A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel Review

 Happy Wednesday Friends :)

I pray you're all doing well, and I want to thank you all for taking time out of your busy day to stop by The Preppy Book Princess.

This was such a busy week for book releases. Yesterday, three fantastic novels were released into the Christian fiction world, and you're definitely going to want to check them out. Yesterday we saw the release of Dearest Josephine by Caroline George (my review here), The Moonlight School by Suzanne Woods Fisher (my review here), and finally, A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel, which I'm excited to review for you all today.

I hope that you'll give one or all of these lovely books a chance, and now let's go right ahead and dive into today's review.

A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel:

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Publisher: Revell

Publication Date: February 2nd, 2021

Genre: Historical Fiction/Christian Fiction

Synopsis:

All of her life, Irish-American Moira Doherty has relished her mother's descriptions of Ireland. When her mother dies unexpectedly in the summer of 1920, Moira decides to fulfill her mother's wish that she become the teacher in Ballymann, her home village in Donegal, Ireland.

After an arduous voyage, Moira arrives to a new home and a new job in an ancient country. Though a few locals offer a warm welcome, others are distanced by superstition and suspicion. Rumors about Moira's mother are unspoken in her presence but threaten to derail everything she's journeyed to Ballymann to do. Moira must rely on the kindness of a handful of friends--and the strength of Sean, an unsettlingly handsome thatcher who keeps popping up unannounced--as she seeks to navigate a life she'd never dreamed of . . . but perhaps was meant to live.

Jennifer Deibel's debut novel delights the senses, bringing to life the sights, sounds, smells, and language of a lush country and a colorful people. Historical romance fans will embrace her with open arms.

(synopsis from NetGalley)

My Review:

A Dance in Donegal is like a hot cup of tea on a chilly winter's night, and this beautiful debut novel, in my opinion, has already made a name for author Jennifer Deibel. If you've ever wanted to visit Ireland and have never had the chance, this book will make you feel like you have had the opportunity to do so. The reader can easily see the painful amount of research that went into the writing of it, and I truly wanted to take my time reading this one to savor each and every page.

We first meet protagonist Moira Doherty right after the death of her beloved mother in 1920's Boston. Her mother's dying wish was for Moira to travel to her hometown of Ballymann, Ireland to become the new school teacher. Moira chooses to honor her mother's wishes, but isn't quite prepared for the enormous task placed before her. Ballymann is steeped in superstitions, there seems to be a great mystery surrounding why her mother left Ballymann in the first place, and she finds herself isolated and struggling to fit in with the locals. Moira is determined to see her mission through though, and she'll soon learn that through faith in the Heavenly Father and amazing friends, she is capable of more than she could have imagined.

I thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful story, and could hardly believe that it's a debut novel. The setting is idyllic and atmospheric and had me totally wrapped up in this charming beautiful village. I loved how strong the scriptural basis for everything is within this story, and even though the locals of the village still partake in superstitions, God remains their first and foremost always, and I especially loved Peg, Sean and Colm. Perhaps my favorite part of the story, however, was Moira herself. I admired her bravery, her strength, and her unwavering faith no matter what obstacles come her way. She's the type of protagonist I wanted to cheer for right from the start, and I loved how the author chose to end her journey. I always admire stories where the romance plays a central part but isn't the entire story, and the romance within this one was definitely the perfect balance. 

I didn't know quite what to expect when I picked this one up, but wow did I end up being pleasantly surprised. Jennifer Deibel is an author I will definitely be reading more from in the future, and she's absolutely an author to watch out for within the Christian Historical fiction genre.

If you're a fan of historical fiction, Irish tales or stories with a strong faith component, then go ahead and pick this one up. I can guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Thanks so much to Revell publishing for allowing me to read and review this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Revell) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your day :)