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beary_bookwormish's review
5.0
Oh my word, the end of this one made me cry. Geemopeep...I am truly in love with Ireland, and as I've got a bright reel playing in my ears...well it makes me see it all a bit more clearly.
melsdown's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent secret to the first in this trilogy, Jewels of the Sun. The nice thing about this trilogy is that they are each stand alone books, so you needn't read them in order, or even all three. (Although, I would recommend them, and in order)
slooten's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
erikaellr's review
2.0
The protagonist is a much more developed and sympathetic character than that of the first book, and the romance gets turned up a bit - not boiling hot, but not quite tepid either, more like a pleasantly warm cup of tea. Still just a fluff read, but maybe the best of the trilogy.
silenciadelumbrae's review
2.0
look I don't know. Most of the drama felt very contrived and I didn't really like either of the protagonists. 95% of this would have been solved much earlier if they would just have talked to each other, but they never did, which is not a resounding promise for a happy marriage.
Talk to your partners, y'all. Love and light.
Talk to your partners, y'all. Love and light.
jscarpa14's review against another edition
4.0
I like this one almost as much as the first because I love the folklore Roberts has woven to set the tale and I really love the characters. But I've been thinking about a review I read on the previous book from someone who was apparently Irish about the misrepresentation of her country in the story. Personally I've never been to Ireland so I couldn't say one way or the other if Roberts' portrayal of the country and her people was accurate and believable, what I will say is I don't believe the story would work nearly as well if Roberts had portrayed a place similar to most of America just with different physical scenery. The story works because Roberts paints a setting and a cast of people still romantic and whimsical enough to share folk tales passed from generation to generation over a drink or walk, to believe in ghosts and fairies and to welcome a stranger like an old friend as long as said stranger has a bit of Irish in their bloodline. From what I've seen people and places like that don't exist in America and most of us have never seen beyond the edges of our own shores, so half of the appeal of this series is imagining a place where people are as welcoming and friendly as Roberts has painted Ardmore. If the portrayal is insulting to a true Irishman then I guess that's how it is but accurate or not the way Roberts paints her setting and characters is necessary and beneficial to the story she wanted to tell here at least in my personal opinion.
The main thing I didn't like about this story, the part that makes me give it a four stars instead of a five like I gave the last book in the trilogy is I don't care for the way the characters are manipulating each other. While the funny the act they put on with American businessman in order to get the deal that wanted struck me as slightly dishonest and made me lose a little respect for these characters I've grown to love so much. And that's not nearly as much as Shawn and Brenna go about manipulating each other. Her with her push to fix him, him with his moving the situation about to make her believe that them being more than bed buddies was her idea. They both explain this as being necessary to get the other to do what that person really wants in the first place, but I don't go for manipulating people, haven't since I was too young and immature to see how wrong it was, so anything less than a straightforward approach to what should be one of the most important decisions in your life doesn't really sit well with me.
That said I loved Brenna as much as I loved Jude, despite her flaws mentioned above. I loved reading about a character who didn't need to paint her face or use clothes like armor to be beautiful. It's easier for my to identify with a character like that than the one who spend scene debating over their lipstick choices. I like that Shawn doesn't try to change that about her and that he doesn't quite know what to do with her when she in a few scenes changes some of it herself. I also like that those scenes where she dresses like the stereotypical girl are for actually reasons and not her changing who she is because the next morning she back in her baseball cap with her face free from paint and her hands covered in grease or whatever bits from the project she's working on that day. I like that for all her practicality she's a bit fanciful. I also enjoyed the romantic aspects of Shawn. He's a character that's hard to describe and unlike anyone I've actually met in real life but I loved reading his unique point of view on the world and getting to know more about this character.
Overall I'd definitely recommend the book and this entire series in general. I've read it so many times and I'm never any less delighted when I'm turning the pages of this book than I was the first time I had the chance to read it.
The main thing I didn't like about this story, the part that makes me give it a four stars instead of a five like I gave the last book in the trilogy is I don't care for the way the characters are manipulating each other. While the funny the act they put on with American businessman in order to get the deal that wanted struck me as slightly dishonest and made me lose a little respect for these characters I've grown to love so much. And that's not nearly as much as Shawn and Brenna go about manipulating each other. Her with her push to fix him, him with his moving the situation about to make her believe that them being more than bed buddies was her idea. They both explain this as being necessary to get the other to do what that person really wants in the first place, but I don't go for manipulating people, haven't since I was too young and immature to see how wrong it was, so anything less than a straightforward approach to what should be one of the most important decisions in your life doesn't really sit well with me.
That said I loved Brenna as much as I loved Jude, despite her flaws mentioned above. I loved reading about a character who didn't need to paint her face or use clothes like armor to be beautiful. It's easier for my to identify with a character like that than the one who spend scene debating over their lipstick choices. I like that Shawn doesn't try to change that about her and that he doesn't quite know what to do with her when she in a few scenes changes some of it herself. I also like that those scenes where she dresses like the stereotypical girl are for actually reasons and not her changing who she is because the next morning she back in her baseball cap with her face free from paint and her hands covered in grease or whatever bits from the project she's working on that day. I like that for all her practicality she's a bit fanciful. I also enjoyed the romantic aspects of Shawn. He's a character that's hard to describe and unlike anyone I've actually met in real life but I loved reading his unique point of view on the world and getting to know more about this character.
Overall I'd definitely recommend the book and this entire series in general. I've read it so many times and I'm never any less delighted when I'm turning the pages of this book than I was the first time I had the chance to read it.
kasaya_mt33's review
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
noranie's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5