Even as a child growing up in the UK, I had heard of Guinness beer. I have vague memories of, at one point in my life (not as a child, obviously!), being advised to drink stout because of its iron content—a suggestion that went nowhere because I never developed a liking for stout. But the idea that a particular brand of beer must be the brain child of an individual with a vision, and that the individual in question might have a family worthy of a novel, never occurred to me until a publicist pitched Emily Hourican’s “The Glorious Guinness Girls” for a New Books Network interview that didn’t fit into my schedule.

I read the book, enjoyed it, learned a lot about 1920s high society and the early 20th-century Irish drive for independence., Check the link below for an interview with the author. And I love that cover, with its Guinness harp smack dab in the center!

An intriguing novelization of the lives of Aileen, Maureen and Oonagh Guinness, the three beautiful and glamorous daughters of Ernest and Chloe Guinness. The story is told from the point of view of Felicity “Fliss” Burke, a fictional character sent to live with these famous sisters first at their grand home of Glenmaroon in Dublin, and later in the heart of London. While at Glenmaroon, the sisters and Fliss are kept away from the trouble going on outside their protected enclave, but soon some of the danger and violence of the struggle for Irish Independence begins to seep in. Beginning with the worries of their parents and eventually from the involvement of Fliss’s older brother and his friend, the War for Independence is at their front door. To safeguard his family, Ernest decides to relocate them to their home in London. Here as the girls grow older, their world begins to expand. As each make her debut, they find the constrictions of their parent’s rules constraining. Maureen ventures out into the social world of the Roaring Twenties and the group of young the press has named “The Bright Young Things”. Dragging Fliss and her sisters along with her, they find themselves among those flaunting the old ways and creating a new way to live in a changing world.

This is an engaging and richly drawn portrayal of the lives of these three early “celebrities”. While the first part of the novel dealing with the Irish Revolution is a bit light on history, the second part truly shines. The world of young socialites, casting off the pall of the Great War and trying to find a place in the new world order is captivating. The rise and fall of the “Bright Young Things” is vibrantly detailed, and the eventual disillusionment with the shallow world of celebrity is accurately depicted. This is a novel which will appeal to fans of Julian Fellows and Downton Abbey.

I had a hard time really getting into this story. The characters and the story were not my cup of tea, at the moment. I couldn't find a motivation to be interested in these particular characters and their stories. I read 40% of the book, and decided to move on.

Book Review for The Glorious Guinness Girls
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"From London to Ireland during the 1920s, this glorious, gripping, and richly textured story takes us to the heart of the remarkable real-life story of the Guinness Girls - perfect for fans of Downton Abbey and Julian Fellowes' Belgravia.

Descendants of the founder of the Guinness beer empire, they were the toast of 1920s high society, darlings of the press, with not a care in the world. But Felicity knows better. Sent to live with them as a child because her mother could no longer care for her, she grows up as the sisters’ companion. Both an outsider and a part of the family, she witnesses the complex lives upstairs and downstairs, sees the compromises and sacrifices beneath the glamorous surface. Then, at a party one summer’s evening, something happens that sends shock waves through the entire household.

Inspired by a remarkable true story and fascinating real events, The Glorious Guinness Girls is an unforgettable novel about the haves and have-nots, one that will make you ask if where you find yourself is where you truly belong."

Let us not forget that it was these real life girls who inspire Julian Fellowes! And, of course, Nancy Mitford! Her sister married a Guinness afterall!

This book is quite good! Every time I picked up "The Glorious Guinness Girls", I was whisked back in time, and went on an emotional journey with this book.

This is the first book I have read by Emily Hourican, and it won't be my last! Her writing style is amazing, and she truly knows how to immerse the reader in the time, world, and story of the book. I can only imagine the amount of research the author must have done, as each and every aspect of this book felt authentic to the era, and really helped bring the early 1900s to life. Going back and forth in time, this is a book filled with love, memories, sadness, and much more. Ms. Hourican explores some major historical events at the time period the book is set in as well.

This book is told through the eyes of Fliss, who is sent to live with the Guinness family, and is raised in many ways alongside Maureen, Aileen, and Oonagh Guinness. Fliss provides an interesting perspective, as she is both part of their family, but, also, sadly often treated as an outsider. This book provides a glimpse into upper-class life, from grand parties, to a lavish lifestyle. However, along with the glitz and glamour, this book is also filled with heartbreak as well.

If you enjoy historical fiction, I highly recommend this book! It made me want to go and do more research about these women, and this time period in history. I look forward to reading what Ms. Hourican writes next.

Thank you so much to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, it is amazing! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.