Irish Rebel, 2000 (Irish Heart Series, Book #3)

     Oh! I wanted to write about this book as soon as I finished it and I did. An extra mark for one particular scene which set me in a fit of laughter. How I love the woman! Keeley Grant is the oldest daughter of Adelia and Travis Grant. Remember we met them in Irish Thoroughbred? She is smart, independent and rumor is she is cold. She hasn't given much thought to men until she met Brian Donnelly. He is proud, confident and a horse trainer of Uncle Paddy's caliber. I hope you remember him, Uncle Paddy! Brian has a gift with horses, an innate quality to connect with them. He tends. It is his nature. Keeley is self sufficient. She has her own business flourishing despite being an heir to The Royal Meadows. He comes to work at The Royal Meadows (from Ireland, no points for guessing!) and they fall in love with each other. How, when and why are for you to discover by reading the book.

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     In my opinion this book is the best in The Irish Heart Series. A few pages right before the end are brilliantly written. Set me in a fit of laughter at right three in the morning. I finished this book in one go, so no chances of it being boring. I developed a liking for Adelia Grant. Roberts didn't do justice with her in Irish Thoroughbred. You will also find Logans in this book. One thing I admire about Roberts's series is the way she portrays her characters. They are more than characters; people you know, love, meet every day and watch them grow old. It leaves one with a feeling of contentment knowing that the characters you read about in previous book are living happily together. And don't I like to see these people enjoying their happy-ever-after? One see Adelia and Travis fall in love in Irish Thoroughbred, happily married with kids in Irish Rose and old, gray and content in Irish Rebel; and one feels happy. I do! This book is as much about these people as it is about Keeley and Brian. I like it. It's the first series written by Roberts. I wouldn't be surprised if tomorrow Roberts decide to write a book about the life of Grant's other kids or Logan's kids, for that matter. 

Irish Thoroughbred, 1981 (Irish Hearts Series, Book #1)

     It's stupid. Yes, to marry someone just because you want to take care of them is stupid. Of course, the love is there. But it hasn't been acknowledged and it has been projected as if he has married the woman to protect and provide for her. It seems stupid at THAT moment, if not later. But then it is Nora Roberts and she has enough love in her heart to prove you wrong of thinking of it as stupid. You don't get it, do you? Okay! Let's take a step back. Adelia Cunnan a.k.a little Dee is alone and lonely after the death of her aunt. She lost her parents when she was 10 and since then was living with her aunt. Life is hard for her. Even after putting full days on her farm in Ireland she finds it difficult to run it. She moves to Virginia,America to her only living relative, uncle Paddy. She meets Travis Grant, the owner of The Royal Meadows and falls in love with him. He marries Dee under certain circumstances and they live a happy life after that.

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     I want to say more but I don't want to spoil it for you. But allow me to tell you what I feel about this book. This is the first book in the first series written by Roberts in 1981 and since then she has come a long way. Had I read all her books in a chronological order, I would have felt different. But because I have already read much stuff written by her, I think I am well acquainted with her writing style. So, I knew about the love. After that little incident and the marriage, I had known exactly what followed. One reason I like Roberts is that it is always 'happily-ever-after' with her, no open or sad endings. There is not much in this book but the warmth of relationships. Her characters don't have a mean bone in them. Travis is domineering but at the same time affectionate, compassionate and caring. But I don't like the way he marries Dee. Uncle Paddy is pure love. He loves not only his niece but Travis without any constraint. Trish is well, Trish. One would be happy to have her as a friend. Margot Winters's mean character could have enjoyed a little bit more space. The last scene is short and not well fed. Because Roberts has written more than enough on cowboys and barns, I like the fact that this book is about something similar but in a different way!