Robin Loves Reading: BLOG TOUR - The Diary at the Irish Adoption House

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

BLOG TOUR - The Diary at the Irish Adoption House

The Diary at the Irish Adoption House

by Michelle Vernal

SeriesThe Irish Adoption House Book 4

PublisherBookouture

GenreHistorical Fiction

FormatKindle ARC

Pages304

Pub. DateOctober 20, 2026

Rating🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

DESCRIPTION

Ireland, 1939: ‘Please,’ my tearful voice breaks as I press the leather-bound diary into Sister Louise’s hands. ‘Give this to the family who takes care of my baby. It’s all he’ll have to remember his Mammy…’

In the pale light of dawn, Sheila holds her precious baby close, tears welling in her eyes. For weeks she has been planning her escape to America, away from the cruel man she’s been forced to marry, who refuses to raise a child who’s not his own. But war is coming, making the crossing from Ireland far too dangerous for a child. Her chest aches with the most impossible decision: to keep her son truly safe, she must give him away…

As she says her last goodbyes in the shadow of the adoption house, Sheila takes the diary she’s poured her heart into and tucks it in amongst his blankets, whispering a promise: ‘One day, we’ll meet again, little one…’

Now, Sheila must escape her husband, facing the dangerous journey across the ocean, praying that one day she and her son can be reunited. But as she watches Ireland vanish over the horizon from the deck of the boat, her heart stops at a sickening thud, and the ship’s bells start to ring. Can she survive the perilous crossing to America? And will she ever make it back to her son?

An utterly heartbreaking and emotional novel about hope in dark places and the power of a mother’s love, perfect for fans of Jean Grainger, Lisa Wingate and Diney Costeloe.

BUY LINK

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0GGZJHFNYsocial

MY THOUGHTS

“I switched off then, mesmerised by the carriage clock’s tick, wishing I could rewind time so that I was still outside pulling the winter vegetables.”

Finding the love of her life does not bring Sheila Reilly lifelong happiness. Instead, decisions are forced upon her and she loses the love that she found. Now pregnant, Sheila desperately wants to give her unborn baby the best life possible. Sadly, that choice is taken from her, leaving her to face unimaginable heartbreak. Until now, Sheila has recorded her most precious thoughts in a diary. But even that is taken from her.

Sheila finds herself at the St Patrick’s Mother and Baby Home, where her time is anything but easy. Alongside the grueling work, she has had to endure the nuns’ forced name change to Marie. Set in Ireland in 1939, this emotionally charged and captivating story delves into Sheila’s resilience as she navigates the difficult and heart-wrenching decisions as she navigates the difficult and heartbreaking circumstances thrust upon her.

Michelle Vernal has written compelling stories in this Irish Adoption House series. Although all are wonderful stories that will grab readers’ hearts, each book works well as a standalone.

What a touching story of resilience and survival! This truly heartbreaking and emotional read is a testament to Vernal’s as a storyteller. She brings to life the pain, struggles and resilience of a woman who consistently had choices taken away from her. This reader will be most certainly be back for more.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michelle Vernal is a New Zealand author who writes stories that will take you onto the page with her characters and make you feel part of their lives. She writes with humour and warmth, and her readers describe her books as unputdownable, feel good and funny. Her writing has been likened to Maeve Binchy but with a modern-day vernacular. In 2015 she was shortlisted for the Love Stories Award. In 2020 she won the Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal Award for Chick lit, and in 2021 was shortlisted for the Page Turner Book Awards.