Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. Unfortunately, I decided to not finish this book after reading 45%. Aoife of Leinster and her family are forced from their seat of leadership in Fern, a small kingdom in Ireland in the 1100s, and flee to Wales to shelter with Strongbow. While there were parts of this story I liked - Aoife's dedication to her family and her homeland, her personality and independence - it was bogged down for me by long historical descriptions that erred on the side of boring historical account rather than exciting historical fiction adventure. The author also uses a variety of names for each of the characters, their first names, their official names, and family surnames, and this made it confusing to keep track of who was who. There is also a complex network of noble and familial connections that I was having trouble following and detailed accounts of who the Normans were and how the nobility worked in Ireland in the 1100s. I have read a lot of historical fiction, and what I like about the genre is that I can learn something and be engaged and entertained at the same time. For me, this book was not engaging enough, and I found myself hoping the book would be over soon. If it had been written in a more exciting and narrative way, I think I could've stuck with it. It would've also been helpful to have a family tree for all of the characters as well as a map of medieval Ireland, Wales, and England to help the reader understand the context for the adventure. I will not be leaving a rating on my blog or Goodreads as I did not finish. Best of luck to the author and the publisher on this novel.

12th-century Ireland, this is a story based on the daughter of the deposed King of Leinster, Aoife and what a great book it is. A story of struggles, strength, resilience and how Ireland was shaped by the events of this time. It is a history lesson in the best possible way.

The story is full of emotion, struggling through conflict, change and hard times. It is a well written and researched book and one that flows easily with wonderful and rich descriptions which will capture your imagination and take you on a journey. This book kept me reading and I hope to read more as this is I believe the 1st book in a series. Now I can't wait to see what happens next.

A wonderful, rich, emotional and strong story that will capture your since of adventure and wonder.

Thank you NetGalley and Book Whisperer for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

A fascinating book about a very strong woman. Aoife MacMurrough was an Irish princess who was betrothed to Richard de Clare (Strongbow) a Norman. This first book of the trilogy takes place in her earlier life when her father loses the Irish throne. I love historical fiction that makes me want to learn more. Aoife and Strongbow's daughter, Isabel married none other than William the Marshall!! How cool is that!
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Aoife of Leinster is a thick read full of history, brutality, and some sizzling sex. I'm not fully it's target audience, as I do not like reading gory works, although I love this period of history. I guess that is a kind of contradiction, as we know that life was quite brutal in the time this novel takes place, as it is anywhere that wars break out and factions are fighting for dominance, but we are led to believe that it was more of a constant then. Fitzgerald's novel is packed with history, almost too much, as he leaves no shift in alliances out, so the backstory becomes a bit heavy at times, when the action is at a pause. There are shades of Arthurian issues, with a difficult love story pulling the the characters' allegiance between loyalty and the heart's emotions. Aoife starts off showing us her willingness to use brutality when threatened, and continues throughout the novel to show this willingness to fight, not always cleanly, if she needs to. Not sure that Fitzgerald has convinced me of a consistent female voice, but it is recognizable in the first person sections (most of the novel) and carries us along swiftly through her actions. Most likely this is a good read for those who like action thrillers set in the Dark/Middle Ages, and my rating reflects this opinion.

Thanks to The Book Whisperer and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A nice story that starts of nice and slow. But not in a way that makes it hard to read. I liked that there was a good understanding of the time.

BOOK: AOIFE OF LEINSTER
AUTHOR:
PUB DATE: 21 MARCH 2024
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REVIEW- 3️⃣.8️⃣ stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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History is not a favorite genre of mine. I find it depressing and sad. But, I decided to read this book because I was curious about Aoife and the time she lived in. I've read a lot of historical romances set in medieval times, but none even touched 10% of what this book covered.
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First, I'll say what I like about this book.
1. The Brehon laws. I had no idea that such advanced law was in place. I really liked it because women's rights were clearly mentioned and equal to men.
2. Aoife's strength. She was very smart and tactical. I really admired how she tried to save her brothers, it was admirable. She narrated the whole book and I got an insight into who she really was. I didn't begrudge her the relationship she found since her proposed husband was not innocent.
3. I liked how the author was able to describe the setting. It made things easier for me and I could envision everything in my head
4. I had a love-hate relationship with the ending. I liked the preparation of war, but not the literal ending. It was sad and ambiguous
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Things I didn't like
1. The long chapters. I don't like reading long chapters. I easily get bored
2. Aoife's mother. She barely did anything
3. The ambiguity. I wonder what happened with Strongbow
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For me, this book was okay. I'd would have liked it better if I loved the genre. I learned a lot though
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Rife with history, this story begins with tragedy. Aoife sadly must put aside her own need to be saved to be strong and fierce for her family. The Irish are forced to adopt to English law - a much harsher and backward system, especially for women. I loved Aoife - and will be looking for the next book.

A time of betrayal, love and war. Aiofe is a young woman who is promised to marry Strongbow for political gain. Aiofe a princess of Ireland and Strongbow struggling to get in good with King Henry I. Rich with emotions, intrigue, and Irish history. Castles and kings with the harsh realities of the medieval era.

I’ll start off this review by saying that I know next to nothing about Strongbow or Irish history. It’s still a relatively new field of historical fiction for me to learn about. I was intrigued enough by both the beautiful cover and the storyline to get into this book. And while it started off strong, it slowly began to make my interest wane towards the halfway point. I’m glad I read it; however, I think I need to read and research more about these characters to give a fully honest opinion about this version of the story. From my point of view, it was good writing, believable characters, and a fairly quick read, aside from the middle, which slowed me down with the political intrigue.

I mainly chose this for the Irish historical readathon going on in March, and I wasn’t disappointed. This was a good read, and I have a new bit of history to look into. This was book one of, I believe, a trilogy. I’m definitely going to be continuing on with the trilogy, and I have added this author to my ‘to-watch’ list for when the next books come out.

I wish that I could write more without giving away spoilers, but as this was less than three hundred pages and I honestly don’t know much about this subject, all I can say is that this was entertaining.
I suggest that fans of historical fiction, Irish literature, and history based on true events; you would enjoy this one.

Aiofe of Leinster by Sean J FitzGerald is the story of a the daughter (princess) of one of many Irish kings at this time (1166) MacMurrough. He and his family have been rousted from their home and kingdom and had fled. As Aiofe carried her mother on her horse, she handed her two small brothers to her father. He dropped one and Aiofe was able to scoop him up, but then he dropped the other and he was captured by the enemy. Her father didn’t care. He just cared about himself and his kingdom. They made their way to Wales where he “wheeled and dealed” to get assistance to regain his kingdom. One of the deals was Aiofe’s hand in marriage. In Ireland the daughter chose her own husband so only after meeting the man and negotiating did she agree. Her father was desperate to regain his holdings and so didn’t want to listen to anyone else. This is that story.

Aoife was an excellent character, well-written, and most of all resilient. She soldiered on and fought with her heart as well as her sword. It was an engaging story, deeply rooted in history and full of the Irish language and customs. It was well-written and fairly easy to read. As an aficionado of Sister Fidelma, I recognized many cultural facts contained herein. Life was not easy in medieval times and holding on to one’s kingdom was less easy. I was a good book. Thanks Mr. FitzGerald for the read.

I was invited to read Aoife of Leinster by Book Whisperer. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BookWhisperer #SeanJFitzGerald #AoifeOfLeinster

I really enjoyed this book. I don’t normally read historical fiction, but this read almost like a medieval fantasy novel (albeit without the magic). Aoife is a wonderful character, and her growth, fears, and choices are relatable. The supporting characters are well-drawn, interesting and believable.

It really brought this period of Irish history to life, and I suspect I’ll remember more about this period going forward than I ever learned in school. I loved learning more about Brehon law, and how Ireland was organised in pre-Norman times. I can’t wait to learn what happens next.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a good historical fiction novel, set in a Ireland during the 1100s, not a time period you see too often! It was a nice change of pace from all the WWI/WWII novels coming out. Aoife was a very likeable heroine and I loved how much she cared about her people and her land. It did get. a little too political at times and I had to trudge it but overall it was well paced and was very enjoyable!

This was a fantastic Irish historical fiction done with wonderful research and care. I honestly found myself prolonging finishing it because not only did I not want to leave this fantastic book, but also because it made me nostalgic for Lawless’s Gael Song series. 🍀

The story follows Aoife and her family, the MacMurroughs, as they flee their home in Ferns, Ireland for safety and military aid from the English Normans. The whole time I read this, it felt like a weirdly natural continuation of the Gael Song series which takes place in late 10th/early 11th century Ireland while this is set in the mid 12th century. The characters in “Aoife” are distant descendants of the historical characters from the Gael Song series, and it honestly made my heart rather happy to see them show up again. But history wise, this all really did happen and I had a blast going down the medieval Irish history rabbit hole. 🍀

Aoife was the kind of FMC I wanted: fierce, loyal, and incredibly level headed (though not when it comes to where her heart goes). I really enjoyed her interactions with the other characters in the book, and it really helps set up the sequel quite nicely. The other characters I found myself enjoying whenever they showed up were her brother Donal and lover (I won’t spoil the name). Their banter back and forth was both entertaining but also really showed the respect that each of them had during their time together. There’s of course a horribly despicable character in the bunch, but again, I’ll let everyone find out who that is. . . Man, I wanted that character dead so badly by the end of the book. 😅

The only thing I found rather odd here and there was the random jumping of POVs. Sometimes you were seeing the plot through the villain’s POV, and others in another character. While it provided a great counterpoint to Aoife’s POV, it was still kind of odd to see sometimes. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Other than that though, this should be only any Irish history fan’s radar! It provides a wonderful POV of the Norman invasion of Ireland that’s not highly explored, and I thought FitzGerald did a fantastic job bringing Aoife to life. 💚

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review, and to the author for crafting a fantastic historical fiction! ❤️

Publication date: March 21!

Overall: 4.75/5 ⭐️

This book was very interesting. This is a historical fiction based off of the life of Aoife set in Ireland in the 1100’s. It follows her and her family’s quest to regain their throne.

There is so much to learn in this book. Rights that women had in Ireland at that time are completely unheard of. It also follows the different ways that different areas prepare for battle. This book doesn’t have too many battle scenes in it and it ends on a cliffhanger. It looks to be the first in the series. I will be picking the next one up when it comes out. I recommend this to true fans of historical fiction.

Aoife of Leinster
By Sean FitzGerald

This book deals with the English and Irish social structures of the 1100s. It is a true story based on historical figures Aoife MacMurrough, princess of Leinster, and Richard de Clere, known as Strongbow, Marcher lord out of favor with his king.

Aoife's father, having been defeated and forced from his kingdom by his enemies, appealed to Strongbow for his aid in recapturing his kingdom. In exchange Strongbow was to get Aiofe's hand in marriage and be named heir to the kingdom of Leinster. This book is the first in the saga of how this all played out.

As well as the blood and guts retelling of the differences in battle styles, this book shows the stark differences between English law and Ireland's Brehon law as regards to women and their rights. While the Irish were not as capable in battle as the English – they did not fight from horseback or use armor for example – they were much more advanced in their treatment of their women. A woman, under Brehon law, could not be forced into a marriage, but must give her consent.

The story here ends with the taking of Wexford and the horror of what was done to political hostages. The book's subtitle –The Price of a Throne – is fitting. I look forward to reading the next installment.

I really enjoyed this first book in the series and the author has interwoven the story around historical facts of the time and historical characters including Diarmuit MacMurrough, King of Leinster, Ireland, Aoife his daughter, Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (known as Strongbow) and many others.
I really enjoyed the storyline in this book and was engrossed right from the start by the way the author sets the scenes and found them very descriptive to the point I didn’t want to put the book down but keep reading to find out what happened next. Full of action with lots of strong characters.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The chapters whizzed by and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

This was a very well written book. It shows the struggles and growth of the main female character and the grow she goes through. The romance was very tasteful done.

"Aoife of Leinster" by Sean J. Fitzgerald is a captivating historical novel that delves into the life of one of Ireland's most intriguing figures. Fitzgerald's writing is immersive, transporting readers to the rich tapestry of medieval Ireland with vivid descriptions and meticulous attention to detail. The story of Aoife unfolds with depth and authenticity, offering a compelling portrayal of her struggles, triumphs, and the turbulent times in which she lived. Fitzgerald skillfully weaves together elements of romance, politics, and warfare, creating a narrative that is both engaging and enlightening. "Aoife of Leinster" is a testament to Fitzgerald's talent as a storyteller and is sure to captivate readers with its blend of history and drama.

This was really good!!!! I found this novel captivating! Not only because of the storyline, but also because of its numerous historical details, such as the women's rights in Ireland as opposed to England. The novel also shows all the differences between the structure, strategies of the armies lead by the Irish/Norse and these of the Normans. Of course all this information is well woven in the events of the times whether in Ireland, Wales and England. Fascinating details I definitely was not aware of. The conclusion is a bit of a cliff hanger, but as I intend to read book 2, I didn't mind. A rich novel indeed which I highly recommend.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

“Aoife of Leinster” is a historical fiction book by Sean J. FitzGerald. This book tells the story of Aoife, an Irish noblewoman born in the mid-1100s. This book tells her story in an interesting way - giving her a voice to modern readers. It was interesting reading what the life of a Gaelic king was like - someone who not only loved her family, but also loved her home land - to the point of marrying a Norman, Richard de Clare (better known as Strongbow). I enjoyed learning more about Aoife and Ireland during those turbulent times. Do read the Author's Note and I'm glad that there's a set of family trees included in this book.