The Crows of Beara

by Julie Christine Johnson

Along the windswept coast of Ireland, a woman discovers the landscape of her own heart
When Annie Crowe travels from Seattle to a small Irish village to promote a new copper mine, her public relations career is hanging in the balance. Struggling to overcome her troubled past and a failing marriage, Annie is eager for a chance to rebuild her life. Yet when she arrives on the remote Beara Peninsula, Annie learns that the mine would encroach on the nesting ground of an endangered bird, the Red-billed Chough, and many in the community are fiercely protective of this wild place. Among them is Daniel Savage, a local artist battling demons of his own, who has been recruited to help block the mine.
Despite their differences, Annie and Daniel find themselves drawn toward each other, and, inexplicably, they begin to hear the same voice-a strange, distant whisper of Gaelic, like sorrow blowing in the wind.
Guided by ancient mythology and challenged by modern problems, Annie must confront the half-truths she has been sent to spread and the lies she has been telling herself. Most of all, she must open her heart to the healing power of this rugged land and its people.
Beautifully crafted with environmental themes, a lyrical Irish setting, and a touch of magical realism, The Crows of Beara is a breathtaking novel of how the nature of place encompasses everything that we are.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Ireland, Romance, Magical Realism, Travel, Womens Fiction

334 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2017

About the author

Julie Christine Johnson is an award-winning novelist and short story writer. Her debut, In Another Life, a timeslip fantasy inspired by the 13th-century Cathar Crusade, was honored as 2016’s Foreword Indies Book of the Year (Fantasy). Her follow-up, The Crows of Beara, set against the rugged coastline of southwest Ireland, was recognized as a finalist for The Siskiyou Prize for New Environmental Literature. Currently, Julie is preparing for the April 2027 release of Upside-Down Girl, a contemporary drama set in New Zealand that explores the universal longing for community and belonging.

A former international education administrator and wine buyer who has lived on four continents, Julie blends lyrical storytelling with deep explorations of identity, place, and the natural world. Her fiction follows characters on transformative journeys, searching for belonging across landscapes both inner and wild.

When not writing, Julie hikes the misty forests of the Olympic Peninsula, practices yoga, works as a non-profit finance administrator, and continues to find inspiration in the quiet magic of home.

Reviews

[Jaidee (moving into a winter of nonfiction) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 "healing, spiritual, fragile" stars !!

10th Favorite Read of 2019 Award (tie)

In essence this is a book of romance, finding personal serenity and connecting to the authentic in nature, in other and in self. Julie Johnson writes this book from a place of deep compassion for not only our fellow humans but our environment and the many beautiful creatures that we share our earth with whether they be domestic or wild. Her prose is careful, vibrant and often deeply moving. She takes the reader by the hand and transports them to the Beara peninsula in Ireland and to a life that is smaller and quieter and yet so full of love for community and the sacredness of land and historical tradition.

I do not want to say much more but rather urge you to pick this book up and allow this gentle book about healing hurts, recovery and finding your soul partner infiltrate your daily life. While reading this book I tickled my cat more, hugged my sister longer and kissed my lover more deeply. I appreciated our lake, our cottage and the splendor of our cool Ontario spring.

Thank you Julie for creating this romance of spirit of a very high and emotional calibre. I am so very moved.

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!!!!
I was crying by 13%...
If you can stay with me- I’ll try to explain.
I was already in a sensitive mood, before I stated this. I’m trying to solve some problems that I’m failing at... and the hate crimes in the news right now - along with having just finished “The Street Sweeper”, were all pulling on my emotions.

An ‘agony- shadow’ keeps following me everywhere, lately.

Yet the first day I started this book...stopping at only 10%, because life was calling me...
I was sooo happy/ and excited because I was feeling the ‘feelings’ from the first sentence of “The Crows of Beara”......a perfect curl-up under my blanket type book... cozy - private - intimate - already caring deeply about the characters.
It was ‘the characters’ and their personal demons that had me become fully interested in an environmental issue in Ireland. I was soooo interested in the characters lives - that no matter WHAT they were passionate about - I became passionate.

I put the book down at 13%...
went to my bed....to let go... I took that cry that I had been suppressing for days.

THIS BOOK IS SO MUCH MORE than I expected.

I already knew that Julie was a beautiful lyrical writer. I had read her first - outstanding -complex -ambitious historical fiction novel.... combined with reincarnation and mysticism in “In Another Life”, a few years ago. A great book - but - very different from this book.
Emotionally... this book was deeper for me.
Julie’s luscious descriptions are in this novel too - but a little less actually....
I enjoy her visual sentences - of the beach, sounds of waves against rocks- flowers in bloom- smells and chills of the air - I love her talent this way...
with the way she uses words to experience natural surroundings - I sincerely get in touch with the beauty that’s all around us by many of her sentences....
- but it’s the gut- humanity of her characters which will stay with me most.
I wanted to be friends with
Annie Crowe - Daniel Savage and a few others in their tribe.

So why did I cry? Have you ever re-played an event- a tragedy- a past memory of the choice you made - the place you were ( but might have been somewhere else?)... over and over again...
wishing things had gone differently???
Well... me too!!!!

Our female protagonist, Annie -had that experience too!!!!
Plus — it wasn’t exactly as though the rest of her life was smooth sailing either.... not at this moment in her life anyway.

Here’s what happened for Annie.... [*SMALL* SPOILER coming - but not in the context of the bulk of the main issues at hand].
I cried for all of us who have hurt - for those things we can’t change - and even for those things we try to change and struggle over and over again.

It might sound small- but I got it... the permanent ‘grief scar’ - that Annie would always live with.....
I knew just the mention of the movie ‘The Godfather’
... for the rest of her life, no matter where she traveled to...
would always have a sad association.
We all have similar re-call moments that have nothing to do with the present moment... but take us to a private -primal - sad place.

Here’s the excerpt ( only 13% into the story)...so remember there is MUCH MORE STORY to go -
This is a side-dish-moment.... but I like side dishes.

“How many ways had Annie replayed that night?
She’d imagine the feel of the vibrating phone in her back pocket— she’d been only blocks away from Ryan, watching Beth Orton
perform at the Triple Door—and she’d see herself answering the phone. They’d meet up at her favorite Thai place on Pike,
And she’d harass him about interrupting her evening, when in reality nothing could make her happier than to hang out with her little brother, who’s lanky
six-foot-five frame towered over her. She’d take him home, where Stephen would make late-night buckwheat pancakes and they’d all fall asleep on the sofa, watching ‘The Godfather’.”

They never got to have that evening - no buckwheat pancakes and no sleepy ‘Godfather’ movie on the couch.
I cried! ... but don’t want to share many details about this story.
I went into this book COMPLETELY blind!!!! I’d suggest others do the same. It’s a lovely book to trust.

Knowing absolutely nothing - zilch - nothin - about a book before hand.... is ‘Ecstasy-Reading’ - when it works, as it did with this novel.

Should I say more???
Hm??
Well - it starts with Annie Seattle.
She goes to Ireland - ( for her job - public relations-promoting for a new copper mind)
She visits a small Irish village in Southwest Ireland,
“The Beara Peninsula”....
AND WOW... what a place!
It’s not only visually luscious...but it’s the type of place one might discover their purpose & power and feel aligned with the universe in the way ‘at home’ feels with oneself.

What Annie soon discovers is the copper mind would encroach on the nesting ground of an endangered bird - the Red-Billed Chough, and threaten the local community.
There are two sides of an issue to examine - environmental dangers vs. the economic values. It was easy to see many points of view.

Daniel is a local.... an artist who makes sculptures out of copper. He has a past that needs healing as much as Annie.

Julie gives us deeply sympathetic characters....compelling and real. We not only care about them but we want to heal them.

Love, Irish mythology, nature, environmental issues to ponder - wonderful storytelling- hope and healing is illuminated by the warmth and beauty of Julie’s prose.
The satisfying ending brought tears to me again.
LOVED IT!!!

Note: The Authors notes are really moving too!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darlings, this is my novel. Second novel. It's really happening. Oh my goodness. September 2017. Cannot wait to share with everyone!

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple romance doesn't have my interest as such, but the love for Ireland came through and that I love (and share). The beautiful poem by Padraig Pearse woven in with a bit of mysticism made it a worthwhile read.

[L.G. Cullens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Likely, this book is a worthy enough read for those that are attracted to romance novels, one with an addiction motif to add the requisite complications, and expressive setting detail. To me though, it is drawn out, and employs a disappointingly weak eco-lit premise. I guess I was expecting too much.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A love story of people and of place (Ireland) woven together with an engaging lyricism.

[Barbara White · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful, powerful book that reminded me of one of my favorite movies, LOCAL HERO, but with a darker, more compelling edge. I read this novel in one sitting, captivated by the song of the rugged Irish setting, the lure of two tortured souls trying to rebuild their lives after tragedy and addiction, the undercurrents of resilience and hope. I cannot rave enough about this poetic, slightly mystical tale of second chances and the importance of listening to your heart. An outstanding read on many levels.

[Heather Cobham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I read it in 3 days and was pulled in by both the story and the setting. I enjoyed the integration of celtic folklore and a touch of magical realism. The characters were well developed, with strengths and personalities that I connected with and flaws that made them feel real. Will be reading more from this author!!

[DJ Sakata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite Quotes:

Her self-respect was like a broken plate badly glued and in use again.

In one moment, the façade torn down. It was like being outed as a spy by another agent. A relief. At last she could drop the pretense and slip into a familiar language. “How long have you been sober?”

An old woman beamed up at her. She was like a wren, tiny and round with spindly limbs, bundled in soft browns. Annie could see her pink scalp, mottled with age spots, through the fleecy curls wound tightly against her head. She wanted to scoop up this tiny creature and tuck her into a pocket.

I keep hoping the last time I see you will be the last time I see you.


My Review:

I regret never visiting Ireland and felt the pull to renew my passport and consider traveling again after reading Ms. Johnson’s lush observations and emotive descriptions of the countryside and people. While Ireland played a major role in this story, it was ultimately a character-driven novel featuring two recovering addicts who had lived a world apart yet shared several similar experiences. Daniel was an Irish artist who had a painful past that had landed him in prison.
Annie had experienced a bad decade and had spiraled into full addiction after a tsunami of traumatic events. Recently out of rehab - her marriage was over due to her infidelity, and her employment was hanging by a thread with the last chance assignment of a large PR project in Ireland, which presented several questionable complications and environmental issues that left her deeply conflicted. Annie was a hot mess and had built her own pyramid of poor choices and knew she was stepping into another one by working for a mining company whose plans would most likely devastate the Irish countryside and decimate the habitat of nearly extinct species of crows. I wanted to give Annie several pops to the head with my Kindle as I made my way through this incrementally slowly developing yet interesting and somewhat mystical tale. I held my breath Annie was going to go off the rails and do further damage to herself and the sweet Irish community she was visiting. Annie was as frustrated with herself and her job as I was with her. She wanted to do the right thing but kept vacillating as to what that would be or how to go about it. I had already given up on her in despair by the time she had finally figured that out, although the ending brought a contented smile back to my face.

[Bianca Bowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

When one of your best-loved Authors writes about your most-treasured bird and publishes with an independent vegan publisher of ecofiction, it is impossible for this reader to curb her enthusiasm.
“Two small crows reach with red feet and alight on the Hag. They dance along her spine with measured, delicate steps to the music of instinct.”
This lyrical excerpt from The Crows of Beara, Julie Christine Johnson’s second novel, epitomises the irresistible language that drew me to Johnson’s Chalk the Sun Blog, her award-winning short stories, and her debut novel, In Another Life.
The protagonist, Annie Crowe, is a recovering alcoholic whose marriage and job has skidded beyond the boundaries of unconditional forgiveness and second chances. But, unlike her husband, who expresses the “end of his solidarity” by throwing a beer bottle at her head, Annie’s boss acquiesces to a final gamble in which she authorises Annie to spearhead a PR campaign for a mining conglomerate in Ireland. Annie views the opportunity as a life-line and resolves to maintain her sobriety and glue her shredded credibility back together.
While Annie prepares for her trip to Ireland we learn the sources of her alcoholism: a drunk driving accident in which her brother dies and her inebriated mother survives; and a leg injury that ends Annie’s running career. Meanwhile, in Ireland, we meet Daniel, a local artist. We sense from the outset that Daniel is a likely love interest for Annie, until we learn about a conflict—Daniel, also a recovering alcoholic, is an ex-con. After driving drunk and colliding with a family of four, the youngest child dies in hospital and Daniel is sentenced to 5 years imprisonment for vehicular manslaughter.
On the day of Annie’s arrival in Beara she hears a woman’s voice whisper “Mór mo phian”—a phrase she can’t translate, but which nonetheless resonates with a part of herself that she previously numbed with alcoholism. On hearing the refrain, Annie glimpses Daniel—a clear signal to the reader that fate will connect them. A signal that is reinforced when Daniel hears the same voice whisper “Mór mo bhrón” (“Great my sorrow”) as Annie crosses the street. This mysterious voice creates an invisible thread between Annie and Daniel, which continues to draw them together as the story unfolds.
At this stage Annie is oblivious to the Beara Hag Legend, and the vulnerable environmental status of the Red-billed Chough, but she soon learns about double dealings designed to create an uneven playing field between her client and the locals. As a result, Annie’s task to marry environmental with business interests for her mining client proves to challenge her conscience from the outset.
The more we learn about Annie’s interior world, the more her fate seems intertwined with the crows of Beara. Just like their environmental status depends on Daniel’s intervention, so too is Annie’s future wellbeing dependent on her interaction with Daniel and time spent on Beara. When staring at the Atlantic Ocean, Annie is “overcome by an emotion she [can’t] name, some mixture of transcendent joy and raw sorrow.” When discussing the crows, Daniel describes “Nature as a cultural artifact”, a statement that sticks in Annie’s thoughts, like a yellow post-it, for the length of her ten day stay. At one point Annie tells Daniel: “I’ve stepped into something bigger than me…I don’t know what I’m doing here.” But Daniel knows…
Before Annie learns that Daniel is an artist, she connects to his work — a sculpture that “glowed with the light of setting suns and rising moons.” In this moment, Daniel recognises a quality in Annie that she is not yet aware of: “[he] knew he’d connected with an artist [and] recognized a different kind of need, a hunger to enter a different kind of world.” For Daniel, the crows represent “what coming back from nothingness might feel like, how quickly freedom could be lost and what it cost to be granted a second chance.” This incredible perception extends to his affinity with Annie, in which he recognises that Beara, the crows, and his own experience of healing through his art, hold the power to unlock Annie’s “coming back from nothingness.”
This poetry between souls falls out of rhythm when Annie learns about Daniel’s past. But, where human’s falter to connect, the Beara Hag legend, combined with the Red-billed Choughs’s plight, bridge the gap. Once Annie pieces the copper mine puzzle together, confronts her personal value judgement about Daniel, and learns that the presence of the Hag is “seeking out those in need of her wisdom and lifting them to grace”, she puts her job at risk and helps the locals thwart the mine. Eighteen months later, Annie leads a group of photographers where the “precious crows swoop and chirp” and recites the Beara Hag Poem that is etched into the landscape of her soul.
It is clear to see why Ashland Creek published Johnson’s novel, for it perfectly aligns with their motto: “We are passionate about books that foster an appreciation for worlds outside our own, for nature and the animal kingdom, and for the ways in which we all connect.”

[Zan Marie Steadham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetry and magic pervade this amazing romance. If you've ever found a home place, you'll understand. Get this one now!

[Laurie • The Baking Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS - The Crows of Beara is a romantic tale of two lost souls set in the beauty of Ireland. With Johnson's vivid descriptions of the Emerald Isle, readers can easily picture the cliffs, the small town feel and imagine the brogue of the residents as they sit down for a pint of Guiness in the local pub.

This is very much a character driven novel with the story focusing around Annie and Daniel - two damaged and flawed characters who have lived through much and lost even more. They were a likable pair but my favourite leading lady was Ireland, with her beauty, culture, folklore and people. Similar to Johnson's first book, In Another Life, there is a mystical element and I felt it blended well with the setting and vibrant Irish culture.

The Crows of Beara is a slower moving, quiet tale. It didn't have shocking twists in its plot and had less conflict than I was expecting but it kept my interest and I easily rooted for Annie and Daniel. I also applaud the author for making an important social message part of her story.

Overall, this is a well-written story about battling your demons in order to find your true self. It will leave you wistfully hoping that you'll be able to experience Ireland and all her beauty soon yourself.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to author Julie Christine Johnson for providing me with a complimentary copy of her second book in exchange for my honest review.

[Jenny Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE CROWS OF BEARA centers on two places close to my heart—Seattle and Ireland—and so I was perhaps predisposed to sink happily into its current. But you don’t have to love rain or Guinness or wild, windswept coasts to be seduced by the delicate intermingling of Irish mythology, environmentalism, and love that are entangled at the heart of this novel. BEARA’s romantic storyline feels to me purer and more straightforward than that of IN ANOTHER LIFE, Johnson’s first novel, and I’d argue more sensual (sure, wine is one thing…but this guy is a SCULPTOR—does it get any sexier?). It’s perhaps more satisfying, too; the juxtaposition with darker, harder truths of grief and addiction create a rich and reflective resonance. It’s evident that Johnson has a generous heart and that beneath her lyrical writing is a scaffold of genuine feeling. From France to Ireland, across centuries and oceans...where will this author take us next?

Note: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Leslie Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julie Johnson captures in words the images of Seattle and Ireland - so much so that I feel like I've gone back to those places. Her characters are very human and capture your attention. She artfully paints a picture of the challenges of real life and brings the characters to life in a believable way. Having spent time in Ireland, Scotland, and Northwest England the imagery and picturesque descriptions of the countryside ring clear. She also brings current events into a story, making a commentary about social issues. But her addressing these issues does not detract from the story itself.

I can't wait to read her next offering to add to my collection. The follow-up to "In Another Life" does not disappoint and I know the next book will be a great read.

[Sarah McMahon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Like with this author's other novels, I was quickly pulled into the setting of the story, this time peaceful Ireland. I felt inspired by the main character and feminist storyline, and I look forward to sharing this book with other strong women in my life.
This story was ideal for brief reading here and there-- 5 minutes in the work day or on my train ride home, when I needed to let my mind run for a few. The storyline is deep, with more and more uncovered as you go, but still recognizable enough that I never felt lost. I would love to see this reformatted as a screenplay. Highly highly recommend.

[Shelley Gingrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stayed awake until 3 a.m. because I could not put this book down. I was so deeply involved in the lives of Annie and Daniel that I had to be certain they made the right choices. In this novel the reader encounters addiction, tragedy, ancient tales that still ring true, environmental concerns vs. economical concerns, the wild and wondrous landscapes of Ireland, love, lust and corruption. But what spoke most deeply to this reader's heart was the reminder that broken things can often become breathtakingly beautiful.

[Anna Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Loved that Julie Christine Johnson carried us to the gorgeous Irish landscape and captured its moods, magic and nuances with her precise and passionate language. Loved that she dared to push against such extraordinary beauty with the darker aspects of grief, addiction and environmental exploitation. Made the story as real and wild as Ireland itself. I will recommend this Crows of Beara to all who walk into my bookstore.

[Susan Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

All too short...

I tried to make the book last longer so that I could stay in Ireland a bit longer. It pulled at my heart strings numerous times. A beautiful story, Julie!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you know as soon as you start a book that you’re in safe hands with an author. The Crows of Beara by Julie Christine Johnson gave me that feeling right from the opening pages.

The story is told from the points of view of Annie and Daniel. This gives the reader insight into their thoughts – often at odds with what they actually say to each other – and their misunderstanding of each other’s motives and feelings. Annie and Daniel are both damaged: through personal history of addiction, guilt at past actions and fear of causing harm to those around them. Somehow they recognise this vulnerability in each other at some subconscious level or perhaps, the book suggests, because fate means for them to be together. Their past experiences are similarly traumatic but, rather than bringing them together, they threaten to drive them apart. And yet, they both need something to fill the vacuum left by their addiction.

To some extent, Daniel has found this through art and the landscape of the Beara peninsula. As his sister, Fiana, tells him, “You are an example of what this land can do – heal and strengthen”. Even Daniel’s art is a metaphor for his recovery because he works with reclaimed copper, making beautiful objects out of something discarded: ‘Now he was a found thing, remade by regret and grief’.

Annie is still searching for that something which will fill the ‘cavern’ left by her addiction, about which the author writes sensitively and with insight. ‘The Addict who huddled inside her was in fact a deep, abiding loneliness. An ache for companionship. A fear of the quiet. Shame.’ Guided by a mysterious voice that seems to emanate from the very landscape itself, and by seemingly chance (or are they?) encounters with a number of women, Annie starts to come under the spell of Beara and glimpse a different, more hopeful future for herself.

‘She craved this. This blue-and-green peace, this sense of hovering above it all, never landing, never touching ground, never having to return to the Annie Who Was. She wanted to remain here, in the Annie Who Is. Without a past. Clean.’

Normally I would shy away from any magical realism aspect in a story but the mystical element really worked here. If there’s anywhere in the world where you might imagine hearing ancestral voices, surely it’s Ireland with its tortured history, wild landscape and tradition of poetry.

The book explores the dilemma facing the community: whether the economic benefits of the mine development outweigh the inevitable effect on the environment and their way of life. “Is saving the fragile ecosystem of Beara enough for families who are behind on their mortgages or can’t pay their kids’ tuition?” The threat to the nesting grounds of the rare Red-billed Chough becomes a tangible example of the environmental damage the mine development would cause and a rallying cry for the villagers’ campaign. For Danny, it seems to be a metaphor for his own life.

‘He’d seen how a creature could be brought back from extinction. He’d learned how to represent what coming back from nothingness might feel like, how quickly freedom could be lost and what it cost to be granted a second chance.’

For me, the plot involving the mine development eventually became secondary to the absorbing, compelling and sensitively portrayed story of the relationship between Annie and Daniel. The ending, with its message of hope, felt right but was perhaps played out a little too quickly.

I could go on pointing out wonderful things about this book but instead I’m just going to recommend you read it and find out for yourself.

I received a review copy courtesy of Sage’s Blog Tours in return for an honest review. (4.5 stars)

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more books I read about Ireland--especially the ones featuring remote locations and quaint villages--the more I want to travel there. The Crows of Beara made that urge all the stronger with its setting on the Beara Peninsula. It is described so well and with such appreciative detail by the author that I could picture the rugged and rocky coastline and verdant green hills in my mind. Annie is recently out of rehab (not much of a spoiler as we find out that information pretty quickly). Her alcoholism and her actions have made her job and marriage suffer and neither seems repairable. Wanting to escape her life in Seattle, she convinces her boss to give her a key project in Ireland spinning the building of a copper mine along the lush peninsula and promoting the jobs and income it will bring to the community to pave the way for the client to move forward. Annie hopes this opportunity will give her back her edge, but once she is back in Ireland and learns what the mine will do to the environment--especially the endangered Red-billed Chough that call the peninsula home, she begins to doubt her choices. Meanwhile she meets Daniel, a local hiking guide and metal sculptor who has his own past and mistakes to get beyond. Annie and Daniel are attracted to each other and they both hear a mystical, seemingly ancient Irish voice that calls to them. The voice seems to be related to the local legend of The Hag of Beara and it's the mystical realism portion of the book. The author has managed to weave the voice and the legend into the story in a way that fits the mood and setting and leans toward believability versus being too "woo-woo."

When I read the description of the book I wondered if all of the different aspects--the magical realism, the romance, the environmental issues, the battle over the mine, and overcoming bad choices and tragic pasts, would be too much for the 300-ish pages, but the writing is skillfully done and overall it all works together well. It also inspired me to go online to look and learn more about Beara and the Red-billed Chough. (Image from Wikipedia) Both Annie and Daniel are well-drawn characters and it is easy to wish the best for them. I did want to shake Annie several times, not for her past choices and mistakes, but for the ones she continued to make. For me the end of the book came a bit too quickly and I would have liked more information and resolution on a couple of the plot points, but I really enjoyed my time in Beara and didn't want to leave.

You can see my full review along with a recipe inspired by the book on my blog post here: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...

Note: A review copy of "The Crows of Beara" was provided to me by the author and the publisher via TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Charlotte Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never been to Ireland or Seattle yet I now feel like I have. Julie Christine Johnson made these places come alive to me while reading this book. I could picture the stunning mountains, the rolling hills, the small quaint town, and the beautiful water views. Even the language made Ireland come alive to me. I loved how in one part she actually explained how to pronounce words.

Onto the characters… Annie and Daniel, sigh. They are wonderful. I love how they both are struggling with being in the recovery program for alcoholism. While they are from different parts of the world it seems that they are soul mates. From the first minute they see each other, before the first words were spoken, the reader can feel the attraction, the sparks, and the pull between them. There was never any doubt that Annie and Daniel had to come together in some way. I love that they are on opposite sides of an environmental cause, the reason Annie has come to Beara.

There isn’t as much confrontation between the two sides of the mining as I expected when I picked up the book. I expected more drama, more conflict, and more struggling between the sides. While I felt this was to be the main point of the story I was surprised that it wasn’t. The main story was Annie finding herself, finding a place to call home, and being happy with herself.

I recommend picking up your own copy and losing yourself in the beauty and charm of Ireland with Daniel and Annie.

Thank you Julie Christine Johnson for a copy of your book in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has a way of drawing you into the characters almost from the opening sentence. If you haven’t experienced some of the raw emotions of Annie Crowe, you know someone who has. The ability to tell a story, that transports to you a different place or time, to place you with the characters in the story itself, is a gift that not all authors have. Julie can and does. You will find yourself on the windswept shores of Ireland, hiking the shoreline, feeling the ocean spray. Enjoy; you’re about to find yourself immersed in another land

[Leslie Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous landscapes intermingle with the moods, magic, and mysticism of southwest Ireland in this story of self-discovery and environmentalism.

Julie Christine Johnson has a gift for writing lush, glittery prose.Each and every word is literally dripping with spark. And her stories are as much self-discovery as they are armchair travel. Having been to both Ireland and France (where her first book, IN ANOTHER LIFE is set), I can attest to her vividly capturing both the 'feel' and setting of each place.

Annie Crowe is battling severe demons in her Seattle life: she's a recovering alcoholic, her marriage is in disrepair, and her job at a PR firm is hanging in the balance. In a sense, she's at a very brittle place in her life. Of course, there's an opportunity, however perilous to her mental health to travel to Ireland with work on an environmental mission of sorts.

When she arrives to the Beara Peninsula, Annie learns the copper mine which she is advocating for encroaches on the endangered life of the red-billed Chough who makes its home (and nesting grounds) in the very place of the mine. Residents of the area are fiercely protective of that mine, including--(enter love interest)--Daniel Savage.

But Daniel, a visual artist, is struggling in multiple ways. He and Annie don't immediately see eye-to-eye about the mine, or much about anything...yet...there's something that continues drawing them together. This is that intangible aspect of Johnson's writing--and perhaps the mythical pull of Ireland--that is like a magnet connecting all pieces together in a breathtaking, lyrical journey of wholeness.

If I were to give a teensy-bit of criticism, it would be that *sometimes* the business discussions/town hall meetings about the bird and the mind got a little long-winded/technical, at least to me. I kind of felt that slowed the pace of the story.

Overall, a delicious blend of magical realism, travel, environmentalism, love/romance, and self-discovery.

For all my reviews, including author interviews, please see: www.leslielindsay.com
Special thanks to Ashland Creek Press and the author for this review copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. "The Crows of Beara" is the story of Annie and Daniel, two damaged souls brought together in Ireland on the Beara Peninsula, a gorgeous wilderness. They will be thrown together in ways that they cannot begin to imagine in the beginning and each of them will be called to define what recovery looks like to each of them. This book had great characters and a fantastic setting and made for a great read.

I am drawn to imperfect characters. They feel more real and they are certainly more interesting. In this book, we have two characters who are incredibly damaged. Both are addicts. Both have hurt their families and friends through their addictions. Both of them are seeking redemption and seeking how to make new lives for themselves. Even with having these issues in common, they deal with things very differently, which is part of the interest of this book.

I loved these characters! Annie is an alcoholic and is seeking to get back on her feet again. She knows recovery is important but she thinks there may be something to getting herself into a new environment and throwing herself into a huge work project: making a mining company look good in the beautiful setting of Beara. Daniel has spent time in jail for a crime he deeply regrets and he wrestles with the idea that he will never be able to make up for what he has done yet he still must go on and find a way to make a life with a major black mark on his name.

The other story in the book about Annie's project to improve the PR for a business who will majorly disrupt the ecosystem and beauty of the Beara Peninsula. This added a really interesting factor to the story. It's war between the business and the people of the small Irish village. Both feel strongly about what should be done with the land and what prospects their actions will have for the villagers. I loved seeing how this played out and the drama that this added to the book!

This is the kind of book that you get lost in. It's also the kind of book where you wonder about what became of the characters after the book is over, always a good sign!

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Crows of Beara was my favorite since I read The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah when it first came out. I rank Julie's book right up there with Kristin's book. The Crows of Beara drew me in from the very first page. I felt like I was a part of the story and right along side of each character. I could visualize every bit of the Ireland scenery. Julie's description was that detailed. As for the characters in the book I felt emotion with each word spoken. It's like I could hear them talk. The writing style of the storyline was so easy to follow from chapter to chapter. Never once was confusing. I never wanted the book to end but yet I did. The ending was just as I felt it should end. Did not make me feel hanging. What a phenomenal book! Looking forward to meeting the author at a book event later this month.

[David Cohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Lush and Gorgeous as the Irish Coast Itself

Why go off in search of invented magical lands? Julie Christine Johnson once again uses her unerring sense of place to immerse us in a beautiful and enchanted, yet very real world right here on earth. In irresistible, captivating language, Johnson brings to life the stark coastline of southwest Ireland and the people who have lived there for untold generations.

And into that world she brings Annie and Daniel, as beautiful and tragic as the land itself, and thrown onto opposite sides of a battle for the future of Beara. It's a deftly told tale, yes, but also an astute exploration of the difficult choices traditional communities face when trying to balance daily livelihoods against the preservation of their age-old heritage.

[Colleen Maclennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book of love: between two unlike but similar characters and the love of living in a small rural Irish community where nature and friends are still important. Escaping her addictive and haunting past a woman finds solace in a scenic Irish community. Living there she meets a man who is struggling with the same type of past. In a mystical way they bond and find a life together. Beautiful descriptions of this Irish coastline .

[Tyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I now want to travel to Ireland and visit the places that the author describes so well. Hopefully there will be a sequel as I want to know what happens to Daniel, Annie and the other characters

[Bridgett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book with its lush descriptions of the Irish landscape alongside a little touch of enchanting folklore weaved into the raw personal struggles of the characters. The deep passion that ties them together makes for a captivating read.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful story about being lost and then being found. How you sometimes have to have setback in order to find out where to go forward.