On the heels of her captivating debut, The Tea House on Mulberry Street, comes Ireland's bestselling author Sharon Owens' new novel of passion, romance, and regret—and the winding paths to falling in love.
Johnny "Hollywood" Hogan owns the ballroom on Magnolia Street, where sisters Kate and Shirley Winters, along with other regulars, go every Saturday night to escape the realities of Belfast life and to seek fun and romance.
Free-spirited Shirley has a mad crush on a boy named Declan Greenwood, while thoroughly modern Kate likes plenty of variety in her wardrobe (and her love life) and is determined to get married before her younger sister. She'll take anyone who'll have her, even if it has to be that greasy—though not entirely unattractive—mechanic who has been hanging around lately. The crowd at Hogan's is always lively, but that doesn't mean all problems have been left at the door. Johnny's grandparents are afraid that he'll retire and shut the ballroom down. Johnny yearns for Marion, his old love (and Declan's mother), while Marion starts to worry that her long-held secret will finally be revealed.
But it doesn't take long for all of the ballroom's patrons to discover that, even without velvet-lined balconies and crystal chandeliers, the magic of the twinkling lights and soft music will help them find just what they're looking for—whether it be family, friendship, or even true love.
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"Very sweet book with a really nice wee story. Absolutely a delight to pick up a book set in Northern Ireland in the 80's that isn't all doom and gloom and centered on the troubles. Having grown up in Northern Ireland at this time, it felt real and honest and captured the time and the people here well and I really enjoyed it!"
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Nicola (4 out of 5 stars)