The Keeper of the Irish Secret is the first book in the Magnolia Manor series by Susanne O'Leary. Lily Fleury loved visiting her grandmother Sylvia in Ireland, taking long sunset walks on the beach and exploring the nooks and crannies of the family’s old home Magnolia Manor. Now that her marriage has ended, she applies for a job near the Manor and plans to heal there in her grandmother's arms, but finds a surprise when she arrives. Magnolia Manor is in disrepair and the gardens wildly overgrown. Sylvia is obviously struggling and she has told no one. Lily decides to stay and help Sylvia get back on her feet. She meets Dominic, a local builder, is helping Sylvia, but Lily is worried they will not agree on what needs to be done. When he hears him sing at the pub, she is smitten. When Lily finds papers in an old trunk in the gatehouse where she is staying, she finds out that her grandmother has a secret that could cause major changes in Magnolia Manor.

This was an easy, enjoyable story with a little bit of family drama and history, some romance, and new beginnings. I loved the setting and the characters we meet at the manor and in the nearby town. Lily is starting over, and is lucky to land a job at a local lawyer's office. It gives her the opportunity to spend time with her grandmother. She has two sisters, who all come to stay and play a small part in the story, Rose and Violet. The sisters have plans for the Manor, as it will come to them, but Sylvia has other ideas. There is some drama between the girls and their grandmother, but it was realistic and I loved that she didn't take anything from them. There are a couple of romances, Lily and Dominic being one, and I liked them together. All does not go smoothly and it may or may not work out for them. Even Sylvia meets someone that will give her a bit of a romantic relationship in her twilight years. There are two more books with each of the sisters front and center in them, and another coming out later this year. I am looking forward to reading the rest in this series. If you enjoy a book with a beautiful setting, clean romance, family relationships and an uplifting story, then I recommend The Keeper of the Irish Secret. Aoife McMahon does a wonderful job narrating this audiobook, giving individual voices to the characters and adding enough expression to make the book enjoyable.

The Keeper of he Irish Secret AUDIO by Susanne O’Leary is the promising start to a new series in which Sylvia Fleury was keeping a secret from her granddaughters. The manor might not be theirs. Their great grandfather might have lost it gambling nearly a century earlier. She was spending a lot of time looking for the deeds, as the family lawyer did not seem to have them and registration of deeds was relatively new.. Lily, her eldest granddaughter had arrived, apparently with a plan to stay, which made Sylvia nervous. Lily had a plan, too, to renovate the old manor and stay permanently. While there, Lily met a man, although she was in no way ready for one, Dominic. Dominic was the handyman. He was also a musician with a wonderful voice, she discovered one night in the pub. She also met Brian there, the barman whose grandmother had worked for her great-grandmother at the manor. This evening was to lead to many things, she discovered later.

Lily as divorced and had fled Dublin. She accepted a job in a one-lawyer office with Wolfgang Quinn, his mother had been German. He was the nicest man she had ever met, if the most disorganized. It took her several weeks to get the office organized and in shape. And he was still the nicest man she’d ever met. Dominic turned out to be more than a handyman. And Sylvia had plans for the manor, too. They were to host a community tea; it had been a ball in the past but they could no longer afford that, and Lily and her sisters were all in, making it the best it had ever been. But, potential trouble was on the horizon and Lily was worried. She was clever, as well as intelligent, but this was turning out to be too much. Then, on a dime, things changed. They discovered several, well, many things that could change the future. Susanne O’Leary has a knack for writing both light romance and light mystery. This is no exception, from the endearing characters, to the charming setting, this book had it all! Thanks!

The reader for this lovely novel is Aoife McMahon who did an excellent rendition. He light accent brough the whole thing to life and made it a supremely enjoyable listen.

I was invited to listen to The Keeper of The Irish Secret by Dreamscape Media. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #DreamscapeMedia #SusanneOLeary #AoifeMcMahon #TheKeeperOfTheIrishSecret

The book was just ok. I like the charming Irish setting. However, I’m not so fussed about the story itself because it relied on drip feeding information and keeping secrets from each other which seems obvious from the title. I had just hoped that it would have been more clever.

I enjoyed listening to this book. I love the descriptions of the manor and surrounding areas. It was easy to picture it as the book was read.

I voluntarily reviewed an audiobook provided by NetGalley

"The Keeper of the Irish Secret" is the start of a new series that I'm looking forward to continuing with.

The Fleury family has lived in the same mansion for generations, but now that the matriarch of the family is getting older and the place is getting a bit run-down, her granddaughters are beginning to imagine what they might do with it when their time to run it comes. The only problem is, that day may never come...

As each of the granddaughters come to terms with the fact that they have a fight ahead of them, they explore their reasons for holding on and letting go.

The story is filled with wonderful characters that I look forward to getting to know even more in the future.

Thank you to Susanne O'Leary, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

I enjoyed the setting and the characters in this read. It is a bit predictable but it was great for a palate cleanser. I needed something easy after some tough reads and this one fit the bill!

I reviewed the e-audio galley of this book in return for an honest review. And while I appreciate #NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity, I can't really thank them for providing a book that needed serious editing and re-writing.

I know an audiobook throws writing flaws in sharp relief that you might not notice if you were reading, as it is easier to skim in a print book, and generally, reading progresses much faster than listening.

This is a standard formula romance, but the characters are neither likable nor believable. The author seems to have missed the "show don't tell" lecture in writing class. She not only describes everything endlessly, she explains to the reader what just happened in case you missed.it. The romance is flat and unconvincing, without any flirting or witty banter -- there is very little dialogue of any kind.

I'd say, skip this entirely. If you want to read complex and interesting family and romance stories with the same setting, try The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy and its sequels, or the Cafe by the Sea by Jenny Colgan or Murder in an Irish Village by Carlene O'Connor.

4.5 Stars

In Susanne O’Leary’s The Keeper of the Irish Secret, we follow Lily Fleury as she returns to her grandmother’s house, Magnolia Manor, in Dingle, County Kerry. This house, rich with family history and cherished memories, is a place of comfort for Lily, who is reeling from the pain of a recent divorce. However, at first sight of the manor, she is shocked to find it in dire need of repair. Concerned for her grandmother Sylvia, who has always meticulously cared for the property, Lily senses that something is very wrong.

From the very beginning, this story captivated me. Lily’s tumultuous life in Dublin, including a failed marriage and a frustrating job at a law firm, motivates her to leave behind to find a new job and a new purpose in Dingle.  She embraces the challenges ahead, determined to find her family’s secrets. The secrets prevent Lily and her sisters, Rose and Violet, from sharing their plans to restore Magnolia Manor.

The familial bonds portrayed in this novel are heartwarming. The relationship between Lily, her sisters, and their grandmother Sylvia is beautifully depicted, showcasing the strength and love that binds them. Dominic, the mysterious figure who catches Lily’s eye, adds a layer of intrigue to the narrative. His secrets slowly unravel, making for an engaging subplot. Wolfie, Lily’s new boss, is also a wonderful character. His support and kindness make him the boss everyone wishes to have.

O’Leary’s vivid descriptions of Ireland transport the reader straight to the scenic landscapes of Dingle, allowing one to experience the charm and beauty of Irish culture and family life. This book is not just a story; it’s an experience. The characters are well-developed, the plot is engaging, and the setting is enchanting. The Keeper of the Irish Secret is a captivating tale I highly recommend for anyone looking to be transported to Ireland and fall in love with an endearing Irish family.

The narrator did an excellent telling the story. Her voice was perfect for the characters and adding to the sense of walking along the Irish shoreline.

I really love cozy books. but this book isn't it. it is slow. it is disjointed. its just not it. I wanted to love it, i liked it but its not something i would recommend.

In this book we meet the Fleury sisters. Lily, Rose and Violet. Along with their Grandmother Sylvia.
Lily arrives at Magnolia Manor after recently divorcing. She is mending a broken heart and hoping to heal and convince her Grandmother that her and her sisters should develop Magnolia Manor,
She is shocked to find that not only is Magnolia Manor more run down than they all realised but her Grandmother is hiding a secret,
With Sylvia being so secretive and reluctant to have Lily stay, she begins to investigate and slowly uncovers the secret and works with her Grandmother and sisters to solve the problem

Lily amd Sylvia initially come across as strong independent women but unfortunately soon fall for the charms of the men who come into their lives and very quickly tell them all their secrets and lean on them for help.
It was all very twee and romanticised. I couldn’t believe how quickly they were sharing their secrets and relying on these men. Especially Lily after the description of how badly she had been hurt by her ex. Although when she finally told Dominic (her love interest) the story of her marriage I was dumbfounded by her earlier comments of the hard time she had, had and her trust issues. I thought the ex had been abusive but in fact he used her for her money and dumped her when he realised she had none.


The accents were laughable, especially the male ones. It almost felt comical at times listening.


Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this, my 1st by this author

Magnolia manor is the ancestral home of Lily Fleury and her sisters. Their grandmother Sylvia still lives there and when Lily finds herself divorced and with a broken heart she heads to the manor to stay with her grandmother and lick her wounds. But her welcome is not exactly what she was expecting, the manor is showing sign of neglect and her grandmother does not really want her to stay for long. Lily discovers a secret about the ownership of the manor and is horrified that it might not still belong to her family. This upsets all the plans she and her sisters had for the manor in turning it into a wedding venue to create cash flow. Lily also meets a handsome engineer who knows the house well and peaks her interest romantically, something she never thought would happen again. The story is not overly dramatic and the secret was not all that shocking so I was a bit disappointed in that. It's a nice easy read that works out well in the end.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for a chance to listen/read an ARC version of this book. 3 solid stars.

The Keeper of the Irish Secret is a charming read. Is there a better backdrop than an old manor on the coast of Ireland? Add an older woman with a pocketful of secrets, and you have the perfect ingredients for a delightful story. I am now on my way to download more of O'Leary's books. Great narration!!!

This story is set in Ireland and the audiobook narrator is a dream to listen to. I enjoyed the story of Lily Fleury returning home to her grandmother Sylvia's estate in Ireland. Sylvia's welcome is unsarcastically cold, and Lily is concerned about Syliva's hesitancy for Lily to stay.

Lily is recovering from a divorce that left her heartbroken and wanted to return to the home she has always known. She quickly recognizes that her elderly grandmother is having difficulty caring for the estate and notices that there has been a lot of maintenance of the property deferred to the point of near neglect. Lily and her sisters have also hatched a plan to create an event center on the property if Lily can open the door to discussions with her grandmother.

This story is a love story of sorts, and it has mystery and is about family bonds. I enjoyed the story but was frustrated at the closed-off Sylvia and all the secrets she keeps. I suppose that is why the book is named the Keeper of the Irish Secret, but it was irriating to me.

I did enjoy the story but wish it moved a little faster at points.

3.5 stars

Pros:

This is a cute, Irish, small town story. I would call it more of a family drama than a romance or mystery though it has elements of both genres mixed in.

Most cobflicts happen due to a failure to communicate which is frustrating but realistic and not used in a way that is meant to be more annoying than typical humans with typical issues.

Narration is quiet pleasant whether at regular pace or sped up.

Cons:

It felt as though things just fell into place. Yes that is what should happen with most stories but this felt like a leap rather than just rolling things together. Having someone give up an estate without a fight to become an investor in a business is just a little too easy. Having the son who pushed for it just give up as well felt even more odd.

The Keeper of the Irish Secret by Susanne O'Leary is set in Ireland on the Dingle coast and is focused around the Magnolia Manor and the Fleury family.

Sylvia Fleury, a widow for the last 25 years, who’s only child died with his father, has kept her struggles from her three granddaughters. A family secret threatens her peace and her future.

Lily Fleury is divorced and as a result gun-shy. Can Magnolia Manor and the people in her Granny’s village sooth her broken heart?
The beauty of the writing, the mystery, the romance, set in rural Ireland made for a delightful read.

The Keeper of the Irish Secret
by Susanne O'Leary
Narrated by Aoife McMahon

Rating: 4.0/5.0 Stars

The Keeper of the Irish Secret is my first novel by Ms. O'Leary. It revolves around Magnolia Manor and the family that has kept the manor for generations. Sylvia lives in Magnolia Manor, which is located in Ireland, and when her granddaughter Lily arrives from Dublin, she can tell that her grandmother has something going on. As time passes, she discovers that they are on the brink of losing Magnolia Manor, and Lily is doing everything that she can to make sure that doesn't happen. Oh, and she meets a handsome local named Dominic, who may or may not be keeping his own secrets...

This is a sweet, simple listen with a HEA. The characters and story aren't too deep, though it's a perfectly pleasant listen if you're looking for a nice, casual romantic, general fiction book based in Ireland. Ms. McMahon did a great job narrating this novel, and her performance added to the story and characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and the author for the chance to listen to and review this ARC.

Such a fun read. I listened to the book and the reader was wonderful. It’s a nice rom-com and would be the perfect beach and/or weekend read. The characters were delightful and warm. I enjoyed the lives of the Fleurys. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.

Title: The Keeper of the Irish Secret (audio)
Author: Susanne O'Leary
Genre: Fiction, romance
Rating: 4 out of 5

Lily Fleury used to love visiting her eccentric grandmother Sylvia in Ireland, taking long sunset walks on the beach and exploring the nooks and crannies of the family’s old home Magnolia Manor. But when she arrives from Dublin broken-hearted, hoping to heal in Sylvia’s warm embrace, she finds the once ornate Georgian house in disrepair and the gardens wildly overgrown. Sylvia has always been fiercely independent, but Lily can’t believe she hasn’t told anyone she’s been struggling.

Lily knows she can’t leave until she gets Sylvia back on her feet. Although mysterious local builder Dominic agrees to help, from the moment Lily looks into his fierce green eyes they clash over how to fix the sprawling estate. It’s only when she hears the soft Irish lilt of his voice as he sings in the local pub that their arguments ignite a spark of passion neither can ignore…

But when Lily finds a trunk of tattered letters in the gatehouse, she discovers a devastating secret Sylvia has been hiding about Magnolia Manor. And she soon learns the real reason Dominic agreed to help out. Lily wanted to save her family home, and could see a life here with Dominic, but will the truth force her to leave the man who has captured her heart and never return?

I really liked this narrator and her accent! That made listening to this book a fun experience. This was a sweet read, with a bit of a family mystery thrown in for good measure. I enjoyed Lily’s (and her sisters’) relationship with their grandmother, and I really loved the small-town feel of the setting. This is a fun weekend read.

Susanne O'Leary is a bestselling author. The Keeper of the Irish Secret is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Dreamscape Media in exchange for an honest review.)

Audio Book Review:
The Keeper of the Irish Secret by Susanne O'Leary
Release Date: May 24, 2024
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis:
Having recently gone through some significant life changes, Lily finds herself returning to her rather willful grandmother and to her families home on the Irish Coast: Magnolia Manor. Longing for a somewhat more peaceful life, she envisions long walks on the beach and the coziness of the old house. She has other dreams for the old house as well and, along with her sisters, has decided that she should share their dreams with their beloved granny. When she reaches the Manor, however, she discovers that things are not like they used to be, and her grandmother especially is acting quite peculiar and out of sorts. What could possibly be going on? Lily is determined to find out.

Thoughts:
After reading a bunch of rather heavy and difficult works of historical fiction, this book was exactly what the doctor ordered.
It is such a sweet, easy to listen to story and was amazingly well narrated. Normally, I only listen to audio books while driving, but I so enjoyed the story of the Fleury family and thus found myself plugging in my headphones while I worked at home as well.
If you are looking for a sweet, clean family story with a hint of suspense and a touch of romance, I would really encourage you to give this one a try. It releases this week from @dreamscape_media on May 24, 2024.
Oh and even better, apparently, this is book #1 of a series. I am really looking forward to #2. It's the perfect type of relaxing listen after a stressful shift at the hospital.
Thank you, @netgalley, for this advanced reader audio version in exchange for my review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Warning:
🙊: Minor cursing twice
🙈: kissing

The Keeper of the Irish Secret is a heartwarming family novel by Suzanne O'Leary set on the Irish Coast. It is the first in the Magnolia Manor trilogy. While listening to the audiobook version of the story, narrated by Aoife McMahon, I couldn’t help thinking it would make a great Hallmark movie. It possesses all the requirements: recently divorced woman moving “home” to mend her broken heart, handsome handyman who helps the woman heal, and a little family drama thrown into the mix.

Unlike many “Irish” stories these days featuring Americans who are researching their family roots or visiting Ireland to find more about where their grandparents grew up, this one features modern day Irish woman who were born and reared in Ireland. The story begins with Lily Fleury who’s lived in Dublin the past several years after getting married to a not so stellar guy. Needing a change of pace and to get away from all the bad memories, she moves in with her grandmother to Magnolia Manor, on the Dingle Peninsula. Once Lily arrives she finds her grandmother in turmoil over some bad news regarding the ownership of the manor dating back a few generations. The rest of the story involves Lily helping her grandmother resolve the issues regarding the manor and finding her peace with her decision to move back home.

As this is the first book is the first in the series, the other two books will probably center around Lily’s two sisters, both of whom make appearances in this one. Overall, I give the story 3 1/2 stars, and the narration 4 stars. In short, this audiobook is wonderful beginning to a delightful new series and I look forward to listening future books in the series!