“The Lady of Galway Manor” is the second novel by Jennifer Deibel, taking us back into the breathtaking beauty of Ireland. The novel is set in 1920 and covers a three-month period. We are ushered into the Irish War for Independence and the conflict between the Irish and the British. The book is incredibly action-packed and feels like a longer period of time has transpired than the allotted time stamps at the beginning of the chapters.
The plot revolves around the story of Lady Annabeth De Lacy, elder daughter of the Lord De Lacy, whose family has been posted to Ireland as landlords of Galway and to maintain the peace. To bid her time before marriage, Annabeth has been apprenticed to the Jennings’ family jewelry store. Stephen Jennings is the elder son of Seamus Jennings who longs to escape the pain of his past and Ireland. Annabeth’s apprenticeship gets in the way of his plans. Determined to get rid of her, Stephen does everything he can to expose her ignorance of the Irish people and their culture. However, his plan backfires as Annabeth falls in love with the Irish and him. The “will they, won’t they” romance is transposed against failing family fortunes, civil unrest, and a possible marriage of convenience.
My favorite parts of this novel were the forays into Irish culture and history in the context of the plot. While the book by no means strives to be a comprehensive history of Galway and the time periods, it provides snapshots into the thoughts and feelings of both the British and Irish. The central focus of the book is the love story, but these elements bring so much greater color to the it. The storytelling is without a doubt masterful and pulls you in immediately.
My only complaint is that the author should provide a map to aid the reader with envisioning the various locales.
Once again, Jennifer Deibel has impressed me with her imaginative and skillful writing. This is not a book to be missed. I received a copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.