Just getting started

[Jennifer]

Hi all Nora fans! I haven't read too much Nora yet and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to what you would recommend? I started reading Nora with the Bride Quartet and loved it! I've read the O'Hurley's and just started with the MacGregor's. I've read a couple other of her old books that were re-released recently (Sacred Sins, From the Heart, Secrets & Sunsets) but other than that I'm not sure where to dig in. Thanks in advance!

[Jonetta]

I'm a recent Nora fan and turned to some veterans for recommendations that turned out to be winners. Might I suggest the following series:

Chesapeake Bay series (my favorite)
The Gallaghers of Ardmore
Concannon Sisters/Born In series
Three Sisters Island Trilogy

This is a good start and represent my most favorites. They are well written with lovely romances and characters.

Good luck and enjoy.

[Jasmine]

I also love the Stanislaski series and MacKade brothers.

[Jonetta]

Jasmine ☮ ♡ ♔ wrote: "I also love the Stanislaski series and MacKade brothers."

I just wish they'd put these in ereader format. I'm waiting for that to happen so I can read on my iPad.

[Tammy]

Jasmine ☮ ♡ ♔ wrote: "I also love the Stanislaski series and MacKade brothers."

Oh, I love the Stanislaski series! Give it a try!

[Jennifer]

Thanks! I went to the store to pick up the Chesapeake Bay series and they didn't have two of the books. :( So I picked up the In the Garden trilogy. Has anyone read these and what are your opinions?

[Jennifer C]

I literally just finished Black Rose and I am enjoying the trilogy. I have a quick book to read for a challenge and then I plan on reading the third book. I liked the Chesapeake Bay series better but I am definitely enjoying In the Garden.

[Anu]

If you are someone who like fantasy, The Sign of Seven Trilogy is a good pick.

[Jennifer C]

I've read the sign of 7, it was good, I liked In the Garden better, not quite so paranormal-ly

[Jennifer]

Yeah I'm not so into the paranormal. The ghost aspects of In the Garden kinda creeped me out a little at first, but I'm getting used to it. I'm almost finished Black Rose and can't wait to read Red Lily. I'm still on the hunt for the Chesapeake Bay series because I've heard that it's her best series and I'm really looking forward to reading it!

[Jennifer C]

I loved the Cheasapeake Bay series as well. I think my favorite is Gallagher series that takes place in Ireland.

[Vanessa]

I just finished re-reading the Chesapeake Bay Series. I finished it really fast; I just wish there were more.

[Jennifer]

I finished In the Garden and loved it and I'm 3/4 of the way done with Chesapeake Bay and I'm loving it! I just picked up the Three Sisters Island trilogy and can't wait to get started!

[Jennifer C]

oh I loved the Three Sisters Island trilogy. I liked that one much better than In the Garden. Enjoy. :)

[Talya]

You can't go wrong with her classic trilogies like Born In, Dream, Chesepeake Bay Saga, Gallaghers of Ardmore (Irish), and Three Sisters Island. Love all those!

Though you really can't go wrong with any Nora.
Happy Reading!

[Jasja]

I also really enjoyed the Concannon sisters (Born in ...) trilogy, but among my other favourites are Angel's Fall, Carolina Moon, High Noon and Blue Smoke.

[Jennifer]

I'm on the last book of Three Sisters and I'm loving it too! Not sure where to go next. Thinking of Gallaghers of Ardmore or maybe a family series.

[Liz]

I started reading Nora Roberts with the Bride Quartet. That was beautiful and it got me completely hooked. I love those books.
For Christmas my husband gave me the Chesapeake Bay Saga and I had them finished in two weeks. I was sad to end the series to be honest. They were almost as good as the bride quartet.
I've just started the second book of the Three Sisters trilogy and I have to say that I'm loving these too.
Nora Roberts certainly has me hooked. I have the Born In series to read next... then In the Garden I borrowed from a friend - which should I read first?

[Talya]

Liz, it's so nice to hear about someone else getting hooked!

I actually just finished In the Garden, I really enjoyed it, it builds and gets better and better with each story. If you want to keep with the paranormal theme, then I would go with that one.

If you want more of a familiar relationships kind of trilogy with lots of warmth (like the Bride Quartet), then I would go with Born In.

Either way, you can't go wrong, they are both wonderful, though very different styles of trilogies

[Cindi]

Liz, I have read both series, the "Born In" series more than once. I love both, but my favorite is the "Born In" series, particularly Born In Ice. You can't go wrong with either series. But, as Talya said, they are both very different in the style of the writing, though I know you will enjoy them all.

[Jennifer]

I loved In the Garden, and just bought Born In the other day. I haven't started it yet, I'm on the last book in the Gallaghers of Ardmore series. My favorites so far have been Chesapeake Bay and Three Sisters. I also became hooked with the Bride Quartet, totally drug me in!

[Brenda]

I am a new NORA fan. What series should I start with???????

[Jennifer]

Three Sisters Island or Chesapeake Bay are both my favorites! But they are all wonderful!

[Talya]

Brenda,

For a newbie, I recommend Chesapeake Bay Saga or Gallaghers of Ardmore (Irish) trilogy, if you like more realistic, not so heavily paranormal tales. Though those have a hint of supernatural (if you read them you'll see what I mean).
If you're good with over the top fantasy and paranormal, then I would start with Three Sisters Island, or Circle Triogies.
Though I enjoyed all of Nora's series, those are the ones, IMO, I found to be her best.

[[deleted user]]

I prefer her standalone books, one of my favourites was Montana Sky, I have a lot of her books read and also I have a lot of books that I have still got to read of hers.

[Jennifer]

I loved Montana Sky and also Carolina Moon. I'm reading Honest Illusions now and I'm loving it. Black Hills and The Search were good ones too.

[[deleted user]]

After I read Montana Sky, I bought the DVD from Amazon, I was so disappointed, it was nothing like the book. I have the Search to read.

[Carol]

Outside of the series books, all her books stand alone. Angel Falls was a favorite of mine as was The Search.

[Melissa]

I have read the Stanislaski series & I have read some of the Bride series. I am on the Savor the Moment.

[Jeanne]

I am reading the second book in the Gallagher series. 'Tears of the Moon'. This is a great series and Jude is wonderful.

[Jennifer]

The Gallagher Series was very very good, though not my fav. My favs would have to be Three Sisters and Chesapeake Bay. I'm reading the MacKades now and am enjoying them very much.

[Beth]

I just discovered Nora Roberts.My mom reads her and she suggested I try her.I am currently reading ANGELS FALL and my mom gave me all of her old books,and I am probably going to go buy more this weekend.So far I am loving her!

[Nilgün]

Hi I am a new beginner to read Nora, I am corrently reading "A little Fate"...(german language)

I am a 3 language reader, that can be gramatical false in my comments, Sorry :)

[Nilgün]

Can anybody tell me in wich discussion list is the book "a little fate" addet to write comments?

[Cheryle]

I have read all Nora's books, and while I enjoy a couple of her series work (The MacKade Brothers, The Stars of Mithra), I am more a fan of her stand-alone novels. My personal favorites: Black Hills, Carolina Moon, and The Reef being my most re-read works. There are so many books from which to choose, there is something for everybody!

[[deleted user]]

I agree with you Cheryle, I prefer her stand alone books.

[namericanwordcat]

I used to read Roberts categories years ago. I always liked them but did not love them.

I am always a little leery of any writer that produces as much as she does even through this is very pleasing as you don't have to wait forever.

However, I am in a beta hero phase so checked out Visions in White from the new kindle lending feature at my library.

It was again good--not great-but good.

I loved the the hero and liked the heroine. It was an emotional read. What struck me the most was how much attention was paid to the working day for both characters. It was very real and very unusual for a romance novel. People worked. I liked it but it was stressy too. LOL. I have a very demanding job and am off this weekend so reading about someone else's very demanding job...stressy.

Anyway, I admired that about her work and will read the rest of the Quartet.

Any other books of hers where the leads really work or other wonderful Betas like Carter. Yum.

[Farah]

The sign of seven trilogy is a very good. And The Chesapeake bay saga is one of my favourites.

[Cheryle]

I have to admit, I am not a fan of the Bride Quartet. Nora does like to be thorough in her descriptions of the work her characters do, and I admire all the research she must do, but this series was overly heavy on the work aspect, and, to my taste, rather light on the romance. By the fourth book, I had no sense of the hero at all, or why (geez, I forget her name, that's how forgettable these books were to me) the heroine (Parker?) fell for him. I think Nora has done much better series work (Sign of Seven was good, I agree), but still, overall, I like her stand-alones much better.

[Kesha]

Cheryle, I felt the same about the 4th book in the Bride Quartet. I liked the concept of 4 lifelong friends living in close proximity and establishing a successful business together, but I could have definitely used a little more romance in the entire series, especially the last book.

I ofcourse love NR stand alones (The Search, Honest Illusions, Chasing Fire...the list goes on) however I'm a big fan of her series aswell. The Macgregor series, Key trilogy, Chesapeake Bay saga and the Sign of Seven trilogy are some of my fav series.

[Samantha]

Cali wrote: "I used to read Roberts categories years ago. I always liked them but did not love them.

I am always a little leery of any writer that produces as much as she does even through this is very pleasin..."

That was definitely not the book to start back with. While the Bride quartet was okay, they definitely were not her best. Much too predictable--more like a harlequin. I feel the same way about her new book-The Next Always. It was okay, but not up to the caliber that I would prefer.
Try some of her earlier works like the born in series-although work plays a role in them, it is intertwined with beautiful love stories and wonderful characters. The Cheasapeake Bay series is also one of my faves. I also love most of her stand alones although Chasing Fire wasn't as good to me. Try Angel Falls or Birthright or Black Hills.

[Talya]

I absolutely loved the Quartet! But it's hard to disagree that the connection and chemistry between the book 4 couple Parker and Malcomb was not as showcased as it could have been. I still enjoyed it, I just hate to admit it would have been even better to have a little more development in their relationship and connection instead of lots of details of their work with sex scenes sprinkled in.

[Mary]

Talya wrote: "I absolutely loved the Quartet! But it's hard to disagree that the connection and chemistry between the book 4 couple Parker and Malcomb was not as showcased as it could have been. I still enjoyed ..."

I agreed with you, it should have been more development in Parker and Malcom's relationship but I love Mal, he so different of the other men in the quartet a sexy bad boy but a good men in the inside.
I love the entire Quartet series but I can't compare because I haven't read any other series. Summer is coming (here anyway) and holiday (Thank God!!) and I'm going to catch up on my reading after my exams.

[Maggie]

I was actually really disappointed with Bride Quartet, maybe cos no underlying supernatural element. but then Loved Chesapeake Bay and her new one The Next Always!

Ive read all the series books bar Stanislaski series, which i will probs hit soon as have it all on my kindle now

Just started on the standalone books, and really surprised how much Im enjoying them. Though will admit Im struggling getting into The Art of Deception, so moved on for time being

Public Secrets was brilliant! Just started Brazen Virtue then found out that Sacred Sins was before it ...so just got that one so will read that one first. Just downloaded it

[Photomama171]

Are any of you Nook users? I would love to borrow the Quartet series or the Chesapeake Bay.

[Lisa]

I loved, loved loved The Circle Trilogy even though the first book was a touch slow-moving, boy did it pick up on the second and third books and my tears were dropping on the last few pages (happy tears). Loved the In The Garden trilogy and The Dream Trilogy also. Haven't gotten to the others, although I'm really interested in her Inn Boonsboro & Three Sister's Island Trilogies...

[Kris (My Novelesque Life)]

For romance I liked the MacKade Brothers series and Chesapeake Bay.

For romantic-suspense I liked Montana Sky, Carolina Moon, Angels Fall and Carnal Innocence.

For paranormal I liked Sign of Seven series and am just getting into Morrigan's Cross.

Just to name a few ;)

[Cathryn]

..for her older books-- The Reef and the Chesapeake series were great. I love Birthright- hard to beat Jake! For her newer books-- I liked The Search & Chasing Fire.. not as big a fan of The Witness.

[Kris (My Novelesque Life)]

Vicki wrote: "..for her older books-- The Reef and the Chesapeake series were great. I love Birthright- hard to beat Jake! For her newer books-- I liked The Search & Chasing Fire.. not as big a fan of The Witness."

Jake is fabulous.

[Mary]

Birthright was a great book indeed!!!
I've just started the MacKade Brothers series, I can't believe that I hadn't read any of these books till now... I think that I'll enjoy this series a lot!