The Maid of Ballymacool Review

Posted by abakersp in Historical, Reviews / Spotlights / 2 Comments

I am so excited to share my thoughts on this beautifully written novel! And that cover!! I mean look at it. It’s stunning!!

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About the Book

The Maid of Ballymacool ReviewThe Maid of Ballymacool
Author Jennifer Deibel
Published by Baker Books
on February 21, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Christian / Historical, Fiction / Christian / Romance / Historical, Fiction / Romance / Historical / General
Pages: 352

Brianna Kelly was abandoned at Ballymacool House and Boarding School as an infant. She has worked there since she was a wee girl and will likely die there. Despite a sense that she was made for something more, Brianna feels powerless to change her situation, so she consoles herself by exploring the Ballymacool grounds, looking for hidden treasures to add to the secret trove beneath the floorboards of her room.

When Michael Wray, the son of local gentry, is sent to Ballymacool to deal with his unruly cousin, he finds himself drawn to Brianna, immediately and inescapably. There is something about her that feels so . . . familiar. When Brianna finds a piece of silver in the woods, she commits to learning its origins, with the help of Michael. What they discover may change everything.

Fan favorite Jennifer Deibel invites you back to the Emerald Isle in the 1930s for this fresh take on the Cinderella story, complete with a tantalizing mystery, a budding romance, and a chance at redemption.

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My Perspective

Once again Deibel has penned a novel that not only touches your heart, it takes you on a journey back in time to a place you never want to leave. Ballymacool is full of secrets, mystery, intrigue, fantastic characters (primary and secondary), and so much more.

Let’s start with the romance. I love the scenes with Michael and Brianna. I felt they had such wonderful chemistry, even better than Prince Charming the Cinderella (Brianna reminds me of Cinderella, but more on that later). Michael sees Brianna as a person, not a maid, and I love that about him. Of course, there needs to be a slightly slower build of their romance, and Deibel penned it perfectly. When we finally get to the kiss – phew! I loved it. The thing is that Michael made Brianna feel seen, loved, appreciated, and like she was a person. Girls – this is what you want in a man.

I couldn’t help but giggle everytime we have Michael conversing with who I call Miss Trunchbull, even though her name in the book was Mistress Magee. I mean, she is the epitome of the evil step-mother vibe in a wicked character (she’s not Brianna’s step mother, I’m just using that as a reference). I couldn’t stand her character! But what I appreciated was how Deibel gives you little glimpses into her story with her POV. At first I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not, but it grew on me, and I found myself understanding her character the more I learned about her. And it added such an interesting layer to the story!

And Brianna. Oh make my princess loving heart grow! Life had certainly not been fair to her, with her Cinderella-esque back story. I kind of wanted there to be mice that she talked to. Ha! Anyways, she was so sweet. Put up with so much from Mistress Magee – much more than our Cinderella every thought of. And yet, she still had a glimmer of hope inside of her that seemed to come to the forefront once Michael arrived on the scene. I enjoyed watching her character blossom, as well as solving the mystery surrounding her parents (I figured it out pretty early on, however that didn’t stop me from loving the process that it took her to figure it out). And, though I can’t say specifics because of spoilers, I LOVED the ending her character got.

With everything going on in this book, Deibel also weaves a gorgeous faith thread. Most of the quotes I highlighted back that up. The gospel truly does shine, encourages, and speaks straight to your heart. I can’t tell you the number of times I stopped while I was reading to ponder a quote or conversation about faith. To put it simply – it was exquisite.

The Maid of Ballymacool is a book that will take you back to historic Ireland, with beauty and charm. The characters will inspire you, and welcome you like a warm hug. Trust me when I say you want to carve out a big chunk of reading time so you don’t have to close the pages until you reach the end!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Favorite Quotes

Her years on Ballymacool woods had taught her that treasure never reveals itself to the greedy, but rather the grateful.

Few things stirred Michael’s heart and refreshed his spirit like an inspiring read, much to his mother’s dismay.

No, he was dangerous because he awakened something far more treacherous in her. Something she couldn’t afford to cultivate. Something deadlier than any poison or illness. Hope.

But one kindness at a time, he was stitching up the wounded parts of her heart.

Oh child. Yer purpose in this world has previous little to do with what job ya hold. It’s to do wi’ the way ya impact the people around ye.”

“- when it comes to seekin’ justice for a perceived wrong, a man can easily become blinded by his own definition of the word.”

About the Author

Jennifer Deibel is a middle school teacher and freelance writer. Her work has appeared on (in)courage, on The Better Mom, in Missions Mosaic Magazine, and others. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona.

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2 responses to “The Maid of Ballymacool Review

  1. Jessica, you are seriously single-handedly responsible for growing my TBR pile! Can I send you the bill? LOL! This sounds soooo good! Thanks for sharing your review!