Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2020 For one family, it's always been a delicate balance between success and scandal. When a long-overdue obligation is called in ... scandal it is. Mrs. O'Brien never imagined it would come to this. Sure, she promised one of her offspring to God as an innocent newlywed, but that was before all of her children died but one, the one she was sure she'd have loved best. So when her iron-fisted grumpy nun of a sister demands she make good on her vow, the put-upon woman is determined to thwart the Church's claim. Mary-Kate O'Brien can't believe her ears. She may enjoy playing 20 Questions with the priest during confession, but becoming a nun doesn't promise nearly the same level of entertainment. So after discovering her dour, vindictive aunt is hell-bent on cloistering her, the clever girl sets in motion a mad scheme to escape her heavenly fate. With her only remaining child withdrawing in anger and her husband offering little more than mindless drivel, Mrs. O'Brien struggles to undo the consequences of her words. And as Mary-Kate wrestles with betrayal, she has no idea whom to trust in her quest to remain free of obligation. Can mother and daughter unite in time to slip past the long arm of Rome? West of Ireland is the laugh-out-loud first novel in The Picaresque Narratives humor series. If you like outrageous comedy, witty banter, and zany characters, then you'll love C.P. Hoff's rib-tickling tale. Buy West of Ireland for high-spirited fun today!