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’, like all of the stories in Dubliners, has its own style, which Joyce subtly but expertly tailors to the characters whose story he is telling. When the story is told by a first-person narrator, such as is the case in ‘The Sisters’ and ‘ An Encounter’, this is clearer because the person telling the story is the same as the character experiencing it, so we expect them to narrate it in their own peculiar way. Mrs. Mooney’s 19-year-old daughter, who does housework around the boarding house. A “very lively” young woman, she flirts with all the resident young men. She seems to be the driving force behind her relationship…

The Irish Boarding House | Sandy Taylor | 9781803140827 The Irish Boarding House | Sandy Taylor | 9781803140827

Beautiful... heart-warming, and heartbreaking all at the same time... 5/5 stars.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars The Irish Boarding House by Sandy Taylor is a great post WWII historical fiction set in Ireland that I really enjoyed. Heartwarming, but also extremely heartbreaking … I don’t think it really matters who you are, almost anyone would find something they enjoy about THE GIRLS FROM SEESAW LANE.” The Reading Head A lovely, feel-good, comforting read - I didn't feel up to any hard concentration today so it was just what I wanted. Mary Kate has had some very difficult times but her life changes for the better when she inherits a large sum of money. She spends a lot of it helping others anonymously.Wow … deserves more than 5 stars . It is a heart-warming as well as a heartbreaking story all at the same time. I absolutely loved this book. Warning: keep the tissues handy! ’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars What a beautiful story. I couldn't put it down I felt I knew all the characters and couldn't wait to find out about them all. A really feel good story, no violence just a lovely story. Mary Kate Ryan had lived with her grandparents on Tanner's Row in Dublin since her mother had abandoned them all when she was a baby, and when first her grandmother, then grandfather died and she no longer had a home, she felt lost and alone. The boarding houses she went to were dingy and dirty, nothing felt right anymore. The day she received a letter from a solicitor, her life changed - the money that was now hers saw Mary Kate buy a beautiful old home that had been left to ruin. Mary Kate had it renovated and turned into the Dublin Boarding House for Single Ladies. Mary Kate Ryan was raised by her loving grandparents in a small cottage. Her mother left her with them. As a woman Mary Kate was sad and hated living in the boarding house. One day she receives a letter announcing that her mother has died and left her an inheritance. First thing Mary Kate moves out of the sad boarding house and buys her own boarding house.

Member Reviews | NetGalley

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 Diary This would make a great Downton Abbey style show. One where there are a lot of characters but nothing of great importance ever really happens. But you are watching because the sets and costuming is lovely. I will admit... books with a large cast normally turn me off because it takes a special author to be able to manage a lot of characters and deliver a story that feels complete and satisfying. This author was able to do that for a majority of her characters. I will say, what kept me from calling this a 5 star is that I did feel like at times the author wrapped up characters' stories very fast. I fell in love … Such an emotionally raw story can only be written by someone who has left a little piece of their heart behind in such a special place.’ Goodreads reviewerMerrion 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. The boarding house was a warm refuge, filled with caring people. People who, though not related by blood were indeed a sort of 'family'. It was the sort of place you would want to live yourself. Rarely do I find a book that can double me over with laughter and break my heart with tears … This book delivers and then some! ’ Netgalley Reviewer, 5 stars