Mummy Darlings: A Glorious Guinness Girls Novel

Glorious Guinness Girls #2

by Emily Hourican

Set at the beginning of the 1930s, this stunning new novel from Emily Hourican, author of The Glorious Guinness Girls, follows the three enigmatic Guinness sisters as they take on married life and motherhood.

It's the dawn of the 1930s and the three privileged Guinness sisters, Aileen, Maureen and Oonagh, settle into becoming wives and mothers: Aileen in Luttrellstown Castle outside Dublin, Maureen in Clandeboye in Northern Ireland, and Oonagh in Rutland Place in London.

But while Britain becomes increasingly politically polarized, Aileen, Maureen and Oonagh discover conflict within their own marriages.

Oonagh's dream of romantic love is countered by her husband's lies; the intense nature of Maureen's marriage means passion, but also rows; while Aileen begins to discover that, for her, being married offers far less than she had expected.

Meanwhile, Kathleen, a housemaid from their childhood home in Glenmaroon, travels between the three sisters, helping, listening, watching--even as her own life brings her into conflict with the clash between fascism and communism.

As affairs are uncovered and secrets exposed, the three women begin to realize that their guiled upbringing could not have prepared them for the realities of married life, nor for the scandals that seem to follow them around.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Drama

512 pages, Paperback

First published October 14, 2021

About the author

Emily Hourican is a journalist and author. She has written features for the Sunday Independent for fifteen years, as well as Image magazine, Condé Nast Traveler and Woman and Home. She was also editor of The Dubliner Magazine.
Emily's first book, a memoir titled How To (Really) Be A Mother was published in 2013. She is also the author of novels The Privileged, White Villa, The Outsider and The Blamed, as well as two bestselling novels about the Guinness sisters: The Glorious Guinness Girls and The Guinness Girls: A Hint of Scandal.
She lives in Dublin with her family.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[Mairead Hearne (swirlandthread.com) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Guinness Girls: A Hint of Scandal by Emily Hourican published September 16th with Hachette Ireland.  Inspired by true-life events, it is described as ‘a sweeping, epic novel of Ireland and Britain in the grip of change, and a story of how three women who wanted for nothing were about to learn that they couldn’t have everything.’

When Emily Hourican published her previous novel, The Glorious Guinness Girls, I described it as ‘a must for all Downton Abbey fans, a gorgeous book, a captivating tale about a young girl caught up in the lifestyle of a family that continues to fascinate – the Guinness Family. A joy to read.’ In her latest novel, Emily Hourican returns with another fascinating insight into the world of this extraordinary family. Now older and, either married or on the cusp of marriage, the hedonistic days of their lives as part of the circle known as The Bright Young People are behind them. Even though still friends with Baby and Zita Jungman, Elizabeth Ponsonby, Stephen Tennant, Evelyn Waugh and many more familiar and famous names of that era, the decadent and carefree lifestyle of the 1920s is fast fading. Society senses a shift, with the general population no longer in awe of the lifestyle of these wealthy youngsters.

Aileen, the eldest of the three sisters, married Brinsley (Brinny) Sheridan Bushe Plunket and moved from London to Luttrellstown Castle in Dublin. Aileen and Brinny had a bizarre relationship. Like chalk and cheese theirs was a relationship destined for difficulty. Aileen was a very elegant individual who loved the chatter, the fabulous parties, the sparkle of nights out and glittering conversations. She dressed in the best that Paris had to offer, living a very aristocratic lifestyle but Brinny was passionate about horses and country living. Aileen was constantly at odds with Brinny, irritated by his presence which encouraged her to entertain more, travel back to London and re-immerse herself in the life she had before marriage.

Maureen, the middle sister, married Basil (Duff) Blackwood, 4th Marquess of Dufferin and Ava. His family residence was in Co. Down, at the crumbling estate of Clandeboye. Maureen was slow to leave the carefree and partying lifestyle of the 1920s behind her and saw her future in Clandeboye as a distant plan but when her father-in-law died, her world shifted. She had to leave London for the bleak and cold Clandeboye where her mother-in-law, Lady Brenda, roamed the corridors in a state of mental agitation and frailty. Maureen and Duff had a stormy marriage fuelled by heightened arguments followed by passionate reunions. Maureen deliberately taunted Duff and, as time passed, her behaviour worsened. Duff seemed unable to refuse her, although her attitude toward him was selfish, cruel and ofttimes very insulting. Maureen escaped to London frequently but she also brought her entourage to Clandeboye. Duff would have his old college buddies there at the same time and inevitably clashes unfurled. The decadence of London jarred with country life at Clandeboye.

Oonagh, the youngest sister, married Philip Kindersley. Oonagh was a more gentle and romantic creature than her two older sisters. She always felt very strongly that she would not be like her own mother, Cloé, a woman who exhibited very little affection toward her children. Oonagh dreamed of a big family with lots of children and a home radiating with joy and love. Considered an oddity by many for her modern attitude to parenting, Oonagh, like her sisters, was to witness disappointment in her marriage as the cards eventually came crashing down.As the three sisters' tumultuous lives continued unabated, a movement was growing among the populace. No longer satisfied with low wages and struggling to stay afloat, there was a cry among workers for better pay, better work practices and an overall better standard of living. Many men had fought for their country in the First World War and now years later felt unjustly treated. It was a time for change.

Europe was in strife with fascism and communism both gathering momentum among local populations. Spain was on the cusp of a civil war and the British politician, Oswald Mosley, was slowly being listened to. No longer content with the state of British politics, Mosley established the British Union of Fascists (BUF), gaining the ear of many of the social circle that the Guinness sisters revolved around, including the infamous and celebrated Mitford sisters.

Not all individuals in this story are real and Emily Hourican introduces us to Kathleen, a fictional character, who accompanies the sisters through these years of their lives. Kathleen is in a unique position, as she straddles the world of the ordinary person and the rich. She is exposed to many scenes of grief and turmoil. She understands Aileen, Maureen and Oonagh. While she may not agree with their decisions, she is aware of the inconsistencies in their lives and the tough years of their childhood, reared by nannies and strangers. Kathleen provides a wonderful window into both worlds and provides the reader with a very informative view of life for many during those turbulent years.

The Guinness Girls: A Hint of Scandal is a fictional novel founded on fact. Weaving a fascinating narrative around a changing world, Emily Hourican completely immerses her readers in this incredible tale. Britain took a decision to follow a policy of appeasement in the 1930s which, as we all know, failed but at the time there was clearly unrest among the working classes with massive unemployment, hunger marches and general dissatisfaction across society as a whole. The Guinness sisters lived in a bubble for much of this time, living unawares of the ensuing chaos that was about to engulf the world. Their sheltered existence was very much in contradiction to the lives of most and it is just incredible to read about their lack of interest and their general attitude toward the state of the nation, almost in denial of the inevitable.

The Guinness Girls: A Hint of Scandal is another completely addictive and truly splendid read from Emily Hourican. It can easily be read as standalone, but if you do wish to learn more about these intriguing sisters, I would very much recommend that you pick up a copy of The Glorious Guinness Girls also. An enthralling tale that will dazzle and delight every reader, The Guinness Girls: A Hint of Scandal is an engrossing and sumptuous novel. If you loved the drama of The Crown, then you will adore The Guinness Girls: A Hint of Scandal with its lavish descriptions and its glorious insight into this truly fascinating family.

[Regan Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now I know these are real people but I just didn’t enjoy their personalities that much. There’s less fun in reading about the troubles of their marriages than reading about them going to parties. I also felt like I would lose track of the various time jumps and they weren’t always consistent. But it was still interesting to read about their lives and the connections the Guinness family had to the English government and the Irish “aristocracy” after the creation of the free state

[Blessing Bloodworth (naptimereaders)]

I tried to give this book a fair shot. I was generally interested in the concept and synopsis. But after reading 30% of the book, I found myself completely separate from the characters and not connecting to the story at all. So I decided that it is not the book for me, or I am not the intended audience.
I feel that reading the first book in the series would be a necessity to enjoying this book.

[Kelly Higgins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really seeing the fuss about this. A whole lot of words about nothing. The plot lacked, even though it had great potential given the era it was based on but it was a political plot that just never got going.

[Vanessa Nelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I kept reading and reading and reading simply waiting for SOMETHING to happen. My desire for something to truly move me didn’t really occur until the last 50 pages. I love a slow moving book when the prose is beautiful, but the writing is bland except for a few sentences that stuck out because they seemed so forced.

I read the author’s afterward, so I get and appreciate her dedication to history, but by including Kathleen and Ned as fictional plot drivers, she could have done more to create a plot, any plot, really, into being. I never felt much for any of the characters because I didn’t get to know them beyond broad descriptions and a couple deep insights.

Overall I wouldn’t recommend this lengthy book - but can appreciate Hourican’s desire to tell the story as accurately as possible. I think that this novelization could be enjoyed by someone who is seeking nonfiction.

[Katie Greally · Rating 3 out of 5]

*CW: Spoilers*

Three words I would use to describe Emily Hourican’s The Guinness Girls: A Hint of Scandal are: torpid, elaborate and disenchanting.

Hourican’s sequel to The Glorious Guinness Girls picks up shortly after where the first in the series ended, looking fictitiously at the early married lives of Aileen, Oonagh, and Maureen Guinness. The Guinness Girls: A Hint of Scandal takes its reader from the early to the mid 1930’s, beginning with the lead up to Maureen’s wedding to Duff, the Fourth Marquess of Dufferin and Ava. As Maureen is the last of the Guinness girls to be married, it embarks at a transitional period for the sisters, Oonagh expecting her first child and Aileen brimming with feelings of antipathy towards her own marriage. From here, Hourican details how the sisters navigate the transition from being ‘bright, young things’ to being mothers and wives, and how this lifestyle change differs from what they expected. Hourican also includes the perspective of the sisters ladies maid and companion, Kathleen, a working class girl from Dublin who having previously been in the employment of the family, has taken up her position once more after finishing up her training as a teacher, under slightly disappointing circumstances. As well as this, Hourican parallels this transitional period for the sisters with precarious political background of the 1930’s, often alluding to the rise of fascism and communism in both England and Europe, building up tensions in the shape of an imminent war in Europe.

Whilst every attempt at historical fiction is an ambitious one, I did feel as though Hourican missed the mark slightly when trying to amass all the intricate details of the lives of these three women, and exactly what it was that influenced them. She bestows each of the sisters with very distinct characteristics, particularly in relation to their attitudes towards femininity and motherhood, and the perception of the society they live in. However, this is where Hourican’s skill for character development seems to stop, as, due to the quantity of other characters who revolve around the lives of the Golden Guinness Girls, every other character seems to be very two-dimensional, including Kathleen, whose purpose in the book is more of a commentary on the sister’s behaviours and the vast differences between the upper and lower classes, rather than as her own distinct character. She’s a very passive character compared to the sisters, which I found slightly disappointing as she could have had a much more forceful impact over the atmosphere of the book. Most other characters included by Hourican also seem to be very underwritten, especially those who would have had a rather large impact on each of the sisters’ lives, including their husbands. Only Maureen’s husband, Duff, seems to have any sort of character trajectory throughout the novel, as we do get more of a personality from him during the chapters surrounding his and Maureen’s new life at Clandeboyne, where we see him go from esteemed ‘Lord Dufferin’, to concerned father new to his position, to dejected politician hiding in his own home, drinking heavily and ‘smoking a cigar – not his first judging by the thick blue haze that filled the room’ (438) Only Duff seems in any way to have an active role as a husband in the life of his wife, and his impact on her decisions and emotions are far more expressive throughout the novel in comparison to Oonagh and Aileen’s husbands, Philip and Brinny. This character treatment also extends to the sisters’ contemporaries, such as the Mitfords, Stephen Tennant, Elizabeth Ponsonby and so on, who all feature again as friends and acquaintances of the Guinness girls, popping up throughout without having much purpose towards the plot, and exiting again so quickly that it’s difficult to retain who is who and whether what they say is pertinent.

On that same note, the book is titled A Hint of Scandal, and a hint is certainly all that the readers get. For a novel on which the basis of the plot lies heavily on the expected hedonism and debauchery of the society in which the sisters occupy, all notions of scandal are indeed mostly only alluded to. In fact, the most scandalous element of the novel was the numerous allusions to absolute excess and exuberance of the materialistic upper-class society of the 1930’s, such as Brinny and Aileen’s consumerism, ‘“…he’s determined to buy a new motor-car before we leave. I’ve tried to tell him they aren’t like dresses, he doesn’t need one in every colour, but he assures me they’re exactly the same and that a man in his position cannot be seen in the same car twice.”’ (81) Somehow, Hourican has offered her readers an insight into six of the most compelling years of the sister’s lives in terms of their marriages, and makes it feel tedious and stuffy. Again, I feel this has come from trying to contain as much as possible of the context of these scandals in such a limited capacity, so that none of the supposed scandals truly feels like they come to a head within the novel. All the events which lead up to the breakdown of the respective marriages come about in a very slow and subtle fashion, in which the transfer of character perspectives from chapter to chapter leads the reader to almost forget exactly what has happened in one particular sister’s marriage from their previous encounter with it. When each of the sister’s respective ‘scandals’ do come to a head, they occur so quickly that it barely feels like they have happened. Aileen’s mind regarding her marriage and whether or not to leave it changes back and forth within the space of four chapters (of which there are fifty-six), and when Oonagh’s marriage is officially ended after five or so years of adultery, it is simply summarised in a single sentence; ‘She and Philip had been divorced nearly a year now, on the same day and in the same court as Dominick and Mildred.’ (500), and Oonagh develops a very quick romantic relationship with her next husband in a matter of pages. As well as this, each of the scandals directly relating to the sisters and their marriages is completely overshadowed by the relationship that develops between Diana Mitford and fascist Oswald Mosely, which takes over the plot towards the novels ending. Overall, the ending felt very rushed in comparison to the novel’s length, with a series of striking occurrences happening in very quick succession, feeling quite jarring to the reader after such an elongated narrative.

Essentially, I do feel as though Hourican promises much more than she can deliver on with the concept of this novel, as understandably it is a near impossible mission to attempt to assemble the lives of three fascinating women who lived very rich, intricate lives and to fit a significant part of those lives into a very contained space. I would, however, recommend this book to lovers of light historical fiction and slow burners, with the warning of a little less scandal than an episode of Downton Abbey.

[Karin (msmadeinchina) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mummy Darlings by Emily Hourican follows the three Guinness girls (Aileen, Maureen, and Oonagh) at the dawn of the 1930s. Each sister is now grown, married, and living in three different places. As the political landscape of Britain begins to change, the girls discover issues with in their own marriages that throw them off-kilter. Alongside the Guinness girls, Kathleen, a housemaid from their childhood home, bounces around between the three sisters wherever she is needed even while her own life is bringing about new things that places her right in the center of the clash between fascism and communism.

For me personally, this book made me realize that reading historical fiction that focuses rich white women is not my cup of tea. Though each of the characters has multiple different sides to them, I found every single character extremely unlikeable. I don't believe this is anything to with the way the author has written them - I think this just my own personal preference.

While this book was not for me, I can attest that it was beautifully researched, well written, and reflects what I imagine to be the attitudes of the time it is set. Hourican is able to weave in a lot of historically accurate events with the invented pieces she created just for this story. The invention of Kathleen and Ned to allow the story to include the volatile nature of the times was a great choice and worked extremely well. Fans of historical fiction will likely love the heck out of this book.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for free and have voluntarily written this review.

[Sheridan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Guinness Girls: A Hint of Scandal is a quintessential period drama.

Emily Hourican’s recent publication is full of luxury, political unrest, and, of course, scandal. “Fans of Downton Abbey will adore this” is how the Sunday Times describes The Glorious Guinness Girls, the first book in the Guinness Girls collection. This comparison can be extended to the collection’s newest addition. Set in England and Ireland during the 1930s, The Guinness Girls revolves around three sisters – Aileen, Maureen, and Oonagh – who were prominent members of the Guinness family and a fictional character – Kathleen – who adds a diverse perspective from that of the sisters. This approximately 500-page story follows the above women as they settle into lives different from what each woman expected for herself during a decade defined by change and turmoil.

Opening on the night before Maureen’s wedding, The Guinness Girls introduces readers to the leisurely and indulgent lives of the Guinness sisters. While lounging on silk bedsheets in a room overlooking the Buckingham Palace Gardens, Maureen peppers her older and younger sister about how they felt the night before their weddings. Hourican combines both relatable situations, such as pre-wedding jitters, with unfathomably luxurious descriptions in this first chapter and throughout the rest of the novel. Through Hourican’s centralization on universal life events, The Guinness Girls removes the veil separating individuals from different social statuses and transports the reader into the upper echelons of British society. The fictional character of Kathleen also works as a literary tool to bring together the aspects of various social classes as she is a former maid turned companion for the Guinness family. A working-class individual, Kathleen provides juxtaposition to the extravagant splendor shown by the sisters. When stepping outside of Oonagh’s meticulously white and clean home, Kathleen reminisces on her familial home and how it “smelled – of boiling bacon and cabbage water – the way the steam ran down the windows so there was always a dampness in the air that you could almost rub between your fingertips."The finest items in her closet are gifts – or rather reject pieces – from Oonagh. Kathleen is the main instrument Hourican utilizes in The Guinness Girls to bridge the gap between wealthy and working-class characters, adding another layer to the myriad of perspectives within the story and offering those in high society and the lower class an opportunity to gather a more detailed picture of one another through their close proximity.

Along with its concentration on social hierarchy, The Guinness Girls also focuses on the gender gap in the 1930s. The Guinness sisters may hold a steady position within the upper class, but they still play a subordinate role to the men in their lives. In a section where Maureen and Oonagh are discussing the latter’s marriage, Maureen states, “You’re like a tall girl stooping and bending at the knees to seem tiny, buying yourself only trifles and trinkets. Always waiting for Philip to give you presents you could easily buy yourself." Oonagh’s repression is an emotion shared by other women. This quote comes shortly after Kathleen attends an assembly and is enamored with a woman’s speech about how “a society in which women are not paid as men is a society that gives itself the right to treat women as inferior to men in all things." This passive engagement with discussing women’s rights is coupled with active representation in the form of Aunt Mildred. Acting as the embodiment for a woman’s changing role in society, Aunt Mildred decides to not marry and instead supports herself by buying and flipping properties. Discussing topics such as class divisions and gender inequality provides depth to The Guinness Girls and useful insight into this time period for readers.

Although The Guinness Girls is an attractive novel for period drama lovers, it is plagued by slow plot progression – a common quality of the genre. Each chapter and its respective characters have their fair share of drama contained within those set number of pages, but the main plotline of The Guinness Girls is alluded to in moments and passing glances, appearing here in a sentence and then disappearing for four or five chapters. A great deal of suspense builds around certain events; however, these events only finally occur 30 pages before the end of the book, culminating in an unsatisfactory resolution that makes one think “That’s it?”. On the other hand, the end of the novel does fall in line with how reality plays out. Since Emily Hourican has based The Guinness Girls on real-life people, the conclusion of the story resembles reality in the way that life rarely turns out the way a person dreams about. Hourican appears to be cognizant of this fact and thus structures her book in this manner. The idle periods of the novel mentioned earlier mimic the idle periods of a person’s life. Not everything in The Guinness Girls is engrossing or extraordinary but as is life.

In order to help alleviate the slow nature of the story’s more drawn-out section, Emily Hourican’s descriptive writing style shines. It was easy to place myself next to Maureen as she walks through her new home, Clandeboye, for the first time. The great estate feels otherworldly as Maureen strolls “along a corridor paneled in dark wood with a thin strip of red carpet running along the centre of a dark wood floor, like a tongue through a toothless mouth." The multiple settings in The Guinness Girls quickly stick in a reader’s mind as Hourican imbues each respective place with its own individual spirit; the cold strangeness of Clandeboye, the warm comfort exuding from Luggale, and the glittering opulence surrounding the many parties attended or hosted by the Guinness Girls. These almost tangible environments made The Guinness Girls an entertaining and pleasing read overall.

Keep an eye on Emily Hourican. She has secured a spot on the An Post Irish Book Awards shortlist for Popular Fiction Book of the Year for two of her works and is working to adapt the first Guinness Girls book, The Glorious Guinness Girls, for television. If you are a fan of stories such as Bridgerton, Downton Abbey, or period drama works, I recommend picking up The Guinness Girls: A Hint of Scandal and looking out for more additions to the Guinness Girls collection.

[Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mummy Darlings: A glorious Guinness Girls Novel
By: Emily Hourican
I really enjoy the Guinness girl’s novels as they transport me to another time. Yes, they are those Guinness’ from the prominent beer family. I truly recommend the others. The first one is The Glorious Guinness Girls. I also enjoyed The Other Guinness Girl: A Question of Honor.

The Guinness girls are now mothers and dealing with marriage and children, during the 30’s communism as fascism is on the rise. They all live in different places. Aileen is living in Luttrellstown Castle outside Dublin, Maureen in Northern Ireland and Ooanah in London. These sisters are spoiled, not very likeable and self-centered. In those days woman were expected to marry and have children.

Oonagh’s husband is not honest, which of course causes tensions. She longs for something more. Maureen and her husband are very intense with everything, which can bring out the best and worst in them. Aileen, is not happen. Growing up they realize the romantic married life they envisioned is not reality. Secret, affairs and scandals with be introduced which changes things for the sisters. How will they each deal with life?

The other main character is Kathleen, a housemaid that they grew up with. She is a companion now to all of the sisters and travels between them. Kathleen is struggling with her own life.
Thank you NetGalley and author Emily Hourican for this advanced copy.

[Connie · Rating 1 out of 5]

London - 1930

The Guinness girls are all settling into their lives now. Oonagh is now Mrs. Philip Kindorsley and a mother. Aileen is married and living in Ireland with Neelia. Maureen is going to marry Duff. The maid whom they share, Kathleen, 26, is going to attend teacher training school.

In 2021, I read “The Glorious Guinness Girls”. While I admitted in my review it was a bit difficult to follow at times, I persevered. However, when I reached the 25 percent mark in “Mummy Darlings,” I still hadn’t a clue what the story was about. We read that in the aftermath of stock market crash, millions of men are out of work and cannot support their families. Yet these privileged women party and spend money all the time. The book may have gotten better, but I don’t have the time to invest in a book that is leaving me cold. Therefore, it is with great regret that I have to say that I did not finish this book. I am very sorry.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Lori Sinsel Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Guinness sisters are all grown up now and soon find out their privileged upbringing did little to prepare them for the realities of marriage and motherhood. This sequel focuses on their married life and the challenges faced in becoming new mothers. Set in the 1930's, there is political unrest in Britain as the battle between communism and fascism heats up, providing a turbulent background to their stories. Told in several POV's, including Kathleen, their maid/companion's voice, one which brings focus and clear, solid, clarity to the realities and social stigmas of the times. We get a look at the lives, loves and scandals of the Guinness sister's adult lives.
I felt this book had a very slow start and honestly I almost DNF'd it at the 25% mark, but I pushed ahead and it did get better. I would only recommend if you have read the previous book, The Guinness Girls, I feel without the background story from the first you may be lost starting cold with this one.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

[Patricia Romero · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Glorious Guinness Girls Novel

We have been with the Guinness girls for a bit now and I can’t seem to get enough of them. Or maybe it’s the author’s writing style. Either way, it’s keeping me engaged.

The girls are grown up now and we are imagining what their lives are like now. It’s a turbulent time and the classes are at war. The girls are carving out a place for themselves and their new families.

In some ways not so different from every other newly married woman with new babies and rather overbearing parents.

And much like the rest of us, the girls are figuring out they have been sheltered all of their lives. Now, they are unprepared to deal with the harsh realities of married life.

Always a pleasure to catch up with the girls.

NetGalley/ Grand Central Publishing,April 18, 2023

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mummy Darlings: A Glorious Guinness Girls Novel by Emily Hourican is a decadent study of life during the 1930s. Based on the real-life history of the Guinness sisters, Oonagh, Maureen, and Aileen, we travel between the rugged countryside of Clandeboye in Northern Ireland and London in England at a time of increasing political unrest. These aristocratic females take us on a journey through the early years of their marriage. Hourican brilliantly balances fact and fiction in this novel about women's societal expectations, their needs, and their lifestyles. Hourican's descriptive writing takes you right to the center of every household event.
#thankyouNETGALLEYforthisARC!

[Emma B. (Emma's Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical fiction novel follows Guinness heiresses Aileen, Maureen, and Oonagh, as well as their companion-of-sorts Kathleen, through the 1930s - from the stock market crash to the precipice of the Spanish civil war and World War II. Their marriages, affairs, divorces, and decadent lifestyle and parties are set against a backdrop of political unrest and social change in Europe - brought partially into focus by Kathleen, who straddles both worlds. It was very interesting especially with the multi-POV. This is technically a sequel to The Glorious Guinness Girls but I read it standalone and you totally could too!

[Chiara Ferrari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book about rich women with nothing to do all day is not my cup of tea. Though each of the characters has multiple different sides to them, I found every single character extremely unlikeable. I don't believe this is anything to with the way the author has written them - I think this just my own personal preference.
While this book was not for me, I can attest that it was beautifully researched, well written, and reflects what I imagine to be the attitudes of the time it is set. Hourican is able to weave in a lot of historically accurate events with the invented pieces she created just for this story.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy of Mummy Darlings! All opinions in this review are my own.

I enjoyed getting to know the Guinness Girls in the first book of the series. For some reason, I thought Mummy Darlings is the sequel and didn't realize I skipped two books until I was already too far into it.

That being said, since I read the first book, I knew enough about the character to pick up the story in Mummy Darlings. I enjoyed this catch up with the sisters, but I did miss some of the youthfulness of the first book. I am curious to go back and read the second and third book now!

[Tracy Sauvageau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to #grandcentralpublishing for this #gifted copy. I was so excited to read the next book in The Glorious Guiness Girls series!

This novel is just as captivating as the first in this series. As the girls now become wives and mothers, we follow all of the scandal that undoubtedly comes with being in the elite class. Filled with drawing rooms, servants, and cocktails before dinner, this book is sure to entertain. I also paired this physical book with the audiobook because who doesn't love an Irish accent! The narrator was perfect!

Released yesterday, so get yours today!

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Glorious Guinness Girls are married now and have become mothers. How they cope with the realities of marriage and mothering are the basis of this story. They have different styles and different methods for getting through their days. Times are changing; it is the 1930s. The working class is unhappy and the ruling class is uneasy. What does this mean for the bright young things of the 1920s?
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this title.

[Amy]

I won this book through Goodreads giveaway from Hachette Book Group. I opted not to give this book a rating as I only read about 25%. I could not connect with the characters and had difficulties following their story. Perhaps if I had read the first book in the series, The Glorious Guinness Girls, I may have enjoyed this book. However, I found that this story could not stand alone. I did appreciate the historical details.

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the glorious Guinness girls and was looking forward to what happened next. But all their flaws just became magnified as they got older. And I understand they were real people, so this is probably exactly as they were. But it was a good telling of how the rich lived in London in the 30s, with all the possibilities.

[Gina Dalfonzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written, but a bit depressing. The older two girls were more selfish and callous than ever, and Oonagh got mocked and punished for trying to be a decent person until I guess she decided it wasn't worth it anymore.

(Also, I'm wondering: Is this the same book as "A Hint of Scandal"? Because their descriptions are exactly the same.)

[Libby Herz · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like a 2.5. This book didn’t have a ton of plot, character development, or much substance at all. I found it frustrating to read an entire book of nasty banter between toxic family members. I was entertained…but I didn’t enjoy myself. Think of how Mary treats Edith in season one of Downton Abbey for the whole plot.

[Lori Larsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoyed reading about the Guinness sisters in the 1920s, you will also enjoy reading about them adapting to this new decade (1930s) and their new grown-up lives. The three sisters-- Aileen, Maureen, and Oonagh-- are close, competitive, antagonizing, and conflicted as they adapt to married life and enter into motherhood. Each of them reacts differently to being a wife, being a mother, and learning that the world is much bigger than their small circle of rich friends. I enjoyed the historical aspects of this sequel as well as the characters that I got to know so well in "The Glorious Guinness Girls."

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this title.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 focuses on the three Guinness sisters as they navigate marriage and motherhood. The sisters end up living in different towns and travel to see each other when they can. A great historical fiction book.

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing. The historical context was interesting but less developed than I liked. It was very hard to like or be interested in the characters.

[Nae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this.

[Judy Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

They're unlikeable.

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a follow-up to "The Glorious Guinness Girls", and follows the sisters while they experience the lives of being wives and mothers. The characters are well developed and it is a wonderful sequel to the first book. It is a great to see how each woman evolves in different ways. I can only hope there is another planned for this series.

[Roisin Shanahan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fiction book based around real life characters The Guinness sisters in the 1930's when the world was changing but the rich mostly seemed immune or ignorant of the outside world and how they were perceived. Aileen, Maureen and Oonagh Guinness were the descendants of Arthur Guinness of Guinness stout fame.
I never read the authors first book about the Guinness's called "The Glorious Guinness Girls" which was based in the roaring 20's. It is a time brought to life for a lot of us by watching Downton Abbey but otherwise hard to imagine. Ned and Kathleen are the only truly fictitious characters to help the reader glide between the rich and poor and see from a historical perspective what was going on during the time when those that had come back from the 1st World War were starving and trying to scrape together a living and in the lead up to WWII when fascism (Sir Oswald Mosley in England, Franco in Spain, Hitler in Germany) was on the rise and also Communism and Neville Chamberlain and the soon to abdicate King preached "appeasement" letting Hitler annex countries before finally declaring war.
Against this backdrop we have the 3 Guinness girls and their imperfect marriages, babies and fashion. The only one I warmed to was the youngest Oonagh because she railed against the old order of nannies and ignoring your children and came across as having genuine love and affection for her kids as well as other peoples. So much so I felt left down when she did to another woman what her "best" friend Valsie did to her. Getting married at 19 and being a mother before her 21st is just so alien but the norm for that time. Afterall a women had no rights and she was expected to marry young but I still found it alien to me.
Aileen (the middle girl) is married to a man that adores her but who she treats badly so she considers running away to Paris with someone else. I found her selfish and spoilt.
The older sister, Maureen I detested and found her the most sadistic, cold bitch that ever walked with absolutely no redeeming features. She treated her husband appalingly, ignored and almost encouraged the abuse of her children by sadistic nannies and had her head so far in the clouds that all she thought about was parties and how to hurt her husband even more. She was even cruel and vengeful to her sisters who all seemed to take it without reproach.
Money bought them no happiness, just a pure sense of entitlement. It was an interesting snapshot of history but makes me glad as a woman I was not born 100 years ago.

[Sarah (read.with.prncss1204) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mummy Darlings is the second story of Aileen, Maureen, and Oonagh Guinness - yes, those Guinness’ of beer fame. I have been waiting for this follow-up since reading The Glorious Guinness Girls a little over a year ago, which was one of my top 5 books of 2022. A huge thank you to the author for reaching out and sending me an advanced copy of the book as well as to the publisher for providing me with an ecopy via Netgalley.

Britain, in the 1930s, is a time when “Communism and Fascism battled for the hearts and minds of millions of unemployed and badly paid men and women.” Spain is on the brink of Civil War. The world is on the brink of WWII. The Guinness girls are beginning their lives as married women and mothers.

Kathleen, though fictional, plays an important role in this story. She is neither “upstairs nor downstairs” but, like Felicity in the book before, she is able to show the reader the gaps between the two classes - the working class that is fighting for survival - working wages, livable conditions, food on their tables, while the upper class sits casually by in a world of opulence and overindulgence.

Honestly, as adults, the Guinness girls are not all that likable. They’re spoiled. They’re self-centered. They’re often cruel. But, I think this stems largely from the times itself - when the belief was that the best thing a woman could do was marry and produce children, whether they wanted to or not. Infidelity was rampant, they weren’t supposed to show their children attention or affection, and they weren’t supposed to want something more because, supposedly, they already had it all. I think this paragraph sums it up well:

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝑲𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚, 𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔, 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒐 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏. 𝑬𝒙𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒖𝒑, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈.

Mummy Darlings is a fantastic second novel and one I highly recommend, but only after reading the first, The Glorious Guinness Girls. I look forward to reading the companion book, The Other Guinness Girl, about Honor Guinness, a cousin, who is briefly mentioned in this book.