What a brilliant read. Heartbreaking at times. It’s is so hard to believe tharbthese places like St Patrick’s existed and in the not too distant past. It features the story of Maudie and how she found herself pregnant and was sent to a home and her baby was taken to America for adoption. As I was reading this I happened to watch the film Philomena whic deals with this topic brilliantly too.

Another new author for me, I requested this because of the title and description. Oh my word heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measure. My heart went out to Maudie, so young and dealing with so much and then disowned by her parents. Absolutely tragic what she and Nessa and Cecelia experienced at the hands of the nuns. I know there are 2 more books in the pipeline and I can’t wait to hear more about young Juniper’s life as she grows up.

A heartbreaking look into the history of Ireland and the Magdalene Laundries. Michelle Vernal has written a beautiful story that will tug at your heart and open your eyes to the difficult past of unwed mothers and the appalling conditions that most of them were subjected to. Even though it deals with some difficult topics, the author does well with not sugarcoating the topic. She does a great job of showing how love can be shown and family can be found in many different ways.

Maude is a character that you instantly feel drawn to and her story is one of strength in the face of so much turmoil as she searches for her baby that was taken from her. Along the way you meet so many characters that make the story that much better.

This is definitely a must read for anyone that is a fan of historical fiction.

Definitely a lot of emotional occurances in this book that hook you to the story! While the beginning feels really slow, the second half takes off with a lot of speed. As someone who was a young mother, even younger than she was, it feels like she was written a little overly naive in the beginning to things that were happening to her and with her future plans. And, with the way things come to happen later on, seemed a little too "on point" to feel like it could be real in any way. But, the writing on her time with the Catholic facility was probably the most interesting part of the book, as it really grips your attention to the harshness of the place. I definitely enjoyed reading this book, the historical elements & the connection felt to the main character, it's written very well.

Set in Ireland in the 1920s, Maudie had her whole future planned out and then the man she loved vanished and she found out she was pregnant.
Her family are fuming and decide to send her to St Patrick’s Mother and Baby Home.

This home was pure evil.
Being a mum myself I sobbed throughout, her newborn daughter being taken from her made me so emotional.

Maudie decides she’ll find her daughter no matter what.doesn’t give up. she finds out her daughter has been taken to
Savannah, Georgia through an adoption, and She sets out to find her.

The pure strength and mama bear energy Claudie gave off was everything. She never lost hope, I cheered for her throughout.

the fact that Maudie crossed an ocean and ocean to find her baby was amazing.

The history of the book, going over the cruel, forced adoptions of Irish babies, I couldn’t believe this actually happened and still can’t, so sad.

Imagine being sent away to a church run home where you will have your out of wedlock baby...imagine that you know nothing of what will happen as you go through this.. This is exactly what happens in this book. I will admit that the beginning is a bit slow. but the book does pick up. Not sure that the story line is compeltely believeable, but it was a good on1

The Irish Adoption House is about one woman's experience of the notorious mother and baby homes in Ireland in the early 20th century. Although I enjoyed the story I did feel it was told in a very mawkish way. Everything fell into place very easily for Maude and that is just not how real life works 99% of the time. Not one of the best books I've read on this subject.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Wow! I have to say that this page turner is so outstanding that I read it in a single day! Putting it down was not an option. Having ancestors and family in Dublin made this all the more special. Thank you, Net Galley.

Ireland - 1920. As her newborn child is taken from her, she will stop at nothing to find her baby daughter. It is heartbreaking. Well researched, deep characters are. Loved it!!

An emotional account of what is quite easily a shameful part of Irish History where young girls and women were treated appallingly by people who should have known better and as this was done by a religious order makes me ashamed to be an Irish Catholic. I do hope that the author goes back to this story as there are a lot of threads left unfinished.

This is a historical story set in Ireland in 1920 and tells the story of Maudie she becomes pregnant out of wedlock. As is usual at this time she is forced to go to St Patrick's Mother and Baby home where she has her baby which is then adopted to America.
Maudie, who never backs down on a promise tries to do all within her ability to find her baby even if finding her means traveling across the nation.

Omg I went through quite a few tissues with this story. It totally shattered my heart while at the same time putting the pieces back together again. The characters are amazing and the plot is full of so much love.

a heartbreaking and very powerful book. how real it felt and how raw it felt. i couldn't put it down and so wanted our main character to be ok. and what a journey we end up taking alongside her. what makes it all the more powerful and moving is because of how much it depicts a very real and horrific time in our history as it takes you right into the centre of the Irish laundries and of these mothers forced lives of seemingly just pain and suffering the whole way through.
Michelle shows these moments in the dark ways. she doesn't skip the nasty parts or the hard parts but she still managed to write them in a skilful way in which we feel we can at least "cope" and take in such a beautifully told story. it feels awful to say you enjoy a story that involves what this story does. but i did, as a reader this book was brilliant. not least because of the character of Maude who shows such bravery and courage even when faced with the battles she does. she travels far and she continues onwards, always onwards. and her own spirit and kind soul never wavers.
Maude was one of the mothers forced to give up her baby. and her struggles by no means ends there because Maude will not let them do this. not without a fight. and so that means following her daughter, finding her daughter and she will travel as far she needs to. will she succeed. will she be able to go through it all and call her child her own?
this book was magic in the telling. you are completely with Maude and take her into your heart. you will her to succeed even though you are not quite sure what that could mean. to know this act wasn't her fault nor her choice makes it so hard to even comprehend. to have your baby taken from you as these woman and young girls did in their thousands is just so heartbreaking. its a book that tells this pain so well. its a book that tells it in a way where the story feels as important as it should be and just as captivating.

What a powerful and moving read! The Irish Adoption House is a beautifully written historical fiction novel that takes readers from a rural village in Ireland to Savannah, Georgia, jumping timelines from 1985 to the 1920s. It tackles some really difficult and heartbreaking topics in Irish history like the cruel realities of Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries, where unwed mothers were forced into hard labor, lived in awful conditions, and had their babies taken from them without consent.

The author doesn’t shy away from exposing these atrocities, nor from weaving in Ireland’s political unrest, especially during the Troubles and the violence caused by the Black and Tans. I learned a lot from this book and felt deeply for the women and children trapped in these brutal systems.

Despite the heavy subject matter, I actually really enjoyed the story. The main character, Maude was such a sweet and upbeat person, and her kind heart and hopeful spirit helped balance out the darkness of the history being told. Michelle Verna did a great job creating a sense of place and emotion across two very different countries and cultures.

If you’re a fan of historical fiction that dives into hidden or lesser-known histories, especially some of the tragic history of Ireland’s mother and baby homes were over 9,000 babies died, this book is absolutely worth reading.

An excellent, well written historical drama which has interesting characters, especially Maudie who is unmarried and pregnant. The plotting features around unmarried mothers and the stigma it evoked at the time. the Starting in the 1920's, it is a heart warming story of a mother's enduring love in the quest to find her daughter. A powerful story which I really enjoyed, even though I was almost reduced to tears whilst reading it. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would. A brilliant read! A historical story set in Ireland in 1920 this tells the story of Maudie O'Connor who becomes pregnant out of wedlock. When she is forced to go to St Patrick's Mother and Baby home where her baby is adopted to America. She will do anything to find her daughter and bring her home.

Michelle Vernal hits hard and fast with this novel that delves into the horrific Irish history of the Magdalene laundries.
It’s 1920’s Ireland, young Maude is in love with a young republican. With her beloved Ronan fighting for their freedom from the British and the locals scared of the unlawful Black and Tans, Maude loses herself and find herself alone and pregnant.
Maude’s journey takes her through her pregnancy and the fight to call her baby her own.
Great writing, powerful story. I would love the second book to be about Miss Cecelia and her story after Maude leaving The St Patrick’s Mother and Baby Home.

What a wonderful book, I loved the story and the characters, it was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. What a strong character Maudie was to survive and thrive after the horrors what she endured, although its fiction it’s based on the true story of the cruel mother and baby homes in Ireland. Absolutely loved this book and I’m hoping there’s more to come. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maudie just creeps into your heart from the off. Just looking to be loved and is left heartbroken when her young man Ronan disappears. This is made all the more difficult because she has an idea who reported him to the authorities. The repercussions have devastating effects for Ronan’s family.
When Maudie’s family find out she’s expecting they send her away to St Patrick’s mother and Baby home, where cruelty knows no bounds. Maudie gets friendly with Nessa right away, will this friendship help her through the difficult times?
It’s a book interspersed with kindness and cruelty.

I loved this book, harrowing though it was in places.
My favourite character was Maudie, least favourite was sister Agnes.
Had to laugh at the seagull description, so apt.
I longed to hear about Caitie’s letter. I do hope the author writes another in this vein.

A touching story of a woman separated from her beloved and her child who manages to find happiness in the world.