Boerendochters: De familie O'Leary - 1

Courage to Dream #1

by Susan Anne Mason, Daniëlle van Westen (Translator)

De historische roman ‘Boerendochters’ van Susan Anne Mason is het eerste deel van een serie over de Ierse immigrantenfamilie O’Leary die zich aan het begin van de twintigste eeuw vestigt op Long Island.

Brianna en Colleen O’Leary weten wat er van hun verwacht wordt: snel een zo gunstig mogelijk huwelijk sluiten zodat de boerderij van hun vader gered wordt van de ondergang. Maar beide jongedames hebben zo hun eigen kijk op de toekomst. Brainne droomt van studeren en Colleen wil wel trouwen, maar dan alleen met een man die aan haar hoge eisen voldoet. Als Gilbert Whelan, hun voormalige stalknecht, geschoold terugkeert naar de boerderij en verre neef Rylan Montgomery de familie met een bezoekje vereert, moeten alle O’Leary’s hun plannen bijstellen. Susan Anne Mason baseerde ‘Boerendochters’ op de geschiedenis van haar eigen voorouders.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Romance, Christian, Historical, Fiction, Historical Romance

400 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 21, 2016

About the author

Susan writes both contemporary and historical Inspirational romances. She describes her writing style as “Romance sprinkled with faith” and loves themes of forgiveness and redemption!

She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and a former member of the Romance Writers of America. M

Susan lives near Toronto in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two adult children. She loves chocolate and wine and isn't partial to snow even though she's Canadian!

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 1 out of 5]

About this book:

“1911, Long Island, New York
Faced With an Uncertain Future, Sometimes
All You Have Left Is the Courage to Dream
Brianna and Colleen O'Leary know their Irish immigrant father expects them to marry well. Recently he's put even more pressure on them, insinuating that the very future of their Long Island horse farm, Irish Meadows, rests in their ability to land prosperous husbands. Both girls, however, have different visions for their futures.
Brianna, a quiet girl with a quick mind, dreams of attending college. Vivacious Colleen, meanwhile, is happy to marry--as long as her father's choice meets her exacting standards of the ideal groom. When former stable hand Gilbert Whelan returns from business school and distant relative Rylan Montgomery visits Long Island during his seminary training, the two men quickly complicate everyone's plans.
As the farm slips ever closer to ruin, James O'Leary grows more desperate. It will take every ounce of courage for both sisters to avoid being pawns in their father's machinations and instead follow their hearts. And even if they do, will they inevitably find their dreams too distant to reach?”


Series: Book #1 in the “Courage to Dream” series.


Spiritual Content- Prayers; Scriptures are quoted & mentioned; Talks about God, forgiveness and heaven & hell; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mentions of Church going; Colleen has little tolerance for anything religious (Though she says a prayer once. *Spoiler* She asks God into her heart half-way through. *End of Spoiler*); Rylan is training to be a priest; Adam doesn’t believe there is a God;
*Note: “for the love of St. Patrick” and “sweet mother of Job” are both said once; ‘who/what the devil’ is said twice.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blasted’, a ‘tarnation’, a ‘what the deuce?’, and two ‘stupid’s; Curses are said but not written; Sarcasm; Blood (semi-detailed); Mentions of shooting a foal (border-line semi-detailed // detailed); A mention of suicide; Mentions of spankings & beatings; Mentions of gambling, cigars & tobacco; Mentions of drinking & pubs; A sip of brandy (semi-detailed).


Sexual Content- an almost kiss (semi-detailed), hand kisses, two (welcoming) cheek kisses, a cheek kiss, a head kiss, six barely-above-not-detailed kisses, three semi-detailed kisses, five Detailed kisses, and two Very-Detailed kisses; Staring & Wanting to kiss (semi-detailed); Mentions of kisses & kissing (semi-detailed); Remembering kisses (semi-detailed to detailed); Noticing, Nearness & Smelling (semi-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Warmth & Blushes (semi-detailed); Wandering hands & reputations (semi-detailed); Wanting to be noticed; A man & woman are in his bedroom and his shirt is unbuttoned (nothing sexual happens but another girl assumes); Gil tries not to be alone with Brianna; Colleen is called a ‘strumpet’ twice, and frankly, it’s true (she’s a flirt and tease); Colleen wants/tries to seduce Gil; Colleen forces herself on Gil (border-line semi-detailed // detailed); *Spoiler* Colleen was kissed & touched by a priest at age 13 (barely-above-not-detailed) *End of Spoiler*; Mentions of having children, the married life & the wedding night; A mention of a woman who got pregnant by another woman’s husband; Love, hunger, falling in love, & lots of the emotions (x2).
*Note: Mentions of low-cut gowns (& Colleen wears a few) and a gown that shows bare shoulders. A foal is born (semi-detailed).

-Brianna O’Leary
-Gilbert Whelan
-Colleen O’Leary
-Rylan Montgomery
P.O.V. switches between them.
Set in 1911
370 pages

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- One Star
My personal Rating- One Star
I know, I know. “Another 1-star, Lindsey?” Sadly, yes. :(
I did not enjoy the first half of this book at all. The characters annoyed me to no end. Brianna I went back-n-forth liking…most of the time I was rolling my eyes at her. Gil made me cringe many times manly because he wouldn’t stand up for his Bree! What?! I’m still not sold on that couple. Colleen I disliked immensely at first, she was rude, self-centered and mean. Then she does a 180-light-switch-change and while it was nice-ish, I felt the process of that change was too quick & lacking emotion on her part. Rylan was okay. I didn’t like nor dislike him, I just wish there would have been talks about Jesus Christ. (Talks about God but never Jesus.) I can’t say I completely was in favor of the couples in this book and wasn’t very thrilled with the conclusion. Add in all the kisses (lots and many detailed ones) and you have a 1-star book.
Normally authors have their characters growing throughout the book (Spiritual or mentally), maybe this author did too many POV characters, but I feel she just didn’t have the characters grown at all. She focused way more on the romance than the character development.
I feel bad giving a debut author (and a Bethany one at that) a 1-star rating, but I did not like this book at all.


Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Bethany House Publishers) through Litfuse Publicly Group for this review.

[Shantelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm. For some reason or another, Irish Meadows by Susan Anne Mason just wasn't so much my style. At first, I was enjoying it; however, the story failed to engage me, and by the end, I was skimming a little. The writings style/story arc strongly reminded me of Julie Lessman's books (though with much less sexual content). Both books have characters with a Catholic faith (but there was not as much depth to the faith as Julie Lessman's novels), and both families are Irish I believe; and both stories include lots of drama, tension, and petty misunderstandings in the romantic relationships. (Not to bash Julie Lessman ... her stories have historical depth and some amazing faith themes. But I stopped reading her books because some of the content was just a little too much; and to be honest, I'm just not a fan of so much drama in the romantic relationships.)

Irish Meadows tells the tale of two, Irish sisters, Brianna and Colleen, and their love interests. Unknown to them, their father is on the verge of loosing the family horses and plantation, and is willing to manipulate a lot of people, including his family, in order to save what's his. This may cause problems for Brianna, who's in love with a man her father is determined to keep away from her. Meanwhile, Colleen has her own troubles with a priest-to-be.

First off, you can hardly tell this family is Irish, besides their names and a few mentions of their heritage. Not much for Irish history or culture that I could see. That was a little disappointing.

Second, the faith. They were Catholics, and there were a few things that rubbed me wrong - such as the need for a priest at a deathbed, to attend to spiritual needs. And they couldn't have someone who was training to be a priest ... he must be an actual priest. It just seems to much like they're putting emphasis on the wrong things. Also, praying was done, and God spoken of a lot; but they never mentioned Jesus. Not even when a young woman was asking for forgiveness for sins. They said something like: You haven't done anything that God can't forgive. But they didn't mention why it is that nothing is beyond forgiveness ... because Jesus paid the price for our sin. So yes. Things like that. I just wasn't sure what to think. It all felt a little off, to me personally.

The romance. I wasn't so much a fan of that aspect either. As I mentioned above, too much drama! And she's sooo beautiful, and they catch each other's gaze, and they want to kiss. I'm like, Umm .... They hardly know each other well at all yet. Maybe too much emphasis on the physical aspect for my taste. Also, there's a passionate kiss exchanged and lots of thoughts about it ... like it's the turning point of the relationship. Besides that, there's the getting together, breaking up, getting together, breaking up again kind of feel because of petty issues. Brianna can be a bit selfish and immature and a tad bit "feminist" when it comes to marriage and all that. She gets angry at a guy for thinking she'll give up college to marry him ... but acts in a way that suggests she'd expect him to give up things in order to marry her and allow her to go to college.

I don't know. There are certain Christian Historical Romance books that go something like: Women fighting for their "rights" (maybe women aspire for something other than marriage!!), romance with lots of tension and tempers and physical attraction and going back and forth; though the woman clearly has faults, the man seems to think she's perfect and flawless, for the most part; characters "forced" into doing absurd things because of rather unbelievable reasons; not a lot of faith. Not a lot of real-life feeling scenarios and issues and themes. To me anyway.

So yes. There are my thoughts. I'm still going to give the second book in this series a try, as I'm receiving it as a review book. If you prefer what I described above, perhaps you'll really like this book! If you're a fan of Julie Lessman's, you may like this book too.

[Noella Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book! I loved the way that she made the story about 2 sisters and incorporated their stories together so well. Very well written. I am looking forward to reading the rest in the series.

[Madisyn Carlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I DNF'd rather early on (page 71 out of 370), and usually I wouldn't write a review since I read so very little of the book. However, there are several concerning elements within those first 71 pages, so writing a review I am.

WHAT I LIKED
The horse farm sounded lovely, and the first page-and-a-half was strong and hooked me. I could feel Gil's trepidation and hesitancy. Plus, the little ones, Deidre and Connor, are adorable, and the cook's fondness of Gil had me laughing. Mrs. O'Leary seemed like a nice character too; perhaps the only good one in the O'Leary family.


WHAT I WASN'T FOND OF
What I read was just scene after scene of melodrama. So petty and dramatic, which, frankly, I found terribly aggravating. For being eighteen, Brianna acted like a twelve-year-old, and I'll get to Colleen in a minute. Rylan was the best of the bunch from what I could tell, and Gil was somewhat fine. If it was just the over-excessive drama and unhealthy jealousy, I would have continued because I wanted to see if the characters grew during their ARCs. And they still might in this book. Take this paragraph with a grain of salt. Like I said, I didn't read the entirety. But it was way too thick and really drowned any potential enjoyment.

There is a time when Gil tells Bree to "follow her heart". This phrase is so unbiblical, as the, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick..." (Jeremiah 17:9a). Why would Gil tell Bree--someone he cares about--to follow that which is deceitful above all things? He could have just encouraged her to follow her dreams. Such a post-modern phrase that doesn't belong on the lips of Christians, or even in a Christian book.

There is one usage (so far) of "What the devil." That will bother some and not bother others. Take it as you will.

Gil and Bree haven't seen each other in three years, yet in the second chapter, they're almost kissing. This occurs a few other times. It just felt creepy to me.

Again, take this section as you will. These are what I personally found irritating, but that does not mean it will irritate you.

WHAT WASN'T OKAY
Colleen is a promiscuous, entitled, spoiled, seductress. Take it down ten notches and I would have been okay with that as the beginning of her arc. But there are a plenitude of improper mentions and innuendos which makes this book unsuitable for those seeking a clean, Christian read.

There are several mentions of Colleen's low decolletages (necklines), and how her...assets...are on display, which she is proud of. Colleen tries pressing up against a man (while wearing a dress with a revealing neckline) and tries tempting him to look down. (To his credit, the man did not accept her invitation, which I appreciated.)

Actions extending beyond the emphatic, sensual kisses Colleen desires are hinted at.

This is, perhaps, one of the sections that bothered me the most: "Why did Gil find her mousy sister so fascinating when he could be reaping the benefit of Colleen's attention? [...] Colleen could offer him the intoxication of her kisses, which so far no man had been able to resist."

I understand all characters have their demons to battle out. But this took Colleen's too far, and made for some inappropriate scenes.

OTHER
There is a hint of a potential rape, but it is halted in the early stages.

CONCLUSION
I picked this book thinking it had a lot of potential, but the contemptuous, absurd relationship between sisters and the sexual innuendos kept me from enjoying what I read. Pretty cover, but I wasn't too thrilled with the interior.

[Brooke Barenfanger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Irish Meadows was by a newly published author named Susan Anne Mason. Honestly, I wanted to read it simply to see why Bethany House chose this book to be published. To tell the truth, I wasn’t all that impressed, and a little disappointed, both in the publishers and in the author. There were some good points. But it should take more than a solid plot to sell a book.


Susan Anne Mason has published a few books before this one, but as she has never published with any major publishing company I had never heard of her before I saw this book. I like reading new authors to see what the publishers nowadays are particularly looking for. Irish Meadows was a good read. It kept me entertained since there always seemed to be something happening. I was never bored with it.

The characters were all well-developed, Though I will say that some were perhaps a little too developed. Colleen and Brianna’s father had such a strong character, that he overshadowed and overpowered everybody else’s character somewhat. The plot was excellent. I really liked that the author interwove the love story of both Brianna and Colleen together.

One thing I noticed even on the first page were the trite expressions the author used over and over and over again. I cringed with each one. Just a few expressions she used were, “as vivid green as the waving grass around them”, “as brightly as the sun beating down on his head”, “as strong as a lumberjack”, and “like a magnet, his gaze was drawn…”

She literally had hundreds of overused similes! But then, I do read a lot, so maybe I just noticed it more than other people usually do. I was a little annoyed by the end of the book, though.

Another thing that bothered me was, that though (spoiler alert) all the main characters reconciled themselves to God by the end, there was no mention of Jesus Christ or the saving blood He spilled for us. I believe the author may be Catholic, or wrote this from a Catholic viewpoint as there seems to be many Catholic overtones throughout the book. If someone unsaved read this book, he would not be saved by the end of it. The blood of Jesus is the only way a person may be redeemed. It is sad to me that supposedly Christian books are being published without preaching Christ.

Though this book was an entertaining read, I don’t believe I’ll be reading anything else by this author in the future. The type of books she writes just isn’t for me. Not because it isn't entertaining, but because I feel as though I've read it before.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

**I received a review copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers, for my honest opinion, which I have given. The opinions expressed in this novel are mine and mine alone.**

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much! It is packed with interesting and fabulously flawed characters who struggle in making the right decisions. There are misunderstandings, power plays, confusion, and a whole host of things that kept me anxiously turning the pages to see what would happen.

There were two main romantic threads to the book and they center around the O’Leary sisters, Colleen and Brianna. Both of these story lines were very nicely done. These two sisters, as well as Brianna’s love interest, Gil Whelan, are being relentlessly bullied by the father of the O’Leary clan. It was so hard to see everyone being manipulated by him, but it did add so many interesting moments.

I enjoyed Colleen and Rylan’s romantic troubles as well as Brianna and Gil’s seemingly hopeless attraction to each other. Although I dreaded seeing these four make bad decisions at times, it made for some really great tension. I enjoyed this story so very much and look forward to the next in the series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

You can read this review on my blog at:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...

[Pepper Basham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creating a beautiful story world set in 1911 New York, Susan Anne Mason draws readers into the realm of Irish Meadows and the O’Leary family. Reminiscent of Julie Lessman’s Daughters of Boston series, Irish Meadows follows the romances of the two O’Leary daughters, Brianna and her older sister, Colleen. Bringing to the life the rich world of New York at the turn-of-the-century, Mason ushers the reader into a family where the father’s misguided attempts to keep his family from poverty leads him to alienate the ones he loves most – especially his daughters. Brianna is headstrong, with two dreams – go to college and marry her childhood friend, Gil Whelan, but neither dream fits on her father’s strong-armed plan for her life or the advances of his business.

Gil was ‘adopted’ into the O’Leary family when his mother, their long-time housekeeper, died. Feeling obligated to the O’Leary’s for sending him to college, he’s immediately entrenched into a scheme by Mr. O’Leary that not only goes against Gil’s personal business goals, but also his newfound attraction to Brianna O’Leary.

Into the story comes an unexpected visitor to Irish Meadows. A distant cousin who is studying to become a priest needs a place to stay while he is in training under the local priest’s tutelage. His and Colleen’s first meeting had me rooting for them from day 1, but the obstacles are enormous! Colleen isn’t interested in faith and Rylan is planning to live a celibate life.

Oh my goodness, emotions run high in this dramatic look at jealousy, long-standing wounds, and the power of God to stir up the desires He’s placed in our hearts all along.

[Kelvey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m surprised at how many great reviews this book received because I personally don’t understand the hype. I found this book to be rather predictable and slow. I know of some girls who read this, and they didn’t feel comfortable with the moral standpoint of the characters. That being said, I do know of some older women who found this book to be enjoyable so maybe it just didn’t click for younger readers.
I personally found the protagonists annoying and selfish. I also wasn’t satisfied with the religious aspect of the characters. There was no mention of Jesus Christ at all, and that’s an unwelcome factor for me when I pick up a Christian fiction book! I also felt like the characters had no growth throughout Irish Meadows and that’s unusual for any novel. I hear there is a second book out/coming out so maybe the characters will grow, but I doubt that I will pick the sequel up.
Overall, I was left unsatisfied so that leaves the book at a 1.5/5 star rating for me.
If you would like to check out more of my reviews, click this: http://www.kelvreadsbooks.blog.com

I was sent this by the publisher for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own. I was in no other way compensated for this review.

[Sana⁷ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really like this one 😣


I get that this is a romance book, so the romance part is supposed to be the main focus of it. I get it. But I would appreciate if other relationships would be explored as well.

Like relationships between the members of the O'Leary family.

We've got only some rare, small scenes, but they didn't do their job properly. I don't know anything about those people or their bond. Two main female characters, Brianna and Colleen, were in a conflict with each other, but I didn't understood why until later on when they talked about it. For me it seemed like Colleen was just mean to her sister because she liked to make people miserable.

Adam, their brother, was barely in the book and I have no idea what kind of relationship he has with his family. It seems like he does not care about anyone. James, the father, used his children with no mercy for his benefits and his children were in pain, because they wanted to please him, but also wanted to pursue their dreams. If I got any background for it - what kind of relationship they had with James through their lives - this plot point would be more impactful. It should make me feel angry at the father and feel sorry for his children, but unfortunately, I felt nothing.

There were also little children, Deirdree and Connor, but I don't know anything about them either, especially about Connor. I don't even remember their age.

Two main male characters, Gilbert and Rylan, didn't interact with each other until basically very end of the book. Rylan didn't interact with anyone except for Colleen, so when he left Irish Meadows, I haven't felt anything, when he declared how he will miss this family.

I don't know much about Gilbert's mother. There was also an issue with Gilbert's father, but it had been resolved so quickly that it could easily not be there at all. It had no impact on the plot whatsoever.

Colleen's change of personality was so sudden that I don't understand why the author even bothered with it. I did not buy that she had changed because she started to work in the orphanage. She had always a contact with children, she had younger siblings after all. So why neither Deirdree nor Connor had no impact on her, but some random children did? Oh, sorry, it wasn't random children, it was one child in particular. I wouldn't want to be any of those other orphans, who had to watch their guardian swoon over Delia all the time (I swear, none of the other children had been named. None.). Also, how convenient for Colleen that Delia's foster parents had given up as her guardians 🤨

Also Colleen as a character didn't make any sense to me. She had been this femme fatale who searched for a rich husband and for some thrilling experiences. But she also had this big secret (I will not write what was it, I will not spoil) - and this is the part that didn't make sense to me. If she told Rylan the truth and she felt so used and guilty, why the hell she had been so active in her search for a husband? Shouldn't she want to stay away from men at all costs?

Brianna and Gilbert were supposed to be childhood friends, but we barely got any stories about that time. They had met each other again after a while and instantly bonded with each other romantically. Brianna was supposed to concentrate on her big dream - on her education - but it seemed like Gilbert had been more important to her. Oh, and about the education part, I have to write about aunt Fiona. I thought that she would be this strong female character who fought against the believes of society that women shouldn't go to any university, but she actually pursued her education only because her love life had been a failure 🥲


The only part that I actually liked was the moment when Rylan met his mother and sister again. I like both women, so I look forward for book two (I am also curious about Adam since he was barely in this story). I hope that I will actually like that one 😅

[Kate Breslin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susan Anne Mason writes a beautiful, emotionally charged tale with her debut novel, Irish Meadows. I was swept back to a pastoral view of Long Island, NY, near the turn of the twentieth century, where beneath a warm summer sky, sleek thoroughbreds graze on sweet grass or race along a practice track at the breeding farm, Irish Meadows, owned by the O’Leary family. The patriarch, Irish-born James O’Leary, is proud and fiercely protective, both of his family and his hard-won livelihood. When horse racing declines and Irish Meadows’ mounting debts threaten foreclosure, James determines that his two eldest daughters must make advantageous marriages in order to help save the farm. Brianna and Colleen O’Leary have different ideas, however, and feel caught in the trap of their father’s expectations. Though estranged, the beautiful sisters both long to follow their hearts rather than suffer the convention of an arranged marriage. What I love most about this story are the wonderfully developed characters and the challenging intricacies of family’s dynamics at which author Mason excels. And when she raises the stakes and Colleen O’Leary finds herself in a seemingly forbidden romantic relationship, I anxiously kept turning the pages to see how God would answer her prayers. Brianna, too, touched my heart, as I wondered if she could overcome her lack of confidence and mistrust to realize the love that waited within arm’s reach. Would both women find happiness? You’ll have to read Irish Meadows to find out. And with such engaging characters, interesting history, and idyllic rural setting, Irish Meadows is a “world” I’d like to revisit again and again!

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Double the romance doubles the reading pleasure.

Brianna and Colleen are as different as night and day and I will readily admit to bonding with Brianna way before Colleen started to chip away at my reserve. Colleen is...challenging...at the beginning of the this story...and quite awhile thereafter. In short, she made my blood boil. But Mason weaves her magic and Colleen's storyline becomes a beautiful testimony of the power of redemption.

And the heroes? Be still my heart. In a word: swoonworthy. But both have to battle internal demons before they can come to grips with their pasts. Gilbert is near perfection -- noble, trustworthy, a man of integrity...except when he isn't. LOL Mason has created a flawed hero who struggles with misplaced loyalty. And Rylan is a delightful surprise. I adored his wit and ability to find joy in everyday things. And his first meet with prickly ol' Colleen is sweet perfection. There's plenty of scope for the imagination when it comes to these captivating heroes.

As we all know, the course of true love never runs straight and in the case of the O'Leary sisters it's a big old curvy, tangled mess. Which makes for a blissfully emotional read. I'm still feeling kind of gutted now that it's over. The kind of read you want to gallop through because it's that good, but you also don't want to reach the end because...well...it's that good.

Fans of Julie Lessman will find a lot to love about Susan Anne Mason's first book in the Courage to Dream series. Highly recommended.

https://kavsbestreads.ca/2025/03/19/i...

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

What a fabulous read! I was pulled in to the novel right away and found myself reading "just one more chapter" as the story developed and I had to know what would happen next. The dual storyline of two sisters, Brianna and Colleen, was beautifully done. I adored the "Thorn Birds" feel in sections of the story.

I've given 4 stars rather than 5 for two reasons. First, the novel would have been even stronger with more historical detail. There was historical detail, but I would have liked more. Second, Gil, one of the heroes, was not willing to stand up for what he believed in as much as I would have preferred. I understand that he felt in debt to the O'Leary's, however, his line in the sand was rather far.

Overall, very well done and I eagerly await the second novel in the Courage to Dream series. I recommend Irish Meadows for readers that enjoy historical fiction.

[Deana Dick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from book fun.org for an honest review

I was so excited when I received this book. The cover was breathtaking and having never read a book from Sisan Anne Mason before, my expectations were high. I definitely was not disappointed in this story at all. The author takes us back to 1911 in Long Island , New York. The history written in the story was a highlight for me. I love books that transform a reader back to an era with a subtle use of words.

Brianna is a young woman who has a love for horses and is quite a lovely person to look at. She has a deep desire to go to college but her father has other ideas for her. Colleen the other sister is anxious to marry and seems to be a bit more strong willed than her sister. Their father is a strong almost controlling man who causes anxious moments for his two daughters. They both must find strength and endurance to overcome obstacles that could deter them from their destiny. Will they find the right man to marry? Does Brianne get to follow her dream of going to college?

Their father becomes desperate when he feels like he is going to lose the horse farm . He thinks that his two daughters should marry men with money in order to help save "Irish Meadows." As I read the story I began to think about how our Heavenly Father wants the best for us, but we sometimes ignore Him. There were many conflicts the family needed to address and I liked how the author wrote with grace as the characters worked through them.

At the end of the story one of the characters were explaining to Brianna the mistakes he had made. This is the man that Brianna has always been in love with. He says," The other mistake I made was forgetting what is truly important . I didn't keep God in the middle of our relationship." That statement really made me think . Do we remember who needs to be in our relationships we have ?

I must thank the author for a story that is rich in history, characters that had flaws and how they overcome them with guidance from God. There are other characters in the story that I didn't mention, but I encourage you to pick up this book and fall in love with the O'Leary family and journey with each of them through a breathtaking story .

[Amanda Geaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Irish Meadows is the first book in Susan Anne Mason’s Courage to Dream series. The title of the book is also the title of an estate situated in the picturesque countryside of Long Island, New York. Once very successful, the farm and it’s owner Mr. O’Leary are beginning to feel the financial ramifications of recent legislation which forbids horse racing. At the risk of losing Irish Meadows, this proud patriarch is willing to gamble with the lives of others.



“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18



I don’t usually begin a book review with a bible verse, however in the case of Irish Meadows I thought this verse was fitting. Mr. O’Leary was quite an unsavory character who I found to be domineering and manipulative. The favoritism he demonstrates for one of his daughters, and his “adopted” son over his biological son stirs up bitterness and resentment amongst them. No one seems to be able to escape his influence, and the prideful arrogance of these characters opens the door for a reoccurring theme of repentance and forgiveness.

To her credit, the author breaks from the usual prescription for romance. However, for me the lack of trust between Bree and Gill created a tedious on-again off-again dynamic. In addition, I’m not sure readers of the Catholic faith or from a Catholic background will appreciate the portrayal of Rylan Montgomery– who is tempted to break his vows during his pastoral training.

The story itself was well organized and the dialogue was good, yet this book failed to resonate with me.

3/5 stars

I received this book free as a member of the Litfuse blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't stop turning pages. This book moves along surprisingly fast; the writing style is good and flows well. The characters are vivid, though there are many, and the family is easily pictured.

I had only two nit-picks. I wanted to slap one hero many a time for throwing away his honor and nearly wrecking his life and two others in the process. He just kept going and going, and one promise he made and broke really got on my nerves. The other is that the characters are all Catholic, so there is consequently more talk of God and faith than there in of Jesus and a personal relationship. However, the author made some good points about what place faith should take in our lives: #1—and also showed that the changes in the characters were through God and prayer.

I'm looking forward to book two, which I bought yesterday!

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a splendid read with several characters to follow. So much in this story about forgiveness, love, and God's guidance in our lives. Gilbert feels he owes James so much for him "adopting" him and paying for his education. His girls try to do as their father wishes, but can they do that and remain true to God and his plans?

There is so much in this book that I enjoyed! I love the history of the early 1900s, and the character and plot lines are incredibly well written. I sat down to enjoy this read, and before I knew it...I had devoured half the book. It was a companion throughout my days as I didn't want to put it down. This is truly a wonderful historical read that I highly recommend.

I received this book free from the publisher for my honest opinion which I have given.

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novel received courtesy of Goodreads.com Giveaway

What an enjoyable novel! Susan Anne Mason develops her characters, setting and plot to perfection! The O'Leary's, an Irish family, own a horse farm on Long Island during the early 20th century. Their farm, Irish Meadows, is failing due to the prohibition of horse racing during this time. So what does an Irish father do when he's going to need cash to save the farm? He tries to marry his daughters off to the wealthiest suitors he can find. Mason's meticulous research of Long Island during this time is evident. "Irish Meadows" is the first book in a series and I'm looking forward to reading the next!

[Alyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating 2.5

A great story, but I took off one star because there was a serious lack in Irish culture. The family in this book was only Irish in name and not in practice. As someone who is Irish, well versed in Irish culture, and an official representive of the Ancient O'Neill Clan of Tyrone I really wanted this book to be filled with it.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well written debut novel from an award winning author, but it's purely a romance novel, thus the 3 stars. Not going to recap the story today, so the blurb is the place to find out.

This is a double romance involving two sisters set in--and once again it's rather annoying that a Canadian author felt the need to set this on Long Island in New York when there were plenty of Irish immigrants moving to Canada as well, but perhaps not all of her books are set there. This was her debut and perhaps she thought this would help get her started.

One of the things I found irksome, besides some of the normal romance novel stuff, is the anachronistic religious language and thinking. Drives me batty especially if they are Catholic (there are nuns and I'm not sure if there were Irish Anglican nuns in the States.) I realize that most Christian fiction is rather vague, but not usually if it's Catholic

[Raechel Lenore · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the tale, on the other hand, there were quite a few things that filled me with concern.

One of those such issues was the amount of kissing. Seriously, there was a vast amount and it really, really disappointed and rather disturbed me. It gives the impression that kisses are no big deal – everyone kisses, so why not? But this is so wrong! A kiss is so special, sacred – something to save and cherish for our husbands -or wives in guys’ case. (I also want to make note that I’m not condemning those who have already given away their first kiss. But I do encourage you to dedicate any more of your kisses for your future husband/wife. God can create something beautiful if only we let Him!)

Another point of issue was how Brianna yearned for approval for her father for so long – and in the end, received it. The first part is believable – many children yearn for their father’s approval and love. But not all get it. Even so, I was hoping that, with this particular matter, it would be brought to light how important it is that we know we never need to seek God’s approval because He loves us unconditionally. No matter what. So I was hoping for that contrast, that lesson. It’s of course great that her father softened in the end, but it seemed as though her father’s approval was enough. And not everyone has that situation and it’s so critical to know that God is there even when our earthly father’s are not. We need to know that no matter what, God’s love is enough. In all circumstances.

The faith in this book was, in short, concerning. I felt like there were little moments of truth, but then they would be overshadowed by inconsistencies and untruth. I was troubled by the fact that in the book the characters sought absolution and forgiveness only from the priests – they didn’t go straight to God. My belief is we can go directly to God for forgiveness of our sins, or at least do both because I fear that otherwise God is left out of it all. Many people say we don’t hear from God anymore or that how do we know we are forgiven unless a person tells us, but if we have a repentant heart, ask for forgiveness in true humbleness, God does forgive us, plain and simple. And I know for a fact that He still speaks to us today! We need only listen with an open heart. I was also uncomfortable with the fact that often the priest was compared to God. There was an instance where one of the characters was confessing to the priest, and the priest said “You’ve confessed to God and asked for His forgiveness, now accept His forgiveness” – but the character never actually prayed that to God. He only talked to the priest. I wanted to see more of the interactive relationship between character and our Lord. Another unsettling point was the fact that the girls, Colleen and Brianna, compared God to their father at one point, trying to say that God was in control. He is, I whole-heartedly believe that. But they compared it to their father, who at that stage, was very angry, demeaning and controlling, while God is loving and gentle all the time. I know everyone has their own belief system and I am not trying to get into a debate with anyone! If you don’t agree, that is fine – we are all on our own journey and where we are at. (I am who I am by the grace of God. 1Cor)

I did like the romance story between Colleen and her beau and Brianna and hers, besides the kissing. I loved seeing Colleen’s character really grow and mature more. And the orphanage bits were really sweet too. As I said, there were things I enjoyed and things I didn’t care for. I liked the story and the writing style, I just wish there could’ve been some…alterations to the book. Brianna and Gilbert’s character was really strong in the beginning, which was nice. How they handled their relationship towards the end didn’t particularly sit well with me, but I won’t go into that.

My favourite character at first was Brianna, but it slowly changed to Colleen and Rylan, and also sweet little Delia. Their stories were sweet and I really like how they came together and ended. :)



I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review which I have given.

[Karen R · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing family saga set in 1911 Long Island, New York! A good start to a new series featuring the O'Learys, a struggling second generation Irish-American family.

From the beautiful cover to the surprising ending, this well-written family drama pulled me in and kept me guessing at the direction the daughters' lives would turn out. Emotions ran high at times--many handkerchiefs were passed--with a lot of tension between father and daughters especially, and they all seemed very conflicted. The author does a really good job conveying what the characters are feeling through their conversations and actions. Many of the main characters were not very likeable at first, with the exception of Rylan, but eventually they changed for the better, and I hoped they could all have a happy ending. Seeking their heavenly Father first, and being honest finally with their earthly father, seemed to make all the difference. The themes of forgiveness, honesty, faith, trust and family loyalty were woven into all of their complicated relationships.
Loved the setting of Long Island in the early 1900's on a thoroughbred horse farm, with a lot of historical details, which are explained in the index. Expectations placed on women and opportunities for education especially have changed a lot in the past 100 years!

Looking forward to the next chapter in this family's story, to be continued in the next book. Recommend for readers who enjoy Christian historical romance fiction with a redemptive theme.
4.5 stars

(Thank you to The Book Club Network and the publisher for the book provided in exchange for my honest, unsolicited review.)

[writer... · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is sooooo good...I hardly can put it down!

Well researched, a historical novel set in 1911 NY, descriptive of the struggles of Irish immigrants of the era. Struggles that inform the attitudes and expectations of patriarch James O'Leary toward his daughters and family. Not an easy home relationally, a lifetime of experiences lie ahead for this family's maturing and the saving of their thoroughbred farm, Irish Meadows.

Beautifully written romances with real life jealousies, misunderstandings, interactions that were authentic in detail and description. As were the high moments of sweet expectancies fulfilled and heart revelations. A couple of exceptionally good hearted and handsome suitors add much to the visually inspired romantic appreciation!

I, for one, anticipate more enjoyment provided by Ms Mason with her next release in 2016.


Appreciation to Bethany House for providing an ecopy for reading and review without cost or compensation.


Reading this lovely Canadian authored historic novel for Canadian Book Challenge #8 ending July 1st annually with #9 beginning for the next Canadian year of reading Canadian authors, settings. Hosted at John Mutford's Book Mine Set blog Join us?

[Rebekah Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Irish Meadows was my first read from Susan Mason, and I enjoyed it! My favorite aspect of the story was the dual perspectives of the O'Leary sisters and their love interests. Irish Meadows is an engaging read that kept me interested and wondering what would become of our characters.

I favored reading Colleen's and Rylan's journey. At the beginning Colleen is the easiest character to loath and roll your eyes at. However, Colleen's personal growth and change of heart makes her lovable and relatable as the story progresses. Rylan is a man of honor that stood by his word, and seeked counsel from God and others when he was conflicted instead of acting upon his emotions. Rylan is by far my favorite character. On the other hand, we have Gil who is amazingly likable and handsome but is as finicky as a love stricken woman. Gil and Brianna's constant off and on again relationship is a little aggravating, but keeps the story going. Irish Springs focuses mainly on the development of relationships including romantic and familial. I enjoyed the development of Mr. O'Leary's individual relationships with and his daughters.

I look forward to reading the 2nd book in the Courage to Dream.

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The overall feeling I got from this book was desperation. The patriarch of the O'Leary family has a financial and social agenda and expects his loved ones to do his bidding without question. He is quite the bully and creates quandaries for the members of his family who are caught between loyalty to James and following their dreams. There is plenty of angst as matters of the heart are involved and passions are repressed. I enjoyed the characters and read anxiously as each made choices that created a ripple effect throughout the story. I appreciated that the relationships were realistic- Gilbert and Brianna in particular had issues of trust, communication and expectations to work through, and the path was not smooth. The overriding theme was for each member of the family to learn to follow God's will for their life, not their father's.

(Thank you to Bethany House Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, engaging read that follows two sisters with dreams that take a change in course when two handsome men come/return to their lives.

I thought it was okay. My main problem with it was Brianna and Gilbert’s excessive drama. They were constantly jumping to wrong conclusions or having little tiffs. Argh! I also wasn't the biggest fan of Brianna.

I did like Colleen and Rylan’s story. They were cute and it had a unique twist. Their first scene together was a good one, haha. I hope to see more of them in book 2!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! Two very different sisters, two stories of forbidden love, all set in an intriguing but little-used time period and location. I can't wait to read the next Courage to Dream book.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story began well but fell flat. The sisters’ personalities switched on a dime, and Brianna in particular became whiny, immature, and needy until basically the end of the book.

Once again, history was adjusted to suit the author’s whims. Why can’t we stick to the facts of when and what actually happened so that we learn a bit of truth as we read?

Content: tobacco, gambling, alcohol, drunkenness

[Christina Sinisi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book.

The only reason I didn't give it a 5 was because I didn't get wowed. If the author had let the characters feel their pain a bit more, if their high was a bit higher, otherwise a very enjoyable book.

I do say I was a bit challenged to think of my preconceptions of priests...I go back and forth between what is theologically sound--to marry or not to marry?

Also, it was very interesting to think of Long Island as rural when I think of New York as just one big city--we are always learning!

[Sarita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was the first I have read by this author and I can understand why readers love her work.

The writing which delivered rounded, realistic characters, all with their own struggles and dreams, brought forth a story filled with emotions and character growth.

I enjoyed getting to know the family and characters and look forward in continuing the journey through their lives by reading the rest of the series.

*I read this book on Scribd.*

[Paula Vince · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have strong Irish ancestry in my family line, and loved this novel with its double romances. The O'Leary family live on Long Island, New York, in 1911. James, the father, is a successful trainer of thoroughbred horses, but fears his business is crumbling. He is an autocratic family head who thinks of his family as extensions of his resources, and also assumes that his own priorities must surely be theirs. His attitude extends to Gilbert, the penniless son of a servant he'd brought up as a foster son. With a mindset like James', there's bound to be conflict when his two elder daughters find his marriage choices for them repugnant, and want to follow their hearts instead.

Gilbert and Brianna's ties of affection go back years. She's also the bluestocking type, who wants to pursue a tertiary education, which is frowned upon by her father. Gilbert's plight makes us ponder the question of how much a person really owes a benefactor, and at what point should we call our lives our own. Some of their rash decisions and hasty jumps to conclusions made me wish someone would knock some sense into them, yet they are so true to life for young people who have known each other forever and aren't sure how they should be feeling toward each other. Especially when their feelings don't suit the dad who pulls the strings. Both Gilbert and Brianna have peace-loving, gentle personalities, and I couldn't help hoping they'd sort their tangles without too much angst.

Meanwhile, Brianna's elder sister, Colleen, starts off as a Scarlett O'Hara type of character, shallow, flirty and as manipulative as her father. She's astounded to fall for the fun-loving, warm-hearted Rylan, who happens to be training for the Catholic priesthood. I liked their story best, as it didn't have all the temperamental ups and downs of Gilbert and Brianna's, but just one very major, emotional hurdle. Wow, can that girl cry! She starts off as the sort of person who has toughened her heart and refused to cry, but in the few months covering this story, she makes up for all those years. There's hardly a scene where he's not pulling out his hanky for her. Got to love her.

Rylan's dilemma was a page turner. He has a passion for what he believes is his calling, but is blindsided by the equally strong feelings he develops for the young woman whose sensitivity and generous heart he sees unfolding before him. I think he was my favourite character, and Colleen was definitely lucky to meet him.

One thing puzzled me. The clergy in this story were given the title of 'Reverend', such as Reverend Filmore, but I thought the Irish priests were always called 'Father.' Were both appellations used in that time and place?

I'll be hanging out for the sequel. All through the story, I couldn't help noticing that the girls' brother, Adam, seemed to have issues, although they were swept to the background. I was pleased to get to the author's notes at the end of the book, and find out that his story is coming.

Thanks to Bethany House and Net Galley for my review copy.