Sunburn
Chloe Michelle Howarth
(Author)
21,000+ Reviews
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Description
For fans of Normal People, a queer, coming-of-age debut of impossible first love, first loss, and first heartbreak…
It’s the early 1990’s in the small town of Crossmore, Ireland, and Lucy knows what she’s expected to do. Fall in love with the son of the farmer next door, marry him, pray for children, and never, under any circumstances reveal the truth–that she doesn’t think marriage or motherhood or staying in Crossmore is for her. That the reason she knows this, is because of her close friend, Susannah.
For years, Lucy buries her obsession, until one summer, right before graduation, when her friendship with Susannah escalates. Now, Lucy will do anything to keep their secret safe. Their relationship is both the best and worst thing that’s ever happened to her–Lucy loves Susannah, but every day, it feels like Crossmore, Lucy’s mother, and their social mores are closing in. And when Susannah decides she no longer wants to hide, Lucy must make a devastating choice.
Tender and heartbreaking, Sunburn portrays the realities of growing up in a small rural town–from the long, hot summers, to the pressures of a conservative, traditional community where everyone knows each other’s business. It’ll leave you aching for your own first love.
QR code with exclusive content included.
It’s the early 1990’s in the small town of Crossmore, Ireland, and Lucy knows what she’s expected to do. Fall in love with the son of the farmer next door, marry him, pray for children, and never, under any circumstances reveal the truth–that she doesn’t think marriage or motherhood or staying in Crossmore is for her. That the reason she knows this, is because of her close friend, Susannah.
For years, Lucy buries her obsession, until one summer, right before graduation, when her friendship with Susannah escalates. Now, Lucy will do anything to keep their secret safe. Their relationship is both the best and worst thing that’s ever happened to her–Lucy loves Susannah, but every day, it feels like Crossmore, Lucy’s mother, and their social mores are closing in. And when Susannah decides she no longer wants to hide, Lucy must make a devastating choice.
Tender and heartbreaking, Sunburn portrays the realities of growing up in a small rural town–from the long, hot summers, to the pressures of a conservative, traditional community where everyone knows each other’s business. It’ll leave you aching for your own first love.
QR code with exclusive content included.
Product Details
| Publisher | Melville House |
| Publish Date | July 08, 2025 |
| Pages | 288 |
| Language | English |
| Type |  Paperback / softback |
| EAN/UPC | 9781685892111 |
| Dimensions | 8.2 X 5.5 X 0.8 inches | 0.6 pounds |
About the Author
Chloe Michelle Howarth is an Irish writer who grew up in the West Cork countryside. The landscapes, culture, and people of rural Ireland have served as an inspiration for her writing. She first became interested in literature as a teenager, and in 2015, she moved to Dublin to study English, Media, and Cultural Studies in IADT Dun Laoghaire. Chloe currently lives in Brighton. This is her first novel.
Reviews
A JULY 2025 INDIE NEXT PICK
"Beautifully written … it’s enchanting." —Publishers Weekly
"Absolutely gripping . . . A romantic, funny, and painful exploration of the cost of being true to yourself." —Kirkus Reviews
"A poetic victory, fueled by intense, penetrating prose." —Foreword Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
PRAISE FOR THE UK EDITION
** Shortlisted for the 2023 Nero Book Award for Debut Fiction **
** An Evening Standard ‘One to Watch in 2023 **
** An Independent ‘Best Romantic Summer Reads' **
** A Book of the Month pick for Diva, Irish Examiner, Novellic & Sainsbury’s Magazine **
** A Most Anticipated pick for PinkNews & Queer on the Street **
'Capturing all the intensity of first love, blended with the claustrophobia of small-town life, this debut, inspired by real experience, is tender and raw' —Bookseller
'Intense and all-consuming - like the first love it describes - Sunburn transported me to the heart of summer and the heady days of late adolescence. I won't soon forget Chloe Michelle Howarth's addictive, lushly written debut' —Laura Sims, author, How Can I Help You
'A beautiful coming of age love novel written with an insightful poetical prose, rich with religious allegory and texture which underscores the transformative, spiritual power of first love explored' —Scene Magazine
'This is an often gut-wrenching divulgence into a complex queer story that... painstakingly captures the realities of queerness in 1990s small-town Ireland' —The Gay Saint
"Beautifully written … it’s enchanting." —Publishers Weekly
"Absolutely gripping . . . A romantic, funny, and painful exploration of the cost of being true to yourself." —Kirkus Reviews
"A poetic victory, fueled by intense, penetrating prose." —Foreword Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
PRAISE FOR THE UK EDITION
** Shortlisted for the 2023 Nero Book Award for Debut Fiction **
** An Evening Standard ‘One to Watch in 2023 **
** An Independent ‘Best Romantic Summer Reads' **
** A Book of the Month pick for Diva, Irish Examiner, Novellic & Sainsbury’s Magazine **
** A Most Anticipated pick for PinkNews & Queer on the Street **
'Capturing all the intensity of first love, blended with the claustrophobia of small-town life, this debut, inspired by real experience, is tender and raw' —Bookseller
'Intense and all-consuming - like the first love it describes - Sunburn transported me to the heart of summer and the heady days of late adolescence. I won't soon forget Chloe Michelle Howarth's addictive, lushly written debut' —Laura Sims, author, How Can I Help You
'A beautiful coming of age love novel written with an insightful poetical prose, rich with religious allegory and texture which underscores the transformative, spiritual power of first love explored' —Scene Magazine
'This is an often gut-wrenching divulgence into a complex queer story that... painstakingly captures the realities of queerness in 1990s small-town Ireland' —The Gay Saint
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