Heart of the Glen

Deibel revisits the lush Irish countryside of The Irish Matchmaker in this heartwarming if somewhat uneventful historical. Saoirse Fagan has worried she brings bad luck ever since a house fire killed the rest of her family. Seeking a fresh start, she travels from Westmeath to county Donegal to find work as a maid. When her plans fall through and she winds up on a sheep farm belonging to Owen McCready and his sister, Aileen, master weaver Owen—who’s recently injured his arm—reluctantly conscripts her to fill an order of tweed fabric. As he teaches Saoirse to weave, sparks begin to fly, but when the town suffers a series of misfortunes—including a deadly landslide—Saoirse is sure her “ill fate” is to blame. She tries to run away to protect those she loves, and it’s up to Owen, Aileen, and other newfound friends to bring her back and help her start anew through her faith. This crisis point feels somewhat anticlimactic, and there’s little standing in the way of Owen and Saoirse’s relationship minus some miscommunications and Saoirse’s insecurities. Still, the rich, atmospheric background and winning chemistry between the leads mostly make up for it. The result is a cheery and charming tale of second chances. (Jan.)