Description
Dark family secrets. Class differences. First love. Dive into the first entry of this 10-time-award-winning YA/NA romance series that has received 5-star reviews from Online Book Club, Readers’ Favorite, Literary Titan, and Reader Views!
“From Greenwich Village to the Upper East Side, The Great Dempseys is also a touching tribute to 1970s New York City, with frequent references to period-appropriate politics and culture that resonate. MacMahon tackles weighty themes, but YA readers will find this a cozy, late-20th-century fairy tale with surprising depth.” -BookLife Reviews from Publishers Weekly
AWARDS WON: WINNER of the 2025 Literary Titan Gold Book Award! WINNER of the 2025 Reader Views Bronze Medal for YA Fiction (16+)! FINALIST in the 2025 National Indie Excellence Awards for the Romance Genre! 1st PLACE WINNER in Fiction for Firebird Book Awards and Speak Up Talk Radio! 1st PLACE WINNER in Coming-of-Age Fiction for Firebird Book Awards and Speak Up Talk Radio! 1st PLACE WINNER in Young Adult Fiction for Firebird Book Awards and Speak Up Talk Radio! 1st PLACE WINNER in New Adult Fiction for Firebird Book Awards and Speak Up Talk Radio! WINNER of the 2025 Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal for Young Adult Romance. WINNER of the 2025 NYC Big Book Award for New Adult Fiction. WINNER of the 2025 NYC Big Book Award for Romance.
Thanks to a generous scholarship, fifteen-year-old Audrey Nielsen is able to attend Great Gray, a prestigious private high school on the Upper East Side, as a member of the Class of 1981. Though uncomfortable in this new environment, Audrey quickly adapts, and at Great Gray, she meets Bobby Dempsey, the sole heir to his family’s fortune. Everyone knows about the Dempsey family; the patriarch, Robert Dempsey, is the CEO of Dempsey Corp, one of the largest, most influential conglomerates in the United States. Bobby is expected to someday follow in his father’s footsteps, but perhaps he has his own aspirations…
Instantly, sparks fly between Bobby and Audrey, and their relationship piques their peers’—and their families’—interest. Together, they do their best to navigate class differences, family drama, and the difficulties of teenage romance. Nevertheless, near the end of their senior year, something happens that shatters the euphoric bubble they had been living in. In the aftermath, dark family secrets resurface, threatening to topple the great Dempsey dynasty.
Bobby and Audrey are thus forced to make a decision: a decision that will change the trajectory of their entire lives…
Genres: Young adult, new adult, romance, coming-of-age, family saga
Book Length: 326 pages
Be warned, there are trigger warnings for the book. Topics such as abuse, suicidal ideation, and attempted suicide are discussed throughout the book. Please read with care.
Georgiana (verified owner) –
I purchased several copies of this book to give as gifts to my fellow book club members. I couldn’t resist starting to read it ahead of time…This is a winner for so many reasons!!! The characters, the storylines, the writing is all superb! I am so excited to be the one to introduce my book club to this new author.
Jamie L. (verified owner) –
A fantastic, well-written book! Couldn’t put it down!
Tara M. (verified owner) –
The Great Dempseys is a captivating exploration of first love, class divides, and the quest for self-discovery. Set against the vibrant backdrop of NYC in the late 1970s, it chronicles the journey of two teenagers, Bobby and Audrey, as they navigate the complexities of love and societal expectations. MacMahon masterfully weaves romance and intrigue, vividly capturing the spirit of the era while charting Bobby and Audrey’s bold and tender path through the early years of their relationship. The authentic dialogue breathes life into the characters, while the evocative prose paints scenes as striking as the masterpieces Bobby and Audrey admire at The Met. Since this is just the first installment in what promises to be a phenomenal series, I’m eager to see how their story evolves and how they tackle the challenges that await them! MacMahon is one to watch.