Publication Date: July 2, 2026
In the darkest days of war, can she find a place to call home?
1939: When tragedy strikes in the East End of London, thirteen-year-old Ivy Connell and her little brother Fred find themselves orphaned. Holding Fred’s small hand, she knows she must keep him safe. So Ivy decides to leave the bombed-out streets of the city in search of the Irish village her Daddy used to tell her so many stories about.
Somehow, she’s going to get them both to Ireland…
Ivy’s heard so much about the pretty village where her Mammy and Daddy fell in love. She hopes she might find her parents’ family still living there and a home away from the bombs. On the dangerous journey, they meet other orphans – bold and adventurous Lenny Brown and clever, talkative Arthur – and they travel together across the war-ravaged country.
The friendship between the children deepens with each obstacle they overcome, and they hold onto the hope that one day they will find a place to call home.
But will Ivy be able to reach the safety of Ireland? And if she makes it there, will she be reunited with her long-lost family – or is there more heartbreak to come?
From bestselling author Sandy Taylor, comes a heart-wrenching, emotional story of the power of friendship and the importance of hope in the most difficult times. Perfect for fans of Jean Grainger, Lisa Wingate and Diney Costeloe.
A tender story featuring found family unfolds in The Irish Girl.
Author Sandy Taylor uses pre-war England to kick off the story featuring the two Connell children who are seeking shelter after the alleged murder of their mother. They team up with two orphans in London and set out on an adventure to Carrig, Ireland, to locate their family.
From the beginning, the young characters steal the limelight with their personalities. Ivy and Lenny, as teens, share a natural bond while the youngsters, Fred and Arthur, always manage to cut up and say something hilarious.
They thrive under the care of the Carrig residents, obtaining a sense of identity within the Irish community. However, as the war ramps up in England, Ivy receives unexpected news that makes a return to London essential.
There, she discovers a city under siege that almost destroys her.
The Irish Girl offers a story of survival and resilience, along with a community waiting to help.
Sandy Taylor is the bestselling author of The Irish Boarding House, The Runaway Children, The Little Orphan Girl and many other heart-warming, emotional historical fiction novels. Her books have hit the top 5 in the UK and the US charts and she has almost 100 million KU pages read across her titles.
Sandy grew up on a council estate near Brighton. There were no books in the house, so Sandy’s love of the written word was nurtured in the little local library. Leaving school at fifteen, Sandy worked in a series of factories before landing a job at Butlins in Minehead. This career change led her to becoming a singer, a stand up comic and eventually a playwright and novelist.
