‘Let the wind take me and the soft rain settle me into the Irish soil from where I came. And may my sins be forgiven.’

Arethusa Clayton has always been formidable, used to getting her own way. On her death, she leaves unexpected instructions.

Instead of being buried in America, on the wealthy East Coast where she and her late husband raised their two children, Arethusa has decreed that her ashes be scattered in a remote corner of Ireland, on the hills overlooking the sea.

All Arethusa ever told Faye was that she grew up in a poor farming family and left Ireland, alone, to start a new life in America as did so many in those times of hardship and famine. But who were her family in Ireland and where are they now? What was the real reason that she turned away from them? And who is the mysterious benefactor of a significant share of Arethusa’s estate?

Arethusa is gone. There is no one left to tell her story. Faye feels bereft, as if her mother’s whole family has died with her. Leaving her own husband and children behind, she travels to the picturesque village of Ballinakelly, determined to fulfil her mother’s last wish and to find out the reason for Arethusa’s insistence on being laid to rest in this faraway land.

Reader Reviews

Annarella

(5/5)

Nov 21, 2024

First I fell in love with the cover, then I fell in love with this book.It's an amazing book which is moving, engrossing, and entertaining.I loved this women so frail and so strong at the same time, I was fascinated by the setting and the plot moved me and made me smile.Even if it's part of series it can be read as a stand-alone as both the plot and the character development are well explained.I loved the style of writing, the character development are amazing and I really liked them.I look forw...

Maria P

Amazing! Absolutely loved this! This can be read as a stand alone book but it is also the 4th book in the Castle Deverill family saga. I’ve listened to them all now and they are brilliant! I’m not sure you would get the same enjoyment from this book if you have not listened or read the previous 3 as some of the back story is skipped over a lot as many readers know it. But if you have read the previous 3, you will love this as a continuation of the story and picking up with some of the previous c...

Eve

(3/5)

"Let the wind take me and the soft rain settle me into the Irish soil from where I came. And may my sins be forgiven." Arethusa is gone. There is no one left to tell her story. All Arethusa ever told her daughter, Faye, was that she grew up in a poor farming family and left Ireland, alone, to start a new life in America. But who were her family in Ireland? Where are they now? Leaving her own husband and children behind, Faye travels to the picturesque village of Ballinakelly, determined to fu

Joanna

This book took me so long to read, it was quite slow to get started and dragged out the start of the real action but equally it was a rather complicated story. Once the story line got going it was very entertaining!

~Sofia~

(4/5)

I had pre-ordered this book long before I realised it was part of the Deverill series. This is because anything Montefiore writes is genius. It is a guaranteed good read. So I was delighted it was part of this series as I have a special place in my heart for those Deverills. This novel is the 4th in the series however you can read it as a standalone. It compliments the series fantastic and is like a warm cosy read that hugs the series. It is a bit of a prequel and a bit of a lead on. It is fanta...

Becky

(2/5)

Slow, slow, slow.

Annette

This was a heartwarming family story set in two time periods.The characters were beautifully drawn and I warmed to both the main protagonists, American Faye in 1961 and her mother,Tussy, who lived in Ireland at the turn of the twentieth century.When Faye’s mother dies she leaves a will in which she asks her daughter to go to her homeland, Ireland and scatter her ashes. She also leaves a bequest that will only be revealed after this has been done. Both Faye and her brother Logan are astounded as

Natasya Pawanteh

(1/5)

There is a “I finished a 487-page book in half day because oh my god I just HAD to”, and then there is “I finished a 487-page book in half a day because oh my god how and when is this ever going to end please I just need to make this end”, and I am sad that for me, this book was the latter. Why did I keep going? Well, because I spent money on this book, so let’s not waste it. Right? Silly me.It’s not because the writing is particularly terrible,it’s because it very nearly put me into a diabetic

Linda

Absolutely loved this book!

Linda Louch

'On the hills above Castle Deverill,with both a view of the castle and the ocean. Let the wind take me and the soft rain settle me into the Irish soil from where I came. And may my sins be forgiven.'A poignant quote written in the will of Arethusa Clayton where she states she wants her ashes scattered in Ireland. Her daughter Faye follows her wishes and finds out the history of her mother's family and the reason she came to America. A story of forbidden love set in the beautiful atmospheric coun...

Rosemary Pritchard

Really enjoyed it, I have read the Deverill Chronicles so made more sense than if just reading on its own. Recommend to anyone

Margaret

3 1/2 starsEver since reading (or audiobooking) the Deverill Chronicles Santa Montefiore has been a go-to author for me. Imagine my surprise when I starting reading this and old friends showed up - I didn't read the blurb but just dove in. Coming in at 487 pages it's a fair size (as are the previous 3 books) I'll confess to struggling with the first 100 pages or so. The book started great, some mystery and intrigue right away but it seemed flat and it was hard to stay invested. Some parts I foun...

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