A Dance in Donegal

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I've always dreamed of going to Ireland some day and after reading A Dance in Donegal the desire has only increased.  This is the debut novel for Jennifer Deibel and she has such a gift in writing a story that transports you right into the pages of the story she is telling.  From the beautiful description of the countryside along with the Gaelic phrases and Irish accents I could picture everything so perfectly and if I'm completely honest I may have started talking with a bit of an Irish accent around the house because I just couldn't help myself.

From the first pages I was drawn into this story of Moira.  There are so many different emotions entwined in the pages from grief, hope, redemption faith and so much more.  I have to say I even got a little angry at one point.  This has been one of those books that leave me wanting more.  The kind that leaves me thinking about the characters long after the last page is turned and I really hope we get to revisit these characters in upcoming novels!

All of her life, Moira 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 hr presence but threaten to derail everything she's journeyed to Ballyman to do.  Moira must relay on the kindness of a handfull of friends-and the strength of Sean, an unsettlingly handsome thatcher who keeps popping up unannounced as she seeks to navigate a life she never dreamed of, but perhaps was meant to live.

***Thanks to Revell for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.