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Ballymuir #2
The Boldest Man in Ballymuir
When bold and sexy businessman Devlin Gilvane arrives in the Irish village of Ballymuir, almost everyone in the village is bowled over by his charm. Only American chef Jenna Fahey sees the threat he poses. She's highly suspicious of the way Dev is sniffing around Muir House, the old manor house she has leased and turned into a restaurant on the brink of international fame. Muir House has been Jenna's redemption from a dark past, and she will fight to the end to make it hers. Dev needs the property to reach the top of the multinational resorts corporation that employs him. He won't let one admittedly beautiful chef get in his way. But neither Dev nor Jenna expects the passion that ignites between them, or the secrets that reveal themselves as their lives collide.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 24, 2004
16 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 12, 2013
This was a wonderful book and the whole time I was reading it Irish songs went through my head.. That is very, very unusual for me when I am reading a book..
I love Jenna and Dev and the cast of characters that inhabited Ballymuir.. After reading this book you will want to experience life in a small village in Ireland.. There is nothing like it.. I can't wait to read the other books in this series.. I started with book 2, but you can be sure that I will be reading book 1 and 2 in the not to distance future..
I love Jenna and Dev and the cast of characters that inhabited Ballymuir.. After reading this book you will want to experience life in a small village in Ireland.. There is nothing like it.. I can't wait to read the other books in this series.. I started with book 2, but you can be sure that I will be reading book 1 and 2 in the not to distance future..
December 5, 2019
I'll admit that I don't feel like this one stirred up as many amazing feelings as The Last Bride of Ballymuire did, but I enjoyed it for the most part. Some part of it felt rushed or strangely out of sync, I'm not sure how to explain it, but I enjoyed Vi's ominous portents and the village as always. Plus, who doesn't love a happy ending?
July 13, 2017
Ahhh
This turned out to be a lovely romance. One that all us wish for. Thanks. Now on to another story of Ballymuir
This turned out to be a lovely romance. One that all us wish for. Thanks. Now on to another story of Ballymuir
March 18, 2013
Kitty‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
5 Stars
Only $.99 for Kindle as of date of this review, 3/17/13
Health and long life to you;
the love of your heart to you;
land without rent to you;
and may you die in Ireland.
-Irish Toast
In the second book of the Ballymuir Trilogy, Ms. Kelly takes us on a wonderful ride through the hillsides of Ireland. She again brings the land to life and has you dreaming of long walks along the shore with the man of your dreams. She has woven tales of long ago and mixed them with the problems of today. She has you looking for ogham stones and believing in spirits, the power of the mind and looking forward to the lighting of the fires to bring everyone and everything together.
Jenna Fahey comes from a very wealthy, American family and has a past that she wishes she could forget as easily has her parents have forgotten about her. She’s finally making a name for herself a a renowned Chef at her restaurant, Muir House. This is her passion, her love and her life. She has no time for men or the trouble that they would most likely bring. Then she meets Dev and something has come to life for her. She knows he’s up to no good; she knows that she needs to steer clear of him; she knows that she could easily fall in love with him. She has to keep him at arms length for her sanity and for the sanctity of Muir House. Now, she needs to tell that to the rest of her body. As Muir House and the ogham stones sing to her, tell her stories and pull her in a direction that she does not want to go, she has to face the fact that she’s fallen in love with Dev and knows, deep down, that he is going to tear her heart out when he takes Muir House out from under her.
Devlin Gilvane is a brash, hard-hearted man with two things in mind. 1. Secure Muir House so that he could climb the corporate ladder; 2. Get Jenna in bed. Hmm, his second goal just may be as hard as the first. He has to find a way to get her to realize that the “sparks” between them are more than animosity and the attraction is running both ways. When he realizes just what Jenna may mean to him, he does everything in his power to try to find a just as suitable place for the new resort as Muir House. He is feeling something that he has never felt before and he has no idea how to deal with it!
With the help of Vi, who we met in “The Last Bride of Ballymuir” and his Mam, Dev’s past and present come together. He starts seeing things more clearly. He starts learning to trust and love in a way that he never thought he would. He starts realizing that there is more to life than money or his job. He learns that the love of a good woman can fulfill everything that he has been trying achieve and make him feel more whole than anything in the world. Now, to prove the Irish Legends of Muir House wrong …. an Englishman and an Irish woman can be together, the walls will not crumble, they will live happily ever after and have the life they have both dreamed of.
“The Boldest Man in Ballymuir” pulled me in right from the beginning. I loved hearing the tales of old Ireland being told. Again, I could hear the Irish Brogue coming through on the pages. I could see Jenna and Dev on the hill at the ogham stone and feel the pull of the spirits bringing them together. Vi is one of the most wonderful, witty characters I have ever read. Ms. Kelly brought color and a sense of old Ireland to life with Vi. She also brought in a supporting cast that brought the whole book together: Kate (Dev’s mam), Maureen (Jenna’s sister), Brendan Mulqueen (a surprise when you read the book), Sam (Maureen’s ex and a movie star) and all the wonderful townspeople of Ballymuir. We also revisit with Kylie and Michael for a little bit and find out how their lives are getting along. But, what amazes me the most with Dorien Kelly’s writing is how she brings the old and new together, the mystery and the solution. There is never a “down” time in the book and you are always looking forward to turning the page just to see what is going to happen next. Please enjoy Jenna and Dev’s book, they worked hard to be together and to get their Happily Ever After!
5 Stars
Only $.99 for Kindle as of date of this review, 3/17/13
Health and long life to you;
the love of your heart to you;
land without rent to you;
and may you die in Ireland.
-Irish Toast
In the second book of the Ballymuir Trilogy, Ms. Kelly takes us on a wonderful ride through the hillsides of Ireland. She again brings the land to life and has you dreaming of long walks along the shore with the man of your dreams. She has woven tales of long ago and mixed them with the problems of today. She has you looking for ogham stones and believing in spirits, the power of the mind and looking forward to the lighting of the fires to bring everyone and everything together.
Jenna Fahey comes from a very wealthy, American family and has a past that she wishes she could forget as easily has her parents have forgotten about her. She’s finally making a name for herself a a renowned Chef at her restaurant, Muir House. This is her passion, her love and her life. She has no time for men or the trouble that they would most likely bring. Then she meets Dev and something has come to life for her. She knows he’s up to no good; she knows that she needs to steer clear of him; she knows that she could easily fall in love with him. She has to keep him at arms length for her sanity and for the sanctity of Muir House. Now, she needs to tell that to the rest of her body. As Muir House and the ogham stones sing to her, tell her stories and pull her in a direction that she does not want to go, she has to face the fact that she’s fallen in love with Dev and knows, deep down, that he is going to tear her heart out when he takes Muir House out from under her.
Devlin Gilvane is a brash, hard-hearted man with two things in mind. 1. Secure Muir House so that he could climb the corporate ladder; 2. Get Jenna in bed. Hmm, his second goal just may be as hard as the first. He has to find a way to get her to realize that the “sparks” between them are more than animosity and the attraction is running both ways. When he realizes just what Jenna may mean to him, he does everything in his power to try to find a just as suitable place for the new resort as Muir House. He is feeling something that he has never felt before and he has no idea how to deal with it!
With the help of Vi, who we met in “The Last Bride of Ballymuir” and his Mam, Dev’s past and present come together. He starts seeing things more clearly. He starts learning to trust and love in a way that he never thought he would. He starts realizing that there is more to life than money or his job. He learns that the love of a good woman can fulfill everything that he has been trying achieve and make him feel more whole than anything in the world. Now, to prove the Irish Legends of Muir House wrong …. an Englishman and an Irish woman can be together, the walls will not crumble, they will live happily ever after and have the life they have both dreamed of.
“The Boldest Man in Ballymuir” pulled me in right from the beginning. I loved hearing the tales of old Ireland being told. Again, I could hear the Irish Brogue coming through on the pages. I could see Jenna and Dev on the hill at the ogham stone and feel the pull of the spirits bringing them together. Vi is one of the most wonderful, witty characters I have ever read. Ms. Kelly brought color and a sense of old Ireland to life with Vi. She also brought in a supporting cast that brought the whole book together: Kate (Dev’s mam), Maureen (Jenna’s sister), Brendan Mulqueen (a surprise when you read the book), Sam (Maureen’s ex and a movie star) and all the wonderful townspeople of Ballymuir. We also revisit with Kylie and Michael for a little bit and find out how their lives are getting along. But, what amazes me the most with Dorien Kelly’s writing is how she brings the old and new together, the mystery and the solution. There is never a “down” time in the book and you are always looking forward to turning the page just to see what is going to happen next. Please enjoy Jenna and Dev’s book, they worked hard to be together and to get their Happily Ever After!
March 31, 2013
Good book. I liked both Jenna and Dev. Jenna has been working hard for two years to make her restaurant one of the finest around. She has gotten quite a good reputation among diners. She has also made a place for herself in the village of Ballymuir. When Dev arrives in town she is immediately suspicious of him, especially when she catches him snooping around the grounds of Muir House. When she overhears a phone conversation about his company's intention to buy Muir House she is not at all happy with him. I really enjoyed her attitude about cellphones in her dining room and loved her solution to his last infraction. Another thing she had to deal with was her unwanted attraction to him. Jenna had rules for her everything in her life which made sure she was in control of what happened to her. Her attraction to Dev threatens that control but he won't let up. Pretty soon she decides to give in and have a fling but try to protect her heart. She also intentionally closes her eyes to what is happening on Dev's attempts to buy the house. She doesn't want to face the fact that it will probably happen and she'll lose everything. This nearly loses her everything in the end before she faces up to her issues. Besides her relationship with Dev I loved seeing Jenna with others in the town. Her sister's appearance and romance are a nice counterpoint to Jenna's and they have a chance to reconnect after so many years. I also loved Vi and her second sight and look forward to reading her story someday.
Dev was an interesting character. He started out as this strictly business, slightly sneaky guy. He chooses Ballymuir because that's where his mother is from and figures it's a good place to start. He's nosing around to get information on Muir House so his company can buy it and turn it into a resort. When he meets Jenna he doesn't make the best first impression when he nearly runs her down. He does notice her looks and an undeniable attraction. He feels pretty sure that he can talk her into his bed and still keep his acquisition of Muir House totally separate. He pursues her quite vigorously but soon finds that separation just isn't possible. There is something about Jenna that fills a void in him that he didn't realize he had. He gets to the point where he wants to tell her everything that is going on but is frustrated by her refusal to listen to any of it. Pretty soon he realizes that he doesn't want his company getting Muir House and is trying very hard to find another site that is just as good. He also finds himself getting sucked into life in Ballymuir, something that he never expected. Even more happens when his mother shows up. I loved seeing Dev deal with her and the new man in her life. Dev also has to finally confront what he is doing and how he intends to fix it. I loved the solution that he came up with.
Dev was an interesting character. He started out as this strictly business, slightly sneaky guy. He chooses Ballymuir because that's where his mother is from and figures it's a good place to start. He's nosing around to get information on Muir House so his company can buy it and turn it into a resort. When he meets Jenna he doesn't make the best first impression when he nearly runs her down. He does notice her looks and an undeniable attraction. He feels pretty sure that he can talk her into his bed and still keep his acquisition of Muir House totally separate. He pursues her quite vigorously but soon finds that separation just isn't possible. There is something about Jenna that fills a void in him that he didn't realize he had. He gets to the point where he wants to tell her everything that is going on but is frustrated by her refusal to listen to any of it. Pretty soon he realizes that he doesn't want his company getting Muir House and is trying very hard to find another site that is just as good. He also finds himself getting sucked into life in Ballymuir, something that he never expected. Even more happens when his mother shows up. I loved seeing Dev deal with her and the new man in her life. Dev also has to finally confront what he is doing and how he intends to fix it. I loved the solution that he came up with.
February 25, 2014
At time aw hen I've read a Dorien Kelly book, I've been frustrated. There are times when she drags a plot line miles beyond where I can enjoy the story and into territory where I just want to scream at the characters to quit being such pansies and do something, anything! This book was not as much about dragging plot lines, though. This book used some humor and culinary descriptions to fill in during the duller areas and for that I was pacified.
The characters here were more decisive and intuitive. The story moved on with some speed. In fact the only part that I wasn't satisfied with was the resolution of the youngest sister's story. It was, to me, a little superficial between the sisters. And I'm not a fan of leaving uncomfortable relationships that way unless some sort of explanation can be provided as to why it isn't improved by story end. Otherwise, this book was very well done. Ms. Kelly proves that relationships are never easily run to love and good sex with just a few encounters and a little animosity. The real world is not that cut and dried, and her writing stays on the edge of that truth just enough to avoid the complacency of the usual romantic fiction.
The characters here were more decisive and intuitive. The story moved on with some speed. In fact the only part that I wasn't satisfied with was the resolution of the youngest sister's story. It was, to me, a little superficial between the sisters. And I'm not a fan of leaving uncomfortable relationships that way unless some sort of explanation can be provided as to why it isn't improved by story end. Otherwise, this book was very well done. Ms. Kelly proves that relationships are never easily run to love and good sex with just a few encounters and a little animosity. The real world is not that cut and dried, and her writing stays on the edge of that truth just enough to avoid the complacency of the usual romantic fiction.
February 26, 2013
I loved it!
I was mesmerized by the wonderful village of Ballymuir again and all of the characters that live there. Jenna was introduced in the first book as the hard working American chef who is renovating Muir House; Dev is an astute English businessman looking for a new resort location for the company he works for. Their chemistry is instantaneous yet, they are reluctant to acknowledge it.
They find love with a little help from their friends and family. Vi Kilbride is in this book as she is Jenna’s best friend. We get to know her better. Jenna’s younger sister shows up along with her love.
I truly enjoyed the story although a few times I was upset with the way that Jenna buried her head in the sand and the way that Dev continually went with his head instead of listening to his heart.
Great story, I would definitely recommend this book to my friends.
I was mesmerized by the wonderful village of Ballymuir again and all of the characters that live there. Jenna was introduced in the first book as the hard working American chef who is renovating Muir House; Dev is an astute English businessman looking for a new resort location for the company he works for. Their chemistry is instantaneous yet, they are reluctant to acknowledge it.
They find love with a little help from their friends and family. Vi Kilbride is in this book as she is Jenna’s best friend. We get to know her better. Jenna’s younger sister shows up along with her love.
I truly enjoyed the story although a few times I was upset with the way that Jenna buried her head in the sand and the way that Dev continually went with his head instead of listening to his heart.
Great story, I would definitely recommend this book to my friends.
March 20, 2013
Having read the first book in the series, I was happy to find the second one on sale and I jumped at the chance to read it. I have always loved the idea of small towns and I also seem to enjoy books set in Ireland (but in present day). So this was perfect for me. Jenna and Dev were both strong characters who couldn't stop their attraction to each other. They found themselves falling in love, despite circumstances that could threaten that love.
The supporting characters fleshed out the story. Especially, Vi, Jenna's best friend and Maureen, Jenna's sister.
I will definitely be looking to get the third book.
The supporting characters fleshed out the story. Especially, Vi, Jenna's best friend and Maureen, Jenna's sister.
I will definitely be looking to get the third book.
July 25, 2012
While I have liked Dorien Kelly in the past, this book read too much like a classical/ historical romance for my taste.
Everything seemed to be coming from behind rose-colored glasses-- even the so-called blow up at the end.
And the whole "magical" land that speaks to people was just not for me.
I honestly could have done without this Irish/British/American tale of love that didn't seem to have any conflicts. Well, except for the one that seemed to be solved within a page.
Everything seemed to be coming from behind rose-colored glasses-- even the so-called blow up at the end.
And the whole "magical" land that speaks to people was just not for me.
I honestly could have done without this Irish/British/American tale of love that didn't seem to have any conflicts. Well, except for the one that seemed to be solved within a page.
March 15, 2013
This read is a slow starter and would be better placed in small town USA. If you can stick it out to half way, it gets better. However, if you want to be put in the mood for St. Patrick's Day, read one of Nora Roberts dozen books that take place in Ireland. You can practically hear the lilt in her character's voices and swear one of the wee folk is about to share his treasure.
November 28, 2015
After reading the (free) first book in this series, I purchased books no. 2 and 3 and don't regret this. I liked the story and the characters, and again had the feeling I was in Ireland. I also like the (subtle) humor of the author.
October 24, 2012
Great writing, great characters, great story! A really enjoyable book!
March 14, 2013
Good book a little slower than the first, took awhile to like the hero. He turned out to be awesome.
March 16, 2013
The characters became so real it made me wish I lived in Ballymuir!
April 4, 2013
My favorite of the trilogy. Surprisingly, my favorite character was Vi.
May 12, 2013
This second in the series was even better than the first. Wonderful characters and a storyline a little deeper than the usual romance novel.
December 22, 2015
Loved it. Now on to book 3
May 29, 2014
eh..2.5. not my favorite kind of dragged...
April 9, 2015
Ballymuir series
Enjoyed the story and the personal struggles, between family, friends and love. Well done. Some grammatical errors but otherwise very enjoyable.
Enjoyed the story and the personal struggles, between family, friends and love. Well done. Some grammatical errors but otherwise very enjoyable.
October 4, 2014
Absolutely loved this book
September 5, 2016
Some very funny moments
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews