Book Review: The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey

I guess I should have posted this review yesterday (St. Patrick's Day) since it's about Ireland, but I didn't finish the book until yesterday afternoon! So, here's the review today:

Patricia Falvey was born in Northern Ireland. She was raised in Ireland and England and then moved to the U.S. when she was twenty. The Yellow House is her first book.

Eileen O'Neill, the main character in the book, knows that she was born to be an Irish warrior. One day, her father (Da) comes home with buckets of yellow paint to paint their house and celebrate the day her great-granda won their home from a wealthy family in a card game. Although the Sheridans are members of the peace-loving Quaker sect, Eileen fears that they will one day come to reclaim their lost property and leave her poor family homeless.

As the The Great War heats up in Europe, the situation at home also deteriorates. The O'Neills face tragedy when all they have is taken from them and the family is torn apart. Eileen secures a job at the local mill, (owned by the Sheridans) and determines to save enough money to buy back their home and reunite the family.

As Eileen continues to find her way in the world of political upheaval, she is torn between her attraction to James Conlon, a Catholic who has dedicated himself to fight for Ireland's independence, and Owen Sheridan, the mill owner's son, who ignores the differences between him and Eileen and relentlessly pursues her with passionate desire.

Whom will Eileen choose? And how will the decisions she makes affect her and the ones she loves?

The Yellow House is a depressing book at times, but I still liked it. As I read, I went from telling Eileen how stupid she was (an "eejit" she would say) to encouraging her to follow her dreams and fight for what she believed in. There were many twists in this book that kept me wanting to read more. And the ending was quite satisfying.

Caution: some swearing and s*x scenes.

You can learn more about the author at her website. And go here to view a trailer for the book.

(This book was given to me by Hatchette for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed are completely my own.)