Thank you Netgalley and Moonbow Books for the chance to read an ARC of The Empress of Ireland by Juliet Rosetti. I am a sucker for Titanic stories, so a story about the sinking of a ship in the waters of St. Lawrence River seemed to be perfect. What I was not aware of was that it was a fictionalized story of an historic Canadian event. (can't believe I had never heard about it). The fictional main character Bridey Collins, was riveting; how she managed to save herself, and thrive in the aftermath of the tragedy kept me reading. You could tell the topic was well researched, but in some parts made me feel like I was reading a history book. While I know reading ARCs are unedited, I did find the change in font colors annoying (regular, bold, red)
I recommend this to anyone interested in Titanic and similar stories.

Since my grandson is a big Titanic fan, of course I needed to be able to tell him about The Empress of Ireland. I read it fairly quickly, mostly with the intention of telling him what I learned. The book was well researched and the things that contributed to the sinking were mind-boggling. The story was interesting and kept the book going. The characterizations were lovely. Thank you to NetGalley and Moonbow Books for the complimentary digital ARC. This review is my own opinion and was not coerced in any way.

I loved this book! Its a wonderful story. The Empress of Ireland is about the people who survived the accident that sank the ship. Its about the kindness and the not so kind that comes out in the people facing a disaster.

The Empress of Ireland is an emotional rollercoaster that kept me hooked from start to finish. Set against the haunting tragedy of the 1914 shipwreck, the story follows Bridey Collins as she fights against overwhelming odds, betrayal, and freezing waters to save herself and her unborn child. The author does a fantastic job of bringing the chaos and courage of that fateful night to life, and Bridey’s resilience left me cheering for her. I loved how each survivor’s story added layers to the narrative—it’s heart-wrenching yet inspiring. This book stayed with me long after I turned the last page.

Holy shipwreck, Batman! The Empress of Ireland is the Titanic of survival stories—except this one is real, raw, and ridiculously good. Bridey Collins? Absolute queen of determination! I mean, the girl’s betrayed by her fiancé, chucked into freezing water, and surrounded by corpses, yet she’s like, “Nope, not today!” You’ll root for her, laugh with Charlie the stowaway, and maybe cry over Snapper’s heroics. This book smacks you in the feels and leaves you in awe of the human spirit. If you love stories about gutsy underdogs, grab this one and dive in! 🚢💔