This series follows the journey of a young woman leaving her rural Irish home to pursue her dreams in the vibrant metropolis of New York. Witness her quest for independence and a place within high society, navigating the clash between tradition and modernity. The narratives weave through political unrest and personal drama, celebrating individual strength and the courage to embrace new beginnings in a foreign land.
Rural Irish girl Ellie loves living in New York, working as a lady's maid for a wealthy socialite. She tries to persuade her husband, John, to join her but he is embroiled in his affairs in Ireland, and caught up in the civil war. Nevertheless, Ellie is extremely happy and fully embraces her sophisticated new life.
An uplifting, inspiring and heart-warming story of a woman truly ahead of her time. Of loves lost and found, of courage and determination. It is the 1930s and when her beloved husband, John, suddenly dies, young Ellie Hogan decides to leave Ireland and return to New York. She hopes that the city's vibrancy will distract her from her grief. But the Depression has rendered the city unrecognisable - gone is the energy and party atmosphere that Ellie once fell in love with, ten years before. Ellie plunges headfirst into a new life pouring all her passion and energy into running a home and refuge for the homeless. In return they give her the kind of love, support and friendship she needs to try and overcome her grief. Until, one day, someone she thought she'd never see again steps through her door. It seems that even the Atlantic isn't big enough to prevent the tragedies of the past catching up with her . . . The heart-rending but inspiring follow-up to TV Book Club bestseller ELLIS ISLAND.
"Irish immigrant Ellie Hogan has finally achieved the American Dream. But her comfortable bohemian life on Fire Island, New York, is shattered when her eldest adopted son, Leo, runs away, lured by the promise of fortune and fame in Hollywood. Determined to keep her family intact, Ellie follows him west, uprooting her youngest son and long-time friend Bridie. In Los Angeles, Ellie creates a fashionable new home among the city's celebrities, artists, and movie moguls. She is also drawn into intense new friendships, including talented film composer Stan, a man far different from any she has ever met, and Suri, a beautiful Japanese woman and kindred spirit, who opens Ellie's eyes to the injustices of her country. While Leo is dazzled by Hollywood's glitz, Ellie quickly sees that the golden glamour masks a world of vanity and greed. Though she tries to navigate them around the dangers of their new home, she will not be able protect them from an even more terrifying threat: war."--Amazon website