Ireland, 1968. Once a woman marries she’s expected to stop working and have children. Jenny McKinstry’s married to Colin, she’s an English teacher and she likes her job. Both Jenny’s mother Edna and her mother-in-law Maisie are putting pressure on Jenny to do what’s expected of a good Irish wife and have a baby. Colin’s busy working, he’s hardly ever home, he never listens to her and she's not sure they should have children?

Jenny’s number one supporter is her father George, her mother Edna’s a stern and difficult woman. Jenny’s offered a promotion at work, the Head of English at Queen’s Crescent Grammar School in Belfast, she’s excited and taking the weekend to make her decision. She tries to tell Colin, he’s too busy to listen and he has new career plans of his own.

Over the weekend Jenny thinks about what she wants to do, she’s tired of her mother pushing her around and Colin ignoring her. After catching up with a childhood friend Alan Thompson, he's just bought a cottage in the country, it makes her decide to follow her own dreams and take the new job.

The Teacher At Donegal Bay looks at how women who wanted to work and have a career were treated at the time, most people judged them and they received no encouragement and support. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, a quick read and three stars from me.

I was excited to read this book...a book set in Ireland about a teacher sounded like a dream to me. However it didn’t quite end up being what I had hoped. I found much of this book hard to follow - some of that was from the story (I found it to be very slow) and some was from the language (I love listening to the Irish language but found it very hard to read). Overall, I found myself struggling to get through this book just to get to the end.

Historical fiction at its best .A lovely story that swept me back in time wonderful characters and story.#netgalley#hqdigital

Love all of her books and this was no exception. I felt I was there. Love the nature descriptions. thank you to Net Galley and the publisher.

I was surprised to discover that this is a historical novel, set in the late 1960s Ireland. It was an interesting read. Overall enjoyable.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

A historical family drama set in Northern Ireland in 1968. It focuses on Jenny's ambition to have a career in teaching, despite being married. She faces well-meaning and intrusive advice on how she should live her life. From those she trusts, and people in the wider community. The community is divided, sometimes families are divided because of the political climate, and maintaining old values assumes a disproportionate importance in this community.

The expectation that married woman should stay home and not pursue a career is the norm at this time, and Jenny is seen as a misfit, someone who wants to destroy the fabric of the community. Jenny is ambitious, brave and committed to her career, but will she sacrifice her friends, family and even her marriage to pursue her dream?

An emotional journey pathed with angst and prejudice, the characters are authentic and complex, and the plot is slow-paced and relentless. You empathise with Jenny and rile at her accusers, but the ending is hopeful.

A gritty and poignant story, which reflects the setting and time well, and demonstrates what it is like for a working wife in the 1960s, and the battles they endure to live life as they choose.

I received a copy of this book from HQ Digital UK via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I was sent this book as an offer to join a blog tour, I was unfamiliar with both the book and author and unfortunately I was not the right audience at all.
I don't usually read family saga type novels but since I was discussing another much more fun and upbeat book with the publisher at the time I assumed that by pushing this book as well that I must be likely to enjoy it.
You might be able to tell from the rating, I didn't enjoy this book at all. I found the writing to be difficult and tiring to read and I couldn't force myself to carry on. It might suit other readers perfectly but this book definitely wasn't for me.

Oh man, this book.
I felt so frustrated for Jenny and her position in life/family/the world as a woman in the 60’s. There were so many expectations and pressures on her, and just sheer ignorance and sexism.

Jenny is strong willed when she wants to be, and it seems as though her life has been happening around her, at times out of her control, and only on hind sight has she realised what’s been going on.

I think the scene setting of Ireland and the setting of the times was brilliant. I loved Jenny and her best friend Val. Jenny’s dad is so sweet a character, and her mother gives the desired effect!

I thoroughly enjoyed this and felt it was very much a character story around Jenny, with lots of family drama and the complex dynamics between friends and family.

I have not read any of Anne's books before but when i was asked if i wanted to be on this tour with very little info, i thought sure! lets give it a shot. I dont mind giving reads out of my comfort zone a go. Whilst at face value it is a very me kind of read - the time frame of the genre is something i dont have too much experience in reading.

Set in Belfast in 1968 we meet Jenny - she has been offered a new job as the head of english in her school. Whilst she should be over the moon with this offer, she needs time to think it through - we follow Jenny as she makes her decision.

In society where most people have changed and are alot more accepting, there is a still a range of people with traditional values. Those who believe she should give up work, start a family and support her husband in his career - she has had her career long enough after all.

Jenny is fiercely independent and a great main character, she is striving to be the best version of herself. I really enjoyed following her - whilst she battled turmoil and worked out what was best for her.

Initially i found this read hard to get into, but once i got a few chapters in i really enjoyed it. I did struggle when some parts were written in an Irish accent. I found myself really concentrating to understand what was been said, and it was just easier to actually read it out loud.

Overall a really enjoyable read.

Set in Belfast in 1968, this is the story of Jenny, a 26 year old married woman who is struggling with societal expectations and her own interests. Her husband Colin is working hard and becoming a success and he, his colleagues, and their wives, all expect that she will give up her job as a teacher and become a mom who works at home like they have. But Jenny isn't sure that's what she wants especially when she's offered a promotion. It's a big deal for sure. Regrettably, she doesn't have a lt of support, except for a few friends and her father. It's nicely plotted and written, with good characters. It's also a reminder of how much things have changed! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I very much enjoyed this book.
It is well written and it kept me into the story.

I do highly recommend

The Teacher At Donegal Bay by Anne Doughty is a poignant novel about love, life and loss. It is bittersweet as the reader follows a life that has been stifled.
The novel is set in Belfast in 1968 at the beginning of the troubles. Some characters are all inclusive. They see the person and not the religious label. Others are blinkered at best, filled with hate at worst.
A family is at the heart of the novel as we follow a twenty six year old married teacher. We hear her hopes and dreams and follow her interactions with her family and friends. A woman at this time was meant to marry and have children. If she did not, then questions were asked. It seemed incredible that a woman might actually want and like a career.
Relationships are complicated affairs. A mother tries to squash and mould her daughter. A husband wants his wife to be subservient to his wishes. Only a father really understands and encourages his daughter to dream. “It has to be you… leading the life you choose.” We have a one and only shot at life and we need to live it well. “All I ever wanted was you to be yourself.”
The landscape mirrors the feelings of a character. In the town, a character is stifled and held back, whereas in the countryside the character is truly free.
There is the theme of belonging. “The loneliness of feeling you didn’t belong.” We can all empathise the feeling of being lonely in a crowd, in a marriage, in a family – isolation in the company of others in a desolate place to be.
Money, power and status corrupt when they are pursued at the cost of everything. The richest, most successful people in the novel are not those with the most money but those with the biggest hearts.
The novel is about death – the death of relationships and actual physical death. Loss is all consuming. When those we love pass on, we wonder how the sun can still bear to shine. “Life goes on regardless” and that seems the hardest thing. In spite of loss, there is hope in the midst of sadness.
The Teacher At Donegal Bay was a powerful read focusing on relationships. Feelings projected from the novel and onto the reader. We ‘felt’ and ‘experienced’ life in tandem with the lead character who was extremely likable. Within the pages of the book, we find life and love and loss – and hope – hope for a brighter tomorrow. The sun will rise again.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this book and all it’s ups and downs
The story is brilliantly written and well told
This was a delightful story and it all flowed very well
A good book

Thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
First time reading this Author and a thoroughly enjoyable read trying to do right for wrong it held my attention to the end a good summer read.

I really enjoyed this story!

The ups and downs of this story are really heart-warming.

The story is brilliantly told, it is well detailed and sympathetic where it needs to be too, the author has done a really good job and really brought the story to life for me. This was a delightful story to read and it has a lovely flow to it.

It is 4 stars from me for this one, a really enjoyable story - highly recommended!!

My first book from this author and i did enjoy it,a lovely story that will be enjoyed by many as it is well written and i will be reading more from Anne Doughty 5*

The Teacher at Donegal Bay by Anne Doughty is set in Belfast, Ireland in the late 1960s. Jenny was married to an ambitious man , Colin, who was determined to rise in the family business. Their "group" consisted of other ambitious men. The women gaged their success by being wives and mothers. Jenny, on the other hand, loved her job teaching English literature and has just been offered the Chairmanship of the Department at her school. She has the weekend to decide if she will accept the job. Colin is away at a meeting and doesn't take the time to discuss this opportunity with her. Their mothers are pressuring Jenny to quit work and start her family. Her father, and her friends Val and Allen, are the only ones who seem to understand Jenny. Through the course of the events of the week end, Jenny decides of what she wants out of her life. It's a "coming of age" book, whose main character is a woman in her twenties.

I was able to read this book via NetGalley. It is scheduled to be released September 4, 2019.