Marianne’s grandmother Collie dies and leaves her the family estate and her two young cousins. It is a huge responsibility and upsets other members of the family. But Marianne receives monthly letters from her late grandmother that strengthen her reoslve and reveal Collie’s secrets…
The Irish House is a warm and uplifting book about making positive changes and taking life’s opportunities.
Marianne finds herself at a crossroads as she has lost her job and both of her paretns have died. Now her grandmother Collie dies and asserts in her will that Marianne have the family home as well as the guardianship of her cousins. Marianne has no experience of parenting so has a steep learning curve!
Each month, Collie has arranged for a letter to be delivered and this serves to offer insights into her life and loves. It also motivates Marianne when she feels low, especially when her aunt is causing trouble or stirring up the locals in antagonistic behaviour. Grief is an important emotion and theme in the book, and is handled sensitively and authentically
I enjoyed Marianne’s journey as she takes on the responsibilities associated with the house and her family. At first it is daunting and she doubts herself so Collie’s letters bolster her confidence by justifying the grandmother’s faith in her granddaughter. Inspired, Marianne develops her resilience and passion over the course of the book.
The Irish House is a gentle book with plenty of emotion and a careful balance of optimism and realism.
MEDIA PACK
The Irish House: A totally heartbreaking and powerful story about families, secrets and finding your way home
My dearest Marianne, have you ever completely loved one person? What I am about to tell you now, I have told no one…
Beautiful Kilteelagh House in Ireland, with its avenue of trees and its acres of wildflowers, was somewhere Marianne thought she’d never be again. At least, not without her beloved grandmother Collie. But when Collie passes away, she has just one request – for Marianne to leave behind her glamorous life in New York and to raise Collie’s orphaned granddaughters in the wild Irish countryside. Heartbroken and determined to fulfil her grandmother’s dying wish, Marianne has no choice but to say yes…
All Marianne and her cousins have left is each other, and letters from Collie that keep arriving from beyond the grave. They become a lifeline for Marianne, and she soon realises that her grandmother still has a lot to still teach her. And after a chance encounter with gorgeous local handyman Jack, Marianne wonders if Collie believed being back at Kilteelagh House would help her find love, too?
Soon, Marianne can’t help but begin to fall in love with this place that is so full of memories, of secrets, and perhaps even a little bit of Irish magic. But then out of the blue, a letter from Collie arrives that changes everything…
Will Marianne ever be able to decide where her heart truly belongs? Or will she have to run away from the only people who have ever truly understood her?
An absolutely heartbreaking and heart-warming read overflowing with Irish charm that will make you laugh, cry and hold your loved ones close. Perfect for fans of Susanne O’Leary, Cathy Kelly and Kathleen McGurl.
Ann is the Irish author of five novels and has been translated into eleven languages. Her first novel The Ballroom Cafe was also an ebook bestseller and in the top 20 bestselling books of 2015 on Amazon UK. Ann loves to write and often gets up at 5am to get the words down, before starting her other job of writing as a news reporter. A leading journalist in Ireland, Ann has covered all major news events in a long career with Independent Newspapers, Ireland. She is now a senior journalist with the Irish Examiner specialising in legal issues. Ann has also lived in India. Originally from the west of Ireland she now lives on the east coast with her husband and family.
