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Jan 27, 2012

Catarina rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

11 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 25, 2010

Maeve rated it:

Talk about rose tinted glasses! This woman can't weave a decent plot to save her life, she just keeps spewing out this tired old read-on-an-airplane-then-bin-it-while-feeling-slightly-dirty formula. This series really takes the biscuit, the cake and hogs all the crisps when it comes to ridiculous over romanticising of Ireland. Ardmore is a nice place to visit but the airy fairy "Oh, look at the leprechauns, Seamus" crap described in this book doesn't even come close. To tell you the tr More...

7 comments like (11 people liked it)

Aug 06, 2008

Jazzypom rated it:

Yeah, as a Brit, I'm going to say this: I am ambivalent when American writers write about Europe, especially the lands of their blessed ancestors. Nora Roberts is probably one of the reasons why, because her romanticism, blatant sentiment of Ireland gives me the heebie jeebies. The musical quality of the accents (check), the supposed magic that lies 'neath every knoll, the air charged with the hum of the good people, and everyone is either kissing a blarney stone or drinking the blessed Guiness More...

1 comment like (8 people liked it)

Jan 20, 2009

Shannon rated it:

I am NOT a big romance fan...but I am a big fan of most things Celtic. I actually read this series a while back - I discovered them in the Honor section of my local library and when I realized the plots took place in Ireland, I decided to borrow them. Like I said, I'm not a big fan of romantic novels, but I have read enough of them to be able to say that this is the only series of the genre that has really stuck with me (except maybe the Three Sisters Island trilogy by the same author). Roberts More...

1 comment like

Jan 14, 2009

Littlemissmuffet rated it:

I just finished this book (1st in the Gallagher trilogy) and am disappointed in Nora!
The book is filled with stereotypical Irish cliches which ARE NOT TRUE! For example, every second person has red hair, asides from Dublin there are no other bustling towns or cities just tiny villages, there are no microwaves or can openers or tumble dryers etc, computers are rare- the internet is practically unheard of, everyone is oh so friendly and bright eyed- top o the mornin' to ya'!
Oh and th More...

2 comments like (4 people liked it)

Mar 16, 2008

Randall rated it:

Should explain why I read this. While pursuing my Library Science degree, I took a reader's advisory class where we sampled books from across various genres. I was assigned this novel for the romance section. This novel was objectively horrible. The worst novel I have ever read from cover to cover. Main character is supposed to be empowered heroine but is actually a ninny. Use of metaphor akin to high school poetry. How Roberts has reached such heights of popularity is a wonder. Make mine Austen More...

1 comment like (4 people liked it)

Jan 02, 2012

Cat rated it:

Nora Roberts has a tendency to write the cookie-cutter romance. You can almost dictate when the characters will meet, when they will have their first kiss, etc. She also has a loving view of Ireland, the way that many Americans do and while I've seen many reviews that are criticising the Ireland portrayed -- welcome to the world of fiction, and don't read this with a modern view point. I've read the trilogy twice now and each time I am immediately stuck by early 90's Ireland which is a far cr More...

0 comments like

Aug 31, 2011

Patricia added it

Okay. If you see this, please click on "read this review" link so you'll see what I'm talking about when I say:

I couldn't stop laughing when I saw the cover and read the title in the library.

In German it says: "Island of storm" or "Isle of the storm" or something like this. And what did the publisher put on the cover? A garden. Sunshine, a sweet fence, some pink.. Yes. Very stormy. Indeed.

I know, German covers most of the times a More...

0 comments like

Feb 22, 2011

Marcie rated it:

I read this trilogy for the first a few years ago and fell in love with all the characters and their stories. Nora Roberts has a magical touch that draws the reader in and makes them feel involved with the lives of the characters in her stories. I waited to read these after they were all out and read them one right after the other. When I was done with the third book I was slightly saddened to know I would not be involved with the lives of Jude and Aiden, Brenna and Sean, and Darcy and Trevor More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Mar 10, 2010

Roxann rated it:

Love, love, love this first book of 3! This is one of my comfort reads!
I have read them about every year for the past couple of years. It is set in a small fishing village in Ireland. I've never been there, but Nora Roberts draws such a vivid picture of the place and the people. It is one of her tales that have a supernatural twist-a fairy prince and his ghostly love are separated by time and trouble and they need the help of mortal lovers to bring them together forever.
The lea More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Apr 27, 2009

Michelle rated it:

I'm not a Nora Roberts fan, but I do love this trilogy. It really captures the mood of Ireland (at least as we in the states like to imagine it is), all cozy, with alternating rain and brilliant sunlight, ancient ruins, bright flowers, and lots of hot tea. The Gallagher pub in this story makes me sad that it is mythical and I can't visit it, populated as it is by interesting, friendly people that can go from laughing to shouting to fighting and back to dancing within minutes. What a lovely world More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 31, 2009

Amanda rated it:

Book #29 of 2009

I remember starting to read this book way back in High school, but I don't remember ever finishing it, though I don't know why. Perhaps I just wasn't mature enough to enjoy a good romance. I also don't remember what happened to my copy, but no matter, I've gotten my hands on another one. It fits in nicely with my celtic romance obsession of late. As another plus, this time the "romantic leads" were flesh and blood humans, from the same time period and ev More...

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Jan 08, 2009

Richard rated it:

take a trip to Ireland and on the winds of love and magic

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jun 14, 2010

Helmisade rated it:

Of the several books by Nora Roberts that I have read, this is easily one of my favourites. It is of course Very Irish to the point of being ridiculous, but since I've never been to Ireland I choose to believe that there really are charming little villages like this somewhere (full of gorgeous, smart and kind young men with no mental problems at all).

I often find myself not liking Roberts's men, they are often too brooding and whiny for my taste. In this book I really liked both the More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

May 18, 2010

Jenny rated it:

I read all three books in this trilogy over one weekend and this review serves for all three: Jewels of the Sun, Tears of the Moon and Heart of the Sea.

Believe it or not, in all my years of reading, this was my first taste of Nora Roberts, and I come from a family of Nora Roberts junkies. This excerpt is from the preface of the first book, Jewels of the Sun, that sets up the premise of the series:

I'd like you to meet the Gallaghers of Ardmore: Aidan, Shawn, and Darcy More...

0 comments like

Jul 25, 2010

Lu rated it:

I never have the time or patience to actually write a review (so, sorry if this one sucks), but this book has inspired me ! I don't have words to describe how much I enjoyed it!

Jude Frances, an american psychologist who is tired from the life she's living, flees off to Ireland to spend 6 months in the charming village of Ardmore. Surronded by the spetacular scenery and living in the ancient but cozy cottage, Jude has the mission to find herself and consequently re-evaluate her life. More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 01, 2010

Mary rated it:

It would technically have been 2.5 stars. It was mostly the heroine of the story, and how her romance unraveled that had me at odds. I confess it was my overriding tendency to want to bonk her over the head, because I've known my share of timidness from friends and it's just frustrating to see someone you care about treat his/herself in self-depricating ways. It was lovely to see her shine through everything though -- especially after I was finished with the trilogy itself.

Aidan, tho More...

0 comments like

Aug 16, 2009

Juliana rated it:

(4.5 stars) Jewels of the Sun was an absolutely fantastic read. This is the first Nora Roberts book I've read, since I've always preferred historical romance over contemporary and have tended to avoid Nora Roberts and Danielle Steel like the plague. I'm so glad I decided to read this book - I had actually been in the library about to return it unread, when I started reading it and decided to give it a try.

A definite reread for me with absolutely wonderful main characters (give me an More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jul 24, 2011

willaful rated it:

I feel like I should write a critique of this book in terms of Irish stereotypes, glorification of violence, glorification of drinking, sexism and so on -- but eh, what can I say, I really enjoyed it. Jude is a woman who’s always done what was expected of her, and that dutifulness exploded in her face when her husband left her after only a few months. The story is about her discovering her true self, with the help of a sexy Irishman, a charming cottage and some legendary tragic lovers.

More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Feb 07, 2012

Jishi rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

0 comments like

Dec 01, 2009

Stacy rated it:

In this first volume of her newest series, Jude Murray, an American psychologist, has come to spend six months at Faerie Hill Cottage on the Irish coast to study Irish folklore and escape her dreary, uneventful life in Chicago. Faerie Hill is haunted by the 300-year-old ghost of Lady Gwen, who turned down the proposal of Carrick, king of the fairies, and is doomed to wander alone until three couples can find happiness. These three will include the engaging Gallagher siblings (Aidan, the eldest, More...

0 comments like

Feb 18, 2011

Bridget rated it:

I am not going to review every Nora Roberts book that I have read in the past because she is quite prolific and it would get redundant and I honestly cannot remember all the plots. I think someone finds someone else attractive but at least one cannot admit it so there is sexual tension, then lots of sex, and then they live happily ever after? Sometimes there is some magic , a family legacy, or a mystery. Certainly not great works of literature (however still 100% better than “the grapes of wra More...

0 comments like

Oct 20, 2009

Jennifer rated it:

OK, so I quit. I confess. I got halfway, which is normally my point of no return (where I have too much invested in a book and will finish no matter how much I hate it), but I quit anyway. I was going to vomit the next time Jude and Aidan were on the same page together and the next time Jude talked to her magical faerie friend. So I took the easy way out and just quit. I have too many other books on my shelf to read.

Romance is most definitely not my genre, and I hereby vow that More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 15, 2009

Melanie rated it:

The story is about a woman named Jude who decides to quit her teaching career after her divorce and go to Ireland for a few months to visit her family's roots and "find herself" (or maybe just escape). I'm not a big romance novel fan and especially not when the character is so timid, unsure of herself and mousy. With that said, the setting really struck me and the descriptions of life in a little village in Ireland were fun and exactly in line with my fairytale imagination (although More...

0 comments like

Nov 05, 2011

Shannon rated it:

For the record, I picked this book to read for something fun and easy, a break from books that had complicated plots and made you think. Man, I was right about the latter, at least. The writing was entirely too flowery, and lacked concrete, physical description. The climaxes in the story (pun not intended), were incredibly disappointing and vague. At one point I even had to re-read a short paragraph because I hadn't realized what had been building up for several chapters had actually just oc More...

2 comments like

Oct 23, 2009

Corie rated it:

I like to read Nora Roberts, strictly for its "mind-candy" effect. I seem to pick her stuff up whenever I am feeling overwhelmed with my own life or thoughts and need to be taken away in the simple romance of someone elses. No worries, no Oh-my-Gosh what's going to happen, I never feel overly critical when I read her stuff. Its just there and it's a breeze to read through. I always love her men, they seem to be what every perfect man is supposed to me. This book made me dream of More...

1 comment like

Oct 10, 2008

Rhonda rated it:

Oh, I haven't read a Nora book in a bit, and totally loved this one. Maybe it's my reddish hair, but I sure love those Irish series books. (I pictured Gerard Butler as the guy the whole time thru.)

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jun 18, 2009

Sandie rated it:

This was a great trilogy! I enjoyed every book but I think the first book was my favorite though I loved the third one as well since it tied up the whole story so beautifully!

This trilogy takes place in Ireland for the most part, though there are bits and pieces that take place in the United States. I was able to really connect with the first books main female character, so that made this series even more dear to me. I love the magical spin Nora Roberts put into this set of stor More...

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Aug 19, 2009

Brooke rated it:

Well I read this trilogy awhile ago and decided to reread it this summer for fun. If you like Nora Roberts you'll most likely like this book as well. Now for me it isn't my favorite of her books due to the fact that she brings in some fantasy in the form of a fairy prince and a ghost. I understand its fiction so on some level I'm okay with that however I prefer a more realistic story. But even with that said the rest of the story is solid and the characters likeable. The part about the fairy pr More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 06, 2008

SoCalMediaSurfer- rated it:

I loved the irish pub setting in this trilogy. I felt at home there and wanted to go there. The characters were my friends.

1 comment like (1 person liked it)