REVIEW: The Orphan's Daughter by Sandy Taylor

The Orphan's Daughter (sequel to The Little Orphan Girl) by Sandy Taylor

Genre: Historical fiction

Read: 24th April 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication: 5th February 2020)

★★★★ 4 stars

My first book by Sandy Taylor, THE ORPHAN'S DAUGHTER is a truly a wonderful story. I love the way historical fiction transports you back in time to another place, another era and a completely different way of life. It seems, as a reader, I have found something of a kindred spirit in Nora and her love of books...although she seems to enjoy any book and any story. I'm a little pickier than that.

Set in Ballybun, County Cork in Ireland, THE ORPHAN'S DAUGHTER is the story of Nora Doyle and her coming of age. It's 1924 and she and her best friend Kitty Quinn are thirteen years old. Just one more year of schooling before they become adults and leave to find work. We meet Nora and Kitty sitting upon a wall outside the church graveyard, marking funerals out of 10 by how much wailing and crying is done and if mourners are wearing their Sunday best. Despite their young age, the girls are like little old women both in their chatter and their seemingly wise ways beyond their years.

One day, the girls sneak through a hole in a fence leading them to Bretton Hall, a grand house that sits upon a hill in which "the Honourables" live. But it is also a place that has always been forbidden to Nora, for reasons she does not know. It is there they meet young Eddie who claims to be the son of the groom but is soon revealed to be the young Master Edward Bretton, a lonely young boy with no siblings who longs for a friend. Nora and Eddie feel an instant connection and become firm friends although Kitty isn't as enamoured by him as her friend is. But for Nora, there is a familiarity to Eddie that feels comfortable, as if she has known him all her life.

Eddie introduces Nora to a beautiful secret garden which he himself tends, and it is there he teaches Nora about the different plants and flowers, and the seasons in which they bloom. Both Eddie and Nora share a love of books, with their favourite being "The Secret Garden", just as this garden is to them. But despite her mother's explicit's instructions that Bretton Hall is forbidden, Nora finds she cannot stay away.

When the girls turn 14, they decide that it is time to put away childish things as they leave school to find work - Kitty up at the Hall and Nora at Minnie's cafe in town. Nora finds she doesn't have as much time to meet Eddie in their secret garden but she gets there when she can...and yet still, she is defying her mother by doing so. So when one day Nora bounds into the garden expecting to find Eddie, she is shocked to discover his Aunt Caroline instead, who banishes her from the grounds and from seeing "Master Edward" ever again. Nora is devastated.

It is then that Nora and her mother take a special journey to England, where Nora learns the truth to a secret her mother has kept from her for fourteen years. With this knowledge, when Nora finds the courage to return to the garden it is only to find that the fence through which she'd stole has been replaced with a huge brick wall. The rejection she feels is palpable.

Nora soon realises that as circumstances change so does life, and she makes the decision to leave Ballybun. With the opportunity to work in a bookshop in Dublin, Nora grabs at the chance to live her dream and move away to where a new life awaits her. But even as she makes new friends in Josie, Ellis and Molly, Nora never forgets her best friend Kitty, exchanging letters often. Then Nora meets Joe and before long the two are walking out together. Could this be love?

Then one day, Nora receives some tragic news and before long she is on the next train home, unsure what she is going to find upon her arrival.

The secrets of the past become one with the present as two women from different worlds overcome their aversions and discover a mutual respect, quiet friendship and a strength in each other. But the question that Nora has been putting to the back of her mind soon comes to the forefront - is her life here in Ballybun or back in Dublin?

THE ORPHAN'S DAUGHTER is a heartwarming coming of age story about love, loss, friendship, loyalty and resilience. Throughout the years we watch Nora and Kitty grow from idealistic girls scoring funerals into beautiful young women finding love where they least expect it. In a place where people have so little by way of material possessions when it comes to love and friendship the people of Ballybun want for nothing.

I loved this journey through time that Sandy Taylor takes us on in this wonderful tale that is filled with a simplicity that is truly heartwarming. Sprinkled with love and laughter throughout, THE ORPHAN'S DAUGHTER is a gentle tender read that is instantly compelling.

I did have one really irritating niggle that was peppered throughout the pages. Whenever Nora used big grand words that people of their class weren't accustomed to using, Kitty would then pose the question "Grandad Doyle?" in response to which Nora had the most annoying and repetitive habit of saying "The very man" just about every time. And just when I thought they had outgrown the habit, there it was again. It irritated me no end and gave an almost patronising feel to her character.

There was also a few parts in the book where I felt the outcome was never fully explained. For example, when Nora's mother was telling Nora about what happened with Mrs Grainger...all that was said was that she had seen her maid on the Titanic and knew Mrs Grainger would be there too. So...without mentioning any spoilers...how did her mother "get" her outcome? All we know is that she did.

As much as I enjoyed THE ORPHAN'S DAUGHTER, I understand it is the sequel to "The Little Orphan Girl", although I saw no reference to it being so, and I was therefore left wondering if this book's title (which had apparently previously been "The Girl from Paradise Alley") was a follow-on from that one. Since discovering that it is indeed the sequel I really wish I had known as I would have read that first. It is a pet peeve of mine that it is not stated as being a sequel or part of a series, particularly on Netgalley when requesting, as I like to know the story from the beginning.

I always feel that if a book has me in tears by the end, then it's a wonderful read...and THE ORPHAN'S DAUGHTER did just that. A heartwarming tale I highly recommend to historical fiction fans such as Pam Howes, Nadine Dorries and Dilly Court.

I would like to thank #SandyTaylor, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheOrphansDaughter in exchange for an honest review.