BLOG TOUR - A Mother’s Heart

DESCRIPTION:

“Do you know lots of people believe that when you die, you become a star? I think so too. And that your mammy and daddy are now stars in the sky, shining their light on us all.” Rachel pulled her two stepchildren into her arms. “And they know you’re safe down here with me.”

When Rachel met handsome Irish widower Lorcan it was a whirlwind romance. Her family back in New Zealand thought it would never last. But it did, and they were so happy. Bringing up two children hadn’t been in her life plan, but it had become her joy, and she was as proud of them as if they were her own. 

She’d say to them “even though you didn’t grow in my tummy, you grew in my heart”, and they’d all laugh, knowing they were loved. Their little family wasn’t quite the same as everyone else’s, but it was beautiful, it was happy, it was home.

Until now. Because when Lorcan’s life is taken in a tragic accident, it feels like Rachel’s world has died with him. She knows in her heart that she wants to take the children back to the country she grew up in. Where she’d have support, because they’d be surrounded by her family. Where she could grieve and heal; and the children could have a new start.

However, she doesn’t count on the children’s own grandparents. Their blood relations, who say Rachel isn’t their real mother, and so can’t take them away from Ireland. Who say they won’t let her. 

As Rachel finds herself fighting against the only people who might love the children as much she does, everyone will have to ask – what makes a parent? What makes a home? And with whom do the children of her heart have a future?

An utterly unmissable and powerful story about families, love and heartbreak, perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Maeve Binchy and Jodi Picoult.

 

BUY LINK:

https://geni.us/B09TPWFRW4author

MY THOUGHTS:

 

Title:   A Mother’s Heart

Author:  Carmel Harrington

Publisher:  Bookouture 

Genre:   Women’s Fiction 

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   431

Date of Publication:   

My Rating:   5 Stars

Rachel met the love of her life when she met Lorcan. Not only did she fall in love with him, his two children, Dylan and Olivia, were a part of the deal. They became part of her heart and she loves them like they were her own. They made a wonderful family unit until the day Lorcan died. Rachel has now taken on an even stronger role for her children and she will do anything for them. One of the things that she considers is moving back to New Zealand, which is her home country and where her parents and sister live. 

However, those are not the only grandparents that Dylan and Olivia have. Rachel considers Lorcan’s parents and their maternal grandparents. She weighs her decision carefully because she does not want to pull the children away from anyone else in their young lives. Their birth mother’s Niamh’s parents have very strong feelings about the well-being of Olivia and Dylan and are standing the way of any decisions that Rachel has in mind. Tensions rise as Rachel does whatever she can to keep everybody happy and to consider everybody’s feelings. However, Niamh’s mother Sheila constantly makes decisions that could be harmful but it’s clear to see that she comes from a good place.

What a wonderful story! In fact, this is one of my favorite books this year! Whether in New Zealand or Ireland, the setting is gorgeous, the characters are relatable, and the story is quite compelling. This is a book that makes you think, especially when there are so many individuals who have every right to their feelings and expectations. Carmel Harrington has done a superb job at writing a book that makes you feel for all of the characters and to what the possible outcome could bring. As a grandmother to quite a few grandchildren, I had a wide range of emotions while reading this utterly engaging story. For a dramatic read that will definitely keep you turning page after page, this book comes highly recommended.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please enjoy my YouTube video review- 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carmel Harrington is an internationally published novelist from Co. Wexford, where she lives with her family and rescue dog, George Bailey. She has published eight novels, sold into fourteen territories, been shortlisted twice (2016 & 2017) for an Irish Book Award, and won Kindle Book of the Year and Romantic eBook of the Year in 2013. An Irish Times bestseller often compared to Maeve Binchy, Carmelhas established herself as a warm, contemporary storyteller who writes with heart, humour and hope, capturing the issues facing families and relationships in modern Ireland. 

Author social media 

Instagram: @happymrsh

Twitter: @happymrsh 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happymrsh

Website: http://carmelharrington.com/

 

Newsletter sign up

https://www.bookouture.com/carmel-harrington