Whale Harbor

After reading and loving Keane's earlier book Ask Again, Yes back in 2019, I eagerly requested a copy of Whale Harbour. I loved that the book was set partially in Ireland and I was all set for a family saga and a story rich in poignant moments.

The story started off strong with rural Ireland vividly described and I liked second brother Mac's POV, but it was his daughter Mary's POV later in the book that added energy to the story. There are a LOT of characters for readers to keep track of (the family has 11 sons!), but soon the book felt like more of a detailed family history of who did what, who married whom and day-to-day life, and I struggled to connect with the story and characters. I stuck with it to learn why younger brother Rian took off and what he got up to in the ensuing years, but in the end was left without an answer. 

Unfortunately, the story was too slow paced for me, particularly in the middle, where not much happens. I also found I had to remind myself that the book was set in the 1960's and onwards, not in the 19^th century. It gave a very 19^th century vibe, which probably didn't help with the rural Irish and Montana settings and Mac's blacksmith profession.

In the end, I loved the Irish setting, I thought the beginning and ending were the strongest and appreciate that the author based the book on her own family, but I wanted more than day-to-day happenings of the many characters and to not feel like the reader was kept emotionally at arm's length despite the poignant topics that were raised. 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Scribner books for the digital advanced copy of this book that was gifted to me in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Mary Beth Keane

Genre: Historical Fiction

Type and Source: ebook from publisher via NetGalley

Publisher: Scribner (S&S Canada)

First Published: Oct 20, 2026

Read: Oct 13-24, 2026

Book Description from GoodReads: From the New York Times bestselling author of the “magnificent” (Fresh Air) Ask Again, Yes, a sweeping multigenerational saga inspired by the author's family history, following eleven brothers as they are set on different paths between Ireland, England, Montana, and New York.

1960s, Ireland. In the wake of tragedy, a father makes choices for his eleven grieving sons. The older brothers will emigrate to England for work, while the younger ones will stay behind. The second eldest, Macdara, is offered a job on a Montana cattle ranch and sets off. His spirited younger brother Rian begs to come along and Mac promises to bring Rian to America as soon as he’s old enough. But then one day Mac gets a call that Rian has gone missing. His disappearance will haunt Mac and his family across decades.

Spanning lifetimes and continents, Whale Harbor is “tender, immersive, and exquisitely written” (Florence Knapp, author of The Names) with award-winning author Mary Beth Keane’s signature wit, eloquence, and attention to the emotional resonance of family, brotherhood, and the choices that echo across generations.