Happy St. Patrick's Day!

In honor of St. Patrick's Day I am highlighting a few of my favorite books that are set in Ireland!

Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier

Anluan has been crippled since childhood, part of a curse that has besieged his family and his home of Whistling Tor. But when the young scribe Caitrin is retained to sort through family documents, she brings about unexpected changes in the household, casting a hopeful light against the despairing shadows. But to truly free Anluan's burdened soul, Caitrin must unravel the web of sorcery woven by his ancestors before it claims his life-and their love.

This romantic fantasy loosely based on Beauty and the Beast is set in medieval Ireland. Juliet Marillier is one of my favorite authors. A lot of her works are set in Ireland such as The Sevenwaters series. Heart's Blood is a standalone novel which I would consider more of a romance than a fantasy.

The Silver Sword by Angela Hunt

The auburned-haired O'Connor women share a bond far deeper than their striking physical appearance. These courageous, high-spirited women all push against societal limits in this exciting historical, romantic novel that spans generations and countries from 13th-century Ireland to the excitement and mystery of 15th-century Prague. It is said that as Cahira, daughter of the great Irish king Rory O'Connor, lay dying of a wound from a Norman blade, she beseeched God that others would follow her calling. To Kathleen O'Connor, Cahira's story was nothing more than a fable--until research divulged that the tale was true. As a stunned Kathleen realizes that she herself bears the mark of Cahira, she wonders if she is destined to continue the legacy. To uncover the answers, Kathleen delves into the past to find the truth about the Heirs of Cahira O'Connor. It is a journey that carries her across generations, from the battlefields of 13th-century Ireland to the castles of 15th-century Prague. It is a past filled with peril, courage, vengeance, love, and sacrifice beyond anything she has ever known.

This is the first in a great Christian historical fiction series about the brave female descendants of an Irish princess. Angela Hunt is a fantastic Christian fiction author and I love her historical fiction as well as her suspense titles.

P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

Before he died of cancer, Holly's husband Gerry secretly wrote her a series of letters to help her after he is gone. I found this novel to be both moving and at times funny and I consider it to be infinitely superior to the movie. Unlike the film, the book is set in Ireland where Holly and her family live.

Do you have any favorite books that are set in Ireland?  I hope you have a fantastic St. Patrick's Day!