Maisie grew up in an orphanage and believed that she was all alone in the world. One day her father comes to the orphanage to get her. She thinks that she will finally have the family that she desires. But they're family dynamic isn't what she had hoped for. For now, she surrounds herself with people that she has met and makes a family of her own. Her new paramour decides to join the Navy because a war is looming. A lovely story about a young lady who has determination and tenacity. An adventurous historical fictional story that gives the reader all the emotions and it's a well written story.

Disclaimer: Thank you Netgalley and Joffe books for this review copy of this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
Maisie's story is covered from her early years living in an Irish convent, why and how she is brought to England and through the war years before the final few chapters when she's in her forties. The characters are realistic, including the convent bully, Helen, and events during the war are described well, conveying the fear running through living every day and night under the threat of bombing. I thought Maisie's life was interesting and the book held my attention from start to finish. This is the first Tania Crosse book I have read, and I enjoyed it very much. I've signed up to follow her on Amazon and Bookbub and look forward to reading more of her stories.

Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I felt that this book was very slow to start and had to put it aside for a while, came back to it recently and thoroughly enjoyed it!! A great story about Maisie who was left in an Irish Convent believing both parents were dead.
She deals with jealous girls there and when her, very much alive, father turns up to claim her she is taken to England .......a totally new and unheard of life! Making friends with the elderly gent, Zeek, next door, helps her to get through many trials.

I really enjoyed this book, was an eye opener at times when Maisie finds out all about marriage and children!

A compelling tale of secrets and betrayal, friendship and trust in a time of war.
There's something about the way the author writes that makes the words flow easily, and the pages turn themselves!

I felt this book was off to a great start but somehow ended up being really slow in parts, I persevered and was happy I did as my interest was reignited An enjoyable read.

Moving, fascinating and compelling. Definitely a book to read if you love familiy saga's. Women friendship and resilience throuh WW2. Trust, secrete and betroyal are the ingredient of this binding novel. Higly, higly reccomended for who want to a closer look to the struggle beetween moral and self sacrifice. Maisie is the true type of a moder heroine.

What a delightful story about little Maisie O` Sullivan a 2-year-old shut away at the Convent of Mercy Ireland.

Then at the age of 12, her father turns up at the orphanage demanding she is to go to live with him. She has to leave the only family she has ever known and go with him much to the reluctance of Mother superior and some of the other nuns. He treats her like a slave expecting her to cook and clean for him and here her life changes. She meets some people along the way who come to care for her and befriend her. But all she wants at the end of the day is a family of her own and to be loved.

This book drew me in right from the start as we followed Maisie throughout her life through turmoil, sadness, and shocking revelations. This writer tells a wonderful story that is so descriptive that you can visualize everything.
I really enjoyed and relished every page.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this lovely book.

A wonderful book telling the story of Maisie O’sullivan, a young girl brought up in a convent in Ireland, believing her parents are dead and she’s an orphan. At 12 years old her father turns up at the orphanage to take her home with him to Plymouth, Maisie is shocked and bewildered to discover he is alive. I was hoping this was going to be an happy ever after for Maisie but her father is a cruel and unloving man. Maisie befriends Zeek an elderly neighbour and at last she finds the love and stability she wants. A great book and definitely worth 5 stars ⭐️

A fantastic book about a life so far from the social norms that we are living with today. I really liked the research that must have underpinned this story as it was beautifully linked to real events and told in a gripping and very believable way.

The convent part is but a small part of this book as we follow Maisie from a young child living in a convent in Ireland during the war, all the way through to an old woman living in England.

This book is part of a series, the Devonshire Sagas, but all work as stand-alone. I had not read the other books in the series but will now go back and read some of the others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe books for allowing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

PS. This and all the other book in the Devonshire Sagas are currently available for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Oh this book, it was absolutely fabulous from beginning to end. Once started I was committed and read well into the night.

This historical detailing has to be commended as it really did feel like I had stepped back in time. Likewise, I enjoyed getting to know the characters and learning their stories. Be prepared to shed a few tears though so have some tissues close to hand.

This book is a must read for those who enjoy quality historical fiction. Take a chance with this book, you will not be disappointed.

I confess I thought this book a bit slow to begin, however it’s well worth sticking with as I really enjoyed it.
Maisie O'Sullivan has a very eventful life, not all to the good. Starting in Ireland being brought up in the convent with the nuns, her favourite being sister Agnes who sounds like kindness itself. Maisie is bullied by the dreaded Helen who seems to turn up in the strangest places.
The story moves to Plymouth where Maisie has no wish to be, then she meets Zeek who helps make life bearable for her. He was my favourite character, friendly and caring.
When war breaks out events are taken out of Maisie hands in order that she can protect those she cares for.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy pf this book in exchange for an honest review.

To be completely honest, this was not one of the more enjoyable books I have read. It started off at a slow pace and dragged on throughout the main character, Maisie's, childhood for too long. It also felt very juvenile and naive at times, which ties into Maisie's struggles with adjusting to life outside of the convent. While there was character development, I still felt like they very flat and one-dimensional. My last concern has to do with how many terrible events happened to Maisie. I know such is life, but it was very hard to read how one person went through so much heartache. On a more positive note, I did find the location of Plymouth to be interesting. I've mostly read WWII fiction that took place in London, so this was a nice change of pace. I also appreciated the information regarding the Women's Auxiliary Fire Service. I've read little about it previously, so the detailed information provided was very insightful. Overall, this is a worthwhile read, but not one that I would purchase for my own collection.

Tania cross is a new to me author but I thoroughly enjoyed this tale full of intrigue and interesting characters that pulled the story together. Definitely recommend

Brilliant book loved the story and characters draw you in and you feel as though you are there in person.I can highly recommend this book 5*

This is the historic drama of Maisie, who was brought up in an Irish convent, then at 12 years of age meets her father and is forced to go and live with him in England.
Its a fascinating insight into how life in a convent was for young girls pre wartime years. It seemed very real and especially more poignant when I read the background in the author's note.
I enjoyed this as its something of a true account with an interesting plot and reflects the morals of that time.

This book was interesting but different. It's not just about a girl living kn a convent her dad came back to find her like a reunion. I love the interactions between the people in the convent and hoe everything works out for even the girl maisey. This book was approved for me to read and review by netgalley and the publisher.

Firstly thank you Netgalley for this ARC

If you love family saga you will love this book hence why I read it in one evening

Maise learned a birthday was the celebration that she had lived another year.
Cakes and sweets for it was not known, this year she found she lived in a convent type orphanage.. At least she had her dreams of maybe a family of her own. A relative came, not so much for her, but for the service she could do. She built her family with those around the neighborhood, till war came about and things once again changed for her. A plot of one girl alone and how she changed as the world changed around her
Given ARC for Net Galley and Joffe for my voluntary review and my honest opinion