Historical Fiction Book Review: The Lady of Galway Manor by Jennifer Deibel

Book Description:
In 1920, Annabeth De Lacy's father is appointed landlord of Galway Parish in Ireland. Bored without all the trappings of the British Court, Annabeth convinces her father to arrange an apprenticeship for her with the Jennings family--descendants of the creator of the famed Claddagh Ring.

Stephen Jennings longs to do anything other than run his family's jewelry shop. Having had his heart broken, he no longer believes in love and is weary of peddling the ÒliesÓ the Claddagh Ring promises.

Meanwhile, as the war for Irish independence gains strength, many locals resent the De Lacys and decide to take things into their own hands to display their displeasure. As events take a dangerous turn for Annabeth and her family, she and Stephen begin to see that perhaps the "other side" isn't quite as barbaric and uncultured as they'd been led to believe--and that the bonds of friendship, love, and loyalty are only made stronger when put through the refiner's fire.

Travel to the Emerald Isle for another poignant and romantic story from the enchanted pen of Jennifer Deibel.

My Thoughts:
I love reading Jennifer Deibel's books. She pulls me into the story and allows me to live in Ireland for a bit. This story was particularly appealing to me because of the Claddagh ring. My daughter brought me one from Scotland, and I wear it to remind me of God's love for me. In the book, Stephen shares the history of the ring with Annabeth, and it's simply beautiful. And I love Annabeth's character, because she's so unexpected for her time and position in her life. Stephen is a bit brooding but lovable. Deibel's historical details show how unsettling life was for the Irish and how Annabeth's family grew to understand their plight. The romance just adds to the beauty of this story. This is a lovely story filled with hope in the midst of difficulty. If you enjoy Irish stories or historical romance, you'll enjoy The Lady of Galway Manor. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Historical Fiction Review: A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel

Book Description:
All of her life, Irish-American Moira Doherty has relished her mother's descriptions of Ireland. When her mother dies unexpectedly in the summer of 1920, Moira decides to fulfill her mother's wish that she become the teacher in Ballymann, her home village in Donegal, Ireland.

After an arduous voyage, Moira arrives to a new home and a new job in an ancient country. Though a few locals offer a warm welcome, others are distanced by superstition and suspicion. Rumors about Moira's mother are unspoken in her presence but threaten to derail everything she's journeyed to Ballymann to do. Moira must rely on the kindness of a handful of friends--and the strength of Sean, an unsettlingly handsome thatcher who keeps popping up unannounced--as she seeks to navigate a life she'd never dreamed of . . . but perhaps was meant to live.

My thoughts:
Jennifer Deibel creates an incredible picture of life in a small 1920s village. A Dance in Donegal engaged the senses and left me wanting to walk in the village and on the shore. Moira’s story is one of delight and despair. She’s traveled to a foreign country and knows no one, as she strives to fulfill her mother’s last wish. She meets some charming, warm, and friendly people and some who scare the wits out of her. In the book Moira meets Sean, a kind-hearted man who loves his village and people. I am fascinated by the legend and lore in the story, as well as the sprinkling of dialect. Jennifer Deibel lived in Ireland for six years and has captured the magic and beauty of the island. If you enjoy a tale well told, you’ll love this book as much I do. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fiction Book Review: Grounded Hearts by Jeanne M. Dickson

About the book:

A brave midwife. A wounded pilot. A risky secret.

In the midst of World War II, Ireland has declared herself neutral. Troops found on Irish soil must be reported and interned, no matter which side they are fighting for. When midwife Nan O'Neil finds a wounded young Canadian pilot at her door, she knows she's taking a huge risk by letting him in. Not only is she a widow living alone, but if caught harboring a combatant, she'll face imprisonment.

Still, something compels Nan to take in "flyboy" Dutch Whitney, an RAF pilot whose bomber has just crashed over County Clare. While she tends to his wounds and gives him a secret place of refuge, the two begin to form a mutual affection-and an unbreakable bond.

But Nan has another secret, one that has racked her with guilt since her husband's death and made her question ever loving again. As Nan and Dutch plan his escape, can he help restore her faith?

Learn more and purchase a copy.

About the author:

Jeanne M. Dickson was born into an Irish American family, the only girl surrounded by four

brothers. She credits her mother, her aunts, and her grandmother with her love of storytelling. Perfecting her craft, she attends many writer's conferences and over the years, she has won and finaled in numerous RWA romance writing awards including the Daphne du Maurier Award, the Maggie Award, The Molly, The Tara, and she was the overall contest winner of Launching A Star. Today she lives in Coastal San Diego with her fabulous husband, her two wonderful girls, and a dozen disobedient rose bushes.

Find out more about Jeanne M. at http://www.jeannemdickson.com.

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My Review:

Grounded Hearts tells a beautiful story of strong women in Ireland in World War 2. I didn't know that Ireland was neutral during World War 2, nor did I know anything about their internment camps. Jeanne M. Dickson did her homework on the history of the area and the role Ireland played during the war. I like the main character, midwife Nan. She has a heart of gold, that's been broken. Yet, she's selfless when it comes to taking care of others. I love the strong and loyal bond the women of the story share, as well as the setting. Nan's cottage is cozy. Then there is the flyboy, "Dutch". He's a strong, yet tender man who wants nothing more than to fly his fighter plane against the evils of Hitler. As I read the book, I didn't want to put it down. It's not a gentle inspirational book. Instead, the story deals with emotions, passion, sin, war, and love. The men of Ireland were drinkers and the women said what was on their minds. But the story is a beautiful tale of redemption, second chances, forgiveness, loyalty, and love. If you enjoy honest, historical fiction, you'll want to read Grounded Hearts. I give it five stars for the excellent writing and moving story. I received this book for free.

An Author's Love for Jesus and Writing: Meet Joi Copeland

Joi's desire to write began like many others, at an early age. She loved writing short stories as early as fourth grade. During her college years, she wrote stories that depicted where she was on her journey with Jesus. In 1999, she married her best friend, Chris, and put writing aside to focus on building her family. Her three boys kept her busy for many years. After moving to Colorado in 2008, Joi was encouraged by her sister, brother--in-law, and husband to pick up her writing once again.

Not long after that, her first novel, Hope for Tomorrow, published by Comfort Publishing, was released, followed by Hope for Journey. The third and final book in this trilogy, Hope from the Past was published and released in June, 2013. She's written two novellas, Christmas Rayne and Sheriff Bride, Rob's Story. Her short book, Letters of Love, hit closer to home for her than any other she'd written so far. Actual letters from her grandfather to her grandmother while he was stationed in China during WWII became the center of this fictional novel.

Joi continues to write. Her love for stories allows her to come up with many different themes. Though, hope and forgiveness seem to be one of the constant themes in her writing.

Joi makes her home in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and three boys. On occasion, you can find her sitting at Starbucks with her laptop working, or enjoying coffee with a friend. She not only writes, but is currently employed with Executive Scheduling Associates where she spends much of her time filling up calendars.

The most important decision of her life happened March 18, 1990, when she accepted Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior. Following Him has been a journey, and not always an easy one, but she's never regretted it. She feels like the disciples when Jesus asked if they were going to turn away also. Their response, like hers, was this, "Where would we go?" That's exactly how she feels. Jesus has been her life for over twenty years, and will continue to be so as long as she lives.

Her prayer is through her writing, you will come closer to Him as she has through so many Christian authors.

One huge recent development this year was God's calling for Joi and her family to move to Ireland to church plant. It's an exciting time in her life, and she prays she will continue to write once overseas. Those stories will be focused on redemption and hope to a society that has lost its hope. Joi and her family will be church planting in Ireland, building disciples for Christ, and raising ambassadors to the nations.

For more information on that or on any of Joi’s books, contact her at booksbyjoi@copelandclan.com.

Visit her on Facebook or her author page