I thought this was, for the most part, a really enjoyable book to read. I loved the setting of a small Irish town near the sea. It was so cozy. Reading this made me want to book a flight right away. The characters that Grace and her daughter meet in Ireland were all so warm and inviting. They really add to the cozy feel of this place. I love books with that homey feeling when you read them and I definitely got that feeling with this book.

However, it did feel a bit rushed and unrealistic at parts. As sweet and cute as the budding romance between Grace and Sean was, I just didn't feel like it was very believable, it felt very rushed as if the author really wanted to get to it rather than let it slowly develop. They definitely had chemistry and the cute little interactions were really nice and I would have liked more of that.

I also felt that the Graham conflict was very anticlimactic. There was a lot of anticipation building up throughout the book for the inevitability of Graham finding Grace and when he did, I was left expecting more.

Although, the book definitely made up for that with some very unexpected turns towards the end. I wish the book was actually a bit longer, so that there would have been more room to bring all of it out. Like I mentioned before, some parts felt a bit rushed and I feel like with a bit more time they could have all come cohesively together and maybe added a few more chapters to the book.

My favourite part of this book was the slow reveal of Noel's past and the connection to Grace and her family. Noels story is a heartbreaking one, and you really feel for him and what he had to go through. I'm glad at the end he gets what he deserved all along.

When Grace feels the need to relocate it is with a sense of urgency! So taking her young daughter Olivia they travel to Ireland where she has been given the key to her grandparents Connor & Caitlin McCarthy’s cottage.
On arrival at Roone bay, Grace is shocked by the condition of the cottage and looks for work to further supplement her savings in order to make substantial repairs. Fortunately her advert has caught the eye of Noel O’Donovan, owner of Roone Manor, he explains to Grace that he would like to have his memoir typed up, for which she is experienced.. it is during this that Grace uncover some secrets of her Grandma Caitlin. Will some of her own secrets be uncovered?
The saddest thing about the story is the similarities, with both Grace and Caitlin having been betrayed by people who have a strange relationship with the truth.
My favourite character was Sean and least favourite was Graham. Loved the place names.

This charming novel was set in a rural village in West Cork, on the Mizen Peninsula, in southern Ireland.

Grace has run away from her handsome, wealthy, controlling, and manipulative husband. She fled with her seven year old daughter upon learning that her husband enrolled Olivia in a boarding school. Years earlier, her grandmother seemed to intuit that Grace's marriage wouldn't last and she gave her a big old iron key with a blue ribbon tied around it. Now, Grace takes the key and returns to her family's homeland in Ireland.

She arrives to find that her grandmother's cottage is nothing but a ruin. Disheartened, she meets some friendly locals who give her a place to stay while the cottage is being made habitable once again. Meanwhile, she gains employment with a rich local man transcribing his memoirs. The elderly man becomes a real friend to Grace when she most needs one.

Through the recollections of her elderly employer, we learn about the past of the area through his eyes. The struggle, the hardships, and the strong spirit of the people.

Grace comes to have feelings for the builder who is renovating her cottage. Her little daughter is thriving in her new environment. Things seem to be going well... until her past catches up with her.

The setting added greatly to my reading enjoyment. As with most romance fiction, the plot was fairly predictable, but I thoroughly enjoyed the read nonetheless.

This is a novel about family, both found and biological. It is about belonging, acceptance, starting over, living with your choices, and the kindness of strangers.

Diving into Daisy O’Shea's novels for the first time with The Irish Key was an absolute delight.

Grace flees her affluent yet domineering husband to settle in her late grandfather's Irish residence with their daughter, Olivia. The property is derelict and requires extensive renovations to be habitable. Surrounded by a supportive community in Ireland, Sean steps in to help her with the repairs. Grace's life becomes enriched, and Olivia begins to bloom into the confident child she's meant to be.

This poignant tale truly captured my attention; Daisy's descriptive writing style allowed me to visualize the setting and connect with the characters on a deeper level. I loved it and am sure you will too.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Irish Key' by Daisy O'Shea.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Daisy O'Shea, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture Anonymous

Publication date 24th April 2024.

This is the first book I have read by this author but it most definitely won't be my last!! It is also the first book in Daisy's 'Emerald Isles' series.

This novel consists of 34 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

OMG! OMG!! I cannot remember the last time I was so gutted to come to the end of a book!! Well done Daisy on an absolutely beautiful and emotive book!!!! I absolutely fell in love and it genuinely felt like I was packing my bags and being whisked away from my Irish holiday when I read the last page. Absolutely gorgeous!!!

The book is so well written with its stunning and vivid descriptions that I genuinely felt that I was standing with Grace throughout feeling the Irish breeze in my hair and smelling the ocean. The synopsis and cover suited the storyline perfectly.

I absolutely loved this gorgeous escapism read that swept me away from the beginning to the end!!! It is absolutely ram packed full of emotions from heartache to love, surprise to happiness and so much more. With a storyline filled with regrets, secrets, friendship, family, stunning settings, mind-blowing twists and everything you could ask for in a beautiful page turner this is one book you will not regret picking up!!! In this emotional book we meet Grace who has decided to escape an unhappy and controlling marriage to her husband Graham. She takes her daughter Olivia and runs to Ireland to her late Grandfathers home. After several disasters on the way she manages to get a lift with local Sean to the property just to discover it's completely inhabitable!! Luck is on her side when she discovers Sean is a builder and also happens to know a place she can stay. After Grace puts an advert up offering her work she receives a letter from Roone Bay's famous Noel from "The Big House" who left Ireland poor and returned rich. Noel wants Grace to write his memoir and offers her accommodation while Sean fixes her home. Will Grace find her happily ever after in Roone Bay? Will Graham find her and drag her and Olivia back? What secrets will she discover when typing up Noel's memoir? Grab your copy of this beautiful Irish page turner for yourself to find out!!! Written from the perspective's of Grace in the present and Noel and Caitlin in the past Daisy has done a fantastic job weaving the multiple protagonists and timelines together perfectly!!! It is also clear that Daisy has done alot of research on Ireland and it's history and I was absolutely intrigued by the lives of the Irish in the 1930's. A massive congratulations to Daisy for ensuring her book is well researched. It is a pet hate of mine when I am reading a book to then find it littered with mistakes that are completely unnecessary and avoidable if more research had been done. The only criticism I do have is that when I was reading it I assumed Grace's timeline was more modern day and only realised that Grace's story must have been set in the past also when she was handed with a new device called a computer! Although Daisy did a very good job ensuring the 1930 dates were timelined at the beginning of each of those chapters I would have recommended the same was done for Daisy's chapters. However, this didn't make any difference to my enjoyment of the book so I will not be removing any ratings for it but it would definitely be something to consider in future books. I absolutely loved the majority of the characters and was rooting for Grace, Sean and Noah throughout. Sean and Noah were such sweet, down to life men, especially considering Noel's riches which didn't turn him into a snob like Graham and his son (Grace's stepson) Arthur, neither whom I could stand and Sean and Noel were the complete opposite of them!! I also adored sweet Olivia who went through alot for a child and showed such compassion and bravery. I adored watching the personalities and relationships changing and developing throughout the book and I was completely invested in the characters and the storyline. The storyline isn't just about the renovations of Grace's cottage but if the history of Noel, the growing friendship between Grace and Sean and so, so much more. There is so much going on that I was absolutely glued to my kindle throughout. Every time I said just one more chapter something happened which meant I had to read another, then another until before I knew it I had devoured it it one sitting!!! Daisy's fantastic evocative writing skills really did bring the storyline, settings, atmosphere and characters to life and I really felt like I was next to the characters who very quickly came to feel like friends. I definitely won't be forgetting about them anytime soon and I hope we get to meet them again in the next book in this beautiful series which is called 'The Irish Child' which will be published on the 16th July and I cannot wait to read!!! This book really is an emotional rollercoaster ride of emotions that had me smiling away on so many occasions. I haven't been to Ireland for many years (physically) but this beautiful books makes me want to pack my physical suitcase and head straight there!!! A gorgeous heartwarming book that will leave you wanting more!!! This would make a gorgeous film and I'm looking to meet the next characters you create!!!

Clear your schedules and grab the tissues as you will not be able to put down this gorgeous and emotive page turner!!

Daisy, I fell in love with your heart warming, page turning and stunning book which took my heart away and left me gutted when my holiday ended. This is exactly the reason you are now on my favourite author list!! I cannot wait for my next Irish adventure!!! Please get these put on the big screen!! Here is to your next gorgeous success 🥂

Overall an absolutely stunning, heart warming romance that will have you heading off to Ireland in the blink of an eye.

316 pages.

This book is just £1.99, to purchase on kindle, Free with Kindle Unlimited and £9.63 in paperback at time of review via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews

#TheIrishKey #EmeraldIsles #DaisyOShea #Bookouture #BookoutureAnonymous #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour #Goodreads #NetGalley #Amazon #AmazonKindle #Bookstagram #Bookblogger #KindleUnlimited

@TheIrishKey @EmeraldIsles @DaisyOShea @Bookouture @BookoutureAnonymous @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 @Goodreads @Netgalley @Amazon @AmazonKindle @Bookstagram @BookBlogger @KindleUnlimited

https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?ref=bookmarks

https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__tn__=%2As-R

https://www.instagram.com/bookwormwhitlock86/

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/34299953-kirsty-bookworm86

https://mobile.twitter.com/kcmw86

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AFZ2XZBSFHIHXBXGZLBQ666XVK4A?ie=UTF8&ref_=ya_mb_l_prf

This one started out slow for me but I am glad finished it. It follows a woman who is in a unhappy marriage and how she rebuilds her life after leaving him and taking her dtr with her. There is also a little suspense to the story. Family secrets are revealed and she finally gets her HEA.

Her grandmother's key will unlock more than she'd ever imagined...

Contemporary women's fiction can be a bit hit or miss for me but I loved the sound of this tale in this little piece of Ireland. It's charming with a easy pace and a host of secrets.

On Grace's wedding day, her grandmother Caitlin gave her a big old iron key tied with a blue ribbon in a nod to the age old adage of something old and something blue. Puzzled by the gift, her grandmother whispered "just in case" she was ever in need of an escape one day. Swept up in the romance of her wedding day, Grace never expected or thought she would ever need it. Her husband Graham thought it a dirty old thing and told her to throw it away. But Grace held on to it. For this key held the secrets to the past and you never know...she may just wish to visit the place of her grandmother's birth one day.

Seven years later with her six year old daughter Olivia in tow, Grace is running from the stifling opression of her unhappy marriage to a manipulative and controlling man who wanted nothing but a pliable obedient and decorative wife who did as she was told. But it was his blatant disregard for her wishes and the future he held in store for their daughter that was the final nail in the coffin of their already dead marriage. Making it seem like an adventure, Grace promised Olivia a visit to the seaside...a more permanent one than Olivia (in her childlike innocence) envisaged.

It took three long days, several trains, a ferry and a couple of buses for them to reach their destination. And when they did, she was disappointed. The beautiful quaint little cottage on the west coast of Cork in her grandparents' photograph resembled nothing of the draughty cold old pile of rubble standing before her now. Forget the key her grandmothr gave her - this cottage no longer has a door! Tendrils of ivy and brambles grow up the walls and through the chimney, broken glass panes and a battered old door that lay on the ground. How can they live here? It's not fit for rodents, let alone people.

But time and tide is on her side it seems in the form of a kindly young man named Sean Murphy, who happens to be a builder and with her meagre savings which she had intended to live off for a while will have to be spent in renovating this sad old cottage. And restore it to its former glory. In the meantime, Grace and Olivia need a place to stay - at first with Mrs O'Hara's bed and breakfast for a few weeks until her paying guests come to stay. Then Grace gets herself a job typing up the memoirs of Rooney Bay's wealthy resident, returned from the Americas with his fortunes. At once, Noel O'Donovan invites them to stay in his big house while their cottage is being renovated. And it seems Noel has a few secrets of his own and he won't share them until he has gotten the measure of Grace and what exactly she's running from.

And despite being settled in Rooney House, Grace can't help but look over her shoulder, afraid that Graham will come looking for them and drag them back to England...and his way of life. But Grace has no idea what is in store for her in this quaint little Irish village...or where her heart will eventually lay.

I found this tale a little slow in places but then I am probably too used to the fast pace of thrillers that keep you turning the pages at the rate of knots. This is a more gentle read with a slower pace. But that's not to say it's boring or uneventful. It is intriguing it its own way with long held secrets buried for half a century. It was fairly easy to navigate and predict where the story was going, and that's OK. I found myself endeared to Sean and Noel as the loveable Irish rogues.

I guess my only real complaint is the timeline. When I began the story, I naturally assumed it was set in the present day but when the timeline shifts back to 1930 I thought that could not be possible. It would make the said character well over a hundred years old! Throughout the story, I came to estimate the present day timeline was set around the early 1980s although it is never stated. But given that they refer to it being fifty years I then assumed so. The other telling point being the introduction of a computer as if it were a foreign object. Today they are used everywhere but Grace had no knowledge or experience on one and its description was very basic to say the least. The fact that her husband owned a company that dealt in technology again lead me to believe the era was later. It was very confusing and I don't like confusion when reading. I like things to be stated clearly to avoid confusion and I don't recall anywhere in the story stating in what timeline the present day was set.

Again, that has to be my only complaint because the story was a delightful read that I really enjoyed. I note there is a second book to this series "The Irish Child" to be published in July. I look forward to rejoining Roone Bay once again and seeing how the first tale ties in with this second one.

I would like to thank #DaisyOShea, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheIrishKey in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Daisy O’Shea is a new author for me and what a pleasure it was to read The Irish Key. It’s a story of family, secrets and of having the courage to find oneself. The setting is absolutely perfect although at times it did border slightly onto the side of being a bit too twee in describing Irish people and Irish life. But the author reeled this in just at that juncture when I felt things were going a bit overboard. If you’ve never been to Ireland then by the time you finish this book you certainly will feel as of you were there alongside the main character Grace as she navigates through a tough time in her life having taking a very brave decision. The stunning scenery of West Cork, the rugged and harsh landscape not much good for farming, the coastline and the power of the sea and the weather and not to mention the small fictional village where narrow mindedness still very much existed all really helped to being the plot to life.

We meet Grace and her six-year-old daughter Olivia as they are fleeing from Birmingham. They hope to reach a cottage in West Cork which was given to her as a safe haven by her grandmother. There is a dark and menacing tone to the first quarter of the book as Grace is mentally and physically exhausted having finally plucked up the courage to leave her controlling husband Graham. Grace can’t settle until she has reached the cottage which she has never laid eyes upon before. It’s her last chance. Her only hope that she can break free from the shackles and unpleasantness that Graham has forced upon her. It’s evident that it has taken a lot of will power and strength for Grace to break free. Olivia thinks that they are just going on a holiday. But Grace has plans for this to be a long term move and clings to the belief that Roone Bay will offer the peace, independence and contentment she so desperately needs. The author does a very good job of showing Graham in his true light and it’s only now that Grace has made the leap that she can see how manipulative, arrogant, possessive and overbearing he truly was.

There were no redeeming characteristics to Graham and even later when we meet him he has not changed one bit and always had ulterior motives at the centre of everything he does. Grace was a woman under a black cloud who was trying to do the best for her daughter in the long term. She knew she couldn’t help her stepson Arthur as he was older and had been under Graham’s influence for far too long but it wasn’t too late to save Olivia and of course herself. She had bided her time and saved some money and when her grandmother said she could use the key that she had given her at the time of her wedding. Well there was the opportunity she needed having fallen directly into her lap.

As Grace and Olivia reach Roone Bay, a small and isolated townland area near the coast, her vision of a warm and safe cottage is shattered as the cottage is nothing more than a wreck. Having been abandoned for decades and left exposed to the elements it’s nowhere near fit for purpose. This is where an angel in disguise steps in and becomes a saviour for Grace and that person is Sean. What a man Sean was, kind, considerate, caring and always looking forward in a positive light to the future. He was strong, steadfast and impenetrable. He was reliable at a time when Grace needed stability and certainty in her life. His job as a builder slotted ever so perfectly into the plot as he set about renovating the cottage to make it a dream home for Grace and Olivia. In doing so a close friendship was formed and yes it could have been a bit too predictable and just that bit too fast but sure look that’s the way this book was going to go no matter what and I didn’t really care as I was enjoying it so much.

The renovating of the cottage is not the sole focus of the book and I am glad that it wasn’t. New characters needed to be introduced and this did occur and allowed for new strand to open up and there was an element of a metaphorical key unlocking the secrets of the past. Grace gets a job and a sanctuary whilst works are ongoing on the cottage and this allowed for both herself and Olivia to flourish. The new characters that featured at this point were wonderful, homely, caring and gentle. Grace, slowly starts to uncover her own family history and there were plenty of twists and turns to this and also in the present. I have to say I wasn’t expecting that ending with regards to a certain someone. It was almost imperceptible to have guessed at it and I thought bravo to the author you certainly had the wool pulled over my eyes. Connections, trust, love and endurance are established but not before some danger and dramatics were thrown in too all of which was very enjoyable to read.

I will say though it took me some to establish the actual time period of the book. It would have been handy to have what year it was mentioned at the top of the first chapter as I was reading through and several things made me think oh this is not set in the present modern day as they were talking about things that I know for sure can and do happen here in Ireland now. It’s only when we go back to the past set around the 1930’s that it made sense to me as to what decade Grace’s story was set and then a lot of things she said and did and other characters too made an awful lot of sense. I did find it funny actually the scene where Grace and Noel are introduced to this new and wonderful machine that would be so much better than a typewriter and you could even save things on a floppy disc. Their wonder and awe was a sight to behold and Grace was very dubious about this new technology. Over 40 years later as I sit and write this on my laptop it just shows how far we have come.

One another point that I found a bit disconcerting was around the halfway point the chapters were then told from a different viewpoint and yes thankfully the year was mentioned which did help things. But the chapters were not in year order, so events were told and then we went back again and learned more. I know that this was deliberate and was a way of slowly unravelling secrets even though admittedly I had guessed at most of them fairly early on. I found this technique a bit confusing at times and perhaps a wrong fit for the book and perhaps having these chapters starting earlier on in the book and maybe even more of them might have worked better for me. But that’s just my own opinion and in no way do I mean it as a big negative because it wasn’t it’s just the thoughts that sprung to mind as I read.

Overall, this was a very good book and I found myself drawn into it right from the start. Grace was incredibly well written and the fear and angst she was experiencing was portrayed very well. It’s not often I can say this as I loved the author Maeve Binchy’s writing and stories so very much but there are glimpses here of those characteristics in the writing of Daisy O’Shea. She has a certain style of writing that I really enjoyed reading and I hope she writes lots more books in the future. I’d love them to be even longer with even more of a mystery element because that trait she did nail very well. Grace went from someone meek and curtailed by another person to a strong independent woman whose inherent strength lead to fulfilment and happiness. Both of which she very much deserved. For a debut story for Bookouture Daisy O’Shea has written a book that is provides you with hope and light in a time of darkness and she certainly had me rapidly turning the pages to discover what would happen next.

Feeling frightened and needing to run away
Grace flees to her grandmother's childhood home to stay.
Taking her daughter with her, to protect her, too,
She'd no idea just what she was coming to!

A journey with obstacles along the way
When she sees the cottage, can she really stay?
With fears of her husband following and just what to do
Grace needs to be strong through and through.

Discovering past family history,
Brings surprises and uncovers another mystery.
Working for an elderly gentleman helps uncover more
And gives them the past a chance to explore.

A story where secrets are slowly revealed
And lies from the past no longer concealed.
There's new opportunities and even a chance
For more than just one true romance!

A heartwarming story with family dramas old and new
With a beautiful community and new friendships, too.
A gorgeous read from beginning to end
A delightful book in which time to spend!

For my copy of this book I say thank you
As I share with you this, my honest review.

Many thanks to Bookouture for inviting me to be part of the Books on Tour for “The Irish Key” by Daisy O’Shea.
Pack your bags, because you’re going to Ireland! I have always wanted to go there, and the sights and sounds in the story will make you feel as if you are. Grace is stuck in a bad marriage. She takes her daughter Olivia to her grandmother’s cottage in Ireland. Grace and Olivia start to heal and many secrets are unveiled. This is an emotional roller coaster read. The ending pulls it all together brilliantly.
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheIrishKey #DaisyO’Shea #NetGalley #Bookouture #BookLove #BooksSetInIreland #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks

The Irish Key by Daisy O’Shea is a romance set in Ireland, between predominantly Irish people. It is full of Irish words and sayings, such fun. It begins as Grace is in the middle of her trip away from Cheltenham, toward her great-grandfather’s cottage in Roone Bay. It has been a grueling journey with her small daughter, Olivia, who doesn’t yet realize that they are not on holiday, but rather have left her father and their home. He didn’t beat anyone, he was just controlling. He had stolen the life from Grace and she had seen that he was beginning to steal it from Olivia as well. That is when she had decided. She needed to keep under his radar as long as possible, until she was settled. When she reached the train station closest to where she was going she discovered that she had missed the twice a week bus and would have to wait four days. The station manager left for a few minutes and brought back a big man named Sean, who would take her the rest of the way. When he discovered her destination he recommended a boarding house for the night. This was the beginning of a very revealing and interesting journey for them all.

Grace thought she had hit the jackpot when wealthy and handsome man had shown an interest in her. She knew he’d been married before as he had a son that visited often, but it wasn’t until she found a folder full of newspaper articles that she realized her husband had been a suspect in the woman’s death. That was when she made her decision. She was a strong-willed woman who refused to give over her life. She was willing to work and to live in lesser circumstances than her husband had provided. It was a compelling story in which the past rose up and caused all sorts of mayhem. Of course, he found her, but it didn’t work out as she expected. What she had found for herself in Ireland was beyond amazing. What a lovely story, full of old-fashioned Irish folks and a new love for Grace. Thanks, Daisy O’Shea. This is the first of your books I’ve read. It won’t be the last

I was invited to read The Irish Key by Bookoutre. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #DaisyOShea #TheIrishKey

I enjoyed the characters. I also loved the setting. However, this wasn't quite what I expected from the blurb. Firstly, it takes place several decades ago. I was also expecting suspense and mystery. It reads more like a drama. I just didn't connect with the plot.

THE IRISH KEY is the first time I’ve ever read Daisy O’Shea, but it definitely won’t be the last. On Grace’s wedding day, her grandmother, Caitlin, gives Grace the key to her cottage in Ireland in case she ever needs to escape her life. Well, that is exactly what happens when she runs away from her husband who is very controlling. She runs with her five year old daughter, Olivia. When she finally arrives in Roone Bay she can’t believe the condition of the cottage. She is extremely disappointed to see that they won’t be able to live there!

In THE IRISH KEY, the reader will fall in love with Roone Bay. Daisy describes it in such a way that I felt as if I were right there, by the sea watching the boats and listening to the gulls. Grace decides to fix the cottage, which will be a huge task. This is when she meets Sean Murphy, her neighbor and local carpenter. Grace hires Sean to renovate the cottage and he agrees. The renovation will not be a quick one and while it is going on Sean and Grace learn many things about each other. Secrets will be revealed through out the story and some are quite shocking to Grace. One of the secrets Grace hopes to figure out is why her grandmother left Ireland and never returned.

THE IRISH KEY will stay with you for a long time after you finish reading it. I have no idea when I will be able to read another book, but right now I can’t stop thinking about this one. There were several times I found myself desperately wanting to keep reading, to find out what would happen next, but I was afraid to turn the page, scared of the possible fates awaiting these characters. Would Grace ever be able to let go of the hurt and anger she dealt with in her marriage and feel loved once again? Daisy O’Shea has a magical way of telling dramatic stories. THE IRISH KEY will be sure to strike the reader’s heart and compassion for this brave woman who is willing to do anything in an effort to make Olivia feel as normal as possible.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Grace and her daughter Olivia arrive in the small coastal village of Roone Bay in Ireland. Leaving her controlling husband has been a huge upheaval but Grace is determined to make a fresh start in the place where her family once called home. However, she arrives to find the family home little more than a ruin and with no place to stay Grace is astonished at the kindness of strangers and with the help of these kind people Grace and Olivia can begin to heal.

Beautifully written with a strong theme of special friendships and the anguish of long buried secrets The Irish Key soon finds its way into your heart and I couldn't wait to see how Grace and Olivia's story would play out in the wider context of this lovely story. I enjoyed the interactions between the central characters especially Grace's burgeoning relationship with Sean Murphy and the special connection she has with Noel O'Donovan who owns the big house in the village.

Filled with a strong sense of time and place the story moves between time frames so that we get to understand what Grace is leaving behind and with the strength of the story in Ireland pulling the whole thing together this really is a memorable story and one which stays with you long after the last page is read.

Grace remembers her grandmother Caitlin and her beautiful Irish cottage, as if it was yesterday. On Grace’s wedding day, she was given a key to the cottage, just in case she was ever in need of an escape or a secret safe place. She never expected to use it or need it. But, as life would have it Grace needs a fresh start for not just her but also her daughter Olivia. She returns to the beautiful Irish coast with its breath taking views and amazing deep emerald sea. However, when she arrives at the cottage, the dilapidated condition is not what she expected and not the way she remembered it to be.

She feels at home in Roone Bay, and she decides to fix up the cottage and make it livable and a perfect little place for herself and Olivia. She realizes it’s too far gone and she can’t bring it back to life on her own. She soon meets her new neighbor Sean Murphy, who happens to be a carpenter. He decides to help her restore the cottage but as they are rummaging through the cottage, Grace uncovers some things about her family history, that she never knew. When she finds a letter addressed to her grandmother Caitlin, that explains why she left Ireland all those years ago and never returned.

This wonderfully written story of family, friendship, and filled with hope of what is yet to come. I really enjoyed the flow of the story and it kept me flying through the pages. The characters, Grace and Olivia, were lovely to read about and I really enjoyed the family’s secret mystery. This story reinforces that strangers can become friends and family though acts of kindness. An important aspect to never give up hope in others. Daisy O’Shea is a new to me author and I look forward to reading mor of her stories. She has such a wonderful way of pulling the reader in to the story and not letting go. I felt like I was standing on the shores of Roone Bay and enjoying the beautiful emerald sea. I highly recommend this story.

The Irish Key by Daisy O' Shea


A heart warming and life affirming tale set in beautiful Ireland.
Grandmother & granddaughter Grace and Olivia bring the story alive.
A lovely way to spend a few hours.

I thought this was a well written story. I will say it was probably a bit predictable but it also had a few surprises. I really enjoyed it

The Irish Key is a charming and easy read with a dash of family history, romance and mystery.

Escaping England and her controlling husband Graham, Grace arrives in Ireland with her young daughter, to live in her deceased grandfathers family home. There she starts to unravel her family mysteries - why did her grandparents flee Ireland? Who is enigmatic Noel, in the big manor?

I found the pacing of the book quite slow, and a bit predictable, but the overall effect was a relaxing and light read. I loved the Irish setting with its wild seas, historical architecture and unique customs and history. The romance subplot was sweet, and I really enjoyed the dynamics of Grace’s relationship with her daughter and determination to create a happy childhood for her.

One of my favourite scenes was the introduction of the computer. It was charming and perfectly captured the time and experiences of a small corner of the world slowly dealing with change.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

A nice easy heartwarming read, a little predictable in parts but all in all a good read.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

This worked well in what I was looking for and enjoyed the use of family secrets in this novel. The characters felt like they were supposed to and enjoyed the way they worked with the story. It had a overall great story to it and left me wanting to read more. I enjoyed the heartbreaking elements and going through the overall story worked with what I wanted. Daisy O'Shea has a great writing style and left me wanting more.