Lorna Peel Books In Order

Publication Order of The Fitzgeralds of Dublin Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Lorna Peel is a reputed British born Irish novelist, who is famous for writing romantic suspense and historical romance stories. She has written a few successful standalone novels and a popular book series known as The Fitzgeralds of Dublin novel series. Peel is known for setting her stories in the beautiful locations of Ireland and the United Kingdom. She was born in England and spent her earlier years growing up in North Wales. Peel’s family shifted to Ireland when she was very young and she has been living there since then. Staying in rural Ireland, she spends her time writing romance stories, researching about the history of her family, growing vegetables and fruits in her farm, and keeping guinea hens and chickens. Peel made her debut in the writing world with her 2014 contemporary romance novel called Only You. A year later, she wrote and published the novel called Into The Unknown. This historical romance book reached the top 20 best sellers on Amazon and helped author Peel to declare her arrival onto the scene of the historical romance genre.

The next year, Peel came up with another beautiful book called The Image of Her. This romantic suspense story described the search of a woman for her birth mother. A few months later, author Peel released another romantic suspense novel titled New Blood. Two years later, she published the book again under a new title of A Summer of Secrets. After this, she tried her hand at writing a historical romance story and came up with Brotherly Love, set in Ireland during the 1830s. In 2017, Peel started a new historical Romance series based on the Fitzgerald family set in Dublin, Ireland during the 1880s. The first two books of this series are very popular and successful among the fans of romance novels. Author Peel has finished writing the third novel and is expected to release it in 2019.

The critics often describe her novels as beautiful, gritty tales of love, trust, despair, etc. Her characters often look great in their portrayals and make the stories very enjoyable to read. Even author Peel’s fellow writers have said that her novels have believable romances in unusual settings. They are poignant and emotional from start to end. There is great depth in the primary as well as secondary characters shown in Peel’s books. Her novels are usually well written, well-researched, intriguing, fascinating, and well described. The readers easily get hooked to her style of storytelling and enjoy every bit of her novels. As a writer, Peel likes to explore the relationships that take time to develop. Very often, she sends her male and female lead characters on a journey of finding a happy ending. Peel’s interest in genealogy and history help her in developing interesting historical romances. And being of Dutch, German, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh descent also helps her cause to a great extent. This is the reason why she has always combined her romance stories with genealogy and/or history with a lot of suspenseful twists & turns.

Peel likes to mention that the biggest influences in her growth as a storyteller have been her teachers. It was mainly because of the discouraging teachers, who used to dislike her imaginative essays, that she became more and more stubborn to make her writing skills better. The authors that have always inspired her the most include Sharon Penman, Thomas Hardy, Phil Rickman, and C.J. Sansom. Peel likes to be alone whenever she is writing, and the nighttime is usually when she sits down to write something. It gives her immense pleasure when unknown people praise her after reading her stories. Peel believes that it makes all the hard work put in to develop a novel worthwhile. She considers promotion to be the worst part of being an author.

The debut book of The Fitzgerald of Dublin series written by author Lorna Peel is entitled ‘A Scarlet Woman’. It was released in 2017 and features the central characters as Will Fitzgerald and Isobel Stevens. The plot’s setting takes place in Dublin in 1880. The book begins by showing that Will Fitzgerald is a doctor working under the medical practice of his father. He becomes tired of treating the rich hypochondriacs and decides to leave the practice as well as his home located on Merrion Square. Will moves to the Liberties to practice there. This decision of Will is not appreciated by his parents and his fiance, who calls off their engagement. On the occasion of the wedding of one of his best friends, Will sleeps in a brothel for one night. There, he comes across a disgraced and scarred lady. Will has no idea that this woman is going to change his life’s course. The young woman, Isobel Stevens, belonged to a family of high status. But, she went on an unplanned and unexpected path of seduction and brought an end to all the hopes of her father for her. After getting disowned Isobel decides to move to Dublin and chooses to become a prostitute. When Will meets her, he advises her to leave this profession and do something else. Isobel takes his advice and starts working in the domestic service. She wonders if she can leave her past behind and adapt to a new life.

Another interesting book written in this series is called ‘A Suitable Wife’. It was published in 2018 and continues to feature Isobel Stevens and Will Fitzgerald in the lead roles. Once again, the setting is done in Dublin in 1881. This novel starts by showing Isobel and Will as a married couple. They move to Fitzwilliam Square with the hope of starting their family. Thinking that they are going to have a baby soon, Will decides to take over the medical practice on Merrion Street from his dad. He becomes happy to realize that he has secured his family financially. Shortly after, Will receives a letter written to him by his elder brother named Edward, who was serving in the military in India. The letter reveals certain facts about his family and makes Will very angry, resulting in distancing himself from his father. On the other hand, Isobel looks forward to adapting herself to her married life. She seems very eager to give birth to her first child. However, the worry of her troubled past does not let her live peacefully. She keeps thinking about the night she came across Will in the brothel and wonders what consequences it is going to have on the lives of the members of the Fitzgerald family. Isobel’s past life causes far-reaching and devastating consequences that go on to change the lives of everyone around her forever.