A warm and bittersweet novel about love, loneliness, coffee and the pitfalls of an ill-advised selfie, perfect for fans of Monica Heisey, Nora Ephron and Katherine Heiny.

'Moriarty's uplifting debut has much in common with Ephron's classic novel Heartburn, covering as it does long-term love, casual sex and heartbreak.' IRISH INDEPENDENT

'Delightful . . . entertaining, often funny, but also makes you think about relationships, loneliness, and how to find out who you really are' IRISH EXAMINER

'A perfect literary romcom that is compelling and warm without missing out the vagaries of Grindr, drunken nights out and the loneliness of London.' KATE SAWYER

'An insightful and utterly believable take on the emotional and practical realities of opening up a relationship . . . A beautiful, understated novel about connection, self-discovery and trying to get by. Highly recommended' ATTITUDE

'A super-fun must-read - we finished it in one sitting!' CLOSER

'A candid, funny romcom' BBC SOUNDS

'So refreshing and compelling, I can't wait to buy copies for everyone I know. Hard recommend!' LUCY VINE

'Such a warm writer that every word glows on the page' HANNAH TOVEY

'I loved spending time with this whole cast of characters . . . a witty, warm, contemporary read' NIAMH HARGAN

'An absolute delight of a book. You will totally fall in love with Eoin' OLIVIA BEIRNE

'Hilarious and heartbreaking in equal measure' KIRSTY EYRE

'An absolute treat. I adored every minute.' HANNAH DOYLE

******

Meet Eoin. Eoin is doing great. He's 27, gainfully employed and in a long-term relationship with his boyfriend Rich.

Okay, so his best friend Jax is diving into yet another disastrously bad relationship and Eoin's going to be the one dealing with the eventual fallout. And his boss at the cafe, Rebecca, seems to have vanished, so somehow Eoin's left managing the place. And to be honest, he's not got much else going on.

But still, he's got his boyfriend Rich - steady, sensible and dependable Rich. That is, until Eoin's world is turned upside down when Rich announces that he wants an open relationship. Terrified of losing the man he loves, Eoin reluctantly agrees to this new arrangement, and stumbles into the world of dating with no strings attached.

What could go wrong?

******

READERS ARE LOVING SOUNDS LIKE FUN:

'I stayed up until midnight to binge read this in one go' READER REVIEW, 5*

'An utterly gorgeous read with a compelling lead who had me rooting for him on every page' READER REVIEW, 5*

'I gobbled this story up in just two sittings and will certainly recommend all my rom com loving pals pick it up' READER REVIEW, 5*

'A witty and wise stroll through London's contemporary gay scene, bulging with humour and really great characters that I'm missing already' READER REVIEW, 5*

'A fun and heartwarming read, with a depth of feeling that I perhaps wasn't fully expecting before I started' READER REVIEW, 5*

About the Author
Bryan Moriarty lives in London, where he moved from Dublin to train as an actor. In addition to performing, teaching, working as a barista and driving a delivery van, he has written and produced short films, plays and a web series. He was a winner of this year's Irish Writers' Centre Novel Fair 2021 for this book.

Reviews
Moriarty skilfully brings Eoin, with all his hang-ups and doubts, to life . . . A warm-hearted and good-humoured tale of trying to find where you fit. -- The Times
Certainly, Moriarty's uplifting debut has much in common with Ephron's classic novel, Heartburn, covering as it does, long-term love, casual sex and heartbreak. * Irish Independent *
Moriarty perfectly captures the sometimes wasteland years of your 20s . . . It is one of Moriarty's talents to gradually reveal the charm of the world and characters he has created. Chief attraction is Eoin himself, who is a mixture of wit, touching humility, and burgeoning self-confidence, which combine to make him an extremely endearing hero . . . His supporting cast of quirky co-workers, possible love interests, one-night stands through Grindr, and friends hosting knitting circles, are well drawn and hugely entertaining. I was so drawn in I abandoned an entire day to reading it, just-one-more-chaptering my way through until I found I had completed the thing. * Irish Independent *
Delightful . . . entertaining, often funny, but also makes you think about relationships, loneliness, and how to find out who you really are . . . laugh out loud funny at times . . . Sounds Like Fun is fun - it's also a novel which captures the differing ways individuals deal with loneliness, full of characters the reader will care about. * Irish Examiner *
Full of wit, soul-searching and poignant observations on queer life... A warm and bittersweet novel -- Irish Country Magazine
Moriarty has created a real living, breathing person that I want to protect at all costs, so much so that I found myself annoyed when I got to the end because I knew the rest of Eoin's life would have to be left up to the imagination . . . an excellent exploration of modern-day relationships along with that mid-to-late-twenties crisis so many people have as they try to figure out what they want their future to be. * Writing.IE *
I was utterly charmed by this debut . . . a coming of age story that is compelling and warm without missing out the vagaries of Grindr, drunken nights out and the loneliness of London. A perfect literary romcom -- Kate Sawyer
I adored Sounds Like Fun and tore through it. It felt so refreshing and compelling, and the characters are all so well written and relatable. I can't wait to buy copies for everyone I know - hard recommend! -- Lucy Vine
So refreshing, with characters that make you whoop and cheer throughout. Moriarty is such a warm writer, every word glows on the page. -- Hannah Tovey
I raced through it in one sitting and loved spending time with this whole cast of characters . . . a witty, warm, contemporary read -- Niamh Hargan
Warm and welcoming, Moriarty's debut has the effortless informality of a friend confessing his reluctant foray into an open relationship . . . If you enjoyed Kate Davies' In At The Deep End, this book should indeed sound like fun! -- Lily Lindon
A heartfelt novel offering an insight into modern relationships, loneliness in your twenties and finding your place in the world. -- Somewhere For Us
Total brilliance. Eoin is charming and instantly relatable - not to mention laugh-out-loud hilarious at times. It's impossible not to fall in love with this book! -- Beth Reekles
An absolute delight of a book. You will totally fall in love with Eoin. I read it in two sittings - it's that good! -- Olivia Beirne
Hilarious and heartbreaking in equal measure, this is a refreshing, honest and real take on a traditional romance with an ending of agency and hope that I loved. A delight to read. -- Kirsty Eyre
Sounds Like Fun is an absolute treat. A pacy plot with plenty of laughs and a cast of characters who jump from the page. I adored every minute. -- Hannah Doyle
Sets itself apart from the crowd - its message is that happiness is often found in being brave, in departing from the comfortable and in asking difficult questions of yourself and those around you. It is refreshing to read a queer novel about people who are basically enjoying life and who come to important, and life-changing, realisations without having to endure some spectacular tragedy or suffering -- Daniel Barnes
I adored this. It's funny yet poignant. Eoin's work life and friendships feel utterly authentic. * Irish Examiner *
Moriarty's debut explores modern dating and the loneliness that people in their twenties feel as they try to make their way in the world. It's a witty, wise and sincere novel that offers a fresh take on queer life and open relationships * Culturefly *



Book Information
ISBN 9781529393484
Author Bryan Moriarty
Format Paperback
Page Count 272
Imprint Hodder Paperback
Publisher Hodder & Stoughton
Weight(grams) 200g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 128mm * 24mm