A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Diebel

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Labeled as a historical romance this debut novel from Jennifer Deibel is so much more than that. I cringe a little to myself when I see that genre on the back of a novel I'm reading because it makes me feel like so much fluff and that people probably think I have no depth to me. Yes, there are times when I want to read a fluffy novel so I don't have to think or process anything, but this book has some good themes running through it. 

"Smack in the middle of what God is askin' is the best place for any of us to be. I know you want what's best for the lass, but I think yer confusin' the idea of best with the idea of safe."

Where do I start here? I want to be in God's will, but I want to be there and be safe both. This morning I was reading about the courage of Apostle Paul. He was warned about the dangers that were going to face him in Jerusalem and yet he was firmly persuaded that that was where God wanted him to go and he courageously set his face toward Jerusalem and went. I want to have courage like that, to know what God's will is and to desire that more than safety.

Another big theme in this book is the power of human kindness or I should say, the power of God to reach down and change lives through human kindness. Moira reached out to her troublesome student and loved him with the love of God, Peg and Colm reached out to everyone with the kindness and compassion of God and they were well-loved by all. Where do I fit on the kindness scale? Am I showing kindness and compassion as a normal part of my day? I know that here too I have much room for improvement.

And now, on to a bit of the story: rich in Irish landscape, superstitions, and language the book follows Moira as she crosses an ocean to fulfill her mother's wish, to teach school in a little village of Ballyman, and to save her from something. I'm not a big fan of other languages thrown into an English novel, but it does make the story seem more authentic. It also would have helped if I had found the translation sheet before I finished the book. 

I enjoyed the book and thought Jennifer did a really good job of writing.

I received this book from Revell and was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own. 

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