The Moonlight Runner

by Karen Robards

In the wake of the Great War, a young woman joins the Irish rebellion and risks everything for her country in this sweeping story of love, bravery and the relentless pursuit of freedom.

Ireland, 1918. In a world brutalized by the Great War and devastated by the Spanish flu, twenty-two-year-old Rynn Carmichael is suddenly pulled into the war of independence when Donal O’Reilly, the boy she has loved for most of her life, takes up gunrunning in support of the rebellion.

Raised in a small Irish village on the shores of Donegal Bay, Rynn is working as a nurse in a convalescent home for soldiers wounded in the Great War when she overhears a British officer gloating over the trap that has been set for Irish gunrunners bringing a boat full of smuggled arms ashore. Knowing that Donal must be involved, she rushes out at midnight to warn the incoming boat, only to find herself caught up in a terrifying and tragic series of events that take her from the glittering ballrooms of London to the narrow back alleys of Dublin as she and those she loves fight for their lives and their country.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Ireland, Historical, Romance, Audiobook, War

368 pages, Hardcover

First published March 24, 2026

About the author

Karen Robards is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than fifty books and one novella. She has won multiple awards including six Affaire de Coeur Silver Pen Awards for favorite author.
Karen has been writing since she was very young, and was first published nationally in the December 1973 Reader's Digest. She sold her first romance novel, ISLAND FLAME, when she was 24. It was published by Leisure Books in 1981 and is still in print. After that, she dropped out of law school to pursue her writing career.
Karen was recently described by The Daily Mail as "one of the most reliable thriller....writers in the world."

Reviews

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written, entertaining, historical fiction novel which is based on actual events. I was immersed in Ireland's fight for independence as seen through the eyes of the compassionate nurse, Rynn Carmichael, and experienced her love, heartbreak, and resilience. Alana Kerr Collins has a lovely voice and does an outstanding job narrating the audiobook.

[Tracy Greer-Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 🌟

I started this book on Easter and the opening of the book starts off in Northern Ireland just after the Easter Rising. We meet Rynn Carmichael, a young Army nurse, who overhears gossip that Irish gunrunners are going to be killed by British soldiers. Her fiancée is part of the gunrunners who had set out by boat. She runs to the cliff to warn them of the impending dangers. They take her into their boat and the story starts from there.

This was an amazing Irish historical fiction. We learn about the history of violence with the IRA, the character of Mick Collins and Eamon deValera. There is a bit of romance, just enough that I was not turned off by it. Sitting storyline, excellent characterization throughout.

When I went to Belfast last year you can still see the bombed out buildings on Shankhill road from the Troubles. The murals of Bobby Sands. Our tour guide said that 10 years ago, no buildings would have been made of glass, now glass buildings litter the skyline 🏙️ - progress from a violent time.

Strongly recommend. ☘️

[Sharon_🌺 · Rating 5 out of 5]

☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️
“Three may keep a secret if two of them are dead”.

“Our day will come”. 🇮🇪

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Moonlight Runner was equal parts action, thriller and romance and completely riveting!

Ireland in 1918 is still recovering from World War I and there’s a rebellion against the British rule gaining momentum. Rynn Carmichael, works as a nurse to aid the soldiers still healing from their wounds. When Rynn overhears two British soldiers talking about apprehending gun runners that night, she rushes to the shore to warn her fiancé, Donal, knowing he’s probably involved despite telling her he’d have no part. It puts them all in grave danger.

From the first chapter the story was an action-packed read that I didn’t want to put down! I’ve read stories set Ireland during this period and have enjoyed learning about the events of this tumultuous time. The Moonlight Runner vividly depicts the danger and personal cost without making the story too gritty or depressing. There were friendships and romance, and one man that Rynn ends up counting on again and again. He was a charismatic presence!

This is a sweeping page-turner I wholeheartedly recommend!

I alternately read an e-copy and listened to an audio and recommend either version. This is the first time I’ve listened to Alana Kerr Collins and I thought her narration was fantastic! Her Irish accent sounded authentic to me, and she seamlessly performed all voices, male and female in a range of ages.

I voluntarily read/listened to a copy courtesy of the publishers. These are my thoughts and opinions.

[Zu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in a huge reading slump until this book. The Irish and English warring, love, loss, heartbreak, and love again. It was a great book. The narrators on the audio are fantastic as well.

[Jeanna Mattison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved every minute of this book! The beautiful description of Ireland...my homeland...and the people! The love story woven so well into the immense history of a time I knew little about. The Irish fighting hard for their freedom and those that paid the price.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Irish War for Independence Is told in this book through memorable characters, bringing this tragic slice of history alive. The main character, Rynn Carmichael, is a nurse who must make decisions that will guide the rest of her life through her relationship with three men. Rynn becomes a nurse at the end of WWI and her medical knowledge becomes important as the events over the next few years unfolds. This book is full of heroism and tragedy as Irish men and women decide the fate of their people.

[Holland Cole]

💙🕊️🍀🥀🌙🫖❤️
Explanation to come 😞

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh...I finished it, but this book wasn't really my thing. I like some historical stuff and the details were nice. It just lost my attention for over half of the book.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ireland 1918

I love Irish history and a linear narrative. This book has both plus a love story. Lots of tension and great pacing, a real page turner. I was so invested in the story I didn’t want it to end.

[Leah Mychal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh. This is just great storytelling from start to finish. It hits all the hallmarks of what you look for in an epic, poetic, beautiful story with characters you feel invested in and a plot that keeps you guessing. So well-written and enjoyed every minute.

Hands down a new favorite historical fiction that I’ll probably recommend to anyone looking for a great novel in this genre.

Bravo.

[Jacqueline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve never read anything about Ireland and WWI, hopefully I can find another HF novel of this time. Three stars might be generous. I didn’t particularly like the female main character. I felt the story was choppy in many places.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I felt this was targeted more as a historical fiction, I think it was actually a historical romantic book.

I enjoyed reading it, but wanted more of the historical component. But if you like a historical romantic book, then I am sure you would enjoy this!

[Suzanne Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was much more of a romance than I expected

I wanted a bit more of the history, in this historical fiction novel

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Park Row Books/ HTP Books for providing me with a gifted physical copy of The Moonlight Runner. All opinions are my own.

The Moonlight Runners is a great historical fiction read that follows Ireland’s fight for independence from England in the early 1900s. I loved all of the historical elements in the book, and the main character’s role in the revolution. I felt that Robards did a fantastic job highlighting the role of nurses during war time.

There is also a romantic storyline and I felt like the different relationships highlighted Rynn’s character growth really well. I also really enjoyed the fact that Robard’s included the Sight through some of the characters, highlighting a part of Irish culture’s folklore.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Historical Fiction
* 1918 Ireland
* Gun Runners
* Fight for Independence

𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 🌶️

I definitely recommend The Moonlight Runner if you love history, romance, and espionage during a time period that is balanced on the edge of war.

[Barbara Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

After walking along the streets of the Easter Rising in Dublin, traveling through the countryside of Michael Collins' IRA guerrilla tactics, and breathing in the achingly beautiful landscape of Donegal, I knew "The Moonlight Runner" would draw me into this world of post-WWI Ireland. But I had no idea how deeply invested I would become in this story of nurse Rynn, aristocrat Lord Thomas, rebel Donal, and smuggler/ businessman Owen. Fast paced and filled with dangerous choices, this sweeping novel of love and war is also filled with intimate details that vividly immersed me into this small community in Donegal. Absolutely loved it.

[Susanne Latour · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ The Moonlight Runner took place in a time and setting I’ve not read of before, Ireland in 1918 after WWI with Britain trying to take control over Ireland.

Rynn, a nurse working in a convalescent home for soldiers wounded in the Great War over hears British soldiers gloating about an ambush on Irish gunrunners. Knowing that her boyfriend Donal is probably involved she rushes out at midnight to the shore to worn him and his rebel friends triggering a set of events for what happens next.

I liked the characters and the story overall I just feel there was some pacing issues and I felt the ending was somewhat abrupt.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Audio, for the audiobook of this book, The Moonlight Runner.

I really liked this historical fiction and found myself intrigued with the story from the first couple sentences. The history of the Irish rebellion is something that I didn't know much about, but I didn't need to know any part of it going into this story. The author gave just enough information to get through the book, but not enough to feel like I was sitting in a history class.
I liked Rynn's character a lot, even if I was mentally scolding her for her decisions.
I thought the narrator was fantastic and really put me into the story.
My only complaint is that I was getting everyone's names mixed up throughout the book and I wanted more about Rynn having the "sight".

[Mary Jo Mack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, I did the audio book and thought the narrator was excellent.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought this was a Cinderella retelling at first

[Christy imworthyandenough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. I quite enjoyed that! It had all the things! Romance, action, drama, etc!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've got a number of books by Karen Robards in my towering TBR pile; however, I think this book may be the first I've read by this author. Now I need to go back and move those books up to the top of the heap, because this book was fantastic! I sped through it in two days, reading every free moment I had. I smiled, cried and learned a bit of history. If you love historical fiction, you've got to read this one.

Ireland, 1918. The world has just been irrevocably changed by the Great War, then devastated by the Spanish flu. Twenty-two-year-old Rynn Carmichael is suddenly pulled into the war of independence when Donal O’Reilly, the boy she has loved for most of her life, takes up gunrunning in support of the rebellion. Raised in a small Irish village on the shores of Donegal Bay, Rynn is working as a nurse in a convalescent home for soldiers wounded in the Great War when she overhears a British officer gloating over the trap that has been set for Irish gunrunners bringing a boat full of smuggled arms ashore. Knowing that Donal must be involved, she rushes out at midnight to warn the incoming boat, only to find herself caught up in a terrifying and tragic series of events. Her journey takes her from the glittering ballrooms of London to the narrow back alleys of Dublin as she and those she loves fight for their lives and their country.

I expected a romance between Rynn and Donal during the war of independence, but this story turned out to be so much more! The romance with Donal was not the only one, plus I learned more about Ireland's struggle for independence, which I've always found fascinating. Rynn was a phenomenal character. She wasn't a naive young woman; she was a nurse in World War I, and then nursed in a convalescent home for soldiers injured in that war. When she learned Donal and his friends were in danger of being caught in a trap when gunrunning, she rushed to alert them and ended up being dragged into the situation, which put her in great danger. They were rescued by Owen Maguire, the prosperous owner of a shipping business...and possibly involved in some not-so-legal dealings himself. When Donal insisted that he would continue to run guns, Rynn was not willing to be involved. Rynn was the nurse for Lord Thomas Dunne, the second son of the Duke of Hartford, at the convalescent home, and Thomas heard that the British were suspecting Rynn was involved in illegal activities. He was in love with his nurse, and wanted to marry her to keep her safe. Rynn went to England with Thomas, but her heart was still in Ireland, and they ended up going back. I don't want to get into details here, because it will ruin the story for you. Suffice it to say that once back in Ireland Rynn was again caught up in the war, secretly treating the Irish who were wounded in the rebellion. Again Donal and Owen were involved in Rynn's life. Ireland's struggle for independence was heartbreaking, especially the way the British were treating the Irish in their own country, like they were subhuman. Yes, there is much heartbreak here, but also heroism, love of country, and romance. I didn't get anything else done until I finished my book; I just had to see how it ended! Hopefully you will love this book as much as I did.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

[Michaela Ferrar · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, this was a drag! I'm not sure why there are so many positive reviews, this may be one of the most poorly written novels I've ever read. The run on, overly wordy sentences were DREADFUL and so unnecessary. It completely took me out of the story. The story itself was just ok, not blown away. I would have given a higher rating if the writing was better. I won't be reading again from this author. Sorry to anyone who loves this book, but it was a snooze fest for me. Boring, wooden characters, badly written. I even found a couple typos!

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Moonlight Runner follows Rynn, a nurse in Ireland, starting after WW1 at the beginning of the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921).

I have recently read her last three books.

Robards does an excellent job of creating strong female characters (in realistic ways, not tossing 200 pound henchmen around) and strong complementary male characters, with believable dialog, and relating sight, sound, and smell. Fictional characters from a century ago, whom she brings to life and makes you feel they are in real peril, right now, as you read. In this book she does a fantastic job of 1920 Irish speaking, that could be completely made-up but throughout seemed authentic, like wow, that sounds so 1920 Irish even though I have no idea what 1920 Irish sounded like.

Very much enjoyed the first two, but this was my favorite, and possibly my favorite book of all time; will have to see how it continues to resonate in my mind over time.

[Izzadorable Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually like Robard’s books but I struggled with this one…seemed a little dry and clinical.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Made it to page 140 after3 days. This felt very young adult to me. DNF.

[Dyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love historical fiction. I don't remember ever reading a book about Ireland after the Great War. The death, violence, and discrimination for the Irish was heartbreaking.

The female main character, Rynn Carmichael, is a young woman who grows up quickly and becomes a very strong woman. She faces many scary situations and has to make many scary decisions. I admired her and her strength.

I loved the way Karen Robards brought this story to life. It is a harsh, heartbreaking story.

If you enjoy historical fiction with strong female characters and stories that will tug at your heart, this is a good one.

Today, March 24, 2026, is the release day for this book.

Thank you to Edelweiss, HarperCollins, and Karen Robards for my advanced digital reader's copy of this book for my honest opinion.

[Catie · Rating 2 out of 5]

First 1/2 held my interest. And then not so much. Annoyed with main character (twit) and frustrated with overall stupidity - struggled to finish before due date. Never read other Robards work - no incentive to look for others now.

[Bookreporter.com Historical Fiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Robards' brilliance lies in her ability to take historical events, add fictional characters, and wring us dry emotionally as her strong, independent female protagonists risk everything to follow their beliefs.

THE MOONLIGHT RUNNER takes us to Ireland in 1918. The Great War, as they called World War I, has just ended. But instead of being felled by a German-speaking enemy, people are being killed by an invisible organism known as the Spanish flu.

Living in a small Irish town on the coast is Rynn Carmichael. Rynn is from Bundoran, and she is trained as a nurse. She works at the mansion outside of town, Ballyshannon Court, which has been repurposed as a convalescent home for soldiers of the Great War. The Duke of Hartford is the owner, and his younger son, Thomas, is Rynn's patient. Thomas is in love with Rynn, but she has a childhood sweetheart, Donal O'Reilly.

It's Donal's foolhardy attempt to thwart the British and strike a blow for an independent Ireland that causes trouble from the first page. He and his friends are running illegal guns, and when Rynn overhears an officer remark at a party at Ballyshannon that they have an ambush planned, she rashly races to the beach so she can warn Donal and his friends.

It turns out that Rynn is forced to get into the boat with the men when they are seen by the British. And just before they all would be killed in the ambush, they are saved by Owen Maguire, a taciturn businessman who has been successful after the war. But Rynn was seen, and the British suspect that she is a part of the rebel group. So when there is a threat that the British will arrest her, Thomas offers to marry her. He's in love with her, so it's no hardship for him. Rynn likes Thomas and has decided that Donal does not hold a future for her as he is too foolhardy and rash. So as much as she cares for him, she tells him that they are no longer engaged and accepts Thomas' offer.

Life with Thomas is easy. Rynn gets to experience what it's like to be an aristocrat in London as they live with his father, the duke. Thomas is a younger son, not the heir, but he's still wealthy in his own right. As the relationship between Rynn and Thomas grows, Rynn is ambushed in London by Donal and his friends, who desperately need her help and her knowledge of nursing. Because they are being hunted for their rebel activity, Rynn knows that she can't be seen with them. Maguire assists her even as he warns her to stay away from trouble.

Robards masterfully balances the story of Rynn's life with Thomas with her actions to help the rebels during the real events that happened in Ireland and England at that time. We see the creation of the Black and Tans, unemployed rank-and-file ex-soldiers who were given a mandate to stamp out the rebellion and kill any opposition. They enjoyed their assignment and cruelly executed not only their orders, but also the guilty and even those innocent of rebellion. Families were killed, and whole villages were slaughtered.

It's almost impossible not to feel engaged in the horror of what happened in Ireland as Robards brilliantly combines the explanations and descriptions with the action. Rynn is a hero, and there were many others who fought for what was right in spite of overwhelming odds against them.

One of the joys (and horrors) of reading historical fiction is the light it often shines on current events. In this magnificent novel, we see the bravery and selflessness of those who opposed oppression and fought for their rights, even in the face of extreme danger. Today, there are those who do the same.

Alphonse Karr said, "The more things change, the more they are the same." Time after time, country after country, people fight for independence and self-governance against an unjust government. Robards' novels masterfully showcase that universal truth.

Reviewed by Pamela Kramer

[Linda Hainkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first book by Karen Robards so I didn’t know what to expect. The cover is gorgeous and the opening scene is thrilling but this ended up being a very mixed bag for me. Mary Rynn Carmichael is a young Irish nurse at the close of the Great War in 1918. She is working at a grand country house in Bundoran, Ireland that has been converted into a hospital for returning soldiers when she overhears 2 British soldiers talking. At the time Ireland wanted it’s independence from Great Britain. She hears that some Irish rebels will be bringing guns ashore that night and will be ambushed by British soldiers. Rynn fears her fiancé Donal will be among the gunrunners and runs to warn them. She gets swept up into their small boat and things escalate from there.

The story pretty quickly looses momentum as both Rynn and Donal seem to easily drop their passion for the Irish cause. Rynn easily dropped her pasion for Donal, her childhood sweetheart, and quickly married another man, leaving me scratching my head.

Eventually we do get back into the Irish cause as we learn more about the Irish Republican Army, the “Black and Tans” a mercenary group of soldiers sent from London to crush the Irish rebellion, and the guerrilla warfare that ensued. We are supposed to feel empathy for the Irish people and I certainly did. But the British are the enemies here and that was hard for me to deal with. The IRA has been called a terrorist organization itself so the situation was complicated. I did learn a lot about a situation I knew little about but the story itself was kind of uneven for me. There were a lot of characters and names to keep track of. Donal seemed to be a major character in the beginning but he turned out to play a relatively minor role. We do not know the eventual fate of many characters including Donal. One family was introduced early with all 6 of their children named. They seemed to be minor characters yet they showed in the ending with a pivotal role. I had to go back and review who they were. Yet the 2 youngest daughters were not even mentioned in the end. Did they survive? I do applaud Karen Robards for highlighting a different part of history than we normally see but this was just an okay read for me.