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From a storyteller who combines the warmth of Maeve Binchy with the elegance of Maggie O’Farrell comes an unforgettable new novel . . .
Boston 1968. Rose Moroney is seventeen, smart, spirited – and pregnant. She wants to marry her boyfriend. Her ambitious parents have other plans. She is sent to Ireland, their birthplace, to deliver her daughter in a Mother and Baby home – and part with her against her will.
Dublin 2013. Martha Sheeran’s life has come undone. Her marriage is over, and her husband has moved on with unsettling speed. Under pressure from her teenage daughter, she starts looking for the woman who gave her up for adoption more than forty years before.
As her search leads her to the heart of long-buried family secrets, old flame Paudie Carmody – now a well-known broadcaster – re-enters the frame.
From Boston to rural Ireland; from Dublin back to Boston, The American Girl is a heart-warming and enthralling story of mothers and daughters, love and cruelty and, ultimately, the embrace of new horizons.
Boston 1968. Rose Moroney is seventeen, smart, spirited – and pregnant. She wants to marry her boyfriend. Her ambitious parents have other plans. She is sent to Ireland, their birthplace, to deliver her daughter in a Mother and Baby home – and part with her against her will.
Dublin 2013. Martha Sheeran’s life has come undone. Her marriage is over, and her husband has moved on with unsettling speed. Under pressure from her teenage daughter, she starts looking for the woman who gave her up for adoption more than forty years before.
As her search leads her to the heart of long-buried family secrets, old flame Paudie Carmody – now a well-known broadcaster – re-enters the frame.
From Boston to rural Ireland; from Dublin back to Boston, The American Girl is a heart-warming and enthralling story of mothers and daughters, love and cruelty and, ultimately, the embrace of new horizons.
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Reviews
Richly imagined and searingly empathetic, The American Girl makes for compelling reading
A tender novel which compassionately looks at the terrible era of moral dictatorship, hidden truths and the ongoing effects of Ireland's Mother and Baby homes
An evocative read ... powerful ... If you read authors such as Diane Chamberlain, Sheila O'Flanagan or Maeve Binchy then you should also check this out
[English] weaves a tale with the natural ease of a born story-teller ... I couldn't help but be reminded of Maeve Binchy for her warm style and distinctly Irish voice ... heart-breaking and uplifting all at once and I highly recommend it
A compelling read with engaging characters
Subtle and delicate, it is a passionate and intense family drama ... Filled with sorrow, joy and tenderness and highly recommended by me
A remarkable read with a very captivating story at its core
Enchanting, emotional, heart-breaking, ultimately uplifting and just perfect ... Rachael English is a wonderful story-teller
Compelling ... Martha and Rose are both deeply sympathetic characters, and English tells their story with compassion, insight and wit
This is a beautiful story about complicated family relations full of bad choices, cruelty, secrets, shame and sorrow ... with intriguing characters
Rachael English has held up a mirror to the souls of women that I found held me in thrall. I was completely captivated. I genuinely loved The American Girl. Part love story, part tragedy, part social history, it is a book that will remain in my heart for a very long time.
The American Girl is a heartbreaking story, that will leave you with a lump in your throat and a tear in your eye. I really can't recommend this book enough.
The American Girl will leave an indelible mark on your heart and mind as you read the first page and become enveloped by Rose and Martha's lives. Rachael English is a superb author who weaves a tale like no other, and I'm already looking forward to her next book.