WWW2 Irish saga 1933 Ballykillen Ireland
Rose Brown and Polly Butler ten years old met while hiding in Mr Mulligans Orchards and become life long friends.
1937 Rose with Polly both get jobs in the Savage swanky hotel and she befriends David Townsend as he is staying as a guest the years after David offers her a job at his family home in London his wife expecting a new baby and they have a son after a visit home on the thrupenny rush to see Mammy she takes up his offer and it's by all means a strange job.
then WW2 is declared and all their lives are changed and with David already over in Brooklyn America on business the whole family are sent for including Rose.
This book takes us through a lot of trauma for Rose that is heart breaking, readers are going to enjoy the journey as I did, right till the end, Blackwater River Rose has truly come home, such an inspirational book and will need tissues. thank you to Netgalley and bookouture

Thank you to Net Galley and Bookouture for the chance to read and review this book. The opinions expressed are my own.
This story takes place in 1939 in Ireland. Rose is offered a position as a nanny for David Townsend's two children, but she must move to America.. Even though Rose is not sure about the big move, she decides to accept the position. Her position as a nanny brings her love, grief, and a chance to grow up. I liked this book! It was well written, and it was a good story that kept my attention. Recommend to all historical fiction lovers!

Rose travels to London to take a job caring for children. Little does she know of the heartbreak and love she will find before she sees Ireland again. A strange family, a baby, an ocean trip and war. All together make for a great read.

I'm torn with this book as on the one hand it's really sweet and there's no swearing or sex etc so family friendly, but too be honest I found it rather slow and even getting to 2/3 of the book, the events described in the blurb still hadn't happened, all that had happened was the girl became a nanny, so although it was a sweet tale, I didn't feel as though the blurb really reflected properly what it was about, and I wouldn't have chosen it had I known what the book was actually like

I have always loved Sandy Taylors books and could not wait to read this one.This heartbreaking story of a young irish girl becoming nanny to the family of an american businessman will have you hooked.Thank you to Sandy Taylor for a wonderful book.5*

This story starts in 1939 and we meet Rose Brown, an Irish Chambermaid. Whilst working in a hotel with her friend Polly, she meets David, an American who makes her an offer that throws her into a complete spin. Rose moves to England to work with David’s family, and in particular to be a companion to his fragile wife, Alice. Rose soon settles into this unusual family home and loves her work with there, and even manages to break through the hard prickly exterior of the son, Raffi. Things start to change, and David must travel back to American leaving Rose to take charge and be the one whom everyone relies on, just as war is announced.

Rose and the family set sail to America to join David, but tragedy strikes, leaving Rose to take the reins once more. Rose is left holding baby Sarah and the two of them land on American soil very much the worse for wear, to start their new life. Things slowly settle down and Rose begins to feel at home in America, making new friends and enjoying the company of Aunt Martha. As the war progresses and Pearl Harbour is attacked, David feels compelled to join up and play his part in the war, leaving Rose and little Sarah once more.

Further tragedies hit Rose and she decides it’s time to take Sarah to the only place that she could ever really call home, Ballykillen, Ireland. Once back in the place that she feels most happy, surrounded by her friends and family, Rose settles into her life and appreciates the things she missed while away for so many years. Rose’s family welcome her back with open arms and treat Sarah as one of their own.

This is a beautiful book and one I was so excited to read, having loved all of Sandy’s other books. Following Rose’s journey has you just rooting for her and hoping that she survives the traumas. She is such a strong, positive character and you feel your heart breaking a little for her each time life throws one more thing at her. Having taken responsibility for Sarah, the love Rose shows her just shines out of every page of the book.

The one criticism I have of this book, is that I feel it came to a bit of an abrupt end. The story could have felt more complete if we found out a little bit more about the outcome (which I won’t mention, due to spoilers). Having said that it didn’t detract from my total enjoyment of reading this book.

While this is a sweet story, the writing style is so simplistic it feels as if the intended audience is middle school level. I struggled to finish it and found myself skimming the last few chapters.

This story of Rose Brown a young Irish girl takes place in Ireland, England and America in the year before WWII and during that time. Leaving her home town, Rose travels to Cork, where she becomes a chambermaid, eventually travelling to England where she was employed as a "nanny." It was as a chambermaid that she met David, an American man wrote a letter to the supervisor at the hotel offering Rose a job in his home, with his wife and children. That was what the position originally stated, however, she was more of a companion to his wife, , Alice as well as her son, Raffi.. Strange though the household was, Rose brought compassion and kindness in her position. Alice was a fragile woman, Raffi was 9 years old, much older in stature in his protectiveness of his mother. Just as WWII begins, David is called back to America and after a while asks that his family follow him back to the U.S. booking passage on a ship going to New York. Rose, Alice, Raffi and newborn Sarah take that trip back but not without grief. As the ship is attacked, both Alice and Raffi are not on the lifeboats, only Rose and the baby survive. Through all the obstacles, all the struggles, Rose finds strength, she grows, becomes confident and eventually finds happiness. This story was heartwarming, heartbreaking but beautiful. The writing was superb, the characters well developed and I found it an interesting and sweet read.

My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This poignant story about a young woman who leaves her home in Ireland to become a companion, and ultimately a nanny, to a troubled family is heartbreaking. The descriptions and characters are well done and quickly immerse the reader in the story. Overall, I liked this book - however, there were a few small story lines I would have liked to have tied up. They didn't detract from the story, I just wondered at the end of the book what happened to those particular people, especially when they were somewhat important characters in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy for my review. All opinions are my own.

Love is where the heart is

This is the story of an Irish chambermaid named Rose and her love for Ireland and family. A chance meeting with an American named David led to her employment as a Nanny in England , her life in America during the war and how she found her way home to Ireland.

It is a story of best friends, new friends and choices to be made. Rose learned to put the life and well being of others above her wishes. She searched for her true love and her path in life. It is about a little girl named Sarah that she grew to love as a daughter when Sarah's mother died and her father went off to war.

It is also a story of the family she loved so dearly, her mother, her sisters and her best friend Polly. About a small town by the sea that she missed so dearly when away and the people and places in her little Irish town.

Her life was often derailed just as she thought all was well and good. She was brought to the depths of despair amid tragedy and misfortune. The war took its toll in many ways. Just when she thought all was lost her faith carried her through.

I loved the characters and the beautiful descriptions of Ireland. It sounds like a beautiful place. This book was a good read . I love the ending. I would recommend this book.

Thanks to Sandy Taylor, Bookouture and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy for my honest review

A heartbreaking story of WWII. Loved it so much! Loved the characters and the very real feel of what it was probably like during this horrible times of war and great loss and danger.

I was very excited to see Sandy a Taylor’s latest novel come up on Net Galley. She has previously taken me on journeys back home to Ireland filled with the craic and banter that is definitely amiss on the other side of the pond. The Irish Nanny was another that did not disappoint.
Rose and her 3 sisters live in a wee cottage in Ballykillen with their mammy. There isn’t much to Ballykillen and when Rose’s best friend Polly shows a desire for something more than the small town they end up going to the big city of Cork to interview for jobs at a hotel.
The job at the hotel is only the tip of the iceberg for Rose and although she doesn’t know it yet Rose is destined for something a little farther afield and much bigger than even she realizes.

A heartbreaking story that show the many trials and tribulations people had to go through during World War Two and a beautiful look at village life and how they all got by even though they have so very little.

Thank you to Bookouture and Net Galley for the advanced copy.

5 stars, Friendship, Love, & Loss

THE IRISH NANNY by Sandy Taylor

Rose Brown and her dear, dear friend Polly Butler are young teenage, Irish chambermaids who work at a posh hotel in a neighboring town from Ballykillen, where they grew up. Rose wants nothing more than to stay at home with her Mammy and three beloved sisters; while Polly can't wait to leave, wanting to go to England or America.

Rose is offered a nanny position with a prominent American businessman, but she'll have to move to England, where his business is located. She finds that her duties aren't so much as looking after the children, as looking after the children's mother.

Highly recommend it. A different spin on WWII, yet it still has heartbreaking and joyous moments.

Much gratitude to #netgalley and #bookoture for the complimentary copy of #theirishnanny I was under no obligation to post a review.

Another great book by Sandy Taylor. Beautifully written with likeable characters and full of emotion.

What a heartbreaking story. A young woman becomes a nanny to a family whose has numerous difficulties due to death of a previous child. I thought that the book was fairly predictable but I did enjoy reading about the irish country side. I will not be recommending.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this brilliant advanced ebook copy!

The Irish Nanny by Sandy was outstanding!

What a wonderful story, it gripped me from the first page until the last!
This was a captivating, emotional read that really took you on a journey. The book is so wonderfully written, with each of the characters having their own unique qualities and traits to add to the depth of this fascinating tale. The storyline was marvellous and had so much context and drive, it was impossible to not find yourself invested in the characters and their lives as the story begins to unfold.
Sandy Taylor painted.such verbal pictures. I was in awe!
Rose is such an amazing, strong character that I simply grew to love! Her sheer will power is something fierce and astonishing!
When a book ma!we your heart break it deserves all the stars!

Thank you again Bookouture my favorite publisher and author for this advance ebook copy!

The Irish Nanny by Sandy Taylor is a unique and entertaining WWII-era historical fiction that is full of suspense, mystery, love, loss, and how decisions that we make can have the potential to affect so many for years to come.

I loved reading the huge transitions Rose experienced internally and externally as she leaves Ireland and experiences so many pivotal moments. Through tragedy, tough choices, mistakes, following her inner voice, and growing up, Rose learns what family, roots, love, and loss really means. Rose discovers that through events that question all that she thought she knew what home really means, what really matters in life, and that all else can be pushed to the side. I loved seeing Rose grow up, find love, and figure out who she really is during this book. She is stronger then she thinks she is. She thinks she needs others, but through all these obstacles, she finds that all she really needs for support is herself, and through that she finds happiness, love, and her way home. It was beautiful, harrowing, heartwarming, and heartbreaking all at the same time. I really, really liked her as a main character, and I really enjoyed reading her journey. I also enjoyed the satisfying ending that brings everything full circle.

I highly recommend this historical fiction.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Bookouture for this arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

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

The Irish Nanny by Sandy Taylor was a pleasure to read. Through amazingly fluid writing and a great story line, you get engulfed in the storytelling until the end! A steady pace, nothing slow and nothing rushed. Perfect!
I loved this book – I lost my whole day reading – just couldn't bare to put it down! Grab yourself a copy! You won’t be disappointed.

In 1939, Rose is a chambermaid in Ireland with a lifetime of servitude before her. Then she meets American David Townsend, who asks her to become nanny to his two young children. The financial gains for Rose and her family far outweigh any hesitation she might feel. But when war breaks out and Townsend needs to return to America, Rose must follow by ship with his children in tow. A torpedo strike on the ship separates Rose from her charges and leaved her instead, with an infant entrusted to her care. She must make the agonizing decision whether to looks for David’s children and perhaps drown or save herself and the baby. Rose’s life after she reaches America will revolve around that fateful decision in this heartbreaking story of love and loss

“Love isn’t about owning someone, love is about guiding them to a place where they can discover who they are, not who you want them to be.“

An emotional tale about an innocent Irish girl who can’t wait to leave home and grow up. When she gets a chance, it’ll lead her on a courageous journey in the perils of war. She’ll come full circle, realizing that there’s nowhere quite like home.

When Rose Brown gets a chance to leave her little cottage in Cross Lane, Ballykillen and head to Cork in 1937 as a chambermaid in the Savages Hotel, she jumps at the chance. She knows she has to leave her widowed mom and three younger sisters, but her family needs the money and Rose needs to taste freedom.

She would one day look back and smile at the time she walked into a hotel room, intending to clean it and discovering that it wasn’t vacated. It was the day that changed the rest of her life. The occupant, David Townsend, was still in bed; awake, and reading Agatha Christie! A friendship is formed and before long he’s arranged for her to come to London to be a nanny for his expectant wife, Alice, and their 9-year-old boy, Raphael. It’s a wonderful fit as Alice needs Rose as much as Rose needs Alice.

When war breaks out and the ship she’s on with Alice and the children is hit by a torpedo, Rose is faced with an impossible decision. This innocent young girl finds herself stepping up to fill someone else’s shoes and, in the process, finds everything her heart desires.

I fell in love with every single character! The leprechaun in me loved the references to scrumping apples, the usage of ‘desperate.’ I could almost hear the Irish lilt in Taylor’s prose! The bibliophile in me loved the many bookish references.

“When we were children and we’d hurt ourselves, Mummy always said, ‘there is no point covering it up, you have to let the air get at it,‘ but that was what I had been doing. I had been covering up my grief with a bit of plaster, instead of letting it heal in Gold’s own good time.”

Known for her tales about showing kindness above all else, this one was influenced by her family heritage. Taylor’s family is from a little town on the banks of the Blackwater River in the South of Ireland. When she was 7, she stayed with a relative in a little cottage and admits it broke her heart to leave. I think the memories of this vacation in such a special place are woven into this book. I think you’ll agree that such an emotionally raw story can only be written by someone who has left a little piece of their heart behind in such a special place.

Publishes July 30, 2021.

I was gifted this advance copy by Sandy Taylor, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.