Heart of the Glen

Author: Jennifer Deibel
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 352
Release Date: January 21, 2025
Publisher: Revell

When Saoirse Fagan arrives to start her new job as housemaid at Drumboe Castle, she is dismayed to learn that the lord of the house passed away a week prior. Already running away from the tragedy that claimed the lives of her family members, Saoirse wanders the road with nowhere to go until Aileen McCready offers her a lift and possibly a place to stay for the night.

Sheep farmer and weaver Owen McCready is known for his intricate and impeccably woven tweed. But when he's injured in an attack by bandits, his entire livelihood is endangered. A new--and distracting--mouth to feed adds fuel to the fire, and Owen struggles to keep his family afloat. Though Saoirse is eager to help, even offering to learn the weaving craft, Owen is hesitant to accept aid from this strange young woman, no matter how inexplicably magnetic he finds her.

But Saoirse is not one to give up easily. It may take extra effort on her part, but she's determined to convince the McCreadys that they need her--perhaps as much as she needs them.

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Reviewer: Caronlyn Bryant

Heart of the Glen is a touching, inspiring story set in Ireland in 1912. Although I enjoyed the well-structured storyline, I found the two main characters Owen and Saoirse a little needy for my liking and difficult to connect with until late in the story.  

A beautifully sketched Irish setting with vernacular Gaelic dialog, well-crafted and relatable secondary characters (especially Aileen and Bridie), interesting historical detail, a dash of romance, and most of all a strong and encouraging faith thread kept me reading.  

The glossary of terms at the beginning of the book was a welcomed bonus. I think Inspirational Historical Romance fans will enjoy this book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley through Interviews & Reviews with no obligation to write a positive review.

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Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

Heart of the Glen by Jennifer Diebel is an exceptional look at how God works in our lives when we are overwhelmed with obstacles, tragedies, and no options.

After Saoirse Fagan arrives to take a job as a housemaid, she discovers her employer is dead and no job is available. Unsure what to do, she wanders the road, hoping to find a village where she can find employment. When Aileen McCready spots her on the road, she offers to shelter her for the night. From there Saoirse meets Aileen’s brother Owen and one night of shelter turns into a longer stay.

I loved all these characters and was surprised by how much I related to them. When we are going through any kind of suffering that never seems to let up, it’s easy for our thoughts to wonder why God is punishing us. I loved how the author (through the help of the church Pastor and the Scriptures) showed how God works when He is trying to get us to draw closer to Him. And how, when tragedy befalls us, it is not because God is punishing us, but because He has greater plans for us. 

I was also very impressed with her comments at the end of the book on finding salvation through Jesus. 

Although I liked the book and its setting, the frequent use of Gaelic took away from the story. I was constantly having to flip to the front of the book to find out what the characters were saying. I feel less Gaelic would have made the story flow better. In addition, the abrupt ending through me for a loop and felt too rushed.

​Although I have some criticisms, I still found this book to be very enjoyable and plan on reading more of the author’s work.

I received a complimentary copy of this book courtesy of Revell via NetGalley for my honest review.

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