The Irish Tempest
by Elizabeth J. Sparrow
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Pub Date Nov 03 2016 | Archive Date Jul 05 2017
Description
Ireland, 1911: After seven centuries of unyielding oppression, there is a tempest rising, a national yearning for Irish independence. It threatens to sweep away all that is precious to the very privileged O’Rourke and de la Roche families. Seismic changes are but a whisper away. What begins as a squabbling friendship between the wastrel Courtland O’Rourke and the defiant, mischief-making Lacey de la Roche matures into a deeply passionate, tempestuous love, fraught with secrets of lethal consequences and sins of omission.
In this debut historical novel, The Irish Tempest beckons the reader into a world, where landowner and tenant farmer, the well-off and the working-class are chafing under the chokehold of British domination.
Pulled apart by personal and social conflicts, Court and Lacey experience the world from perspectives both transformative and destructive. Court, compelled to accept a commission in the British army, initiates a disastrous affair with rippling aftershocks. Lacey, fueled by the arrogance of adolescence, is beguiled by a charismatic but sociopathic horse trainer.
The Irish Tempest thrusts the reader into the anguish of the 1916 Easter Rising and beyond as Ireland seethes on the cusp of revolution. Deftly paced with vividly drawn characters, The Irish Tempest embraces historical elements while preserving the essence of evocative storytelling.
The Irish Tempest is available for purchase in both print and ebook formats.
Advance Praise
Recent Praise for The Irish Tempest:
"Once you start this novel, be prepared not to put it back down! I found The Irish Tempest to be a beautiful and well-written tale of friendship, revenge, love and betrayal. It's simply addictive and truly fascinating..." San Francisco Book Review
"Ms. Sparrow does a wonderful job of drawing you into this epic tapestry. It's a perfect example of its genre. I read it more as historical fiction than as a romance ... fans of both genres would enjoy..." Manhattan Book Review
"The Irish Tempest reveals author Elizabeth J. Sparrow as having a genuine flair for deftly creating memorable characters and a riveting storyline that fully engages the reader's rapt attention from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections." Midwest Book Review - Small Press Bookwatch, February 2017
"The fates of two families mesh with Ireland's struggle for independence in this debut novel. Using several historical events and a large socially diverse cast means that Sparrow must keep multiple plates spinning, and some plotlines and characters feel underdeveloped. Yet the author finds emotional resonance when her players intersect with history..." Kirkus Reviews
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9780997685114 |
| PRICE | $17.99 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Mystica V, Reviewer
My knowledge of Irish English relations was a bit hazy and this helped in a way to clear some of the misconceptions I had.
The year 1911 and there is a simmering discontent amongst all walks of Irishmen. Unlike most rebellions which are confined to the labour and lower working class, this transcends class barriers and upper class folk also want to throw off the yoke of English supremacy in their own country.
Thrown together by circumstance and geography Court and Lacey lives are interwoven from the time Lacy was an infant and Court a teenager. The relationship is a tender one from the very onset but circumstances of a mixed up reasoning drives Court to take a position in the English Army in India for three years. Lacey is heart broken but is also attracted by a scheming and charismatic horse trainer in her family's employ.
The Easter Uprising of 1916 is meshed into the story along with the fledgling romance of Lacey and Court, their marriage and their future.
This was a very fine debut novel and I am waiting for the sequel.
Goodreads and Amazon reviews up on 22/6/2017. Review on my blog 26/6/2017
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