Review of 'The Girl With The Irish Secret' by Susanne O'Leary
Date of Release: Dec 2, 2024
Publisher: Bookouture
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REVIEW
Wow, wow, wow! Yes, super wow as I absolutely loved The Girl With The Irish Secret more than I can adequately express. The third instalment of the Magnolia Manor Book series is without question my favourite of the lot. Susanne always impresses me with her ability to weave exceptional historical mystery and Irish location elements into her accomplished writing style. She offers characters that I immediately connect with and come to love (or dislike depending on their part in the story). The lovely protagonists become like friends I never want to say goodbye to or see their story end. The Girl With The Irish Secret covered all these and more as I was totally captivated from start to finish in both my imagination and heart. I could not put this one down and read into the wee hours of the morning.
Ms O’Leary in The Girl with the Irish Secret has captured the life of an accomplished actor in Jack and in rising actress Violet after she gets her big break to star as the late Irish actress Kathleen O’Sullivan. It is a role that could send her career to new heights. But with fame comes complications. The personal struggles and the social media issues that an actor or actress must deal with is well played in the plot. To pay no heed to gossip and snapshots taken out of context are easier for some to deal with than others but words can hurt. Sometimes movie stars must learn to let the false perceptions slide off their backs by ignoring the hype. This story provides a clear picture of this lifestyle and draws attention to perceptions and misconceptions. How much of an actor’s or actress’s life as seen by the public is real? This book addresses the contradictory truths that abound. Besides the false claims by tabloids, etc, there’s the fact that everyone aims to put on their best face in the public. But what happens behind the scenes? Are these smiling faces really happy or just smiling through their pain? As Violet explores the life of Irish legend Kathleen O’Sullivan so that she may better play her in the movie, she discovers things are not what they appear. And this woman hid a secret that will shock everyone. She is then faced with a new dilemma. Should she reveal what she knows or leave the ‘legend’ in tact?
Violet is part of the family that have lived in Magnolia Manor for countless years. She has two other sisters, Rose and Lily (whose stories we have read in the previous novels of the series). But their closeness has been compromised. Her sisters are very angry with her due to an interview Violet had a year earlier. But is the article truthful? Or did the reporter spin Violet’s words to suit the media’s needs to sell papers? The sisters, of course, are now out of sorts—in conflict and not speaking. The first thing Violet must do when she returns home to star in a movie made at her family’s estate is to sort out the misconceptions and conflicts with Lily and Rose. Her grandmother encourages her to make amends. She, of course, wants her family unified again.
Jack is the famous movie star who is set to work opposite Violet as her character’s husband. How his presence affects her, well that is something you just have to read and experience in the story! There are many twists and turns in their relationship both professionally and personally. But I really enjoyed getting to know Jack, and Susanne paints a very real picture of him that makes him relatable and real. He is handsome with a lot going for him but his life is not as perfect as one might think. He is missing an ingredient. Will he find it in Kerry?
There are a number of other edgy and fascinating characters thrown into the mix adding even more colour and sparks to the plot… like Liz, Leo and Fidelma. Plus, the other two Fleury sisters and their families. Then there is the head matriarch Granny Sylvia Fleury who offers lots of sparkling conversation and vibrant, fresh ideas to family and business dilemmas. She is such a great character with presence: the real rock of her family who speaks her mind and makes things happen.
I truly adored The Girl With The Irish Secret and the path that Violet took to uncover the truth about actress Kathleen O’Sullivan. Vi wanted her story to be authentic and told in a deep and more realistic way. The setting also plays a big part in that delivery. This novel is full of wondrous descriptions of Kerry’s land and seascape that not only revealed Kathleen’s secret but also won Jack’s heart and revived Violet’s. It also made me want to escape there and to meet up with the Fleury family at Magnolia Manor! I have to rave because Susanne has taken this story to another level of excellence. This is exceptional, highly polished Irish fiction that steals your heart and gives you a huge hug you won’t forget. Love, too, is sprinkled in this mix— making it a timeless romantic mystery treasure. 5 Plus Stars for Brilliance ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC. And to Susanne for writing such a great story!
