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Synopsis: From the incomparable master of romance Nora Roberts comes two tales of holiday love, available for the first time in over a decade.

Home for Christmas
After years of world travel, prizewinning reporter Jason Law returned home to New Hampshire. He had carried the memories of Faith Kirkpatrick, the girl he left behind, for ten years -- now he was determined to win back her love. But she was a woman with responsibilities, and he was nothing but a wandering nomad. All they could have was this one Christmas together. Could Faith summon the courage to give Jason a once-in-a-lifetime holiday gift?

All I Want for Christmas
Identical twin boys Zeke and Zach wanted only one gift from Santa: a new mom! And when they first meet their music teacher at school, they could hardly believe their luck -- Miss Davis was a mom made-to-order. But convincing their dad was a lot harder than they thought. Mac Taylor wasn't willing to risk his heart, but when Nell brought love and laughter into all their lives, his heart began to thaw like a spring snow. Will the boys get their Christmas present after all?

My Thoughts:
Home for Christmas
This short story was about 107 pages and centered on Jason Law and his ex-girlfriend, Faith Kirkpatrick. Jason’s been gone 10 years has decided it’s time to return home and try to win back the girl he left behind. Jason seemed to have been accepted back too easily and he really didn’t have to work hard to win back the girl or the rest of the town’s people. I wasn’t really that invested in the characters, or the story, for that matter. It was still Okay and had some cute moments.

All I Want for Christmas
This story was cute and had me smiling almost all the way through it. Zeke and Zach are adorable and I really enjoyed their friendship with Nell Davis, the music teacher. The reluctant friendship between Nell and Mac was also great, and I loved that she goaded him on purpose every time he was in one of his grumpy moods. For a short story, this one was Very Good.

Verdict: Overall, the book was good. It had one okay story and one story that was very good. Both short stories were quick and easy reads. I’d recommend it for an afternoon when a fluffy holiday romance is what you are in the mood for.

Labels: Good, Holiday Romance, Nora Roberts, Okay, Very Good

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Why I Read It: 4th in the Donovan Legacy series.

From the Back Cover: Lovely, guileless Rowan Murray felt drawn to brooding Liam Donovan with a power she'd never imagined possible. And his breathtaking kisses convinced her he felt the same. But she soon realized her darkly enigmatic neighbor was as elusive as the mysterious wolf she'd seen lurking about her cabin.

Liam was tormented by indecision. He understood he had no right to love Rowan, knowing what lay ahead. But the allure of her beguiling innocence overpowered his will until he could resist no longer. And he knew, if he was ever to make Rowan his, he had no choice but to reveal his incredible secret.

My Thoughts: To say I didn’t want this story to end is an understatement. I love the magical world Nora Roberts created for Liam and Rowen. Liam is a strong, mysterious, virile man who lives alone along the cliffs of Oregon. Rowen is an independent woman who has always allowed her family to make decisions for her. She comes to stay at a neighboring cabin and the sparks between the two start the moment they meet. Together, their chemistry is explosive. I couldn’t stop turning the pages.

I’d say this was a Very Good read. I enjoyed every minute of this book. Also, it is part of the Donovan Legacy so it was fun to revisit Morgana & Nash (Captivated), Sabastian & Mel (Entranced), and Boone & Ana (Charmed). The world these characters live in just a wonderful place to visit. Pixie dust, fairies and magic aren’t just the stuff of children’s fantasies anymore.

Labels: Nora Roberts, Paranormal, Very Good

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Recommended by: Jennie posted a few days ago that some of Nora Roberts’ books were being adapted into movies for Lifetime. I wanted to read this one before I saw the movie.

From the Back Cover: When Jack Mercy died, he left behind a lot of enemies . . .and a ranch worth nearly twenty million dollars. Now his three daughters - each born of a different marriage, and each unknown to the others - are gathered to hear the reading of the will.

Willa, the only one who knew her father, boldly expects that everything will be hers. Tess, who has reluctantly flown in from Hollywood, just hopes to fly back with as much cash as possible - as soon as possible. And Lily Mercy would be grateful for anything; she has learned to expect disappointment, even cruelty, from men.

But the women are shocked to learn that before any of them can inherit, they must live together on the ranch for one year. They are sisters . . .and strangers. Now they face a challenge: to put their bitterness aside and live like family. To protect each other from danger - and unite against an enemy who threatens to destroy all. And finally, to weave together three very different worlds in this beautiful and isolated place called Montana . . .

My Thoughts: This was just Excellent for me. I loved it from beginning to end. There are so many stories within this book ~ there’s romance, there’s family and there’s a serial killer just to make it even more interesting.

Tess is the first born daughter by Jack’s first marriage. He kicked her and her mother out when she was still a toddler and she’d never seen him again. Tess is spirited, independent ~ a borderline overachiever. She is a scriptwriter in Hollywood and at first glance is rather shallow, self-serving, and conceited. Tess’s world seems to revolve around how things affect her. She agrees to live on the ranch for the amount of time required by the will and the day obligation is met, she plans on pocketing the money she inherits and head back to Hollywood.

Lily is the second born daughter by Jack’s second marriage. He also kicked her and her mother out when she was very young. Lily is sheltered within herself, gun shy, and doesn’t trust strangers. She’s recently divorced and is more than happy to stay at the ranch in Montana in hopes that it will give her the time needed to hide from her ex-husband and hopefully restart her life.

Willa is the third born daughter by Jack’s third marriage. Willa’s mother died young, so she was raised on the ranch ~ the only daughter who really got to spend any time with her father. Because she was raised one the ranch, she believes she is the one who should inherit it. Willa is tough, strong, independent, and determined to see the ranch be successful ~ maybe even more successful than when her father ran the ranch.

Added to the mix are three men who change the course of the women’s lives ~ Nate, the family lawyer who owns a ranch a short distance from the Mercy ranch; Adam who is Willa’s half-brother and also oversees the horse operations on the ranch; and Ben, who’s family owns the ranch neighboring the Mercy land. Together, Nate and Ben are listed as executors of the estate and they must help oversee the day to day operations for the next year as the girls learn to live together as a family.

This isn’t just a romance. This is the story of family. It’s great watching a year in the life of these ladies, transporting from strangers, to reluctant housemates, to sisters. It’s a slow transformation and one that is so fulfilling to watch.

Also, because watching the relationship between the three sisters is not enough; and because watching their individual romantic relationships develop is also not also ~ there’s also a murder mystery. There’s trouble on Mercy Ranch. It starts with the discovery of mutilated livestock. And then dead bodies begin appearing. Scalped.

There are just so many things I could say about this book. Yes, it’s a romance. Yes, it’s the story of family. Yes, it’s a murder mystery. And it’s amazing that with all of these elements, the story remained as wonderful as it did. The individual stories continued to grow and the characters became more endearing with each page that I read. I was impressed with the amount of research Ms. Roberts did in writing this story. As a Montana native, it was evident to me that she knew what she was writing about ~ she captured what so many of us love about living here.

This was excellent ~ definitely a reread in the future. I’d recommend it to anyone.

Labels: Excellent, Nora Roberts, Western Romance

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Recommended by: The 3rd in the Donovan Legacy.

From the Back Cover: She was all sunshine, light and serene enchantment — But Boone Sawyer had no idea, when he and his daughter moved next door to the exquisite Anastasia Donovan, that she was so much more than she appeared. Ana and Boone were drawn to each other with a fierce passion neither had ever known before. But Ana had secrets. . .secrets she was certain no man could accept. When a life — threatening disaster forced her to reveal herself, she had to face the fact that it could cost her the heart of the man she loved. . . .

My Thoughts: This is my favorite of the Donovan Legacy so far. I loved Ana and Boone’s story. Boone is a widower with a 6-year-old daughter, Jessie. Jessie is precious and makes friends with everyone. One day she plants herself in Ana’s backyard to visit, and Ana’s life is never the same. This is how the reader is first introduced to Boone. Boone is a worried father and Jessie didn’t tell him where she was going. So he was a little out of sorts and has landed himself in the backyard of a woman he’s instantly attracted to. And he doesn’t like it.

Ana and Jessie quickly become good friends ~ Ana and Boone take a bit longer, but they warm up to each other pretty fast. But Ana’s afraid to tell Boone about her gifts because she’d made the mistake of telling someone she loved and who she assumed loved her back, and she was hurt pretty badly. So, she keeps her secret and then the inevitable happens ~ Jessie is hurt in an accident and it is up to Ana to save her.

The cousins and their families are in this story quite a bit, as well as the family in Ireland. Not to mention Boone is in the same line of work as Ana's aunt, Bryna. He's also good friends with Nash, Morgana's husband. They went to school together.

I’d rate this Very Good. I enjoyed it and read it from cover to cover. There is a 4th installment to the Donovan Legacy, Enchanted, which I’ve requested and hopefully get a chance to read soon.

Labels: Nora Roberts, Paranormal, Very Good

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Recommended by: The 2nd story in the Donovan Legacy.

From the Back Cover: He was certainly a fraud, and she wasn't about to let him exploit her friend's vulnerability. But fiercely protective Mary Ellen Sutherland was desperate to find a missing baby and had run out of leads. So, reluctantly, the dubious private investigator agreed to enlist Sebastian Donovan's help. Soon she had to admit — grudgingly — that this beguiling mystery man had some pretty remarkable gifts, including his extraordinary ability to penetrate her tough façade and awaken her heart.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this story. I guess there just must be something about a hero named Sebastian. I enjoyed his strength and his compassion. The heroine, Mel, is strong and independent. She's a Private Detective and he's a Psychic. It was a great story watching Mel learn to trust Sebastian and his gifts. The story also included glimpses of Morgana and Nash from Captivated and also Ana, who I enjoyed learning more about

The only thing I didn't really like was the love scenes. They felt rushed ~ brief and to the point.

Overall, I'd say it's Good. I look forward to reading Charmed, which is Ana's story and the third in the Donovan Legacy.

Labels: Good, Nora Roberts, Paranormal

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Recommended by: I got it on a whim at the library.

From the Back Cover: His interest in her was purely professional . . . Or so he told himself. Nash Kirkland had sought out the alluring Morgana Dovovan to help him research his latest screenplay, though the hardheaded skeptic didn't believe for a minute she was what she professed to be. But, as Morgana revealed herself to him, Nash found himself falling under her bewitching spell. Nash had never trusted his feelings and always kept them in check. So how could he be sure the irresistible passion he felt for Morgana was real and not just some conjurer's trick?

My Thoughts: I'm tired so this will be very brief. I thought this was Okay ~ not fantastic, but not horrible. This is the first Nora Roberts book I’ve read in years. I thought there could have been more development, bother with the characters and the settings but the story was only 197 pages so with that in mind it was all right. I’ll read the next in the series, just because you know how I am with those series books. I can’t just read the first one…and maybe the next one will be better.

Labels: Nora Roberts, Okay, Paranormal