Romance, mystery and magic, with a touch of spine-tingling suspense …

LATEST NEWS:
Legacy of Secrets has been shortlisted for a Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Novel of the Year Awards 2026

About Adrienne Vaughan

Adrienne Vaughan has been a writer since the age of seven, from the moment she first sat at the kitchen table, thumping out stories about ponies, witches, and unicorns on her turquoise Petite typewriter.

Today she writes award-winning, page-turning romantic suspense.

Adrienne’s first three books, The Hollow Heart, A Change of Heart and Secrets of the Heart – feature a feisty investigative journalist, a wilful West Highland terrier and a supporting cast of highly entertaining and eccentric characters; all set on a remote isle off the West Coast of Ireland.

Her latest novels, Legacy of Secrets, Summer of Secrets and Secrets of the Shell Sisters − are all spell-binding family sagas with a touch of Celtic magic and are based on Ireland’s Ancient East Coast.

Legacy of Secrets is a finalist in the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Novel of the Year Awards 2026.

Adrienne’s first historical novel Mystery of the Midnight Madonna has just been shortlisted for the Historical Novel Society’s ‘First Chapter’ award.

Her collection of short stories and poetry, Fur Coat & No Knickers, was shortlisted for the Irish Carousel Prize for Anthology. Her short story Dodo’s Portrait was shortlisted for the Colm Tóibín International Short Story Award at the Wexford Literary Festival in 2018, and her short story Matilda’s Wings was runner up in the Society of Women Writers & Journalists Short Story Competition 2023.

All her books are enchanting, heart-warming, and uplifting tales of mystery and romance, laced with twists and turns, and many laugh out loud moments.

Brought up in Dublin, Adrienne lives in the English countryside with her husband, two spaniels and a rescue cat called Agatha Christie – ‘So-named because we never know who she’s going to kill next!’

Two of her favourite places in the world are the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland and the coast of South Devon, both great influences on her writing.

A former journalist, Adrienne ran her own PR practice for over 30 years, writing novels, poems and short stories in her spare time. From 2025 she decided it was time to take on what she considers the best job in the whole world, a fulltime author.

And although being a novelist has always been her destiny, she still harbours a burning ambition to be a Bond girl!

Sun, sea and spaniels – what more can a girl want? Adrienne with her beloved Wignell and Watson.

Award-Winning Romantic Suspense

Praise for Adrienne’s work...

    Magical tale of secrets, second chances and sisterhood

    A beautifully written tale of relationships, lost love and second chances, laced through with a touch of Irish magic – so deftly delivered it feels as natural as the sea itself.
    This is romantasy at its best and I loved it.

    A skilful writer tells an amazing story

    It’s a love story with a love for life and living with an intimate knowledge of a wonderful setting. The more I read the greater my love of the unusual characters which are so well drawn.

    Really enjoyed the final book pity there is no more

    Loved every moment…

    How gorgeous was this book? The story is just wonderful, moving from the cut-throat world of investigative journalism, through glamour, glitz and mayhem,and on to the perfectly-drawn setting of Innishmahon

    The plot is fast paced and the characters wonderfully depicted .I really enjoyed this read and I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

    Great Debut

    This isn’t a straightforward romance – there are several dramatic and significant threads running through the narrative. I found Oonagh’s storyline particularly touching and poignant.

    Enchanting, emotional, deeply moving – just wonderful

    It’s quite beautifully written, its perfectly described wild setting on the Atlantic coast integral to its highly original and compelling story. Emotionally, it’s absolutely perfect – and I can only urge other readers to give it a try, and hopefully love it as much as I did.

    A TRULY MAGICAL JOURNEY

    Returning to the beautiful community of Rosshaven was a welcome treat. I loved my last visit and was thrilled to discover the some of the characters I had met previously were either there or mentioned. 

    This story revolves around Octavia Griffin and her connection to the pretty coastal town in Ireland. The prologue had me intrigued, introducing Jerome Nightingale, who has a magical relationship with the passing of time. I could write for hours about how this book left me feeling. A truly magical journey of love and a fierce sense of good triumphing over the not-so-good, and I was utterly immersed in this charming story. I look forward to reading future books in this series. 

    LEGACY OF SECRETS – A PACY, MULTI-LAYERED ROMANTASY THAT UNITES MODERN DAY WITH WARTIME

    With locations in bustling London, scenic Scotland and, of course, the mystic Rosshaven in Ireland, Adrienne Vaughan’s characters are just as vivid as the settings they inhabit. It’s easy to imagine them stopping in at The Unicorn Inn, flinging open the door to The Sea Chest or navigating their way along crowded central London streets. 

    Time travel is at the essence of this novel, and this is captured superbly, particularly when characters find themselves in unfamiliar surroundings – Adrienne Vaughan’s descriptions of their frustration and confusion is imaginative yet highly believable. 

    As the third in a trilogy, I particularly enjoyed cameos of characters from the previous stories, as well as learning about new relationships and connections among the vibrant and mystical Rosshaven community. 

    Legacy of Secrets is a must-read for those who enjoy mystery, family drama, and how love always finds a way.

    A GREAT READ

    I enjoyed this novel as I have all of this author’s other work. It had everything I love in a romance: family, intrigue and a happy ending but with the prpomise of more to come in the sequel. I have just downloaded it and am looking forward to getting stuck in with it this weekend.

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