The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour
Dear Missing Friend by Susan McGuirk
Today I’m so excited to be highlighting Dear Missing Friend by Susan McGuirk, a 19th century American historical romance novel. I’ve included the book description and an excerpt below.
Book Description
Recommended for readers who enjoy An American Beauty by Shana Abé and When the World Fell Silent by Donna Jones Alward.
Three hearts. Lost love. One impossible choice.
A character-driven historical saga featuring the love triangle of a seaman, a governess and a wealthy speculator. Told through letters, the sweep of 19th century events like the gold rush, whaling voyages, and the streets of Manhattan unfold.
At the height of the 1840s whaling era, Catherine McGuirk arrives in Sag Harbor, New York. She has already spurned a marriage proposal from Patrick Lynch on her passage from Ireland and is confident she will find work as a governess, or at least a teacher. The local schoolmaster dismisses her with a smirk. Settling for hotel work has its upside when Cath meets a handsome seaman, Michael Heffernan. Just as she falls in love, he is off on a whaling voyage.
Spending her romance alone spurs Cath to continue her correspondence with Patrick. His ascent as a successful businessman in New York is swift, while Michael promises to give up the sea for marriage to Cath. Yet, when the Gold rush calls, he cannot resist.
A brokenhearted Cath moves to New York to revive her dream of becoming a governess. Once in Manhattan, she continues to be torn between her own ambition, her missing husband, and her former beau.
Praise for Dear Missing Friend:
"If you're into historical fiction with a strong emotional core, Dear Missing Friend is a genuinely compelling pick. It's the kind of book that stays with you—not because of grand plot twists, but because of the quiet, deeply human moments that shape Catherine's path."
~ The Gloss Book Club
"This captivating epistolary novel illustrates the hopes and hardships of 19th-century Irish immigrants starting over in America. The book is historically rich and emotionally riveting."
~ The Christian Science Monitor
"Fans of historical novels will find much to like in McGuirk's debut. An ambitious work of historical fiction."
~ Kirkus Review
Buy Link:
Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/4DLPMD
This title is available to read on #Kindle+.
Excerpt
This is excerpt number 2 on the blog tour. To read the other excerpts click the image below.
Chapter Four
1849–1851
Letter from Susie, in Gaelic
Tomasina Farm
Scuttle Hole Road
Bridgehampton, New York
March 2, 1849
Dear Cath,
I cannot say which is worse, my sadness I am losing you again or my fear for you in New York. I pray the grief in your heart fades. You are not yourself and are in no condition to go anywhere, especially to a crude and dangerous place. I cannot lessen your pain, as all mothers, deep inside, question whether they can survive what God has sent you. We are only human and have limits, but I know you. I cannot imagine you being defeated. If you say you must move to New York, I will not try to stop you. Part of me always knew you would not stay with me.
Our lives are moving in different directions. Your future is unknown, but I am a farmer’s wife, and will continue to be. I know what time to get up each day and go to sleep. My chores are laid out for me. This is the life I wanted, but one that would have made you unhappy. You are different not just from me, but from the girls we grew up with. Most of them probably became farmers’ wives, too. There is only one Cath. I understand you must be true to yourself.
I will do anything to help, but I still wish you would stay close. All my roving got used up crossing the sea to be with you. I would ask you to think again, Cath, but I know you, so I will not waste my breath.
Farewell, my dearest.
Your oldest friend,
Susie
Letter from Catherine, in Gaelic
Division Street
Sag Harbor, New York
April 16, 1849
Dear Susie,
I know what you are trying to do, and I thank you for the effort. I will go on, but you must accept me as I am now. Though I will always be your Cath, my soul belongs to a stranger named Catherine. My life must never be threatened again. To shield myself from that fate, I will do whatever is required. I will survive, but not like the girl you ran down the hill with. I must protect myself by banishing Michael from my future.
He left me to suffer death, grief, and despair alone. I cannot afford to be in that position again, as I would not endure it twice. You may think me harsh and unforgiving, but there is no choice. My life and prospects depend on it. I can never, for any reason, go back to those dreadful days.
It was bad enough that Michael was absent, but he did not know what happened and had no way of finding out. He made the choice to disappear from our life together, from me. I refuse to live with that choice. He left me, and now I am leaving him. I am not the little woman, the waiting wife, or the whaling widow. I am Catherine alone. It is no wonder if you do not understand, Susie. I only hope you can accept your friend as she is now.
Your oldest friend,
Cath
Letter from Susie, in Gaelic
Tomasina Farm
Scuttle Hole Road
Bridgehampton, New York
May 1, 1849
Dear Cath,
You may not remember all that happened, Cath, but I was there. We almost lost you, in body and mind. I am happy you returned to us, but I know you are different. You are my oldest friend and now sister through marriage, and I will always love and accept the woman you are. We were always different, and that has not changed. We each have our place in each other’s lives and hearts.
I always wanted to be like my friend Cath. You are a fighter, which is something I will never be. We have different natures, and neither of us can follow the path of the other. We would fail if we tried. I will stay where I am, at the spinning wheel, the laundry basket, the milking stool, and the cradle. I learned the story of your hero, Joan of Arc, in hedge school. You must take up the “Sword of Catherine” that she carried into battle. Only then will you take your proper name in full. Still, you will always be Cath to me.
Your oldest friend,
Susie
Author Bio
Susan McGuirk Author
Susan McGuirk posts about heroines of historical fiction books on her blog “The Storied Sisters Society” on Bluesky and Substack.
While working at HBO, she honed her writing skills composing hundreds of in-house film reviews. She also worked at Anthology Film Archives, a historical film museum.
Susan lives with her husband in New York City.
Author Links:
Website: https://susanmcguirk.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susan_mcguirk/
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@susan_mcguirk
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/susanmcguirk.bsky.social
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/susan-mcguirk
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Susan-McGuirk/author/B0GT8HCQT8
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/62168190.Susan_McGuirk