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Isabel and Friends #5
Olivia's Pirate
Olivia Massie, an uptight editor who hates to be touched, envies her friend Bel Bridgford, who has no problem showing her love for women, and especially for her young wife Bryony.
After Bel and Bryony move to the Cotswolds, Olivia ventures out of London to visit them, as she works to publish Bel’s latest book on climate change. But then Olivia falls for Niamh Fitzgerald, a wild young woman from the west of Ireland hoping to get Olivia’s help to publish her late mother’s novel.
Niamh leads a reclusive life caring for her grandmother in a dilapidated castle on Ireland’s Atlantic coast, and her mother’s novel, “Crossing the Bar”, centers on Grace O’Malley a distant ancestor and pirate queen, the scourge of 16th century Ireland’s northwest communities and the English lords.
Olivia finds her life will never be the same once Niamh bursts into it. Add a trip they take to Cheltenham’s famous Literary Festival, an impetuous journey to Ireland where Olivia learns to gallop horses along the pure white beaches, and a rumbustious family of five youngsters into the mix, and her world is turned upside down.
But why choose someone like Niamh, for her first-ever love affair? Olivia’s brilliant professional skills and ice-queen reputation for success in the world of books have never been tested in matters of love. Maybe the only result will be heartache.
So will Olivia and Niamh navigate the stormy waters, and manage to ‘cross the bar’ to a happy ending on their own, or will Bel need to step in to steer them safely back towards a happy ending? Read and find out.
This is the fifth novel in Maggie McIntyre’s award-winning series, “Isabel and Friends, but can equally be enjoyed as a standalone story.
After Bel and Bryony move to the Cotswolds, Olivia ventures out of London to visit them, as she works to publish Bel’s latest book on climate change. But then Olivia falls for Niamh Fitzgerald, a wild young woman from the west of Ireland hoping to get Olivia’s help to publish her late mother’s novel.
Niamh leads a reclusive life caring for her grandmother in a dilapidated castle on Ireland’s Atlantic coast, and her mother’s novel, “Crossing the Bar”, centers on Grace O’Malley a distant ancestor and pirate queen, the scourge of 16th century Ireland’s northwest communities and the English lords.
Olivia finds her life will never be the same once Niamh bursts into it. Add a trip they take to Cheltenham’s famous Literary Festival, an impetuous journey to Ireland where Olivia learns to gallop horses along the pure white beaches, and a rumbustious family of five youngsters into the mix, and her world is turned upside down.
But why choose someone like Niamh, for her first-ever love affair? Olivia’s brilliant professional skills and ice-queen reputation for success in the world of books have never been tested in matters of love. Maybe the only result will be heartache.
So will Olivia and Niamh navigate the stormy waters, and manage to ‘cross the bar’ to a happy ending on their own, or will Bel need to step in to steer them safely back towards a happy ending? Read and find out.
This is the fifth novel in Maggie McIntyre’s award-winning series, “Isabel and Friends, but can equally be enjoyed as a standalone story.
- GenresLesbian
252 pages, ebook
Published July 21, 2023
About the author
Maggie McIntyre
19 books23 followersMaggie McIntyre is an award-winning author living in rural Lancashire. Maggie believes in the power of storytelling to inspire, break down barriers, and help people discover their true selves. A lover of spring flowers, warm animals, and the smell of rain, Maggie finds joy in laughter and the connections she’s built with friends around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 19, 2023
I was very happy to get another book in the Isabel and Friends series. On the one hand another book always means we get to see some beloved characters from the books before and on the other hand it means we get a new love story.
This time we get to meet Olivia who is Isabel‘s editor and friend. I assume all the ice queen lovers will definitely love her very much. So far her life was mostly about her job and she was definitely great there. But things in her life take a bit of a different turn than she expected. First all she needs to juggle her life and her deceased sister‘s five kids. When she is around these kids it’s bit like she switched to a different person which was wonderful to see. I especially loved her moments with the little Amos.
But it’s not only these kids, there is also a book that changes a lot for her and is the reason for her meeting Niamh. Niamh with a heart of gold definitely touched me deeply. First of all there are her moments with her demented grandmother who was always such an important person for her. You just feel how much she cares about her. Having a demented mum I shed more than only one tear during these moments. But no worries aside from some tears I also smiled a lot. Niamh is just perfect for Olivia, who probably doesn’t really understands what happened when they first meet and spend some time together. Even if Niamh is almost 20 years younger, she definitely is the human Olivia missed having in her life and actually didn’t believe anymore she would ever find. For me Niamh has just the most beautiful soul.
I also loved the trips from Ireland to England and back. The description of the whole Irish landscape is just beautiful and also mysterious in some scenes. It definitely made me wanna visit this country. I just felt like Maggie McIntyre took us on a trip I didn’t want that it ends.
Before I end my review I wanna point out one sentence that stuck with me and also touched me. It was this one
“Thank you for inviting me, for trusting me with your sorrow.“
I actually haven’t ever looked at it this way but definitely agree wholeheartedly. It needs lots of trust to let someone in when we are hurting. To read this description of it made me happy even if that maybe sounds a bit weird.
I definitely recommend this book very much and if you don’t have enough yet, maybe also check out the other books in the series. 😊
I received an ARC from the author and voluntarily leaving a review.
This time we get to meet Olivia who is Isabel‘s editor and friend. I assume all the ice queen lovers will definitely love her very much. So far her life was mostly about her job and she was definitely great there. But things in her life take a bit of a different turn than she expected. First all she needs to juggle her life and her deceased sister‘s five kids. When she is around these kids it’s bit like she switched to a different person which was wonderful to see. I especially loved her moments with the little Amos.
But it’s not only these kids, there is also a book that changes a lot for her and is the reason for her meeting Niamh. Niamh with a heart of gold definitely touched me deeply. First of all there are her moments with her demented grandmother who was always such an important person for her. You just feel how much she cares about her. Having a demented mum I shed more than only one tear during these moments. But no worries aside from some tears I also smiled a lot. Niamh is just perfect for Olivia, who probably doesn’t really understands what happened when they first meet and spend some time together. Even if Niamh is almost 20 years younger, she definitely is the human Olivia missed having in her life and actually didn’t believe anymore she would ever find. For me Niamh has just the most beautiful soul.
I also loved the trips from Ireland to England and back. The description of the whole Irish landscape is just beautiful and also mysterious in some scenes. It definitely made me wanna visit this country. I just felt like Maggie McIntyre took us on a trip I didn’t want that it ends.
Before I end my review I wanna point out one sentence that stuck with me and also touched me. It was this one
“Thank you for inviting me, for trusting me with your sorrow.“
I actually haven’t ever looked at it this way but definitely agree wholeheartedly. It needs lots of trust to let someone in when we are hurting. To read this description of it made me happy even if that maybe sounds a bit weird.
I definitely recommend this book very much and if you don’t have enough yet, maybe also check out the other books in the series. 😊
I received an ARC from the author and voluntarily leaving a review.
June 30, 2023
Lovely age-gap romance with a large dose of the Irish
The start of this book is deceptive, very deceptive: an icequeen, the publishing world of the city of London, a pinch of The-Devil-wears-Prada vibe. Okay, I thought, a tried and true recipe for romance. And then in comes like a breath of fresh air: Niamh, the Irish princess, with not a penny to her name but a heart of gold: I loved the at times almost lyrical description of the wild Atlantic coast, the warmth of her rural surroundings, the dilapidated castle, her devotion to her grandma, the dowager duchess - and don‘t forget Casper (you will love to meet Casper). And the icequeen is suddenly under a double-attack: there is Niamh and there are 5 little orphans who are in dire need of rescuing after Olivia‘s sister died far too early … a totally lovely and sweet read with surprising turns, a well-done slow-burn, a double toaster-oven, fleshed out characters, meddling but really witty best friends and captivating descriptions of the wild Irish countryside.
And another lovely surprise: I loved that this book oozes Britishness and of course Irishness. You got to love it when the icequeen uses her jimjams (pyjamas) in a pinch and of course there are kettles and even more kettles of tea.
I received an ARC by the author for a honest review. The review is left voluntarily.
The start of this book is deceptive, very deceptive: an icequeen, the publishing world of the city of London, a pinch of The-Devil-wears-Prada vibe. Okay, I thought, a tried and true recipe for romance. And then in comes like a breath of fresh air: Niamh, the Irish princess, with not a penny to her name but a heart of gold: I loved the at times almost lyrical description of the wild Atlantic coast, the warmth of her rural surroundings, the dilapidated castle, her devotion to her grandma, the dowager duchess - and don‘t forget Casper (you will love to meet Casper). And the icequeen is suddenly under a double-attack: there is Niamh and there are 5 little orphans who are in dire need of rescuing after Olivia‘s sister died far too early … a totally lovely and sweet read with surprising turns, a well-done slow-burn, a double toaster-oven, fleshed out characters, meddling but really witty best friends and captivating descriptions of the wild Irish countryside.
And another lovely surprise: I loved that this book oozes Britishness and of course Irishness. You got to love it when the icequeen uses her jimjams (pyjamas) in a pinch and of course there are kettles and even more kettles of tea.
I received an ARC by the author for a honest review. The review is left voluntarily.
July 3, 2023
I read most of this book with a smile on my face. There was something really appealing about this competent, together woman, unraveling as she experiences for the first time, love and infatuation.
Scenes are described in such a way that I can envision them. “and what trees survived at all on the coast were bent over to the east, like staggering old men.” I could immediately picture the scene in my minds eye, without being bogged down in detail.
There were many lines I loved.
“as if she was in love with the whole world, but also shocked by its cruelties.”
“Below her, the pedestrians looked so small, so distant, the way she preferred it.”
“dressed in clothes which didn’t look like they’d been hand spun by short-sighted leprechauns.”
In fact, I loved the whole book!
Scenes are described in such a way that I can envision them. “and what trees survived at all on the coast were bent over to the east, like staggering old men.” I could immediately picture the scene in my minds eye, without being bogged down in detail.
There were many lines I loved.
“as if she was in love with the whole world, but also shocked by its cruelties.”
“Below her, the pedestrians looked so small, so distant, the way she preferred it.”
“dressed in clothes which didn’t look like they’d been hand spun by short-sighted leprechauns.”
In fact, I loved the whole book!
July 20, 2023
4.5 stars for me. I very much enjoyed this book, one of the Isabel and Friends series by the author. It is a standalone story that included Bel, but centers on Olivia Masse and introduction to love. A true Ice Queen is thawed in this age gap romance. An Irish lass wants to get her late mother’s manuscript read and published and finds the only way to do it is to invade the ivory tower of Olivia, the publishing company CEO. The story takes place in both England and Ireland and the author transports you to those places. Horses, dogs, children and friends make this a feel good story even when angst rears it’s ugly head. Very well written but the ending seems kind of rushed and is tied in a nice little bow in the epilogue. I enjoy stories by this author and look forward to more.
July 6, 2023
When you least expect it
I can already see this book on my list of definite rereads. It’s my absolute favorite so far this year.
Age gap romance, adventure, a bit of drama, and an abundance of humor are the ingredients that make this book the amazing piece of art that it is.
Maggie McIntyre Crawford has definitely hit gold with this book and I recommend it to anyone interested in age gap wlw romance, horses, books, Ireland, witty humor, and happy ever afters.
Why can’t I give eight stars?
I can already see this book on my list of definite rereads. It’s my absolute favorite so far this year.
Age gap romance, adventure, a bit of drama, and an abundance of humor are the ingredients that make this book the amazing piece of art that it is.
Maggie McIntyre Crawford has definitely hit gold with this book and I recommend it to anyone interested in age gap wlw romance, horses, books, Ireland, witty humor, and happy ever afters.
Why can’t I give eight stars?
August 14, 2023
AAAAH this could have easily been a five star book! If only it had gone through a pass or two more with the editor.. The grammar and slightly odd phrasing was the only thing holding it back for me.
I loved the characters of this novel so much, both the leads and the supporting cast. I can absolutely see what the leads saw in each other, and how their two worlds - and beautifully written settings - come together in a very sweet HEA. Also - the sex scene was sooooo sweet and romantic, easily one of my favourites.
Oh, and this book is absolutely making me regret not making Ireland a stop on my trip to Europe this year. 😩
I loved the characters of this novel so much, both the leads and the supporting cast. I can absolutely see what the leads saw in each other, and how their two worlds - and beautifully written settings - come together in a very sweet HEA. Also - the sex scene was sooooo sweet and romantic, easily one of my favourites.
Oh, and this book is absolutely making me regret not making Ireland a stop on my trip to Europe this year. 😩
July 6, 2023
When you least expect it
I can already see this book on my list of definite rereads. It’s my absolute favorite so far this year.
Age gap romance, adventure, a bit of drama, and an abundance of humor are the ingredients that make this book the amazing piece of art that it is.
Maggie McIntyre Crawford has definitely hit gold with this book and I recommend it to anyone interested in age gap wlw romance, horses, books, Ireland, witty humor, and happy ever afters.
Why can’t I give eight stars?
I can already see this book on my list of definite rereads. It’s my absolute favorite so far this year.
Age gap romance, adventure, a bit of drama, and an abundance of humor are the ingredients that make this book the amazing piece of art that it is.
Maggie McIntyre Crawford has definitely hit gold with this book and I recommend it to anyone interested in age gap wlw romance, horses, books, Ireland, witty humor, and happy ever afters.
Why can’t I give eight stars?
July 2, 2023
This was a lovely story though a little bit fairystoryish. I loved the characters, including Olivia who fwas quite an ice queen. I wish all kids were as well behaved as these five but it did lend itself to being able to manage all the situations with them being so amenable. I was quite captivated by the Irish scenery and got completely absorbed in the book which can only be a good thing .
June 25, 2023
This is a low angst ice queen and impoverished ‘nobility’ love story. It takes you from England to Ireland and back again on a lovely journey. If you like horses that’s an extra plus for you in this story.
I received this as an ARC and thoroughly enjoyed the book.
I received this as an ARC and thoroughly enjoyed the book.
July 3, 2023
Niamh’s uncomplicated plan of having her mum’s book published to save the family’s way of life was a lovely dream. When Niamh met Olivia, the publisher, she snuck into Olivia’s life by becoming the person Olivia needed to sort through her own life. A story of the luck and love of the Irish.
August 24, 2023
When I need a diversion, I can always count on Maggie McIntyre's books to deliver sparkling, witty dialogue and good writing. An age-gap with a side of ice-queen. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews