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Anna MacCauley’s Legacy by Jannis DeGraw Buhr
#2 MacCauley Trilogy
Historical Fiction, Inspirational
Publisher: Self-Published
Published: 11.11.23
Pages: 341
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Format: ebook
Source: Purchased
Sellers: Amazon
ADD TO: GoodReads
GoodReads Synopsis:
Anna MacCauley’s Legacy is the sequel to More Than a Brother and picks up where the first book ends.It’s 1987.Gareth and Ian MacCauley still hope to discover what happened to Anna and Eoin who disappeared in 1974. Ian desires to come to America, but there are still unpredictable bombings and shootings in Northern Ireland.Haley Beckett is engaged to be married, but there are obstacles in the way.Ed Wagner makes a startling decision that shocks everyone.Tonya Miller finds a new love of her own.Phyllis Beckett is mourning the death of her husband, Robert. Will she end up living alone?Carrie and Keith Wagner, and Penny and Scott Brannen are starting lives of their own.Alma and Fred Wagner are there to support Phyllis in her loss while watching their own children grow up and leave home.Silence from the families of the “Disappeared” in Northern Ireland is coming to an end.And there are more changes on the the family find Anna and Eoin? What is happening in Scotland and Northern Ireland that will change the lives of the MacCauley family and others living in Wisconsin? History unfolds while new relationships develop in the sequel to More Than a Brother and Book Two of The MacCauley Anna MacCauley’s Legacy.
Sophia Rose's Review:
Each year around St. Patrick’s Day, I feel the urge to pick up something with an Irish setting or written by an Irish author. I read the first book a couple years back and meant to continue with the trilogy. I took the opportunity to do so now.
Anna MacCauley’s Legacy finds the lead characters dealing with heart matters, figuring out what they want to do with their lives, and, in Gareth’s case, reuniting with his dad and still trying to find answers about his lost mother and brother. The Irish Troubles of the 70’s and the dark legacy of those ‘Disappeared’ is the emotional heart of Jannis DeGraw Buhr’s middle book in the trilogy that hit me hard at times, but offered inspiration and hope when all was said and done.
Anna MacCauley’s Legacy is the second installment in an ongoing trilogy story so it really must be read in order behind More Than a Brother.
There will be spoilers to the first book and can’t be helped because it’s the second part of that story so reader be warned.
It’s 1987 and more than thirteen years after Gareth’s mother and brother went out one day to help a group of orphaned Irish kids during the Troubles and never came home, his dad was arrested by the British mistaking him for being IRA, and Gareth was packed off to live on an American Wisconsin farm to live with his detective uncle’s friends. Now, as an adult, Gareth has found Ian, his dad, and is beginning his own family with his childhood sweetheart. Unfortunately, his best friend was also in love with the same girl so it makes it awkward for all three of them. But, they are all still friends among a group of friends and who knows what God would have for them all.
Love, loss, and life continues, but there is still that hurting wound when it comes to Anna and Eoan (Owen) MacCauley. Did they die? Are they still out there? And, why? Why were they taken?
This is a lush, rich family saga now with mostly gentle pacing, but moments taunt with emotion and a little suspense as relationships form or detach and the mysteries of what happened in Ireland are pursued. Inspirational theme of their trust in God is strong. As before, the historical background, character and plot development are superbly done both in Wisconsin and Northern Ireland in the past and the present of the story.
The previous book had obvious plot threads that needed closure, but this book ended with so much revealed and finished up. However, there is still one big mystery left and this involves who was behind it all back in 1974 so the trilogy will advance forward in time to a new generation and hopefully justice will be found for Anna and all who were Disappeared back in the past.
All in all, this was abso-fab and stayed strong through this middle book in the trilogy. I enjoyed the many slice of life moments blended in to balance the stronger emotional times, the well-researched historical period in Northern Ireland, and development of the growing cast of characters and relationships. Definitely one for those who enjoy Inspirational, Historical Fiction, and Family sagas.
Author Bio:
Jannis DeGraw Buhr loves the arts in all forms. She is an accomplished pianist, with a bachelor’s degree in music and has been teaching piano lessons for over 40 years. While she loves music and loves to paint, writing has been a passion of hers since childhood. It is her greatest avenue of creativity. She has written several novels, but finally published her novel, More Than a Brother in 2022. After the early success of More Than a Brother, Jannis completed the sequel, Anna MacCauley’s Legacy in 2023. Book Three of the MacCauley Trilogy, The Lost Cousins of County Armagh, is now available (2024).
Jannis grew up in a Christian home with parents who were in full-time music ministry which took the family to many different US states, from the South to the Mid-West to the West Coast and finally back to the Mid-West. Her writing draws from her deep-seated faith in God, her upbringing and experience with many different regional cultures.
Jannis has been married to her high school sweetheart, Mark, for over 40 years. She and her husband currently enjoy their two acres of Michigan country and their large brood of five adult children, spouses and eleven grandchildren.
The MacCauley Trilogy has required extensive research of Northern Irish history and the Troubles, which was fueled by her McElroy heritage from her mother’s side, hailing from Lurgan, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Jannis also draws from her teen years in the 1970’s, finding Wisconsin countryside a place to breathe, explore and dream.
Sophia’s Bio:
Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, piano-playing, and gardening. Road trips and campouts, museums and monuments, restaurants and theaters are her jam. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing. Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators. Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance. Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophia.rose.7587
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiarose1816
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13418187.Sophia_Rose
The storyline sounds really good.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was very emotional and I was really into finding out what came of Gareth's family back in Ireland.
DeleteLovely review. I do not mind faith based stories as long as it true to the characters etc and not in your face. Great review Sophia.
ReplyDeleteYes exactly! Her neighbor was a military chaplain and the families went to the local small church together plus the whole 'protestant' and 'catholic' element over in Ireland so it all felt organic.
DeleteI can¨t say I have that urge at St. patricks Day, but I get it :)
ReplyDeleteHehe, no worries! Any time of the year would suit the story. :)
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