I received this book from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Set in dual timelines - 1920s and 2022 - A Maid on Fifth Avenue tells the story of Annie Thornton who sets off for New York from County Kerry to look for a bigger life than the ones lived by her friends and family. As she settles into her new life as a maid for a wealthy family on Fifth Avenue, Annie meets Elena who ends up showing Annie a whole new way of loving someone than she thought possible.

In 2022, Emer is recovering from Covid burnout with a trip back home to her native Ireland and a summer stay at her parents holiday home where she befriends some locals and is brought into some family/local secrets that all end up connected back to Annie.

This was a fine read for me. I liked the emphasis on female friendship at the start of the novel between Annie and May, and then Annie and Noreen, and I thought Annie was a fine young woman, though it has to be said, I found her quite vanilla and boring - the same with Elena and her relationship with Annie. I was happy to see representation of a sapphic relationship in the book but I didn't feel anything for Annie and Elena, there wasn't really any chemistry between them and I thought declarations of love came very quickly. While I sympathised with Elena's situationsahip with her parents and her abusive boss/landlord, I also found her very weak and tiring as she complained to Annie about leaving her and never seeming to try and help her own situation.

I also found Annie's relationship with May at the end of the book very annoying as well - and ultimately I thought Annie's story ended up super depressing in how she put her life on hold, and stopped all of her own dreams to help other people. (view spoiler)

As for the modern part of the story, it was fine but I honestly think it added nothing other than the discovery of bones, and you could have had that bit as just an aside at the start and end of the books without actually having a 2022 storyline at all. I found some of the tensions between Emer and other characters just very odd- especially with Siobhan, and then the way Cian's story ended was very all over the place and didn't make much sense to me either as to character motivations.

This is like two books in one! You really get into the story from the past and next minute you are reading about modern times! The author gradually weaves the two time lines together to make a most enjoyable read.

It took me a while to get into this novel with its two time lines, but reading they slowly merge and it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. The author writes well and what was most impressive was that it was full of surprises and totally unpredictable. Annie and Emer were great characters and easy to like.

A glimpse of life in America in the late 1920s where Irish Annie worked as a maid, and develops a close relationship with an Italian girl. Back in Ireland the reader has an insight into the culture of the era and the close knit families, both in the 1920s and the present. Annie is placed in the difficult situation where she has to decide between her new American friend and her loyalty towards her childhood friend in Ireland. Meanwhile in the present, Emer is enjoying a summer of love away from her busy American lifestyle but even her promises to herself cannot be kept when the past catches.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this e-APC.

I thought this was a thoroughly engaging read featuring two charismatic, independent women.

Annie who emigrated from Kerry to New York in the 1920s to work as a maid in Manhattan
Emer who has moved from Dublin to California, but is spending the 2022 summer in Kerry as she is burnt out from work.

I loved how the timelines replicated their journeys back and forth between Ireland and America, both seeking fresh starts and job opportunities not available locally to them. The vivid settings and attention to detail immersed me in rural Kerry where I could feel the wildness of the Atlantic, and then to a crowded 1920s New York full of excitement and with so much potential to chase dreams. Even forbidden ones.

Both Annie and Emer face challenges, and detours in their lives, and I appreciated how courageously they face up to them. There is romance for both characters, and I enjoyed how they unfolded, but they are not a central theme. The focus is on the fresh beginnings and stepping into the unknown.

A lovely uplifting read. I'd highly recommend it if you enjoy dual timelines, Irish/US settings, a touch of suspense and independent female characters.

A great novel with a good plot that becomes an enjoyable read. Relatable characters that you can journey with as the novel unfolds. Would recommend for a Sunday afternoon or poolside read.

I was thrilled to be offered to read this book, as I absolutely loved The Belladonna Maze, and I'm so in love with this story. It was emotional, so beautifully written and I couldn't put it down. Such a hard hitting, yet romantic story. The characters were fantastic. Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

As is my usual way with reviews, I will not be repeating the precise of the story here as I believe that the professionals do a better job without giving too much away. What you really need to know is whether this book is worth reading.
This is a book set-in two-time frames and two places, the US and Ireland although everyone begins their story in Ireland. I enjoyed the character and story of Emer but found the historical backstory of Annie rather drawn out. This book left me feeling a bit disappointed but perhaps I just didn’t relate to or engage with the characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this dual time novel. I felt immediately drawn to both time periods which were perfectly portrayed. The romance storylines were far from ordinary and really sucked the reader into the story. The references to covid were very accurate and helped the reader to empathise with the characters we all have those memories of covid times. This was an excellent novel I'd highly recommend.

A pleasure story to read. Jumps between current day and early years and all comes together in the end. Good characters. Very real to life with young girls starting new lives in America. Times were very different. Good storyline and keeps you reading.

I adore this author , I was so looking forward to reading her new novel and am so grateful to have access. The characters always feel so relatable and the sense of loss and great hope are always balanced in the end. Thank you.

Even though I enjoy a dual timeline this again was a novel where my concentration lacked read to a point but synopsis seems good.

This book is written in two different timelines. It was a pleasure to read and I enjoyed going between the timelines. Characters were great and relatable. I look forward to the next book by this author.

I love a multi-timeline book and this captured my attention from the beginning. I enjoyed Sinéad's previous book The Belladonna Maze and am already looking forward to the next one.

Enjoyed this book. Interesting read as was based in an era I rarely read books about. Liked most of the characters.... some not so much

This captivating book tells the story of two women who lived in different centuries, connected through a Fairy Tree and a mystery that spans the same time. Annie Thornton, a resident of the small village of Ballydrynawn in County Kerry, Ireland, in the 1920s, longs to see more than her hometown. Her dream takes her to New York City, where she secures a job as a maid in a prominent household on Fifth Avenue. When Annie meets Elena, an Italian immigrant, her life will never be the same again.

In 2022, Emer Molloy leaves Los Angeles, California, to return home to Ireland, suffering from Covid burnout. Her parents own a holiday cottage in Ballydrynawn, County Kerry, where she spent her summers as a child. The book weaves together the stories of these two women, each on their own journey of discovery, and the impact they have on each other's lives. A must-read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction and a touch of mystery.

Annie's story truly touched me. Her strength and determination were inspiring, and watching her journey towards self-discovery was one of the highlights of the book for me. I enjoyed both stories and appreciated the unexpected plot twists towards the end, which made for an engaging read.

Annie Thornton is a young woman living in Couny Kerry in 1920s Ireland. She is desperate to leave her home and see the world. America has always been calling to her…

After her best friend, May, marries Seánie Lynch, a man of wealth and statue in the area, Annie soon sees his true colours. Seánie is a bully who resolves to fists to solve his issues. Poor May is too shy and nice to stand up to her husband.

Annie vows to herself that being married and having children is not what she wants from her life, at least not for a good while.

Her wish of leaving for America comes true the next year, after saving up her hard earned money.

She sails to New York where she successfully secures a job as a maid in a prominent household on Fifth Avenue.

In America, everything is different and better than her home life in Ireland. When Annie meets Elena, an Italian immigrant, life will never be same again…

In 2022, Emer Molloy, arrives in County Kerry for the summer after being diagnosed with “post Covid burnout”. She normally resides in California where she works as a director. In Ireland, she is staying in her family’s holiday home.

Emer reluctantly attends a surfing lesson with a handsome instructor, Rob Lynch. However, she ends up loving the session, and books another one.

Soon, her and Rob’s paths will cross more than once…

I really enjoyed this dual timeline historical mystery. There is a secret that binds the Lynches and the Thorntons that gets discovered later on (I won’t say anymore as I don’t want to spoil it).

I was really rooting for Annie and Elena, but I was gutted when life got in the way and Annie had to do what was right for her family.

There are other likeable characters in the story, including Rob and his mother, Siobhan, who was a true force of nature, not to be messed with.

Overall, it’s a great story that will grip you from the beginning.

Thank you to Aria Books for the NetGalley widget in exchange for a fair review.

This is a solid novel that’s easy to read.

The characterisation is interesting and the plot is too. It took me a while to get ‘hooked’ (I was about 65% through) but an enjoyable read. I didn’t see the plot twist coming. The dialogue is good and believable. All in all, a nice little read. Definitely the sort of book I’d read pool side.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Set in dual timelines, there is clearly a link somewhere and that is part of the mystery. The historical part around 1922 was fascinating, both for the glimpse of life in Ireland, and then life in New York. The present day was intriguing as there are several possible interpretations of events. The characters were well developed and the main ones very likeable and realistic. All in all, this kept me engrossed as the very clever and satisfying ending emerged. I would like to read more by this author. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance reader copy to read and freely review.

Annie, an Irish woman, ventures to New York for employment under Mrs. Cavendish, the owner of a Fifth Avenue mansion. "A Maid of Fifth Avenue" unfolds in two timelines, delving into the stories of women seeking to break free from their pasts. Brimming with family histories, secrets, and the raw experiences of womanhood, the book offers a captivating read. The intricate exploration of emotions, character growth, and unexpected turns adds to the overall enjoyment. My thanks to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for providing a digital copy of Sinéad Crowley's novel in exchange for this sincere review.

In general I dont care for dual timeline stories, but this book had my attention from the beginning. The historical research covering the emigration of Irish at that time, was very concise. It wasnt the most comforting of stories, but I enjoyed reading the descriptions of a new life in America. Thank you for a chance to read and review the book.