Sign in with Facebook
The Last Bride in Ballymuir (Ballymuir #1)
by
Dorien Kelly (Goodreads Author)
Steeped in the age-old beauty and traditions of Ireland, Dorien Kelly's enchanting contemporary novel transports readers to a picturesque Irish village where passions run deep....
Miss Kylie "Soon-to-Be-a-Saint" O'Shea teaches at the Gaelic school, helps her neighbors and volunteers for every good cause. No one in Ballymuir can figure out why she keeps the interested lad
...moreKindle Edition, 416 pages
Published
August 17th 2012
by Koa'e Press
(first published March 1st 2003)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,033)
Good.
A Romance Writers of America RITA Award finalist!
When Michael Kilbride, a handsome man with a dark past, arrives in the Irish village of Ballymuir, rumors begin to fly. While many turn against him, one woman steps forward--the village's beloved schoolteacher, Kylie O'Shea. Kylie's friends have long believed that proper Kylie is bound to fulfill the local legend of being the last bride in Ballymuir. But sparks soon ignite between Michael and Kylie. Will Kylie, who also hides secrets, find t...more
A Romance Writers of America RITA Award finalist!
When Michael Kilbride, a handsome man with a dark past, arrives in the Irish village of Ballymuir, rumors begin to fly. While many turn against him, one woman steps forward--the village's beloved schoolteacher, Kylie O'Shea. Kylie's friends have long believed that proper Kylie is bound to fulfill the local legend of being the last bride in Ballymuir. But sparks soon ignite between Michael and Kylie. Will Kylie, who also hides secrets, find t...more
Kitty‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
5 Stars
FREE for Kindle as of date of this review (3/17/13)
May your troubles be less
Your blessings be more.
And nothing but happiness
Come through your door.
-Irish Toast
I was absolutely surprised with the Ballymuir Series by Dorien Kelly. I fell in love with each of the characters and cheered them all on. All of them have a past and, as the story unfolds, your heart breaks and your smile gets bigger. The characters, the back-ground and the story...more
5 Stars
FREE for Kindle as of date of this review (3/17/13)
May your troubles be less
Your blessings be more.
And nothing but happiness
Come through your door.
-Irish Toast
I was absolutely surprised with the Ballymuir Series by Dorien Kelly. I fell in love with each of the characters and cheered them all on. All of them have a past and, as the story unfolds, your heart breaks and your smile gets bigger. The characters, the back-ground and the story...more
Oct 06, 2012
Kristina Smith
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
kindle-downloads
I thought the book read slowly - meaning, I never really rushed back to pick it up, although when I did read go back to it, I would become engaged in the story very easily. I LOVED the heroine and how she stood by her man when everyone else in the town believed the lies about his past, even to the point of risking her job with a brutually frank confession from the top of the bar in the local drinking hole. Now, it took her some time to get to that point, but once she did - watch out! The book wa...more
This book is missing something. You never really feel a connection to the characters. In other books you will see a little of the day to day activities of the characters, listen to their thoughts as they go about their activities. But in this book I feel that lacking. If the characters aren't together, they were a few paragraphs ago or will be in the next few.
What a wonderful story!
I really liked the characters, Kylie O’Shea such strength for a school teacher/wall flower (as she sees herself), and Michael Kilbride, was quite a tortured soul, but together they are such a wonderful couple. They healed each other, reminded each other how to love and completed each other beautifully. Violet Kilbride, what to say about her…loved her, she is a fabulous character. She reminds me of my best friend. Life in Ballymuir wouldn’t be the same without her. The enti...more
I really liked the characters, Kylie O’Shea such strength for a school teacher/wall flower (as she sees herself), and Michael Kilbride, was quite a tortured soul, but together they are such a wonderful couple. They healed each other, reminded each other how to love and completed each other beautifully. Violet Kilbride, what to say about her…loved her, she is a fabulous character. She reminds me of my best friend. Life in Ballymuir wouldn’t be the same without her. The enti...more
I downloaded this book for free from amazon. It was sitting on my Kindle for a couple of weeks before I got to it, and well, it was a great read. This book has more conflicts than I normally read. The conflicts range from family issues that include parents and siblings, to those friends who become like family. There are also the local gossips that play a role in how the characters act. Also, the conflict resolution in this book is excellent. Fears are addressed, questions of loyalty are addresse...more
Got this as a Kindle freebie and so glad I did. I really enjoyed this book! I've read all of the books Dorien Kelly wrote with Janet Evanovich, so I thought it worth reading one written by just Dorien Kelly. I was not disappointed. I enjoyed the characters and the details of the small Irish town and it's people. This book is much more serious than the romantic comedies written by Dorien/Janet, but it still has it's comedic moments. Mostly this is a story of family, hope and persevering. I found...more
I really enjoyed this book, my first book of Ms, Kelly's, and I actually thought she was an Irish native until I read the bio, and she lives in Michigan like me! I applaud her for her good research on Irish lexicon. I know she said she has traveled there, but I lived there for 7 years and hers is even better than what I remember! Many authors choose to write about the Emerald Isle, and/or have Irish heros/heroines (including myself), but I appreciate when an author sticks as true to their nature...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This was another Kindle book for which my Kindle did not allow me to choose a font. I had to use the font in which it was delivered, Caecilia, I think.
At times I had to look twice to realize that the scene had changed. The author switched from indenting the first line of a paragraph to not indenting when the scene changed, but a blank line or two would have helped the reader.
I would have preferred more content about Ireland and less about the love scenes, which I would have left more to the r...more
At times I had to look twice to realize that the scene had changed. The author switched from indenting the first line of a paragraph to not indenting when the scene changed, but a blank line or two would have helped the reader.
I would have preferred more content about Ireland and less about the love scenes, which I would have left more to the r...more
So I acquired this free book and was skeptical. But it was pretty good. The characters have depth and are written well. Michael Kilbride, recently released from prison for serving a crime of association with terrorists. Kylie O‘Shea is a school teacher prim and proper with lots of secrets. Their unexpected meeting in a stone strewn field that he helps her clear, starts an unlikely pairing between the two. Kylie likes to lie low and not cause a scene. But now that she has caught the eye of Michae...more
I would rate this about 3 1/2 stars. It was a romance taking place in Ireland. Michael Kilbride is just out of jail for a crime he didn't commit and comes across Kylie a village teacher. The two unlikely to attract characters fall for each other. They both have issues to deal with. Sometimes the story got bogged down and could have been shortened a bit. However, I enjoyed the other characters and hope to see them in the next book, The Boldest Man in Ballymuir.
It was an okay piece of fiction I suppose although the main characters were a bit thinly written. Definitely "victim" written all over them".
The whole piece also lacked pace in places.
I can't say that I would actively seek out anything else by this author. All things considered a 3 star rating.
In case I didn’t mention this was a Free Kindle Download at the time (see my blog www.toodlesbookclub.blogspot.com for daily selections of free downloads).
The whole piece also lacked pace in places.
I can't say that I would actively seek out anything else by this author. All things considered a 3 star rating.
In case I didn’t mention this was a Free Kindle Download at the time (see my blog www.toodlesbookclub.blogspot.com for daily selections of free downloads).
The story never went anywhere, each time there was an opportunity to go further with the story, and it would drop off. Each and every event that happened in the story would easily be explained and then it went away. Like the police officer that followed them, or the bad guy from his past in the next town, and so on……. Very easy to read, it took me one night….if you like simple love stories, then this is for you.
Finally, a gooshy romance that has some substance I can sink my teeth into. Great character developement, the love story had depth, and I was totally won over by the main characters --even to the point of getting tearyeyed, which never happens when I read.
There was some adult content, so I can 't recommend it, but it made me feel deeply --which is among the greatest accomplishments a work of literature can have.
There was some adult content, so I can 't recommend it, but it made me feel deeply --which is among the greatest accomplishments a work of literature can have.
I love Ireland and anything Celtic. I think that Dorien Kelly has an incredible knack with creating characters and settings that make you feel the mist of Ireland's rain as you are reading the book. The language, setting, characterization, and feel of the book are incredibly done. Kylie and Michael are so well done with true conflicts that have you fighting for them with all of your heart. A truly great read!
This is a very intresting and suspense full story a lot of things are happening the back ground of Michael is well hidden with only gossip that is available it creates a lot of suspense. he is also a very hansome man in the eyes of Kylie with also a hidden past. it doesn't look like the 2 will ever get close lo and behold things did work out. very well written story integrated in the Irish settig.
Enjoyable, and not just because it was a freebie. Nice connection to the characters - I liked their humanity. Characters are a tidge stereotypical, but not caricatures by any stretch. I wish there had been more history on Vi & the boys' mother/father, it would have explained a lot about where they are in life, but there are two other books in the series so maybe there will be more coming.
A romance novel with more substance than usually. A tormented hero and a heroine with a past meet in a small town ready to gossip. But the story comes around a lot of other topics - family, loyalty, new beginnings among others. Some of the threads weren't quite followed through, but perhaps that's for the next book in the series?
WOW !!! The best book I have read so far ! Set in Ireland ,about righting wrongs, forgiving , moving forward and finding love ! Moved along nicely , couldnt wait to get back to my reading of it . Now that is the kinda book I love to read .Not repetitve , story line not drug out . A fabulous read . Ended wonderfully . A definite GOOD READ ! Five stars seems not enough .
I got this as a free title from an Amazon special. I was pleasantly surprised, as I had non-existent hopes. I generally am amazed when I can even finish a free title; I've had so many poor experiences.
While it's nothing amazing from a literary standpoint, it was interesting and a good light read during a vacation.
While it's nothing amazing from a literary standpoint, it was interesting and a good light read during a vacation.
Michael Kilbride and Kylie O'Shea have a lot to overcome in this story. But overcome they do. This is a well-written novel about second chances and starting over, revenge, romance and ultimately, love between a couple and between family.
Fast moving, with a lot of angst and action, the first in the Ballymuir series is a wonderful read.
Fast moving, with a lot of angst and action, the first in the Ballymuir series is a wonderful read.
I'm not big on contemporary, so I was a bit hesitant about this one.
I liked the characters, but.. there was just SOMETHING missing. Plus, I really didn't like the hint of paranormal -- it just didn't fit in with the rest of the novel...
I'll have to think on it a bit more before my final review.
For now, 3.5/5
I liked the characters, but.. there was just SOMETHING missing. Plus, I really didn't like the hint of paranormal -- it just didn't fit in with the rest of the novel...
I'll have to think on it a bit more before my final review.
For now, 3.5/5
Quando l'amore del presente deve confrontarsi con i segreti del passato...
Ho scaricato questo ebook perché era in download gratuito e mi piace leggere rosa in lingua originale sia per vedere come sono in partenza (senza gli adattamenti che a volte vengono fatti per le edizioni in italiano) sia per tenermi allenata con l'inglese... nel complesso questo romanzo mi è piaciuto anche se i due protagonisti hanno un bel po' di cose da nascondere non solo agli abitanti del paesino irlandese dove vivono,...more
Ho scaricato questo ebook perché era in download gratuito e mi piace leggere rosa in lingua originale sia per vedere come sono in partenza (senza gli adattamenti che a volte vengono fatti per le edizioni in italiano) sia per tenermi allenata con l'inglese... nel complesso questo romanzo mi è piaciuto anche se i due protagonisti hanno un bel po' di cose da nascondere non solo agli abitanti del paesino irlandese dove vivono,...more
This book started out really well. I was really enjoying getting to know Michael and Kylie but the there was too many conflicts that the author merely hinted at. It made the flow of the story muddied and confusing. Then she managed to solve all of these conflicts within just a chapter or two.
I enjoyed Dorien Kelly's book, a freebie (thanks so much!) on Amazon, that mid-way through reading it, I went ahead and bought the rest of the series. I like Ireland, having visited it on holiday, and it was fun for me to gallivant through Galway again through her prose.
This book was a very nice surprise as a free download from amazon. Nice setting in Ireland and well written characters that I grew to care about. I will be downloading the rest of the trilogy when I am looking for a pleasant read.
If I could give half a star I would have rated it three and a half. I liked the characters and the story line, there just wasn't enough to hold my interest for very long. I found myself picking it up and putting it down quit a few times.
The beginning was a little slow going but I don't think this was a story that needed a slow pace. I really loved the characters and was drawn into their emotions. The ending was great and overall, I liked this book.
view 1 comment
I don't usually read modern Irish romances, mainly because I had no idea they existed. I really liked both characters in the end, but they started out way to concerned about image for me. I guess I'm too individualistic to think about living my life free of gossip, people will always gossip so why kill yourself trying to please them.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“You're a thousand small wonders, Kylie, love, adding up to one grand miracle.”
—
4 people liked it
“May your troubles be less
Your blessings be more.
And nothing but happiness
Come through your door.”
—
3 people liked it
More quotes…
Your blessings be more.
And nothing but happiness
Come through your door.”
