The Historian's Heart: A Sweet Small-Town Irish Romance of Secrets, Letters, & Slow-Burn Love

by Maeve McBride

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Historian Clare Donnelly arrives in the seaside village of Dooncarra with one goal: prove her worth by organizing the town’s neglected archives. But her work uncovers more than dusty records, it reveals fragile pieces of history that hold the key to the Dooncarra Community Renewal Grant.

Standing firmly in her way is Eoin Murphy, the town’s guarded local historian. Eoin knows exactly how much weight the archives carry, and he fears that reopening old stories will complicate more than just memories. It could destroy the town’s future.

Forced to work together, Clare and Eoin clash over what should be preserved and what should remain hidden.

But when a bundle of forgotten 1940s love letters comes to light, their professional rivalry begins to thaw into a slow-burn romance. As the deadline for the grant looms, they must decide: is protecting the past worth risking their hearts?

Fall in love with Dooncarra in this heartwarming tale of secrets, second chances, and the power of the written word.

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275 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 22, 2025

About the author

Maeve McBride writes heartfelt, clean small-town romances set against the lush landscapes of Ireland. Her stories weave together the warmth of close-knit communities, the charm of cobblestone streets and cozy pubs, and the tender journeys of love and self-discovery.

Download your FREE eBook at: www.MaeveMcBrideAuthor.com

Reviews

[Laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A small town clean read with a war time story as told through letters found.

[Marie Bourgery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clare takes on the task of organizing a small fishing village’s archives to obtain a grant that will save the town. She comes across a packet of letters between two forbidden lovers during WWII and determines that their story is interesting enough to impress the grant inspectors. But at what cost? The community has already been hurt by others that dug up buried secrets. She thrives on checklists and orders but what happens when the community and village archive keeper and local historian Eoin who warned her about the human cost shut her out when she determines that she only put together the documentation for the grant? This was interesting novella about small town life and how a community supported each other during struggling times with a splash of romance.

[Tami Willard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the Prequel to an interconnected series that is best read in order. Can be a standalone.
Opposites attract
Forced proximity
Enemies to more.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.