MY REVIEW:
The Forgotten Secret is the first book I've read by Kathleen McGurl and there is nothing more I enjoy than opening the book pages of a 'new to me' author.
This story is told in two parts, alternating chapters from Ellen's point of view in 1919/20, and Clare's in 2016. I always enjoy a novel that leaps from one period to another and The Forgotten Secret didn't disappoint. I preferred the contemporary set chapters more than the historical but, as I didn't know anything about the Irish war of the early 20th century, it was nice to learn more and how it affected those involved.
Lovely writing and a host of fascinating characters really brought this story alive and I will definitely be looking for more of Kathleen McGurl's work. Thought-provoking, heartfelt and a little tear-jerking in places, I definitely recommend The Forgotten Secret.
This story is told in two parts, alternating chapters from Ellen's point of view in 1919/20, and Clare's in 2016. I always enjoy a novel that leaps from one period to another and The Forgotten Secret didn't disappoint. I preferred the contemporary set chapters more than the historical but, as I didn't know anything about the Irish war of the early 20th century, it was nice to learn more and how it affected those involved.
Lovely writing and a host of fascinating characters really brought this story alive and I will definitely be looking for more of Kathleen McGurl's work. Thought-provoking, heartfelt and a little tear-jerking in places, I definitely recommend The Forgotten Secret.
The Forgotten Secret
A country at war
It’s the summer of 1919 and Ellen O’Brien has her whole life ahead
of her. Young, in love and leaving home for her first job, the future seems
full of shining possibility. But war is brewing and before long Ellen and
everyone around her are swept up by it. As Ireland is torn apart by the
turmoil, Ellen finds herself facing the ultimate test of love and loyalty.
And a long-buried
secret
A
hundred years later and Clare Farrell has inherited a dilapidated old farmhouse
in County Meath. Seizing the chance to escape her unhappy marriage she strikes
out on her own for the first time, hoping the old building might also provide
clues to her family’s shadowy history. As she sets out to put the place – and
herself – back to rights, she stumbles across a long-forgotten hiding place,
with a clue to a secret that has lain buried for decades.
For fans of Kate Morton and Gill Paul comes an unforgettable novel
about two women fighting for independence.
Purchase Links
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Forgotten-Secret-heartbreaking-gripping-historical-ebook/dp/B07H2PMPR3
Author Bio –
Kathleen McGurl lives near the sea in Bournemouth, UK,
with her husband and elderly tabby cat. She has two sons who are now grown-up
and have left home. She began her writing career creating short stories, and
sold dozens to women’s magazines in the UK and Australia. Then she got
side-tracked onto family history research – which led eventually to writing
novels with genealogy themes. She has always been fascinated by the past, and
the ways in which the past can influence the present, and enjoys exploring
these links in her novels.
Social Media Links –
Thank you so much for a lovely review!
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