The Yellow House »

Patricia Falvey was born in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland.

THE YELLOW HOUSE delves into the passion and politics of Northern Ireland at the beginning of the 20th Century. Eileen O'Neill's family is torn apart by religious intolerance and secrets from the past. Determined to reclaim her ancestral home and reunite her family, Eileen begins working at the local mill, saving her money and holding fast to her dream. As war is declared on a local and global scale, Eileen cannot separate the politics from the very personal impact the conflict has had on her own life.

She is soon torn between two men, each drawing her to one extreme. One is a charismatic and passionate political activist determined to win Irish independence from Great Britain at any cost, who appeals to her warrior's soul. The other is the wealthy and handsome black sheep of the pacifist family who owns the mill where she works, and whose persistent attention becomes impossible for her to ignore.

Publishers Weekly

A family's future is in the hands of one very brave young Irishwoman in this accomplished debut set between WWI and the growing violence of the Irish war of independence. Eileen O'Neill inherits a lifetime of struggle and heartbreak when her family is ripped apart by war, disease, mental illness and greed. And if civil war and family strife weren't enough to deal with, Eileen is torn between James Conlon, a passionate Irish nationalist, and Owen Sheridan, a British army officer and the son of a wealthy family. As the war's presence in her life intensifies, Eileen continues to weigh her heart's pull against national pride, family loyalty, class divisions and her own spirit. This novel delivers the best of both worlds: secrets, intrigue and surprising twists will keep readers flipping the pages, while Falvey's insight and poetic writing tugs at the heartstrings of the most cynical audiences. (Feb.)