Tessa's Landing

By Maureen Brady

In 1847, Tessa O'Melia, sixteen years old and the eldest of six children, lives off the West Coast of Ireland. Her mother's soup is little more than water and her childhood friend has died from the potato famine plaguing the region. Tessa vowed to never leave her home and family, but when her father is jailed, leaving the family even more penniless, Tessa is sent to America for a marriage of convenience, with hope to send money back to her family. While her journey on the famine ship is isolating and tumultuous, her red-headed temper and youthful curiosity carry her through.

In Tessa's Landing we see the sorrow and triumph of the Irish immigrant experience, and how one girl's self-determination leads to survival in a new world.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1578692261
• ISBN13: 9781578692262
• Release Date: August 2026
• Publisher: Rootstock Publishing
• Length: 338 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A great premise, but falls flat

This is the story of a teenager sailing across the ocean to escape the Irish potato famine and into an arranged marriage in the New World. Put yourself in the immigrant's shoes. When you get off the boat, where do you go, and what do you do? Especially if the person who was to meet you is not there. How frightening! A wonderful premise to this story, but I felt the story was a bit bland and redundant—the same thoughts over and over, the dreams over and over. Tessa, our protagonist, was too good, and this story seems like it’s trying to be a Hallmark-style movie. Just not my style. Thank you to librarything.com and Rootstock Publishing for a copy of this book.