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The Secret of the Irish Castle

9/2/2018

2 Comments

 
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About The Secret of the Irish Castle
• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (August 14, 2018)

International bestselling author Santa Montefiore continues the story of the Deverill family in the third book in her beautiful and moving Deverill Chronicles trilogy—perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Beatriz Williams.

“Nobody does epic romance like Santa Montefiore. Everything she writes, she writes from the heart.” —Jojo Moyes,  #1 New York Times bestselling author of Me Before You

1939: Peace has flourished since the Great War ended, but much has changed for the Deverill family as now a new generation is waiting in the wings to make their mark.

When Martha Wallace leaves her home in America to search for her birth mother in Dublin, she never imagines that she will completely lose her heart to the impossibly charming JP Deverill. But more surprises are in store for her after she discovers that her mother comes from the same place as JP, sealing her fate.

Bridie Doyle, now Countess di Marcantonio and mistress of Castle Deverill, is determined to make the castle she used to work in her home. But just as she begins to feel things are finally going her way, her flamboyant husband Cesare has other ideas. As his eye strays away from his wife, those close to the couple wonder if he really is who he says he is.

Kitty Deverill has come to accept her life with her husband Robert, and their two children. But then Jack O’Leary, the love of her life, returns to Ballinakelly. And this time his heart belongs elsewhere.
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As long-held secrets come to light, the Deverills will have to heal old wounds and come to terms with the past if they hope to ensure their legacy for the future.
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Purchase Links
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HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Review:
Centuries ago, a curse was placed upon the Deverills after taking and building a castle on the O'Leary land.  Since then, every male Deverill heir has been trapped in a limbo inside the castle upon their death.  For the curse to be broken, the land must come back into the hands of an O'Leary.  Now, in 1939, the Deverill Castle has fallen out of Deverill hands and has been bought up by former housemaid Bridie after she came into money in New York.  Bridie believed taking the Castle from the Deverills would be a perfect revenge, but still feels like an outsider in her hometown.  Jack O'Leary also returns to Ballinakelly from New York with a wife and kids in tow upsetting the gentle balance that Kitty has made with her family.  Meanwhile, Bridie's daughter that she believes has died, comes looking for her family believing that Lady Rowan-Hampton is her birth mother.  However, she is just the one who began many of the lies and deceptions.  With everyone in one place, old flames light once again and new ones spark.  A chance for  JP Deverill and  Alana O'Leary to end everything with true love. After generations of lies, mistakes, secrets and missteps, the Deverills and O'Learys will have to dig deep for forgiveness.

The Secret of the Irish Castle is the last book in the Deverill Chronicles trilogy.  I would highly recommend reading these in order, there is much to keep track of and a lot of history.  It was almost difficult for me to read this last installment because so much tension existed between all of the characters due to the massive web of lies and deceptions that they have formed over the years in the belief that it would keep them safe.  It was a relief when everything begun to crash down around them.  Santa Montefiore deftly moves through the many subplots happening at once in a way that kept me engaged and interested while showing the beauty of the Irish landscape, Castle and people as well as the intensity of war.  I was glad that more of the ghost's stories were brought to light along with how the curse began with Maggie O'Leary as well as their influence over their descendants.  A rollercoaster of emotions, The Secret of the Irish Castle went from triumph to tragedy, heartbreak to  happiness and fury to forgiveness which is what lies at the heart of the story.  

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

Reviews of Books One and Two:

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Kitty Deverill was born on the ninth day of the ninth month in the year 1900. Kitty spends most of her days with her grandparents in the Castle Deverill. Her Anglo-Irish family has been cursed, since the Deverill land was taken from the O’Leary’s, the Deverill men are cursed to stick around as ghosts until the two families can combine. Kitty is the third daughter of Maude Deverill and Maude seems to have forgotten about her, Kitty is free to roam when she escapes her Governess, Mrs. Grieve. Kitty spends her days with Bridie Doyle, the daughter of the castle cook and Jack O’Leary. Kitty’s station is life causes tension with Bridie and as Jack and Kitty form a relationship, feelings among the trio change. Soon, the Irish revolt to overthrow the British and Jack joins the Irish cause. As an Anglo-Irish, Kitty might seem to be in a strange situation, but her Irish roots grow strong. Through the attacks, Castle Deverill is put under siege and the home Kitty loves becomes vulnerable. 

From the curse on the very first page, I was hooked. I have always loved a good curse. Then, I was introduced to Kitty. Kitty is completely charming and enchanting with a dash of mischievousness a good dose of rebellion and plenty of intelligence. I loved reading about her growing up. The magic and whimsy of Ireland is showcased through the writing, picturesque descriptions of the landscape and castle bring County Cork and Castle Deverill to life. Some of the best parts for me were the ghosts, grumpy Castle ancestors who sometimes give Kitty a helpful or hurtful push. Most of all, I enjoyed the character interactions as Kitty, Bridie and Jack come-of-age. With insight into a unique time in Ireland’s history, plenty of drama, romance and heartfelt passion for what you love, The Girl in the Castle is an absolute delight that I had a hard time putting down.

This book was received for free as part of the TLC blog tour.

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Celia Deverill has bought the ruins of her family's castle after it was burned down in the war. The year is 1925 and Celia and her husband have plenty of money to rebuild the castle and upgrade everything to Celia's extravagant and opulent demands. While Celia is busy redecorating, Kitty Deverill and her husband Robert Trench are raising Kitty's half-brother, Little Jack. Kitty is concerned that Little Jack's real mother, Bridie Doyle will come and steal him away. Kitty is also wrestling with her feelings for her true love Jack O'Leary. She will have to make a decision to tear apart her family and move to America with Jack or deny her true love and stay with her family and her home in Ireland. Meanwhile, Bridie Doyle has become a new person in New York. Now a wealthy widow, she is determined to reclaim the son that was taken from her as well as the Castle where she once worked.

Once again, I was enraptured by the stories of the women of Castle Deverill. Picking up right after The Girl in the Castle, the stories of Kitty, Bridie and Celia continue to grow and shine. Now adults, these women are making their own decisions and affecting the lives of those around them as well as the ghosts who still inhabit Castle Deverill. I was very pleased that Barton Deverill's story was expanded upon and I was able to understand the reasons for the curse. I love that the supernatural and folklore are a part of the story, bringing out the magic of Ireland in a sophisticated way. I was completely captivated by all of these women's stories while they were busy trying to navigate life and come to terms with what has been handed to them their stories went in such different ways then I could have ever imagined. I became so frustrated at points when their decisions seemed immature or senseless, I just wanted to shake them! However, through masterful storytelling, the saga of the Daughters of Ireland engrossed me all the way through. I was definitely surprised at the end, but I believe they are one step closer to breaking the curse of Castle Deverill.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

2 Comments
trish link
9/3/2018 12:08:52 pm

Sounds like a really engaging story! I love books that can track a journey like this, because I think this is so much of what it means to be human.

Thank you for being on the tour!

Reply
Heather J @ TLC Book Tours link
9/15/2018 03:34:37 pm

Thanks for being on the tour!

Reply



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    Hi there! I'm Stephanie and I obviously love reading.  As, the title suggests, I read at least one hundred pages a day.  I enjoy most book genres; however, my favorites are historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, thriller, horror and YA.  I also read a lot of non-fiction science and gardening books for my occupation.  I enjoy reviewing books and as always, any book that I receive for free is read in return for my honest review.  

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