Where the Heart Should Be

“Acclaimed author Crossan atmospherically renders the rural Irish setting of this emotionally resonant and powerfully written, page-turning verse novel… . Hauntingly beautiful.” – Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“An emotionally taut story of strength and loss, exhibiting how darkness and hope can intertwine. Readers will be left breathless.” – Booklist (starred review)

“Where the Heart Should Be grapples with huge themes of colonialism, poverty, privilege, and power imbalance with astonishing intimacy. A love story set within a harrowing historical period, this is a gripping journey of longing and loss, injustice and sacrifice, crafted by a master of the novel in verse.” – Joy McCullough, award-winning author of Blood Water Paint

”[Nell] is indeed hesitant to tell her story initially, her cadence a bit halting, her narration a bit sparse. But as she opens up to John, so too does she to the reader, speaking of her hopes and dreams even as her world falls apart… . Despite the hardship, however, a happy, well-earned ending that emphasizes hope over despair rewards the reader, especially fans of doomed romances that beat the odds.” – Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Sarah Crossan is the author of One, which won the Carnegie Medal and the Bookseller’s prize for young adult fiction and was named the Irish Children’s Book of the Year. It was also named to the White Ravens list, was an Indie Next selection, and earned four starred reviews in the US. In 2018, Sarah Crossan was named Irish Children’s Laureate. Two other novels, The Weight of Water and Apple and Rain, were also shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. Sarah Crossan has lived in Dublin, London, and New York, and now lives in Sussex. She graduated with a degree in philosophy and literature before training as an English and drama teacher at Cambridge University. Since completing a master’s in creative writing, she has been working to promote creative writing in schools.