Love is not easy, especially if you find the woman of your dreams and then lose her – as Philip Griffin and his son Stephen each discover in turn.

Stephen is just a boy when his mother and sister are killed in a car crash, and his father never recovers from the accident: he wasn’t involved but is consumed by grief, his only desire to be reunited with his wife. Before that happens, though, Philip wants to ensure the happiness of his son, Stephen – now a grown man.

As it is in Heaven, Niall Williams’ tale of love and tragedy, will leave you in tears

‘A bitter-sweet novel about passionate love giving way to commitment, grief to a sort of healing’ Irish Times

‘A tender and sober novel with a faith in romance that is absolute’ Daily Express

‘Delicious coincidence and tragedy, as extraordinary lives unravel and intertwine’ Guardian