Two boys meet, everything changes: a thrillingly beautiful and transporting story of first love in the English countryside. The instant Irish Times bestseller. ''An exquisite tale of first love'' Sarah Perry, author of THE ESSEX SERPENT On the cusp of adulthood, James dreams of another life far away from his small village. As he contends with the expectations of his family, his burgeoning desire - an ache for autonomy, tenderness and sex - threatens to unravel his shy exterior. Then he meets Luke. Unkempt and handsome, charismatic and impulsive, he has been sent to live with his aunt and uncle on a nearby farm. Luke comes with a reputation for danger, but underneath his bravado lie anxieties and hopes of his own. With the passing seasons, the two teenagers grow closer and the bond that emerges between them transforms their lives. James falls deeply for Luke, yet he is never sure of Luke''s true feelings. And as the end of summer nears, he has a choice to make - will he risk everything for the possibility of love? ''It made my heart hurt in the best ways'' Helen Macdonald, author of H IS FOR HAWK ''Heart-rending...sensuous and decadent'' Financial Times ''Beautifully written, deeply felt'' Michael Magee, author of CLOSE TO HOME Open, Heaven was an Irish top ten bestseller w/c 28 April 2025

Autorentext
Seán Hewitt was born in 1990. He is the author of two poetry collections, Tongues of Fire and Rapture's Road, and a memoir, All Down Darkness Wide. He collaborated with the artist Luke Edward Hall on 300,000 Kisses: Tales of Queer Love from the Ancient World. Hewitt has received the Laurel Prize and the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature and been shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award. He lectures at Trinity College Dublin and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Klappentext

When James meets Luke, everything changes - an exhilarating tale of hidden desire and sudden freedom in the wild countryside.

A GUARDIAN BEST SUMMER READ
THE INSTANT TOP 10 IRISH BESTSELLER

'An achingly beautiful story of first love' GUARDIAN
'Gorgeous... I promise it's amazing!' JACK EDWARDS
'An exquisite tale... Superb' SARAH PERRY

James dreams of another life far away from his small village. Almost an adult, his newfound desires threaten to unravel his shy exterior. Then he meets Luke. Unkempt and handsome, charismatic and impulsive, he has been sent to stay with his aunt and uncle on a nearby farm.

With the passing seasons, a bond emerges between them that transforms their lives. Yet James is never sure of Luke's true feelings and as the end of summer nears, he has a choice to make: will he risk everything for the possibility of love?

Shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize 2026
A Book of the Year for the Guardian*,** Observer**,** Irish Times and BBC*

READERS HAVE FALLEN FOR OPEN, HEAVEN
'I adored every single moment of this phenomenal book'
'The intoxicating rush of first love. Five stars!'
'Gorgeous. I was completely transported'
'Breathtakingly beautiful. A story that stays with you'
'Heart-breaking but also triumphant. A must-read'

'It made my heart hurt in the best ways' HELEN MACDONALD

'Seán Hewitt is the real deal' BENJAMIN MYERS

'Beautifully written, deeply felt' MICHAEL MAGEE

'Hewitt writes with such tenderness and grace' ANNE ENRIGHT

'Heart-rending... Propulsive' FT

'Gorgeous...intimate and euphoric' COLIN WALSH

Open, Heaven was an Irish top ten bestseller w/c 28 April 2025