Cora’s eyes filled with tears as she thought of the only man she had ever loved. She knew suddenly what she had to do. ‘I have to go to Dublin, visit his house when the smell of him is still there. I need to…’ she stuttered over her words, ‘I need to know about his wife.’
Cora smiles as she sees the bouquet of flowers on the kitchen table of her New York home. Her handsome long-term partner Jack never fails to surprise her. But as she leans in to smell the sweet pink roses, there is a sharp rap on the door and her world shatters as she is told that her darling Jack has been killed in a car crash in Ireland.
But Jack wasn’t the only victim. There was another woman in the car: a wife he never told her about. Distraught, she flies to Ireland to learn more about his secret life. She moves into his beautiful townhouse in central Dublin, determined to make sense of all the lies he told her.
As she grieves, she immerses herself in the local community, who need her as much as she needs them. The square they live on is under threat from developers, and Cora only realises when her new home is in danger how much it has come to mean to her. She must learn to work with her neighbours if they have any chance of protecting the place they all love, and the house that has become a new start to Cora despite her heartbreak.
As Cora’s heart slowly begins to heal, will she be able to move forward from Jack’s betrayal and look towards a hopeful future in Ireland? Or will saving her new home prove impossible and force her back to New York?
Previously published as The Secrets of de Courcy Square and An Ocean Between Us
An absolutely glorious and emotional read about family secrets perfect for fans of Susanne O’Leary, Cathy Kelly and Kathleen McGurl.
What readers are saying about Ann O’Loughlin:
‘OMG! OMG!!… I was utterly glued to the pages and I had tears absolutely streaming down my face… I was devastated when I turned the last page… Will stay with me for a long time… I LOVED it.’ Bookworm86 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I was swept away… I could almost feel the fresh air fill my lungs… Brilliant… Incredible… Beautiful… A wonderful five star read.’ Sarah Kingsnorth ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I am speechless and emotionally wrung out after reading this incredibly powerful and moving novel… It tapped into my heart and squeezed out every tear I tried to hold onto but the waterfall could not be held back and the tissue box became my constant companion… Exceptional.’ Cindy L Spear ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Wonderful, heart-warming and emotional… Amazing… Uplifting and inspiring… One that I will recommend over and over again. I loved it!!!’ Page Turners
‘Wonderful! Powerful, poignant and emotional, the characters were special and Kilteelagh was definitely a character of its own. Very heartwarming… I recommend highly.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Oh my heart! I went through so many emotions while reading this book… Beautiful… Breathtaking… I completely loved it and must read more by this author.’ Vegan Book Blogger ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I couldn’t believe the amount of emotion I felt whilst reading this story… Ann O’Loughlin could not have written a better book… As heart-warming as it is heartbreaking.’ Kelly’s Book Corner
‘I don’t often use the term “heart-warming” but this book definitely earns it… I was emotionally caught up in the story, and very much enjoyed it. Definitely recommend.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Outstanding… Brilliant… Melts your heart… I really can’t praise it enough.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐