The Secret of Eveline House: one family's disappearance and one woman's search for answers

The Secret of Eveline House by Sheila Forsey is a story of secrets in a deeply religious village. In 1949, Violet Ward, a playwright, moved to the Eveline House in County Wicklow with her husband, Henry, and their daughter, Sylvia. Violet’s plays have been banned in Ireland and the people in their small country town are hostile to her. Violet ignores it but when Sylvia starts to receive threatening letters, she demands that they return to London. However, Henry is vehemently opposed to leaving Ireland. Seventy years later, Emily O’Connor buys her dream house. Eveline House sits like a time capsule, locked up since 1950 and still filled with the personal possessions of the previous owners. When Emily realizes that the town is filled with hidden cruel secrets which eventually impacts her life in ways she never thought possible. She starts to question the fate of the lost family and sets her on a quest for the answers. 

I love a dual timeline story and I was intrigued by the premise of The Secret of Eveline House. However, this story was not exciting or intriguing. It was dull, repetitive with lots of telling instead of showing. There was too much internal monologue. The story features the oppressiveness and political influence of the Catholic Church in 1950s Ireland, which is interesting. However, the constant reminding of this fact was overbearing and annoying. The pace was also slowed with unnecessary information and flashbacks. The story has entire chapters with background stories of secondary characters that didn’t seem to add anything to the plot. At first, I liked Violet who was a free spirit and ahead of her time with her thinking and views; however, she threatens to leave Ireland and then doesn’t! By the time the story gets to the modern storyline, I didn’t care about what happens to the Ward family and why they left Eveline House. Overall, I did not enjoy this story. I do not recommend The Secret of Eveline House. 

The Secret of Eveline House is available in paperback and eBook

Where Dragonflies Hover: two love stories and lives connected despite the years

Where Dragonflies Hover by AnneMarie Brear is the story of two women connected through a diary. The story opens in 1945, Alexandria “Allie” Jameson, whose health is fading,  is determined to finish the story of her and Daniel. Allie was a nurse in France during World War I when she meets Captain Daniel “Danny” Hollingsworth as she nursed him back to health after he was wounded in battle. Fast forward to 2010, Alexandria “Lexi” O’Connor is a successful solicitor and married to a successful doctor but something is missing. Hollingsworth House, an old estate, is up for sale and she is determined to have this house despite her husband, Dylan’s, objections. Her desire for the house intensifies when she find Allie’s diary. She buys the house and begins to fix up the house as she continues to read Allie’s diary. She and Dylan split when it seems they want different things in life. When an emergency seems to bring them back together, will they be able to reconnect and rediscover their love for each other? Will Allie and Danny have a happily ever after?

Where Dragonflies Hover is a wonderful story which blends past and present into a heart wrenching love story. One love during a terrible war and another during a war within themselves. I loved that Ms. Brear chose the backdrop of World War I for Allie and Danny’s story. So few books have stories set during the Great War or tell the story of the brave men who fought in the trenches and the women who were in the field hospitals who worked tirelessly to save their lives. I also loved Lexi and Dylan’s story which is such a modern story of trying to find the balance between one’s career and their heart’s desires. I highly recommend Where Dragonflies Hover!

Where Dragonflies Hover

is available in paperback and ebook