About The Book

Brianna Kelly was abandoned at Ballymacool House and Boarding School as an infant. She has worked there since she was a wee girl and will likely die there. Despite a sense that she was made for something more, Brianna feels powerless to change her situation, so she consoles herself by exploring the Ballymacool grounds, looking for hidden treasures to add to the secret trove beneath the floorboards of her room.

When Michael Wray, the son of local gentry, is sent to Ballymacool to deal with his unruly cousin, he finds himself drawn to Brianna, immediately and inescapably. There is something about her that feels so . . . familiar. When Brianna finds a piece of silver in the woods, she commits to learning its origins, with the help of Michael. What they discover may change everything.

Fan favorite Jennifer Deibel invites you back to the Emerald Isle in the 1930s for this fresh take on the Cinderella story, complete with a tantalizing mystery, a budding romance, and a chance at redemption.

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My Thoughts

When I first received THE MAID OF BALLYMACOOL I was unable to read it due to prior reading obligations. Now I wish I had chucked those books out the window and gotten right to this one. I absolutely do believe this is the author’s strongest writing yet. You cannot help getting lost in the world she creates. I loved the time I spent at Ballymacool House and Wood and was fascinated to read in the author’s notes that they are still there though Ballmacool is abandoned, roofless and covered in vines. I can’t wait to do more online research on this. Though the story is fictional it is based upon many true events. Just my type of book, very well researched.
Brianna Kelly has known no other life than Ballymacool House and Boarding School. Abandoned there as a baby she grew up there and is a maid there. In charge of her is Mistress Maureen Magee, the headmistress of Ballymacool House and Boarding School for Girls. Very mean, she never sees reason from anyone around her. People aren’t born mean so then you say to yourself what happened personally to make her like this? Mistress Magee absolutely hates Brianna with every fiber of her being, but Brianna can remember a time long ago when she was extremely young that she wasn’t like this towards her. As we are reading, we have to try to piece together why she hates this young lady so much. Michael Wray, the son of a local gentry is sent by his parents to the school the corral his young cousin who is a bit pranksterish and outspoken for the school. He is there to keep an eye on her and keep her inline. Upon meeting Brianna, he is drawn to her quiet, shy and reserved way. Something about her feels familiar, have they met before? Brianna spends her free time in the woods surrounding Ballymacool and has a special tree she has been going to for years for relaxation and where she has found treasure. There is in my opinion a gothic feel to the book, a slow burn romance, a headmistress who is hiding something and a mystery just begging to be solved. I could not turn these pages fast enough. There is also a glossary of terms at the back of the book which is very helpful plus the author’s notes that I’d advise because it gives helpful information pertaining to the story. Excellent book!

Pub Date 21 Feb 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About The Author

Jennifer Deibel is a middle school teacher and freelance writer. Her 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.

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