This story follows Maeve and Murtagh Moone over 37 years. They first meet in Dublin at Trinity College where they quickly fall in love, get married and have children. You follow them and their stories to 2005 where tragedy strikes their family. You aren’t sure what’s happening until you start to see what’s been going on in their lives throughout this entire timeline.

I found the beginning to be a little slow. Stories that take place decades ago are very much not my cup of tea, and for that I thought it might’ve just been me. However, after we started to get closer to the reason why the tragedy happened the way it did, it really picked up well.

This story was very original. I loved learning about Maeve and Murtagh. Their stories were separate but together at the same time. Helen Cullen wrote hard hitting topics very well. There were a lot of mental health references that were able to be related to and that was very important for this type of story.

The feelings that this book has is sad, but also hopeful. It’s very sad to see how mental health can affect so much in one’s life, but it’s hopeful to see the potential of getting through these things and watching family come together.

This book reminded me of the movie Across the Universe which is the movie about the Beatles songs written in. It goes through the years, watching the characters, seeing their stories and where they end up all those years later. Sad, but hopeful. This was my first Helen Cullen novel, and even though it is something I normally wouldn’t go for, I’d definitely read another book of hers. The writing was done very well and I’d recommend this book those who really enjoy fiction stories with hard hitting topics.

I adored this family saga; it brought to mind some of my old favorites from Maeve Binchy. A very poignant look at a woman suffering from mental health issues, and how it affects her family.

this was a beautifully done read, the characters were great and I really enjoyed going on this story.

This book was so moving, and honestly, heart-breaking. It was very thought-provoking. You can tell that the author took time to develop her characters and the themes of the story.

A powerful family saga told in stories that go back jn time. Anxiwty and depression are themes. I lives ut and would highly recommend.

"The Dazzling Truth" by Hellen Cullen is a tale of loyalty, family, heartache, one woman's relentless battle with mental illness, and her confusing yet consuming love for her husband and children. Set primarily on a remote Irish island, Cullen's novel follows the Moone family saga as it builds from a college love story to a complex, sometimes heartbreaking, exploration of the ties that bind us to each other and to the helplessness felt when those ties begin to strain...

You can read my full review at BookBrowse by following the link below.

The Dazzling Truth is a journey, and not an easy one. It's beautifully written, which goes a long way toward getting through to the end because it hits on some darkness. I found the blurb to be a bit misleading - not necessarily on purpose, but I didn't quite expect what I found. That's not a bad thing, but for me, it was a difficult process while dealing with my own loss as well as the worry of the circumstances we all find ourselves in with a global pandemic. That's not to say that I didn't get caught up in the story and its characters because I certainly did. I will say that this one feels all too real, so if you're looking for an easy read for a bit of escapism, you won't find that here. Helen Cullen has written an emotional story of love, loss, and family that spans decades. It's the type of story that gets you right in the feels, the kind that you won't soon forget, but be prepared for the journey because it isn't an easy one.

Murtagh and Maeve live on a remote island in Ireland. Murtagh is a potter and Maeve was an actress. Maeve struggles with depression all through her adult years. Her children did not give her the happiness she expected. When tragedy strikes, the family must come together and confront the past.

This is a family saga and everyone has their part to play. Everyone in this family must face the truth about themselves and overcome obstacles to even remotely heal and help each other.

This novel encompasses grief, love, depression and hope. It is tragic and heartwarming at the same time. But, it is a little cumbersome and I had some trouble staying with the story. But, the scenery kept me locked in. I mean…a remote island in Ireland! What is not to love about that?!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

3.5 Murtagh meets Maeve at Trinity College. He is entranced by her quirky personality, her zest for life, her creativity and in short order asks her to marry him. Murtagh is a potter, and when he is offered the chance of a lifetime, he takes it. They settle on the island of Inis Og, far from the theater that Maeve loves. Four children follow and soon it is apparent that Maeve has a darker side to her quirkiness. The price she pays is a tragedy but one she sees as love.

Beautiful, lyrical prose. Outstanding descriptions of place, definitely can imagine this place, this life. It is a heartbreaking, chilling narrative of depression and its insidious impact on family. Children who grow, but struggle with acceptance. They grow apart, come together, each one changed in different ways.

The ending was a bit of a shocker, unexpected, but looking back I could see clues, clues that didn't seem to mean much at the time. A bittersweet novel of love, loss and second chances.

ARC from Netgalley.

The Dazzling Truth: A Novel by Helen Cullen is a new book set in Ireland. The setting sounds beautiful on a small island in Ireland. Especially during this pandemic, it is nice to still be able to travel through stories. I enjoyed that one of the main characters was a potter and that is not a profession which is mentioned in a lot of books. This story spans over several years to tell about a young couple and their growing family. This fictional book gives a very real portrayal of mental illness. It shows the effects on a young woman and then how her decisions shape the lives of her family. I personally did not enjoy this book. After reading 80% of the book, the storyline completely changed directions. The summary felt misleading for this book and its content. Thanks to Graydon House via Netgalley for this review copy.

Helen Cullen’s The Dazzling Truth is a multi-layered, complex and captivating family saga about love, loyalty and the ties that bind.

In 1978, Maeve is an aspiring actress with a huge passion for the arts. Hopeful of making a success of herself in the field which she loves so much, Maeve’s life changes forever one day when she meets pottery student Murtagh Moone in the courtyards of Trinity College, Dublin. Sparks fly between the two of them from the moment their eyes meet and as their feelings for one another intensify, a relationship between the two of them quickly develops. Unable to bear the thought of spending their future apart, Murtagh and Maeve pledge to spend the rest of their lives together. As the two go on to build a family together, Maeve finds herself totally immersed in being a wife and mother, but what happened to Maeve the artist? Amidst all the duties and responsibilities of domesticity, Maeve feels as if she is losing herself and she cannot help but wonder when her time will come and when she will be able to reclaim the pieces of herself that have been sacrificed at the altar of family life?

Years later, the Moone family have come together on a small Irish island. They were poised for celebration, but instead tragedy strikes and a sombre note is struck at a time where they were meant to be revelling and rejoicing. With circumstances having derailed their plans, all the members of the family are in desperate need of solace. They seek comfort in the most unlikely of ways, but there is no escaping from the harsh realities of life. As they find themselves confronting the past, they find themselves working towards a future which none of them could have predicted. None of them except Maeve.

Helen Cullen is a terrific storyteller and The Dazzling Truth is a thought-provoking, sensitively written and beautifully crafted page-turner that examines the complexities of relationships, marriage and the darkness and desperation that often blights our lives in the most unlikely and unexpected of ways.

A brilliantly constructed family saga that is wonderfully written, Helen Cullen’s The Dazzling Truth is not to be missed.

A love letter to the raw & honest dynamics of family life, The Dazzling Truth is truly exquisite. This book follows the beautifully messy Moone family; starting from when aspiring actress Maeve meets pottery student Murtaugh Moone. As their relationship progresses, as well as their family, Maeve comes to struggle to hold on to the real parts of herself and decades later, during a time of celebration, tragedy strikes. The family all must find solace in their own separate and distinct ways until a shattering dazzling truth brings them all back together and truly teaches them the value of family. ⠀
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I don’t really know how to put into words how beautiful this book is. The powerful imagery that Cullen weaves through the narrative completely took me by surprise and the vulnerability that is shared regarding mental health, family dynamics, and acceptance, made it to be one of my top reads of the year. Cullen expertly threads the raw & real tales of the Moone family together to create an overwhelming & emotionally impactful tale, a tale that teaches you that regardless of what is portrayed to the outside world, everyone has truths that they are trying to deal with. This story was just read a perfect time in my life, a time where I needed a reminder of that very thing. So, if you need that reminder as well, then this book is perfect for you. ⠀
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The Dazzling Truth is honest, raw, beautiful, stunning, and an enthralling piece of work.

For me, this was a book that was difficult at times to stay focused on and to read for long periods of time. That is not to say that it was not a good book. It was a thought-provoking novel that made me think each day of what I had read and ponder its significance to the story and any insights into my own life. The story begins in the present and then goes back almost four decades to the past. Maeve and Murtagh met in Ireland when she was doing an internship in acting and he was a pottery student. The inevitable romance, marriage and motherhood follow, with a great deal of description of the setting and the characters. The author’s ability to help me to visualize the setting of the small island off the Irish coast where the Moone family settled and to empathize with the very deep feelings or each character was a definite strong point of the novel. The tragedy that falls on the family forces them to confront the dark days of the past and to decide to march forward into an unknown future. With themes of depression and the challenges of creating a family together, this novel seemed to wander aimlessly into the past, just as the family members did in their desperate search for a resolution to their hidden past. The story was extremely emotional, with waves of emotion coming from the pages at unexpected times. I cannot say that it was a lovely story because at times the truth was ugly, but the author treated all of the topics with sensitivity and an empathy that made me ponder the whole thing long after I turned the last page. Fans of contemporary fiction will enjoy this book but will want to take time to savor its message.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

A huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

This tightly woven family drama drew me into its arms like a cozy blanket. I was transported to an island where the cadence of Gaelic falls soft on the ears, where magic happens and stories are crafted.

I agonized with Maeve over her struggles with darkness and her feelings of helplessness. I empathized with Murtagh over his fragile hope, tender care and unwavering devotion. I cried with the four children as they navigate the treacherous waters of their mother's battle with mental illness.

This book offers both profoud truths and a hope of sanctuary. We are all broken. We all bend. Love is precious no matter where we choose to bestow it - amd nurtures even in the bleakest of circumstances.

If you love family sagas with finely drawn characters, unflinching portrayals of reality and honest examinations of the complex mechanics of grief, you will love this book.

This book is supposed to be about the generations of an family but the majority of the book was about one generation. I struggled to get into the book. I felt for Maeve and the struggles she went through with you children.

Poised to celebrate Christmas Eve on a beautifully scenic island off the coast of Ireland, the Moone family’s holiday is instead marred by tragedy. So begins Helen Cullen’s stirring family saga, THE DAZZLING TRUTH (Graydon House; August 18, 2020; $17.99 USD). Maeve and Murtagh Moone’s love story began in 1978, at Trinity College. As an aspiring actress and potter respectively, the two creative spirits were drawn to each other in an intense and lasting way, able to withstand almost anything, even Maeve’s bouts of crippling depression and anxiety. For a short time, anyway.




Marriage and children are the next chapters in the Moone family story, but Maeve struggles to reconcile her old life with that of the wife and mother she is supposed to be. Until one heartbreaking Christmas Eve in 2005 changes everything. Now each member of the Moone family must learn to confront the past on their own until one dazzling truth brings them back together towards a future that none of them could have predicted. Except perhaps Maeve herself.

Even when the words are hard to read, you cannot draw yourself away from the beautiful prose that makes up the work of Helen Cullen. I was completely wrapped up in the Irish culture, including the pottery and the work Maeve did with the theater group. I couldn't put the book down, even though I wanted to rush through it, I let myself enjoy the weaving of words and emotions this book handed to me.

This book is released on August 18, 2020. You can reserve your copy here and I 100% suggest that you do!

The Dazzling Truth is a family saga that spans over 37 years that explores love, grief, hope and healing. It tells us the story of Maeve, an American aspiring actress now living in Ireland and her husband, Murtagh, and their four children. It explores Motherhood through depression and its impact on the family when it is not seen or talked about.

Helen Cullen writes with compassion and sensitivity as she explores the uncomfortable personal truths not seen or spoken within the family. She takes her time developing the story and characters and at times I did struggle to stay focus. The themes here are powerful and the writing is beautiful. The plot and the characters are well developed and I loved the heartwarming dynamics between the family.

Did I think the truth, in the end, was so dazzling and how it all came together, well I am still thinking about it and I think I will be questioning it for a while! There is some power in that!

This story starts with the disappearance of Maeve Moone, mother of four children on Christmas Eve. What happens when Maeve is found is the beginning of a heartbreaking story of mental illness and the effects it has on a family.

The story starts off in 2005 with Maeve’s disappearance and then goes back in time to 1978 to when Maeve and Murtagh, her husband first meet. The story continues with their marriage and the birth of their four children. Then the story moves forward as we see the family dealing with what happened to Maeve.

This story is one of loss, family and how mental illness can affect a person, a marriage, and a family. It is a sad tale, but also hopeful as we see her children coming to terms with the tragedy. I found the book well written for such a heavy topic, but honestly, it did not hold my attention. Thank you so much to the author Helen Cullen, Harlequin and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book to review. All opinions expressed for this review are unbiased and entirely my own.

I really enjoyed this story about a family and their struggled over three decades. I will say, as someone who personally struggles with anxiety and depression, this was at times a little hard to read because it was discussing aspects of things I deal with myself. So if you deal with similar things, be mindful going in.

That being said this was a beautiful and heartbreaking story. Even though the story starts out with a tragic occurrence, we then go back to when Maeve and Murtagh first met and then follow them through their relationship. There are many good times, but there are also days where Maeve's bad days creep in, and the story shows the impact those days have on the whole family.

It really was a lovely story about family and love, but make sure you have tissues handy when giving it a read.

I was drawn to this women's fiction novel for two reasons -- the seventy's time frame and the small town setting. I wasn't expecting a book that had me teary-eyed for at least half and is one of the most soulful books I have read in a very long time.

Maeve and Murtagh meet at college. They are both artists with Maeve being an actress and Murtagh a potter. When he finally finds an apprenticeship that will support them, it's on a small island off the coast of Ireland. Not exactly a hotbed of acting opportunities for Maeve, but they love each other and sacrifices are made.

They make a life for themselves and have four children. They deal with Maeve's illness as best they can. When tragedy befalls them, the Moone family must deal with everything left behind. It takes them all a while to find the dazzling truth of their lives.

I adored the way this story was told. I fell in love with Maeve and Murtagh right away and then with their adult children. Their journey isn't an easy one but I was left feeling hopeful for all of them at the end of the story, especially Murtagh. I think his story impacted me the most and I loved where his life took him as he released his grief. His relationships with his children touched my heart.

This is a very emotional story without being maudlin, but it is tear-inducing if you are sensitive reader. There were many aspects of this book that touched me personally, and I found myself teary-eyed through a good bit of the last half of the book. (I like that, btw.)

Told with subtlety and sensitivity, this story pulled the emotional response from me simply through this beautiful tale of love and the sacrifices made in the name of love. I couldn't put it down. Even after finishing it a few days ago, I find myself going back to it because it was such a moving tale of Maeve and Murtagh's love for each other and their children.

I adored the Moone family story and the journey they all had to take to heal. The depiction of Maeve's illness was done so well, and her struggles were familiar to me. Maybe that's what made me fell connected to this story. In any case, I absolutely loved it. If you are a women's fiction fan, you just might like the story of the Moone family. This is absolutely on my favorites of 2020 list.

An ARC was provided. This is my honest review.