In the aftermath of the Irish Famine, Margaret McNamara, daughter of a village physician in Western Ireland, meets Thomas Murray, a prominent young man from England, through a random encounter that would change the course of their lives forever. They come from different worlds and know that love between them is impossible, yet they cannot deny the fate that keeps bringing them together no matter how much they resist it. Margaret must decide whether to stay in Ireland, connected to her family roots and the land she loves, or go to America to join her family and friends. The Pearl Within is a coming-of-age, historical fiction tale set against the backdrop of one of Ireland's worst times in history and the mutual dislike the Irish and the British had for one another. Only Margaret and Thomas can decide their fates and whether love is strong enough to transcend the wrong that was done to the Irish.