A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel is a great historical fiction that has a wonderful plot, romance, a stunning backdrop with a dash of mystery thrown in to create an enjoyable read.

The book starts off in Boston during the 1920s where we meet Moira whom has just graduated from school to become a teacher. She ends up on a quest to her mother’s hometown village of Ballymann in Donegal, Ireland. Here Moira encounters so many new things: a different culture, societal culture and customs, the local inhabitants (some more welcoming then others), mystery surrounding her mother’s past presence here that is shrouded in questions and whispers, and possibly even love.

I love the awakening of Moira throughout this novel. Learning her profession, making friends, finding a partner/romance, facing questions of where she came from, who that makes her, what is her purpose in life, where does she fit in, and where is her home. I really enjoyed her finding herself, her place, path, and solidifying her faith. I also loved how the author was able to draw the reader in with the MC on her journey to the end of the novel. I really wanted to see how it would all wrap up.

I enjoyed the complex and rich array of characters. They were well thought out and added perfectly to my favorite part of the novel:

The location: Ireland. It was wonderful to be able to read and visualize such a beautiful place. Taking a peak into this rich culture, the people, customs, religion, daily lives, the food (oh my the food!), and the stunning landscapes at times took my breath away. The inclusion of the wonderful Irish Gaelic really added to the story as well. It is such a beautiful language. The author has a real talent in being able to give the reader a fully immersive experience to make one feel as if they were actually there right along with her, experiencing it all for the first time together. I absolutely loved imagining life within the villages of this gorgeous country within the early part of the 20th century. I learned so much about this time period there just from reading this novel.

An excellent book that has me yearning to travel to Ireland myself to find out where my own Grandmother is from.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Revell Publishing for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR, Instagram, and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 2/2/21

I liked the idea of this story more than I ended up enjoying the story itself. A new teacher, a death in the family, a mystery and a small town in Ireland all sound like a recipe for a great story. However, it all left me a bit flat. I liked the supporting characters more than I ended up liking the main characters. The main characters just weren't fleshed out enough and felt rushed.

This book was received as an ARC from Revell in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was so inspirational and relatable that it made me enjoy this book even more. Everything that was going on in Moira's life I could apply it to my real life and it almost felt like I was reading my life story except for the part where my mother passed away and not living the Amish lifestyle. Losing someone that was your livelihood can be pretty tough but if you are strong enough, life can throw you many curveballs that can help realize what your real purpose in life is giving you the life you thought could never have. Reading this book immediately made me count my blessings and be thankful for the people in my life and the path I am on. I know this will be a story that will be passed on and enjoyed throughout our community.

We will consider adding this title to our Christian Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.