Sheila Forsey

I won this book as part of the Library Thing’s Early Review Program. I was under no obligation to write a favorable review and received no compensation for writing this review.

This story was right up my alley, consisting of love, loss, lies, betrayal and numerous secrets, but it was the very vivid descriptions of the wild landscape and the historical references to times gone past that mesmerized me in the beautifully written duel timeline book. Most of the time I prefer the historical more than the contemporary context, however Sheila Forsey did such an excellent job with both making it well worth 5 stars and more, and I am ooking forward to reading more stories written by this outstanding author.… (mais)

I received a free ecopy of this book from Booksirens; this did not affect my review.

Instead of posting review on Booksirens, I wrote this letter to the author:

"Dear Sheila, On page 113 of your book "The Secret of Eveline House", you describe seven-year-old Sylvia, in hospital: "Sylvia shook her head, crying, then began chanting something in a language that Violet [her mother] did not understand, as if she was in a trance. Then she began shouting. She cursed at the Matron and, when the hospital chaplain Father Keogh sat beside her, she spat in his face. Blood oozed from her eyes." I think that, although you may be ready to offer another explanation, this certainly sounds as if Sylvia is possessed by a demon. This is a deal-breaker for me.

I'm very disappointed as I was interested in the book's premise, and spent already a couple of hours reading to that point. I think that such a serious plot point should at least be hinted at in the book's description. Perhaps in genre classification? It may have warned me off and saved me time, as well as disturbing images. I can't believe I am the only reader who feels this way."

The author never responded to me so I can only conclude that I was correct in my assumption.… (mais)

Victoria Goulding resides at the esteemed estate of the Kilbride House on Dingle Peninsula, Ireland. In 1955, a strict divide between the Protestants like the Goulding's and the Catholics existed with the two groups rarely intermingling. When Victoria meets Canice Meager, a Roman Catholic who was recently evacuated from the Blasket Islands, sparks fly. Victoria and Canice meet in secret since Victoria's mother would never accept their relationship. In 2018, Edith Goulding, Victoria's sister has died and left specific instructions for her daughter, Catherine and granddaughter Lainey to return to Ireland and Kilbride House in order to uncover the past that she left behind.
Kilbride House is a story of love, heartache, secrets and redemption. With many elements that I love- dual timelines, family mysteries and numerous secrets to reveal- I devoured this book. I loved Victoria and Canice's story. Their romance reflected the best and worst of Ireland in the 1950's. The descriptions of the landscapes, islands and Kilbride house were detailed and majestic, making me feel as if I were there. I could easy imagine Victoria riding along the beach and the rooms of Kilbride house. The religious tensions between the Protestants and Catholics were palpable. The fact that Victoria was Protestant and Canice was Catholic led Victoria's mother to make decisions that would affect three generations of lives. Catherine and Lainey's journeys were heartwarming and revealing of how choices in the past that they were unaware of have affected them to this day. I liked that they were respectful of the past and the people still alive who could still be traumatized by the decisions that were made.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 


… (mais)