My Dearest Love

Hope Springs #4

by Sarah M. Eden

Ian O’Connor spends his days in the purgatory of a New York textile factory, enduring the dangerous conditions to keep his family afloat. Somewhere in the vast, dark corridors of his daily prison is an angel. He has seen her only once but is determined to find her again.

Biddy Dillon has lost her home and her family. Loneliness chips away at her fragile hopes until she meets Ian, whose soft-spoken kindness touches her heart. For the first time in years, she begins to believe in the possibility of good things to come.

When tragedy conspires to pull the couple apart, they must decide if theirs is a future meant to be built together, or if fate has other plans.

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Romance, Clean Romance, Fiction, Novella

124 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2017

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short story prequel to the series Longing for Home. You don't need to read the series to read this. You can start with this book or Longing for Home. This was such a sweet story! It took me right back to some of my favorite books. For a short story this was very well done. Complete characters, story line and conflict and resolution. I loved it so much:}

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a delight! It’s a quick read, but the story is well paced and engaging. We met Ian and Biddy as side characters in the Hope Springs series, and both of them were easy favorites of mine. It was a real treat to get to see their romance begin in this prequel, showing how they met working in a New York factory.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Ian and Biddy in this story, and it brought me back to the beloved O'Connor family of Hope Springs. This story actually takes place before they arrive in Hope Springs, but can be read separately from Longing for Home 1 & 2. The descriptions of the clothing factory and the references to the politics & government of 1860s New York fleshed out the setting, enriching the story even more. A sweet, endearing romance.

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a prequel to the Longing for Home books and if you haven't read any, no worries, this one works great as a standalone. Ian and Biddy are the MCs in this novella and we get to see how they meet and their sweet romance/courtship. In Longing for Home, this family has settled out West and the characters reference what happened before they settled in Hope Springs, WY. Bringing us to My Dearest Love and getting a taste of this family and especially Ian and Biddy!

This was a sweet story and I really was happy to read more about this couple that I loved in Longing for Home. I was pretty excited when Sarah Eden announced that she was writing this story a little while ago knowing who it was about. Yay!!!

I couldn't imagine what life was like back in NYC during the time when so many immigrants were coming to the country. Especially the Irish, thinking they were escaping the horrors of the Famine, only to find themselves disliked(probably not a strong enough word for it) and living in horrible conditions and working in horrific conditions as well. Now, it's not just the Irish who suffered in those conditions but I mentioned them because this book is about some of the Irish immigrants. Miss Eden touches on a little bit about the living/working conditions in this novella as the main characters and the main family live and work in NYC.

I loved Ian and his goodness! I loved his silent and constant ways of caring and showing love to his family, and especially to Biddy because this is a sweet romance story. And Biddy, she was sweet and had a great sense of humor. Two great characters with plenty of sweet moments between them.

Definitely a book about heartache, saying goodbye, sorrows, healing, love and peace. For all you Sarah Eden fans out there, I think you'll enjoy this story, especially with getting to know more about a couple that (hopefully) you've read about in Longing for Home. Happy sigh. So, so sweet!

Now let me just say that I can't wait for September to come and to finally read the next installment in this series. Love Remains. I love this family and I love this series. Definitely not all are light and fluffy reads. These books deal with sorrow and pain and the need for peace and healing. But there is lots of great humor and good times interwoven throughout that add a great dimension to the love story and heartache. The more I write, the more I start thinking about these characters and really wanting to go back and reread Longing for Home and Hope Springs.

Content: Clean, just some sweet kisses!

I received a copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet love story! I fell in love with the O'Connor family living in the tenements of New York City. Instead of allowing the harsh circumstances pull them apart, their bond keeps them strong and supportive of each other. Ian is a man confident in his skills, yet adorable with his uncertainty and vulnerability when it comes to a certain lass. Buddy is completely alone but her mother's words to keep making the best of things helps motivate her to work hard in the loud factory. This is my favorite kind of romance, where we get to see the two develop a friendship that progresses into love. Ian's brothers Patrick and Tavish have great personalities and I hope we get to read more about them in the future. The ending is bittersweet which brought out more emotion and curiosity about where the family's journey will take them. I can't wait to read Love Remains, the full-length book set in Hope Springs that this novella was a lead-in to.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love everything Sarah Eden and I love everything Hope Springs. This novella had me craving Hope Springs and the O'Connor family again. I'm so excited that there is a full length novel (Love Remains) coming out soon! Yay!!

This series is about a family of Irish immigrants who come to America in hopes of escaping starvation and depression and finding the American dream. It is full of texture and emotion. There is heartache but hope. It's a grand journey and I would recommend this series to anyone.

Ian is so sweet and gentle. I loved his instant attraction to Biddy and how he views her as an angel- his angel. Ian is exactly who Biddy needs to love her and his family is exactly what she needs as well. This novella was short and sweet- over before I was ready, but it is a great prequel to introduce a fantastic series with an amazing cast of characters. I love this series!

Content: clean, a couple sweet kisses

- I received a copy of this book for free. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sweet novella is the prequel for the Hope Springs series. It is Ian’s story and tells of the time when the O’Connor family lived in NYC working in a dangerous factory just to keep the family fed. Ian works the early shift and repairs the machines at the factory. When he sees Biddy in passing at the factory, he feels the need to find out who she is. Biddy is all alone in the world since her mother’s passing. She works at the factory but somehow seems to be constantly on the receiving end of the overseers’ wrath. The book is well written with a wonderful introduction to the characters seen throughout the rest of the series.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very sweet novella. I liked the characters and I thought the plot was great and gave an interesting glimpse of the time period.

[TJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice premise but not nearly enough time to allow for any depth whatsoever.

[Sabrina Trejo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect novella to give us Ian and Biddy’s story. I love how this book is before the others in the series and we can see the O’Connor family pre-Hope Springs. I loved getting a glimpse into their lives while they were living in New York and seeing characters we’ve only heard about in previous books. While this does take place before the other Hope Spring’s books, I loved reading it after the third book, but you could read it before the others in the series. Just because this is a novella does not mean its short on a great story. It was just the right length to establish a base for Ian and Biddy to fall in love. The sweetness and classic Irish humor I’ve come to love in these books was so evident in this beautiful story.

[Lucinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute! Good addition to the series.

[herdys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like everything in this series, this short story was a mix of heart and sadness. It was nice to see how Ian and Bitty met, but at the same time, you know they'll suffer in the future.

[Mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the prequel to the LONGING FOR HOME series, which I haven't read yet. This is Ian O'Connor and Biddy Dillon's story. Ian and Biddy are both Irish immigrants living and working at a textile factory in NYC. Ian takes care of the machinery and Biddy sews using the big industrial machines. Ian is part of a large, loving family living in tenement housing but Biddy is an only child, alone since her mother died, and lives in a run down boarding house far from the factory where she works.
We see how Ian and Biddy meet, their courtship and how Ian's family cares for her after a horrible accident. When the family gets word that they are chosen to move to Hope Springs, WY to work in exchange for land Ian needs to let Biddy know how he feels about her.
This is such a sweet love story. Ian is the perfect guy for the shy Biddy Dillon, and his family is just what she needs after a lonely upbringing. I love knowing the back story to the family living in Hope Springs and look forward to reading the Hope Springs series.

[Addison Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story, unable to put it down! Ian and Biddy are such a sweet couple, and the characters are three dimensional. The romance is wholesome and near the end I started getting teary-eyed! It is a quick read, and I wish it would've been longer, but that is the sign of a good story. The detail was awesome--I could imagine anything and everything going on. I wish Biddy had more justice with that stupid boss of hers'. Even though the author doesn't go into that, I hope he got what he deserved. Otherwise, I would highly recommend this story for anyone searching for a good story, particularly anyone looking for a good Historical Christian romance.

[Kami S · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.45
This is a novella in the Hope Springs series. It was nice to read Ian and Biddy's story. As a whole, this series has been very enjoyable. I look forward to the next in the series!

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the O’Conner Family and getting to know Biddy and Ian’s coming together before the great adventure of moving to Hope Springs

[Chesney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved Ian and Biddy's story.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love Ian and Biddy so much! Charming, lovely little novella!

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved getting to hear Ian and Biddy’s story! They are so perfect for each other and I loved getting this glimpse of the O’Conner family before they moved to Hope Springs. Such a short and sweet novella.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book is listed as Book 4 in this series when it’s actually supposed to be a prequel to Longing For Home that introduces the Irish O’Connor family who live in a tenement building in New York. When Ian meets Buddy their lives are forever changed and I loved the family dynamics, the history of New York’s Irish community and the textile mills they leave behind to build a new community in Hope Springs. A delightful read!

[Jami Pruitt (My.lovely_readingcorner) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a sweet novella. I love getting to know how Ian and Biddy get together.

For Ian it is love at first sight. I love how he first sees her and then has to search to find her.

Buddy is all alone in the world and the struggles of living and working in New York in 1860 should be enough to break her. But she is strong and when she finds a place amongst the O'Connor's life gets so much better.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet. Not much to it, though... I read it in just two hours because it was so short. Somehow, as short as it was there still were way more words than content.

[Grace Tolman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read any of the Longing for home series so I'm new to the O'Connor family. But I do love Ms. Eden and her writing so I was not surprised to like the story line. It is a very short book, 100 pages but it took me long to read it because of life. If I didn't have "life" getting in the way, I could probably finish this in one sitting. It is engaging and entertaining. The romance is pretty awesome too.
I always say that a good book makes you learn something new. Whatever that maybe, and it doesn't matter what kind of book. Knowledge always abounds in any book. With this one, I got a glimpse of Irish history, both in Ireland and of the first settlers here in the US. Having known what they've gone through in their homeland, especially about the famine, makes me appreciate them more and all of the hard work that the pioneers have done to establish themselves here in this land.
At times, I felt heavy emotions while reading this book because of the plight of the people. They are hard working and honest individuals but their lives weren't easy, especially those that live in the city and have to work in factories. I was so sad to learn of Biddy's situation. I've been alone once and so I can relate. The positive for me was that I knew I would see my family again, that they weren't lost to me forever.
Like I said, I'm new to the O'Connor family but I love the sibling banter and the family love. Ms. Eden is really good at dialogues with realistic (but funny) banter and this book had it. The secondary characters were also very interesting in their own right.
I think the only reason why I would give this a 4 and not a complete 5 was because I did not quite like the way Ian was so hesitant. I mean c'mon, the girl is living in your home, letting you hold her hand, and seeking you out. How much more obvious can she be? I think that fact made me not like Ian quite as well as a hero. But I think it is just a personal preference.
Over all I thought this book was really good and I can't wait to learn more about this family in the other books in this series.

[Elise Derr Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

As part of the "Hope Springs" series, "My Dearest Love" tells the backstory of Ian and Biddy, who have supporting roles in "Longing for Home". There is also some brief history and character development for several members of the O'Connor family. It could be read at any time in the series, or as a stand-alone quick read.

~~~~~
Biddy Dillon feels completely alone. As far as she remembers, her father abandoned her mother, who in turn left her father in Ireland and came to America. Ever since her mother's death, with no other friends or relatives to care for her, Biddy has worked desperately to survive. Her current job in the factory is necessary, but terrifying, with the supervisor constantly watching for her to make a mistake.

For Ian O'Connor, "love at first sight" happens early one morning as he leaves the factory where he fixes and maintains the machines. He has nearly given up hope of ever seeing his "angel" again -- let alone learning her name -- when his brother and best friend, Patrick, introduces them properly. When he learns that Biddy walks alone in the dark through an unsavory neighborhood to reach her boardinghouse, he determines to walk her safely home each night, sacrificing his own sleep to spend time with her.

~~~~~
OVERALL: Squeaky clean! Quick, mostly uncomplicated romance. Short plot with relatively minor crisis (mild peril) and hopeful ending.

Themes addressed: effects of abandonment/loneliness and poverty; working and living conditions for immigrants in 1850-60 New York factories

~~~~~
My husband read this book with me. Here's his feedback:

The ending was predictable. (I reminded him that it's HOW you reach the ending that's entertaining/enjoyable to read.)

It was short. (This is a good thing in his opinion... I pretty much have to twist his arm to get him to read with me!)

What color is Biddy's hair? 😄 And Ian is supposed to be a redhead! (He pictured Biddy blonde, like me, but the cover shows dark hair on both characters.)

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Eden’s Hope Springs series is wonderful! I loved and gave 5 stars to the first two books so I was eager to read this novella. It is the background story of Ian O’Connor and Biddy Dillon, both Irish immigrants to America. The time is 1860; the setting is New York where many Irish immigrants work in the textile factory. The O’Connor family bunks together in a small tenement room, and Biddy, all alone in the world, stays in a cheap boarding room with other girls. Day in and day out is the same: long hours at the spinning machines, enduring abuse, and finally walking a long distance home for sleep.

Biddy has made friends with Ian’s sister and brother and has also caught the eye of their brother Ian, who is a machinist at the factory. It is Ian that rescues Biddy from the wrath of her abusive boss, but in return she is fired after an injury. The O’Connor family takes her in and nurses her back to health.

Eden’s story of the Irish immigrants that were forced out of Ireland after the potato famine is not uncommon. America was supposed to be the land of opportunity, but it was a long, difficult road to break out of the meager situations they found themselves in. How my heart goes out to those who endured such difficult lives. To summon hope and courage seemed an impossibility.

"My Dearest Love” is an excellent addition to the Hope Springs series. It’s a novella, but perfect springboard for the next book in the series, “Love Remains” which takes the O’Connor family beyond those difficult New York years into the challenges of Wyoming. I’m already several chapters into it and it’s very good…

[MJSH · Rating 4 out of 5]

I partly read Longing for Home: Hope Springs (book #2 in this series), but didn't get to finish the book due to time constraints, much to my dismay. This novella is the prequel to the story and works well as a stand-alone, but also gives a nice backdrop to Ian and Biddy's story which continues in the following books.

Sarah M Eden has a wonderful storytelling voice. Her writing is easy to follow and brimming with emotion. Her plot doesn't have a lot of twists and turns or overly dramatic scenes. The plot is carried by the beautiful characters she creates and the story becomes a fast-read because the reader falls in love with the people in the book and wants to find out what will happen next.

Ian is a steadfast, loyal, loving, level-headed young Irish immigrant trying to find his way in NYC. He has a large, absolutely endearing family whom he lives with. Biddy is a straight-forward, lonely young Irish woman without any relatives, floundering in NYC. They meet and their romance blossoms. Ian is incredibly lovely - even though he's shy and stumbles over feelings and words to express them.

The life that the immigrants lived during the late 1800s was harsh, bleak, and tough. Yet these characters find hope, love, and joy for the present and future. Absolutely encouraging.

I received a copy of this novella from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

[Captain Dem the second · Rating 5 out of 5]

Among the other 300 page long books of this series, this tiny book manages to stand out in my mind.

This story was the most nostalgic and heart breaking of them all.
If you have seen the latest adaptation of "Little Women" you must remember that back and forth movement between the past and the present, how the past was more vibrant and the present a little bit duller. I felt exactly like that while reading this book.

I have read all the previous ones. All the stories about the problems each character faces in their present. And now, through this book, we go back in time, back when Finbar could see and was just a happy boy. When they were all together in a small room in New York, trying to make ends meet.
It was as if I was looking through a photo album that was saying their story.

What made a great impression to me was how this book made every character stand out in their own way. All the brothers and sisters, how with one word of their own would make themselves known as different personalities. It was incredible.

The bond between the siblings was heart warming and the two main characters were too sweet to bear. I will surely read this again and again. A great love story to be sure.

And finally some action!
For such a small book it manages to do a lot of things.

[Better Book Bureau · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎧REVIEW OF My Dearest Love by Sarah M. Eden (a short novel in the Hope Series series)

BRIEF REVIEW
This was a cute and fast listen. Ian and Biddy are good minor characters in the first 2 Hope Springs books (maybe in later ones, too, but I haven't read those yet!), and this is the start of their love story. It was fun to see some of the other characters at these younger ages, too, especially Finbar. There's also just something poignant about reading about these characters' pasts while knowing what lies ahead for them. The actual falling-in-love aspect of the story was missing something for me--it felt too sudden. But this was a short novel, so there wasn't much room for more development.

BRIEF CONTENT GUIDE
😘🙊🍷🤕 All mild

BOTTOM LINE
If you've started the Hope Springs series, you know (and probably like) Ian and Biddy; read this for a quick tale of the start of their relationship. If you haven't read the other books, you may still be interested in this short novel and don't have to worry about spoilers for future books.

FULL REVIEW AND CONTENT GUIDE available on blog betterbookbureau.weebly.com

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I kind of LOVE the Hope Springs world! I loved this one because you get to see Ian and Biddy's love story and it was just so great!

But you also get to see just how the O'Connor family lived before they moved to Hope Springs and it wasn't overly pretty. The Irish living in New York were not thought well of. There were a bunch of them and they had the worst jobs with the worst working and living conditions. It was no different for the O'Connors or for Biddy either. It was probably actually worse for Biddy because there was no one to take care of her. A single woman on her own, she had to feed herself, clothe herself and provide a place to live for herself. I was really sad with the way she was treated where she worked, but that's just how it would have been.

I did like the way that Ian would try to watch out for Biddy at work. I liked that he was able to bring her into his family when she needed help and the whole family cared for her, just like her own would have.

This is a perfect prequel, I loved everything about it, except for I would have loved for it to be longer!

[Shash · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a prequel to the Longing for Home books. I already adored Ian and Biddy, and I was so excited to read their story. It is tender and sweet, and perfect. Ian is completely smitten with Biddy, and unsure and hesitant about how to interact with her. It is so cute! I loved the way he stood up for her and wanted to help her and protect her. Biddy has a beautiful spirit! She has been through so much. I loved seeing her find a place to belong.

The O’Connor family is amazing! I fell in love with them even more. (If that’s possible.) They are such an accepting and loving family. I loved learning the circumstances that brought them to Hope Springs.

This novella was everything I’d hoped! I loved it!! It made me want to read the Longing for Home books again. That usually happens when I read a book by Sarah Eden – I end up rereading the rest of the series. The books are that good!

I received a copy of the book, which I voluntarily reviewed. I have given my honest opinion.