Historical Romance Book Review: The Maid of Ballymacool

About the Book

Title: The Maid of Ballymacool: A Novel 

Author: Jennifer Deibel 

Genre: Historical Romantic Fiction 

Publisher: Revell 

Release Date: February 21, 2023

Purchase Links

AMAZON | BAKER PUBLISHING | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS

Publisher's 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.”

 

My Review

The Maid of Ballymacool, by Jennifer Deibel, offers a touching story of loss and redemption. Enriched with a sprinkling of classic Cinderella elements, it is a heartfelt novel with an engaging storyline. Page after page, this novel features interesting characters, detailed settings, dangerous secrets, and surprising motivations. 

   

As a setting, County Donegal, Ireland in the mid 1930s is an influential presence within the story. So too is the stately Ballymacool House, and the woods surrounding it that give plenty of room for the story to unfold. Rooted in this setting are the characters who make this novel memorable. Throughout the book, their insecurities, fears, needs, and desires are believable and heartrending. The experiences, the choices, and the struggles that the characters endure are thoughtfully developed, gradually revealing a story that is quite moving. Because the characters persevere and fight for redemption and wholeness, they become an inspiration, and their story becomes one of encouragement and hope. They show that even though life can be very hard and rife with injustice, God’s strength, grace, and forgiveness are always available to make the process of healing and restoration possible.  
 

Throughout the novel, the characters struggle earnestly to find the healing and hope that might be waiting on the other side of their heartbreak. But it is in that search for hope and healing that this novel explores its significant themes. From beginning to end, The Maid of Ballymacool is a novel that balances hope and despair, perseverance and struggle, and faithfulness and uncertainty. As the novel journeys through and beyond hurt and heartache, it is uplifted by moments of grace and gentle reminders that truth, purpose, and love are always worth pursuing. 
 

The Maid of Ballymacool is certainly a special novel. With true talent, detailed research, and genuine insight, Ms. Deibel has written a book full of heart, courage, second chances, healing, and hope. I gladly recommend it. 
 

*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher through Austenprose PR. A review was not required. The review I have written is voluntary and contains opinions that are entirely my own.

About the Author: Jennifer Deibel

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.

Author Links

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Elizabeth. This novel would be the perfect read in March during the St. Patrick's day celebrations!

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