The Great Dempseys by Brianna MacMahon explores the complex dynamics of family, love, and self-discovery. This first installment in the series offers a well-crafted narrative that explores the joys and challenges of being part of a prominent family. MacMahon’s writing excels in her depiction of Audrey and Bobby, two characters whose paths converge against a backdrop of affluence, ambition, and individual hardships. The alternating perspectives add depth and dimension to the story, allowing readers to empathize with each character’s unique challenges and triumphs. The novel prominently features Audrey’s resilience and Bobby’s pursuit of authenticity as central themes.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its ability to tackle difficult topics with sensitivity. Brianna MacMahon does not shy away from addressing themes such as identity, societal expectations, and mental health, which add complexity and relatability to the narrative. The dialogue reads authentically, and the relationships are portrayed with care, capturing the intricacies of family and romantic bonds. While emotionally intense, the story features touches of humor and warmth that offset the serious themes. Its engaging pacing is captivating, and the world-building is vivid. MacMahon warns of content that some readers may find disturbing and offers resources for anyone affected by the troubling parts. The Great Dempseys is an excellent start to a series that promises to dive deeper into the lives of its richly developed characters. It’s a compelling read for those who enjoy stories about family, identity, and navigating life’s complexities. MacMahon’s writing is heartfelt and thought-provoking, making this book a worthy addition to any reading list.

The Great Dempseys is a romance drama by Brianna MacMahon. It's the year 1978. Audrey Nielson joins the esteemed Great Gray private school as a sophomore in New York. Audrey's parents, Alexander and Sophia, are working-class people from Greenwich Village. However, most of her new classmates in Great Gray come from privileged and affluent families. After acclimatizing to her new environment, Audrey meets Bobby Dempsey, son of Robert Dempsey, the CEO of Dempsey Corp. -- a powerful US conglomerate. Audrey and Bobby develop a mutual liking for each other that soon blossoms into a fully-fledged romantic relationship. Despite their class differences, the two young lovers find a way to make their relationship work. But in their senior year, they get a surprise that turns Bobby's home life upside down. Can Audrey and Bobby's love prevail against all odds?

If coming-of-age romance novels are your flavor, you will love The Great Dempseys. Sprinkled with a healthy dose of romance, family drama, and shocking reveals, this is a tale of first love between two teenagers from very different backgrounds. Brianna MacMahon does a fantastic job of making the characters act, talk, and feel like real people. The author ensures the two protagonists have well-developed personalities and traits that endear them to the reader. It makes them likable and easy to root for, and you want to see Audrey and Bobby overcome the challenges they face unscathed. Among the secondary characters, I loved reading about Audrey's family and the Dempsey family butler, Charles. The ending leaves a couple of plot threads ambiguous, and I think there may be a sequel to this book. Overall, it's a treat for romance lovers.

The Great Dempseys by Brianna MacMahon is a sweet, coming-of-age teen love story with a serious underlying theme. Fifteen-year-old Audrey Nielsen is unhappy that she has to change high school after her first year. She is a smart, well-adjusted youngster from a working-class family but she has won an academic scholarship to a high-achieving private school in New York; a school where the children of the rich and New York’s movers and shakers reside. Fearful and nervous on her first day at Great Grey, on the Upper East Side, she is fortunate to be taken in hand by one of the cutest boys she has ever met, Bobby Dempsey, who shows her the ropes. What she doesn’t initially realize is that Bobby’s father is one of the richest men in the country and someone her parents greatly admire and enthuse over. As friendship develops between the pair, teenage love slowly grows. As Audrey and Bobby look to the future, to college, and their maturing relationship, both of them will need to confront the fact that the great Robert Dempsey has other plans for his son and they don’t include a poor girl from Greenwich Village. 

The Great Dempseys is a gentle, easy read that will appeal greatly to true lovers of romance. Being a sucker for a good romance myself, I found the maturity and poise of these two young people endeared them to me as characters. Author Brianna MacMahon has taken a common literary trope of rich boy/poor girl and put her own decidedly unique spin on it. I found the underlying messages of family, love, attention, and abuse to be beautifully handled. It is first and foremost a teen romance and in that role, it is superbly written. The characters were given time, maturity, and understanding that belied their youth and inexperience yet in many ways they exhibited much of the fear, doubt, and angst that accompanies all teenagers as they seek to find their place in the adult world. I found it interesting that both Bobby and Audrey faced parental expectations that, although very different, were nonetheless difficult for them to navigate and often a burden when they chose to rebel against those expectations. Despite this being a story of teenage love, it feels like a cozy romance and I applaud the author for resisting the temptation to sensationalize the more physical aspects. This is a relaxing read that satisfies and I highly recommend it.

The Great Dempseys by Brianna MacMahon follows Audrey Nielsen as she navigates the complex and treacherous landscape of an elite high school, where social dynamics are as intricate and challenging as a carefully constructed chess game. Her whirlwind romance with Bobby Dempsey, heir to a powerful corporate empire, becomes a compelling narrative that explores the delicate intersections of young love, family expectations, and the profound pressures of societal norms that can both elevate and destroy personal connections. The narrative is simultaneously intimate and expansive, revealing the nuanced emotional world of young adults who are wrestling with identity, privilege, and personal authenticity.

The Great Dempseys is suitably complex for this difficult time in any high schooler's life. I found myself completely absorbed by the depth of the character development, which allows readers to empathize deeply with the protagonists' struggles and triumphs. The narration is up close and personal to keep readers locked in with Audrey and Bobby, and the prose strikes an elegant balance between heartfelt emotion and sharp social commentary, exploring themes of privilege and personal identity with remarkable sensitivity and insight. Brianna MacMahon's layered storytelling invites readers to look beyond initial interactions, revealing the complex motivations that drive human behavior when under the social microscope. The dialogue captures this perfectly with wit and age-authentic language. I was particularly moved by how MacMahon captures the vulnerability and strength of young people navigating incredibly challenging personal landscapes in a naturally flowing way. Overall, I would certainly recommend The Great Dempseys as a compelling exploration of contemporary young adult experiences.