The Girls on Rose Hill

The Girls on Rose Hill is a multi-generational women’s fiction novel set on Long Island’s North Shore. The story explores family secrets, betrayal, motherhood, Irish-American identity, and the emotional bonds between three generations of women.If you enjoy Alice McDermott's exploration of the Irish diaspora, you will love The Girls on Rose Hill.

• Kristin Hannah
• Elin Hilderbrand
• Alice McDermott
• family saga novels
• emotionally layered women’s fiction
• Long Island settings
• mother-daughter relationship stories
• book club fiction

• family loyalty
• generational secrets
• grief and forgiveness
• Irish-American heritage
• women redefining themselves
• marriage and betrayal

THREE GENERATIONS OF WOMEN; THREE GENERATIONS OF SECRETS

Ellen Murphy spent her childhood in an idyllic house by the sea. A house surrounded by flower filled gardens and a white picket fence. A house she fled at eighteen. A house full of secrets. When Ellen’s mother Rose, an ex-nun, is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Ellen reluctantly returns home to care for her and uncovers a clue to the one secret that has haunted Ellen all her life: the identity of her father. But that is just one of the many secrets hidden behind the beautiful facade of the house on Rose Hill.

"The Girls on Rose Hill is a beautifully written story about the complicated relationship between three generations of women. It will touch you, make you laugh, and make you cry. Bernadette Walsh's subtle use of language, traditions, and manners painted an authentic portrait of an Irish Catholic family. I loved it."

AVAILABLE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED, PRINT & AUDIOBOOK

Several years ago I attended a family reunion where one of my cousins brought a letter written by my great-grandmother to my great-aunt., comforting her on the death of her husband. The letter really touched me, and inspired me to write the character of Kitty, who was in a similar circumstance.  That letter was the basis for the fictional letter I included in the book

Contemporary women’s fiction with elements of family drama and romance.

It is connected to the North Shore Stories collection but can be read as a standalone novel.

Primarily on Long Island’s North Shore.

Yes, though the emotional core centers on family relationships and identity.

Yes. The novel explores themes of family, forgiveness, secrets, and generational relationships that encourage discussion.

1. Ellen returns to Rose Hill reluctantly after years away. Why do you think families often pull us back, even after painful experiences?
2. How did the setting of Rose Hill itself function almost like another character in the novel?
3. Rose kept secrets throughout much of her life. Were her choices understandable, selfish, protective, or something more complicated?
4. How did the novel explore the emotional impact of silence within families?
5. Ellen spends much of the story searching for identity and belonging. In what ways did the mystery surrounding her father shape her life?
6. Discuss the relationship between mothers and daughters in the novel. Which relationships felt the most authentic to you?
7. The story examines multiple generations of women. How did each generation handle love, sacrifice, and societal expectations differently?
8. How did religion and Irish Catholic culture influence the characters’ decisions and emotional lives?
9. Rose’s background as an ex-nun adds another layer to the story. How did that aspect of her past shape your understanding of her character?
10. The novel deals with the contrast between outward appearances and hidden truths. Where did you see this theme most strongly?
11. Were there moments when you sympathized with characters even when you disagreed with their actions?
12. How did the seaside Long Island setting contribute to the mood and emotional tone of the novel?
13. Family loyalty plays a major role in the story. When does loyalty become harmful rather than protective?
14. Did your opinion of any character change significantly over the course of the novel? Why?
15. The novel explores how secrets pass through generations. Do you think families inevitably repeat patterns from the past?
16. How does the novel portray forgiveness? Is forgiveness shown as healing, necessary, difficult, or all three?
17. What role does grief play in shaping the characters’ choices and relationships?
18. The women in the novel are flawed, resilient, and emotionally layered. Which character did you connect with most strongly?
19. What did the story suggest about the idea of “home”? Is home a place, a family, or something else entirely?
20. If the novel were adapted into a film or limited series, which scenes would be most important to include?

• Can keeping a secret ever truly protect a family?
• Which revelation in the novel affected you most emotionally?

• How much of identity is shaped by family history?
• Can someone fully move forward without understanding their past?

• Which emotional wounds seemed to echo across generations?
• Did any characters successfully break those cycles?