Lorna Peel – Author of historical fiction and mystery romance novels set in the UK and Ireland

Author Bio

Lorna was born in England and lived in North Wales until her family moved to Ireland to become farmers, which is a book in itself! She lives in rural Ireland, where she writes, researches her family history, grows fruit and vegetables and keeps chickens and guinea hens.

Her debut novel, Only You, a mystery romance, was first published in 2013. It was re-published in April 2019. Into The Unknown, a World War Two romance, was published in 2015 and reached Amazon’s top 20 best sellers in 20th Century Historical Romance. The Image of Her, a romantic suspense following a woman’s search for her birth mother, was published in 2016. New Blood, a romantic suspense set in a stately home in Yorkshire, England, was published in 2016 and was re-published as A Summer of Secrets in 2018. Brotherly Love, a historical romance set in 1830s Ireland, was published in 2017. A Scarlet Woman, book one in The Fitzgeralds of Dublin Series set in 1880s Dublin, Ireland, was published in 2017. A Suitable Wife, book two in the series, was published on 5 September 2018. A Discarded Son, book three in the series, will be published in September 2019.

The rights to Into The Unknown and The Image of Her have reverted to me and I shall be re-publishing them in due course.

Contact Information

Email: Click here to contact Lorna by email

Website: www.lornapeel.com

Amazon Author Page: http://author.to/LornaPeel

Historical Fiction Novels by Lorna Peel

The Fitzgeralds of Dublin Series

A Scarlet Woman: The Fitzgeralds of Dublin Book One

A Scarlet Woman by Lorna Peel eBook Cover

Can an idealistic young doctor and a fallen woman find love when Victorian society believes they should not?

Dublin, Ireland, 1880. Tired of treating rich hypochondriacs, Dr Will Fitzgerald left his father’s medical practice and his home on Merrion Square to live and practise medicine in the Liberties. His parents were appalled and his fiancée broke off their engagement. But when Will spends a night in a brothel on the eve of his best friend’s wedding, little does he know that the scarred and disgraced young woman he meets there will alter the course of his life.

Isobel Stevens was schooled to be a lady, but a seduction put an end to all her father’s hopes for her. Disowned, she left Co Galway for Dublin and fell into prostitution. On the advice of a handsome young doctor, she leaves the brothel and enters domestic service. But can Isobel escape her past and adapt to life and the chance of love on Merrion Square? Or will she always be seen as a scarlet woman?

Published: 6 September 2017

Amazon ASIN: B074LJJWJW

Universal Amazon Book Link: http://mybook.to/ascarletwoman

Paperback ISBN: 9781547079698, 401 pages

Link to Excerpt

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A Suitable Wife: The Fitzgeralds of Dublin Book Two

Can Will and Isobel hold the Fitzgerald family together when tragedy and betrayal threaten to tear it apart?

Dublin, Ireland, 1881. Will and Isobel Fitzgerald settle into number 30 Fitzwilliam Square, a home they could once only have dreamed of. A baby is on the way, Will takes over the Merrion Street Upper medical practice from his father and they are financially secure. But when Will is handed a letter from his elder brother, Edward, stationed with the army in India, the revelations it contains only serves to further alienate Will from his father.

Isobel is eager to adapt to married life on Fitzwilliam Square but soon realises her past can never be laid to rest. The night she met Will in a brothel on the eve of his best friend’s wedding has devastating and far-reaching consequences which will change the lives of the Fitzgerald family forever.

Published: 5 September 2018

Amazon ASIN: B07FDB3B3W

Universal Amazon Book Link: http://mybook.to/asuitablewife

Paperback ISBN: 9781723286810, 422 pages

Link to Excerpt

A_Suitable_Wife_Print-061618

Brotherly Love: A 19th Century Irish Romance

Can Caitriona and Michael’s love survive when it is opposed by the warring families in their small Irish village?

Ireland, 1835. Faction fighting has left the parish of Doon divided between the followers of the Bradys and the Donnellans. Caitriona Brady is the widow of John, the Brady champion, killed two years ago. Matched with John aged eighteen, Caitriona didn’t love him and can’t mourn him. Now John’s mother is dead, too, and Caitriona is free to marry again.

Michael Warner is handsome, loves her, and he hasn’t allied himself with either faction. But what secret is he keeping from her? Is he too good to be true?

Published: 1 February 2017

Amazon ASIN: B01NCR1FNN

Universal Amazon Book Link: http://mybook.to/brotherly-love

Paperback ISBN: 9781541002692, 312 pages

Link to Excerpt

Mystery Romance Novels by Lorna Peel

A Summer of Secrets

A manor house mystery romance crackling with sexual tension, family secrets and ancestral intrigue.

Sophia Nelson returns to her hometown in Yorkshire, England to begin a new job as tour guide at Heaton Abbey House. There, she meets the reclusive Thomas, Baron Heaton, a lonely workaholic.

Despite having a rule never to become involved with her boss, Sophia can’t deny how she finds him incredibly attractive.

When she overhears the secret surrounding his parentage, she is torn. But is it her attraction to him or the fear of opening a Pandora’s box that makes her keep quiet about it?

How long can Sophia stay at Heaton Abbey knowing what she does?

Published: 1 March 2018

Amazon ASIN: B07B51ZTH2

Universal Amazon Book Link: http://mybook.to/ASummerOfSecrets

Paperback ISBN: 9781986599504, 364 pages

Link to Excerpt

A Summer of Secrets Paperback Cover

Only You

Jane is the wrong side of thirty and divorced. It’s definitely all over for her…isn’t it?

Jane Hollinger is divorced and the wrong side of thirty – as she puts it. Her friends are pressuring her to dive back into London’s dating pool, but she’s content with her quiet life teaching family history evening classes.

Robert Armstrong is every woman’s fantasy: handsome, charming, rich and famous. When he asks her to meet him, she convinces herself it’s because he needs her help with a mystery in his family tree. Soon she realises he’s interested in more than her genealogy expertise. Now the paparazzi want a piece of Jane, too.

Can Jane handle living — and loving — in the spotlight?

Published: 24 April 2019

Amazon ASIN: B07Q24PTTS

Universal Amazon Book Link: http://mybook.to/onlyyou

Paperback ISBN: 9781094641393, 255 pages

Link to Excerpt

Praise For Lorna Peel’s Novels

“A Scarlet Woman by Lorna Peel is a beautiful, gritty tale of love, despair, and learning to trust, set in Ireland in the 19th Century.” Linda at Books of All Kinds

“I have just read her second book after this and oh boy what a read both these books are. I bought the second book before I finished the first so I could go straight on to it. You won’t be sorry. Happy reading.” Amazon Reviewer on A Scarlet Woman and A Suitable Wife

“Great characters, solid writing credits and a very enjoyable book.” Discovering Diamonds on Brotherly Love

“An Emotional and Poignant Romance – Beautifully Done.” Tina Williams at A Reader’s Review Blog on Into The Unknown

“A very enjoyable read with an unusual setting, a believable romance, main and secondary characters with depth, genealogy research and family secrets and intrigue. Well written and highly recommended.” Goodreads review of A Summer of Secrets

“Lorna Peel has written a fascinating story. She gives just the right amount of information and perfectly times when the reader is ready for something new. This kept me hooked and made me want to keep reading. Within the mystery and romance also lies the truth and the full story really shocked me. This is my first book by Lorna Peel and after reading The Image of Her I know it won’t be my last.” Anniek at With Love For Books

“…this was a fabulous novel. Put it on your reading list. It will not disappoint.” Victoria at The Romance Reviews on Only You

Interview Q&A

WHICH GENRE DO YOU WRITE IN AND WHY?

I write historical romance and romantic suspense novels. I love writing romance but I don’t write insta-love. I prefer to write about relationships which develop over time, so I send my heroes and heroines on a journey in search of their happy ever after. As well as that, I’ve always had an interest in history and genealogy and I’m lucky that I have very varied ancestors – I’m of Irish, Dutch, Welsh, German and Scottish descent – so I like to combine romance with history and/or genealogy in my novels with plenty of suspenseful twists and turns to keep everyone on their toes!

WHO HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR WRITING?

A teacher (inadvertently) and myself and my own stubbornness. I was never encouraged to write imaginative essays at school and one teacher even refused to read or mark any of their class’ imaginative essays. I wasn’t going to allow that teacher to discourage me from even trying to write, but it wasn’t until I left school that I began writing and I’ve been writing ever since.

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHOR AND WHAT IS IT THAT REALLY STRIKES YOU ABOUT THEIR WORK?

Historical novelist Sharon Kay Penman. The amount of research which goes into her books must be phenomenal but it never shows.

HAS YOUR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN/CULTURE INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING?

The city of Dublin plays a large part in my family history so I’ve always wanted to write some novels set there. My paternal ancestors were from Dublin and I’ve done a lot of research on the family tree as well as research into the areas where they lived and also into what they did for a living. I’ve also lived in Dublin, so having all that work done and being able to visualise streets and buildings and know how long it takes to walk from A to B was a great help to me when I sat down to write A Scarlet Woman. I still had to undertake a great deal of research for the novel but the groundwork was already complete.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE TIME OF DAY TO WRITE?

I used to write very late at night as I’m a night owl. More recently, it’s been in the afternoon (when possible) and in the evening. I must be getting old!

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING AN AUTHOR? AND THE FLIP SIDE – WHAT IS THE WORST?

The best thing is when someone you don’t know tells you they enjoyed reading your novel(s). That makes all the hard work worthwhile. The worst is promotion. It has to be done, but I’d rather be writing.

IS SOCIAL MEDIA AN ESSENTIAL CHORE OR SOMETHING YOU ENJOY? WHICH FORUM DO YOU PREFER?

I do find social media an essential chore. I don’t like Facebook, it’s far too Big Brother-like IMO, but I need a Facebook Author Page. I much prefer Twitter as tweets are short and to the point and, so far, Twitter doesn’t restrict who can see them.

I recently joined Instagram, but my favourite social media platform is Pinterest. I can spend hours there. I have boards for all my novels, one board with some great old photos of Dublin (which was an enormous help to me in writing A Scarlet Woman and A Suitable Wife) and many more, including my favourite TV series, films, music etc.

IF YOU WEREN’T AN AUTHOR, WHAT WOULD YOU BE UP TO?

Something involving historical research. I love research! I’m a research nerd!

IT’S THE LAST DAY AND THE EARTH IS FACING OBLIVION – WHAT BOOK WOULD YOU READ?

If the earth is facing imminent oblivion, I don’t think I would be reading! I would be saying goodbye to family and friends instead. But if I was stuck on a desert island, my books of choice would be Sharon Penman’s Welsh Princes Trilogy – Here Be Dragons, Falls The Shadow and The Reckoning. I was brought up in North Wales so I’ve either been to or know of the places mentioned in the novels.

Quick Facts

Favourite Authors: Sharon Penman, Phil Rickman, C.J. Sansom, Thomas Hardy

Favourite Books: Here Be Dragons/Falls The Shadow/The Reckoning by Sharon Penman, Star of the Sea by Joseph O’Connor, Sovereign by C.J. Sansom, Daughter of Lir by Diana Norman

Favourite Films: Hitchcock’s Rebecca and The 39 Steps, Last of the Mohicans, Lawrence of Arabia

Favourite TV Programmes: State of Play, Ripper Street, Six Feet Under, Blackadder, Robin of Sherwood

Favourite Colours: Purple, Green, Deep Red – anything bold and not wishy-washy!

Favourite Animals/Birds: Chickens and guinea fowl (I keep four chickens – three hens and a cockerel – I also have two guinea hens). I love dogs, too. I haven’t owned one for a long time, but I hope to again one day.

Favourite Food: Pasta or most Italian foods – I prefer savoury to sweet!

Favourite Way to spend a Saturday Night: Pizza and Scandi-noir on BBC4!

Libraries

**The paperback edition of A Scarlet Woman: The Fitzgeralds of Dublin Book One is available to borrow at Colchester Library in Essex, UK and at Wivenhoe Library in Essex, UK. Just enter my name into the Essex Libraries online catalogue to reserve it. A Scarlet Woman is also available to borrow at Killarney Library and Kenmare Library – both in Co Kerry, Ireland.**

**The paperback edition of A Suitable Wife: The Fitzgeralds of Dublin Book Two is available to borrow at Mohill Library, Drumshanbo Library, Carrick-on-Shannon Library and Ballinamore Library – all in Co Leitrim, Ireland. A Suitable Wife is also available to borrow at Killarney Library and Kenmare Library – both in Co Kerry, Ireland.**

**The paperback edition of A Summer of Secrets is available to borrow at Donegal Central Library in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, Ireland. A Summer of Secrets is also available to borrow at** Raphoe Branch Library in Co Donegal, Ireland and is also available to borrow at Manorhamilton Branch Library in Co Leitrim, Ireland and Dromahair Branch Library in Co Leitrim, Ireland. A Summer of Secrets is also available to borrow at Kenmare Library and Tralee Library – both in Co Kerry, Ireland.

**The paperback edition of Brotherly Love is available to borrow at Colchester Library in Essex, UK. Just enter my name into the Essex Libraries** online catalogue to reserve it. Brotherly Love is also available to borrow at Ballinamore Library, Co Leitrim, Ireland and at Mohill Library, Co Leitrim, Ireland. Brotherly Love is also available to borrow at Killarney Library and Kenmare Library – both in Co Kerry, Ireland – and at Sligo Central Library in Sligo, Ireland.

The paperback edition of New Blood (now republished as A Summer of Secrets) is available to borrow at Colchester Library in Essex, UK. Just enter my name into the Essex Libraries online catalogue **to reserve it. New Blood is also available to borrow at Sligo Central Library in Sligo, Ireland.**

Libraries Ireland is a shared library management system which allows anyone with a public library card borrow and reserve items from any public library in the Republic of Ireland. All 30 library authorities are part of the service – you can see the full list on this page. Search the Libraries Ireland online catalogue.

My books can be suggested or requested for purchase for your local library via the library’s website, usually in the catalogue section, or contact your library directly. The details required for libraries to purchase and stock my paperback books are:

Title: A Scarlet Woman: The Fitzgeralds of Dublin Book One
Author: Lorna Peel
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 9781547079698

Title: A Suitable Wife: The Fitzgeralds of Dublin Book Two
Author: Lorna Peel
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 9781723286810

Title: Brotherly Love
Author: Lorna Peel
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 9781541002692

Title: A Summer of Secrets
Author: Lorna Peel
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 9781986599504

Title: Only You
Author: Lorna Peel
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN: 9781094641393