Susanne O'Leary’s The Lost Letters of Ireland is the story of Edwina who moves to the village of Sandy Cove on the Irish coast. Desperately in need of a change in her personal life, her friend convinces Edwina to start a new business venture. I voluntarily read this complimentary copy of this well-written, heart-warming novel full of secrets from the past, family, love, and friendship. I look forward to reading Susanne O'Leary’s next book.

I love Ireland and love stories about family, secrets, villages and friendship and this one didn't disappoint. And although I have not read any other books in this series I really enjoyed this one and had no problem reading it as a stand alone novel.

This is a bit of a feel good book, a bit of romance happening and a bit of mystery as well. It is a fun book to read, entertaining and enjoyable and has a bit of everything about it. It is well written and love the cottages and the renovations Edwina is doing.

It is heart-warming, charming and easy to read. I enjoyed it and recommend it and look forward to finding some of the previous books in this series.

The story
Edwina has resigned from her job in Dublin and is looking for a new challenge when a friend suggests taking on a project. The four cottages on the Irish coast are ripe for a renovation, and Edwina takes it on with some financial help from her mother. When she arrives in Sandy Cove she meets single doctor Shane and his teen son Daniel. It’s also a chance to make amends with her architect brother Max who lives nearby.

My thoughts
I have read all the books in this series, and some are better than others. Edwina is a bit spoilt and stuck up, and the insta-love that happens with Shane does not seem very believable at all to me. She starts off by hiding her involvement with the development of the cottages to everyone she meets, seems to have very little to do with the renovation until the construction firm goes belly up and her mother comes to take over. I read to the end of the story but it was a superficial plot. 🤦‍♀️

Read an eARC copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher
My rating 3/5 - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of "The Lost Letters of Ireland" in exchange for my honest review.

This is the 5th story in the Starlight Cottages series set in County Kerry, Ireland. In it we meet Edwina Courtney-Smythe who decides to buy the 4 old Coastguard Station cottages and do them up with a fresh new feel. We have already met Edwina's brother Max in a previous story as well as her sister-in-law Allegra.

While doing up the cottages Edwina meets Shane Flaherty the GP. She also finds a message in a bottle from a young man named Pearse who is longing for a lost love. After finding some old letters in one of the cottages, all the threads between the past and present are tied up.

The fun part of this series was seeing who would rent out the cottages next. Now that they have been done up and sold - except for the one Edwina keeps for herself - there might not be as many interesting characters passing through the coastguard station.

A book seeped in charm and made me fall in love with Ireland and her beautiful, warm ,gregarious people. Lovingly written,bringing the wild Kerry scenery to life in the pages. The perfect love story combining humour, romance and even a little mystery of a forgotten love story brought to light by a message in a bottle. Delicious escapism

I love this series and this book was no different. This was such a warm and cozy read! I love the writing style.

Edwina and her mother buy some cottages to redo. she finds a message in a bottle that was written 20 years ago and tries to find who wrote it. very lovely setting in Ireland.

What a gorgeous book! The author has a great gift for characterisation - nuanced, interesting, believable people but created with a charming lightness of touch. Thanks to the authors warmth, wisdom and emotional intelligence, this book was a huge pleasure to read!

I went into reading this book with pretty realistic expectations for a fluffy beach read that I could read on vacation and pick up and put down as needed. However, reading "The Lost Letters of Ireland" quickly became a chore to finish. The story was jumbled and the writing was a little more on the "telling" and not the "showing" of the types of novels I prefer to read. I would have also liked more to give it the 'feel' of Ireland like descriptors that were unique to the topography or slang the locals would be using. Based on what's in the book, this could have been any nondescript beach town in New England in the United States and didn't have any of the 'magic' of Ireland that a consumer would expect when picking up this book.

Loved this story of Edwina and Shane. I think I have read every one of this authors stories of Ireland. In this story Edwina decides to do something else with her life so she buys the Starlight cottages in Sandy Cove to renovate and either lease or sell. Her mother helps her to buy them. Her mother comes to Sandy Cove and really gets into helping Edwina and their relationship changes for the better., Then Edwina meets Shane and at some point her mother meets Walt. See how like changes for all of them. A VERY GOOD FREAD>

Wow again! I absolutely love The Starlight Cottage series. Each book goes higher and deeper into the lives and happenings at Sandy Cove. The Lost Letters of Ireland is an outstanding and beautifully delivered story that grabbed my heart from the first line and even when my eyes were closing to sleep, I kept shaking myself awake so I could learn the outcome of everyone. I devoured it within a twenty-four hour period and savoured every moment I could snatch from my schedule to complete my reading. I felt so many emotions as I watched the major characters of Edwina and Pamela on their journeys but also Shane and Max. The letter in the bottle and the letters in the box created an added sense of mystery and a fun exploration for two of the characters. These, of course, are tied to one of the cottages and lead to other meetings and events.

I love renovation stories and this one takes the five charming Starlight Cottages and delivers them up to a woman who is needing a fresh start after her last relationship disaster. We met Edwina previously in an earlier book of the series and at that time she was not very likeable due to the havoc she imposed on her brother’s life, Max, but here she turns a new leaf and heads in a brave direction—one that sees her coming to a special place of purpose and fulfilment. With the purchase of the five cottages and taking on this massive project, she digs deep and discovers what is truly important in her life and begins to mend fences she has broken. Her brother Max and her mother Pamela are part of that healing process but also her love life is transformed through meeting the handsome, though sometimes difficult, Doctor Shane. She moves away from the flashy trends, the high fashion model needs and soaks in the natural glitter of the stars, the gentle wooing of the moon, the calming echo of the waves and the honey warmth of the sun. Standing on a Starlight Cottage platform, she becomes alive for the first time and discovers there is so much more waiting for her on this solitary shore in Kerry. Certainly more than what she left behind in the lively, cosmopolitan city of Dublin. Her broken heart is mesmerised and transformed by this quaint village and its people. And when her mother arrives unexpectedly, the same wonder and magic of this community begins to transform her, too. But will the euphoria last?

Susanne has a way of lifting the veil in a style of writing that pulls you in, gets you focused on the scenes, characters and events while the outside world falls away into the mist. The view at Sandy Cove is dazzling, bright and blue—and even when the clouds appear, and the sky shakes with rain, that cool fresh breeze that carries the salt from the sea into your lungs will invigorate and free you from despair. This is a place to escape to heal, to see facades evaporate and masks come off. Where lessons are learned about forgiveness, about being true, about letting go of layers of armour. To get down to the basics of life—of natural living by diverting your eyes away from the false glitter – while leading you to the unpretentious beauty of nature where true peace, enters your heart.

You need to read this story. It is the best medicine you can offer your weary, war torn soul. It is a balm from the trials that surround us today. Society has seen hope shatter, trust violated, fears of Covid and other health concerns rise on tumultuous tides. This novel whisks you away from all that to a place of calm, where the setting is breathtaking and where uplifting solutions abound and bring restoration. Yes, there are bumps in the road and even some wild motorcycle rides! But The Lost Letters of Ireland is a breath of fresh air as it offers intriguing insights and transformation through a wonderful cast of characters in the most divine setting. Much like you would experience on a holiday! I highly praise and recommend The Lost Letters of Ireland for it is an unforgettable and profoundly enriching story that deserves even more than 5 Stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for a review copy.

Cozy romance and Ireland…what more can one readers want? This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Quirky characters…lovely setting…intrigue…characters who come alive on the pages…this fiction novel reads like nonfiction…could happen… might happen… this book would make a terrific television series or a movie…I look forward to more books by this author. Curl up in a cozy chair and be transported to Ireland.

The Lost Letters of Ireland takes readers on another trip to Sandy Cove as Edwina, Max’s sister (see his story in The Lost House of Ireland) and his mother purchase the four cottages adjacent to the lighthouse to renovate. This is a moving story about reconciliation, new beginnings, and increased understanding of self, with a little mystery involving a message in a bottle. Suzanne O’Leary’s books make readers feel like they are in Ireland which is lovely for those of us on the other side of the pond. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Highly recommend.

Nothing like a return to Sandy Cove. Edwina and her mother buy the starlight cottages and plan to redo them. Will this go over well with the people from the village. Edwina finds that life in Sandy Cove changes her outlook o life and maybe she will find love.

As a reader we travel a lot. The world is our oyster and the authors treat us to, not only fabulous stories, but also include some history or a bit of sightseeing or other titbits about the destinations they take us to.

So if you missed me the previous days, I was taken to Ireland, more specifically Sandy Cove.

Being there feels a bit like coming home. Recognizing some places, meeting up with some recurrent characters from previous books and getting to know new people. Some very loveable, others a bit less. But never say never and the more annoying ones often change and become loved ones under the right circumstances.

For the fans who have read the previous book, Edwina was not a stranger. We already know she is Max’s sister and someone I would invite over if I was looking for a fun night.

She was rather haughty and often looked down on people and things around her. But the beauty of the scenery at Sandy Cove can melt the coldest heart. Can it have the same effect on Edwina too?

Sometimes you have to turn your life upside down and find a new project. This is what Edwina wants as well and then the perfect opportunity comes her way.

From the moment Edwina arrives in Sandy Cove, the little beachfront village can start working its magic. A lot of people have not been able to resist its charms and found love there. Will this be the case for Edwina too, arriving but never leaving or will she run to the big city again without looking back?

Let the author take you on this great journey and find out what she had In store for you. I was charmed. 5 stars

Thank you

A lovely heart warming story.The characters the beautiful setting ,I felt like I left my reading chair and was there having a wonderful time.#netgalley #bookouture