The Irish Orphan's Secret

The Irish Orphan Series #1

by Rachel Wesson

With trembling hands, Caitlin’s beloved grandmother presses a faded photograph into her palm. “I need answers before I die,” she whispers. “Will you go to Ireland, and find out the truth?”

Ninety-one-year-old Bridget has spent her life believing she was unwanted, abandoned as a baby by a mother who never loved her. Now, she has learned she had a brother she never knew existed—and the nuns lied about everything.

Unable to deny her Grammy’s emotional plea, Caitlin travels to the windswept Irish coast, a place of breathtaking beauty and painful history. There she begins to unearth Bridget’s mother’s story—a tale more heartbreaking than she could ever have imagined.

A century earlier, Ellen McGrath walks a dangerous line as Ireland’s turbulent fight for independence intensifies. When her best friend and brothers are drawn into the struggle, Ellen is forced to choose between protecting those she loves and preserving her own future—a choice that will tear her family apart.

A heart-wrenching tale of betrayal, family secrets and the bonds that connect us across the decades by USA Today bestselling author Rachel Wesson. Set against the backdrop of the Irish War of Independence and delving into the dark history of the infamous Mother and Baby homes, this gripping dual-timeline novel is perfect for fans of Jean Grainger and Ellen Marie Wiseman.

Genres: Historical Fiction

420 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 17, 2026

About the author

Rachel Wesson was born in Kilkenny, Ireland but considers herself to be from the capital, Dublin as that's where she spent most of her life. Her dad brought Rachel and her two sisters out every Saturday to give their mother a break. He took them to the library and for ice-cream after. It took a long time for her sisters to forgive her for the hours she spent choosing her books!
She grew up driving everyone nuts asking them questions about what they did during the War or what side they were on in the 1916 rising etc. Finally her Granny told her to write her stories down so people would get the pleasure of reading them. In fact what Granny meant was everyone would get some peace while Rachel was busy writing!
When not writing, or annoying relatives, Rachel was reading. Her report cards from school commented on her love of reading especially when she should have been learning. Seems you can't read Great Expectations in Maths. After a doomed love affair and an unpleasant bank raid during which she defended herself with a tea tray, she headed to London for a couple of years. (There is a reason she doesn't write romance!). She never intended staying but a chance meeting with the man of her dreams put paid to any return to Ireland. Having spent most of her career in the City, she decided something was missing. Working in the City is great but it's a young person's dream. Having three children you never see isn't good for anyone. So she packed in the job and started writing. Thanks to her amazing readers, that writing turned into a career far more exciting and rewarding than any other.
Rachel lives in Surrey with her husband and three children, two boys and a girl. When not reading, writing or watching films for "research" purposes, Rachel likes to hang out with her family. She also travels regularly back home - in fact she should have shares in BA and Aerlingus.

Reviews

[Serena Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a sad story. I felt I got a bit of a history lesson. War is war but when people fight each other and lives are lost it seems so petty. How it must have been. It is just heart breaking. Ellen was just a young girl who got caught in the politics of the time. Fallen in love even while horrible things were happening and not to get her HEA is devastating. Evil is always so hurtful. I don’t understand people being so closed minded and hateful. I’m sure telling this story and trying to keep it as much to the truth of what could have happened must have been so difficult yet this author did a wonderful job with it.
I’m thankful Storm Publishing and NetGalley allowed me to read this one. I could hardly put it down I was so infested in it. One thing though I hate going from the past to the present. My personal preference would be start with a prologue then give me all the past at once then give me back the present. Still really good though.

[Kelly Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caitlin's grandmother Bridget is 91 and her health isn't great. Bridget knows she was adopted from an Irish orphanage when she was a child but doesn't know who her parents are. She does a DNA test and finds a relative who has some information about her family. Bridget needs to go to Ireland to get more information but her health isn't good enough to make the trip. She asks Caitlin: "I want you to go to Ireland. Find out what happened to my family. Why did I, or rather we, end up in one of those mother and baby homes?" Caitlin decides to go and not only learns about her grandmother's history but has an adventure herself. I always love Rachel's books but have a special place in my heart for the ones about adoption as I adopted 2 boys! These books always make me appreciate more the journey we took to get our boys and the journey their birth mother's took to ensure they had people who loved them and could take care of them.

[Patricia Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful, sad read! The Irish Orphan's Secret tells two main stories. One is the horror of the Irish fight for independence and the cost paid by families set against each other. Alternating with this story is Caitlin's search for her Grammy's history lost in those wars and the Magdalene laundry Mother and baby homes of 20 century Ireland. As Caitlin slowly uncovers the secrets of her family she learns to trust and heal from her own injuries and traumas. I very quickly became completely invested in this book. The characters were so well written they appeared real and the history just came alive. It is obvious the author has researched her subject well. A book that will definitely encourage me to seek out more by this author. Happy to recommend if you're looking for an intelligent and enthralling read - don't forget the tissues!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

[Nancy Mazgajewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this dual timeline historical fiction book. My grandmother was born in Northern Ireland - County Antrim. The process took over 2 years but now I have dual citizenship. I know the difficulty of tracing down ancestors so I thoroughly understood the plight.