About the book

From the author of the beloved debut Boys Don't Cry, an unforgettable story of love and loss and how the ones we love never really leave us. 

He's leaning in. I'm leaning in. 'The future is ours to make, Shauns,' he says, lips almost touching.

Summer, 1991. Dean: sun-stung and sticky with cool ice-pop juice, walks to the middle of The Green to get a good gawk at the new salon. And at the owner's kid. Hands deep in his pockets, his jet-black mop of hair hides the tension in his face at the thought of going back home. Shauna: stands well hid behind her ma - her eyes dark and haunted like the rest of her.

The salon is theirs, a fresh start. The smell of her ma's Body Shop perfume clings to her jumper - Shauna can't be anywhere else other than here. Instantly inseparable, their friendship blooms.

But as time passes and tell-tale blushes and school fights develop into something deeper, conflicting responsibilities threaten to pull Shauna and Dean apart.

When all seems lost, will they find each other under the same blue sky?

Why we loved it

For some reason I assumed from the title that this would be an uplifting, heartwarming read and since you might think so too, I'll warn you now to turn off your phone, pour yourself some tea and have a box of tissues at the ready because you're going to be sobbing into a pillow with this one.

May All Your Skies Be Blue perfectly captures all the awkward devastating angst of young love. following the life-changing friendship between Shauna and Dean that develops when they meet as teenagers in the summer of 1991.  

Told across two timelines, past and present, the book is beautifully nostalgic at times and filled with just the right amount of pop culture references to instantly transport you back to the early 90s. In contrast, the present-day scenes are much bleaker, with a undercurrent of tension that hints at troubles ahead for the young lovers. 

As the story progresses, the uncertainty between Dean and Shauna and their inability to actually communicate what they're feeling, or to even really know what they're feeling, makes for an often uncomfortable and heartbreaking read that feels so authentic and truthful. 

It's easy to look back at youth through rose-coloured glasses, but sometimes it's the most complicated and impactful time of our life and Fiona Scarlett doesn't shy away from showing all that messy emotion.

This is a beautiful and poignant novel from a writer who skilfully captures all the tangled complexity of life, loss and regret. Not to be missed - but do stock up on the tissues first.