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Brooke Gilbert is a Tennessee native, a microbiology graduate of the University of Tennessee, and a border collie mom. She is, as you may have already guessed, a hopeless romantic and a lover of Jane Austen. When she isn’t writing, she works as a jewelry designer, an audiobook narrator, and a graphic designer. Her writing features characters with autoimmune disorders, something she deals with herself. She believes it is important for these types of characters to be seen in modern literature and started writing so she could see someone like herself in literature. She is considered a medical mystery and has several rare autoimmune disorders. These disorders caused her to withdraw from Physician Assistant School, but she is happy to be pursuing her dreams of designing, creating, and writing. She thanks God for leading her heart on this new path and recites “perhaps this is the moment for which you were created” in times of doubt (Esther 4:14).
She loves watching classic films (thrillers and romantic comedies, too), reading, playing the ukulele, painting, dancing, Pilates, and spending time with her dog, family, and friends. One of her favorite quotes is from Flashdance: “When you give up on your dreams, you die.” She believes that if you’re waiting to pursue your dreams, stop waiting and start doing. Your time is now. And may you never stop being a hopeless romantic. Contrary to popular belief, it’s a very good quality. She’s still looking for her Mr. Darcy.
Reviewed by Delene Vrey for Readers' Favorite
The Irish Fall by Brooke Gilbert is a sweet romance with references to faith and chronic illness. Eyre has just had surgery for her endometriosis and received some bad news. At a loss to explain what her life has become, she impulsively books a flight to Ireland. There Darby sees a forlorn Eyre on the cliffs at Moher. Afraid she might be planning something harmful to herself, Darby initiates a conversation. As they walk to the nearest town of Doolin, both Darby and Eyre struggle with their demons. Darby and Mat take Eyre into their home, not realizing the seriousness of Eyre’s health. Eyre had given up on love while battling a debilitating illness until she opens her heart to Darby. On the other hand, Darby has experienced emotional trauma since his teens. Darby does not feel he deserves love, but he also desperately wants Eyre to love him. With the help of the people of Doolin and Eyre’s meddling, a few broken hearts are mended, and Darby finds the strength to face up to his demons and move on with his life.
In The Irish Fall by Brooke Gilbert, the author deals with a relevant topic not often touched on in the romance genre. Eyre has multiple medical conditions that cost her a dream career and the prospect of having children. The book takes us through the pain and heartache these conditions cause and their emotional toll on the sufferer. It is seldom that a character in a book has real-life issues that are not mainstream. With a focus on Crohn’s Disease and endometriosis, the author has reached a new audience. Being a chronic illness sufferer, it was comforting to read an authentic take on what it means, with all the issues around diet and physical exhaustion. What I appreciated was that the author was upfront about any potential triggers so that I had an idea of what to expect, and thus was not blindsided by the descriptions of panic attacks. This novel has discussions of faith and other possible triggers, with the mention of medical episodes, panic attacks, infertility, and discussions of suicidal thoughts. However, the topics are dealt with in good taste and not meant to shock.
