Recommended for readers who enjoy An American Beauty by Shana Abé and When the World Fell Silent by Donna Jones Alward.
A Little Introduction from The Wonky Bookshelf
If you enjoy historical fiction filled with love, longing and those impossible choices that have a habit of changing everything, then Dear Missing Friend by Susan McGuirk might be just the book for you. Set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century America, this story follows Catherine McGuirk, a young Irishwoman determined to make something of her life. But between a handsome seaman who cannot seem to resist the call of adventure and a successful businessman who has never quite let her go, Catherine finds herself caught between two very different futures. Told through letters, and taking readers from the whaling port of Sag Harbor to the bustling streets of Manhattan, this promises to be a fascinating story of love, ambition and the difficult decisions of the heart.
About the Book
Three hearts. Lost love. One impossible choice.
A character-driven historical saga featuring the love triangle of a seaman, a governess and a wealthy speculator. Told through letters, the sweep of 19th-century events like the gold rush, whaling voyages, and the streets of Manhattan unfold.
At the height of the 1840s whaling era, Catherine McGuirk arrives in Sag Harbor, New York. She has already spurned a marriage proposal from Patrick Lynch on her passage from Ireland and is confident she will find work as a governess, or at least a teacher. The local schoolmaster dismisses her with a smirk. Settling for hotel work has its upside when Cath meets a handsome seaman, Michael Heffernan. Just as she falls in love, he is off on a whaling voyage.
Spending her romance alone spurs Cath to continue her correspondence with Patrick. His ascent as a successful businessman in New York is swift, while Michael promises to give up the sea for marriage to Cath. Yet, when the gold rush calls, he cannot resist.
A brokenhearted Cath moves to New York to revive her dream of becoming a governess. Once in Manhattan, she continues to be torn between her own ambition, her missing husband, and her former beau.
Fancy Adding This One to Your Bookshelf?
If stories about strong-willed women, complicated relationships and the pursuit of a better life are your cup of tea, Dear Missing Friend certainly sounds worth exploring. And with its unusual storytelling through letters, there is something rather intriguing about discovering Catherine's life through the words exchanged between those who love her.
Discover Dear Missing Friend and find your copy here
📚 Also available to read with Kindle Unlimited!
Meet the Author: Susan McGuirk
Susan McGuirk posts about heroines of historical fiction books on her blog, The Storied Sisters Society, on Bluesky and Substack.
While working at HBO, she honed her writing skills composing hundreds of in-house film reviews. She also worked at Anthology Film Archives, a historical film museum.
Susan lives with her husband in New York City.
Connect with Susan
Website • Substack • Bluesky • Threads • Instagram
Amazon Author Page • BookBub • Goodreads
From The Wonky Bookshelf
There's something irresistible about a historical novel in which a woman is determined to follow her dreams, even when life, love and circumstances seem determined to get in her way. Catherine certainly has some difficult decisions ahead of her, and it will be interesting to discover where her heart eventually leads her.
Happy reading! 📚❤️
The Wonky Bookshelf
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