Monday, October 3, 2022

BLOG TOUR - The Last Summer in Ireland


DESCRIPTION:

A lost girl. A mysterious house in Ireland. An invitation that changes everything.

Twenty years ago, at the end of a long hot Irish summer, three sisters submerge themselves in the cool lake at their home, Swan Hall. As Maeve and Aisling watch their beautiful younger sister Nuala laughing and splashing, droplets of water clinging to her dark hair, it is hard to hide their envy of her. But later that day, when Nuala drowns, they are devastated.

Now, as Iris scatters the ashes of her beloved mother Aisling onto the golden leaves of Central Park, she feels very alone. But then hope comes in an invitation across the sea to Ireland from her mother’s sister, Maeve – the sister Aisling left behind and never spoke to again.

Swan Hall is more than Iris could ever have dreamed, sitting on the edge of a lake, full of history. But its dark corridors and staircases are caked in dust, and Iris feels a sense of unease. And then she finds a diary – Nuala’s diary from the long hot summer she disappeared.

Iris’ mother never mentioned Nuala. Why would she have lied? As Iris reads Nuala’s slanting script, she uncovers dark secrets and shocking betrayals, and she begins to wonder: was Nuala’s death really an accident? Can Iris find the truth, and will it change everything she knows about her mother… and herself?

A completely compelling and gripping read about the heartbreak and secrets that tore three sisters apart. Fans of Lucinda Riley and Louise Douglas will love The Last Summer in Ireland. 


BUY LINK:
MY THOUGHTS:
 
Title:   The Last Summer in Oreland
Author:  Noelle Harrison
Publisher:  Booko9uture
Genre:   Women's Fiction
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   334
Date of Publication:   October 3, 2022
My Rating:   4 Stars

18-year-old Iris Kelly 's mother has passed away do to a tragic accident. Although her mother was from Ireland, she was alienated from her family. Therefore, Iris has never met any of her Irish relatives. However, she is about to travel to Ireland and there she will meet her Aunt Maeve. While Maeve seems accepting of Iris's visit, she has a very sad and distant demeanor. 

Iris soon begins to learn that there were secrets and lies that caused the formerly close sisters to completely break ties  In fact, Iris is soon made aware that there was a third sister named Nuala. Iris slowly learns what happened to Nuala, and also begins to piece together the tragedies that tore the family apart. 

One that about Iris is that she has an uncanny resemblance to Nuala. This gives more than one person in Ireland pause. Also, there is at least one character who is greatly affected by Iris's resemblance to the aunt she never met. Iris wants answers. One of the answer she seeks is to discover why her mother Aisling left Ireland, never to return, never allowing Iris to meet any of her other family.

This sensitive read by Noelle Harrison shows the power of sisterhood all while showing the devastation of loss. More than that, secrets and lies are the backdrop of the story as it slowly unfolds. In fact, there is a surprising level of darkness in the story, but I never lost interest in this book. In fact, I was invested from beginning to end, all the while hoping that Iris would find the answers she was seeking and that she would land on her feet. Kudos to Ms. Harrison for writing a story with family and a bit of Irish folklore. This is one read that I definitely recommend.

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:


Noelle is an Irish author who's been writing novels and plays for nearly thirty years and her books have been published in over 12 different countries.

She is also published under the pen name Evie Blake and her Valentina Trilogy hit the Der Spiegel Bestseller List in 2013.

In 2014 Noelle was one of 56 Irish Writers included in the anthology and exhibition Lines of Vision Irish Writers on Art at the National Gallery of Ireland, and published by Thames & Hudson.

She has also written five plays - Northern Landscapes, Black Virgin, Runaway Wife, The Good Sister, and Witches' Gets, which featured in Cymera and Audacious Women Festivals in Edinburgh to sell out houses.

Noelle currently lives in Edinburgh in Scotland, and is one of the founders of Aurora Writers’ Retreats, and part of the wellness hub The Space To BE.

If you like stories written from the heart, historical with contemporary timeslip, family mysteries and secrets, and always, always a love story set against evocative landscapes, you might like to pick up one of her books. Her aim is to tell women's stories from the past and present and to give voice to those who are rarely heard. Want to know more about Noelle and her writing, go to www.noelleharrison.com

 

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Website: www.noelleharrison.com



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