"A Dance in Donegal," by Jennifer Deibel
All her life, Boston-born Moira Doherty has relished her mother's descriptions of the Emerald Isle. When her mother dies unexpectedly in the summer of 1920, Moira is compelled to fulfill her dying wish--that she become the teacher in Ballymann, the beloved village in Donegal, Ireland, she's heard so much about.
After an arduous voyage, Moira begins a challenging new job in an unfamiliar and ancient country. Though a few locals offer a warm welcome, others are distanced by superstition and suspicion. Rumors about Moira's mother are unspoken in her presence but threaten to derail everything she's journeyed to Ballymann to do. Moira must rely on the kindness of a handful of friends--and the strength of Sean, an unsettlingly handsome thatcher who keeps popping up unannounced--as she seeks to navigate a life she'd never dreamed of . . . but perhaps was meant to live.
This book took me a while to get immersed into. Once I did though I loved how descriptive the book was about living in Ireland in the 1920's. You could almost smell the peat burning in all the fireplace's. How the author mixed Gaelic language into the book made it very authentic.
There were enough twists and turns in the book to keep it interesting. Just when you thought you figured it out, something else happened. One of the main themes running through this book was forgiveness. Also how living in a small town, things take on a life of their own in a blink of an eye. Which I could relate too, coming from a small town in Britain.
Stars out of 5 : 3.5 Not the best book I have ever read, but once I got into it, I really enjoyed it. Just took a bit longer than normal for me. If you love anything Irish, you'll love this book.
"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
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