Stories of Courage, Character, and the Journey of Self-Discovery
At 70, Maureen Reid published her first novel and launched The Herself Series. Inspired by her Irish heritage and passion for storytelling, these historical novels tell the tale of strong, imperfect, unforgettable women as they navigate family, loss, love, and the search for their own place in the world. Open the cover to discover the women waiting within.
Stories of Courage, Identity, and the Journey of Becoming
Author Maureen Reid brings history to life through powerful novels about women determined to define their own path in a world that often tried to define it for them.
The Herself Series
Step into a series that explores transformation, identity, and the choices that shape a life. Maureen Reid’s “Herself” series – Becoming Herself, Choosing Herself, and Finding Herself – follows deeply personal journeys set against rich historical backdrops. Each story invites readers to experience moments of change, courage, and self-discovery that resonate far beyond the page.
Becoming Herself
Becoming Herself is Margaret’s story. It is the tale of a woman coming of age in a world that offers her little choice and even less freedom.
America held little promise for young Maggie. After her mother’s death during their journey from Ireland, her father leaves her in an orphanage. There she recognizes quickly that survival depends on becoming someone new. She becomes Margaret, the adopted daughter of a rural farm couple, and learns to navigate the constraints of family duty and societal expectations.
The 20th Century dawns and the world moves forward. Margaret joins forces to get women the vote, and as her world changes, so does she. She yearns for something more and someone else. Something she can’t describe but her heart tells her is hers for the taking.
In a time that women had few options and even less freedom, Margaret’s story captures the struggles and triumphs of a woman determined to shape her own future. Through hardship, resilience, and moments of unexpected grace, Margaret begins to discover not only her strength, but her sense of self. The Maggie she thought she lost is returning.
The first novel in The Herself Series, Becoming Herself is a richly layered story of identity,
courage, and the enduring power of a woman finding her own voice. And struggling to make it heard.
Choosing Herself
“Life is a game – we draw from a deck of cards we are dealt and decide to keep the car or take our chances on the next,” observes Nell Walker, the captivating heroine of Choosing Herself. A brave, charming and fiercely independent woman, Nell plays the hand fate has dealt her, gambling on where her life will lead.
It is March 25, 1911. A day that changes the game. Nell witnesses young girls jumping to their death to flee the flames blocking their escape. In Greenwich Village, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory was on fire. The raging inferno kills 146 and sparks an ember in Nell that burns. She vows that the world she lives in must change – a world divided by class, color and the desires of the heart.
Exposing herself to real danger, Nell picks up her pen and begins to write stories.
Stories that introduce her to the headline grabbers of the emerging labor movement; a woman who seeks to right the wrongs hurled at others; and a reporter with a camera who brings light and shadows to his work and her heart.
With captivating insight and hope for the future, Choosing Herself weaves fact and fiction into the world of Tammany Hall ruffians, the quest for the perfect martini, and the need to make a difference.
Finding Herself
The world was catching its breath from a war that had redrawn borders and left too many empty chairs at too many empty tables. It was the 1950s. Girls wore poodle skirts; boys sported crew cuts. People found comfort in familiar routines, traditional roles and black–and–white images from a box called television.
Not Cate Clark.
Restless and searching for something more, Cate leaves behind an Ireland still scarred
from its struggle for independence and steps into the promise of New York City. But before she finds her footing, word from home calls her back to Dublin. Her mother is gravely ill. After her mother’s passing, Cate returns to New York.
It is on that voyage across the Atlantic that Cate meets the survivors of Ireland’s
Magdalene Laundries. Places of cruelty and injustice hidden behind the veils of religion
and politics. Moved by their stories Cate is inspired to make a difference to those who
voices were silenced.
Spanning the decade and two cities separated by an ocean, Cate’s story is a sweeping tale of love, loss, and redemption. It is a testament to resilience, friendship and the courage it takes to lead your own life and shape your own destiny.
Spoiler Alert! Though this is a stand–alone book, readers may wish to begin with Choosing Herself where many of these characters are first introduced.
Meet Maureen Reid
Following a distinguished career managing colleges, Fortune 500 companies, and major international law firms, award–winning author Maureen Reid began writing the kinds of novels she loves to read. She began this adventure just after turning seventy … proving that age should be a number, not an obstacle.
Blending historical detail with compelling story telling, Maureen writes about strong,
complex women who seek to influence the world around them. Her characters have been described as flawed but determined. Women who struggle, grow and strive to make a difference.
When she is not somewhere else, Maureen lives in the metropolitan New York City area surrounded by family and friends.
Book Club Discussion Guides
Maureen Reid’s novels have become popular selections for book clubs because they spark thoughtful conversations about identity, courage, and the changing role of women throughout history.
Book clubs can access discussion questions and connect with the author for special appearances and conversations.
Musings
Explore Maureen’s reflections on writing, history, personal experiences, and the inspirations behind her novels.
I didn’t travel as a child. My world extended only as far as my aunts’ houses It was my
If you pay attention to television programming or major cultural events, you will almost always hear or see the
Stories remind us where we come from -
and who we can become.
Discover the powerful journey told through Becoming Herself, Choosing Herself, and Finding Herself, and experience a series that celebrates courage, resilience, and the pursuit of identity.