Dreams of Willow House: Gripping, heartwarming Irish fiction full of family secrets

· Bookouture
4.2
5 reviews
Ebook
350
Pages

About this ebook

A gorgeous, compelling page-turner about one woman’s journey to the heart of Ireland and the family secret she’s destined to discover…


Cordelia Mirafiore has never truly felt at home in South Florida, so when she’s unexpectedly called to the reading of a long-lost relative’s will in Ireland, she’s hopeful that escaping to Willow House to meet her family might help her to figure out who she really is…


As soon as Cordelia reaches Sandy Cove, the views of the blue ocean and stunning coastline around her provide a sense of calm she has never felt before. She meets her cousins Maeve and Roisin, who welcome her with open arms, finds herself drawn to a handsome man who is also an outsider in town, and feels an instant spark.


But the rest of the McKenna family aren’t so willing to accept Cordelia, or even believe that she’s family. When they learn that Cordelia is to inherit a third of Willow House, she is forced to prove who she is. All she has are old parish records and a battered box of family photographs, but they lead her to secrets she may not want to uncover.


Can Cordelia find the courage to face her family’s past? Can she trust the mysterious man who has swept her off her feet? Or will the lies told for generations force her to leave Sandy Cove forever?


Second chances begin on Ireland’s shores. An unforgettable story about mothers and daughters, Dreams of Willow House is perfect for fans of Sheila O’Flanagan, Debbie Macomber and Mary Alice Monroe.


What readers are saying about Dreams of Willow House:


‘What a delightful story! I so loved this book… I was drawn into the family, the gorgeous backdrop in Ireland… Susanne O'Leary is a wonderful writer, and I always feel good when I read her books. It was a marvellous book and I just had to read it in one sitting. I look forward to more from her in the future.’ Robin Loves Reading, 5 stars


‘Dreams of Willow House is a lovely novel… This book is set in a wonderful small Irish town which the author describes so well I can see the ocean and the stars. The characters are wonderful and easy to like… Anybody that enjoys a heartwarming story about family finding each other and some romance thrown in should enjoy this book. Now I want to go and visit Ireland.’ Goodreads Reviewer


‘The story is a genealogical mystery, a sweet romance and a story of new beginnings. It is well written and shows the author’s love for her country… Most highly recommend.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars


‘Dreams of Willow House is a charming, endearing read full of genuine characters and realistic circumstances – inspiring hope in finding where you are meant to be by following what your heart desires.’ Goodreads Reviewer


‘The backdrop of Sandy Cove is just gorgeous. It makes me want to go to Ireland, that's for sure!… A well-written book and I enjoyed reading Cordelia's story.’ NetGalley Reviewer


Ratings and reviews

4.2
5 reviews
Gaele Hi
November 20, 2019
When we last left Sandy Cove, sisters Maeve and Roisin were tucking into the rehab work on Willow House, while Philomena was off in the US working on book tours with her publisher after taking over the romance series from her late husband. While in the states, Phil mentioned that a family member had left for America many years earlier, and no one knew of what happened to them. A plea was sent out over the airwaves for information regarding this family member, and the very lonely and now grieving for her mother Cordelia took a chance. Knowing only that her mother had left Ireland and refused to say more, she met with Phil and was instantly absorbed into the family, even as she herself was thinking her connection to Phil was little more than hopeful. But when Phil died and Cordelia heads to Ireland for the service along with Phil’s publisher, things get even more tangled – from finding herself with an equal bequest from Phil with both Roisin and Maeve, to having to produce a proof of her identity, and the not surprising bit of resentment from Phil’s daughter in law and mother of Roisin and Maeve. Thinking that she can find some answers back in the states, and planning to forego the bequest, Cordelia starts to investigate and make some surprising discoveries. I loved how both Roisin and Maeve showed their shock and surprise, yet were willing to give Cordelia a chance as her inheritance was Phil’s last wish. And Cordelia’s willingness to pitch in when everyone turns up ill – working the guesthouse portion of Willow House, helping to inventory Phil’s many possessions as well as doing some digging of her own into her mother’s story made it feel both plausible and possible. And the women all start to develop a closeness, perhaps masterminded by Phil, seemed to grow organically as they became friends and realized that there was something ‘surreal’ about their connection, if yet undefined. The story carries all of the readability of the earlier titles in the series, allowing readers to experience Willow House through it’s many improvements as the stories of all the characters comes full circle. A lovely and slow-developing family history that takes the time to introduce the characters, flaws and all, wraps up nicely in this book. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
1 person found this review helpful
Maree Shortal
September 24, 2020
ok. bit corny

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