Review of "The Irish Promise"*

It's taken me far far too long to read and review this book, but never fear, my flu has (I hope?!) evaporated, so I'm back to reading and blogging with a bit more frequency. Anyway, I loved this book. Choc Lit kindly gave me a copy of this which comes out this month, so you should all keep an eye out for it! Full of mystery, romance and incredibly unexpected plot twists, this book shocked me in more than one way.

The Irish Promise is set in relatively rural Ireland. In a small village, foreigners are hardly welcome, which is one of the reasons why Ella Rinaldi has such a tough time at school. Outcast by four awful tormentors - Jay, Mel, Spook and Daniel - she clings to any hope of acceptance. That's what makes the Halloween prank SO easy - but, how does one accept the lifelong consequences of such a night? One goes looking for revenge ....

Bullying is an important issue that is currently gaining a lot of wider awareness. The flashbacks to Ella's 14 year old diary really allow the reader to get into the mindset of this victimised child. You begin to get a glimpse of how utterly terrifying it is to face a school bully, which is something I think many adults need to remember. 

When I first started reading this it reminded me of the TV series Revenge, which I just love. Anything that gives a sense of justice and karma is a bit of a winner. When Ella comes back to the town of her bullies under the name Rachel Ford seeking revenge at a school reunion the reader gets a glimpse into the lives of the adult bullies as well as herself. This brought a whole new level to the plot. I don't think I've hated a character as much as the pervy, adulterous, unempathetic Jay in a long time. And it's always great to have a character which you feel justified in utterly detesting.

Finally, this book made me laugh, revel in the karmic justice Rachel goes about enacting, and cry. It's been a long time any book has done that. 

Steph x