Set in modern times, this is the story of a woman who travels back to Ireland to find the truth about her heritage. With romance, suspense and a few surprises, this touching novel is a must read! The accompanying CD is an enchanting musical journey that blends songs by Golden Bough and Men of Worth to the story.
Dorothy McDonald Keddington is the author of five best-selling romantic-suspense novels and the gripping true story, A Square Sky. She had co-authored two musical plays with poet-lyricist Laura Bedore.
Dorothy Keddington is native of Salt Lake City, UT. She has taught creative writing both privately and for community schools. She is an accomplished pianist, organist, and popular speaker for civic, cultural, and educational events in the Intermountain West.
I really enjoyed this book. This is probably my favorite Keddington book so far. I love the way the author weaved her own genealogy into the story. Made for an intriguing and informative read.
I was introduced to Dorothy Keddington books when I read Fairy Thorn. I enjoyed it enough that I searched out other books written by this author. All of them were largely romance stories with a bit of adventure woven in. This book is different.
As a romance book I wouldn’t rate it very high. However, it is well written, if not quite outdated, as far as the genealogical research goes, and that would give it five stars. I settled on three stars because it isn’t the type of book I like to read when I read books by this author. It is one I probably won’t read again.
I was surpised by what a good book this is. I don't usually read romance novels so sometimes the romantic dialogue between the characters was a little much for me but the story was intriguing, I could hardly put it down. Overall, I would recommend this book to family and friends.
This book was so good. I loved how you got, like, four different stories in just the one book. Seeing them finding their ancestors' names was amazing and the joy they were feeling was almost palpable. I liked the Irish part of the book and how they went back to Ireland.
Dorothy Keddington's books usually have a great balance of suspense/adventure/mystery and romance is kind of the back burner - but it's there. I've mentioned to many friends that her's are the only romances that I can stomache - just enough romance to make me melt a little, but not enough to make me gag! I love her other books for that reason. This one (the first new book I've read of her's in years) was quite different. It was not at all what I was expecting. This story is primarily about genealogy and romance first, with a small element of suspense in the backgroung. In fact, the suspense part of the book was so undeveloped and small, it felt like it was put in at the last minute so that the book fit the Keddington mold. It wasn't really needed and felt forced. The book would have been great without the suspense element.
That said, I did really enjoy the story, I enjoyed the characters and the detective work that the women did in the genealogy library- that was interesting. The romance story was nice but didn't pull at my heart strings quite as much as the romantic stories in her other books.
Has been a long time since I read this book, in fact, I was just married to Preston and had no children yet. I really need to read it again. I might have a little prejudice in it too, and part of the story is actually part of Preston's family history.
As I said, it has been a long time since I read this book, so I can't remember the characters names, but their is an older lady who starts doing some family history. She has a young woman helping her, and while doing the research they come across a story of the ladies ancestors and how they met, and snuck off and got married. This story they found is actually part of Preston's real family history.
I guess I should explain how Presto's family history can be in this book.....Dorothy Keddington is Preston's aunt. It has been wonderful to be able to read some of her books and get to know Dorothy even better as a person through her writing styles. Of all her books I have read (and I hate to say, it hasn't been many, but living in AZ where I could not get my hands on them as easily without buying them, and I didn't always have the money for that), this one has been my favorite, and one I really need to read again.
Years ago I had a friend recommend Dorothy Keddington books to me. This is the first one that I have read, and it was a great book. I think that I will have to look into this author a bit more.
Catharine is an author whose marriage is falling apart, father has recently passed away and is the middle of writers block.
On an air trip from New York to CA she comes up with the idea of revisiting a previous writting project about one of her ancestors who broke the rules by marrying the son of one of her parents employees and emigrating to the US from Ireland.
This brings to mind her first trip to Ireland at age 19 where she fell in love with her young instructor from Trinity.
Thirty years later she tries to repair bridges by meeting her 30 year old daughter who she gave up for adoption and finding her ancestors, and a trip to Ireland to tell the father about his daughter.
SPOILER: The beginning of this story seemed confusing as it jumped around; however, as the story went on, it started coming together. I really started enjoying the book and couldn't put it down. I wanted to know if the main character was able to leave that horrible husband of hers and how it would end with her trying to find her long lost daughter and love of her life. I was curious to know how it would end with the soon to be ex-husband attempting to murder the main character, and how she would get all the research she needed for her book. It was a very sweet story with a very wonderful ending. I would definitely read this book again!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A silly, trite, 'add every possible thing to the plot' plot, and dialogue that was completely unbelievable. She has 80, 55, and 30 year old women talking like they are 14-16. Awful!
It did awaken in me the greatest appreciation for great writers. Just wish she were one of them.
I wanted so much to like this book because she wrote a heroine named Catharine (nicknamed Katie), just like ours, set in SLC and Ireland, romance and no bad language. What is not to like?! Just grammatical errors, silly dialogue and childish characters. Oh, well...maybe next time.
This book was a real page turner for me. I loved it for a number of reasons: 1) It was written by a cousin on my biological father's side of the family, 2) It was about the blessings of family history, 3) it was the story about an adoption to which I could personally relate, and 4) it was about Ireland and Irish people;to which I could relate because of the McCauley side of my family. I highly recommend this book. I believe you will love it, too!
A great book from a great author. Keddington touches hearts once again. This is a sweet and exciting story about finding family. A great deal of this book is set in Salt Lake City, at the LDS Family History Center. The characters are lovable and you instantly connect. This is definitely a page turner.
I love the story! It was so fun to find out what each character was going to find out about themselves and how they were going to solve their problems. And the intrigue definitely kept me wondering how safe each person was really going to end up to be. I'd probably really give this a 3.5. Wonderful story!
This is one of the first books I read by Dorothy Keddington. I loved it. It was so awesome to read considering she is my husband's aunt, and this story has some of their real life family history in it. It is also how our neice received her name. It has been a while since I read it, but definately would and will read it again.
Why did I wait to read this one? I thought it would be too different from her other books. Now, after having it on my shelf for 4 years, I am kicking myself for putting it off. If you enjoy Keddington's other books, treat yourself to this one too!
Very good book. An easy book to read. An Irish/American Historical Romance, with a lot of mystery and intrigue. Very clean romance. Development of characters very good. Author makes you feel like you really know these people. I would recommend the book to all.
I certainly loved this book. It sort of reminded me of the book, Persuasion. One couple in this book had to go through that. They had to go through a long period of waiting for the right time to be together again. And what better place to set this book than Ireland? I loved it.
I recently read this after enjoying all of the Keddingtons in college. How did I miss this one? I enjoyed the little flash back to the past and though it isn't my current taste in books, it was a fun read.
I remember loving "Jayhawk" when I was a teenager and was happy to see a book from Keddington that I hadn't read. I would say that this is a "grown-up" romance novel. Not that there is anything "adult," or inappropriate, but the protagonist is an older woman
A wonderfully told story with a bit of romance (no smut), a bit of suspense, the main character goes back to Ireland to discover the truth of her heritage and overcomes a few obstacles along the way. An easy and enjoyable read and appropriate for almost all audiences.
Author Catherine Cavanagh decides to write a novel about her Irish great-great-grandmother. To do this she has to research her family history and face her own past heartbreaks. I really enjoyed this story. There is quite a bit in the story about genealogy and also adoption. And there's romance.
This book was quite a bit different from her other books. And enjoyable story that can be read at your leisure. I didn't find it hard to put it down even though I liked it.
I really enjoyed this novel it had so many little stories going on that all connected together...it was such a beautiful story I would definitely recommend it!!