Matter of Class

Society said they shouldn't fall in love... It's 1828, and Ireland is in turmoil as Irish tenants protest against their upper-class English landlords. Nineteen-year-old Bridget Muldowney is thrilled to return to the estate in Carlow she'll inherit when she comes of age. But since she left for Dublin seven years earlier, the tomboy has become a refined young lady, engaged to be married to a dashing English gentleman. Cormac McGovern, now a stable hand on the estate, has missed his childhood friend. He and Bridget had once been thick as thieves, running wild around the countryside together. When Bridget and Cormac meet again their friendship begins to rekindle, but it's different now that they are adults. Bridget's overbearing mother, determined to enforce the employer-servant boundaries, conspires with Bridget's fiancé to keep the pair apart. With the odds stacked against them, can Bridget and Cormac's childhood attachment blossom into something more? A Class Apart is the first book in Susie Murphy's historical fiction series A Matter of Class. The story continues in the second book, A Class Entwined. Find out more at www.susiemurphywrites.com.

They never thought they'd see each other again... Trapped in a loveless marriage far from home, Bridget does what she can to fill her lonely days. She throws herself into charitable work, but her cherished daughter, Emily, is her only true source of happiness. Meanwhile, Cormac's own life unravels and he finds himself doing unspeakable things just to survive. Neither of them dream they will ever meet again, but fate brings them back together in the most unexpected of ways. Can Bridget rediscover her love for the man Cormac has become? And how will Cormac react when he learns Bridget's secret? A Class Entwined is the second book in Susie Murphy's historical fiction series A Matter of Class. The story continues in the third book, A Class Forsaken. Find out more at www.susiemurphywrites.com.

His past could destroy their future… Having escaped capture in London, Bridget and Cormac flee to Ireland with their daughter, Emily. Their homecoming is bittersweet as they embark upon the daunting task of searching for Cormac's family who have been missing for over seven years. Their journey takes them back to the familiar surroundings of the Oakleigh Estate in Carlow but their childhood home has become a different place to the one they remember. As they confront the consequences of Bridget's embittered mother's actions, they must also come to terms with an agonising choice between family and duty. And when Cormac's murky past catches up with him, endangering the ones he loves, will the threat be great enough to crush the hopeful future he and Bridget have envisioned together? A Class Forsaken is the third book in Susie Murphy's historical fiction series A Matter of Class. The story continues in the fourth book, A Class Coveted. Find out more at www.susiemurphywrites.com.

Their choices have shackled her dreams… It's 1836, and Bridget and Cormac have arrived, full of hope, to the city of Boston with their growing family. However, as they adjust to domestic life together for the first time, they face anti-Irish sentiment from the local Americans, as well as a threat to their happiness from a much closer source. Cormac undertakes the challenging search for his missing sister, Bronagh. He is determined to do all he can to put the broken pieces of his family back together, but the appalling truth he uncovers will shake him to his core. Meanwhile, as Emily grows up in this new country, she realises how her parents' past actions will affect her entire future and she begins to covet that which is no longer within her reach. When she receives an unexpected proposition, will she be able to resist its temptation, despite the untrustworthy nature of the person behind it? A Class Coveted is the fourth book in Susie Murphy's historical fiction series A Matter of Class. The story continues in the fifth book, A Class Reunited. Find out more at www.susiemurphywrites.com.

They'll do anything to protect their children… Having taken matters into her own hands, a triumphant Emily is travelling towards a brighter future. The only thorn in her side is her mulish companion, Rory, who insists upon aggravating her at every opportunity. She believes she has become mistress of her own destiny but a monumental betrayal dashes her hopes and leaves her in a highly precarious position. Back in Boston, the family she left behind are reeling from the impact of her rash actions. Faced with a difficult decision, they find themselves pulled in different directions. In the midst of fear and uncertainty, further peril befalls them, putting their sons at terrible risk too. How far will Cormac and Bridget go to save their children? And will their once-happy family ever be whole again? A Class Reunited is the fifth book in Susie Murphy's historical fiction series A Matter of Class. The story continues in the sixth book, A Class Inherited. Find out more at www.susiemurphywrites.com.

An extraordinary bequest alters their fate… In the winter of 1846, Cormac and Bridget receive two letters that will change their lives forever. Lord Bewley has died and left Bewley Hall to Cormac, while potato blight has struck the Oakleigh Estate, driving the tenants to appeal to Bridget for help. With their world turned upside down, they decide to leave America and cross the Atlantic to meet the challenges of their pressing responsibilities. As for their daughter Emily, she faces a choice of her own: will she go with her family or stay in America for her art...and for Rory? Heading towards new horizons, they must all strive to re-establish themselves while hampered by distrust and prejudice on multiple fronts. When separation once again plunges a member of the family into grave danger, will they be able to distinguish friend from foe? A Class Inherited is the sixth book in Susie Murphy's historical fiction series A Matter of Class. The story will continue in the seventh book, A Class Divided. Find out more at www.susiemurphywrites.com.

Freedom may be within their grasp… As the devastation of the potato blight continues, Cormac and Bridget grapple with their dual roles at Bewley Hall in England and Oakleigh Manor in Ireland. In their quest to alleviate the suffering of the Irish people, their charitable endeavours face both success and violence. Meanwhile, tensions mount within their own family when Cormac's nephew, Patrick, struggles with a shocking revelation. In the midst of his anguish, he lashes out, setting off a chain of events that will have far-reaching consequences. As the family navigate personal and collective challenges, can Cormac and Bridget guide them through the turmoil? And will they finally secure the freedom they've longed for? A Class Liberated is the seventh book in Susie Murphy's historical fiction series A Matter of Class. The story continues in the eighth book, A Class Divided. Find out more at www.susiemurphywrites.com.