Published 26th March 2026 by Headline.
From the cover of the book:
Ailie, Sybil and Rua can take care of themselves. But when they form an unexpected friendship, they discover new perspectives on old problems.
Ailie is recently widowed, and struggling. At least she can cut ties with her toxic Italian in-laws. Except her teenage daughter is joining them in Trieste. Should Ailie follow, and confront the family who can't forgive her?
Sybil has learned to be happy alone. But her younger sister, Tansy, thinks Sybil needs to find a man before it's too late. And she has the perfect candidate. Can Sybil cope with Tansy interfering - again?
Twice Rua has faced the worst, and twice she's started over. All that matters now is protecting her daughter. Yet she's kept the full story from her. Is it time to trust Brontë with the truth?
An intriguing and sparkling story about women discovering their strength - and loving life.
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Ailie, Sybil and Rua all know what it means to lose a beloved partner, and to have to learn to navigate a new chapter in their lives. Ailie, recently widowed, is struggling, but trying to keep going for the sake of her daughter Flavia, whilst dealing with troublesome Italian in-laws. Sybil is settled in her single life, but younger sister Tansy will keep interfering, sure Sybil must be in need of a man after five years of widowhood. And Rua, who has had to start over twice, is keeping secrets from her daughter Bronte, and certain she will never love anyone as much as her late wife, Lilou.
One fateful day, the three women meet outside a concert venue, after Sybil is run down by a careless youth on an e-bike. Uncharacteristically for all three, they decide to go for a drink to recover from the ordeal, and a connection sparks between them...
This lovely story unfurls through the voices of the three women, with snippets from Flavia and Bronte, and journeys between Ireland, Italy and France. As their friendship grows, the 'Merry Widows' reveal their stories - Ailie telling of her fresh grief at the loss of her Italian husband Georgio, and the difficult state of affairs with his family, who never accepted her; Sybil recounting her life with tech-genius Theo, which took her around the world, and the unwelcome efforts of Tansy to marry her off; and Rua, whose life has shrunk since the loss of her French wife, and who has no idea how to broach a difficult subject with her daughter.
Lashing of golden moments, steeped in laughter (Turkey Teeth Burt was quite something) and tears ensue as the women support each other through their trials and tribulations, and learn to open up their hearts to new experiences. There are some particularly beautiful episodes in Italy, where Sybil helps Ailie tackle her difficult in-laws; in France, when Sybil and Ailie are at Rua's side as she finds closure; and at Rua's childhood home, when Bronte forces a painful confrontation.
O'Flanagan's women are a joy. Steadfast Sybil was my favourite, but it was a treat to spend time with them all as they learned how to come to terms with the heart-ache of their individual losses and to write their own sequels. Themes of complicated families, marriage, motherhood, unbearable grief, and generational trauma are handled with sensitivity, and I found myself mopping up tears throughout.
Absolutely wonderful storytelling about female friendship and second chances kept me absorbed from the first page to the last. I really did not want to say goodbye to Sybil, Ailie and Rua. and would love to know what happens to them next, if you ever have a follow-up novel in mind Ms O'Flanagan?
Secrets Between Friends is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.
Thank you to Headline for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
About the author:
Sheila O'Flanagan is the award-winning author of over thirty books, including The Honeymoon Affair, The Woman on the Bridge, What Eden Did Next, Three Weddings and a Proposal, and The Missing Wife.
She lives in Dublin with her husband.
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