The Summer Of Serendipity by Ali McNamara - Review and Giveaway.

I am delighted to help kick off the blog tour for Ali McNamara's latest novel, The Summer Of Serendipity. I also have a copy of the book to giveaway to one lucky reader. Just enter via pinned post on Bleach House Library facebook page. Open INT and closes on Monday, 31st July. Good Luck! Serendipity Parker is a property hunter, who matches her clients with their dream homes. Travelling with her assistant, Kiki, the trip to Ireland proves more problematic that they anticipated. Although they have found the perfect property, in the small village of Ballykiltara, there is more to the house than meets the eye. Local folklore, century-old legends and a protective community all throw a spanner in the works. Serendipity and Kiki get to know the locals a little better and begin to see the magic in the small, touristy village.

 It's that time of the year: Summer is well and truly here and our reading tastes alter accordingly. The need for something light, fun and easy-going is what summer is all about. While we may not all have a holiday booked, or a sunlounger to rest on, the pace certainly eases over the summer months and sometimes all you want is a charming book that does not require too much concentration. This may just be what you are looking for. This is female fiction with a rom-com feel. Serendipity (or Ren, as she is known) is a businesswoman first and foremost and is used to getting what she wants. Her trip to Ireland sees a shift in her mentality, as she begins to see that a house is not just about the location or its prospective buyer. Kiki is a great character, with her tendency to mix-up well-known sayings resulting in some great comedic moments. Along with the hotel staff (especially Finn and Donal) there is a great selection of personalities and they blend well together.

This is a light-hearted read, with some nice nods to Irish History and Archaeology, and gives a glimpse into village life and the craic that can be had. It is not all woolly sheep and Guinness souvenirs; it is the people; the views and the historic atmosphere. There may be lots of cliché in the novel, but the banter makes up for it. A lovely, warm and sweet read.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ali McNamara attributes her over-active and very vivid imagination to one thing – being an only child. Time spent dreaming up adventures when she was young has left her with a head bursting with stories waiting to be told.

When stories she wrote for fun on Ronan Keating’s website became so popular they were sold as a fundraising project for his cancer awareness charity, Ali realised that not only was writing something she enjoyed doing, but something others enjoyed reading too.

www.alimcnamara.co.uk | @AliMcNamara

The Summer Of Serendipity is published by Sphere and is available in PB and ebook format.

Book Review: 'Orange Blossom Days' by Patricia Scanlan.

This article originally appeared in The Sunday Independent on 26th March 2017

Warm stories of family and friendship under a hot Spanish sun

Fiction: Orange Blossom Days Patricia Scanlan, Simon and Schuster, €19.60

1

Orange Blossom Days by Patricia Scanlan

Margaret Madden

March 27 2017 2:30 AM

• 0
 
 

It is 25 years since Patricia Scanlan's City Girl was published and became a bookshelf staple, inspiring a nation of young women. You would be hard pressed to find an Irish female over 40 who does not remember the feisty protagonist, Devlin, or her journey to success. Scanlan has remained one of Ireland's bestselling authors with over 20 titles under her belt and a loyal following. Her latest novel shows that her readership has matured alongside her.

Orange Blossom Days is based around an apartment complex in southern Spain where residents escape from routine and soak up their surroundings.

Within the small community there is a hidden hive of activity, both front-of-house and behind closed doors. There is the Irish couple who are preparing to enjoy their retirement and foresee days of golf, spa treatments and no pressures; "All the stresses of rearing the girls and running a business and a home had taken their toll over the years".

In the next-door penthouse is a wealthy Texan who is not shy about coming forward and is gearing up to leave her cheating husband; "She was married in name only and had been for a long time. It was time to face reality".

Downstairs is Eduardo, who bought his small apartment to escape the heat of Madrid and perhaps persuade his wife to stop her feminist nonsense and assist his aging aunt; "What was wrong with his wife? Was she ill? A brain tumour perhaps, or the beginning of dementia?". Meanwhile, rental-property consultant, Jutta is focusing on turning a profit. Independent and resolute, she dreams big and is determined to get what she wants.

This is a charming look at the realities of overseas property ownership. From the early 2000s, when having 'a place in Spain' was achievable to anyone with access to a bank manager, right through to the darker days of the recession when the economy collapsed, the fictional gated-community is brought to life with Scanlan's warm and humorous writing style.

She shows that times have changed for her readers and the days of sitting back and enjoying middle-age in comfort are not what they used to be. Her character's responsibilities have shifted from the workplace and home to caring for grandchildren and elderly relatives; while marriage-survival and menopause are the new hot topics.

However, friendship and family are themes that remain the same. A delightful and engaging read.

*(c) Sunday Indo Living

Book Review - "A Letter From America" by Geraldine O'Neill.

We received a copy of this title, from the publishers, in return for an honest review.  Many thanks to my new guest reviewer, Martina, for her insightful review...

Guest review from Martina O'Connor.

The Tracey family are like any Irish family living in 1960s Ireland. Seán and Nance Tracey are the parents of three girls, Fiona, Angela and Bridget. Fiona lives at home and helps out in the family run shop and public house while Angela lives independently in Dublin and Bridget is on course to become a nun while living at a convent in Athlone. Throughout the book, we get an insight into the Tracey family through the perspectives of Fiona, Angela and Bridget.

            Geraldine kicks off by introducing Fiona, the eldest daughter, who receives a letter from America from her friend Elizabeth, who informs her that she has been successful in getting a nanny position with a family in New York. Looking forward to her new adventure in America, Fiona helps her parents during the busy Christmas period in the shop and the pub until she leaves for New York in the New Year.

            When the reader is introduced to Angela, they also get introduced to an independent young woman who has suffered from polio, which affected her leg, from a young age. Angela has not let this hold her back as she manages to get around. She lives amongst people who suffer from the same disability as her so she feels comfortable in her surroundings. Throughout the book, you feel the tensions Angela feels towards her mother, as she doesn’t feel close to her parent as much as Fiona would.

            Bridget, the third daughter, is living in a convent with the hope of becoming a nun. Bridget also has her independence but is set on completing her vocation as she has strong religious beliefs.

            Like every family, tragedy strikes when you least expect it to. When a tragedy strikes the Tracey family each of the girls deal with this event in their own way and Fiona is forced to postpone her trip to New York. She does this so that she can help her mother run both the shop and the pub but when her mother falls ill, Fiona has no choice but to cancel her trip altogether and look after her mother at home. Fiona soon finds herself yearning for the independence her sisters have. Bridget has her religion to help her through the tragedy and Angela is busy with work in Dublin so both are away from home and Fiona is left to take on the responsibilities of two businesses and looking after their mother by herself. This aspect of the book made me feel sorry for Fiona as she had her hopes and dreams for the future taken away from her. Fiona feels like she is left looking after things at home on her own as her sisters are unable to return home from their own responsibilities. I also get the idea that Angela is reluctant to return home, which is unfair on Fiona who is left to look after their mother on her own.

Soon, the story gives hope to the reader that Fiona can find happiness again, when a handsome American books into one of the rooms above the pub. Fiona immediately finds herself attracted to the American tourist, Michael O’Sullivan, and a romance blossoms. Could things work out for Fiona? Only one way to find out.  

Geraldine O’Neill’s writing is extraordinary. She finds a way to draw the reader in with her dialogues and depiction of family life in Ireland at this time. Throughout the book, we get a sense that there are family secrets and tensions when we are introduced to Nance’s relationship with her sister Catherine. Fiona, Angela and Bridget don’t understand the tension between Nance and their aunt and this tension keeps the reader turning the page to find out what is the reason behind this fallout. The girls get caught in the crossfire as all three sisters hear something that could change the family for good. What is the secret that has caused this tension in the Tracey family? Geraldine O’Neill keeps the reader hooked from start to finish in order to find out.

Throughout the book, many characters are introduced. While most characters are likable, there are one or two characters that the reader would find less appealing. For me, Fiona is the most likable as she is a strong character. She shows great strength in the way she runs the family businesses while looking after her sick mother. People would be able to relate to her after she had to sacrifice her trip to America to look after things at home.

On the other hand, a character I disliked, to some degree, was Nance Tracey. She started off as a strong character with a happy marriage and three beautiful daughters. However, when she fell ill, she didn’t show the strength that she portrayed at the beginning of the book and showed no interest in getting better which affected Fiona the most. In my opinion, Nance holds Fiona back from following her dreams and holds her back from gaining real independence, which she aches for. Also, when she pushes her only sister away because of the fallout they had, it just doesn’t give a good insight to the character.

There are many twists and turns throughout the course of this book that are exquisite. Geraldine O’Neill has a talent for bringing up plot twists at just the right moment. Each character in the book is dealt with a challenge that throws their future plans in the balance. Angela finds out what the Tracey secret is at a moment when her relationship with her mother is looking up. Fiona is unsure what her future holds and doesn’t know whether her dreams for America will happen and what that means for her relationship with Michael O’Sullivan. Another incident puts Bridget’s vocation in jeopardy. Nance also reaches a new low with her illness that threatens her life. Will the Tracey family be able to overcome these challenges in order to find true happiness for themselves?  My advice, read “A Letter from America” to unfold all the secrets, sadness and happiness that the Tracey girls become subject to in Geraldine O’Neill’s magnificent story about family, grievance, romance and new opportunities. 

A Letter from America is published by Poolbeg Books and is available in TPB and ebook format.  At the time of posting, Poolbeg are running a 50% sale on all their fiction titles. You can check out their range here.  The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below: 

Book Review - "Return to Tyringham Park" by Rosemary McLoughlin.

I received a copy of this title, from the publishers, in return for an honest review...

A lavish Irish country estate, Tyringham Park is once again full of secrets, lies and tragedy.  When Lochlann returns from his post as a doctor in the Australian Outback, he brings home his wife and daughter.  Unbeknownst to anyone, his daughter is actually not his.  He carries the guilt of his dishonesty daily and finds himself hiding from the people he should love the most.  The young girl grows up in the care of her Grandmother, and oblivious to her true identity, she divides her time between Dublin and Tyringham Park.  

Back at the family seat, there are more secrets to be hidden and the past may catch up with the Blackhurst family yet...

Tyringham Park was one of my guilty pleasure reads (you can read my review here) and I was delighted to hear there was a sequel from Rosemary McLoughlin.  Now that Downton Abbey has finished its TV run, there is some Big House space to be filled.  

The book jumps straight into the continuing story of a missing Nanny, a mysterious drowning and the efforts required to hide some serious secrets.  I found myself getting a little lost, as it is a while since I read the first installment, and I'm not sure if a reader would connect too easily if they hadn't read Tyringham Park.  However, once the back story settles down, the sweeping saga gets right under your skin.  The chapters set in Australia are especially gripping, with the Hogan family coming to life straight away.  Their struggle with their mother's post natal depression is wonderfully written and the descriptions of her husband out walking the outback, searching for her, are very poignant.  Sisterly rivalry is also cleverly addressed and the progression of bitterness gains momentum as the novel progresses.  The story shifts back to Ireland and while the pace has settled, the story has taken over.  Lochlann's guilt has eased and he seems to be finally able to let go of the past.  But for how long? 

The Tyringham Park novels are ideal for fans of Downton Abbey, with all the crazy storylines, historical references and fabulous fashion.  I would recommend reading the first book, before starting Return to Tyringham Park, as there are too many references in the sequel to appreciate it as a stand-alone novel.  Perfect for those missing their weekly fix of historical drama.

Return to Tyringham Park is published by Poolbeg and is available in  trade paperback and ebook format.  You can order your copy, with 15% discount and Free Worldwide Postage, here.  The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

Book Review - "I'll Be Home For Christmas" by Roisin Meaney.

I finally grabbed a copy of this, after Christmas, and was delighted to plonk myself down by the fire and get my Christmas reading on...

Tilly is on a mission.  Onboard a flight halfway around the world, she is trying to find answers.  The questions have only just surfaced but time is not on her side.

Laura is in a dark place.  A recent illness has caused her life to change and she fears it will never be the same again.  Despite the love of her family, she struggles to wear a smile these days.  

Can the two strangers bring each other some comfort or is distance more than a measure of miles?

This is Roisin Meaney's twelfth female fiction title and her words are by no means drying up.  Although marketed as a Christmas book, this could be read at anytime of the year.  It is a novel of hope, the concept of family and new beginnings.  It tells the stories of two very different girls, yet with something in common.  They have had polar opposite lives, in vastly different countries, yet have both been hurt by the same man.  They may not realise it, but they could do with each other.  Tilly is lost and alone, with childlike innocence that she needs helps growing out of.  In contrast, Laura could do with some of her innocence back.  She has battled demons and is struggling to come out the other side.  The Irish author combines the two strong characters with a more abstract, geographical one: Roone, a small island off the coast of Ireland.  Here the reader learns that sometimes things happen for a reason, not always fathomable...

Roisin Meaney has a knack of bringing Ireland to life, even if it seems a bit cliché.  The ramblings of the islanders may seem extreme, but I have heard many a conversation similar in cities, as well as villages.  We Irish love to talk!  The sense of community is also realistic, as many have seen over the past few weeks during the floods in Ireland and the UK.  There is also a calm certainty to the relationships formed throughout the book.  There is no need for bells and whistles, or grand gestures of romance or thrills.  The everyday lives of the characters are more than enough.  We all know you can have Prosecco and Macaroons, but sometimes a fruit scone and a cup of tea is all you need.  Likewise with a good book.  No matter what the season is, the key is to sit down, relax and escape into another world for a bit.  Maybe with a scone and a cuppa on the side...

A lovely, warm read.  Ideal for fans of Freya North and Jane Greene.

I'll Be Home For Christmas is available, with Free Worldwide Postage and 13% discount, here.  The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

Book Review - "The Winter Wedding" by Abby Clements.

I received a copy of this title, from the publisher, in return for an honest review...

Hazel's twin sister, Lila, is getting married and asks Lila to be her wedding planner.  Hazel was always the tomboy while her sister was into sparkles and ballet, but Hazel has a talent for picking just the right venue, food and extras.  Lila's wedding is perfect and Hazel finds herself in demand.  With a new flatmate and new career option, all is well in Hazel's world.  There is one thing missing though.  Her best friend, Sam.  They grew up together and were like two peas in a pod, until last Christmas, when Hazel tried to kiss him.  Since then, contact has been lost and she misses his presence.  Watching all her clients, loved-up and ready to embark on their married lives, she feels a bit lonely.  Is is case of always the wedding planner, never the bride?  

Abby Clements has written a novel full of festiveness.  Hazel is a sweetheart, who would do anything for anyone and makes the perfect wedding planner.  Calm, concise and enthusiastic, without being brash or bossy.  Her love of food wafts of the pages and similarly, the Christmas season is brought to life as the book approaches its end.  The couples planning their wedding couldn't be more different yet Hazel deals with them all in a general way.  There's no need for drama or meltdowns when Hazel is around.  She misses her twin sister when she moves out to get married but new flatmate, Amber, more than makes up it.  She is a whiz in the kitchen and is always there to brighten up Hazel's day.  The only thing is, she has started dating Sam...

This is a wonderful, easy read.  You can tell the author adores all things Christmassy and all the reader needs to do is sit back, relax and picture the cakes, the dresses and the atmosphere.  No invitation required.  An ideal read for over the holidays.

The Winter Wedding is published by Simon and Schuster and is available in paperback and ebook format. You can order your copy, with Free Worldwide Postage, here or via amazon link below:

"Already Taken" by Caroline Grace-Cassidy.

I received a copy of this title, from the publishers, in return for an honest review...

Dubliner, Kate Walsh, is content with her life.  She has quit her 'brown' job, started a new venture ( as an event escort, but who only does what it says on the tin) and dances her troubles away with her best friend, Phillip.  Living independently, in her Ringsend apartment, she visits her sister daily, while managing to avoid her alcoholic father.  The girls have not seen their mother since she walked out on them years before and they need her help.  A letter from their Aunt starts off a journey of hope, laced with some bitter memories.  Meanwhile, a chance encounter in the local butcher shop awakens a longing in Kate.  A longing to be loved.  But is she ready to share her life?  Can she ever trust anyone fully? Is it too late to forgive?  Maybe Hugh can help her dance away her demons...

This is the fourth novel from Irish writer, Caroline Grace-Cassidy, and the first I have reviewed on BleachHouseLibrary.  

Kate is a relative loner.  She adores her sister, Ciara, who has a medical condition called aplastic anaemia and badly needs a bone marrow donor.  Their father is an alcoholic who drove their mother away and Kate blames him for her miserable childhood. Dance is her way of letting off steam.  She sees scenes from Flashdance in her head and heads to the local dance classes to shake off her troubles.  Best mate, Phillip, is there for her.  He runs the dance studio and understands Kate's need to escape into the world of movement.  He cajoles her, entertains her, supplies her with advice (not always great) and wine.  All the things a best friend should do.  

Hugh is a man carrying a heavy load of guilt.  Himself and Kate are attracted to each other from the get-go, but will his guilt, and her fear of trust, be their downfall?  

Caroline Grace-Cassidy uses her characters to tell this story.  Kate is fiesty yet fearful, confident yet still insecure, cutting while caring.  She is human,  Hurt by her past, she tries to make her future something she can be comfortable in.  There is a doubt that she could afford to live on her own in Dublin, with her distinct lack of finances and no job, but that's what's great about fiction.  You don't have to worry about paying the bills.  Hugh is a stereotypical Englishman.  Well-mannered public school boy with floppy hair and great dress sense.  Wealthy, educated, handsome and with a huge heart, he balances out the more cynical and salt-of-the-earth Kate.   

The backstory of Kate and Ciara's childhood is the part that I enjoyed most.  Their parents each having their own issues, the selective memories that hang around Kate's head, the smells and sounds which remind her of dark times.  These were clever insights into the world of a child who lives with an alcoholic.  Again, the novel barely touches on the realities of recovery, or the trauma, expense and heartbreak that it usually entails.  The overall package of the book is great, with fantastic characters and some clever storylines.  There are, however, many mistakes throughout the text and these really began to irritate me.   They could have easily been avoided with some proof reading.  Despite this,  I really enjoyed the novel.  It is warm and funny with some real heartwarming characters.  Ringsend is lovingly described and I wish Phillip was real, so he could be my best friend!  The author's love of dance and of classic 1980s movies is something that hops off the page and made me root out my Flashdance DVD and CD soundtrack.  Any excuse :)

Already Taken is published by Poolbeg and is available in paperback and ebook format.  You can order your copy, with Free Worldwide Postage, here.  The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

#IrishFictionFortnight - Day 14 - "A Summer Breeze" by Colette Caddle. Review & Giveaway.

A big thanks to the author for this great prize!  There are 5 copies of her latest novel, A Summer Breeze, to giveaway.  To be in with a chance, just enter via rafflecopter link below.  Good Luck!  

MY REVIEW

The world of theatre can be a fickle one.  When Zoe Hall put her actor husband's career before her own, she made a huge mistake.  Now she has returned to Dublin, newly divorced and ready to start over again.  With some help from veteran actor, Terence Ross, she auditions for the role of a lifetime and holds her breath in anticipation of its outcome.  

Meanwhile, Terence's daughter, Tara, is struggling in her new role as the main breadwinner in her household.  Her husband's redundancy has affected their marriage and she wonders if she could be bothered fighting to keep it intact.  When Zoe's brother, Shane, makes contact with his old flame, things get a little more complicated. 

A tale of lost love, a missing childhood and the insecurity of actors, this novel brings the readers through the acts and scenes of the theatre world and blends it with the unfolding of some hidden secrets...

I have been a fan of Colette Caddle's work for a long time now.  Through my book blogging and reviewing, I was fortunate enough to host an author evening with Colette, here at Bleach House, and I think we will remain friends for a long time to come!  I collected my signed copy of A Summer Breeze from Eason, way back in March and was thrilled to see a little birthday greeting had been written for me inside the book, from Colette.  That said,  it was only this week that I actually got around to reading it, and with the current sunny spell in Ireland, I think I picked the right week...

This novel looks at the casting of a play written by an Irish playwright and how it moves from the early audition stages, through to script edits and finally, opening night.  The main characters are female; Zoe and Tara, but there is a wide supporting cast of males to balance the equation.  Tara is a caterer with a damaged marriage and Zoe gives her a dig out on occasion.  Terence is Tara's father, Shane is Tara's ex but also Zoe's brother.  Then there are a host of guys who are connected via Shane and his play or his childhood.  Terence encounters a few old friends along the way too, so there is definitely no shortage of characters.  A bit too many when you throw in Shane's fling in Spain, (in his ex-lovers villa) and his old friend, Adam and a quick mention of his housebound mother.  

Colette keeps the writing fluid throughout, gently paced with two main story lines.  There are hints at hidden secrets, which are not revealed until the latter part of the novel, with Shane carrying the darkness throughout.  I couldn't connect with Tara, she was very hard and emotionally detached, but considering her parents, this may have been an inevitable outcome.  Zoe and Shane were close siblings, being orphaned at a young age but leading very different adult lives.  The overall feeling of of the book is light, with some darker elements creeping in at the end, not taking away from the summery atmosphere.  Ideal for fans of Sheila O'Flanagan and Cathy Kelly... 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Colette Caddle lives in Dublin with her husband and two young sons. She is the author of the bestselling A Cut Above, Too Little Too Late, Forever FM, Shaken Not Stirred, Red Letter Day, Changing Places, Always on My Mind, and First We Take Manhattan. Find out more at www.colettecaddle.com

A Summer Breeze is published by Simon & Schuster and is available in trade paperback and ebook format.  You can order your copy, with Free Worldwide Postage and 15% discount, here.  The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#IrishFictionFortnight - Day 14 - "Two Fridays in April" by Roisin Meaney. Author Feature and Giveaway.

Thanks to the author, there are two copies of her latest title up for grabs for #IrishFictionFortnight.  Just enter via rafflecopter link below.  Good Luck!

THE BLURB

It's Una Darling's seventeenth birthday, but nobody feels much like celebrating. It's been exactly a year since the tragic death of her father Finn, and the people he left behind have been doing their best to get on with things. But it hasn't been easy.

Daphne is tired of sadness, of mourning the long life she and her husband were meant to share, but doesn't quite know how to get past it. And she can't seem to get through to her stepdaughter - they barely speak any more, so Daphne knows nothing of the unexpected solace Una has found, or of the risk she's about to take.

When Una fails to appear for birthday tea with her family, Daphne suddenly realises how large the distance between them has grown. Will she be given the chance to make things right?

Author Feature

Over the years I’ve discovered that there are two little words that let writers get away with blue murder. Know what they are?

‘It’s research.’

This little phrase has allowed me to bake and sample a limitless variety of cupcakes (Love in the Making), sign up for a Life Drawing class (The Things We Do for Love), spend time on Valentia Island (One Summer, After the Wedding, I’ll be Home for Christmas), audition for, rehearse and perform in several amateur dramatic productions (Half Seven on a Thursday) – you get the picture.

Research can be the bane of your life as a writer – the amount I had to do for Something in Common, which spanned twenty-three years, nearly killed me – but it can also come in very, very useful indeed. It can provide you with the perfect excuse to travel (note to self: set next book on Caribbean island), to indulge in what might otherwise seem like frivolous or time-wasting pursuits (evening classes, baking sessions, people-watching, eavesdropping) and to poke around in other peoples’ lives to your heart’s content, as long as you call it research. I’ve interviewed just about everyone, from doctors and nurses to guards and farmers and accountants and lawyers and bakers, and as a rule I’ve found that most people are delighted to be asked, and don’t consider you nosey at all if you say you need the information for your next book.

There are, of course, some questions you can’t ask. ‘Tell me about married sex,’ I said once to a gang of my friends. ‘Does it get stale, do you have to spice it up, do you find yourself looking in other directions, what?’ Never having been married myself, I needed some insight into what it’s like to go to bed with the same man every night for several years. We were out for dinner, everyone was relaxed, we’d known each other forever and they’d all been married for quite a while.

Did they share their experiences, knowing I wasn’t looking to be titivated, and my question was on a purely need-to-know basis? Not a bit of it. To a man, or rather to a woman, they clammed up. I got nada. Some subjects, it would appear, are taboo, even in the interests of research.

And then there are other subjects that simply don’t lend themselves to being broached. The theme of Two Fridays in April was bereavement, and how people cope with losing someone dear to them, and how they eventually learn to live with their loss. Despite the fact that thankfully I have had limited personal experience of bereavement to date, I interviewed nobody for this. I couldn’t bring myself to ask someone to open up on what I was afraid might be too painful a topic. How could I know how someone might react, or what sadness I might cause by inadvertently thoughtless questions? So I made it up, using what little information I could garner from the media, or the Internet, or other third party sources on the subject, and hopefully I pulled it off.

Two Fridays in April went into Australia, via Hachette’s sister company over there. It was the first of my books to get an order from there, which I was delighted about. I’ll be Home for Christmas, the book I’ve just finished writing, and which is due to be published in October, features a character from Australia who travels to the island of Roone a few days before Christmas.

I’ve never been to Australia, so when I decided to include an Australian character in I’ll be Home for Christmas I had to interview some Australians who have made Limerick their home. I wanted to find out what their first impressions of Ireland were, and what differences stood out when they arrived here, and of course I also needed a lot of information about life in Australia. As usual, people were happy to talk, and I learned a lot about Down Under – and now I want to go there.

No problem. I’ll set a whole section of my next book there, and then I’ll have to go. Purely for research purposes, you understand.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR            

Roisin Meaney worked as a teacher in Ireland and an advertising copywriter in London before becoming a fulltime writer of books. To date she is the author of eleven bestselling adult novels and two children’s books, and her works have been translated into many languages. On the first Saturday of every month she tells stories to small children in her home city of Limerick’s main library, passing on her love of books and reading to the next generation. Her twelfth adult novel is due on the shelves in time for Christmas. She’s a fan of chocolate, cats, the sun and Bananagrams.

www.roisinmeaney.com

Twitter: @roisinmeaney

Two Fridays in April is published by Hachette Ireland and is available in paperback and ebook format.  

You can order the paperback, with Free Worldwide Postage, here, while the ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#IrishFictionFortnight - Day 10 - "The Secrets We Share" by Emma Hannigan. Review and Giveaway.

Following on from my review for DundalkFM, I thought an #IrishFictionFortnight Giveaway, for a PB copy of Emma's latest novel, was on the cards.  To be in with a chance of winning this novel, just enter via rafflecopter link below.  Good Luck!

MY REVIEW

Clara has not seen or heard from her son, Max, for almost twenty years.  She has no idea where he is and feels the time has come to try and find him..  After some sleuthing, she discovers that he is living in LA, has a wife and a seventeen year old daughter.  Clara writes to Nathalie in the hope that her granddaughter would like to connect.

Eva is still bitter about her brothers disappearance and has her own painful memories to deal with. Still single, she finds her habit of picking up strange men in bars becoming a cliché, and  vows to change her ways.  When she hears of her niece's existence, she finds herself looking towards the past rather than the future.

Nathalie is a typical All-American teenager.  Finishing high school, dreaming of her future and getting ready for college.  All that changes on Prom night, when her whole world changes in an instant.  A trip to Ireland to visit an unknown grandmother seems like the best option for a damaged teen, and soon Nathalie finds the home comforts of the Irish countryside the best medicine.

When she discovers box of old letters in her grandmothers house, the family history becomes a bigger part of her life than Nathalie ever expected.  Going back as far as WWII and the Nazi camps, the story of her great-grandmother is poignant and inspirational at the same time.  But can the inherited history bring the damaged family back together again?

Emma Hannigan has a way with words.  She embraces the characters wholly and gives them each an individual personality.  Clara, an Austrian grandmother, or Oma, is a woman we would all like to come home to; gentle yet firm, honest yet  kind and well able to warm anyone's heart with her home baking and crafty talents.  She has a lifetime of memories and is more than willing to share them, at her late stage in life.  She misses her late husband and visits his grave for a chat almost every day, filling him in on all her news.  When she discovers where her estranged son is, and that she has a granddaughter that she knew nothing of, her world seems a little brighter.  Her daughter, Eva, is not as excited.  Still hurt by her her brothers quick departure from her life, she blames him for a lot of her bad memories and is hesitant to have anything to do with him or his new family.  Alcohol leads to inappropriate hook-ups and placing herself in dangerous situations.
The arrival of Nathalie changes all that.  She is a breath a fresh air in a dusty environment and brings a connection and vibrancy to the family, that they didn't even know was missing.

The stories which unfold via the old letters are emotional.  There can be no happy tales from the Nazi treatment of Jews and it is through letters like these that we learn the truth.  Based on fact, this novel may come packaged as chick-lit, but is more than that.  It is the story of an elderly woman with a host of memories to share.  Some may be secrets, but need to be told.  Some may be difficult to hear but deserved to be aired.  Mostly, these are stories that bring a family closer together rather than tearing them apart.  There is something very hard about ending family feuds.  Longer gaps in communication make things seem a lot worse than they should be and the mountains that seem to be obstacles, and actually only be hills.
An inspirational novel, which the author has an affinity with.  Warm, lovingly written and full of hope.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emma Hannigan is from Bray, Co Wicklow in Ireland. She is married with two children. 
Writing became her passion and life line in 2006, quite by mistake. Having discovered she carries the cancer gene BRCA 1, Emma chose to have a double mastectomy and her ovaries removed. 
Alas, she developed cancer a year after her radical surgery. Determined to battle and become a true cancer vixen, Emma fought the good fight! To date Emma had beaten cancer a remarkable 8 times!
'I like to keep score,' she jokes. 'So far it's cancer 0 - Emma 8 
Emma's fight with cancer is detailed in her memoir 'Talk to the Headscarf.' Emma is a glass-half-full type of person and cancer hasn't changed that. 
'I wrote 'Talk to the Headscarf' to show people that cancer doesn't always win. When I was diagnosed at first, I wanted an ordinary person to tell me I could live through this awful disease. This isn't a misery memoir. It's not there to scare people. It's all the things you ever wanted to know about cancer, but were afraid to ask! I laughed out loud writing parts of this book and I hope readers will too.'
Emma's writing career began in the chemotherapy unit. 
'I wrote because I was bored. But most of all I needed an out let at the time. I discovered I adore creating characters and telling stories. I feel truly blessed to have found this wonderful and exciting new career.' 
Emma has written six novels and is determined to keep adding to her list.
If you would like to contact Emma or learn more about her, please go to her web site: www.emmahannigan.com

*********************************************************

The Secrets We Share is published by Hachette Ireland and will also be published in the UK by Headline Review on 13th Aug.
You can order your copy, with Free Worldwide Postage, here or via amazon link below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#IrishFictionFortnight - Day 9 - "Girls On Tour" by Nicola Doherty. Author Feature, Review and Giveaway.

A big Bleach House Library Welcome to Nicola Doherty, who has agreed to tell me about one of her favourite Irish reads...

Thanks to the author, and Headline Books, I have a copy of Girls On Tour to giveaway for #IrishFictionFortnight.  Just enter via rafflecopter link below.  Good Luck!

******************************************

The Lilac Bus by Maeve Binchy

"Like most schoolgirls in Ireland in the 1990s, I was very familiar with the poster of Great Irish Writers that adorned every classroom wall in the land. Beckett, Behan, Swift – their faces looked benignly down as we sweated over plate tectonics or the then-hot-topic of ‘dífhostaíocht’ (unemployment).  Great writers all, but they were all men. So I was thrilled when The Irish Times recently did a brilliant new version of the poster with a roster of great female writers. I did, though, wonder: where was Marian and where was Maeve?

For Irish Fiction Fortnight I’d like to celebrate Maeve Binchy’s The Lilac Bus. It’s not one of her most famous books but I think it deserves to be. Published in 1984, it tells of eight people travelling from Dublin to their home town of Rathdoon, in a lilac-coloured minibus.

Out of this simple scenario Maeve weaves pure gold. Each character is grappling with a drama that rumbles under the surface, mostly unnoticed by their neighbours. ‘Desperate Mikey Burns with his dirty jokes’ is heroically holding his family together against all the odds. Carefree Dee Burke, the doctor’s daughter, is having an affair with a married man. Not only that, each character is completely different depending on who is describing them, so that we end up seeing them in a very multi-layered way. I found this very helpful while writing my latest book Girls on Tour, which is narrated by four different characters. Another thing I (hope I) learned from this book is that each character, no matter how small, is at the centre of their own story. A good lesson for life as well as for writing.

Re-reading it, I marvel at her skill. Because the same events – the bus journey home and Friday night in the pub – are shown from eight different perspectives, it could have been very repetitive. Not a bit of it, though. The effect is more like a jigsaw puzzle that adds up to a rich and complex picture. The Lilac Bus shows us how great tragedies and love affairs can happen right next to us, in the pub or on the bus, without us even noticing. That’s where the Maeves of this world come in."

*********************************************

MY REVIEW OF GIRLS ON TOUR BY NICOLA DOHERTY

Poppy, Lily, Maggie and Rachel.  Four girls, some attached, some not. All seemingly content with their lot but open to suggestions.  The girls are young, ambitious and game for a laugh.  Five different trips abroad and each character gets individual attention, culminating in a grand reunion in Manhattan.  There is Poppy in Paris, Lily in LA, Maggie in Meribel and Rachel in Rome.  Great food, fancy drinks, fashion galore and some romance thrown in.  All the right ingredients for a fantastic summer read...

Originally written as separate ebook novellas, this book combines the stories of the four girls, linking them seamlessly into a complete package.  Nicola Doherty has written the ideal sunlounger book, and I speak from experience!  On a recent short break, I was instantly transported to the light and humorous world of these four friends.  Paris came to life with less emphasis on its culture and more on the atmosphere, LA dripped with its golden, perfectly toned residents, Meribel sparkled with its off-piste antics and Rome zipped by like a vespa through its historical streets.  The stories are light, fun-filled and ideal for a lazy day by the sea.  No extra thinking is required and the pages practically turn themselves.  The characters vary enough to lend a realistic feel to their journeys and there are plenty of laughs.  As the girls left each destination, I felt I was also leaving.  A great way to travel, without the expense!  If you have a holiday booked, add this to your shopping list.  It should be on a shelf right beside the sun creams, in my opinion...

Perfect for fans of  Sophie Kinsella, Niamh Greene and Fiona Gibson.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author photo courtesy of Andrew Colvin

Nicola grew up in Monkstown, Co. Dublin and went to Muckross Park and Trinity College before moving to London. She worked in publishing for several years before writing her first book The Out of Office Girl, which was shortlisted for the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year 2013 in the Romantic Comedy category. Her latest book Girls on Tour is out now from Headline. Visit her at nicoladohertybooks.com or follow her on Twitter @nicoladoherty_

Girls On Tour is published by Headline and is available in paperback and ebook format.

You can order your copy, with Free Worldwide Postage, here and the ebook can be ordered via amazon link below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#IrishFictionFortnight - Day 2 - "Bride Without A Groom" by Amy Lynch. Signed copy to Giveaway.

Thanks to the author, there is a signed copy of this title to Giveaway.  Just enter via rafflecopter link below...

THE BLURB

Single, coupled-up or married, this laugh-out-loud summer read is the perfect anecdote for the wedding season!

Rebecca has chosen the most luscious, five tiered, wedding cake. The engagement ring that she has selected is celebrity inspired. The wedding singer is on speed dial. He doesn’t usually do Michael Bolton, but as it’s for a first dance he’ll make an exception. Father Maguire is checking dates for the parish church as we speak. The deposit on the white sand honeymoon is paid for in full on Barry’s card. She has fallen for an ivory lace couture gown that is to die for. The down payment may require her to sell a left kidney, but it will be worth it. Isn’t that why you have two?

There’s one teeny tiny problem. It’s nothing, really. No need to panic! It’s just that Barry has yet to propose. Says he’s not ready! He can be a bit of a kill joy that way. It’s time to face the harsh reality – Rebecca is a bride without a groom!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amy Lynch is an author of women’s commercial fiction and writing is her passion. She loves to write humorous romantic fiction, but not always with fairy tale endings! She has published fiction in magazines, and has worked in the charity sector for twelve years. She is married with two young children. When she is not writing, Amy can be found juggling school lunches and two Shetland pony-sized rescue dogs. Now, how’s that for multi-tasking? Amy is the author of two novels, Bride Without A Groom and Does My Bump Look Big In This? Her third novel is in progress. www.amylynchauthor.com Twitter: @amylynchauthor

Bride Without A Groom is available in paperback and ebook format 

a Rafflecopter giveaway