QUICK FACTS
Title: The Maid of Ballymacool: A Novel
Author: Jennifer Deibel
Genre: Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Inspirational Fiction
Publisher: Fleming H. Revell Co (February 21, 2023)
Length: (352) pages
Format: Hardcover, Trade Paperback, & eBook
ISBN: 978-0800741747
Tour Dates: February 13 – 27, 2023
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Brianna Kelly was abandoned at Ballymacool House and Boarding School as an infant. She has worked there since she was a wee girl and will likely die there. Despite a sense that she was made for something more, Brianna feels powerless to change her situation, so she consoles herself by exploring the Ballymacool grounds, looking for hidden treasures to add to the secret trove beneath the floorboards of her room. When Michael Wray, the son of local gentry, is sent to Ballymacool to deal with his unruly cousin, he finds himself drawn to Brianna, immediately and inescapably. There is something about her that feels so . . . familiar. When Brianna finds a piece of silver in the woods, she commits to learning its origins, with the help of Michael. What they discover may change everything. Fan favorite Jennifer Deibel invites you back to the Emerald Isle in the 1930s for this fresh take on the Cinderella story, complete with a tantalizing mystery, a budding romance, and a chance at redemption.
ADVANCE PRAISE
“Deibel’s update on the “Cinderella” story features sympathetic, three-dimensional characters that readers will find easy to root for as they navigate the page-turning plot and find their way to one another. This heartwarming entry will keep readers hooked till its satisfying close.”— Publisher’s Weekly
"A slow-building, delicious romance wrapped in a mystery!"— Erica Vetsch, author of the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mysteries
PURCHASE LINKS
REVIEW
When she was dropped off on a doorstep as a baby, orphaned Brianna has worked for the Ballymacool school since she can remember. She works hard but feels that it is never enough.
This story was surprising in many ways. It offered me a look at different people within the school setting. It highlighted the abuse that could happen in a life of servitude. When Michael Wray comes to the school to address issues with his cousin, he finds something totally unexpected.
I was enthralled as this story unfolded and found the different perspectives to be enlightening and fascinating. The mystery as it unfolded was captivating. Jennifer Deibel writes a fantastic class balance and the mystery adds a wonderful element. The romance is there, but not the focal point and is a delightful addition to the story.
The mystery builds as the clues are laid out, but the truth is something beyond what might be expected. Set in the 1930's after uprisings and British rule in Ireland, this story brings beauty to the ugly history. It tells a story of hope.
I received an early copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest review
AUTHOR BIO
Jennifer Deibel is the author of A Dance in Donegal (winner of the Kipp Award for Historical Romance) and The Lady of Galway Manor (a Parable Group bestseller). Her work has appeared on (in)courage, on The Better Mom, in Missions Mosaic magazine, and in other publications. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona with her husband and their three children.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Emily. It is intriguing that this story is set in Ireland and inspired ny the fairytale Cinderella.