Emma @damppebbles is honoring #bookbloggers with her annual #R3COMM3ND3D2023 – and today is myday! November 18, 2023 An emotional, addictive read that I am certain will stay with me for a long time. Sandy’s writing is flawless… For hours, I was completely lost in the world that she had created. This book had me smiling then crying and sometimes doing both at the same time.” A Haven for Book Lovers, 5 stars

I loved this novel so much, even though it’s probably the most heart-breaking story I’ve read all year…it will totally absorb you and capture your heart.” That Thing She Reads Once I started I was unable to put it down and devoured this truly enthralling tale in a single evening… heart-warming yet heartbreaking… I completely lost myself for a few hours within this emotional rollercoaster.’ Momo’s Book DiaryTo keep account of your life, Mary Kate, to mark your red-letter days, to gain wisdom from your failures and take pride in your successes. Never throw them away, but read them now and again, for they will remind you of how far you've come."

Description: 24 Merrion Square. The house stands empty, the old stone steps overgrown with thorny rose bushes. But Mary Kate feels a deep connection to the neglected, silent rooms. Could this be the place to help her heal? Dublin 1952.When Mary Kate Ryan receives a surprise inheritance from the woman who abandoned her as a tiny baby, she’s stunned. All her life, she has longed to know why her mother disappeared, and now she’s devastated to realise that every lonely night she spent without a home or family of her own, her mother knew exactly where she was. Mary Kate is about to refuse the money when she sees a beautiful, deserted house for sale and something sparks in her heart. She will reawaken it, as the Dublin Boarding House for Single Ladies, and provide a shelter for others as lost and alone as her. Can she help the two young girls left at the local orphanage, desperate for a home of their own? Or the pregnant teenager on the run, who only wants to keep her baby safe? The boarding house brings Mary Kate love and friendships she never dreamed of, but just as her heart is about to burst with joy, a new guest arrives. The stern older woman won’t speak about her past, but when Mary Kate uncovers her story, it reveals a devastating secret about her mother. With her life in turmoil once more, can Mary Kate draw on the strength of the women in the house to help her face her past, or will the tragedy she uncovers spell disaster for them all…? A heart-wrenching story full of family secrets. Perfect for fans of Jean Grainger, Lisa Wingate and Diney Costeloe. Our main female character, Mary Kate Ryan, has to wrestle with all of this and more when she is confronted by the secrets, mysteries, and questions involving her own past, the mother which she did not get to grow up with, and her own hopes and goals with purchasing the home and trying to help others that also need a helping hand. The gut-wrenching feelings this narrative unearthed brought me to tears numerous times with its emotive words and insightful views on life and love. The writing was simply breathtaking, it was witty and beautiful in the same measure and it has quite frankly stolen my heart .” Stacy is Reading, 5 stars A beautifully written tale of friendship, family, loyalty and betrayal. It is in turn both heart-warming and tragic.” The Welsh Librarian

Thank you Bookoutre for a copy of The Irish Boarding house by Sandy Taylor. This is another beautifully written and heart-warming tale set in Dublin in 1952. I have all the authors books and she never disappoint.