A DANCE IN DONEGAL by Jennifer Deibel

The Book

All her life, Boston-born Moira Doherty has relished her mother’s descriptions of the Emerald Isle. When her mother dies unexpectedly in the summer of 1920, Moira is compelled to fulfill her dying wish–that she become the teacher in Ballymann, the beloved village in Donegal, Ireland, she’s heard so much about.

After an arduous voyage, Moira begins a challenging new job in an unfamiliar and ancient country. Though a few locals offer a warm welcome, others are distanced by superstition and suspicion.

Rumors about Moira’s mother are unspoken in her presence but threaten to derail everything she’s journeyed to Ballymann to do. Moira must rely on the kindness of a handful of friends–and the strength of Sean, an unsettlingly handsome thatcher who keeps popping up unannounced–as she seeks to navigate a life she’d never dreamed of . . . but perhaps was meant to live.

Review

A Dance in Donegal is an exquisite Irish love story. Jennifer Deibel weaves this 1920s era love story in the Irish countryside with just enough suspense, mystery, and romance that you cannot help but hold your breath from chapter to chapter. 

As far as steaminess, this book gives enough romantic tension to tease, yet descriptions are discreet and wholesome. There is one violent scene that might be a trigger for more sensitive readers. A man attempts to assault a young woman. This scene was short and tactfully portrayed. 

The spiritual arc was accompanied by Bible verses in the characters’ thoughts, oftentimes presented as though God himself was speaking. 

If you’re in the mood for a sweet Irish love story with beautifully described countryside, fun Gaelic colloquialisms, and the theme of how God restores one woman’s reputation–thereby cementing her place and call in Ireland–you won’t want to miss A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel

This review was originally shared in episode 6 of the Historical Bookworm Podcast.

Disclaimer: The publisher offered a complimentary copy of this book. The review was given freely, without payment. All views expressed are only the honest opinion of a member of Historical Bookworm Review Team.

About the Author

Jennifer Deibel is a middle school teacher whose work has appeared on (in)courage, on The Better Mom, in Missions Mosaic magazine, and others. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona with her husband and their three children. You can find her online at www.jenniferdeibel.com . Her debut novel, A Dance in Donegal, releases Feb. 2, 2021 from Revell and is available for pre-order wherever books are sold!

Order A Dance in Donegal here:

Baker Book House
ChristianBook
Barnes and Noble
Target
Amazon
Books-A-Million
IndieBound
Walmart

 

producer, editor, cohost, & reviewer

Episode 10: Guest Sarah Loudin Thomas & Review of A Dance in Donegal

Sarah Loudin Thomas shares about her latest release The Right Kind of Fool and what went into writing about a deaf boy who discoveres a dead body in the 1930s.

Pinch of the Past features trends of the 1950s. Want to know the secret of the iconic Hollywood beauties of that era? You won’t believe what we found!

Bookworm Review: If you’re in the mood for a sweet Irish love story with beautifully described countryside, fun Gaelic colloquialisms, and the theme of how God restores one woman’s reputation–thereby cementing her place and call in Ireland–you won’t want to miss A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel

Links to mentions in the show:

 Historical Fiction Unpacked with Alison Treat

Time to Cut the Grass! (in the cemetery) by Sarah Loudin Thomas

Darcy’s post on instagram Cemetary