The Fairy Cottage of Ballydara


Book Description

An uplifting romantic tale, a nanny-boss love story, a ramshackle cottage in a quaint Irish village… With her career going down the tubes, Dublin girl Emma Carey vows to fulfill her one, simple New Year's resolution: make a quick journey to rural County Galway, to do a small favor for her former colleague, Declan O'Donoghue—who had almost been a friend. And who, for a lovely little while, had been more than a friend. And then suddenly…hadn't. Yet when a week-long nanny gig falls into her lap, Emma figures a friendly, picturesque little spot like Ballydara would be a great place to quickly lick her career wounds before she makes a fresh start. Problem: it's not just any nanny gig—it's working for Declan. In his house. Luckily, one of Declan's kids is absolutely darling. But the others are a real handful—and the narky cottage next door makes Emma's job even more complicated. She has to wonder, exactly what has she gotten herself into? Single dad Declan has been going it alone far too long…and he's completely gobsmacked to find Emma in Ballydara—the woman he’s yearned for and never forgotten. When she accepts his very temporary offer to mind his daughters, his life, and Emma's, takes a new and completely unexpected turn… Caring for Declan's kids in a lovable, close-knit community, will Emma finally find the life and love she's dreamed of at the Fairy Cottage of Ballydara? Wise and warmhearted, The Fairy Cottage of Ballydara is the third novel of the Emma trilogy, and the sequel to Becoming Emma, part of Susan Colleen Browne's Irish Village of Ballydara series!




Becoming Emma


Book Description

Dublin girl Emma Carey has just embarked on another fresh start—the job of her dreams at Ireland Place, a quirky Irish arts center in a picturesque Victorian mansion near Seattle. At thirty-one, sweet, plucky Emma is finally poised for career success. That is, if she can only avoid her fatal flaw, the one that’s ruined every other job: falling for her boss. A dedicated family man, Declan O’Donoghue is an Irish dad devoted to his children, the lights of his life—so as the new manager at Ireland Place, he could never have guessed his earnest, endearing colleague could take his breath away. Yet Declan knows he and Emma can never be more than friends... Hazel Carey has always been protective of her elder sister—at twenty, she’s the practical one, while Emma is a dreamer. But seeing her sister’s heart-melting fancy for her new boss, Hazel wonders: how to keep Emma from real heartbreak this time? With humor and tenderness, Becoming Emma continues Emma’s journey from America back to Ireland, toward her own happily-ever-after. This heartfelt, charming page-turner, the sequel to The Little Irish Gift Shop, is part of Susan Colleen Browne’s Village of Ballydara series, set in a quaint little community in the West of Ireland... Emma and Declan’s love story continues in the next Ballydara novel, The Fairy Cottage of Ballydara!




Little Farm in the Garden


Book Description

From the author of the "Little Farm" homesteading memoirs comes a friendly, down-to-earth little guide for starting and maintaining a thriving food garden. In Little Farm in the Garden, Susan Colleen Browne shares the evolution of her own homestead garden with warmth and humor. Whether you’re starting with a pot, a small plot, or dedicated garden beds, she covers how to start growing your own food with basic nut-and-bolts like selecting crops, raising food without chemicals, and creating healthy soil. If you've read Susan's Little Farm memoirs, this booklet can be a handy addition to the homesteading experiences she's shared in her books. But Little Farm in the Garden also works as a stand-alone manual for simple ways to approach creating your own food supply, focusing on easy-to-grow vegetables, herbs, and fruit, and building a balanced garden for the long-term. In these uncertain times, producing your own food supply can give you confidence in the future—and as all gardening fans know, a sense of pleasure and accomplishment. Wherever you are in your gardening journey, Little Farm in the Garden offers a lively, heartfelt approach for gardeners, nature-lovers, and dreamers of all ages! And if you like fiction with a gardening theme, you might look at Susan's novel, The Galway Girls—the story has some intriguing tie-ins with her real-life experiences in Book 2 of the Little Farm series, Little Farm Homegrown... Susan's upcoming release is her latest Irish novel, The Fairy Cottage of Ballydara!







The Little Irish Gift Shop


Book Description

A summer in Seattle, a charming little shop, and the once-in-a-lifetime chance at a new life... In this sparkling novella, Dublin girl Emma Carey jumps at the opportunity to start fresh in America—her old friend Fitzwilliam has offered her a job running a picturesque Irish shop in Seattle. At 30, she's always played it safe, but the shop sounds perfect—and Emma’s wise younger sister Hazel thinks Emma is overdue for a grand adventure. Arriving in Seattle, Emma discovers the shop isn’t at all what she imagined…and actually needs a makeover in the worst way. Yet the place is full of potential—and surprises. Just like the future that awaits Emma… Brimming with heart and humor, The Little Irish Gift Shop is a lighthearted chick lit story, and just the beginning of Emma’s unforgettable journey to her heart’s desire. This prequel spinoff may start in Seattle, but the story is very much part of the cozy world of Ballydara, in County Galway, Ireland!




Morgan Carey and the Curse of the Corpse Bride


Book Description

Morgan has chosen the coolest costume ever-a dead bride. But when she finds a strange fortune-telling machine at the mall on Halloween, she has no way of knowing that she has encountered some powerful magic-and entered a world where her Halloween costume has become all too real. The next day, the Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, she faces a terrible dilemma...Will Morgan and her best friend Claire be able to break the spell? Or is Morgan doomed to be cursed by the Corpse Bride forever?




Becoming Emma Special Edition


Book Description

Dublin girl Emma Carey has just embarked on another fresh start—the job of her dreams at Ireland Place, a quirky Irish arts center in a picturesque Victorian mansion near Seattle. At thirty-one, sweet, plucky Emma is finally poised for career success…if she can only avoid her fatal flaw, the one that’s ruined every other job: falling for her boss. A dedicated family man, Declan O’Donoghue is an Irish dad devoted to his children, the lights of his life—so as the new manager at Ireland Place, he could never have guessed his earnest, endearing colleague could take his breath away. Yet Declan knows he and Emma can never be more than friends... Hazel Carey has always been protective of her elder sister—at twenty, she’s the practical one, while Emma is a dreamer. But seeing her sister’s heart-melting fancy for her new boss, Hazel wonders: how to keep Emma from real heartbreak this time? The two novelette-length short stories, The Secret Well and The Christmas Visitor, link Emma, Declan and Hazel to the quaint little village of Ballydara, and bring you deeper into Declan's family life...and Hazel's secrets. With humor and tenderness, Becoming Emma follows Emma's millennial, roundabout journey--begun in The Little Irish Gift Shop-- toward her own happily-ever-after. This heartfelt, charming page-turner, part of a trilogy, is connected to Susan Colleen Browne's Village of Ballydara series, set in a cozy Irish village in the West of Ireland...Emma and Declan’s love story continues in the next Ballydara novel, The Fairy Cottage of Ballydara!




It Only Takes Once


Book Description

A quaint Irish village, a klutzy single mum, and a handsome former flame... In this charming romantic comedy, twenty-six-year-old Aislin is at a crossroads. As a Dublin single mammy, a lot of her life needs improvement, yet what she really needs is a father. Not for herself--she so does not need a father--but for her young son, daddy-hungry Kevin. And she's determined to succeed at motherhood, if nothing else. So Aislin follows the mad impulse to track down the perfect father-figure for her little boy. Who else but her first love, Ben Carpenter? Ben is great dad material, and has a cozy manor house tucked away in a quaint little village in County Galway. All the same, after her truly awful breakup with him seven years ago, commitment-shy Aislin is determined to keep Ben at arm's length. Or at least very platonic. Besides, surely friends-to-lovers only happens in films, right? Not...always! And now, along with this sizzling attraction, Aislin has new family complications to sort out. In this heartfelt novel of secrets, second chances and forgiveness, will Aislin find her own fairy-tale ending? Susan Colleen Browne's Village of Ballydara series, set in a sleepy Iris village, features deeply romantic, feel-good novels about love, friendship and family! "Browne has done wonderful work in capturing Ireland's language and current cultural milieu from pubs to puddings." --The Bellingham Herald About the Author: Susan Colleen Browne weaves her love of Ireland and her passion for country living into her Village of Ballydara series. She's also the author of an award-winning memoir, Little Farm in the Foothills, a heartwarming, true-life story of modern homesteading, and the sequel, Little Farm Homegrown. A community college instructor, Susan runs a mini-farm in the foothills of the Pacific Northwest, USA. When not writing, Susan is wrangling chickens, tending vegetable beds, and dreaming up new Irish stories!




The Galway Girls


Book Description

Two friends search for their heart’s desire in this small-town romantic story set in Ireland. Kerry McCormack has fallen in love all over again with her husband Stephen, and after a heartbreaking loss, she longs for another child. But will her lifelong quest of having a farm bring an end to her marriage? Her best friend Fiona Whelan has left her free-spirited life behind her. Or so she thinks—until she finds herself caught between Dublin artist Colm, the man she was once mad about, and the sweet, youthful passion of Davie, who can see the woman she’s meant to be. A fun read for gardeners and country-lovers, The Galway Girls is a warmhearted tale of women’s friendship and love lost and love found among the misty green hills of the Irish countryside! Susan Colleen Browne's Village of Ballydara series, set in a sleepy Irish village, features heartfelt novels of love, friendship and family...The Galway Girls is the sequel to The Hopeful Romantic, Book 3 of the series--here's praise for The Hopeful Romantic: “The pages of this engaging story explores many facets about marriage, relationships, and family life… We certainly do hope that the author will continue to transport us to the Emerald Isle in her next novel in the Village of Ballydara series.” —Chanticleer Reviews




Little Farm Homegrown


Book Description

A gardening book for anyone who has dreamed of going back to the land and living a simpler life… After two city-bred Boomers weather their first, tumultuous year on their rural backyard farm, the couple foresees smooth sailing for the future…only to discover their homesteading journey has just begun. The sequel to Susan Colleen Browne's award-winning memoir, Little Farm in the Foothills, Little Farm Homegrown follows modern homesteaders Susan and her husband John creating a hands-on life in the foothills of the Pacific Northwest. As they experience the joys and challenges—and sometimes life-changing adversity—of living closer to the land, they labor to transform an old clearcut into a working homestead. In this lively true story, John and Susan cope with the demands of their middle years while raising chickens, creating a self-sufficient lifestyle, and adapting to—and often battling—nature. As Susan writes, “The Gardening School of Hard Knocks is actually a super-effective way to get an education, but I’d like to save you from learning everything the hard way.” With that in mind, Little Farm Homegrown includes tips for caring for your laying hens, maintaining your homestead, and growing your food crops sustainably. Like the first Little Farm in the Foothills memoir, Little Farm Homegrown is a warmhearted tale for gardeners, nature-lovers, and dreamers of all ages! Praise for the first Little Farm book, Little Farm in the Foothills: “The Browne’s foray into slower living…is an enjoyable read. Their delightful, yet very real, experiences in making the big leap toward their dreams make for a humorous and charming book.” —Washington State Librarian Jan Walsh