Fun and Games: The Irish bestselling debut novel of the summer – ‘the funniest novel I’ve read in years’ Sally Rooney

THE INSTANT TOP 10 IRISH BESTSELLER An Observer Best Debut Novelist of 2025 ‘One of the most exciting writers working in Ireland today’ SALLY ROONEY 'One of my favourite books of the year’ JULIA ARMFIELD ‘A funny and frank coming-of age-drama' OBSERVER 'Gorgeous … a writer of immense talent' MICHAEL MAGEE ‘Growing up isn’t all fun and games’ SERVICE95 A stunning debut novel following a teenage boy as he comes of age on the west coast of Ireland, from the author of the acclaimed story collection Pure Gold. Seventeen-year-old John Masterson has no idea what he wants. It’s his last summer on the small island where he has grown up and he should be enjoying the weeks until his exam results come through. Instead, he’s working mind-numbing shifts at the local hotel and trying to keep his head down after his mother’s nude sext to another man was leaked to the whole island. As John joins the local senior football team, gets caught up in fights and parties, and embarks on a tentative relationship with his slightly older co-worker Amber that he feels both proud and ashamed of, he can almost pretend that this summer will last forever. But soon John must face up to the choices before him: to stay or leave, to stand out or fit in, and whether to love and let himself be loved, despite or perhaps because of, the flaws that make us all human. Fun and Games is a darkly comic, beautifully crafted debut novel that is full of feeling both harsh and tender. It takes in social class and its firm borders, manhood and its frailties, family and, of course, love. 'Brilliantly written; as evocative as it is funny. Think: the male version of Sally Rooney' VOGUE 'A writer at the top of his technical game' TELEGRAPH 'In 20 years of reviewing, I’m not sure I’ve read a funnier book, or one I’ve enjoyed more’ DAILY MAIL 'Warmth and sensitivity, and a skillful humour' GUARDIAN 'Funny and heartbreaking’ FERDIA LENNON ‘Brilliant and bittersweet ode to young love, friendship and GAA' IRISH TIMES 'One of the debuts of the year' iPAPER 'An utter joy to read' COLIN BARRETT ‘A gifted writer' ANNE GRIFFIN ‘Bighearted and boisterous, bursting with life' COLIN WALSH 'A remarkable depiction of burgeoning masculinity' REBECCA WATSON 'Totally brilliant and unputdownable' IRISH EXAMINER John Patrick McHugh's 'Fun and Games' was a Irish top ten bestseller w/c 2025-04-28. In this upcoming literary masterpiece, John Patrick McHugh explores the psychological intricacies of a young man's life, set against the backdrop of sports and the harsh realities of growing up. The top fiction of the year, Fun and Games is a compelling narrative that delves deep into the human psyche, offering a unique perspective on the complexities of adolescence. For fans of Percival L. Everett (I Am Not Sidney Poitier), Sally Rooney (Beautiful World, Where Are You), Paul Lynch (Grace), George Saunders (Lincoln in the Bardo), and Gabrielle Zevin (Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow). HarperCollins 2025