7 Books to Satisfy Your Ireland Wanderlust

Anyone who knows me well knows I’m obsessed with Ireland, and have been for many years. I still haven’t actually made it to the Emerald Isle, but I travel there vicariously as often as I can. If you’re like me and you’ll read just about anything set in Ireland, I’ve put together a list of some of my favourite books to satisfy your desire for sexy accents, lush landscapes, and a bit of blarney. A common theme I’ve noticed about books set in Ireland is the desire for the main character to lose themself or escape. People seem to go there for a fresh start, a new perspective, and a bit of romance or magic - often both. Because of that, all of the books on this list with one exception are romances, and they range from Young Adult to Adult. Here’s hoping you’ll find your next favourite book on this list!

Jewels of the Sun by Nora Roberts Genre: Contemporary Adult Romance with elements of paranormal Buy Jewels of the Sun: Amazon US || Amazon Canada

This book is the first in the Gallaghers of Ardmore trilogy (Tears of the Moon is book two and Heart of the Sea is the third book), which follows a trio of Irish siblings and their ‘destined’ romances. I’ve read all three books multiple times, and they’ve definitely stoked my obsession with Ireland. Jewels of the Sun features Jude, an American who has gone to Ireland to get distance from her past and also to do research for a book on Irish folklore. Not only does she discover the existence of faeries and ghosts, she also finds a charming Irishman she finds impossible to resist. This is my favourite of the trilogy because I related to Jude so much, and I loved how romance, folklore, and magic were woven through the story. This whole series will always have a special place in my heart; you can read more on Instagram about how these books were my introduction to the Romance genre.

Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Buy Love & Luck: Amazon US || Amazon Canada

Addie and her family travel to Ireland for her aunt’s wedding. She’s supposed to fly to Italy after the wedding to visit her best friend, but plans change unexpectedly and she’s stuck in Ireland. She embarks on a whirlwind tour of Ireland with her brother, his Irish friend, and a guidebook that’s supposed to help heal a broken heart. This book is so sweet and charming. It has the perfect mix of complex characters, real emotion, and humour. The relationship between Addie and her brother Ian was a highlight for me. ‘Travelling’ around Ireland with them was so much fun, and it was as much an emotional journey as a physical one.

There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B Jones Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Buy There You'll Find Me: Amazon US || Amazon Canada

This is another one of those ‘go to Ireland to get lost and end up getting found’ books. Following the death of her brother, Finley travels to Ireland in the hopes of reclaiming her creativity so she can prepare for her interview at the Manhattan music conservatory. When she lost her brother, she also lost her creativity, and she’s having trouble holding onto her faith. Normally I shy away from books with religious themes because I find they can be preachy, but I actually really appreciated Finley’s journey back to finding her faith, among other things. It was done really well, and I loved ‘being’ in Ireland with her, as well as the adorable Irish love interest Beckett (who’s a Hollywood star, so if the ‘famous guy falls for regular girl’ trope is your thing, add this one to your list).

The Upside of Falling Down by Rebekah Crane Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Buy The Upside of Falling Down: Amazon US || Amazon Canada

Just like I tend to shy away from books with religious themes, I also tend to avoid books that feature characters with amnesia. I can’t remember whether this book was a random Amazon discovery or if someone recommended it to me, but I was sold on the Irish setting.
Clementine wakes up in a hospital in Ireland with no memories. All she knows is what she’s told: she was the lone survivor of a plane crash, and her dad is on his way from America. She doesn’t remember why she was on that plane, what her plans were for Ireland, or anything about herself, her past, or her family. The pressure of trying to remember, paired with nothing feeling right to her, is too much to handle, so when she meets a cute Irish boy visiting the hospital, she assumes a new identity, makes up a story about why she’s there, and asks for his help...which includes fleeing the hospital and travelling to a different part of Ireland. I loved that more than anything, this was a story about discovering who you are and who you want to be, while still honouring your past. The characters were great, and I was completely invested in their story.

Top O’ the Mournin’ by Maddy Hunter
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Buy Top O’ the Mournin’: Amazon US || Amazon Canada

Breaking up all the contemporary and romance books...Top O’ the Mournin’ is the second book in the Passport to Peril series (aka my absolute favourite cozy mystery series). These books follow the misadventures of Emily, a tour guide in charge of a band of misfit seniors from Iowa. Trouble - and death - follow them everywhere they go, and Ireland is no different. What I love about Hunter’s books (besides the fact they’re laugh-out-loud funny from beginning to end) is how vividly she describes the setting of each book without ever overdoing it. You really feel like you’re there. Also, I’ve read all 12 of Hunter’s books and I’ve never once correctly guessed the killer, so she’s a master at weaving a great mystery.

Her Best Laid Plans by Cara McKenna Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy Her Best Laid Plans: Amazon US || Amazon Canada

This novella is from Cosmopolitan’s Red Hot Reads Harlequin line and it’s perfect if you’re looking for a quick, sexy read. Don’t let the 85-page length fool you; this book packs a surprising amount of content, including a fun plot and fleshed-out characters.

Jamie has escaped to Ireland after having her heart broken. She's reconciled herself to a quiet two weeks house-sitting when she meets hot Irish bartender Connor. They both know there can be no future for them, but that doesn't stop them from enjoying each other's company while they can...and by 'enjoying each other's company', let me just say this book is called a red-hot read for a reason! *fans self*

Love and Shenanigans by Zara Keane
Genre: Adult Romantic Comedy
Buy Love and Shenanigans: Amazon US || Amazon Canada

This is the only book on the list that doesn’t involve ‘escaping’ to Ireland, because it features characters who already live there and is written by an Irish author. Love and Shenanigans is the first in the Ballybeg series, which follows the lives, loves, and misadventures of people in the small town of Ballybeg, Ireland.
After discovering the drunken vows they exchanged in Las Vegas almost a decade ago were actually legally binding, Fiona and Gavin find themselves in a bit of a predicament...especially since Gavin was about to marry someone else. Unfortunately (or in this case, fortunately), the divorce laws in Ireland make a quickie divorce impossible, so Fiona and Gavin have to figure out what to do next. If escapist fun is your thing, this book will likely be a hit!

Have you read any of these books? Do you have a favourite book set in Ireland? Have you been to Ireland?

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Monday Musts #4: The Irish Edition

The Monday Musts is a new weekly meme hosted by Lovin' Los Libros, where you share what you consider a must-read book, a must-listen song/album/artist, and something that's a must see (TV show, movie, blog, pictures, etc).

Welcome to Monday Musts! Why the Irish edition you ask? Well, I'm obsessed with all things Irish and since St. Patrick's Day is this week, I decided to dedicate the week to things having to do with the Emerald Isle. Stay tuned the rest of the week for more Irish goodness!

My musts for this week:

~ Must Read ~

If you like contemporary romance, I highly recommend the Gallaghers of Ardmore trilogy by Nora Roberts: Jewels of the Sun, Tears of the Moon, and Heart of the Sea. Jewels of the Sea was one of the very first contemporary romance novels I read and it started my love of the genre. It didn't hurt that the series is set in Ireland, plus while it's mostly contemporary it also has faeries and ghosts and a wonderful underlying thread of magic. I've already read the series a couple times and I've been thinking lately it's time for another reread.

~ Must Listen ~

U2 and The Corrs are two of my favourite bands, and they both happen to be Irish. There are several versions of When the Stars Go Blue but for me none will ever compare to this version with Bono and the Corrs. *heart eyes forever*

~ Must See ~

Three of my favourite movies set at least partly in Ireland: PS I Love You (the book is also fantastic, and it's written by Irish author Cecelia Ahern), Leap Year (which is doubly fitting this year since it is a leap year), and Laws of Attraction. All three of these are romantic comedies (although PS I Love You is also incredibly heartbreaking and makes me cry like a baby every time I watch it).

What do you think of my musts? What are your musts for the week? Tell me in the comments, or if you participated in The Monday Musts this week, feel free to leave a link to your post in the comments and I'll visit you back!

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What's Happening + Stacking the Shelves June 8th

I reviewed Born of Illusion by Teri Brown and gave it 3.75 stars

I reviewed Linked by Imogen Howson and gave it 3 stars

I talked about how I’ll be slowing down on the blog for the summer

 

In Distractions from Reading I talked about the reasons I haven’t been reading as much lately 

On my personal blog I shared my tips (along with a bunch of photographs) for DIY maternity photography; I talked about visiting Toronto and going up in the CN Tower; this week was week one of my new feature called Gilmore Girls Mondays; and I talked about being in the delivery room when my nephew was born

 

I'm an aunt again! My very first niece, Maddison, was born Thursday morning at 4:43am. She weighed 9 pounds, 12 1/4 ounces and she's all roley poley and crazy dark hair. We went to visit her in the hospital, and since the visiting hours on the maternity ward are pretty lenient, we ended up staying for four hours. I got to hold her for about two hours on and off (talk about aunty heaven!), and we got to see her big brothers seeing her for the first time (my nephews are 3 and 10). I'll be talking about it more and sharing more pictures on Lost and Found this weekend. 

Also, this happened:

Sarah Dessen has been one of my favourite authors since I was 16 and first read Someone Like You, so this was pretty exciting for me! A new long-awaited Sarah Dessen book (see below), a niece, and a tweet from Sarah all in the same week! :-D

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews

I got a ton of great books this week - a couple for review, won one, got a few ebooks, and I went to my local Alzheimer's Society book sale and got a bunch of books. Here's my haul for this week:

FOR REVIEW:

To Be Perfectly Honest (A Novel Based on an Untrue Story) by Sonya Sones {GoodReads}

Georgetown Academy Season 1 (books 1-4 in the series) by Jessica Koosed Etting and Alyssa Embree Schwartz {GoodReads}

WON:

From Ashley at Ashley Loves Books

Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger {GoodReads}

BOUGHT:

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen {GoodReads}

The Forsaken by Lisa M Stasse  {GoodReads}

The MacGregor Grooms by Nora Roberts {GoodReads}

The MacGregors: Serena and Caine by Nora Roberts {GoodReads} 

The MacGregors: Daniel and Ian by Nora Roberts {GoodReads} 

The Calhouns: Catherine, Amanda, Lilah by Nora Roberts  {GoodReads} 

Dance of the Gods by Nora Roberts {GoodReads} 

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon {GoodReads}

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon {GoodReads}

The Witches of Willowmere by Alison Baird {GoodReads}

Atonement by Ian McEwan {GoodReads}

From the Ground Up: U2360 Tour Official Photobook {GoodReads}*

On Every Street by Karina Halle {GoodReads}

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover {GoodReads}

*The U2 photobook was this year's U2.com subscriber perk. It's a huge book with pictures from the 360 tour (which I went to), four lithographs, 4 bookmarks and a CD

*A big thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada, Coliloquy, and Ashley*

What books did you get this week? Tell me in the comments below or post a link to your Stacking the Shelves/Book Haul/In My Mailbox/Showcase Sunday, etc. Happy reading! <3

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Review: The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts

The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts

Series: Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy, Book #3

Published: November 6th, 2012

Publisher: Berkley Trade

308 pages (paperback)

Genre: Contemporary romance

Acquired this book: From the library

Warning: Will contain spoilers if you haven’t read The Next Always and The Last Boyfriend

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Book Depository || Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

{Read my review of The Next Always || Read my review of The Last Boyfriend}

The Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother are breathing new life into the town of Boonsboro, Maryland, by restoring its historic hotel. And they’re finding their own lives revamped by love. This is Ryder’s story... Ryder is the hardest Montgomery brother to figure out — with a tough-as-nails outside and possibly nothing too soft underneath. He’s surly and unsociable, but when he straps on a tool belt, no woman can resist his sexy swagger. Except apparently Hope Beaumont, the innkeeper of his own Inn BoonsBoro. And though the Inn is running smoothly, thanks to Hope’s experience and unerring instincts, her big-city past is about to make an unwelcome — and embarrassing — appearance. Seeing Hope vulnerable stirs up Ryder’s emotions and makes him realize that while Hope may not be perfect, she just might be perfect for him...

  

One of the things I love most about Nora Roberts’ books, particularly her trilogies, is that she really makes you feel invested in the characters. As the last book in the Inn BoonsBoro trilogy, when I picked up The Perfect Hope, I was happy to be reunited with the Montgomery clan and their women, and also sad to see them go.

I love that Roberts ties in the main characters of the first two books in the trilogy, but the main story is still of Hope and Ryder. It’s exciting to see how far the other characters have come, what they’re up to, and how their lives all intertwine, but it’s also fun to watch the last couple in the trilogy go through their own issues and fall in love.

Going back to the knack Ms Roberts has for making you feel invested in the characters, I really did love these characters. The brotherly bond between Ryder, Owen, and Beckett was so strong and alternately made me laugh and cry. The same goes for the friendship between Hope, Avery, and Clare. The scenes with Clare’s boys were hilarious and touching, and the way everything was wrapped up was just perfect. 

While I loved this book on an emotional level for so many reasons - I seriously want to live in BoonsBoro and be part of the Inn and the bookstore and Vesta and MacT’s and be friends with these characters - the story was kind of lacking in actual plot. Going into the third book of a romance trilogy, you have an idea what’s going to happen, but Roberts is usually really good at creating tension and friction. With the exception of a few scenes, there was no real conflict in the story - it was pretty much the day-to-day happenings of the inn, Ryder’s job, the family dynamics, and the friends getting together. I could see how some people might be disappointed or might not enjoy it, particularly if you have no interest in how an inn is run (I personally do, I’ve always wanted to work at an inn or B&B). For me, despite the slightly lacking plot, I loved the story because I connected with it on an emotional level.

The Perfect Hope was a wonderful ending to a trilogy that I really enjoyed. Reading Nora Roberts’ books is always a pleasure, and the Inn BoonsBoro trilogy was no different. Whether you’re a fan of Roberts’ books or you’ve never read them, anyone who enjoys contemporary romance should read this trilogy.

 

On a side note, after I finished reading the book and went to write my review I couldn’t remember where BoonsBoro was, so I Googled it and discovered the Inn is not only a real place, but it’s owned by Nora Roberts herself. I was so excited! It has a fascinating story behind it (you can visit their site for more information), and as soon as I discovered it was a real place and that the rooms are as they were in the books (they're based on famous literary couples), I added ‘staying at the Inn BoonsBoro’ to my bucket list! I think this is a place that would appeal to any fellow book lovers. ;-)

Have you read any of the books in the Inn BoonsBoro trilogy? What did you think? Have you read any of Nora Roberts other books?

 

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Top Ten Bookish People I Want to Meet

 Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 

Top Ten Bookish People I Want To Meet (Authors, Bloggers, etc.)

I apologize in advance for the extremely long-winded post, but it's not often I get to thank the people who mean so much to me - my online family. <3

 

BLOGGERS

Jessica from Thoughts at One in the Morning, and Molli from Once Upon a Prologue.

It may seem weird to group these two together, but I met them around the same time, and I consider these two girls my best online friends. We have tons in common - besides reading (of course), we're all writers, we like a lot of the same TV shows, movies, and we all share a love for music...oh, and swoonworthy book boys. ;-) I absolutely love these two, and I visit their blogs every single day. They've been amazing friends, and they've both been incredibly supportive of my writing and the crazy journey I've been on in the last year. They're both beta readers for my second novel, The Game Changer, and Jessica actually finished within days of receiving it, which was amazing and exciting. I have future projects planned with both Jess and Molli, and I've pretty much made it my goal in life to meet them 'in real life' someday. The internet is fantastic for bringing people together, but it sucks when you get really close to people and they live so far away!

Kathy from I Write, I Read, I Review

Kat is another blog/reader/writer friend. Funny thing is: she just lives half an hour away. I'm pretty sure she's the closest blogger geographically that I've come across so far. Kat's a sweetheart, and I always love talking books and writing with her. 

 

Katie from The Hob

I met Katie through Molli just a few months ago, but in those few months I've come to love her to bits. We've had some hilarious and borderline ridiculous conversations on Twitter, but also some pretty deep conversations. I like being able to get 'real' with people, even when you're online friends and live so far apart (she's even farther than Jessica and Molli). I've always wanted to go to California, and visiting an amazing online friend sounds like a good excuse, right?

Sharon from Obsession With Books

Sharon was actually one of the very first people to offer to help me promote Blue Sky Days last year (I just went to her blog to check, and the first post she did for the book was October 11th - almost a year ago!). She's one of the sweetest people I've come across, she always has a kind word, and I can tell she has a lovely, gentle, loving soul. Plus she's very patient when I ask her incessant questions about Australia lol

AUTHORS

JK Rowling

Do I really need to explain this one? JK Rowling is just...she's...there are just no words. I can't imagine the world without Harry Potter. I can't imagine my life without Harry Potter. I'm seriously sitting here getting teary right now, that's how much Harry Potter means to me. Even though I'm afraid I'd be a crying, squeeing, ridiculously embarrassing fangirl if I ever met her, I'd like to shake her hand (ok, I'd actually like to give her a great big hug), and say thank you from the bottom of my heart for not only creating a world which I've escaped to countless times, and characters I love as if they were real people, but also for making me want to be a better writer.

Nora Roberts

For the last decade or so I've been saying I want to be Nora Roberts when I grow up. She's so incredibly talented and prolific, she amazes me. I've read so many of her books and loved every single one of them. If I could have even half her talent someday, I'd consider myself lucky...and maybe half her success too? A girl can dream. ;-)

Maddy Hunter

Maddy is another of my favourite authors, but she's one of the rare ones I actually consider a friend. I happened upon her Passport to Peril series at the library several years ago, and both my mum and I read them all. I was so sad when the series ended, but last year I was doing a Top Ten Tuesday post and was double-checking the order of Maddy's books and saw that she had another one coming out. I was so excited, you have no idea. I immediately went to Facebook to see if she had a fan page, and long story short, we got chatting, and she is so nice, so supportive, and just overall wonderful. I have to admit, it's incredibly surreal every time we have a conversation or she 'likes' something of mine on Facebook - I still get a bit starstruck! Plus, she's been incredibly supportive of my writing, which amazes me, because most of the traditionally published authors I've gotten to know via Twitter, Facebook, and blogs...well, it's not that they necessarily look down on indie authors, but I've never really seen any of them show any indie love or support, but Maddy's been awesome about cheering me on, and it means so much to me. PLUS, her books are incredible - hilarious, full of mystery, lovably kookie characters, and fantastic settings. They always temporarily ease my wanderlust because I get to live vicariously. I think it would be so awesome to tag along with her someday on one of her research trips, and to pick her brain about how she comes up with ideas.

 

Sarah Dessen

 When I was fifteen or sixteen, I read Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen. It was like she had written it just for me. That book was about me. I connected with it on such a deep level, and I still consider it my special story. I'd like to say that I've read all of Sarah's books, but I'd be lying. I've probably read about half of them (Along for the Ride is my next favourite to Someone Like You), but I intend to read them all. I would have already except that I didn't start reading YA again until last year. Since this post is already getting really long, if you want to read more about my love of Sarah and her books, I dedicated an entire post to her a year ago May - Early Inspiration - or - Why I Love Sarah Dessen.

 

Sarah Jio

I discovered Sarah last year around the time her debut novel, The Violets of March, debuted. Since then, she's become a favourite online presence. She's incredibly sweet, and she not only answers tweets, she's actually initiated a few (which I've found is rare for big authors.......and on a geeky fangirl note, I remember each tweet she's sent me, because, again, it's so incredibly surreal and exciting for a book lover to talk to someone whose books you love). Sarah seems like such a down-to-earth person, and I'd love to just hang out with her for a day in Seattle, talking books and writing and life.

 

So there you have it. The top ten bloggers and authors I'd love to meet. Who would you meet? Have you already met any of your favourite authors or bloggers?

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Book Review: The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts

The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts

Series: Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy, Book #2

Read my review of The Next Always (Book #1 in the Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy)

Published: May 1st, 2012

Publisher: Berkley Trade

319 pages (paperback)

Genre: Romance

Acquired this book: From the library

Warning: may contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Purchase this book: Book Depository || Amazon}

Owen is the organizer of the Montgomery clan, running the family's construction business with an iron fist - and an even less flexible spreadsheet. And though his brothers bust on his compulsive list-making, the Inn BoonsBoro is about to open right on schedule. The only thing Owen didn't plan for was Avery McTavish

Avery's popular pizza place is right across the street from the inn, giving her a first-hand look at its amazing renovation - and a newfound appreciation for Owen. Since he was her first boyfriend when they were kids, Owen has never been far from Avery's thoughts. But the attraction she's feeling for him now is far from innocent.

As Avery and Owen cautiously take their relationship to another level, the opening of the inn gives the whole town of Boonsboro a reason to celebrate. But Owen's hard work has only begun. Getting Avery to let down her guard is going to take longer than he expected - and so will getting her to realize that her first boyfriend is going to be her last…

I loved being reunited with the Montgomery boys, along with Avery, Clare, Hope, and the rest of the amazing characters in book two of the Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy. This is Owen and Avery’s story, but we got to carry along with Beckett and Clare’s romance from the previous novel, and watch their love story continue while Owen and Avery’s blossomed. 

Owen is a planner, and Avery likes to just go with things. They’ve been friends forever and they’re worried about ruining their friendship by taking it further, but it’s almost a natural progression for them to go from friends to lovers. They have their ups and downs and their worries, but they take things as they come, and enjoy each other along the way.

I love the friendship between them, even after they’re lovers. It’s obvious that they admire and respect each other, and I love their interactions and conversations. I also like that they know how to push each other’s buttons because they’ve known each other for so long, but at the same time, things that didn’t necessarily matter as friends (like Avery’s habit of keeping certain things to herself) suddenly matter now that they’re a couple, and they have to figure out how to open up to each other.

Other than the romance aspect of the book, I loved watching the inn get finished, and getting an inside look at all the preparations and finishing touches. It was also fun learning about the Montgomery boys’ other projects, and seeing them finish Beckett’s house so Clare and the boys could move in. I loved that we got to see Beckett and Clare get married after watching them fall crazy in love in The Next Always. I was also glad that more was revealed about Lizzy, the inn’s ghost. I’m anxious for her entire story to be revealed, and for her to hopefully be reunited with her long lost love.

Overall, this book was everything I love about a Nora Roberts book - great writing, sweet romance, friendship, humour, steamy sex, and characters that are interesting and relatable. I can't wait for the final book in the trilogy, The Perfect Hope, and to see not only what happens between Ryder and Hope, but also to catch up with the happenings in the lives of the other Montgomery boys.

Have you read either of the first two BoonsBoro Trilogy books? What did you think? Are you a fan of Nora Roberts in general?

 

Book Review: The Next Always by Nora Roberts

The Next Always by Nora Roberts

Series: Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy, Book #1

Published: November 1st, 2011

Publisher: Berkley Trade

352 pages (paperback)

Genre: Adult contemporary romance

Acquired this book: At the library

Warning: may include spoilers

{GoodReads || Purchase this book: Book Depository || Amazon}

Synopsis: The historic hotel in BoonsBoro, Maryland, has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. As the architect of the family, Beckett’s social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was fifteen…

Nora Roberts is one of my favorite authors, and I always adore her trilogies. I tend not to read reviews for books I'm about to read, but I was on GoodReads around the time I started this book and noticed all the negative reviews for it. I was shocked. I personally loved this book, but I will admit I can see why other people might not enjoy it.

I related to this book on so many levels. Clare owned a bookstore (which has always been a dream of mine), and she had three sons (I have two nephews, so I completely related to all the chaos, craziness, and hilarity from the little boys). Also, another secret dream of mine has always been to own an inn, so I loved all the talk about designing the inn. I especially loved the fact that the rooms were each named after a literary couple (like Elizabeth and Darcy from Pride and Prejudice) and each had their own unique theme. Brilliant. BUT...the kids and the inn make up the bulk of the book, and that seemed to be a good deal of the complaints from reviewers who didn't enjoy the book.

However, if you can put all that aside, this book was classic Nora Roberts - incredible writing, humour, romance, family ties, and the bonds of friendship. I loved the relationship between Clare and Beckett. It didn't happen instantly, which was nice because it felt more genuine that way, especially with Clare being a widow and a mother of three young kids. I loved the interactions between Beckett and Clare's sons. I ended up crying more than once, but spent a good deal of the time laughing.

I won't say too much so I don't spoil anything, but all the stuff with Sam - the guy who was set on having Clare - was intensely creepy, and was done perfectly. I also loved the supernatural element that was woven through with the ghost that ‘haunted’ the inn.

I just really loved this book. I can't wait for the next installment in the trilogy, The Last Boyfriend, due out in May.