The woman looks out at the grand magnolia tree as it casts a shadow over the old house. ‘One day you will find out what destroyed our family, Claire. I only hope I’ve raised you to be strong enough to handle the truth…’

Claire takes a deep breath as she turns the old leather book in her hands. Names scribbled inside in faded ink create a family tree, the words Magnolia Manor at the top. She thought she’d lost everything when her Aunt Rachel died, but does this book hold the key to reuniting her with her long-lost family?

When she arrives in a little cove in Ireland, Claire wastes no time searching for Magnolia Manor, the gorgeous family home high up in the hills. But when she meets its intimidating owner, Sylvia Fleury, and Sylvia’s three beautiful granddaughters, her heart races, and she finds herself too scared to reveal their connection…

Claire rushes to pack her bags, convinced she’s made a mistake, but the welcoming embrace of local chef Karina and her handsome brother Pierce make her stay. Hunched over old recipes in the kitchen with Karina, listening to village gossip, Claire laughs like she hasn’t in years. And as she walks along the coastal path beneath the stars with Pierce, Claire feels totally entranced by his bright blue eyes and begins to fall in love. Could just starting again in this little village, close to her ancestors, be enough?

But deep within the pages of the book, Claire discovers a bitter family rivalry that could destroy Sylvia and her granddaughters. If she tells them who she is, she could lose everything. But can she really put down roots with Pierce if he doesn’t know the truth? Can Claire heal more than just her own heart, and make things right for her family? Or will the lies she’s told push everyone away and force her to leave forever?

Fans of Sheila O’Flanagan, Debbie Macomber and Mary Alice Monroe will be swept away by this gorgeous, unputdownable romance set in beautiful Ireland.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

Sylvia is pretending to turn eighty-five yet again and she wants it to be very special.

She had felt that she had to constantly prove that she was able to do even the simplest tasks with Hugh watching over her shoulder all the time. As if he was waiting for her to make a mistake in order to give him a chance to criticise.

She found it hugely amusing the way Sylvia always managed to turn doing something wrong into a virtue if it was in her own interest.

My Review:

I fell right into this tale and received a free trip to Ireland without having to experience the arduous travel or rainy weather. The writing style was easy to follow and engaging, and populated with characters who were realistically flawed and likable, even when I didn’t like what they were doing. I enjoyed the characters so much that I have amassed all the previous installments of the series and plan to indulge in the rest of the family secrets.