10 best Marian Keyes books to add to your reading pile

If we could only recommend one Marian Keyes book it would easily be Rachel’s Holiday. If you’re a fan of rom-coms like Bridget Jones’ Diary, this has those elements but then it delves much deeper and takes a darker turn to make Rachel feel like an incredibly believable and authentic individual instead of the typical rom-com lead. But what makes it particularly clever is the way that the first-person point of view is expertly employed to keep the reader in the dark about certain things. We only find out about them when Rachel is forced to face the realities of what is going on in her life. It’s also quite eye-opening to look back at some of the earlier chapters, where it’s not overtly obvious just how much Rachel is struggling because we see it from her POV and what she wants to show the world.

You might see the cover of this book and think that it’s a fluffy holiday read, but that is quickly flipped on its head when you realise that the holiday in question is actually to a rehabilitation centre and our protagonist is struggling with addiction and recovery in a raw and honest way. So, if you’re a fan of books where the main character undergoes some real and painful growth, but there are still plenty of humorous and lighter moments, you’ll want to pick this up. And we have a feeling that you’ll be kicking yourself that you hadn’t read it already.

And if you fell in love with Rachel, you’ll of course want to see how her story continues and thankfully Again, Rachel allows you to do exactly that. In the fourth book in the Walsh family series, we catch up with the titular Rachel 20, or so, years later and it feels like a full circle moment for her. She’s now the head counsellor at the very rehab she attended all those years ago, and she’s also in a healthy, settled relationship. But one phone call soon changes everything.

As a fan of both this particular character and her wonderfully zany family, it was wonderful to reconnect with them and see how they’ve grown in the ensuing years. Having Rachel near her 50s, instead of flailing around in her twenties, was also handled well. As expected, there’s a brilliant blend of humour and heartache, which Marian deftly manages time and time again. And the whole topic of addiction and the pathway to recovery, including Rachel’s ‘ducklings’ at Cloisters, was one of the biggest highlights.

Originally published in 1995, Watermelon was Marian’s debut and if you like reading a series in the order it was intended, you’ll of course want to start with the author’s first foray into the world of the Walsh family. And it’s the way that the family interacts with one another that really gives you a taste of what the author is and will be capable of in future books. Her writing is so conversational at times that readers will feel like they’re catching up with a good friend. It just oozes personality, in a very appealing and captivating way.

Watermelon ultimately follows Claire, whose husband has left her on the very day that she has given birth to their first child. After this, she soon ends up back at her family home and it’s here that we are introduced to the rest of her family. As a reader you get an insight into the family dynamics, in an all too familiar way, alongside more of a rom com when Claire meets a love interest in the form of Adam. But it is Claire’s amusing inner dialogue that really sucked us into this story, above and beyond the rather interesting concept.

While technically any of Marian Keyes’ books can be read as a standalone, Grown Ups doesn’t have the same ties that many of the other books in her repertoire do. But in a way, that is rather refreshing, particularly if you’re looking to branch out from some of her other books. It follows three brothers – Johnny, Ed and Liam Casey – and their wives. But this family saga takes a turn when Ed’s wife Cara, who happens to be recovering from a recent head injury and concussion, makes quite a few unfiltered declarations, revealing secrets and truths that have been bubbling under the surface between the extended family.

We get a peek behind the curtain to see the realities, however mundane or more shocking, that goes on among these characters. It brilliantly switches from the day of Cara’s revelations to what led to these secrets in the first place and back to the aftermath in such an absorbing way.

It also sensitively tackles the topic of bulimia and eating disorders, shedding light on the effect that this can have on someone’s own self-esteem and self-image, as well as how it can affect relationships too. So, if you want to start with a standalone story instead of jumping straight into the established series that Keyes is known for at this point, this is the book to do that.

Many of us will pick up a book looking to be transported somewhere else, whether that’s a completely new world in a fantasy book or somewhere warmer and sunnier. And Angels has that escapist feel to it. The third in the Walsh family series, this particular story follows Maggie who, when compared with her sisters Rachel and Claire, seemingly has the life that everyone dreams of having – she’s got a good job and a husband who seemingly loves her. That is until she discovers that she’s about to get fired and her husband has been having an affair. And she deals with this by jetting off to Los Angeles, where her best friend lives, to see what she should do next.

While this is one of Marian’s older books, with it first being published more than 20 years ago, it continues to hold up as a great beach or holiday read. Described as “plain yoghurt at room temperature”, Maggie isn’t quite as absorbing as her sisters, but this story is still well worth a read, especially on a cold and rainy day. It brilliantly transports readers to the sun and excess of the City of Angels – which is how the story got its name. Even though the ending isn’t necessarily our favourite and it can be a bit slow at times, it’s always a pleasure finding out more about the Walsh family dynamics and it does complement the rest of that series.

Taking an introspective look at one couple’s marriage, The Break answers the question of what you would do if your husband decides he needs a break from you and the children and jets off halfway around the world without much consideration of the impact this will have. He says he only needs six months to lose himself but would you even want him back after putting you through that? Well, that’s what this story examines.

This book immediately gripped us and Keyes’ trademark wit and writing style is apparent the whole way through. There’s another, but different, complicated Irish family in this alongside their dynamics and it reminded them of some of her earlier books. Plus, it also tackles tough subject matter like abortion and caring for a spouse. If anything, this is a book about choices and where those choices – and how we deal with them – could lead us.

If you’re a fan of the book – or movie – P.S. I Love You, you’ll likely enjoy Anybody Out There. From the NYC setting to the journey that the main character goes on, this is the kind of story that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. It gives the fourth Walsh sister – this time Anna – her own story and whether you’ve read the previous books in the series or jump straight into this one, it is just as relatable and uniquely uplifting as the rest.

We’re keen not to spoil what is the big twist in this but this book is about dealing with grief and how there is no right way to do so. It can be a tough read at times, but even though this is a sad and tragic story, the supporting characters offer great comfort and relatable relief that you come to expect from a Marian Keyes book. You feel for Anna and it is certainly a bittersweet read that you will have to be in the right frame of mind to read. But don’t let that put you off picking this one up.

Keyes’ latest release catches readers up with Anna all these years later. While readers only get the briefest of pit stops in New York, before she leaves her successful life behind to move back home to Ireland, she’s soon helping her friends set up a luxury retreat. But this new endeavour isn’t exactly welcomed by the locals of this tiny fictional town.

As you might imagine, this transition at a period in her life when she’s navigating perimenopause, struggling with burnout and thinking about what the next chapter in her life might look like is incredibly relatable, especially for readers of a similar age. The cast of supporting characters is particularly strong in this story. Even though it’s the seventh book in the Walsh family series, it just goes to show that these stories continue to evolve and grow as the years pass by, just like they would in real life. And we would happily read even more from the beloved family going forward.

This Charming Man is definitely one of Marian Keyes’ darker reads as it deals with emotional, sexual and physical abuse, as well as alcoholism, anxiety and depression. It doesn’t have as many lighter and humorous moments, but it highlights how skilled an author Keyes is at digging deeper into topics that many others wouldn’t approach or humanise.

Told from the perspective of four different women, all with one connection – politician Paddy de Courcy – it provides a cathartic release for them as we discover exactly who this seemingly charming man is behind closed doors.

As the longest out of Marian Keyes’ entire back catalogue, it has the space and room to give the subject matter the time and attention that it deserves. However, this does also make it a bit more challenging to read. Pair this with the tough issues that it tackles and it might not be the book for everyone. But we would recommend picking this one up if you’re in the mood for something a bit darker.

If you’re a fan of mysteries, this book will draw you in. It’s based on the youngest of the Walsh sisters, Helen, a private investigator who ends up being drawn back into the orbit of ex-boyfriend Jay when work dries up. He brings her a case of a missing boy band member, Wayne, who has a sold-out comeback gig in five days’ time. But this isn’t your usual mystery. Despite appearing confident and on top of everything, it quickly becomes clear she is struggling.

Even though this is a book about mental health and Helen’s struggle with depression, there are still funny moments and you immediately warm to her and what she is going through. The moments and banter between her and her GP, in particular, offer some real light relief and you’ll certainly be rooting for her.

The way you learn more about missing Wayne you start to feel as though you’re putting puzzle pieces together, which is an effective way to move the mystery and the story along.