Welcome to Litsy!

Something tragic happened in Galway. Something no one will talk about. Cynical loner Ronan Twomey might seem like a normal university student, but he doesn't allow anyone to get close enough to know what he's buried deep inside. That is, until his life collides with those of Stephen McSwiggan and Ellen Graham... Dopey, awkward Stephen McSwiggan welcomes the arrival of his new American housemate, Ellen, but that doesn't mean his life is remotely enviable. His demanding mother thinks he's best suited to the priesthood, and the rest of his family assumes he will remain a bachelor. However, in a strange turn of events, Stephen surprises everyone... including himself. Anxious but spirited Ellen Graham arrives in Galway for her semester abroad, but the prospect of adjusting to an unfamiliar place is daunting. All she wants to do is fit in, make friends, and feel like she belongs somewhere... but will this bustling Irish city welcome her with open arms? Just when things seem totally hopeless, an unassuming acquaintance arrives to help the three students take control of their young adult lives. It may be that she, with the help of Stephen and Ellen, can urge Ronan to confront the nagging truth of his past, but will that be enough? In a novel that transports readers to contemporary Galway, Ireland, Rhian J. Martin explores the ambiguous nature of young adult life, the misery of lost hope, and the human capacity for connection, compassion, and camaraderie across generations.