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Dublin's Girl
Falling in love with the enemy is the ultimate act of betrayal... 1917. A farm girl from Cavan, Veronica McDermott is desperate to find more to life than peeling potatoes. Persuading her family to let her stay with her aunt and uncle in Dublin so she can attend secretarial college, she has no idea what she is getting into. Recruited by Fr Michael O'Flanagan to type for Eamon De Valera, Veronica is soon caught up in the danger and intrigue of those fighting for Ireland's independence from Britain. The attentions of a handsome British soldier, Major Harry Fairfax, do not go unnoticed by Veronica's superiors. But when Veronica is tasked with earning his affections to gather intelligence for Sinn Féin, it isn't long before her loyalty to her countrymen and her feelings for Harry are in conflict. To choose one is to betray the other... Inspired by real life events and marking the centenary of the end of the War of Independence, Dublin's Girl is a thrilling historical debut from an exciting new Irish voice. What readers are saying about Dublin's Girl : 'This book was reminiscent of Pam Jenoff's WWII novels and carried the suspense and anticipation of Eoin Dempsey's Finding Rebecca ... The chemistry between the main characters was incredible' 5* reader review 'Loved this! ... Full of romance, political intrigue, suspense, and history ' 5* blogger review , Arrow Reads 'Fantastic read. I have been completely unable to put this one down . I cannot wait to read more by this author' 5* blogger review , Little Miss Book Lover 87 ' I loved this book and can't wait to read what the author writes next ... Very highly recommended!' 5* reader review ' Dublin's Girl by Eimear Lawlor is a great historical fiction novel that has romance, political intrigue, suspense , and most definitely action ... At first it seems as if it is a historical romance ... it has so much more' 5* reader review 'Wow ... It was exciting and captivating ' 5* reader review 'I love learning about this time period in Irish history ... The plot and the setting drew me in immediately ' 4* reader review
384 pages, Paperback
Published July 14, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
February 3, 2021
Veronica is a young woman living in rural Ireland who wants to see more of life. She moves to Dublin to stay with her Aunt and Uncle and attends secretarial college. She then starts to work for Sinn Fein and becomes a sort of courier. When an English soldier shows an interest in her, she's encouraged to keep seeing him and get information for the cause.
This is a period of history that I love. I had a Grand Uncle who fought in the war of Independence. I was eagerly anticipating this read but unfortunately it fell completely flat for me. The writing was stilted and the 'supposed' romance was almost non existent. I couldn't care about any of the characters. They weren't fleshed out enough.
The story hopped around and things happened too quickly. She was no length of time in the college and she was picked for a major job. The information she was getting from the English soldier seemed nonsensical and worthless.
I've read a lot of books set around this era of our history so maybe I was expecting too much.
This is a period of history that I love. I had a Grand Uncle who fought in the war of Independence. I was eagerly anticipating this read but unfortunately it fell completely flat for me. The writing was stilted and the 'supposed' romance was almost non existent. I couldn't care about any of the characters. They weren't fleshed out enough.
The story hopped around and things happened too quickly. She was no length of time in the college and she was picked for a major job. The information she was getting from the English soldier seemed nonsensical and worthless.
I've read a lot of books set around this era of our history so maybe I was expecting too much.
January 24, 2021
It’s 1917 in rural Cavan in the city of Dublin Ireland. Veronica McDermott lives on a farm with her family. But she wants more to life than living on a farm in the country, so you go and stays with her Uncle Tom and Aunty Betty and attends Secretarial college. Part way through her course she is gets a job to typing letters to the local priest who happens to be a member of Sinn Fein. She is doing such good work that she is asked to work at their headquarters. As a secretary to Politian Michael Collins who asks her to spy on a British soldier and gather intelligence about the British troops. But little does she realise when she meets the dashing Major Harry Fairfax and pretends to date him to get information, that she slowly falls in love with him the English Major. Even though it goes against her own beliefs and Sinn Fein.
I thank Aria for a copy of Dublin’s girl. This is this a great debut novel and although it is fiction it is based on true events. I really enjoyed this, and it was really interested in the independence of Ireland and how he came to be. As I wasn’t aware of these trying times and the sacrifices people made at that time and also how Sinn Fein came about. I also liked the love story between them. We can’t help who we fall in love with. The only annoying thing I found about this book. I thought the ending was a bit rushed. 4.5 stars from me.
I thank Aria for a copy of Dublin’s girl. This is this a great debut novel and although it is fiction it is based on true events. I really enjoyed this, and it was really interested in the independence of Ireland and how he came to be. As I wasn’t aware of these trying times and the sacrifices people made at that time and also how Sinn Fein came about. I also liked the love story between them. We can’t help who we fall in love with. The only annoying thing I found about this book. I thought the ending was a bit rushed. 4.5 stars from me.
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April 3, 2021I must say, 'twas the cover that drew me in. It's utterly gorgeous, the fashion is exquisite (it's 2021, let us all bring back 1920s fashion, m'kay??), and with a setting of 1917 Ireland, I was immediately intrigued and bought it on the spot. There aren't enough historical romances set in Ireland, honestly.
I'm setting this one aside for now as I'm having trouble connecting with the characters after reading about 100 pages. I think the scenes change too fast for me to really get a sense of who they are and what they want. I can't actually describe Veronica other than that she wanted to leave Cavan for Dublin and doesn't want to go back. She moves from scene to scene quickly, without providing description, reaction. I mean, perhaps that's the point and it's just a personal thing of me wanting historical books to go mad into detail. Which, you know, is a it's me, not you thing in this case.
I'm setting this one aside for now as I'm having trouble connecting with the characters after reading about 100 pages. I think the scenes change too fast for me to really get a sense of who they are and what they want. I can't actually describe Veronica other than that she wanted to leave Cavan for Dublin and doesn't want to go back. She moves from scene to scene quickly, without providing description, reaction. I mean, perhaps that's the point and it's just a personal thing of me wanting historical books to go mad into detail. Which, you know, is a it's me, not you thing in this case.
December 21, 2020
Dublin’s Girl by Eimear Lawlor is a great historical fiction novel that has romance, political intrigue, suspense, and most definitely action.
I really enjoyed this book. At first it seems as if it is a historical romance, however do not let it fool you, it has so much more.
We see a sheltered Veronica McDermott travel from her rural family farm to stay with relatives in Dublin during the pivotal year of 1917. She ends up becoming a secretary to one of the leading members of what would be the IRA, Eamon De Valera. Before she realizes it, she becomes ensnared into political espionage and high stakes events when she is asked to gather intel and potential information on a British soldier that she has befriended, Harry Fairfax, and formed a relationship with. Within this conundrum, she must decide if she will follow her heart, or if she will stay loyal to her family and country. She finds she must choose between her countrymen and their desire of an Irish Free State and the occupiers, Britain.
I really enjoyed the plot line that escalated as it went forward. Veronica was placed in such a difficult and unfair position without an appropriate answer. I liked the relationship between Veronica and Harry. They had chemistry and despite their mistakes, seemed wise beyond their years. I also enjoyed the ending and thought it was fitting and satisfying for the story.
I really enjoyed the inclusion of real events and people within the novel. I felt the inclusion of De Vera and (my personal favorite) Michael Collins was appropriately and tastefully done. I always think it is such a great concept to be able to add history to a fictional narrative so that one can actually be inspired to learn more about past events. That is the definition of a great HF novel.
I was also surprised to see that the character of Veronica (in regards to the secretarial position and political involvement specifically)was actually based on the author’s aunt. I would love to read more about her aunt’s experiences. That would make an excellent biography.
5/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Aria & Aries for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 1/28/21.
I really enjoyed this book. At first it seems as if it is a historical romance, however do not let it fool you, it has so much more.
We see a sheltered Veronica McDermott travel from her rural family farm to stay with relatives in Dublin during the pivotal year of 1917. She ends up becoming a secretary to one of the leading members of what would be the IRA, Eamon De Valera. Before she realizes it, she becomes ensnared into political espionage and high stakes events when she is asked to gather intel and potential information on a British soldier that she has befriended, Harry Fairfax, and formed a relationship with. Within this conundrum, she must decide if she will follow her heart, or if she will stay loyal to her family and country. She finds she must choose between her countrymen and their desire of an Irish Free State and the occupiers, Britain.
I really enjoyed the plot line that escalated as it went forward. Veronica was placed in such a difficult and unfair position without an appropriate answer. I liked the relationship between Veronica and Harry. They had chemistry and despite their mistakes, seemed wise beyond their years. I also enjoyed the ending and thought it was fitting and satisfying for the story.
I really enjoyed the inclusion of real events and people within the novel. I felt the inclusion of De Vera and (my personal favorite) Michael Collins was appropriately and tastefully done. I always think it is such a great concept to be able to add history to a fictional narrative so that one can actually be inspired to learn more about past events. That is the definition of a great HF novel.
I was also surprised to see that the character of Veronica (in regards to the secretarial position and political involvement specifically)was actually based on the author’s aunt. I would love to read more about her aunt’s experiences. That would make an excellent biography.
5/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Aria & Aries for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 1/28/21.
February 1, 2021
Published to coincide with the centenary of the end of the Irish War of Independence in 1921 and inspired by real life events, the book transports the reader to the city of Dublin in the wake of the Easter Rising in 1916, a troubled period of Ireland’s history.
I enjoyed witnessing Dublin through Veronica’s eyes. With its grand hotels, tearooms and picture houses it’s a far cry from the countryside where she grew up. If you’re familiar with the city, I’m sure you’ll be able to follow Veronica’s travels in your mind’s eye. As vividly conveyed by the author, it’s a city where wealth resides side by side with extreme poverty, poor housing and children scrabbling for scraps in alleyways. Furthermore, hanging over much of the population is the threat of arrest – or worse – by British forces.
Thanks to her shorthand and typing skills, Veronica gets to rub shoulders with some of the key figures in the fight for Irish independence, in particular Michael Collins. It’s a role not without danger because of the frequent raids on the Sinn Féin offices, although Veronica has already demonstrated her courage and commitment to the cause earlier in the book. Like Veronica, the reader gets to witness key events such as Sinn Féin’s victory in the 1918 election, the establishment of an independent parliament (the Dail Eireann) and, eventually, the birth of the Irish Free State.
The historical aspects of the story I found especially interesting, filling in many gaps in my knowledge of Irish history during this period. The relationship between Veronica and Harry, while touching and heartfelt did seem to rely a fair bit on coincidence – or perhaps it was fate? And I had my doubts about how useful the few bits of information Veronica gleaned from Harry over tea and scones would have been. However, Harry’s more enlightened view of the Irish people’s situation made an interesting counterpoint to the attitude of other British soldiers. It was certainly easy to understand Veronica’s conflicted feelings. “She wanted to be repulsed by him, she wanted to hate him, but she felt herself becoming comfortable in his company.” No doubt the handsome Harry’s broad shoulders and ‘chiselled chin’ helped a bit!
As they find themselves on opposing sides of a conflict, can there be a place in Veronica’s life for Harry, her ‘guardian angel’? You’ll have to read the book – and its touching epilogue – to find out.
I enjoyed witnessing Dublin through Veronica’s eyes. With its grand hotels, tearooms and picture houses it’s a far cry from the countryside where she grew up. If you’re familiar with the city, I’m sure you’ll be able to follow Veronica’s travels in your mind’s eye. As vividly conveyed by the author, it’s a city where wealth resides side by side with extreme poverty, poor housing and children scrabbling for scraps in alleyways. Furthermore, hanging over much of the population is the threat of arrest – or worse – by British forces.
Thanks to her shorthand and typing skills, Veronica gets to rub shoulders with some of the key figures in the fight for Irish independence, in particular Michael Collins. It’s a role not without danger because of the frequent raids on the Sinn Féin offices, although Veronica has already demonstrated her courage and commitment to the cause earlier in the book. Like Veronica, the reader gets to witness key events such as Sinn Féin’s victory in the 1918 election, the establishment of an independent parliament (the Dail Eireann) and, eventually, the birth of the Irish Free State.
The historical aspects of the story I found especially interesting, filling in many gaps in my knowledge of Irish history during this period. The relationship between Veronica and Harry, while touching and heartfelt did seem to rely a fair bit on coincidence – or perhaps it was fate? And I had my doubts about how useful the few bits of information Veronica gleaned from Harry over tea and scones would have been. However, Harry’s more enlightened view of the Irish people’s situation made an interesting counterpoint to the attitude of other British soldiers. It was certainly easy to understand Veronica’s conflicted feelings. “She wanted to be repulsed by him, she wanted to hate him, but she felt herself becoming comfortable in his company.” No doubt the handsome Harry’s broad shoulders and ‘chiselled chin’ helped a bit!
As they find themselves on opposing sides of a conflict, can there be a place in Veronica’s life for Harry, her ‘guardian angel’? You’ll have to read the book – and its touching epilogue – to find out.
January 20, 2021
3.5 stars!
Oh, wow! That's all I can really say. This was a really good book. It was different, so it made it that more special.
The story picks up slowly at first. We meet Veronica that goes to Dublin where her life changes completely. She wants to go there to go to college, yet she has no idea what's waiting for her. The game she's playing is dangerous and it makes her fall in love with the enemy - an enemy she's convinced she could never be with because not only is he by nature someone she shouldn't be seeing, but he's also engaged.
What Veronica was doing was dangerous and she knew it. It made her conflicted when she had to choose between her family or love and she soon started to question herself whether what she was doing was the right thing or not.
This was an interesting read, portraying how life was in the years when Dublin and Britain were at war, but I didn't find this book as a book I'd call romantic - for that it lacked too much romance for me and Veronica and Harry's meetings were brief and very short, so we don't get to see much of their connection and them really getting to know each other. In other words, the romance was dry.
For that, the ending felt a little too rushed, as well, and incomplete. I expected a little bit more of romance, but it's nonetheless a very good and quick read. The author focused more on how life was then and how people were acting and since I'm a history junky, that's okay with me.
Oh, wow! That's all I can really say. This was a really good book. It was different, so it made it that more special.
The story picks up slowly at first. We meet Veronica that goes to Dublin where her life changes completely. She wants to go there to go to college, yet she has no idea what's waiting for her. The game she's playing is dangerous and it makes her fall in love with the enemy - an enemy she's convinced she could never be with because not only is he by nature someone she shouldn't be seeing, but he's also engaged.
What Veronica was doing was dangerous and she knew it. It made her conflicted when she had to choose between her family or love and she soon started to question herself whether what she was doing was the right thing or not.
This was an interesting read, portraying how life was in the years when Dublin and Britain were at war, but I didn't find this book as a book I'd call romantic - for that it lacked too much romance for me and Veronica and Harry's meetings were brief and very short, so we don't get to see much of their connection and them really getting to know each other. In other words, the romance was dry.
For that, the ending felt a little too rushed, as well, and incomplete. I expected a little bit more of romance, but it's nonetheless a very good and quick read. The author focused more on how life was then and how people were acting and since I'm a history junky, that's okay with me.
January 28, 2021
This is an interesting and exciting story set in Ireland during the Irish War of Independence. It’s 1917 and Veronica is bored of the country life that her family leads, looking after the farm, peeling potatoes and watching all the wealthy English land owners from afar. Veronica dreams of being a working woman and manages to persuade her father to let her go to Dublin to secretarial school. While there she begins to see the true poverty and difficulties that the Dubliners and Irish face, being under English rule, and soon she finds herself getting involved by working for Sinn Féin. But when they task her with getting to know an English officer, can Veronica do what she’s asked or will her feelings get in the way?
I was keen to read this book after finding out that it was inspired by real events, and I’m surprised with how much I have come to enjoy this story despite a bit of a slow start. Veronica’s life in Cavan is a sheltered one, she doesn’t know much about the politics of Ireland and doesn’t know how much the people suffer from poverty and harassment especially when she visits Dublin for the first time. This was an interesting start for me as I really didn’t know much about this history of Ireland or what people had been through. When Veronica moves to Dublin to live with her Aunt and Uncle there she sees how difficult the poverty and hunger is for so many under English rule but soon she is involved with learning shorthand and typing, and making new friends at her secretarial school before managing to get her first job as a working woman.
I like the way this story unfolded although I have to admit to finding it a little difficult to get into at first. The story has a good pace with a decent amount of description to make you understand what is happening and get a feel for the atmosphere, but I have to say that I think the copy I was given to read was not quite fully edited so the pacing of the story was, at times, a little off and often too quick for me. But the story is easy to read and although it took me some time to really get into this, I was completely gripped by the second half and just couldn’t put this down! As Veronica meets the English officer, something that doesn’t happen for a while, we start to see some of this relationship develop. I love the idea of this kind of forbidden love between enemies and I love how it developed although some of the earlier scenes felt rushed and I would have prefered a slower development of the relationship as I just love a good slow burning romance story.
The book takes place across a few years, from the last year of the First World War through to the Irish War of independence where the violence in Ireland, against the Irish, sadly, increased. Some real life events were well depicted and I like how I was able to see what really happened in Ireland in that time and how it was seen from the Irish point of view, things like the elections and the constant difficulties in hiding things from the English were fascinating and I love how tense a lot of moments were. I especially felt this tension increase when Sinn Féin won more seats in parliament. The fear felt on the streets as well as what happened to some of the characters including Veronica was exciting to read and a little shocking too as I really didn’t know how bad things were in Ireland at that time.
I loved how the relationship between Veronica and the English Officer, Harry, developed in the second half of the novel especially. There were romantic moments that I truly loved and towards the end especially, there was a brilliant climax with some surprises and a brilliant twist that I just wasn’t expecting. In fact the story was so compelling and I was so desperate to see what was happening, that I have to admit to spending most of one day just sat there glued to this book, desperate to finish reading it! The ending was just brilliant, it was so perfect but also so dramatic too. And that very last chapter was good as it gave Veronica’s story a good ending and just made me smile. 🙂
The book has a few uses of derogatory language towards the Irish at that time as well as a few uses of the b swear words and one use of the f word. There is some violence that isn’t really graphic although there are a few disturbing moments described of the general violence that some military had towards the Irish, and one moment right near the end of the book that was a bit shocking to read. The end notes explain how this book was inspired but the author’s Aunt who worked with some of the real life people of Sinn Féin that are mentioned in this story. I love how these real life events are weaved into the ficticious story that the author has created.
Overall this is a great story. I had some problems with the original pre-publication copy I got as I felt it still needed an edit or two to fix some issues with pacing, etc. But the second half of the novel felt much better and well written and had no real issues. In fact I really fell in love with the story in the second half and felt so compelled to keep reading it right through to the end. It’s a story I have really enjoyed reading and it’s still on my mind several days after reading it. Having been educated in Britain (mostly about British history) I just never knew about the true history of Ireland or why some people hated the British so much. It felt good to read this book not only for Veronica’s own story but to find out more about the real history of Ireland. And although it was a bit of a slow start for me, assuming that the few issues I had are going to be edited out I’d give this book four stars.
-Thanks to Aria for a free copy for review.
I was keen to read this book after finding out that it was inspired by real events, and I’m surprised with how much I have come to enjoy this story despite a bit of a slow start. Veronica’s life in Cavan is a sheltered one, she doesn’t know much about the politics of Ireland and doesn’t know how much the people suffer from poverty and harassment especially when she visits Dublin for the first time. This was an interesting start for me as I really didn’t know much about this history of Ireland or what people had been through. When Veronica moves to Dublin to live with her Aunt and Uncle there she sees how difficult the poverty and hunger is for so many under English rule but soon she is involved with learning shorthand and typing, and making new friends at her secretarial school before managing to get her first job as a working woman.
I like the way this story unfolded although I have to admit to finding it a little difficult to get into at first. The story has a good pace with a decent amount of description to make you understand what is happening and get a feel for the atmosphere, but I have to say that I think the copy I was given to read was not quite fully edited so the pacing of the story was, at times, a little off and often too quick for me. But the story is easy to read and although it took me some time to really get into this, I was completely gripped by the second half and just couldn’t put this down! As Veronica meets the English officer, something that doesn’t happen for a while, we start to see some of this relationship develop. I love the idea of this kind of forbidden love between enemies and I love how it developed although some of the earlier scenes felt rushed and I would have prefered a slower development of the relationship as I just love a good slow burning romance story.
The book takes place across a few years, from the last year of the First World War through to the Irish War of independence where the violence in Ireland, against the Irish, sadly, increased. Some real life events were well depicted and I like how I was able to see what really happened in Ireland in that time and how it was seen from the Irish point of view, things like the elections and the constant difficulties in hiding things from the English were fascinating and I love how tense a lot of moments were. I especially felt this tension increase when Sinn Féin won more seats in parliament. The fear felt on the streets as well as what happened to some of the characters including Veronica was exciting to read and a little shocking too as I really didn’t know how bad things were in Ireland at that time.
I loved how the relationship between Veronica and the English Officer, Harry, developed in the second half of the novel especially. There were romantic moments that I truly loved and towards the end especially, there was a brilliant climax with some surprises and a brilliant twist that I just wasn’t expecting. In fact the story was so compelling and I was so desperate to see what was happening, that I have to admit to spending most of one day just sat there glued to this book, desperate to finish reading it! The ending was just brilliant, it was so perfect but also so dramatic too. And that very last chapter was good as it gave Veronica’s story a good ending and just made me smile. 🙂
The book has a few uses of derogatory language towards the Irish at that time as well as a few uses of the b swear words and one use of the f word. There is some violence that isn’t really graphic although there are a few disturbing moments described of the general violence that some military had towards the Irish, and one moment right near the end of the book that was a bit shocking to read. The end notes explain how this book was inspired but the author’s Aunt who worked with some of the real life people of Sinn Féin that are mentioned in this story. I love how these real life events are weaved into the ficticious story that the author has created.
Overall this is a great story. I had some problems with the original pre-publication copy I got as I felt it still needed an edit or two to fix some issues with pacing, etc. But the second half of the novel felt much better and well written and had no real issues. In fact I really fell in love with the story in the second half and felt so compelled to keep reading it right through to the end. It’s a story I have really enjoyed reading and it’s still on my mind several days after reading it. Having been educated in Britain (mostly about British history) I just never knew about the true history of Ireland or why some people hated the British so much. It felt good to read this book not only for Veronica’s own story but to find out more about the real history of Ireland. And although it was a bit of a slow start for me, assuming that the few issues I had are going to be edited out I’d give this book four stars.
-Thanks to Aria for a free copy for review.
January 21, 2021
A year after the Easter Rising of 1916, Veronica McDermott finds herself working for Michael Collins as a secretary. She helps the Sinn Fein with their work to free Ireland from British rule. But her work comes at a cost. She constantly lives in fear of being arrested, imprisoned or even killed by the British soldiers occupying Dublin. When Veronica meets a high ranking British officer, Michael Collins asks her to build a relationship with him to learn more about what the British Army’s plans are in Ireland. But as Veronica gets to know Harry, she’s caught between helping her beloved Ireland and her growing feelings for Harry.
Dublin’s Girl is just an ok story with writing that leaves a lot to be desired. The story is reasonably historically accurate for a historical fiction novel, but it is obvious this is a debut novel for the author. The writing is very jerky, jumps around thought to thought with very minimal detail. The detail that is included is superfluous and unnecessary - pulls attention away from the real matter at hand. The dialogue in the story is very stilted. It’s surprising that Veronica and Harry can fall in love when they only see each other for a page at a time and say about 2 minutes worth of words whenever they speak to each other. Left a lot to be desired.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me the opportunity to read this book!
Dublin’s Girl is just an ok story with writing that leaves a lot to be desired. The story is reasonably historically accurate for a historical fiction novel, but it is obvious this is a debut novel for the author. The writing is very jerky, jumps around thought to thought with very minimal detail. The detail that is included is superfluous and unnecessary - pulls attention away from the real matter at hand. The dialogue in the story is very stilted. It’s surprising that Veronica and Harry can fall in love when they only see each other for a page at a time and say about 2 minutes worth of words whenever they speak to each other. Left a lot to be desired.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me the opportunity to read this book!
April 30, 2021
The novel had good potential but sadly didn't live up to my expectations. The story has a great premise with a young woman from Cavan discovering her place in the fight for Irish independence while also being caught up with a British solider. I feel like most of Veronica's relationships were poorly developed, especially with Harry. Harry was one of the most interesting characters in the story, reminding me a bit of Lieutenant Yolland from Brian Friels Translations. However we got to explore very little about Harry and his scenes with Veronica were lacking any depth. I also had a problem with how quickly some scenes would jump between events. Sometimes it felt like a character had just entered the room and the next second they were gone again. I think going forward the author will be able to solve these problems as the writing style and plot lines were decent.
February 8, 2021
I finally threw in the towel. The premise was promising but the execution was not. Filled with short, stilted sentences and a writing style boarding on juvenile. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC for review.
January 31, 2021
Dublin’s Girl by Eimear Lawlor has Veronica McDermott bored with life on the family farm. She wants to go secretarial school in Dublin and gets her chance in 1917. Veronica boards with her Uncle Tom and Aunt Betty where she soon becomes involved in helping in uncle deliver packages for the Sinn Fein. Veronica does well in her classes and gets a position helping a man involved in the cause for Irish independence. This part-time position leads to one within the Sinn Fein where she types important letters for the leaders. One day Veronica bumps into Major Harry Fairfax with the English army who would like to step out with her. Veronica gets tasked with getting close to Harry and learning army secrets that could help the Irish. Dublin’s Girl is a gently paced story gives us a look at a pivotal time in English/Irish history when the Irish are fighting for independence. They wanted an Irish Free State with their own parliament. It was interesting learning about key time in Ireland’s history. I could tell the author did her research. The romance between Veronica and Harry progressed at a leisurely pace. I could feel the spark of attraction between them, but I wanted the pair to spend more time together so we could see the connection build. I am glad that the author gave us an epilogue. I did find the dialogue a big stilted plus there were extraneous details and repetition of information. I liked the suspense and danger in the story. I also enjoyed seeing Veronica grow up as time passed. Dublin’s Girl is Eimear Lawlor’s debut novel. I am curious to see what this author creates next. Dublin’s Girl is an intriguing historical novel with touch typing, a bothersome brother, a covert container, a sympathetic soldier, and a fierce fight.
October 1, 2022
A great story. I was really moved by The Dublin Girl. It transported me to a difficult period when the Irish were fighting for freedom from English rule. I felt the author gave me a close up view of what it would have been like through the well-rounded characters, the bitter conflicts and horrendous events. It made me aware of the personal battles it raised, also, for those who dared to be friends or fall in love. Veronica and Harry were a prime example of two people who ended up on opposite sides only because of where they were born. They came together, though, through the political warfare that transpired and were caught in those struggles. Their romance was touching—an instant attraction but their love for each other gently blossomed, under forced restraint. Their inner conflicts and true passion held me to the very end.
This is a story of great loss and sacrifice but it also shines with hope and the message that love triumphs – even in the most horrendous situations. The turning of the tide, the truce, brought victory and ended the war of independence on July 11, 1921. It opened a door for a new beginning: a self-governing dominion. I thought The Dublin Girl as a debut novel was well presented, full of heart and courage and kept me turning the pages. I certainly recommend it for historical fiction lovers. 5 Stars
This is a story of great loss and sacrifice but it also shines with hope and the message that love triumphs – even in the most horrendous situations. The turning of the tide, the truce, brought victory and ended the war of independence on July 11, 1921. It opened a door for a new beginning: a self-governing dominion. I thought The Dublin Girl as a debut novel was well presented, full of heart and courage and kept me turning the pages. I certainly recommend it for historical fiction lovers. 5 Stars
April 9, 2023
This book is terrible. The writing sounds like a 12 year old wrote it.
June 10, 2022
This was really, really shallow, which is unfortunate.
The story surrounds a woman named Veronica who moves to Dublin and is immediately ~recruited~ into Sinn Féin, an Irish political party that is seeking independence from English rule. As part of her "work" she is tasked with keeping the attentions of an English soldier and gathering intel. She is categorically terrible at it. Veronica's internal monologue is a lot grander than she actually is on the page, there's almost no development of any character, there are no stakes, and the interesting parts of that part of Irish history are either completely ignored or glossed over.
Really quickly I'm going to talk about the trope of "girl who has sex for the first time, out of wedlock, gets pregnant": I HATE IT. I HATE IT I HATE IT I HATE IT. Please come up with something more interesting for a woman to do than panic about an unplanned pregnancy, we all know it's going to be fine, stop treating pregnancy as a consequence for having sex, stop making pregnancy ~the most significant obstacle~ in the story (in the last 60 pages).
The romance between Harry and Veronica is so undeveloped as to have every detail of it fit into a greeting card. There is no discussion of his lies about knowing who she was.
Veronica is ultimately a boring, shrinking violet of a ~lady spy~ whose importance is over-inflated by every last character in the book.
I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.
The story surrounds a woman named Veronica who moves to Dublin and is immediately ~recruited~ into Sinn Féin, an Irish political party that is seeking independence from English rule. As part of her "work" she is tasked with keeping the attentions of an English soldier and gathering intel. She is categorically terrible at it. Veronica's internal monologue is a lot grander than she actually is on the page, there's almost no development of any character, there are no stakes, and the interesting parts of that part of Irish history are either completely ignored or glossed over.
Really quickly I'm going to talk about the trope of "girl who has sex for the first time, out of wedlock, gets pregnant": I HATE IT. I HATE IT I HATE IT I HATE IT. Please come up with something more interesting for a woman to do than panic about an unplanned pregnancy, we all know it's going to be fine, stop treating pregnancy as a consequence for having sex, stop making pregnancy ~the most significant obstacle~ in the story (in the last 60 pages).
The romance between Harry and Veronica is so undeveloped as to have every detail of it fit into a greeting card. There is no discussion of his lies about knowing who she was.
Veronica is ultimately a boring, shrinking violet of a ~lady spy~ whose importance is over-inflated by every last character in the book.
I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.
August 5, 2024
I received an advance copy for reviewing purposes. These are my honest opinions.
It took me a little while to get into this, but once it got into the swing of things I was interested to see how things would play out. And overall I enjoyed it.
I haven't vetted all the historical claims, but this lines up well with what I know of this time and place, and it seemed well researched. I felt like I learned quite a bit about life in Dublin at that time. I hadn't previously come across a novel covering these events before, and I enjoyed it. They were definitely interesting times, and I'm sure pretty harrowing to live through. I would definitely read more about it.
I found the heroine's information acquiring/developing relationship with the major an engaging aspect. It seemed like way more time was given to setting up the meetings than what was actually spent during them though. It felt like just a couple lines of dialogue would pass and then they would be parting again. Quite a fair way through the book I wondered if they'd had even a hundred lines shared between them. It would help strengthen the notion that feelings *could* be developing if it was at least *referenced* that they had discussed blah blah blah on their way somewhere, or 'after conversing for what felt like only minutes they realized it was already time to part' or *something*. As it was (at least in this advance copy) it seemed like they only said the words I read, and there weren't all that many really. They both grew on me though despite their complicated circumstances.
There were a lot of supporting characters, but they were developed enough that I could keep them straight, and they added something to the story beyond just being bodies. The surroundings as well were fleshed out so that I could easily picture them.
I could probably round this up to 3.5 stars, because it was different and entertained me, but not quite up to 4. So ultimately 3 stars.
It took me a little while to get into this, but once it got into the swing of things I was interested to see how things would play out. And overall I enjoyed it.
I haven't vetted all the historical claims, but this lines up well with what I know of this time and place, and it seemed well researched. I felt like I learned quite a bit about life in Dublin at that time. I hadn't previously come across a novel covering these events before, and I enjoyed it. They were definitely interesting times, and I'm sure pretty harrowing to live through. I would definitely read more about it.
I found the heroine's information acquiring/developing relationship with the major an engaging aspect. It seemed like way more time was given to setting up the meetings than what was actually spent during them though. It felt like just a couple lines of dialogue would pass and then they would be parting again. Quite a fair way through the book I wondered if they'd had even a hundred lines shared between them. It would help strengthen the notion that feelings *could* be developing if it was at least *referenced* that they had discussed blah blah blah on their way somewhere, or 'after conversing for what felt like only minutes they realized it was already time to part' or *something*. As it was (at least in this advance copy) it seemed like they only said the words I read, and there weren't all that many really. They both grew on me though despite their complicated circumstances.
There were a lot of supporting characters, but they were developed enough that I could keep them straight, and they added something to the story beyond just being bodies. The surroundings as well were fleshed out so that I could easily picture them.
I could probably round this up to 3.5 stars, because it was different and entertained me, but not quite up to 4. So ultimately 3 stars.
January 29, 2021
I thought this was a great historical fiction, and I really enjoyed reading it!
Veronica McDermott has big dreams that don’t include farm life in Cavan. She wants to attend secretarial school and that means heading to the big city and moving in with her aunt and uncle in Dublin. But 1917 was a dangerous time for Ireland as they fought for their independence, and Veronica quickly finds herself caught up in the fight for freedom.
It doesn’t take long for her to catch the attention of a British soldier, Major Harry Fairfax, but Veronica is tasked with secretly gathering information for Sinn Fein, which leads to more conflict as her loyalties and feelings are tested.
Overall, I thought this was a wonderful story and I loved the history intermingled throughout it, but I had mixed feelings about Veronica and Harry’s relationship. It seemed almost entirely one-sided. Their encounters had barely any dialogue from Veronica and, to be honest, she didn’t appear to be that interested in him. I’m sure it was difficult to portray this, considering her mission to gather info for Sinn Fein and having to keep her emotions in check. By the end I was honestly confused because it felt so rushed and, though Victoria and Harry had met several times, I didn’t pick up on any amorous feelings from Victoria’s perspective.
Romance aside, I definitely recommend this book!
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Veronica McDermott has big dreams that don’t include farm life in Cavan. She wants to attend secretarial school and that means heading to the big city and moving in with her aunt and uncle in Dublin. But 1917 was a dangerous time for Ireland as they fought for their independence, and Veronica quickly finds herself caught up in the fight for freedom.
It doesn’t take long for her to catch the attention of a British soldier, Major Harry Fairfax, but Veronica is tasked with secretly gathering information for Sinn Fein, which leads to more conflict as her loyalties and feelings are tested.
Overall, I thought this was a wonderful story and I loved the history intermingled throughout it, but I had mixed feelings about Veronica and Harry’s relationship. It seemed almost entirely one-sided. Their encounters had barely any dialogue from Veronica and, to be honest, she didn’t appear to be that interested in him. I’m sure it was difficult to portray this, considering her mission to gather info for Sinn Fein and having to keep her emotions in check. By the end I was honestly confused because it felt so rushed and, though Victoria and Harry had met several times, I didn’t pick up on any amorous feelings from Victoria’s perspective.
Romance aside, I definitely recommend this book!
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
January 12, 2021
First a huge thank you to #netgalley and Aria & Aries publishing for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
In this book we are introduced to Veronica McDermot, a young Irish country girl, who moves to the city to stay with her Aunt and Uncle so she can go to secretarial college. Set in 1917 during a time when Ireland fought for their independence from Britain, Veronica finds herself working for an Irish political party and after a happenstance meeting with a handsome British soldier, is encouraged to date him in the hopes that she can gather intel.
Alright, onto the honesty...this book had so much potential to be a gripping story of political intrigue, forbidden love, and edge of your seat action. Unfortunately, it was none of these things for me. There was something lacking in the authors voice, it might have been believability. I wasn't engrossed in these characters or the storyline at all. There really was no suspense building and the romance was dull. There were some nit-picky things for me as well, when the characters spoke they did not speak in an accent. The author didn't write with an Irish lilt or an English accent, so left the characters feeling flat.
I really really wanted to love this book, the description gave me hope for it being everything I could ever want in a Historical Fiction, but sadly it didn't hit the mark for me. 😞
In this book we are introduced to Veronica McDermot, a young Irish country girl, who moves to the city to stay with her Aunt and Uncle so she can go to secretarial college. Set in 1917 during a time when Ireland fought for their independence from Britain, Veronica finds herself working for an Irish political party and after a happenstance meeting with a handsome British soldier, is encouraged to date him in the hopes that she can gather intel.
Alright, onto the honesty...this book had so much potential to be a gripping story of political intrigue, forbidden love, and edge of your seat action. Unfortunately, it was none of these things for me. There was something lacking in the authors voice, it might have been believability. I wasn't engrossed in these characters or the storyline at all. There really was no suspense building and the romance was dull. There were some nit-picky things for me as well, when the characters spoke they did not speak in an accent. The author didn't write with an Irish lilt or an English accent, so left the characters feeling flat.
I really really wanted to love this book, the description gave me hope for it being everything I could ever want in a Historical Fiction, but sadly it didn't hit the mark for me. 😞
February 2, 2021
Dublin's Girl by Eimear Lawlor totally had Downton Abbey-meets-Peaky Blinders vibes which I'm totally here for. (Tom Branson will forever have my heart.) I loved Eimear's exploration of the English/Irish relationship, especially revealed in the relationship between Harry and Veronica, two characters from two very different walks of life. I found the timing and development of their relationship got a little lost in the overall pacing of the novel, but this might just be a stylistic difference between the books I like to read and the books Eimear likes to write. It was really special to learn that the character of Veronica was based in part on the author's aunt; I found this to be a touching tribute and added dedication to family legacy. I appreciated Lawlor's attention to historical detail and her simplistic explanation of everyday life for characters like Harry and Veronica who exemplify real people who lived, dreamed, loved and died.
I found the ending a bit rushed, and as I said, some of the pacing was peculiar, particularly in Harry and Veronica's relationship. Nevertheless this was a fine read and I'm thankful to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review.
I found the ending a bit rushed, and as I said, some of the pacing was peculiar, particularly in Harry and Veronica's relationship. Nevertheless this was a fine read and I'm thankful to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review.
September 5, 2022
So I’ve finally managed to read this book. It is good even though it’s seems rather a few books coming out recently have this sort of love match going on. It’s nice to see a slightly different side to that. But I have one really big annoyance which is why I picked the book so I could give this feedback. The COVER. That flaming couple has been used before for After the War is Over by Jennifer Robson (they just changed the girls hat and goat to more colder colours) and I've seen it on another book cover too but I can’t recall the name at present.
PLEASE. For the love of god, get a new cover. Or else historical fiction buffs like me are going to be comparing the stories even more - and you don’t want that. Some might even think it’s a squeal. And please tell the designer to stop using the same image over and over again.
PLEASE. For the love of god, get a new cover. Or else historical fiction buffs like me are going to be comparing the stories even more - and you don’t want that. Some might even think it’s a squeal. And please tell the designer to stop using the same image over and over again.
July 25, 2022
The historical component of this book was portrayed in very simple terms which was good for someone unfamiliar with Irish history and the follow up to the Easter Risings of 1916. However the story of Veronica , although started out quite interesting became repetitive at times with the soggy porridge , the typing and the hasty encounters with the British soldier. The ending was so quick . Where It took most of the book to detail two years of Veronica ‘s life and took five pages to explain the twenty years following . This was disappointing .
January 11, 2022
Loved this story until the last few chapters which felt very rushed!
January 29, 2021
Veronica is bored of her country life and wants more. Determined to make something of herself in Ireland, she manages to get herself into Secretarial School in Dublin. She settles in and makes a friend in Bridget, and is overjoyed when her teacher gets her a job while she’s studying. Doing secretarial duties for Father O’Flanagan she soon realises she’s actually working for Sinn Féin…..And because she’s so good at her job, she ends up moving up and getting more and more involved. Then one day running an errand she bumps into an English Soldier who takes a liking to her and they arrange to meet. But the members of Sinn Féin see this as an opportunity, encouraging Veronica to continue and get as much information from him as she can. But as time moves on, her feelings for him grow. What will she do? Betray Harry or her country?
What a wonderful debut. We all know I love historical fiction and actually all the information in this was new to me. Set between 1917 and 1920, it covers the war and also Ireland’s battle for independence from Britain. Obviously I’ve heard about bits and pieces but this really bought to life what it must have been like living in Ireland during this time.
Veronica is a wonderful female protagonist. Determined to make something of herself, she handles so much at a young age and gets herself in to dangerous situations that others might not. Watching her grow throughout the book is heartwarming and I absolutely loved her relationship with her Aunt and Uncle. And then we have Harry. An Englishman in a place he’s not wanted, he is actually (mostly!) a gentleman and surprises Veronica on a number of occasions. But there is more to him that meets the eye……
I enjoyed the storyline and there were a number of twists that I didn’t see coming! The last few chapters had me picking my jaw up off the floor! As I’ve said this gives us a real insight into what it must have been like in Ireland, and particularly Dublin during this time. The poverty and living conditions is heartbreaking; and the action on the streets is terrifying. It also reveals what it must have been like for people who had family members fighting for the British when many were against it.
Overall, this is a brilliant debut and I’ll definitely be looking for more from this author. So if you’re looking for a new historical fiction novel with a bit of romance then you should definitely check this out. Recommended by me.
What a wonderful debut. We all know I love historical fiction and actually all the information in this was new to me. Set between 1917 and 1920, it covers the war and also Ireland’s battle for independence from Britain. Obviously I’ve heard about bits and pieces but this really bought to life what it must have been like living in Ireland during this time.
Veronica is a wonderful female protagonist. Determined to make something of herself, she handles so much at a young age and gets herself in to dangerous situations that others might not. Watching her grow throughout the book is heartwarming and I absolutely loved her relationship with her Aunt and Uncle. And then we have Harry. An Englishman in a place he’s not wanted, he is actually (mostly!) a gentleman and surprises Veronica on a number of occasions. But there is more to him that meets the eye……
I enjoyed the storyline and there were a number of twists that I didn’t see coming! The last few chapters had me picking my jaw up off the floor! As I’ve said this gives us a real insight into what it must have been like in Ireland, and particularly Dublin during this time. The poverty and living conditions is heartbreaking; and the action on the streets is terrifying. It also reveals what it must have been like for people who had family members fighting for the British when many were against it.
Overall, this is a brilliant debut and I’ll definitely be looking for more from this author. So if you’re looking for a new historical fiction novel with a bit of romance then you should definitely check this out. Recommended by me.
January 27, 2021
Dublin's Girl by Eimear Lawler is the story of a young woman who lived through and helped with the Irish takeover of Ireland (I know-makes no sense) during the early 20th century. All Veronica wanted to do was get out of the country and the farm and go to the city. Her brother finally convinced her da and it was off to secretarial school for her. It was a stark life. That fact is probably the most important fact to be gleaned from reading. There was poverty everywhere. If you were Irish, you were hungry, unless the British needed you for something. The fight for independence was real. She stayed with her aunt and uncle. Her aunt was beyond depressed over the death of her only son while fighting for the English. At first she only delivered packages. It relieved a little of the starkness of her life. She only had one friend: Bridget. The other women at school laughed at her for the country bumpkin she was. Eventually she got a part-time job typing and taking dictation from Father Flanagan. That led to another, better job with Sinn Fein. Frightening but good, until the day that Michael Collins asked her to keep her date with a young English officer she had met, Harry, and see if she could gain information about the English. She did, reluctantly. Michael kept encouraging until, after many trials, she found herself falling for him.
This was a moving book: the poverty, the allegiances, the prejudice (on both sides), and the death. Irish men were sent to prison and died there often. Irish people were shot on the streets. It was a horrifying time. It was difficult not to get caught up in it when there were so many wrongs being committed every day. Veronica stood tall and did the right thing. It is her story: the story of everywoman, that rings through all the nonsense. These people lived in a nightmare for years and survived it. Well, many did. Amazing. A truthful piece of fiction relaying the reality of life in an Irish city during this time. I recommend it.
I was invited to read a free ARC of Dublin's Girl by Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #dublinsgirl
This was a moving book: the poverty, the allegiances, the prejudice (on both sides), and the death. Irish men were sent to prison and died there often. Irish people were shot on the streets. It was a horrifying time. It was difficult not to get caught up in it when there were so many wrongs being committed every day. Veronica stood tall and did the right thing. It is her story: the story of everywoman, that rings through all the nonsense. These people lived in a nightmare for years and survived it. Well, many did. Amazing. A truthful piece of fiction relaying the reality of life in an Irish city during this time. I recommend it.
I was invited to read a free ARC of Dublin's Girl by Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #dublinsgirl
February 4, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and. ... Publishing for an eArc of Dublin Girl by Eimear Lawlor in exchange for an honest review.
Veronica McDermott grows up on a prosperous farm in Co Cavan with her parents and twin brother Eddie. On the cusp of the War of Independence she moves to Dublin to stay with her Aunt and Uncle in the tenements and to do a secretarial course which she has dreamed of. Through the secretarial course she gets a job in the Sinn Fein offices at Harcourt Street where Michael Collins himself has an office and she becomes a spy for Michael by encouring a friendship with a British officer. It is a well known historical fact that many of Collin's most faithful spies were women
I loved the premise of this story. The author writes beautifully and portrays Dublin during this time perfectly, the tenements, the growing civil unrest and the War of Independence.
I did feel however that the plot was a little monotonous at times and I would have liked for Veronica to have been more involved in some important events during that time instead of paging over them constantly as non events. It would have heightened the tension in the storyline and in reality it was such a chaotic time there was plenty to choose from.
The relationship with Harry was difficult to believe as they only meet for a couple of minutes at a time and I felt could have been expanded on .
The main story ends abruptly during the War of Indepenence on 1920 with noention of important events to come Civil War or the killing of Michael Collins, which I thought she might refer to when looking back since she worked and spied for the man.
Overall I did find it an easy read it was an excellent idea for a book based on the author's aunts experiences but could have been much better.
Veronica McDermott grows up on a prosperous farm in Co Cavan with her parents and twin brother Eddie. On the cusp of the War of Independence she moves to Dublin to stay with her Aunt and Uncle in the tenements and to do a secretarial course which she has dreamed of. Through the secretarial course she gets a job in the Sinn Fein offices at Harcourt Street where Michael Collins himself has an office and she becomes a spy for Michael by encouring a friendship with a British officer. It is a well known historical fact that many of Collin's most faithful spies were women
I loved the premise of this story. The author writes beautifully and portrays Dublin during this time perfectly, the tenements, the growing civil unrest and the War of Independence.
I did feel however that the plot was a little monotonous at times and I would have liked for Veronica to have been more involved in some important events during that time instead of paging over them constantly as non events. It would have heightened the tension in the storyline and in reality it was such a chaotic time there was plenty to choose from.
The relationship with Harry was difficult to believe as they only meet for a couple of minutes at a time and I felt could have been expanded on .
The main story ends abruptly during the War of Indepenence on 1920 with noention of important events to come Civil War or the killing of Michael Collins, which I thought she might refer to when looking back since she worked and spied for the man.
Overall I did find it an easy read it was an excellent idea for a book based on the author's aunts experiences but could have been much better.
June 13, 2022
Engaging and enthralling read.
I really enjoyed this historical novel, from a new Irish author. It was a compelling and engaging story well told keeping me, the reader, turning every page. The protagonist, Veronica McDermott, from Cavan, escapes the narrow life of the family farm to go to secretarial college in Dublin. She stays with her aunt and uncle. He quickly enlists her help to deliver mysterious packages to Irish Nationalist sympathisers across the city. Before she knows it, she has been chosen by Fr. Michael Flanagan to type for Eamon de Valera who is engaged in fighting for Ireland’s independence from Britain. Shortly after, she is encouraged to develop a relationship with Harry, an English major working in Dublin Castle with a view to gaining intelligence for the nationalists. Quickly, she finds her feelings for Harry developing, leaving her with a dilemma. Who will she betray?
This period of Irish history is not one I am familiar with, and I enjoyed the obvious research that has gone into the story. This was such an enjoyable read, with well-developed relatable characters and an enthralling story that I enjoyed immensely.
I really enjoyed this historical novel, from a new Irish author. It was a compelling and engaging story well told keeping me, the reader, turning every page. The protagonist, Veronica McDermott, from Cavan, escapes the narrow life of the family farm to go to secretarial college in Dublin. She stays with her aunt and uncle. He quickly enlists her help to deliver mysterious packages to Irish Nationalist sympathisers across the city. Before she knows it, she has been chosen by Fr. Michael Flanagan to type for Eamon de Valera who is engaged in fighting for Ireland’s independence from Britain. Shortly after, she is encouraged to develop a relationship with Harry, an English major working in Dublin Castle with a view to gaining intelligence for the nationalists. Quickly, she finds her feelings for Harry developing, leaving her with a dilemma. Who will she betray?
This period of Irish history is not one I am familiar with, and I enjoyed the obvious research that has gone into the story. This was such an enjoyable read, with well-developed relatable characters and an enthralling story that I enjoyed immensely.
January 23, 2021
Veronica never expected to find herself working for Michael Collins or spying on the English. She came to Dublin from her family farm in 1917 in hopes of becoming a secretary. Her job working with a priest involved with Sinn Fein leads her to Collins' office. This puts her in a tenuous position and in fear of arrest by the English but then she meets Major Harry Fairfax. While this could have turned to a conventional love story, Veronica finds herself in an ethical dilemma when she asked to use him to collect information on the English. Does love conquer all? No spoilers for me. I liked this for the characters to be sure (and there are a few cameos by real people) but more for the atmospherics of life in Dublin in 1917. Another edit of this debut novel would have smoothed a few rough spots in the narrative bu the storytelling is good. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.
February 7, 2021
Dublin's Girl is set in the year 1917, Co Cavan, Dublin, Ireland. Veronica lives on a farm with her family, but she wants more from life, she wants to see the world!veronica decides to go and live with her uncle and aunt and while living with them she decides to enroll in Secretarial College, But while at college typing letters for a priest who is a member of sinn feinn, she has made such an impression to them that they ask her tio come and work for them in their office. While working for Seinn feinn she is asked to spy on a British solder but what she doesnt know is that she is going to fall in love....This book has it all! I really enjoyed this book. it has an English/Irish history feel about it and the author has done a great job with the plot and characters.
August 23, 2022
A silly little war time romance I thought… I thought wrong.
Covering a period of history I haven’t learnt much about, and especially covering it from the Irish point of view when all I’ve been taught is the English I was fascinated by this book.
Irelands history, the strict religions and unrest has always interested me and this book started to explore the unrest and just what did have to happen for independence. Over the top of all of this was a classic war time love story of enemies to lovers, of which you thought time and time again would never work.
Similarly the book covers the true love of family, friends and just how much someone’s small part in a movement can lead to so much change…
Covering a period of history I haven’t learnt much about, and especially covering it from the Irish point of view when all I’ve been taught is the English I was fascinated by this book.
Irelands history, the strict religions and unrest has always interested me and this book started to explore the unrest and just what did have to happen for independence. Over the top of all of this was a classic war time love story of enemies to lovers, of which you thought time and time again would never work.
Similarly the book covers the true love of family, friends and just how much someone’s small part in a movement can lead to so much change…
February 5, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! I had been looking for a historical fiction book about Ireland as I find reading nonfiction kind of dry and hard to picture. I like to read historical fiction because I feel more connected to the people who lived during these times. I feel like this period of Irish history is sadly pushed to the side. People, myself included, don’t really seem to know more than the barest facts about it. I loved reading this book because it brought the period to life for me. I really loved Veronica McDermott and Harry Fairfax. Their relationship is very complicated and yet in some ways, very simple. I feel like I came away from this book with a much better understanding of the Irish war for independence. I definitely recommend it!
December 29, 2024
Great book. Well written. The name is not very promising. Bought this book by chance in airport but got so excited when I stared reading. I lived in Dublin and Ireland country side for years and she describes Dunlin places I recognised, so it made the story more exciting. Very good story. Veronica is a brave young woman from beginning of 20th century who grows up in countryside and moves to Dublin. She ahead of her time, full of dreams and helps Michael Collins and Sean Finn on the fight for Irish independence as same time fall in love with the enemy.
Just felt a but too fast in the end of story. As if was rushing to finish, but I was sad there was no more to read when I finished the book. Was really enjoyable book.
Just felt a but too fast in the end of story. As if was rushing to finish, but I was sad there was no more to read when I finished the book. Was really enjoyable book.
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