The Traveller’s Daughter by Michelle Vernal
A secret hidden for fifty years is about to be brought to light in Michelle Vernal’s dazzling new novel The Traveller's Daughter!
Her mother’s secret…
For fifty years Rosa kept the secrets of her past hidden from her beloved daughter, Kitty. The hurt and pain, the guilt over what she’d done, was something she could never face. But now the time has come to share the truth of Kitty’s heritage…
Her daughter’s discovery…
Kitty never knew anything about her mother’s early life. But after her death, the discovery of Rosa’s journal opens Kitty’s eyes to a whole new world—a family she’s never known and a love she’s never dreamed of…
The fate of a family…
Now Kitty must travel to her mother’s homeland, but after fifty years, can the sins of the past be forgiven? Or will history repeat itself? With a decades-old family feud threatening her future, can Kitty put right what once went so wrong?
Join Kitty on her journey as she follows in her mother’s footsteps from the south of France to Ireland, discovering who she is along the way in this beautiful tale of forbidden love and fancy cupcakes!
Michelle Vernal puts a fresh spin on the idea of a character learning about their history through a deceased relative’s letters in The Traveller’s Daughter. It’s very well written with a good hook that will pull you into its easy flowing story. The imagery and beautiful writing from the various scenes around London, Ireland, and France will sweep you away on an emotional journey that will have you pulling out the Kleenex. Vernal keeps a steady pace though the ending feels like it comes up on you quickly but thankfully she’s able to keep the transitions between different time periods seamlessly so small things can be forgiven.
The characterizations drew me into the story as I felt sympathy towards Kitty and wanted to help her figure out the mystery of her mother’s past. The emotional spectrum on this journey ran the gamut from humorous to sadness with everything in between. She created rich, colorful characters who feel real and the dialogue between them sounds realistic and natural. I felt like I was getting to know a whole new set of friends because her character development was so complex and full of life.
Coming from an Irish family I’m very familiar with the history and culture of the Travellers, Into the West is hands down one of my favorite movies and deals with this sect of the Irish population, so I felt Vernal did a good job showcasing this culture. It was a beautiful and thought-provoking book.
I can definitely see this being one of those I’ll return to time and again.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for allowing me to review this book.
*synopsis and pic from amazon.com