Signed, A Paddy

by Lisa Boyle

Overview

The gruesome truth hung in the air, and none of us wanted to go near it. Not yet.

Ireland, 1848. Fourteen-year-old Rosaleen watches her mother die. Her country is reeling from the great potato famine, which will ultimately kill more than one million people. Driven by a promise and her will to survive, Rosaleen flees her small coastal town.

She eventually arrives in America at the birth of the industrial revolution and is filled with hope and a new sense of independence. Yet the more Rosaleen becomes a part of this new world, the more she longs for a community she lost and a young man she can't forget.

Through a series of both heartwarming and tragic events, Rosaleen learns that she can't outrun the problems that come along with being Irish. And maybe, she doesn't want to.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781736607718
Publisher:	Lisa Boyle Writes, LLC
Publication date:	06/25/2021
Series:	Paddy Series , #1
Pages:	410
Sales rank:	289,670
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.91(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Lisa Boyle has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. Born and raised in Finksburg, Maryland, Lisa received a bachelor's degree in journalism and a bachelor's degree in international affairs from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. As part of her college program, Lisa traveled the Middle East and spent two months reporting on political and human-interest stories. She has been published in various online publications and magazines, and has held many different jobs over the years from cheesemonger, to educator at the U.S.S. Constitution Museum. Lisa and her husband Tim live in North Carolina with their daughter and a goofy-looking mutt named Lloyd. Signed, A Paddy is Lisa's first novel.

Editorial Reviews

"I cared deeply about the characters. Historical facts really make this wonderful book shine. The writing is gorgeous and engaging, highly addictive! Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction and Fiction readers ought to read this. I am so, so glad I did. Really looking forward to the second in the series." -Goodreads 5-star review

"The end is stunning and in spite of the atmosphere of despair leaves you hopeful and positive. The book ends on a fascinating note. A courageous, brave young girl shows us the way forward." -Bookstagramer, @andsoiread

"Rosaleen's determination and strength are resounding. I loved the characters...Beautifully written and I loved the pace of the story. Make sure to read the author's note and see which characters Lisa Boyle included that are historical figures. Lisa's first novel is a home run." -Bookstagramer, @minstabooks

"The descriptions in this book were so vividly wonderful and the author had obviously researched a lot but the book didn't feel bogged down by fact overload, it was the perfect balance. I cannot wait to read more by this author." -NetGalley 5-star review

From the Publisher

2021-06-18
Boyle’s debut historical novel follows the early years of an Irish orphan who leaves her homeland in the mid-19th century to begin anew in America.

It’s the summer of 1848 in the small village of Baltimore, Ireland. Fourteen-year-old Rosaleen MacNamara, a fisherman’s daughter, lost her father to the sea several years ago, and her mother has now become a victim of the potato famine that’s been devastating the country. Alone, she buries her mother, setting off the next day for Cork in the hope of finding other family members. But they’re all gone—either dead or moved to other lands. Rosaleen seeks safety in a workhouse in Cork, where, despite the filth and harsh working conditions, she at least has shelter and a bare minimum of food. A year later, the British government begins shipping healthy young women off to Australia to work as housemaids, although rumors speak to pessimistic outcomes. Rosaleen is one of 20 people selected from the workhouse, but with the kind assistance of a young substitute captain, the 15-year-old steals aboard a neighboring vessel bound for Boston. Onboard, she meets 19-year-old Emmett Doherty, and by the end of the monthlong journey across the pond, their lives have become intertwined. Boyle crafts Rosaleen as an ingratiating narrator and allows readers to see both the good and the ugly aspects of pre–Civil War Massachusetts through her eyes. The author nicely weaves some of the period’s roiling social conflicts into the drama, including racism, bigotry against the Irish, and exploitation of child labor (especially by railroad companies). It also addresses the inexcusably dangerous working conditions in the factories as Rosaleen becomes involved in both the abolitionist and labor movements in Lowell, Massachusetts, home of cotton mills. Tender moments of friendship alternate with frightening sections, including a vivid description of an infuriating and heartbreaking mill accident. Boyle also captures the mood and culture of the young Irish immigrants without employing a heavy reliance upon dialect and establishes a good pace for the poignant narrative.

A compelling and reflective mix of tragedy and optimism with a strong lead character.

Kirkus Reviews