Another sweet Irish Romance by Jennifer Deibel. Owen was given quite a hard hand to deal with but with the faith content so strong throughout the story, he was able to see much like Saoirse who had the very worst losses and was beating herself up for most of the book. The romance was all respectful and sweet, kisses only. The ending was satisfying EXCEPT Haggerty getting off with half the sheep and Owen never getting them back, it made me so mad lol. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC, this is my honest review.

“Are you living an exceedingly abundant life, Saoirse? Or is your life defined by what’s been stolen from you?”

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024!

Jennifer Deibel writes such nourishing reads; my soul was hungry and Heart of the Glen kept me satiated.

Deibel took me back to my homeland, about an hour’s drive away from where I was born and raised, and spotlighted a cornerstone of Ireland’s County Donegal economy - tweed weaving. I can remember as a child racing through the front door of Magee’s and standing mesmerized watching (what I believed to be) an ancient man weaving tweed at the loom.

“Pedal for the heddle, pull for the wool. Shuttle crosses over, then beater takes over.”

Set in 1912, Deibel’s Christian historical romance features Saoirse (sur - shuh) Fagan and Owen McCready who are both bearing a substantial burden, the weight of guilt. Deibel weaves their journeys together allowing Saoirse to prevent disaster resulting from a sheep heist gone awry. In a crofter’s world, this means everything to the McCreadys. Soon this orphan finds acceptance, releases her secrets, starts over, learns to trust and realizes the joy of losing control.

I was encouraged and challenged in my journey, fell down a rabbit hole Googling Glentornan, inspired to “let the Great Artist work through the mess and tangle to create beauty like only He could”, and reminded that “God’s plans very often seem foolish to those He asks to carry them out.”

Thank you for prompting me to read about Gideon again, Jennifer. I loved the parallels between his life and that of both Owen and Saoirse.

To those in County Donegal in 1912, the quaint village featured in this book is the heart of the glen, but to me, Jennifer Deibel’s stories are most definitely the heart of the glen. They’re therapeutic. Prescriptive. Literary lifeblood.

I was gifted this copy by Revell and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Jennifer Deibel is fast becoming one of my favorite writers of historical romance. Make no mistake this is a gentle, sweet story, but it's one with real-life depth as well. Deibel layers genuine hurt feelings with a sense of redemption in a truly beautiful way. Saoirse and Owen are terrific characters who will tug at your heartstrings.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

I feel so lucky to have received an early copy of this book. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I fell in love from the very first chapter. The story transported me to a quaint rural village in Ireland, where I became completely immersed in the gentle romance between Saoirse and Owen.

While I don’t typically gravitate toward books with strong religious themes, the underlying message of trusting yourself and embracing forgiveness for past mistakes was profoundly universal and moving. The writing was beautifully done—like wrapping yourself in a warm wool blanket on a crisp, chilly day.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this early. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a heartwarming romance that feels both tender and inspiring.

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 quite 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 with no obligation to write a positive review.

This is an interesting book that fulfills the reader's desire for a compelling story. Saoirse is basically homeless but finds a friend in Aileen McCready. For a few days, Aileen hid Saoirse from her brother, Owen. When he found her, he offered to let her stay until she could find another job. When Owen is injured in a fight with a man who tries to steal his sheep, Saoirse learned his weaving and works hard to fulfill the orders he has for his tweed.
This is a seriously rewarding novel to read. The townspeople readily accept Saoirse and she slowly works her way into Owen's good graces. Jennifer Deibel writes with a true talent for the craft. I love reading her books and this one just added an extra oomph to my reading. My only criticism is that the bad guys never get caught or even pursued for the most part of the book. Other than that, it's a really good book. The romance in the book is not overt or smarmy. It's a day to day look at the life of someone down on her luck who happens to land on her feet.

One of my friends told me I just like books with happy endings and my friend is not wrong. This is the best kind of book to fit that bill.

Four Strong Stars.

Revell Publishing provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I loved this story with so many wonderful layers woven in. Saoirse Fagan is weighed down with grief and guilt, then she finds she's lost her job before it started. Owen McCready is injured and proud. When Saoirse finds herself lost on a country road in Ireland, Aileen McCready, Owen's sister invites her to stay in the barn. From here the story takes a journey through heartache, joy, fear, hope, and tears. Deibel has written another beautiful story with a glorious thread to be strong and courageous. I've loved all of her Ireland tales and recommend them to anyone who wants to read an uplifting, hope-filled story.

Heart of the Glen by Jennifer Diebels 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.

This story was so touching and simple and absolutely amazing. Magical. Jennifer brings Ireland to life in such a way that I can feel the difficulty of the characters and see the vivid landscapes. The heartbreaking decisions they all have to make is a reminder of all the good things God has given me. God’s story of never leaving us and using our hardships for good is woven throughout this entire story. I loved all the characters and my heart just broke for what Saoirse went through, and cheered for her and Owen the entire way through.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What a heart moving story with such dramatic twists and turns in the narrative. A very real reminder that God always has a plan for our live, even when we can't see it. His love for us is overwhelming.