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another spell bounding and beautiful read from an author who tugs at my heart and fixes it in one sitting. her books come alive in my world every single time i get so emotional every time a new one pops up that i cannot wait to see if im lucky enough to read it. Susanne is one truly special and talent writer and as a reader i feel immensely lucky to get to read her books, her talent, her skill. this book only cements(as if it needed to) my belief in this favourite author. i was taken in completely by both story and plot. its beautiful, emotional, tense and hopeful. an all out joy to be part of and it held me part of it from the beginning right until the last sentence of the last pages.
this is part of a series i have grown to love. and this next instalment sits wonderfully within it and in its own right. we have some of the gorgeous characters back and some new ones too. this story bring us that of Claire. she isn't doing so well, not feeling so great in herself and life. so when an unexpected gift arrives from her late Aunt she thinks there is a glimmer here, something to hold on to. the package is a diary created by her Aunt that ignites something in Claire. something she thinks she can fix. age old family feuds. maybe along the way she can find a bit of herself, or at least for now it means she 'doing' something. so off she goes and off we go with her...
this story weaves in family issues so well.years long misunderstanding and disagreements. different views, different experiences and holding on to pains and hurts. what happened to her family. and will bringing it all up help or hinder especially when she becomes involved with this new community of people, especially when she begins to love it in this new place.
and all the while there is something else too. a man, a feeling in the heart of peace, warmth and perhaps even love? so what should she do? what is the right thing to do?well we certainly all want to know and right until the end you are rooting for everyone involved and hoping Claire also finds her settled place in the world again.
another charm filled delight. love it.

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Loved this book. It is about the twin Louis who left Magnolia Manor after some type of argument with his twin brother Cornelius. When Claire's aunt Rachel died, she left Claire the family tree. Claire having nothing to keep her in Dublin decided to go to Kerry to see if she could at least meet the other side of the family. Off Claire goes and follow her journey as everything falls into place for her and gives her the feeling that this is something she is meant to do. See how it all works out for her and the other side of the family. A GREAT READ

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Claire Fleury's marrage ended 3 years ago and recently her aunt racheal died but left her a family book .
theres always been a mistery about the fleury's how the two sides of the family drifted apart many years ago and never re connected.
She now decides to move to were the rest of the family live hoping to find out what happened many years ago.
Claire gets a job as assistant to a caterer who deals with avents at magnolia manor the hous were her family come from but keeps her reel identity hid until she finds the right time to reveal who she is.

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What a beautiful book to read. Still smiling after reading it! Such a joyful book to read! Thank you for the early accesss.

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Book review: Susanne O’Leary’s The Book of Irish Secrets. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my gifted ARC—I love a good family mystery, especially when it comes wrapped in Irish mist and emotional baggage.

This book starts off with a woman holding a dusty old book and ends with her confronting an entire legacy of silence, secrets, and missed chances. In between? Romance, identity crises, and a coastal village that’s equal parts charm and complication. Claire’s grief is fresh, her sense of self is shaky, and her plan—if you can call it that—involves flying to a country she barely knows in search of answers scribbled in fading ink. Not exactly the most stable strategy, but hey, who among us hasn’t tried to outrun pain with a passport and a little blind optimism?

The moment Claire sets foot in the village near Magnolia Manor, things get… complicated. Sylvia Fleury, the family matriarch, is a walking wall of cold stares and sharp cheekbones. Her granddaughters aren’t much warmer. Claire quickly realizes that barging in and announcing, “Surprise, I’m possibly your secret relative!” might not go over well. So, naturally, she keeps her mouth shut, inserts herself into the town quietly, and hopes nobody asks too many questions. What could possibly go wrong?

Turns out: a lot. But O’Leary doesn’t rush the fallout. Instead, she slowly builds the pressure. Claire befriends Karina, the heart of the kitchen and the story, and starts falling—somewhat reluctantly—for Pierce, Karina’s brother. He’s kind, intuitive, and suspicious of Claire’s half-truths from the start. Their relationship doesn’t spark with instant fireworks, and that’s what makes it believable. It unfolds slowly, with trust built moment by moment, and yes, there are some emotionally loaded stargazing walks along the cliffs that will make you sigh.

There’s a lot simmering under the surface in this book: grief, guilt, the weight of unspoken history. Claire doesn’t just want to belong—she wants to repair something that broke long before she was born. That’s a heavy burden to carry, especially when the people she’s trying to reach don’t even know she exists. But it’s that longing—quiet, persistent, and sometimes painfully awkward—that drives the story forward.

O’Leary handles the emotional terrain with a light but confident touch. The writing never dips into melodrama, even when the family secrets start pouring out. There’s wit and warmth here, but also a real sense of stakes. Claire might lose everything—her place in this new world, her chance at love, her sense of who she is—if she tells the truth. But not telling the truth costs her too.

One line hit me hard: “Sometimes, the things we fear most are the very things that will set us free.” That’s what this whole book is about, really. The risks we take when we finally speak up, the people we become when we stop hiding.

The setting deserves its own praise—rural Ireland isn’t just a backdrop here. It breathes through the story: cliffs, fog, the smell of sea air, the comfort of a kitchen full of old recipes and second chances. O’Leary doesn’t overdo it. The charm is there, but it’s lived-in and real.

This isn’t a story that ends with a perfect bow. Not every wound is healed. But there’s hope. There’s forward motion. And there’s a deeply satisfying sense that Claire’s journey—full of hesitation, heartbreak, and unexpected kindness—has led her somewhere that finally feels like home.

Five stars from me. If you love character-driven fiction with secrets, second chances, and just the right amount of romantic ache, The Book of Irish Secrets delivers.

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‘Sometimes you have to sacrifice things you love for the greater good.’

I absolutely adored The Book of Irish Secrets for many reasons. For one, it is a story about searching your family roots. (Something I enjoy doing as well with my own Irish ancestry.) In this case, getting answers to some troubling questions to the reasons behind a Fleury scandal. In the background of this powerful Irish family is lurking a shocking secret. But one member feels the need to make things right. To heal a rift between two branches. To restore unity; to bring everyone together for a happier future.

Since this is part of a series, those who have read the previous editions, have met some of the characters before. So it was a real joy to revisit their lives again and see what has transpired. Plus we meet a few new faces. The story focuses on forty-nine year old Claire Fleury who lives in Dublin and wants to run away from home. It is her birthday and someone has sent her a gift. Her mind rolls back to the last present she received. It was from her ex-husband. A letter of his actions to leave her and move to Spain. This announcement was a shock, even though she knew their relationship was not great. This time, her unexpected gift is a welcomed surprised. A package from her late Auntie Rachel, handled by her estate’s solicitor. What she finds within, is a diary created by her aunt that contains some valuable information that will send her on a journey that will change her life.

This mission is just what she needs after dealing with rejection issues, due to her failed marriage with her ex-husband Hugh. Her self-confidence has been shaken, therefore making her a bit timid in how she will approach the task at hand. She knows it won’t take much adversity to expose her insecurities. But armed with a dash of courage and her Aunt Rachel’s diary containing the Fleury history, she heads towards her destination to get answers and hopefully have a fresh start.

When a job advert lands in her inbox (sent by her best friend Finola), she gets excited as it suits her interests perfectly. She writes a ‘mad’ cover letter fuelled by her new freedom, sends it in with her CV and then continues on her journey to Kerry. With her parents now dead, she contemplates, ‘How can feuds and bad blood be so persistent through so many generations?’ This inquisitive thread runs through the storyline and is cleverly handled by the author. I enjoyed Claire’s journey and desire to reunite the two branches of her family. Along the way, she becomes close to a special man, who will be part of her future. Yes, a quiet romance filters through the plot adding a happy direction for Claire who has been through a lot.

Once again Susanne O’Leary’s writing skills and her descriptions of Kerry, dazzled and uplifted my heart. This is a moving romantic ancestral mystery that made me feel many emotions. And yes, there is a villain, a bit tamer than some! But Claire handles his attempt at controlling her like a true Fleury woman with skill, strength and a bit of bossiness! Loved, loved, loved The Book of Irish Secrets and highly recommend it. This story filled with enthralling Irish charm is another winner! And I look forward to the next chapter of the Fleury family saga! 5 Happy Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC.

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