SPOTLIGHT POST: The Secret of The Irish Castle by Santa Montefiore

ABOUT THE BOOK:

 It’s 1939 Ireland and while peace has flourished since the Great War ended, much has changed for the Deverill family as a new generation waits in the wings to make their mark. When Martha Wallace leaves her home in America to search for her birth mother in Dublin, she never imagines that she will completely lose her heart to the impossibly charming JP Deverill. But more surprises are in store for her after she discovers that her mother comes from the same place as JP, sealing her fate.

Birdie Doyle, now Countess di Marcantonio and mistress of Castle Deverill, is determined to make the castle she used to work in her home. But just as she begins to feel things are finally going her way, her flamboyant husband Cesare has other ideas. As his eye strays away from his wife, those close to the couple wonder if he is really who he says he is.

Kitty Deverill has come to accept her life with her husband Robert, and their two children. But then Jack O’Leary, the love of her life, returns to Ballinakelly. And this time his heart belongs elsewhere. As long held secrets come to light, the Deverills will have to heal old wounds and come to terms with the past if they hope to ensure their legacy for the future.

Praise for THE SECRET OF THE IRISH CASTLE

“Wonderful storytelling, real history, intriguing twists and turns, some restless spirits and a cast of compelling characters have made this trilogy a feast of reading.”

—Lancashire Evening Post

“The closing instalment of this lushly romantic saga opens in Ireland in 1939, with its heroines poised for more upheaval: one has lost her heart, another may yet lose her castle home, and a third is about to find the life she’s settled for interrupted by a former lover.”

—Daily Mail UK

Praise for Santa Montefiore’s Deverill Chronicles trilogy

“The prolific Montefiore presents the first volume of a trilogy guaranteed to hit the bestseller list. The riveting saga revolves around three memorable women, each caught up in different ways by historical events and social circumstances… a delicious read that leaves the reader hungry and eagerly awaiting the next course.”

—Booklist, starred review on The Girl in the Castle (Book 1)

“Montefiore’s compelling family saga, the first in a trilogy, is highly recommended, particularly for lovers of Irish fiction and/or stories of World War I and the 1920s, as well as those who enjoy novels about the enduring power of women’s friendships.”

—Library Journal, starred review on The Girl in the Castle (Book 1)

“It’s a novel that compels readers with its quick pace and multidimensional characters whose loves and loyalties are continually tested. Montefiore beautifully evokes the atmosphere of the country from WWI to the fight for Home Rule through her characters’ tangled lives and passions as well as the land and the castle itself. The novel is at times tender, yet beautifully sad, and then tense and gripping, leaving much for readers to wonder about at the end.”

—RT Book Reviews on The Girl in the Castle (Book 1)

“For lovers of meaty family sagas, the Deverills are rich and dysfunctional in just the ways that make their adventures and tribulations so much fun to read… This series is highly recommended for Downton Abbey addicts looking for a new story to sink into, and for readers who love exploring the depths of women’s relationships over the course of their lives.”

—Library Journal, starred review on The Daughters of Ireland (Book 2)

“…juicy…Guaranteed to satisfy the appetites of fans of meaty family sagas.”

—Booklist on The Daughters of Ireland (Book 2)

“Montefiore continues the Deverill Chronicles with a highly romantic drama in the vein of Downton Abbey. The author reintroduces her unforgettable characters as she moves their epic story into a tumultuous era where everything changes. Friendships and family bonds are tested as old secrets come back to haunt everyone. Montefiore instinctively knows how to drive a story forward and keep readers engrossed. This is excellent storytelling!”

—RT Book Reviews on The Daughters of Ireland (Book 2)

“It is an entertaining read, easy to get lost in on a wet afternoon. Montefiore carries the reader with skill through thirteen painful yet endearing years, towards an ending which is satisfying but gives sufficient hints of the next instalment to whet the appetite. I look forward to it.”

—Historical Novel Society on The Daughters of Ireland (Book 2)

“As these three daughters of Ireland seek to make their way in a world once again beset by dark forces, Santa Montefiore shows us once more why she is one of the best-loved storytellers at work today.”

—Bookbub on The Daughters of Ireland (Book 2)

“The Daughters of Ireland is a sweeping novel… [the] lush prose transported me to the Irish countryside, as well as to the bustling streets of 1920s era New York City. [Santa] knows how to paint pictures with her words…The Daughters of Ireland would be a good fit for fans of sweeping family sagas with multi-faceted characters set in an unforgettable place and time.”

—All About Romance on The Daughters of Ireland (Book 2)