What do you think?
Rate this book
The Woman on the Bridge
Dublin. The 1920s. As war tears Ireland apart, two young people are caught up in events that will bring love, tragedy - and the hardest of choices.
In a country fighting for freedom, it's hard to live a normal life. Winnie O'Leary supports the cause, but she doesn't go looking for trouble. Then rebel Joseph Burke steps into her workplace. Winnie is furious with him about a broken window. She's not interested in romance. But love comes when you least expect it.
Joseph's family shelter fugitives and transport weapons. Joseph would never ask Winnie to join the fight; but his mother and sisters demand commitment. Will Winnie choose Joseph, and put her own loved ones in deadly danger? Or wait for a time of peace that may never come?
Ireland's tumultuous independence struggle is the backdrop for an unforgettable story of courage and heartbreak, in which heroes are made of ordinary people. Inspired by the story of Sheila O'Flanagan's grandmother, The Womanon the Bridge is the unmissable, compulsive new novel from a bestselling author.
In a country fighting for freedom, it's hard to live a normal life. Winnie O'Leary supports the cause, but she doesn't go looking for trouble. Then rebel Joseph Burke steps into her workplace. Winnie is furious with him about a broken window. She's not interested in romance. But love comes when you least expect it.
Joseph's family shelter fugitives and transport weapons. Joseph would never ask Winnie to join the fight; but his mother and sisters demand commitment. Will Winnie choose Joseph, and put her own loved ones in deadly danger? Or wait for a time of peace that may never come?
Ireland's tumultuous independence struggle is the backdrop for an unforgettable story of courage and heartbreak, in which heroes are made of ordinary people. Inspired by the story of Sheila O'Flanagan's grandmother, The Womanon the Bridge is the unmissable, compulsive new novel from a bestselling author.
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 27, 2023
203 people are currently reading
831 people want to read
About the author
Sheila O'Flanagan
95 books1,201 followersAs you can see, a Dubliner all my life. My parents owned a grocery shop in the Iveagh Markets, in the Liberties area of the city and I guess city blood runs through my veins.
As a child I enjoyed reading and telling stories and everyone thought that I end up in a job which had something to do with books and literature. But though I applied for a job in the library all of the job offers I got were in commerce.
I turned down lots of them before my mother accepted one for me (I was on holiday at the time). It was in the Central Bank of Ireland and that’s how my career in financial services began.
I started out in administration and then moved jobs until finally I was working as a dealer in a commercial bank. Eventually I was promoted to Chief Dealer (the first female CD in the country). I traded lots of different things – foreign exchange, swaps, options, bonds…all of the kind of things you read about in the papers and that sound very technical and difficult. Of course once you’re doing it, it’s not half as technical as it sounds.
But I still loved reading and writing (which I did in my spare time) and I desperately wanted to write my own book. I guess I never quite got over the fact that I was never offered the library job! In my thirties I decided that it was now or never and I sat down, stuck Chapter 1 on a page, and started. I wrote the whole thing before sending it off.
I was offered a publishing deal (with no advance) by an Irish company but only if I wrote a different book! So back to the drawing board, I started again. It was another two years before it was published. It wasn’t until I’d written a few books and was offered a contract (this time with an advance!) from another publisher that I felt able to give up my trading job and write full time. So, even though it took a long time, I eventually realised my dream of being a full-time writer.
And now I also write a business column for the Irish Times.
When I’m writing a book I want to do three things:
* Tell a good story
* Make the reader feel like they know the characters
* Make each book better than the last
I don’t write for any particular audience but I suppose I must have people like me in mind – people who have busy lives and who like to escape into someone else’s for a while.
I love writing books. I hope you enjoy reading them.
As a child I enjoyed reading and telling stories and everyone thought that I end up in a job which had something to do with books and literature. But though I applied for a job in the library all of the job offers I got were in commerce.
I turned down lots of them before my mother accepted one for me (I was on holiday at the time). It was in the Central Bank of Ireland and that’s how my career in financial services began.
I started out in administration and then moved jobs until finally I was working as a dealer in a commercial bank. Eventually I was promoted to Chief Dealer (the first female CD in the country). I traded lots of different things – foreign exchange, swaps, options, bonds…all of the kind of things you read about in the papers and that sound very technical and difficult. Of course once you’re doing it, it’s not half as technical as it sounds.
But I still loved reading and writing (which I did in my spare time) and I desperately wanted to write my own book. I guess I never quite got over the fact that I was never offered the library job! In my thirties I decided that it was now or never and I sat down, stuck Chapter 1 on a page, and started. I wrote the whole thing before sending it off.
I was offered a publishing deal (with no advance) by an Irish company but only if I wrote a different book! So back to the drawing board, I started again. It was another two years before it was published. It wasn’t until I’d written a few books and was offered a contract (this time with an advance!) from another publisher that I felt able to give up my trading job and write full time. So, even though it took a long time, I eventually realised my dream of being a full-time writer.
And now I also write a business column for the Irish Times.
When I’m writing a book I want to do three things:
* Tell a good story
* Make the reader feel like they know the characters
* Make each book better than the last
I don’t write for any particular audience but I suppose I must have people like me in mind – people who have busy lives and who like to escape into someone else’s for a while.
I love writing books. I hope you enjoy reading them.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
May 28, 2023
This is an excellent read. If you love historical fiction with Irish history (which I do), you'll enjoy this one. The Irish Civil War was terrible for the fact that it tore families apart. Brother against brother and so on. The after effects lasted long in memory and time.
Winnie is a wonderful character. She's strong and independent and comes to the fore during this conflict. Her mother-in-law is a horrible woman who thinks she knows best for everyone and expects to be obeyed without question. It shows how strong the women of the time really were and how much they were involved in Ireland's freedom struggle. Then they were expected to get back into the kitchen when it was all over.
I never liked De Valera, the Irish president, who stayed too long in office and it was good to read about him as portrayed here.
I'd recommend this to anyone who has a love of historical fiction written around true events.
Winnie is a wonderful character. She's strong and independent and comes to the fore during this conflict. Her mother-in-law is a horrible woman who thinks she knows best for everyone and expects to be obeyed without question. It shows how strong the women of the time really were and how much they were involved in Ireland's freedom struggle. Then they were expected to get back into the kitchen when it was all over.
I never liked De Valera, the Irish president, who stayed too long in office and it was good to read about him as portrayed here.
I'd recommend this to anyone who has a love of historical fiction written around true events.
May 16, 2023
Sheila O'Flanagan has accomplished what many have tried and few have been successful at doing. She has put a human face on Ireland's history while making all the myriad allegiances, battles, uprisings, rebellions, and suffering understandable to the lay reader. It is obvious that this novel was intensely researched in addition to the wealth of the author's own family archives.
Just how understandable is it when a fight for freedom from British rule morphs into a devastating civil war? A war where friend turns on friend, where even families are divisive in their principles and their beliefs.
The protagonist of this story was loosely based upon the life of the author's grandmother. A strong woman who was swept up in events not of her choosing, yet keeping her own beliefs and strong personality throughout. Winnie O'Leary lives with her family in Dublin. Starting in 1920, we follow her throughout her life, through Bloody Sunday and the Irish War of Independence, then the Irish Civil War, when her husband was jailed as a political prisoner for his partisan leanings.
Winnie wants a quiet life, yet her every waking moment is fraught with deep seated anxiety. Worry about her family, her friends, and her country. Day to day life brings its own kind of obstacles. Curfews, the lack of housing and nutritious food, are all issues that Winnie must deal with while trying to bring up her five children.
Winnie is a feminist born before her time. She wants education for her daughters. She advocates for family planning and birth control. She believes that women who do not want to be mothers should be supported in their quest for work outside the home.
With so much worry, strain, and genuine anguish, one would assume Winnie's story was a bleak one, yet she remained positive and hopeful. That mindset is what saw her through some desperate situations.
Many, many themes are covered in this novel. The travesty of war, particularly civil war. The hypocrisy of the Catholic Church. The social disadvantages of women in the 1920s and 1930s. Tuberculosis that ravaged the Irish population during this time.
I highly recommend this novel to any reader who wants to learn more about Irish history and enjoys a good accompanying family saga which eases the didactic nature of most historical tomes.
Just how understandable is it when a fight for freedom from British rule morphs into a devastating civil war? A war where friend turns on friend, where even families are divisive in their principles and their beliefs.
The protagonist of this story was loosely based upon the life of the author's grandmother. A strong woman who was swept up in events not of her choosing, yet keeping her own beliefs and strong personality throughout. Winnie O'Leary lives with her family in Dublin. Starting in 1920, we follow her throughout her life, through Bloody Sunday and the Irish War of Independence, then the Irish Civil War, when her husband was jailed as a political prisoner for his partisan leanings.
Winnie wants a quiet life, yet her every waking moment is fraught with deep seated anxiety. Worry about her family, her friends, and her country. Day to day life brings its own kind of obstacles. Curfews, the lack of housing and nutritious food, are all issues that Winnie must deal with while trying to bring up her five children.
Winnie is a feminist born before her time. She wants education for her daughters. She advocates for family planning and birth control. She believes that women who do not want to be mothers should be supported in their quest for work outside the home.
With so much worry, strain, and genuine anguish, one would assume Winnie's story was a bleak one, yet she remained positive and hopeful. That mindset is what saw her through some desperate situations.
Many, many themes are covered in this novel. The travesty of war, particularly civil war. The hypocrisy of the Catholic Church. The social disadvantages of women in the 1920s and 1930s. Tuberculosis that ravaged the Irish population during this time.
I highly recommend this novel to any reader who wants to learn more about Irish history and enjoys a good accompanying family saga which eases the didactic nature of most historical tomes.
April 28, 2023
I received a free copy of, The Woman on the Bridge, by Sheila O'Flanagan, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a heavy book so many sensitive topics, the fighting between the Irish and the English, domestic violence, tuberculosis womens rights, Hitler, and more. It was a good read Winnie her sisters, her husband, Joseph and his family are all strong characters. I did not agree with everything they did but it was a good read but a hard read.
June 25, 2024
Really good storyline about 1920s and 30s N. Ireland and the conflicts there. The main couple are the author’s grandparents but as she said, a lot was added to not actually embellish the story but to show what happened to them and others.
January 11, 2023
The story of a young couple caught up in the troubles in Ireland in the 1920’s.
A tale of people trying to live their life under harrowing circumstances.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline Books for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
A tale of people trying to live their life under harrowing circumstances.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline Books for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2023
Tender, nostalgic, and immersive!
The Woman on the Bridge is an intriguing tale that sweeps you away to Dublin during the 1920s when Ireland is full of unrest and upheaval and the sweet, dependable Winnie O’Leary and her rebel husband-to-be, Joseph Burke, have to navigate a world full of simmering anger, violence, imprisonments, and tragic losses of life before finally making it to the altar.
The prose is polished and rich. The characters are passionate, driven, and endearing. And the well-paced, compelling plot is a wonderful mix of familial dynamics, drama, emotion, self-discovery, secrets, revelations, love, loss, heartbreak, courage, duty, grief, passion, and conflict.
Overall, The Woman on the Bridge is an atmospheric, absorbing, heartfelt debut in the historical fiction genre for O’Flanagan that does a beautiful job of highlighting her exceptional ability to portray complex, memorable characters, which in this case are based on real-life family members, and historically troubling times in such a way that is not only insightful but also impactful.
Thank you to Mobius Books US for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Woman on the Bridge is an intriguing tale that sweeps you away to Dublin during the 1920s when Ireland is full of unrest and upheaval and the sweet, dependable Winnie O’Leary and her rebel husband-to-be, Joseph Burke, have to navigate a world full of simmering anger, violence, imprisonments, and tragic losses of life before finally making it to the altar.
The prose is polished and rich. The characters are passionate, driven, and endearing. And the well-paced, compelling plot is a wonderful mix of familial dynamics, drama, emotion, self-discovery, secrets, revelations, love, loss, heartbreak, courage, duty, grief, passion, and conflict.
Overall, The Woman on the Bridge is an atmospheric, absorbing, heartfelt debut in the historical fiction genre for O’Flanagan that does a beautiful job of highlighting her exceptional ability to portray complex, memorable characters, which in this case are based on real-life family members, and historically troubling times in such a way that is not only insightful but also impactful.
Thank you to Mobius Books US for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 1, 2023
Winifred O'Leary is certainly to be admired. From working in Alice Kelley's fabric shop and living in two rooms with her mother and father, Winifred falls in love with Joseph Burke and in doing so walks a terrifying path constantly overshadowed by wars, unrest and an uprising in Ireland.
The novel uses historical facts as a basis for a love story where hardship and uncertainty rule the day but despite the darkness of the times, becomes a testament to personal strength, fighting for beliefs and an inspirational mantra for hope amongst devastation.
I have liked reading previous books by this author, although I definitely haven't read every one, but as I am not a fan of the historical novel, I cannot enthuse about this book. It is pleasant (not the topic) as a social commentary cum love story, but not anything that would set my reading world ablaze.
Huge thanks though to the author and Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read in exchange for this honest review.
The novel uses historical facts as a basis for a love story where hardship and uncertainty rule the day but despite the darkness of the times, becomes a testament to personal strength, fighting for beliefs and an inspirational mantra for hope amongst devastation.
I have liked reading previous books by this author, although I definitely haven't read every one, but as I am not a fan of the historical novel, I cannot enthuse about this book. It is pleasant (not the topic) as a social commentary cum love story, but not anything that would set my reading world ablaze.
Huge thanks though to the author and Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read in exchange for this honest review.
May 1, 2023
Have to say this wasn't my favourite book by this author. I know little about the troubles in Ireland but sometimes this book felt more like a history lesson than a novel. On the plus side I have learnt something. Thank you to The Pigeonhole and the author for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2023
Not her usual, found it dragged and I was bored
June 26, 2023
Thank you Hachette for sending us a copy to read and review.
Established author and contemporary fiction writer Sheila O’Flanagan delves into the world of historical fiction for her newest creative novel.
The Woman On The Bridge is a celebration of early Irish history with a strong female lead inspired by the writers own family and past.
Dublin, the 1920’s and a war is raging through the country.
Winnie O’Leary supports the fight for freedom but stays away from trouble.
Then she meets Joseph Burke, a rioter who is involved in all the drama.
Romance blossoms during a terrible time for Ireland.
Can their courage, determination, dedication and love survive?
Or will danger come and the battle for peace never end?
A tender, beautiful, nostalgic story and heartwarming novel that will delight her fans.
The cover is inviting as well as the tale inside is engaging, compelling and entertaining.
Loving Sheila’s previous modern day books, I was keen to read this being a lover of history and knowing this was one of her first works into this genre.
The plot worked really well, the characters are very delightful and believable, the subject matter is delicate but written with compassion and the setting is welcoming although bleak during the fight for independence.
A family saga with grit penned by a talented and creative artist.
Established author and contemporary fiction writer Sheila O’Flanagan delves into the world of historical fiction for her newest creative novel.
The Woman On The Bridge is a celebration of early Irish history with a strong female lead inspired by the writers own family and past.
Dublin, the 1920’s and a war is raging through the country.
Winnie O’Leary supports the fight for freedom but stays away from trouble.
Then she meets Joseph Burke, a rioter who is involved in all the drama.
Romance blossoms during a terrible time for Ireland.
Can their courage, determination, dedication and love survive?
Or will danger come and the battle for peace never end?
A tender, beautiful, nostalgic story and heartwarming novel that will delight her fans.
The cover is inviting as well as the tale inside is engaging, compelling and entertaining.
Loving Sheila’s previous modern day books, I was keen to read this being a lover of history and knowing this was one of her first works into this genre.
The plot worked really well, the characters are very delightful and believable, the subject matter is delicate but written with compassion and the setting is welcoming although bleak during the fight for independence.
A family saga with grit penned by a talented and creative artist.
abandoned
November 6, 2023This story is a romance set during the Irish War of Independence. I was hoping for more of a historical novel with a smattering of romance but this book reads more like a Harlequin romance. Disappointingly the writing is very simplistic, more suited for teenage readers. After 100 pgs, I needed to move on.
2023
June 13, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Headline Review
May 2, 2023
I have been a huge fan of this author ever since I read her first book ‘Dreaming of a Stranger’ back in 1997. Since then I’ve read and loved all her books, so when I had the opportunity to join the blog tour for ‘The Woman On The Bridge’ I was giddy with excitement. Reading the blurb I realised this was a different genre to O’Flanagans unusual contemporary fiction/romance genres. So I was slightly nervous starting this one for fear I wouldn’t love it as much as her previous books. Well there was certainly no need to feel concerned as this book was absolutely magnificent in every way. The main character Winnie is a such a strong inspirational woman and will do anything for her family. In fact all the woman in this novel are strong characters in their own way. This story has me completely absorbed from the very beginning. Although I knew quite a bit about the political events in Ireland during this time having studied it in history classes at school, it was still such an interesting read. To know that this book was inspired by the authors grandparents made it even more of a poignant read. This is a book that I recommend 100% .
May 29, 2023
Three stars from me usually means that I believe the author has achieved their aims, and it’s a good book but that I personally didn’t fall in love with it.
In this case, we meet Winnie O’Leary a young shop assistant drawn into the struggle for Irish independence. Portrayed as in some ways typical of women involved in the struggle, the focus is on how she went about achieving the usual aims of a woman of her time and class - marrying and starting a family. Unfortunately this means that one of the most successful campaigns for national independence starts to form a series of tedious interruptions to normal family life. I suspect that this may actually have been how some of Winnie’s generation did experience the Struggle, but it does not make for the best fiction. Sometimes drama needs to trump realism, I think.
Nevertheless I’m glad to have read this novel, and especially glad that it was featured on the Pigeonhole, since otherwise I would likely have missed it.
Three Word Review: Just keep going.
In this case, we meet Winnie O’Leary a young shop assistant drawn into the struggle for Irish independence. Portrayed as in some ways typical of women involved in the struggle, the focus is on how she went about achieving the usual aims of a woman of her time and class - marrying and starting a family. Unfortunately this means that one of the most successful campaigns for national independence starts to form a series of tedious interruptions to normal family life. I suspect that this may actually have been how some of Winnie’s generation did experience the Struggle, but it does not make for the best fiction. Sometimes drama needs to trump realism, I think.
Nevertheless I’m glad to have read this novel, and especially glad that it was featured on the Pigeonhole, since otherwise I would likely have missed it.
Three Word Review: Just keep going.
October 7, 2024
Varje år bokpratar jag inför en förening. Det ska vara tjugo stycken böcker, de ska vara utgivna "nyss" (typ 2020-2024) och det ska vara med en klassiker. Det är bra för mig att ha det där bokpratet "hängande över mig" för då läser jag massa böcker jag aldrig skulle ha läst annars. Kvinnan på bron skulle jag kanske ha plockat upp ändå. Gillar ju historiska böcker, men ogillar kärlekshistorier så det är 50/50 vad som skulle ha vunnit.
Winnie O'Leary är sexton-sjutton år och jobbar i en tygaffär. Året är 1920 och i Dublin pyr missnöjet med det brittiska styret. Winnie vill bara leva sitt liv i lugn och ro, men när hon träffar rebellen Joseph Burke dras hon ändå in i den segdragna konflikten.
Vi följer Winnie och Joseph från 1920 till 1931 och allt eftersom deras nyförälskelse går över i äktenskap och barn växer konflikten på Irland.
Enligt författaren Sheila O'Flanagan bygger delar av berättelsen i Kvinnan på bron på hennes mormors liv. Jag fattar att man som författare gärna skriver om en så spännande mormor! Fattar också att man gärna skriver om den långa, svåra och röriga historia som finns mellan Irland och Storbritannien. Saken är bara det är boken trots bra ingredienser är trist. Trots fler hundra sidor om Winnie är hon papperstunn som karaktär. Hon och Joseph är liksom bara rådiga, kloka och... bleka? Känns som om hela boken är: Hon gick till jobbet. Det blev bråk. Det var obehagligt. Svärmor är tvär. Vilken fin man Joseph är. Konflikten är svår. Vänner blir osams. Nu brann något. Nu dog någon. Nu sattes Joseph i fängelse. Nu skriver vi lite brev. Åren går. Slut.
Kvinnan på bron är obegripligt blodlös och oengagerande bok. Trots att det borde vara allt annat än. Jag tyckte ändå inte direkt att den var dålig, den var som att äta havregrynsgröt. Det är något att få i sig på morgonen för att bli varm i magen, men men kommer aldrig att omtala det som en minnesvärd måltid. Kanske lite nyttig (= jag har kanske lärt mig något om konflikten mellan Irland och Storbritannien).
Jag betvivlar inte att författarens research är gedigen och den historiska delen korrekt, men jag vet att jag om max två dagar kommer att börja ha svårt att återberätta Kvinnan på bron. Den är liksom ingenting. Inte ens dålig nog att riktigt störa sig på.
Winnie O'Leary är sexton-sjutton år och jobbar i en tygaffär. Året är 1920 och i Dublin pyr missnöjet med det brittiska styret. Winnie vill bara leva sitt liv i lugn och ro, men när hon träffar rebellen Joseph Burke dras hon ändå in i den segdragna konflikten.
Vi följer Winnie och Joseph från 1920 till 1931 och allt eftersom deras nyförälskelse går över i äktenskap och barn växer konflikten på Irland.
Enligt författaren Sheila O'Flanagan bygger delar av berättelsen i Kvinnan på bron på hennes mormors liv. Jag fattar att man som författare gärna skriver om en så spännande mormor! Fattar också att man gärna skriver om den långa, svåra och röriga historia som finns mellan Irland och Storbritannien. Saken är bara det är boken trots bra ingredienser är trist. Trots fler hundra sidor om Winnie är hon papperstunn som karaktär. Hon och Joseph är liksom bara rådiga, kloka och... bleka? Känns som om hela boken är: Hon gick till jobbet. Det blev bråk. Det var obehagligt. Svärmor är tvär. Vilken fin man Joseph är. Konflikten är svår. Vänner blir osams. Nu brann något. Nu dog någon. Nu sattes Joseph i fängelse. Nu skriver vi lite brev. Åren går. Slut.
Kvinnan på bron är obegripligt blodlös och oengagerande bok. Trots att det borde vara allt annat än. Jag tyckte ändå inte direkt att den var dålig, den var som att äta havregrynsgröt. Det är något att få i sig på morgonen för att bli varm i magen, men men kommer aldrig att omtala det som en minnesvärd måltid. Kanske lite nyttig (= jag har kanske lärt mig något om konflikten mellan Irland och Storbritannien).
Jag betvivlar inte att författarens research är gedigen och den historiska delen korrekt, men jag vet att jag om max två dagar kommer att börja ha svårt att återberätta Kvinnan på bron. Den är liksom ingenting. Inte ens dålig nog att riktigt störa sig på.
May 1, 2023
An interesting way of learning about Ireland 's history through weaving the lives of a couple of families fighting and trying to survive the Irish war, rebellions, hunger , all closely enmeshed in Irish events in the 1920's onwards. While the first half of the novel contains a bit too much much romance, I experienced the second part as very absorbing and much more interesting.
I received a digital copy of this novel from my online book club, The Pigeonhole, and I would like to give it a big thank you for letting me this novel.
I received a digital copy of this novel from my online book club, The Pigeonhole, and I would like to give it a big thank you for letting me this novel.
January 20, 2024
I've never read a book set during a war that seemed so uninterested in the actual reality of war. An interesting idea in concept to depict families just trying to live normal lives during a war - I am fascinated by the idea - but the execution was off on multiple counts, and not even in a way that was so bad it's funny - just uninteresting. It's like someone read the Wikipedia page for evwnts that happened in Ireland during the 1920s and interspersed it with old family stories and called it a day. The prose isn't interesting, the characters feel shallow, even the romance which is definitely the centre of the novel feels totally flaccid. It doesn't seem to hold a strong ideological opinion about war either. The main character herself doesn't seem to really care? Well. I'm glad it's over I suppose!
July 14, 2023
Different from what I usually read but very interesting.
November 23, 2023
If you love historical fiction you will LOVE this book! It seemed large but it didn’t seem to take long to power through it!
Read
November 15, 2024I had to DNF this book…I’ve been in such a slumppppp
August 31, 2025
Mooi verhaal & hele fijne schrijfstijl. Ik vond het ook interessant om eens iets te lezen over de Ierse onafhankelijkheidsstrijd & burgeroorlog.
August 14, 2025
Har läst boken för en tid sedan, dock minns jag inte om det blev en trea eller fyra.
April 28, 2023
The Woman on the Bridge is a complete change of genre for Sheila O’Flanagan. It takes her away from what we have come to know and love her for – women’s fiction and instead delves into historical fiction specifically Ireland’s fight for independence. I admit I was hesitant, given that historical fiction is one of my all-time favourite genres, that the author would be able to switch genres just like that. Well, I can safely say, I needn’t have had any worries at all. The Woman on the Bridge provides the reader with a fascinating insight into the life of an ordinary young woman living in Dublin in the 1920’s detailing her experiences of Ireland’s struggle to win independence form the British.
I learnt so much about this topic in school and it’s commonplace that the people of Ireland know what went on over 100 years ago. How so many brave and loyal people fought for what they believed was right and without them Ireland would not be in the position we are in today. Sheila O’Flanagan has shone a light on this time with a detailed and informative story. One which will help readers new to the topic become familiar with the struggle and for those of us that already know all about it she really has encapsulated the daily fear the citizens of Ireland went through and how at the times people were firmly divided as to what side they were on.
It’s the summer of 1920 in Dublin and Winifred (Winnie) has been working in Mrs Kelley’s drapery shop for five years. She is hard working and all she wants is a practical, quiet and peaceful life but the War of Independence rages around her and the streets are not safe. The last several years have been emotionally fraught full of violence and unrest. The Easter Rising of 1916 was unsuccessful and the fight for independence from the British rule rages on with people firmly divided as to what side they are on. Winnie is tired of the fighting, the curfews, the restrictions and the fear that is with her every day. The rebels and revolutionaries continue their fight and will not stop until their goal has been achieved. Not one family has been spared from the effects of the war. Her family were touched when her father was shot several years ago. Her younger brother has been sent to life in the countryside where her sister Katy is married keeping him away from the fighting. Two older sisters are now in England and Belgium respectively and Marianne who is in service to a doctor soon leaves with a young man bound for America. So it is just Winnie and her parents, Annie and Thomas, who remain at home sharing some rooms in a building. The desperate living conditions that existed at the time and the lack of good housing is explored here and it just serves as a reminder as to how far we have come in some ways and in others not very far at all.
The war comes calling directly at Winnie’s doorstep when a rock comes through the window of the drapery shop. Winnie is scared and traumatised and her anxiety is only heightened. Why is there so much violence and destructiveness? She knows things need to change especially for the working-class people but must this be achieved through death, harshness and brutality? Winnie wants change but not if it means so many lives are lost and ordinary working class people’s lives are turned upside down and in the end it could all be for nothing. Joseph Burke, a lieutenant in the Third Battalion in the Dublin Brigade, arrives at the shop to get the window fixed and the shop cleared up. The incident was merely an accident. The shop and its owner Mrs Kelley were not the intended target even though she is a Protestant. Right from the moment Winnie sets eyes on Joseph, I felt there was a real spark between the pair. Winnie becomes forthright and opinionated and gives Joseph a right going over in terms of her opinion of the incident and the situation as a whole. She knows nothing can happen without sacrifice and Joseph does have very strong views in what the long term result should be and his family are on the a different side to Winnie’s. But still there is a connection there and you can’t fight love when it comes calling.
The pair begin to step out and are soon engaged. There is a bit of trouble which causes a delay to their wedding and the story moves forward at a nice pace from that point on. The story moves from 1920 and takes us right up to 1927 and yes there was an awful lot to fit in, in terms of significant events that occur in terms of the cause as a whole and also other social aspects in terms of housing and the TB crisis but it never felt like these things were being thrown in just because they occurred during the period was set in. It all felt natural and just added to the story and they gave the reader a deeper appreciation of what people were experiencing at the time. An awful lot of ground is covered and it could have felt crammed and too rushed but instead it all weaves wonderfully around Joseph and Winnie.We see how they grow and evolve as a couple. How Winnie is tested when she realises just how involved Joseph’s family are with the cause? Sacrifices, hardship and separation come their way and a lot of commitment, responsibilities and dedication are needed from both Winnie and Joseph. There is a lot sent their way which tests their relationship and to read about it all was so fascinating and engrossing. Of course, I knew how the political situation would turn out but what kept me reading was to see would everything going on just cause too much of a strain on Winnie and Joseph’s relationship or were they strong enough to weather the many storms sent their way?
There were lots of mentions of historical figures which are well known to us all now. It felt strange to read of them in existence so to speak as Winnie encounters some of them. People that have found a place in Irish history yet at the time the significance and long last impact of what they were doing didn’t occur to those living through the time. I will say that there are several Irish terms and details of places and events that occur throughout the book and as I knew about them it was fine for me and I understood them. The inclusion of a glossary of terms at the back was welcome and is very beneficial for readers new to the topic. Although I think it would be best placed at the beginning of the book with perhaps a brief paragraph explaining the political situation at the time. I know this was explained as the story developed but people totally new to the topic a bit of initial background I feel would be helpful. That’s not to say you can’t follow the story, it is easy to comprehend but a introduction to the bigger picture would be useful.
The Woman on the Bridge was a very good read with a main character who certainly went through many changes in her stance regarding the war and the fight for freedom. In the beginning, she hadn’t wanted to be involved preferring to just continue on with her practical life. But love came calling and that changed everything and we see Winnie alter, and adapt to her new situation. She became like many other women, a woman who knew what she wanted and went about getting it. Winnie became a strong woman living in a turbulent period in a city full of danger and unease and she weathered the storms with grace and loyalty. For her first foray into historical fiction Sheila O’Flanagan did a great job and this read as if she has been writing in this genre for a long time. At no point, did it feel like I was reading a history book. Instead the historical facts and events intertwined seamlessly with the personal and emotional story that unfolded. I found it to be a quick read which you easily get sucked into as it’s a real page turner. It’s a just one more chapter kind of book and before you know it lots of pages have been turned. All in all, it’s a successful change for the author and I hope she does continue to write in this genre as well as continuing to write the stories she has become known for.
I learnt so much about this topic in school and it’s commonplace that the people of Ireland know what went on over 100 years ago. How so many brave and loyal people fought for what they believed was right and without them Ireland would not be in the position we are in today. Sheila O’Flanagan has shone a light on this time with a detailed and informative story. One which will help readers new to the topic become familiar with the struggle and for those of us that already know all about it she really has encapsulated the daily fear the citizens of Ireland went through and how at the times people were firmly divided as to what side they were on.
It’s the summer of 1920 in Dublin and Winifred (Winnie) has been working in Mrs Kelley’s drapery shop for five years. She is hard working and all she wants is a practical, quiet and peaceful life but the War of Independence rages around her and the streets are not safe. The last several years have been emotionally fraught full of violence and unrest. The Easter Rising of 1916 was unsuccessful and the fight for independence from the British rule rages on with people firmly divided as to what side they are on. Winnie is tired of the fighting, the curfews, the restrictions and the fear that is with her every day. The rebels and revolutionaries continue their fight and will not stop until their goal has been achieved. Not one family has been spared from the effects of the war. Her family were touched when her father was shot several years ago. Her younger brother has been sent to life in the countryside where her sister Katy is married keeping him away from the fighting. Two older sisters are now in England and Belgium respectively and Marianne who is in service to a doctor soon leaves with a young man bound for America. So it is just Winnie and her parents, Annie and Thomas, who remain at home sharing some rooms in a building. The desperate living conditions that existed at the time and the lack of good housing is explored here and it just serves as a reminder as to how far we have come in some ways and in others not very far at all.
The war comes calling directly at Winnie’s doorstep when a rock comes through the window of the drapery shop. Winnie is scared and traumatised and her anxiety is only heightened. Why is there so much violence and destructiveness? She knows things need to change especially for the working-class people but must this be achieved through death, harshness and brutality? Winnie wants change but not if it means so many lives are lost and ordinary working class people’s lives are turned upside down and in the end it could all be for nothing. Joseph Burke, a lieutenant in the Third Battalion in the Dublin Brigade, arrives at the shop to get the window fixed and the shop cleared up. The incident was merely an accident. The shop and its owner Mrs Kelley were not the intended target even though she is a Protestant. Right from the moment Winnie sets eyes on Joseph, I felt there was a real spark between the pair. Winnie becomes forthright and opinionated and gives Joseph a right going over in terms of her opinion of the incident and the situation as a whole. She knows nothing can happen without sacrifice and Joseph does have very strong views in what the long term result should be and his family are on the a different side to Winnie’s. But still there is a connection there and you can’t fight love when it comes calling.
The pair begin to step out and are soon engaged. There is a bit of trouble which causes a delay to their wedding and the story moves forward at a nice pace from that point on. The story moves from 1920 and takes us right up to 1927 and yes there was an awful lot to fit in, in terms of significant events that occur in terms of the cause as a whole and also other social aspects in terms of housing and the TB crisis but it never felt like these things were being thrown in just because they occurred during the period was set in. It all felt natural and just added to the story and they gave the reader a deeper appreciation of what people were experiencing at the time. An awful lot of ground is covered and it could have felt crammed and too rushed but instead it all weaves wonderfully around Joseph and Winnie.We see how they grow and evolve as a couple. How Winnie is tested when she realises just how involved Joseph’s family are with the cause? Sacrifices, hardship and separation come their way and a lot of commitment, responsibilities and dedication are needed from both Winnie and Joseph. There is a lot sent their way which tests their relationship and to read about it all was so fascinating and engrossing. Of course, I knew how the political situation would turn out but what kept me reading was to see would everything going on just cause too much of a strain on Winnie and Joseph’s relationship or were they strong enough to weather the many storms sent their way?
There were lots of mentions of historical figures which are well known to us all now. It felt strange to read of them in existence so to speak as Winnie encounters some of them. People that have found a place in Irish history yet at the time the significance and long last impact of what they were doing didn’t occur to those living through the time. I will say that there are several Irish terms and details of places and events that occur throughout the book and as I knew about them it was fine for me and I understood them. The inclusion of a glossary of terms at the back was welcome and is very beneficial for readers new to the topic. Although I think it would be best placed at the beginning of the book with perhaps a brief paragraph explaining the political situation at the time. I know this was explained as the story developed but people totally new to the topic a bit of initial background I feel would be helpful. That’s not to say you can’t follow the story, it is easy to comprehend but a introduction to the bigger picture would be useful.
The Woman on the Bridge was a very good read with a main character who certainly went through many changes in her stance regarding the war and the fight for freedom. In the beginning, she hadn’t wanted to be involved preferring to just continue on with her practical life. But love came calling and that changed everything and we see Winnie alter, and adapt to her new situation. She became like many other women, a woman who knew what she wanted and went about getting it. Winnie became a strong woman living in a turbulent period in a city full of danger and unease and she weathered the storms with grace and loyalty. For her first foray into historical fiction Sheila O’Flanagan did a great job and this read as if she has been writing in this genre for a long time. At no point, did it feel like I was reading a history book. Instead the historical facts and events intertwined seamlessly with the personal and emotional story that unfolded. I found it to be a quick read which you easily get sucked into as it’s a real page turner. It’s a just one more chapter kind of book and before you know it lots of pages have been turned. All in all, it’s a successful change for the author and I hope she does continue to write in this genre as well as continuing to write the stories she has become known for.
April 27, 2023
A young woman caught up in Ireland’s struggle for freedom.
Set in 1920’s Dublin.
Love comes when you’re not expecting it and that what happens with Winnie O’Leary when Irish rebel Joseph Burke breaks a window in her workplace.
He comes to apologise and arrange replacing the window and he’s “the handsomest man (she’s) ever seem”
As the relationship grows, Winnie has a dilemma, will she choose love and take up the cause with Joseph and the Burke Republican family, or wait for a peaceful solution with her pacifist O’Leary family
Will their budding relationship survive?
Loved that it was inspired by the story of the author’s grandmother and we were taught about Irish history, with strong believable characters.
Set in 1920’s Dublin.
Love comes when you’re not expecting it and that what happens with Winnie O’Leary when Irish rebel Joseph Burke breaks a window in her workplace.
He comes to apologise and arrange replacing the window and he’s “the handsomest man (she’s) ever seem”
As the relationship grows, Winnie has a dilemma, will she choose love and take up the cause with Joseph and the Burke Republican family, or wait for a peaceful solution with her pacifist O’Leary family
Will their budding relationship survive?
Loved that it was inspired by the story of the author’s grandmother and we were taught about Irish history, with strong believable characters.
May 2, 2023
Having read many of Sheila O'Flanagan's books, The Woman On The Bridge was not at all what I was expecting, as it's a complete change of genre.
It was very interesting to learn more information about Ireland's struggle for independence in the 1920s and various other issues such as domestic abuse, women's rights, social inequality and tuberculosis. Extremely well written, but not an easy read.
Thanks to Pigeonhole and Sheila O'Flanagan for the chance to read
It was very interesting to learn more information about Ireland's struggle for independence in the 1920s and various other issues such as domestic abuse, women's rights, social inequality and tuberculosis. Extremely well written, but not an easy read.
Thanks to Pigeonhole and Sheila O'Flanagan for the chance to read
June 7, 2023
Not my favourite of Sheila's books and a significant change in genre. I struggled with the book itself but found the audio book worked for me. Interesting historically but I found it skipped ahead without warning at times which I found tricky with the audio version. Winifred's children appeared from nowhere ....... or maybe I missed an earlier mention.
February 17, 2024
This didn't come across as exciting but then it's a story of people under the control of the invading British fighting to govern their own country. It describes poverty, prisoners, Irish people on opposing sides, friends becoming enemies and families taking care of each other.
October 25, 2024
Not really what I was expecting from Shiela O’Flannagan, this was quite a hard read, a bit too political for me!!
May 12, 2023
Time taken to read - in and out over 4 days
Pages - 448
Publisher - Headline review
Source - Review copy
Blurb from Goodreads
Dublin. The 1920s. As war tears Ireland apart, two young people are caught up in events that will bring love, tragedy - and the hardest of choices.
In a country fighting for freedom, it's hard to live a normal life. Winnie O'Leary supports the cause, but she doesn't go looking for trouble. Then rebel Joseph Burke steps into her workplace. Winnie is furious with him about a broken window. She's not interested in romance. But love comes when you least expect it.
Joseph's family shelter fugitives and transport weapons. Joseph would never ask Winnie to join the fight; but his mother and sisters demand commitment. Will Winnie choose Joseph, and put her own loved ones in deadly danger? Or wait for a time of peace that may never come?
Ireland's tumultuous independence struggle is the backdrop for an unforgettable story of courage and heartbreak, in which heroes are made of ordinary people. Inspired by the story of Sheila O'Flanagan's grandmother, The Woman on the Bridge is the unmissable, compulsive new novel from a bestselling author.
My Review
1920's Ireland, civil unrest and a country at war wanting to be free and amongst that we have Winnie - working in a shop, can do measurements without tape and likes the simple life. When the shop is damaged it brings a meeting with rebel Joseph. We alone with Winnie are dragged into the cause and finding ourselves caught between sides in the war and the dangers of being a civilian within it let alone the partner of a rebel.
I do enjoy books like this, I never used to read Historical fiction but find as I get older I am enjoying it more and more. Plus my history isn't the best so I generally find within reading books like this I stop and research & O'Flanagan does a great job bringing to life the characters and a time period of history.
Winnie comes from a working class style family, Joseph's family whilst having money are very involved in the troubles and supportive/activists with freedom. As Winnie and Joseph's relationship develops we see her being pulled further into the other side, strong belief's and the trouble and threats that come from this.
It is a love story essentially but not exclusively that, set around a rough and at times bloody period of Irish history and we get other veins of normality and harsh reality. Alcoholism, DV, family dynamics, love, loss, grief it is a mixed bag and envelopes the reader in the characters lives, trials and tribulations whilst giving us some important history with emotive moments.
I have read O'Flanagan before and will read her again, 4/5 for me this time.
Pages - 448
Publisher - Headline review
Source - Review copy
Blurb from Goodreads
Dublin. The 1920s. As war tears Ireland apart, two young people are caught up in events that will bring love, tragedy - and the hardest of choices.
In a country fighting for freedom, it's hard to live a normal life. Winnie O'Leary supports the cause, but she doesn't go looking for trouble. Then rebel Joseph Burke steps into her workplace. Winnie is furious with him about a broken window. She's not interested in romance. But love comes when you least expect it.
Joseph's family shelter fugitives and transport weapons. Joseph would never ask Winnie to join the fight; but his mother and sisters demand commitment. Will Winnie choose Joseph, and put her own loved ones in deadly danger? Or wait for a time of peace that may never come?
Ireland's tumultuous independence struggle is the backdrop for an unforgettable story of courage and heartbreak, in which heroes are made of ordinary people. Inspired by the story of Sheila O'Flanagan's grandmother, The Woman on the Bridge is the unmissable, compulsive new novel from a bestselling author.
My Review
1920's Ireland, civil unrest and a country at war wanting to be free and amongst that we have Winnie - working in a shop, can do measurements without tape and likes the simple life. When the shop is damaged it brings a meeting with rebel Joseph. We alone with Winnie are dragged into the cause and finding ourselves caught between sides in the war and the dangers of being a civilian within it let alone the partner of a rebel.
I do enjoy books like this, I never used to read Historical fiction but find as I get older I am enjoying it more and more. Plus my history isn't the best so I generally find within reading books like this I stop and research & O'Flanagan does a great job bringing to life the characters and a time period of history.
Winnie comes from a working class style family, Joseph's family whilst having money are very involved in the troubles and supportive/activists with freedom. As Winnie and Joseph's relationship develops we see her being pulled further into the other side, strong belief's and the trouble and threats that come from this.
It is a love story essentially but not exclusively that, set around a rough and at times bloody period of Irish history and we get other veins of normality and harsh reality. Alcoholism, DV, family dynamics, love, loss, grief it is a mixed bag and envelopes the reader in the characters lives, trials and tribulations whilst giving us some important history with emotive moments.
I have read O'Flanagan before and will read her again, 4/5 for me this time.
May 12, 2023
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Much-loved storyteller Sheila O’Flanagan adds another feather to her already accomplished hat with her first historical novel, The Woman on the Bridge.
Dublin, 1920 and living a normal life in a country fighting for freedom that has been been completely, utterly and irrevocably ravaged by war is anything but easy. Winnie O’Leary would like to live in an independent Ireland as much as anyone, but she goes to great lengths to keep her head down and to stay out of trouble. However, that quickly proves harder than ever when trouble comes into her life in the shape of rebel Joseph Burke.
Joseph and Winnie are like chalk and cheese. While Winnie is happy to keep to the shadows, Joseph is on the front line fighting for his country’s freedom. With his family sheltering fugitives and smuggling weapons, Winnie is fully aware that if she gets involved with him, she would be swapping her quiet and sedate existence for risk, jeopardy and danger on a daily basis. Joseph would not let a single hair on Winnie’s head to be harmed, but with his family demanding full commitment to the cause, will she choose the man she has fallen head over heels in love with over her family’s safety? Or will she wait for a time of peace that might never come?
I’ve been a fan of Sheila O’Flanagan’s for years and I had very expectations for her debut historical novel and I was not disappointed. The Woman on the Bridge is a brilliantly written, beautifully atmospheric and compulsively readable historical novel that will break your heart and prove absolutely impossible to forget.
A richly woven tapestry of courage, sacrifice, hope and love, The Woman on the Bridge effortlessly sweeps readers back in time to 1920s Dublin and continues to cement Sheila O’Flanagan’s standing as one of popular fiction’s brightest shining stars.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Much-loved storyteller Sheila O’Flanagan adds another feather to her already accomplished hat with her first historical novel, The Woman on the Bridge.
Dublin, 1920 and living a normal life in a country fighting for freedom that has been been completely, utterly and irrevocably ravaged by war is anything but easy. Winnie O’Leary would like to live in an independent Ireland as much as anyone, but she goes to great lengths to keep her head down and to stay out of trouble. However, that quickly proves harder than ever when trouble comes into her life in the shape of rebel Joseph Burke.
Joseph and Winnie are like chalk and cheese. While Winnie is happy to keep to the shadows, Joseph is on the front line fighting for his country’s freedom. With his family sheltering fugitives and smuggling weapons, Winnie is fully aware that if she gets involved with him, she would be swapping her quiet and sedate existence for risk, jeopardy and danger on a daily basis. Joseph would not let a single hair on Winnie’s head to be harmed, but with his family demanding full commitment to the cause, will she choose the man she has fallen head over heels in love with over her family’s safety? Or will she wait for a time of peace that might never come?
I’ve been a fan of Sheila O’Flanagan’s for years and I had very expectations for her debut historical novel and I was not disappointed. The Woman on the Bridge is a brilliantly written, beautifully atmospheric and compulsively readable historical novel that will break your heart and prove absolutely impossible to forget.
A richly woven tapestry of courage, sacrifice, hope and love, The Woman on the Bridge effortlessly sweeps readers back in time to 1920s Dublin and continues to cement Sheila O’Flanagan’s standing as one of popular fiction’s brightest shining stars.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews