All that, plus Sullivan is such a good writer. I am delighted to be giving this away to Fug Nation today — I truly think you will love it.
THE TASK: I have TEN copies to give away. I’m going to pick our winners at random, but to keep it fun, please comment and tell us what your favorite sweeping family epic is — book, TV, or movie.
THE RULES: All entries must be posted in the comments of this post by 9 p.m. Pacific time on Friday. FYI, if this is the first time you’ve commented here, the system will automatically kick you into comment moderation, but don’t worry, I will rescue you. (Prizing courtesy of the publisher. Open to residents of the United States only. Thank you!)
