Final Day of IRISH WEEK! Review - Heart of Stone/Heart of Lies by Jill Marie Landis

Today is the final day for my IRISH WEEK, and I certainly hope that you enjoyed each and every day!  I had a lot of fun picking out Irish themed and Irish authored books.

Today's selection are from a wonderful writer, Jill Marie Landis.  I've been reading Jill's romance novels and contemporary women's fiction for many years, and I was so pleased to see that she has this new series, "The Irish Angels," in the inspirational Western romance category!  The series follows the lives of Irish immigrant sisters who were snatched from their family as children after their mother dies, and how each of their lives were affected.

The first book is "Heart of Stone."

About The Book:

She had the darkest of pasts. And he had everything to lose by loving her.

Laura Foster, free from the bondage of an unspeakable childhood, has struggled to make a new life for herself. Now the owner of an elegant boardinghouse in Glory, Texas, she is known as a wealthy, respectable widow. But Laura never forgets that she is always just one step ahead of her past.
When Reverend Brand McCormick comes calling, Laura does all she can to discourage him as a suitor. She knows that if her past were discovered, Brand's reputation would be ruined. But it's not only Laura's past that threatens to bring Brand down—it's also his own.
When a stranger in town threatens to reveal too many secrets, Laura is faced with a heartbreaking choice: Should she leave Glory forever and save Brand's future? Or is it worth risking his name—and her heart—by telling him the truth?

My Thoughts:  This powerful, heart-wrenching novel sets the stage for the series. Laura Foster survived a nightmare childhood to become the strong, independent woman she is today, but she has never forgotten where she came from or the sisters she left behind. She has sacrificed any hopes of finding love until Brand McCormick comes into her life, but she is terrified that he will leave her, as so many have before, when he finds out the truth about her past. Putting her trust in her newfound faith, Laura leans on the promise and hope that forgiveness will give her the peace and happiness she has longed for.


The second book is "Heart of Lies."

About the Book:
 
Raised in a tribe of street urchins, Maddie Grande was taught to be a thief and beggar on the streets of New Orleans. But Maddie doesn't know her real name or where she came from.
 
Raised by Dexter Grande, Maddie and her twin 'brothers' have recently left New Orleans and moved to the bayou. The twins are rarely there, but Maddie has come to love the swamp. She has learned to fish and trap and sell pelts at the local mercantile.
 
Maddie longs to change her life but knows that her brothers will never give up their lawless ways. When they kidnap the daughter of a wealthy carpetbagger, the twins force Maddie to hide the precocious eight-year-old while they return to New Orleans to wait for notice of a reward.
 
Pinkerton agent Tom Abbott is assigned to the kidnapping case in which Maddie has become an accomplice. In a journey that takes them to Baton Rouge, a mutual attraction becomes evident, but Tom and Maddie cannot trust each other. Will Maddie and Tom listen to their hearts or will they choose honor over love? Will Maddie ever discover who she is? Will her real family ever find her?

My Thoughts:  This second book is equal to the first in it's powerful storyline. It differs only in that there is much more action and drama surrounding young Maddie's life in the wild streets of New Orleans and the bayous of Louisiana. But once again, as Maddie finds hope in a newfound faith, she sees a glimmer of possibility in being able to change her life for the good, and finding the family of her birth once again.

The Irish Angel series is, in my opinion, some of Jill Marie Landis' best work. The next book, "Heart of Glass" is coming soon, and I can't wait to see how the story progresses.

About The Author:

Jill Marie Landis is the bestselling author of over twenty novels. She has won numerous awards for her sweeping emotional romances, such as "Summer Moon" and "Magnolia Creek."

With her toes in the sand and head in the clouds, Jill now lives in Hawaii with her husband, Steve. Visit Jill Marie at http://www.jillmarielandis.com/

These books are from my personal library.

Review - Dance Lessons by Aine Greaney

It's Day Six of IRISH WEEK, and I hope you are enjoying the various selections I have picked that I feel represent some of the best of Irish writers and Irish-themed books today!

On Thursday, I featured Irish author Aine Greaney, and she was gracious enough to answer a few questions about her writing influences.  Today, I bring you a review of her amazing new book, "Dance Lessons," which is scheduled to be released from Syracuse University Press in April.

About The Book:

A year after her husband’s death in a sailing accident off Martha’s Vineyard, Ellen Boisvert bumps into an old friend. In this chance encounter, she discovers that her immigrant husband of almost fifteen years was not an orphan after all. Instead, his aged mother Jo is alive and residing on the family’s isolated farm in the west of Ireland.

Faced with news of her mother-in-law incarnate, the thirty-nine-year-old American prep school teacher decides to travel to Ireland to investigate the truth about her husband Fintan and why he kept his family’s existence a secret for so many years.

Between Jo’s hilltop farm and the lakeside village of Gowna, Ellen begins to uncover the mysteries of her Irish husband’s past and the cruelties and isolation of his rural childhood. Ellen also stumbles upon Fintan’s long-ago romance with a local village woman, with whom he had a daughter, Cat. Cat is now fourteen and living with her mother in London. As Ellen reconciles her troubled relationship with Fintan, she discovers a way to heal the wounds of the past.

Deeply rooted in the Irish landscape and sensibility, Dance Lessons is a powerful story of loss, regret, and transformation.

My Thoughts:

Long-held family secrets, and the damage and heartache they can bring, is at the heart of Aine Greaney's amazing novel "Dance Lessons." Featuring a diverse cast of strong women characters, Aine's story is a fascianting study of how each woman - Ellen, Jo, and Cat - reacts to and lives with the actions and consequences of Fintar Dowd, the one man that binds them all together.

Written in each woman's voice, Aine ties the tale together with trips to each of their past lives and how their seperate journeys ultimately bring them together to the lonely farm on Knockduff Hill in Gowna, Ireland.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Dance Lessons," and found myself drawn into the heart of the story through Aine's creative and imaginative writing.  They say the Irish are blessed with the gift of storytelling, and Aine Greaney obviously received an extra helping as is evident with this captivating novel.


About The Author:

An Irish native, Aine Greaney moved to the U.S. in 1986. She lives in the greater Boston area. Her short stories, personal essays and features have appeared in literary and consumer magazines. Her second novel, "Dance Lessons" will be released on April 1. In addition to writing, she teaches creative writing at various schools, arts and libraries. Her how-to writing book, "Writer with a Day Job" will be released in June, 2011.  Check out her website at http://www.ainegreaney.com/ for more information about her books and writing projects.


I was sent an advance copy of "Dance Lessons" by the author for review. I was not compensated for my opinions.

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Review - The Matchmaker of Kenmare by Frank Delaney

If Maeve Binchy is the Queen of the Irish novel, then that makes Frank Delaney the King.

Delaney’s newest novel, “The Matchmaker of Kenmare,” is a sequel to his bestselling book, “Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show,” and promises to be just as popular as its predecessor.

Ben McCarthy is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his beloved wife, Venetia Kelly. His work as a researcher for the Irish government's folklore department not only keeps him traveling throughout the country in search of myths and legends, but it provides him with the cover to make his own inquiries about Venetia's disappearance. His travels soon take him to the town of Kenmare to interview a matchmaker named Kate Begley.

Kate, who has recently married Captain Charles Miller, an American, on a secret mission behind enemy lines in war-torn Europe and who has been reported dead, believes that her husband is still alive. She convinces Ben to accompany her on a journey looking for their respective spouses, a journey that not only spans years, but takes them into the heart of German camps in Europe and across the ocean to America.

In a novel full of adventure and drama, and the always fascinating charm of the Irish, Frank Delaney once again proves why his books are so anxiously looked forward to. “The Matchmaker of Kenmare” can be read as a stand-alone story, but treat yourself to “Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show” for a wonderful experience as well.

About The Author:

The handsome Irishman himself - Photo by Jerry Bauer

In the current phase of his own work, Frank Delaney is writing a series of novels exploring his native Ireland's history in the twentieth century, one decade at a time. Like all his books, they are multi-layered and aim to be read (say those who teach them) on a number of levels.

Frank Delaney was born in Tipperary, Ireland, and after a fledgling career in banking became a broadcaster with RTE radio and television, the Irish state network, working on documentaries, music programmes and finally as a newsreader. In the mid 1970's he joined the Northern Ireland region of the BBC in Belfast as their current affairs man in Dublin and covered an intense period of the virtual war known as the Irish 'Troubles.' Later, after half a decade of reporting bombings, shootings kidnappings, sieges, he moved to London where, perhaps as an antidote, he began to work in arts broadcasting. Bookshelf, which he inaugurated for BBC Radio Four, became an award winner; on television he wrote films for Omnibus and other arts programmes and in the early 1980's hosted his own talk show, Frank Delaney, featuring an array of cultural and literary personalities.

In 1979, his first book, James Joyce's Odyssey was published to critical acclaim and best-seller status. Since then, Delaney has written six books of non-fiction, twelve novels, one novella, two anthologies, and a smattering of short stories published in both magazines and collections. He has edited compilations of essays and poetry, written theatrical plays for the stage, radio plays for broadcast screenplays for films, a number of which have been produced.

Frank Delaney has three sons, Francis, Bryan, and Owen and a granddaughter, Poppy Beatrice. He lives in Litchfield County, Connecticut, with his wife, Diane Meier. 
Check out his website at www.frankdelaney.com for more information on this charming author!

Check out this delightful trailer for the book!

Five Questions With ... Aine Greaney, author of "Dancing Lessons"

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I'm so pleased to introduce you to my new friend, Irish author Aine Greaney.  Aine was kind enough to take a few minutes out of her busy schedule to share a little bit about herself and her writing.

Sharon: At what age did you know that you wanted to be a writer?

Aine:   I grew up on a remote farm in the west of Ireland. As idyllic and rustic as that sounds, I always had an eye on the horizon. So I read voraciously as a child. That was my escape. There were times when books were more real to me than the meadows or the house itself.  I always wanted to be a writer, but quite honestly, never really had the courage to try. Of course, I did the weepy teenage poem thing (the usual topics of gloom, doom, and self-pity), and I’ve always kept a journal.  Deep into the throws of a love affair (with James Joyce), I tried a few short stories while at college in Dublin (I had to walk past one of the houses he once lived in every day on my way to campus). But I never really wrote or sent anything out for publication until I moved to the U.S. in 1986.  Being away and across the sea gave me courage.

Sharon: At what point in your career did it finally sink in – “hey, I’m famous,” and did it make a difference in your writing?

Aine:  Oh, I’m not sure I will ever feel “famous,” even if I had 30 books and a huge blockbuster movie script and 20 personal servants at my beck and call (sigh).  If I were to get that famous, I know I would probably have all their servants put their feet up and I would be making them tea—and apologizing for the state of the house!  Seriously, I  would hope that fame doesn’t make a difference in the daily writing itself. I suppose having a few books published makes you place the bar a little higher for yourself, but honestly, every project is a whole new set of fears and joys and challenges.  Fame is only a good thing if it has made you a better person or earned you more money to donate to real causes and/or it has made you into a better artist.  Fame has no value in and of itself. Or it shouldn’t, right?

Sharon:  Who are some of your favorite authors? Who inspires you?

Aine:  I’m an eclectic reader. I love the British author Penelope Lively. I also like Joanna Trollope (here I go with British female authors again).  I like Colum McCann’s work (o.k., we’re edging toward the Irish here … this is promising …).  I also like an American novelist called Marcia Preston.  When I was young I was very influenced by Irish authors like John McGahern and Edna O’Brien.  I’m a big user of my local public library here in Massachusetts, so I often just pick up books at random, though I do tend to gravitate toward books by second-language or immigrant writers (file it under “birds of a feather” and all that).  

Sharon: What do you have coming up in the future?

Aine:  After the launch of “Dance Lessons,” I’m looking forward to getting back to long writing projects.  I have a few non-fiction essays about my early years and immigration to America that I want to tidy up and consider sending out for publication. I’m also in the very early stages of my third novel, which, like “Dance Lessons,” will move back and forth in time between the contemporary and the past.  I like books that honor the fluidity of time and how the past always leeches into our present lives. This is a major theme of “Dance Lessons,” and I can’t seem to get away from it. Even in our personal lives, I think it’s hard to talk about our present without acknowledging our personal and shared histories.  

Sharon: What advice would you have for anyone wanting to break into the writing biz today?

Aine: First, keep your day job. Really, I mean it! I work four days per week for a non-profit, and I teach writing workshops and I write.  A part- or full-time job gives the writer the financial stability to make you less obsessed with and vulnerable to the trends and fads and whims of the publishing markets.  Second, you have to read in the genre in which you want to write. Third,  I advise all my adult writing students to keep a personal journal. It’s a great way to build your writing muscle and your writing voice. Just write for 10 minutes or a few pages per day. When I teach writing workshops, I can always tell who is a journal-keeper; they’re just much stronger writers.  And finally,  while it’s important to pay attention to the personal and the introspective, I encourage my students to simultaneously start looking for ways to get published and build clips and confidence. It can be as simple as writing something for the newsletter at your church or professional association or social group. Or an Op-Ed for the local newspaper.  Whatever it is, re-drafting and polishing one’s work for print and publication helps a writer to transition from writer into reader. Over the course of a writing career, we are asked to do this over and over: to objectively assess our own work and make tough cuts and edits along the way.

About The Author:

An Irish native, Aine Greaney moved to the U.S. in 1986. She lives in the greater Boston area. Her short stories, personal essays and features have appeared in literary and consumer magazines. Her second novel, "Dance Lessons" will be released on April 1. In addition to writing, she teaches creative writing at various schools, arts and libraries. Her how-to writing book, "Writer with a Day Job" will be released in June, 2011.  Check out her website at http://www.ainegreaney.com/ for more information about her books and writing projects.

 

About The Book:

 

 

A year after her husband’s death in a sailing accident off Martha’s Vineyard, Ellen Boisvert bumps into an old friend. In this chance encounter, she discovers that her immigrant husband of almost fifteen years was not an orphan after all. Instead, his aged mother Jo is alive and residing on the family’s isolated farm in the west of Ireland.

Faced with news of her mother-in-law incarnate, the thirty-nine-year-old American prep school teacher decides to travel to Ireland to investigate the truth about her husband Fintan and why he kept his family’s existence a secret for so many years.

Between Jo’s hilltop farm and the lakeside village of Gowna, Ellen begins to uncover the mysteries of her Irish husband’s past and the cruelties and isolation of his rural childhood. Ellen also stumbles upon Fintan’s long-ago romance with a local village woman, with whom he had a daughter, Cat. Cat is now fourteen and living with her mother in London. As Ellen reconciles her troubled relationship with Fintan, she discovers a way to heal the wounds of the past.

Deeply rooted in the Irish landscape and sensibility, Dance Lessons is a powerful story of loss, regret, and transformation.  (Watch for my review of Dance Lessons on Saturday!)

My sincere thanks to Aine Greaney for participating in this question-and-answer! 

Lucky Leprachaun Giveaway Blog Hop - March 17-20

Faith and begorrah, It's St. Patrick's Day, and today is the kickoff of the Lucky Leprachaun Giveaway Blog Hop being sponsored by Kathy at I Am A Reader Not A Writer(http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/)  and Cindy at Books Complete Me (http://www.bookscompleteme.com/)


For this special Irish-themed giveaway, I have put together a sweet little "pot of gold" treat! 

I'll be giving away to one lucky commentor/follower:

A copy of "Fruit of All Evil: A Farmer's Market Mystery" by Paige Shelton

A copy of  "A Touch of Gold: A Missing Pieces Mystery" by Joyce and Jim Lavene

A copy of "Beaglemania: A Pet Rescue Mystery" by Linda O. Johnston

All in a handpainted (by me) "Luck of the Irish" goodie bag, plus some special book swag and goodies!

To Enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post with your name and email address.

2. Become a NEW follower on Google Friends Connect or Networking Blogs for an extra entry.
    (please leave a seperate comment that you are now following!)

Good Luck Everyone!

Be sure to check out the other great blogs that are participating in this hop! 

Review of The Irish Princess by Karen Harper

Day Two of IRISH WEEK finds a historical novel about a real-life Irish heroine! I think you'll like this one!

There has seldom been a love loss between the Irish and the English over the centuries, but never more passionately has this been written about than in Karen Harper’s novel, “The Irish Princess.”

Young Elizabeth “Gera” Fitzgerald and her family are the unofficial royalty of Ireland, yet under the iron-fisted rule of the English King Henry VIII, her father must be careful not to cross the king’s ire. Even so, he is eventually summoned to London and thrown into the Tower of London for purported misdeeds.

At the age of 10, Gera’s entire life suddenly changes that year. With her father’s death during his imprisonment in the Tower, her oldest brother starts a revolution against the Tudor King. Her family is crushed and subdued and Gera is sent against her will to England to live with her mother. As the feisty lass struggles to survive in the treacherous English court, she plots to avenge her family by doing the unspeakable - murdering Henry VIII.



A portrait of the real Lady Elizabeth "Gera" Fitzgerald Clinton



Karen Harper’s dramatic and suspenseful historical fiction told through the eyes of Gera, is a fascinating insight into the intrigue and politics of the Tudor reign from the viewpoint of a headstrong, willful young girl who only wants to avenge her family and to return home to Ireland. The novel follows Gera from childhood to womanhood, and it is interesting to see how she matures along the way, but although she is older and wiser, she still harbors a hatred for King Henry throughout her life.

This fantastic novel is a reading treat to savor.

About The Author:

A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Karen Harper is a former college English instructor (The Ohio State University) and high school literature and writing teacher. A lifelong Ohioan, Karen and her husband Don divide their time between the midwest and the southeast, both locations she has used in her books. Besides her American settings, Karen loves the British Isles, where her Scottish and English roots run deep, and where she has set many of her historical Tudor-era mysteries and her historical novels about real and dynamic British women. Karen's books have been published in many foreign languages and she won the Mary Higgins Clark Award for 2005. Karen has given numerous talks to readers and writers across the county.

Check out her website at http://www.karenharper.com/

Irish Week Review - Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy

Here is the first of my week of Irish-themed reviews! I adore Maeve Binchy and have read everything she's written, and never have been disappointed! She is a true treasure to the writing world!

Queen of the Irish novel, Maeve Binchy, returns to the cozy neighborhood of St. Jarlath’s Crescent in Dublin to bring her readers another heartwarming story of family, love and faith with “Minding Frankie.”

When Noel Lynch discovers that a girl he vaguely remembers hooking up with has named him as the father of her unborn child, his life is turned upside down. And when he finds out that she is dying of cancer, won’t survive the baby’s birth, and wants him to care for the baby, Noel must do some fast growing up to do right by baby Frankie. But as a single father battling demons of his own, Noel can’t do it alone. Luckily he has a caring network of friends, family and neighbors to help him out.

But not everyone is pleased with the unconventional arrangement, especially a nosy social worker, Moira, who is convinced that baby Frankie would be better off in a foster home. Now it’s up to Noel to persuade her that everyone in town has something special to offer when it comes to minding Frankie.

As is her style, Binchy includes a charming large cast of characters that add to the lively story, and includes small updates on characters who have appeared in her previous books. Reading a Maeve Binchy novel is like taking quick trip to the old country where you are always welcomed home with open arms.

 

About The Author:

Maeve Binchy is the author of numerous best-selling books, including Nights of Rain and Stars, Quentins, Scarlet Feather, Circle of Friends, and Tara Road, which was an Oprah's Book Club selection. She has written for Gourmet; O, The Oprah Magazine; Modern Maturity; and Good Housekeeping, among other publications. She and her husband, Gordon Snell, live in Dalkey, Ireland, and London.

Check out her website at http://www.maevebinchy.com/

I love this piece by Maeve on Ireland -

CHALLENGE FULFILLMENT: 100+ Books; Where Are You Reading?