A Family Reunion

by Patricia Scanlan

Previously published as The Liberation of Brigid Dunne

One explosive family reunion. A lifetime of secrets revealed.

Spanning generations and covering seismic shifts in the lives of women, A Family Reunion is a compelling, thought-provoking, important and highly emotional novel.

528 pages, Paperback

Published March 4, 2021

About the author

Patricia Scanlan was born in Dublin, where she still lives. Her #1 bestsellers include Apartment 3B; Finishing Touches; Foreign Affairs; Promises, Promises; Mirror, Mirror; City Girl; City Woman; City Lives; and Francesca’s Party. She has sold millions of books worldwide and is translated into many languages. Patricia is the series editor and a contributing author to the award winning Open Door literacy series, which she developed for adult literacy.

Reviews

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read lots of Patricia Scanlan books years ago and then she fell out of favour with me. So, when I saw this one on. Netgalley I decided to try it. Unfortunately it wasn’t for me I didn’t enjoy the story and I couldn’t settle into it very well. It’s a shame as in the past her books were always good. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

[Val Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will admit I read this book last year with the title of The liberation of Brigid Dunne, but I absolutely loved it and was really happy to read this book again. However this time I'm much happier with the title A Family Reunion. I really didn't like the original title. It wasn't something that leapt out and said read me, This image and the title is much more Patricia Scanlan's style and I feel it has a much more catchy title that's more in keeping with the book and hopefully more likely to be selected if spotted on a bookshelf.

What a fantastic book. Thanks to Simon & Schuster UK for the opportunity to read and review this book. for an honest review.

It starts with Marie-Claire finding out that her boyfriend has been cheating which helps her to make the decision to go back to Ireland to visit her family and for her Great Aunt Brigid's 80th Birthday party and the fireworks start here!

Its a wonderful book that covers the lives of three generations, even through Convents. Reverend Mother, Brigid, her sister Imelda, Imelda’s daughter Keelin and grand daughter Marie-Claire. It may sound unusual and maybe it is a little but its not something to put you off, it's a very well told story and although it goes into the religious side and their lives, it gives it from several points of view, and there's always heaps of drama and scandal involved.

A thoroughly good book to curl up with. I'll definitely be looking out for the books Patricia Scanlan has written that I have may have missed out on or even reread as I did with this and cant wait to get stuck into them all over again.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating insight of life as a missionary nun and the relationships, secrets and religious experiences of four Irish women beautifully told.
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[Emma Crowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s been so long since I read a book by Patricia Scanlan, who in the past has been a firm favourite of mine, being one of the excellent Irish writers I began to read in my late teens. I can’t for the life of me figure out why I haven’t read anything recently by this wonderful author as I thoroughly enjoyed this new book, A Family Reunion, now published in paperback. Since it’s hardback publication last year it has had a title change. It had been called The Liberation of Brigid Dunne and I can see why it would have been called that but I think this new cover and title will be sure to appeal to many more readers. It’s a long book at just over 500 pages in length but I didn’t feel as if it was a chore to read it. Instead I read huge chunks in one sitting and I found the chapters flew by as I became immersed in the story of three generations of women and how a family reunion changes their landscape forever. Old secrets, bitter resentments and many jealousies come exploding to the surface after having been kept buried for many many years.

The format of the book was perfect. We began as members of the family reunite as Sister. Brigid is celebrating her 80th birthday and her retirement at Four Winds House. Marie Claire, her niece, is coming back from Toronto. Her mother Keelin is visiting with her husband Armand from France and Imelda, her mother and Brigid’s sister, is reluctantly going to the celebration. Each of the women has had their own struggles in the past and for some they still exist in the present. Issues surrounding their family history, events that have occurred and their inability to express their feelings start to simmer to the surface and revelations come right out into the open when Imelda just can’t keep a lid on things anymore. What she says sends shockwaves through the family and a rift ensues but to understand the context for such hatred, bile and animosity to be unleashed we have to go back in time to learn of Brigid’s, Imelda and Keelin’s individual stories.

Marie Claire features more in the present and in a way she is the glue that binds the three aforementioned women together. Without her a deep chasm would open and remain so for many years. Marie Claire is dealing with her own problems as she has just discovered her boyfriend Marc has been cheating on her. Just when she thought her life and career were moving up a gear she is thrown off kilter by what she discovers. She doesn’t actually confront Marc with what she knows instead she leaves for Ireland arriving unexpectedly at the reunion much to the delight of her family. I wished she would have been stronger and made a clean break from Marc but it was like she couldn’t admit to herself that he wasn’t as perfect as she had believed him to be. Time away from her situation to become absorbed in family life once more may give her the fresh perspective that she needs but little does she bargain on the many announcements that are revealed by Imelda in a fit of rage. Can her family be pieced back together or has too much damage been done?

Once the reunion and birthday has been explored we are taken back in time to an Ireland that is very different to the one we live in today. The author does a fantastic job of exploring the way society was run and how women didn’t have a very strong place in it. Rather they were constrained and bound by family duty and obligations and dictated to by the church. It shows just how far we have come as a country and that in the past women were supressed for their views and anything that happened outside the norms of family life that would draw attention to or damage the reputation of a family would have disastrous consequences. Ireland has a very tainted history when it comes to the way the Church dominated everything and I don’t think the lives of Brigid, Imelda and Keelin would have gone on the path in which they did were it not for the rules and regulations imposed by the Church. It seems so backwards and so out of touch with how we live today and it is a stark remainder that this wasn’t all that long ago.

Imelda and Brigid live on the family farm with their parents and brothers. Imelda is the younger sister who from the outset always seemed to have such a chip on her shoulder. She is insanely jealous of Brigid and doesn’t have a great relationship with her. My initial impressions were that none of them were completely happy and Imelda allowed her anger and what she viewed as an injustice done to her to fester for so long that she just couldn’t help herself when the opportunity arose so many years later to get everything out in the open. When Brigid decides to enter the convent Imelda allows her self pity to increase and she starts to hold a grudge against her sister. She feels as if she is left to a life of slavery looking after her granny and parents and that no good life opportunities will come her way. Of course her life does go on to change and she marries and has a family of her own but still these insecurities of hers multiply.

It’s only when we reach the point where her own particular story is explored that you can begin to feel any shred of sympathy or understanding for her .Yet at the same time I did think a lot of her wrongdoings and the opinions she held were of her own creation. She came across as bitter and closed off and not a person able to fully relax and open up and allow love and contentment into her life. Her personality and stance affected those around her and you couldn’t blame the various characters for the way they felt about her. It’s only as we near the end and the group of women take a religious and spiritual tour of sorts to Iona and the surrounding area that Imelda reveals her true self and things made much more sense. Yet her actions with regard to both Keelin and Brigid, I’m not so sure would I have been as forthcoming with my forgiveness.

Brigid is a complex character who wrestles with her conscience throughout the story. She harbours a deep secret that has eaten away at her ever since she entered the convent. It seemed to be me a rash decision was made on her part to become a nun in order to escape country life and I sensed there had to be a much deeper reason behind it. Whether it was the right thing or not to do remained to be seen for a very long time. Brigid known as mere to Marie Claire and Keelin was the anthesis of Imelda and I think this really got Imelda’s back up. Why do her daughter and granddaughter turn to their Aunt for advice and support rather than her? Brigid was calm and serene on the outside and for many years worked on the missions in Africa, helping children and families. She is dedicated to this work but there is always a little sense of the rebel about her that she doesn’t always conform to the rules and regulations imposed by the Church and convent. Yet she would never leave and I questioned what was keeping her there and what was her dark secret?

Brigid was a real matriarchal figure and her life could have been ruined despite her great age. Instead she turns a nasty experience into one which will benefit her and change her outlook. Maybe it was the right time for everything to be brought out into the open. She begins to question herself and the many indoctrinations of the church. She feels as if she has been brainwashed to think in one way and that there are in fact many other possibilities and opinions out there. She starts to realise that the Church uses suppression as a form of control upon the lives of those who ‘work’ for it and the women of Ireland. Women’s inequality and the church and state control is expertly highlighted throughout the book but not done so in an overbearing manner.

As for Keelin, to me she was the most free spirited of them all and with Armand she had found her comfort zone running retreats in France. But she too harboured her own secret which I must say was very surprising. I found her journey that we read of in the past really helped me to understand her and the relationship she had with both Marie Claire and Brigid in the present. I think Keelin couldn’t connect at all to Imelda as a mother and one action of Imelda’s in particular damaged the mother daughter relationship almost beyond repair. Keelin experienced a similar journey to that of Brigid’s but the path that she threaded was a very different one. Through her experiences another aspect of Irish history was explored and my sense of injustice grew and grew.

I think Patricia Scanlan did a fantastic job of highlighting the many faults of Ireland as a state and how we have been dominated by the Church’s control and its teachings. You will perhaps want to stop every so often and look up bits of information which will enhance your understanding and appreciation of the brilliant story that unfolded. I thoroughly enjoyed A Family Reunion, yes there are aspects that will divide opinion but I know what side I am planted on. This book has reignited my love for Patricia’s writing and I look forward to reading her next book.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is storytelling at its best, something that Patricia Scanlan excels at! Taking readers through 70 years of Irish history and giving a fascinating look at the emancipation of women in the Catholic faith, I thoroughly enjoyed and was intrigued by facts and issues that were dealt with here that I knew nothing about, especially the story of Mary Magdalene. (I’ve since done a bit of Googling!)

The story is character driven, with the main characters being four strong women from the same family: Sisters Brigid and Imelda, Imelda’s daughter Keelin, and Keelin’s daughter Marie-Claire. The reader is taken from past to present, starting with a brief prologue, first in the ’50’s where an obviously young, scared girl, all alone on Christmas Eve, loses her baby; then moving swiftly to the mid-’80’s where another young woman shares her secret pregnancy with the man she loves; and then to 2017 where Marie-Claire discovers that her partner has been unfaithful. She immediately decides to leave Canada and return to Ireland so that she can be with her family and celebrate her Great-Aunt Brigid’s 80th birthday, after which she will decide what her next steps will be. This is a decision that changes the trajectory of her life and of the three women who are most important to her.

Brigid is turning 80 and has just retired from her numerous years of service to the Church. Her most recent role as Reverend Mother surely indicates her dedication and devotion to the Catholic faith that she’s served unfailingly for all these years? However, as we get to know Brigid it’s clear that her entry into service was not the vocation that others may have thought it to be. Her sister Imelda, has understood this all along! However, as time marches on and Brigid achieves the increased admiration that comes with rising seniority within her Order, Imelda becomes increasingly maudlin and bitter … not just about her attitude towards her sister, but towards everyone and everything in her life.

Meanwhile, Brigid herself is starting to feel an intense dissatisfaction with the way in which women are treated by the Church. Despite her respected position, she knows that were she not retiring, she would have had to leave the Church anyway as she knew that she had started to resent so much of what she (and so many others) had been taught about Catholicism and the place of women within it, from the time she was very young. She is envious of her sister who got to stay at home, marry and raise a family, something that circumstances prevented her from doing.

The growing resentments and perceived notions of how each sister has lived her life just continue to bubble under the surface of everything they’ve both done over the years. Things are bound to come to an earth-shattering, ground-breaking halt sooner or later … and they most certainly do: at Brigid’s surprise 80th birthday. Just how that happens, well, you’ll have to read the book to find out, but suffice to say, the impact on Brigid, Imelda, Keelin and Marie-Claire is life-changing, and things will certainly never be the same again.

I adored this book. It’s a story to immerse yourself in. I’m sure that much of the subject matter might well be controversial, but it’s all based on historical fact, so there really is nothing to argue with. For someone like me who finds other religions and their intricacies and backgrounds interesting, it really was an eye-opener. There’s also an esoteric aspect added in which really blended nicely with the whole theme of the female role in Catholocism, what that role is and how it’s evolved and developed over time. There is so much one can say about organised religion and the way it labels and boxes in certain types of people – wars have been, and probably will continue to be – fought over it. There will always be those willing to follow the rigid dogma of their religion of choice. But just as there are those who find it impossible to live without those structures and harsh rules, there are also those who know that in order to make religion (whichever one it may be) more welcoming to those who are on the outside, there will need to be a flexibility and fluidity to the boundaries and fences that confine it, in order to welcome these others into its embrace. The author has displayed this delicately and sensitively and can be commended for it.

Each of the main characters has something endearing about her, even prickly Imelda. As each one’s story unfolds, readers will undoubtedly choose their favourites. I think for me it was a toss-up between Brigid and Imelda. Both of them had difficult choices to make and both made the absolute best out of those choices. But once certain things came to light and they realised that once again, changes would need to be made, neither of them shied away from making those changes even at their advanced ages. These are both amazing, brave women that Patricia Scanlan has created. They’re wonderful!

This is a highly recommended 5-star read.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four women, one family, but each with a wide variety of experiences and secrets. Patricia Scanlan has written a novel which is set mainly in contemporary Ireland, but looks further in its narration of a woman’s experiences, and deeper at the fight for freedom of choice in many ways. As an extended family come together for a party to celebrate Brigid’s eightieth birthday and retirement as Reverend Mother, old hurts are revealed and pain shared. This is a vivid and intense novel which looks at the pressures on women as they make choices over the years, and how compromises can damage lives. Looking at the influence of parents and especially the demands of a religious life, this novel is a touching and sincere look at how a family’s complex relationships can be exploded by the telling of truth which has implications for how others choose to live.
Although male characters have a vital role in every woman’s story, the focus is how the four women react to and deal with their own situations. Brigid is made to consider how her life has been spent, her sister Imelda choosing to reveal her bitterness and sense of hurt, while her own daughter Keelin considers what she has hidden. Marie-Claire, daughter, granddaughter and niece has to not only witness these revelations, but make her own decision about her relationship with an unreliable partner. This is a book of effectively drawn characters placed in a series of situations made realistic by the dialogue they share in all its variety. I was pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this intense and powerful book.
The book opens with a Progue set in 1953, as a young woman loses a baby on Christmas Eve. The action moves forward to 2017, as another young woman, Marie-Claire, discovers that her long term partner Marc has been cheating on her. Deciding that she will abandon plans to leave Canada for New York, she instead flies to Dublin, in time to attend her great – aunt’s party. She arrives as a surprise in her grandmother Imelda’s house, meeting her parents who have flown over from their home in Paris for the party. As preparations for the event continue at Four Winds, a house belonging to Brigid’s Order of nuns, many women are looking forward to greeting Brigid at her surprise party. Everything is arranged with precision, but Imelda is unwilling to join in the celebration for her older sister, and announces publicly how much bitterness she has for Brigid. She reveals a painful secret about Keelin and her husband Armand’s life that shocks Marie Claire. When her granddaughter tries to reason with her, Imelda attacks her for having the choices that her generation has in terms of relationships in contrast with her own situation. As she departs from the horrified gathering, Imelda realizes some of the damage she has done, though is wounded when no one except her patient daughter in law is concerned with her. As Brigid realizes that how she has spent her life may have been based on shaky ground, she makes a new start after her retirement, but can the four women ever be truly reconciled?
This novel takes in so much about the various main characters’ lives over the decades. It acknowledges that some choices may have been misguided, and what to do with that knowledge. It is good on the fight for effective contraception in Ireland, and the other social pressures on women as well as those perpetuated by the Catholic Church. The language of this book is distinctive, and it has a significant impact on the book as whole. This is a very readable book which I recommend as a substantial portrayal of real women’s lives.

[Linda Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secrets of the past won’t remain buried.

A Family Reunion is what I’d call a ‘proper’ story. All the elements I like are present, with strong characters, a compelling plot and a real sense of place. I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt it was one of those books that would lend itself beautifully to a television series because there are secrets, twists and turns that make for a really immersive narrative.

Patricia Scanlan is a consummate story teller. Whilst A Family Reunion is a compelling story of family and relationships, the author weaves geography, history, religion and sociology into it so that her reader is moved, outraged and ensnared in equal measure. I found the presentation of Ireland’s female sexual and religious emancipation as a backdrop to the narratives of Imogen, Brigid, Keelin and Marie-Claire absolutely fascinating and I was quite surprised by some of the vehemence expressed not only by the characters but also through the authorial voice too. Whilst I agreed wholeheartedly with them, I do, however, think some readers might find themselves at odds with some of the views expressed. A Family Reunion caused me to scurry off and research some of its factual references so that my reading experience was enriched and my awareness raised. This is a book that satisfies beyond the confines of its pages.

I absolutely loved having three generations of women because it felt like a natural and recognisable scenario. Brigid and Imogen have a maturity and experience that gives depth. Although I liked her least because of her bitterness and vindictiveness, I found Imogen the most fascinating. She illustrates so brilliantly how perception and imagined wrongs can fester and affect us. Indeed, Patricia Scanlan shows her readers considerable humanity as she presents four flawed and vivid women who all embody an element any reader could relate to. I thoroughly enjoyed the way layers of the past became the bedrock of the present for these four women.

I found the settings in A Family Reunion highly effective. I loved being in Africa with Brigid and now have a hankering to visit Iona. It was smashing to feel I’d been on a road trip after so many months in lockdown.

I think there are elements of A Family Reunion that will divide opinion depending on the religious beliefs and backgrounds of the reader. However, I found it an immersive and entertaining book and am glad I have finally discovered Patricia Scanlan’s writing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading A Family Reunion.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reverend Mother Brigid is about to celebrate her eightieth birthday at her beloved Four Winds in Ireland and a planned family reunion will bring together three generations of her Irish family. This group of strong women each have a powerful story to tell and their meeting will have far reaching repercussions for all of them.

I think what this author does so well is create a very believable set of characters and interweaves their lives in such a way that you can't help but be drawn into their individual stories. Throughout the course of A Family Reunion we learn about the lives of Brigid, and her sister Imelda, and the complicated reasons for the animosity they level at each other. We also get to meet Keelin, Imelda's daughter who lives in France along with Imelda’s beloved granddaughter, Marie-Claire, who is escaping an unhappy love affair in Canada.

A Family Reunion is a complex family drama which looks at some fairly deep emotional issues but does so with a lovely, easy style which makes the book so engrossing that the pages turn almost by themselves. The story is long, coming in at over 500 pages, but is so fascinating that once I started reading I didn't notice time passing. I loved being caught up in the lives of Brigid, Imelda, Keelin and Marie-Claire and looked forward to the chapters where the author gave each of them their own time in the spotlight.

The birthday party which brings them together acts as the catalyst which will allow all the threads of the story to come together. Moving seamlessly forwards and backwards in time this multi-generational family drama captures the mood of Ireland throughout some of its most tumultuous times, and brings an awareness of some of the deep religious and social divides which affected the well-being of women during the 1950s, through to the present time.

With fascinating detail A Family Reunion delves deep into the heart of the Dunne family, exposing secrets so raw, that they threaten to expose the shadows of the past and which also have deep consequences for the future stability of the family.

*It’s worth noting that this book was previously issued as The Liberation of Brigid Dunne.

[Audrey Haylins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been reading Patricia Scanlan’s books for as long as she’s been writing them. I love that her protagonists are always women and that her stories are always absorbing and authentic. That said, while I enjoyed this latest offering, it didn’t quite hold the same appeal for me as previous novels.

A Family Reunion traces the lives of three generations of Irish women: retiring 80 year-old nun Brigid, her younger sister Imelda, Imelda’s daughter Keelin and granddaughter Marie-Claire. When long held grudges and secrets are laid bare at a party to celebrate Brigid’s birthday, all are forced to confront memories and truths that threaten to split the family asunder.

I enjoyed the dual timeline of this narrative that switched between the past and the present, recounting the contrasting lives led by the four women. Brigid’s 60-odd years of devoted service to the Catholic Church. Imelda’s decades of perceived drudgery. Keelin’s difficult journey of self discovery. And Marie-Claire, whose richness of choice is beyond anything the others could dream of.

The Catholic Church plays a big role in this book: its power, its doctrines (especially with regard to issues like contraception and abortion), its stranglehold on Irish society, its bigoted treatment of women, its secrets and its shame.

However, in taking such a massive swipe at the Church, I feel that Scanlan ends up sacrificing the integrity of her story, which for me unraveled in the joint ‘pilgrimage’ made by the four women to try and effect a reconciliation.

The revelations, soul searching, epiphanies and changes of heart that occur during this trip are all a bit trite and unconvincing, and there are certain confidences shared amongst the three generations that I found toe-curlingly improbable.

These last few chapters aside, though, this is still a book worth reading. Scanlan’s writing is full of heart, as always, and her characters are beautifully drawn. There is much to appreciate. Just not one of her better efforts.

*It’s worth noting that this novel was previously published under the title The Liberation of Brigid Dunne. I can see why it may have felt judicious to change it for this relaunch.

[Joanna Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Family Reunion was a very intriguing, absorbing read which is actually the first I have read by this author.

I love books that follow generations of the same family as its always interesting to see the history the different women had experienced. This book looks at the life of one family throughout 70 years of Irish History. Some of the subjects covered are quite heavy, emotional ones which made for hard reading at times. I had never realised the struggles that women had with getting simple things like contraception in Ireland so it was interesting to read more about their fight to use it and to see the abortion laws changed which obviously helped change a lot of women’s lives for the best. There is a lot of Religious information included which I didn’t know about and I found myself googling a lot of the places and terms to find out more.

The three main characters are all really strong women who I really enjoyed reading about. I found that I really loved some of them but really didn’t like others though they did all grow on me as the book continued. It was interesting to learn more about them and to see how they dealt with the choices they’ve had to make. It made me wonder if I would have made the same decisions and what I might have done differently.

Overall I really enjoyed this book as I felt it was a great mix of historical fiction and family saga which I thought worked very well. It definitely kept me reading too late at night as I was very interested to see what would happen next. As mentioned above this was my first read by this author and I would definitely be interested in reading more soon.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Simon and Schuster for my copy of this book.

[Kiki Hempell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The interesting thing about this story is how it is not only about how a family has not seen each other in a while, but rather the circumstances that make them the people that they are today and how this has affected their relationships. However, even though there is a lot of anger pent up in these characters, it becomes more clear that their reasoning is not always black and white, but rather multicolour with varying valid reasons why they have come to think in a particular way. In fact, it is fascinating to see the ingredients that have been able to create such a huge family drama.

Personally, I haven't had much excited by the concept of Christianity, of course, except for the writings which I have always find to be fascinating in their own way. But somehow Scanlan has weaved in this incredible and riveting story of what it means for some people to practice and enter that kind of faith. It explores more than the morality of what we should and shouldn't do with our lives, but the types of lives we were all born into and how this would affect all our futures, whether we like it or not.

It is terribly tragic, yet inspiring how religion in some ways is able to make or break someone's life and how they might deal with the aftermath of all of it. But also, throughout all of the hardships that come with being a woman, there is still something that always is the pillar to our happiness, our families.

Even though this is a family who clearly seems to be fighting, the main aspect of it is the journey that they all take, whether it be about self-reflection, discovery or forgiveness. In general this book is a satisfying read and one that I did take my time to savour for once. I cannot recommend it enough.

[Pam Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an engrossing read which weaves together three generations of one family, focussing on the female members of the family. You get a real flavour of the times, especially as they affected women, through the attitudes of the RC Church and society in Ireland towards issues of fertility, childbirth and the place of women. Much is hidden as appearances are kept up. There are some shocking moments. You also get to contrast the choices which women have in their personal relationships today, compared to in the 1950's.

Brigid and Imelda are sisters and there are many issues from the past which block their understanding of each other. Imelda, in particular, seems very complicated and resentful but also, so very vulnerable. Imelda's daughter and granddaughter have their own stories and added to that, their relationships with each other and with Brigid and Imelda forms a complex web. Each of the four women are strong willed and feisty. Together they make a formidable mix!

In short: Secrets from the past surface.
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book

[Avril Mcauley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been a fan of Patricia Scanlan and this book was no exception. I must admit when I started to read it I was getting a bit mixed up with who was who but I’m glad I stuck with it as it was an interesting read.
It’s the story of three generations of Irish woman and their struggle to accept the choices they’ve made in life.
Briiged has entered a convent while her sister Imelda stays at home on the farm to take care of their parents.
The story jumps between them as teenagers and being elderly ladies, introducing the other two characters along the way. Imelda’s daughter Keelin and her daughter Marie-Claire Who has returned to Ireland from Canada nursing a broken heart.
This story took me all round the world from Ireland, Africa France and even my hometown of Edinburgh.
A really different story to any other Patricia Scanlan ive read, very enjoyable.
Thank you Patricia Scanlan, Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the early copy.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

(This was previously published as The Liberation of Brigid Dunne)

I’ve been a huge fan of Patricia’s for many years and have read all her books, so I was thrilled to have the chance to read this one. I wasn’t disappointed.

Four women from the same family – sisters Brigid and Imelda, and Imelda’s daughter (Keelin) and granddaughter (Marie-Claire) – and the occasion of Brigid’s 80th birthday. Brigid is a nun, but Imelda has always been jealous of her older sister. There’s also tension between Imelda and Keelin, and everything comes to a head at Brigid’s birthday party.

A beautiful book that I didn’t want to put down; it had Patricia’s usual warmth, humour, and real-life situations, and I really didn’t want it to end!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster UK for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

[Karen Kingston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first read of a Patricia Scanlan novel, and I’m not sure why I haven’t read any before.

The book looks at the lives of the women in one family in Ireland over the past seventy years, looking at how the Catholic Church provided sanctuary for one and ostracised another. The book deals with miscarriage, suicide, forced adoptions and family arguments, so isn’t a ‘light’ read but it was a compelling read.

Marie-Claire flees Canada with a broken heart to spend time with her family in Ireland, not expecting to find herself in the middle of a family party where her grandmother decides to spill lots of family secrets after bottling them up for many years. The family then have to deal with the change in family dynamics and the uncovering of more secrets.

I enjoyed this book, swept up in the story, which moves backwards and forward in time for the three generations. As an English woman I hadn’t appreciated how much freedom we had in terms of contraception in contrast to our Irish neighbours. The book looks at the issues of the homes for unmarried mothers, fighting for the right to use contraception and for the abortion laws to be changed, the major changes to the lives of Irish women.

Happy to recommend this book to fans of family drama and historical fiction. I enjoyed curling up with this 500+ page book over a weekend, ignoring the housework and making the most of the enforced staying in to stay safe during lockdown. If we were able to travel on holiday later this year, this would be one of my recommendations for sun lounger reading.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy to read and review for the blog tour

[Emma Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about four strong woman from the same family.

There is Brigid who is a retired Nun and then we have Imelda who is Brigid sister she feels very hard done and thinks Brigid had a better life than she did, while Brigid feels she would have liked to have what Imelda had.

Keelin is Imelda’s daughter and she feels her Mum has never supported her throughout her life. Marie-Claire is Keelin’s daughter she was living in Canada where her life has come tumbling down.

The woman decide to go on a journey together and this is where they tell the truth about what has happened over the years will they be able to put the past behind and move on to a better life together.

[Laura Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed a lot of Patricia Scanlan’s books in the past so when I saw one at the library I hadn’t read before I immediately picked it up.

The novel is told from the point of view of 4 women from the same family and follows their journeys across Canada, Ireland, France and Africa. The first half was very good and kept me turning the pages to discover the characters’ secrets.

However I’ve had to give it 3 stars as the last quarter of the book almost seemed like thinly veiled religious propaganda.

[Sarah Truckell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A family reunited at the 80th birthday of Brigid a newly retired Reverend Mother. Her sister Imelda tears things apart with a revelation which shocks her Daughter Keelin and Granddaughter Marie-Claire - can this be repaired? After the opening chapters the book goes back in time to Brigid’s calling and then subsequent time as a nun and developments for the rest of the family. A good story but too long. Not sure what I think about the latter chapters and references to Jesus and Mary Magdalene.

[Maddie Erskine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful read! 4 women, all from the same family, all with different issues in their lives. I felt as if I was there with them, totally drawn in. The book delved really deeply into their lives and was unafraid to tackle some sensitive issues involving the Catholic faith. Patricia Scanlan at her best!

[Amy Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a shame I was really looking forward to this book when I picked it up, however it was really hard to get into. I like a book to have a flow to it and unfortunately this lacked flow, I found it hard to keep track of where I was in the book and what character the chapter was focused on. I feel that each chapter could have focused on one of the four instead of all 4 of them

[sonia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this book was totally overwritten. It was alright in setting up the characters but then it kept droning on in great depth and detail without getting anywhere to the point where I’d had enough and skipped to the end. I just didn’t care about them anymore. Pity as it began well. Maybe half the size would have been enough to tell the story

[Melissa Crisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, so this book is actually highly religious! told through the yes of a Nun and a religious family of women in Ireland.

I actually really enjoyed the first half. But the last half dragged.....a lot. I felt there was just too much information about the Church which took away from the characters a little.

3.5 stars. No major drama or grabbing points which was unfortunate.

[Erin Tabinor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book which helps remind us of the work great women before us have done to give us so many freedoms we have today. I think this is my favourite book of Scanlan's so far and I enjoyed a serious subject matter being introduced into her familiar story telling style.

[CJ Mason The Fallen Librarian Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review for this phenomenal book is on my blog https://thefallenlibrarian.wordpress....

[Debbie Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book from Patricia Scanlan.

[linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Annoyed that I had downloaded this book on Audible under a different title. It was interesting and gave an insight into a family of women and their struggles

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It certainly raised some interesting views. It also makes you wonder how men got away with it so long.

[Kelsey Banks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very twee and too much religion for me

[Clare Brack · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely read 3 generations of women living in Ireland and the obstacles they've overcome...Poignant in places touching on sensitive subjects...Really enjoyed this x

[Lorraine Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read