Boon's Bookcase

Every Time a Bell Rings by Carmel Harrington

Guest review by Julie Williams

This emotionally charged story is not your run of the mill Christmas read so please don’t expect fun & laughter all the way. 

It is set in Dublin and inspired by the film It’s A Wonderful Life, which I must admit, I have not seen but it will be in my Christmas TV planner this year.

Every Time A Bell Rings tells the story of Belle, a foster child who finally gets her ‘forever home’ with Tess. Her relationship with Jim, another foster child who comes to stay with Tess, seems unbreakable but when he returns to his Mum they lose contact. Years later Jim returns to look for Belle and the bond they once shared is re kindled.

Belle and Jim are kind hearted characters and open their door to foster children of their own, offering them love, security and kindness.

This book like Carmel’s previous two has real depth and you will find yourself both laughing and crying. Carmel deals with fostering, homelessness. Mental health and the loss of a child in pregnancy with accuracy.

Thank God there are people in the world who open their hearts and doors to fostering. Hats off to you all.

Well done Carmel, all your research paid off. Every Time A Bell Rings is a truly beautiful Christmas read. A definite 5 star rating.

About the Author

Carmel always dreamed of being a writer, but as is often the way, life took her in another direction. That is, until four years ago when she quit her job as a Sales and Marketing Manager and began to write full time. Her first book, 'Beyond Grace's Rainbow' was originally self-published in August 2012. Grace's story quickly became a bestseller - fast forward 12 months and Carmel joined the prestigious HarperCollins publishing house, represented by Trace Literary Agency. Beyond Grace's Rainbow was voted Romantic eBook of 2013 and Kindle Book of Year 2013.

Her second novel 'The Life You Left', was published June 2013, was also an eBook bestseller and earned Carmel the nickname, 'Queen of Emotional Writing'. 

Her third novel, 'Every Time A Bell Rings', inspired by the beloved Christmas movie, It's A Wonderful Life, will be published on 15th October 2015, followed by 'The Road Back Home' in March 2016.

Carmel writes emotional family dramas and they share one common theme - strong characters who find themselves in extraordinary situations. She loves to dig deep and see how they cope, as they grapple with life-changing moments. 

Carmel is a regular on Irish TV as one of the panelists on TV3's Midday Show, as well as being interviewed on RTE1's Today Show, TV3's IrelandAM and TV3's The Morning Show. She has also been interviewed on US TV - Indiana's WNDU. A a regular guest on radio stations, including BBCRadio1 Ulster, RTERadio1, Newstalk, SouthEastRadio, Artyfacts and many more regional stations. A popular freelance writer, she has written features for The Irish Independent, The Daily Mail, The Evening Herald & Woman's Way and USA's acclaimed online blog, Mothering In The Middle. Carmel is also a motivational keynote speaker and has given talks at events in Ireland, UK and US. 

Living with her husband Roger and young children Amelia and Nate in a small coastal village in Wexford, she credits the idyllic setting as a constant source of inspiration.

Follow Carmel on Twitter @HappyMrsH, or become friends with Carmel on Facebook/happymrsh. For more information on Carmel's books see www.carmelharrington.com

Thank you so much Julie for reviewing this book - it is definitely on my Christmas to be read pile for this season!!