An Irishwoman's Tale

Surprises come in all sorts of different ways. I had the most outstanding and pleasant surprise when I agreed to read a new fiction book by Patti Lacy, her first, An Irishwoman's Tale. There was a lot of buzz in some of my writers' online forums about the book and since St. Patrick's day is my birthday, I thought it would be fun to read a book about an Irishwoman and Ireland.

One of the most intriguing things I heard about this book was that it was based on a true story. Patti had said it started with a story told to her by an Irishwoman. But, it is her first book. How good could it be, I wondered? The answer: REAL GOOD!!

From the very first chapter, I fell in love with Mary, the Irishwoman whose story is touching, revealing, inspirational, and heartwarming. I smiled. I cried. I learned. I even traveled to Ireland through Patti's beautifully written words.

This is the reason I read. To find books like this. Great storytelling. Good characterization. A place to lose myself for a few hours and find refreshment in between pages of wonderfully scripted words.