The Star and the Shamrock

By: Jean Grainger

Narrated by: Siobhan Waring

Ariella Bannon has no choice: she must put her precious children, Liesl and Erich, on that train or allow them to become prey for the Nazis.

Berlin 1939.

When her husband doesn’t come home one day, Ariella realises that the only way she can ensure her Jewish children’s safety is to avail of the Kindertransport, but can she bear to let them go?

A thousand miles away, Elizabeth Klein has closed herself off from the world. Losing her husband on the last day of the Great War, and her child months later, she cannot, will not, love again. It hurts too much.

But she is all Liesl and Erich Bannon have.

Thrown together in the wild countryside of Northern Ireland, Elizabeth and the Bannon children discover that life in the country is anything but tranquil. Danger and intrigue lurk everywhere, and some people are not what they seem.

From the streets of wartime Berlin, to the bombed out city of Liverpool, and finally resting in the lush valleys of the Ards Penisula, The Star and The Shamrock from USA Today bestselling author Jean Grainger, is utterly binge-worthy.

©2019 Jean Grainger (P)2023 Jean Grainger

Fantastic narrator!

I’ve come to realize that the reader makes a great difference & Ms Waring is wonderful. She used appropriate different voices/accents that seemed natural and not forced and was quietly expressive. Thank you!
I also liked the much less-common perspective of the war this story offered. Characters were developed, sidelines were meaningful and the story was believable while reminding us of the good people in the world.

The whole series

I absolutely loved this series. The story was told in such an excellent manor and the narrator was marvelous. I recommend it to all. Not only a great story but I learned so much about such a dark time. 11 million people died. That’s the population of Ohio! Heartbreaking but a story that needs to stay alive. One evil man created hell on earth. It can happen again.

Wonderful!!

I have read or listened to many books during WWII era and this is the first from Ireland. I loved the characters and the story. There were many layers which I loved also. I enjoyed the narrator’s voice, well done!

Great book

I learned a whole lot with this book. I had no idea Ireland was as involved in WWII. I loved the characters. They are well developed.

Great story

Somewhat predictable in plot but a solid story- the narrator did an amazing job of bringing the characters to life!

THE KINDERTRANSPORT AND IRELAND

Wonderful to see how welcoming were the Irish in the midst of there own painful struggles.

Great writer

Well written and narrated Author developed the characters beautifully cant wait to read the sequel

Heartbreaking beautiful

I have been drawn to WWII stories recently. From Rome to Poland and now to Ireland. Jean Grainger has told a wonderful story of love and faith as she tells of the Kindertransport and two lost souls having to start a new life away from their own parents and home. From the refugee farm to Belfast, this is a wonderful story with lovely narration. This is a scary time to be reading about a horrible bully in Hitler while we watch Putin trying to do the same to Ukraine. May the end be the same as before.

A must for listening...

I enjoyed the story very much,. Ever since going to Ireland a little over a year ago I have been listening to Irish stories. Before this audible I listened to the authors Robinswood series, which I hated for it to end. I 'm sure I will feel the same when this series ends as well. Thank you Jean for being such a gifted story teller. My grandfather was from Cork!!

Already purchased the sequel

This book caught my attention and kept it to the very end. I enjoy reading about this time period from different perspectives. I had not read one set in Ireland. Many people endured so much during WWII. Let us never forget.