Nora Roberts - The Seven Rings

Long ago, Arthur Poole built a grand house overlooking the turbulent ocean, in a Maine village that bore his name. Today, Sonya MacTavish lives in that house—a manor that has been cursed for generations. Within its walls, she has witnessed the deaths of seven brides and the thefts of seven wedding rings. And now, to break the curse and banish a malevolent spirit once and for all, a difficult task must be completed.
After Sonya, her boyfriend, Trey, and their friends are forced to hear, see—and feel—the suffering of the house’s many ghosts as their torment is reenacted by the evil presence, their bond only strengthens and their anger is renewed. Refusing to let her spirit be broken, Sonya searches each room for clues to her ancestors’ hidden story, putting the picture together, unearthing small treasures, and uncovering the moments of joy that existed among the sorrows. She’s determined to bring light to this haunted place—to fill it with people, with life and hope, once again.
But the enemy in the black dress continues to hover, to come at her in frightening forms. They may be illusions—but illusions can be powerful enough to wound and kill. She feeds on fear, and lies are her weapon. This dark-hearted witch wants to be mistress of Poole Manor, at any cost. And Sonya will need to fight a battle across two realms to finally take possession of the house on the clifftop—and of her own future…

Comment: This is the third and final installment in the Lost Bride trilogy by Nora Roberts. I liked the first book, thought the second to be unnecessary and this third one felt like a good enough conclusion but that was it.

After realizing that she needs to find the seven rings so that the manor where she plans to live becomes free from the evil ghost of Hester Dobbs, Sonya decides she won't give up the search even with some setbacks. Along with boyfriend Trey, friend Cleo and cousin Owen, she goes on with her routines but she also makes an effort to find the clues which lead her to the rings, even if that increases the anger of the ghost. But Sonya has built a life here now and she wants to help those around her, as well as the other ghosts trapped in the manor. But will she succeed before the ghost of Hester does her most daring attempt yet?

I will repeat what I said about the second book, which was, in my opinion, avoidable: this story, all three installments combined, would have made for a much better standalone. Certainly, with less elements but to be honest, the scenes we are given in these three books, especially the 2nd and 3rd ones, could have been easily edited into a single story. Or, as the author often did in the past, if each book were to be focused on a different main couple, perhaps that sequence between books would not feel as repetitive.

The first book presented the idea and developed things in a likable way, mainly because I like the author's style. The second was a constant repetition of the same thing and this third book concluded loose threads, which was obviously intentional but at the same time it maintained a certain superficiality and thinness of plot that surprised me a little negatively, since I know the author has done so much better in her past.

Basically, nothing major happens and what does happen could be summarized into half the pages, I'd say. In fairness, I had a good enough time reading and being involved in the comfort of the routines in these characters' lives, but  that isn't enough. Sonya and the others accomplished the necessary tasks to defeat the evil ghost, they do find the clues about the rings, we get to see a (very) quick resolution to her past with Brandon, we see a perfect bow to their personal lives, as couples - Sonya and Trey, Cleo and Owen - but all this was shared in such a polished, perfect writing style that it read to me as lacking passion, a touch of drama and some unpredictability, which the author was known for.

Everything about Sonya and those around her fits the perfect mold of the idea the author imagined. This is good, all things well aligned, but there is no real challenge into what is happening. Even the whole quest about the rings and such is terribly superficial, well used in each scene and idea and it was, frankly, boring. I also missed some more character interaction, mainly with the secondary characters, who were all perfectly established in Sonya's sphere and played a role, didn't read as real people.

I especially disliked how the romances were presented. No passion, no angst, no real doubt on whether they would see each other differently, no slow falling in love while wondering what was the other that appealed to them. The romances were consensual and practically discusses as a given, so no sexual tension nor self awareness, which was something the author did wonderfully in other books. I mean, the author is very talented, a perfect user of the craft, as she likes to call it, but the result in this trilogy was, for me, as if this was a computer program of steps to accomplish, and not an always heartfelt story.

Thus, it was good to pass the time, and I did finish but I won't feel like re-reading as I still do other novels by her.

Grade: 7/10

Nora Roberts - The Mirror

In need of an escape from her ex-fiance's betrayal, and the lucky recipient of a surprise inheritance, Sonya MacTavish leaves behind her life in the city and moves to a Victorian mansion on the coast of Maine.
The house is beautiful but comes with surprises - footsteps in the night, doors slamming, music playing - and in her dreams Sonya sees glimpses of the past and the brides who once lived there.
As the house reveals more of its history and the sad stories of the brides murdered there, Sonya discovers an antique mirror. She finds herself drawn to the mirror, sensing it holds dark secrets. What can the mirror tell her? Can it help her to understand how the seven brides died?
Sonya will need the help of her friends and family if she has any chance of breaking the curse and making this house her home.

Comment: This is the second book in the Lost Bride trilogy by Nora Roberts, whose first book I read last month.

Sonya is getting on pretty well with her new life at the manor, inherited by a father she never met. She has her best friend living with her, her one-woman business is doing well, considering how recently she started freelancing, the community was welcoming and she even has a new boyfriend. The only problem now is the dead witch who ghosts her life and who tries to force her to leave the house. Thankfully, Sonya is resilient and she is eager to do her best to restore the manor to its full potential, and for that she needs to find a way to get rid of the evil ghost...

If I weren't a fan of the author, if I weren't a fan of her style and work, which i have been religiously following for the past 20 years, I'd probably give this book an even lesser grade but the truth is that this second book not only has the "second book" syndrome but it was avoidable, in terms of plot. This story, generally divided into three installments, could have been a single title perfectly well.

Sadly, even more so than the first book, this one was extremely repetitive and a bit boring because nothing really happens and what does could have been easily inserted, summarized, into just one single title. I bet the third will probably be better, since most resolutions will need to happen then, but I will probably have the feeling this full story would not need to take so many pages, overall.

When I say that nothing happens, I mean nothing that changes the way we perceive what is going on. Sonya and those around her keep up with their days, little tasks and bigger ones, they still deal with the evil ghost and accomplish other things, such as: Sonya finally visits the new hairdresser, she and Cleo ask their boyfriends to hang some lights, Sonya does her work presentation, they plan for an open house for their families and the community, Sonya visits Gretta, who has Alzheimer but who helpfully tells her enough to connect some dots about the family's history and several other things which did not need 400 pages.

I know I'm sounding unfair and I did enjoy the vast majority of the author's books (as opposed to those I wasn't as fond of) I have tried so far, but it is a fact her style changed, or evolved, and some stories nowadays don't feel as passionate nor as romantic as before. I think there is too much awareness of what is correct and what is not in her work, and all the characters seem to fall into repetitive and predictable roles. I think this has always been so and her style is definitely one for predictability but in the most recent years, it feels as if the nuanced situations and the cute romantic scenes which made me love her books in the past were switched for one dimensional characters.

The romances, in particular, are very disappointing. Sonya and Trey became a couple and now Cleo and Owen too. This is part of the author's formula but for me the romance in her books has always been great because the characters were made to seem special, and their feelings and little heartbreaks worthy of new chances and possibilities. Now, the couples basically talk, sometimes debate, sometimes assume they will be a good a couple and that's it. Absolutely no sexual tension, no slow dance in thinking about the other person, nothing. It feels the romances in these recent books are like simple transactions. It's utterly boring.

Since nothing major happened, I don't have anything else to say. I still love the smoothness of the writing, the way I can so easily go through the stories but this one was quite weak.

Grade: 5/10

Nora Roberts - Inheritance

1806: Astrid Poole sits in her bridal clothes, overwhelmed with happiness. But before her marriage can be consummated, she is murdered, and the circle of gold torn from her finger. Her last words are a promise to Collin never to leave him…
Graphic designer Sonya MacTavish is stunned to learn that her late father had a twin he never knew about―and that her newly discovered uncle, Collin Poole, has left her almost everything he owned, including a majestic Victorian house on the Maine coast, which the will stipulates she must live in it for at least three years. Her engagement recently broken, she sets off to find out why the boys were separated at birth―and why it was all kept secret until a genealogy website brought it to light.
Trey, the young lawyer who greets her at the sprawling clifftop manor, notes Sonya’s unease―and acknowledges that yes, the place is haunted…but just a little. Sure enough, Sonya finds objects moved and music playing out of nowhere. She sees a painting by her father inexplicably hanging in her deceased uncle’s office, and a portrait of a woman named Astrid, whom the lawyer refers to as “the first lost bride.” It’s becoming clear that Sonya has inherited far more than a house. She has inherited a centuries-old curse, and a puzzle to be solved if there is any hope of breaking it…

Comment: This is the first installment in the Lost Bride trilogy, the most recent trilogy published by Nora Roberts.

Sonya has just found out her fiancé was cheating, when news from an uncle she didn't know she had also arrive. This uncle, twin to her deceased father, has left her a manor in Maine, and Sonya feels she has to at least see it before she makes any decisions about it. Leaving isn't as hard as she imagined, and she does fall in love with the house, although she is warned that it is haunted, something she discovers to be true very soon after moving. But Sonya is determined to honor the house and the memory of a family she realizes might have been closer than she imagined. In fact, she has cousins and other family members around, and she thinks she can carve a life for herself there...unless the bad ghost in the house does something about it...

Reading this author's trilogies nowadays isn't as thrilling as the ones published in the 90s but the formula is similar enough for the sequence of events to make sense right away. I also miss the trilogies that were focused on romance and character development - as opposed to the ones including paranormal content - because some of those were truly special in their simplicity (such the Born In or the Dream trilogies). The ones that are focused on PNR elements, such as this one, sometimes seem to have too many distractions, but perhaps that is my impression.

I liked this book for the premise and the likable evolution of how things progress. Everyone that matters is easily placed in a predictable role and most characters are kind of black and white, something the author has always been known for, but which the last decades have exacerbated. I say this with the sense that the main characters are very polite and polished all the time, even the villains are perfected to a role, and this does disappoint a little. I really loved the books where some surprises and the novelty of a connection would be highlighted.

For instance, the romance between Sonya and her love interest is very bland, they are great civilized people and they agree they would be good together. In this first book there is no commitment yet, beyond agreeing to be a couple, but nothing in the progression of their romance felt, well, romantic. No real chemistry except the one they claim to have, and while I like them and already know they will have a perfect HEA, there's no excitement about them, as was between Zoe and Brad in Key of Valor, another book by the author I loved.

The story is quite set on domesticity and Sonya's adaptation to the house and the fact there are ghosts in it. I assume the next volumes will bring in more details about how the ghosts are still there, although it all has to do with a murdered woman in the past, killed by someone who had some witchcraft knowledge, and how that initial act caused a curse that affected several other women down the family tree.The elements related to this are intriguing, but I admit there are many names to keep track of, and some just didn't stay memorable.

Sonya is also a woman who left her steady job over the bad breakup with her fiancé, who worked for the same place. Luckily, all Nora Roberts' heroines are great at what they do and Sonya finds a way to be relatively well succeeded in her freelance business, which means her biggest worries are about the ghosts and how well she can adapt. Hint: very quickly. I mean, I liked the story and I do like the author's style despite the obvious changes through the decades, but some recent books aren't truly exciting.

All things considered, this was an interesting first book, I know I'll enjoy the trilogy as a whole, but there are some aspects of the story that just didn't quite get there...

Grade: 7/10

Nora Roberts - Identity

Former Army brat Morgan Albright has finally planted roots in a friendly neighborhood near Baltimore. Her friend and roommate Nina helps her make the mortgage payments, as does Morgan's job as a bartender. But after she and Nina host their first dinner party--attended by Luke, the flirtatious IT guy who'd been chatting her up at the bar--her carefully built world is shattered. The back door glass is broken, cash and jewelry are missing, her car is gone, and Nina lies dead on the floor.
Soon, a horrific truth emerges: It was Morgan who let the monster in. "Luke" is actually a cold-hearted con artist named Gavin who targets a particular type of woman, steals her assets and identity, and then commits his ultimate goal: murder.
What the FBI tells Morgan is beyond chilling. Nina wasn't his type. Morgan is. Nina was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. And Morgan's nightmare is just beginning. Soon she has no choice but to flee to her mother's home in Vermont. While she struggles to build something new, she meets another man, Miles Jameson. He isn't flashy or flirtatious, and his family business has deep roots in town. But Gavin is still out there hunting new victims, and he hasn't forgotten the one who got away.

Comment: One more book by author Nora Roberts I had yet to read. I'm saving the single titles for one a year and I had the intention of picking up a different one, but while summer cleaning reading the blurb of this one just sold me on it!

Morgan Albright is reaching her goals in life, one by one. Yes, it's been slow and only due to her hard work, but she is working two jobs and that has gotten her a house, with the help of an inheritance, and a cute handy car. She plans on having her own bar, but everything changes when she meets Luke, a cool nice guy. Right after hosting a small dinner party, her house is robbed and the invader killed Nina, who was home sick. Then, the truth is even worse, Luke is actually Gavin, a serial killer who preys on single blond women who own something. Suddenly, Morgan has a huge amount of debt in her name and all her dreams fall part when she can't make the payments. Sad and heartbroken, she goes back to Vermont, to live with her mother and grandmother, which wasn't what she wanted, but there she finds everything she needs to get back on track with her life. But Gavin hasn't given up on the woman who escaped...

I have been a fan of this author for years and I knew from the start I would like this book. Still, it was a good surprise to see how much this one appealed to me and how much fun I had reading about Morgan and her troubles, but mostly how she turned her life around.

Nora Roberts is a prolific author and has been perfecting "her craft" as she likes to say for decades. It is true some of her books take the «competence p0rn» notion to a very high level and the characters and their skills sometimes are too perfect. Other times, it seems the several elements just fit at the right amount and in this book, that ended up being my perception. I think Morgan is a likable heroine, one who is good at what she does but things aren't easy for her and this time part of the problem was how she could not control the consequences of being robbed of her identity.

The plot mrs Roberts invented for Morgan might seem far fetched but it's sadly quite realistic. With the development of technology and online banking and many other things, live can be simpler but bad people use any means necessary so this idea that Morgan was robbed and then had bills addressed to her and no way to solve things quickly with lawyers led to her inability to pay for the house she cherished so much, on top of having to mourn for her friend Nina.

I think it was easy to commiserate with Morgan and to hope she could find a better life near her mother and grandmother. In regards to this, even allowing for the fact her family life wasn't always happy because of her military father's personality and emotional distance, I still cannot really see why she and her mother didn't have a better relationship and why she chose to live so far away near Baltimore. I say this because when she goes back to Vermont since there was no money left and she had no other options, her mother welcomed her well and they seem to get along well and easily communicate, so...

Of course, apart from the emotional and financial hits, things quickly turn for the better for Morgan and she finds a job. Everything following this seems so absolutely perfect and efficiently achieved that I can't help seeing the exaggeration and the unlikeliness of this for most people, after all skill and honesty aren't the only reasons people should get jobs and other people don't, but I was invested and, of course, I wanted to see when the romance would happen.

The romantic partner arrives in the character of Miles Jameson, one of heirs of the successful family business where Morgan starts working soon after arriving. Miles is one of those loner type guys who loves his family, of course, but his apparent moodiness and aloofness hides a caring guy. The romance is nothing truly special and I kind of wanted more tension between them before became a couple but... along with the situations they dealt with, it was still quiet satisfying to follow this too.

The killer who robbed Morgan and who wants to catch her because in his mind she escaped, decides to go after her and, as always, the resolution of this doesn't feel it's worth the time it took to set up things and to have his evil POV here and there. But, some things are what they are and this author simply has this style. Since I like the domesticity of the main characters' lives and the more positive aspects, I can deal with the lack of appeal in this element.

All in all, I had a great time despite my personal preferences. It was also very easy to keep turning the pages despite the number and unlike some titles I wasn't as fond of, this one was always charismatic for me. Not my absolute favorite in all aspects by the author, but a good one.

Grade: 8/10

Nora Roberts - The Choice

Breen Siobhan Kelly grew up in the world of Man and was once unaware of her true nature. Now she is in Talamh, trying to heal after a terrible battle and heartbreaking losses. Her grandfather, the dark god Odran, has been defeated in his attempt to rule over Talamh, and over Breen--for now.
With the enemy cast out and the portal sealed, this is a time to rest and to prepare. Breen spreads her wings and realizes a power she's never experienced before. It's also a time for celebrations--of her first Christmas in both Talamh and Ireland, of solstice and weddings and births--and daring to find joy again in the wake of sorrow. She rededicates herself to writing her stories, and when his duties as taoiseach permit, she is together with Keegan, who has trained her as a warrior and whom she has grown to love.
It's Keegan who's at her side when the enemy's witches, traitorous and power-mad, appear to her in her sleep, practicing black magick, sacrificing the innocent, and plotting a brutal destruction for Breen. And soon, united with him and with all of Talamh, she will seek out those in desperate need of rescue, and confront the darkness with every weapon she has: her sword, her magicks--and her courage...

Comment: This is the third and final installment in the Dragon Heart Legacy by Nora Roberts. I think it was a very predictable conclusion to the main story.

In this final installment, Breen and the others are still dealing with the shock of what happened during the battle at the end of the previous installment. Now it's time to mourn and to pay homages, but also to move forward and plan what will be necessary to fight Odran. Everyone knows he will try to do things in unfair and uncaring ways, but Breen happens to discover something during one of her visions and she now believes she might know what to do to defeat him. The question is, will she manage or will the price be too high to pay?

I gave this book a positive grade and I think of it as a good one, simply because I am a fan of the author, I know what to expect of her, but to be really honest, this story was too slow and too predictable. I say this knowing her books are always formulaic, yes, but as mrs Roberts likes to say, one simply must work on "one's craft" and I came to expect to always appreciate hers. However, perhaps in an attempt to go outside of the norm when it comes to her usual trilogies' strategies, I think the end of this one was a little too bland.

The first book was quiet promising and I think it was developed in a way I expected but there were still some elements which I felt could be both better and more surprising. In the second book there were a few scenes which surprised me, and I thought this had to be a great sign for what would come next, but now this story delivers what was promised, yes, but in a very unassuming way. I did expect the final battle between Breen and the villain to be more interesting, or for things which would lead to it to be more engaging, but everything takes a long time to happen and, then, the end is in one chapter or two! It makes it seem as if things build up and up and then deflated quickly, like a balloon.

Usually, the authors' trilogies are divided into three main couples, one to each book. This trilogy wasn't like that, we have Breen as the main character and there's a male counterpart, and then perhaps I can think of two other couples who have some attention, but are clearly meant to be secondary. I really can't say if I like or dislike one method more than the other, both offer different types of development, but the center of attention being on Breen and on her learning means the romance also took a secondary role.

This said, it was also more than obvious how things would progress for them, and at first Breen wasn't impressed with Keegan. I admit I was surprised they started being intimate before anything had been agreed between them, even though it was clear they would go on to become a couple and to join forces to defeat the villain. I have read many books, older and newer, by this author, both in series and in standalone, where the romance was just so special, almost as magical as the magic included in those types of stories, but here I need to say I was not convinced.

Breen and Keegan are good teammates, they work well enough when needed, and Breen has a lot to learn about this new world, and Keegan is often a teacher figure. That they wanted to be intimate and that it would develop into being a couple was expected, but it was not magical. This book ends, they win the fight and they exchange some loving words but I can only accept that they will be happy because I know this is the goal of the story and the author's style. Nothing among them besides some hints here and there suggests at how deep their emotions are. We need to infer that.

I suppose, in part, my slight disappointment is due to the writing itself. The author is certainly amazing, experienced, has written so many books, and for me the majority so great!... it feels as if now, the dialogues are so unnatural, the characters go through the motions, the situations are always the same, everyone is so perfect or so evil... the magic of her writing is still there but feels it's underwater... I know I might not be explaining myself properly, but it feels this story could have been epic and it wasn't.

I wish this had been stronger, yes. It's especially disappointing because the author has done better, and with such a great premise... but things are what they are. I hope her next series will be more interesting in the end.

Grade:7/10

Nora Roberts - The Becoming

The world of magick and the world of man have long been estranged from one another. But some can walk between the two--including Breen Siobhan Kelly. She has just returned to Talamh, with her friend, Marco, who's dazzled and disoriented by this realm--a place filled with dragons and faeries and mermaids (but no WiFi, to his chagrin). In Talamh, Breen is not the ordinary young schoolteacher he knew her as. Here she is learning to embrace the powers of her true identity. Marco is welcomed kindly by her people--and by Keegan, leader of the Fey. Keegan has trained Breen as a warrior, and his yearning for her has grown along with his admiration of her strength and skills.
But one member of Breen's bloodline is not there to embrace her. Her grandfather, the outcast god Odran, plots to destroy Talamh--and now all must unite to defeat his dark forces. There will be losses and sorrows, betrayal and bloodshed. But through it, Breen Siobhan Kelly will take the next step on the journey to becoming all that she was born to be.

Comment: This is the second installment in the Dragon Heart Legacy trilogy by Nora Roberts. This being the second book, it is often considered a transition story, carrying on what was presented in the first to the conclusion in the third, but I think the pace and the events were done well enough, for a plot which was, actually, rather unnecessary...

In this story Breen is now determined to learn as much as possible to help Tamlah defeat her grandfather. When the first book ends, she and her friend Marco were taken to Tamlah by magic, and she is worried about him, since he wasn't aware of her magical self, but it turns out she didn't need to worry, for Marco is understanding and marveled by what he sees. However, she and Keegan need to go to the capital, so that everyone can see Breen and trust her, at least by her presence for a while, and Marco goes as well. While this proves to be the best thing ever for him, because he meets someone he didn't expect he would care about as much, there is someone in the capital who isn't happy, at all, by having Breen around, and will try tactics to discredit her, which will have terrible consequences...

I was both surprised, and not, by this book. Having read so many books by the author and almost all of her series, mrs Roberts definitely has a formula, has a way to develop her stories. Usually, the second installment in her trilogies is focused on transitioning the plots and not much truly definitive happens, but this time I feel surprised because not only something definitive happens here, but since the trilogy isn't divided into three couples per book as her trademark, she does include a sort of novelty romance (for her usual, I mean).

In the previous book, Breen Kelly discovers her father is from Tamlah, another world/dimension that exists alongside ours and she travels there to find more about him. She is, then, told about the dangers Tamlah faces and discovers her magical abilities and decides she will want to help defeat Tamlah's enemy. In this second installment, I thought we would see more of the same, but I will confess Breen's powers and learning "the craft" aren't elements I'm dazzled about, so I expected to have a more boring book, but it turns out that the author decided to add some interesting elements that aren't as common for her work.

First, one interesting element was the romantic conflict. Breen and Keegan are clearly meant to be a couple and things between them are taking a very slow burn type of development, but I should say that their relationship isn't that amazing, "fated" romance the author has written so well in the past. Things between them are very understated and I don't feel full on board with them, but it is what will happen. The interesting part in this book is that we knew Keegan had had a relationship with a Tamlah woman and she is described as being envious and spoiled and all the kind of antagonist traits in relation to Breen. We are clearly meant to consider her the "bad girl".

Well, this character clearly goes from simply spoiled and manipulative into villain territory and the evolution is quick and a lot more severe than the author usually portrays in her stories. I still think this transition was too obvious, too radical, but it fit its intention. Her actions cause a certain situation and even affected the lives of others, which is interesting because it's not the author's usual style in trilogies. Perhaps she now prefers to have only one couple/main character being developed, and that includes anyone or anything related to them within the plot.

Second, another novelty element (unless it happened in more recent books I haven't read yet) was the inclusion of a secondary m/m romance, with Marco having his own POV here and there, although not with details. He meets Brian, a Tamlah fighter and they seem to get along. Well, again, perhaps this happens a bit too quickly and in a slightly cheesy way, but if I remember correctly in past books m/m relationships were more often alluded to, or they were mentioned as being established already, and those characters had no real development, so I can say I felt positively surprised here.

I liked reading the book anyway, despite the things I'd change, because this author's work is one of those comfort reads readers like to talk about. Even the things I liked less or that I wish were different were palatable, especially when comparing with other books in the genre. I still think a vast majority of the series development is predictable, and that can be both good and bad, but in general these are still stories I feel interested in reading. I'm hoping more good surprises might come from the last book.

Grade: 7/10

Nora Roberts - The Awakening

In the realm of Talamh, a teenage warrior named Keegan emerges from a lake holding a sword—representing both power and the terrifying responsibility to protect the Fey. In another realm known as Philadelphia, a young woman has just discovered she possesses a treasure of her own…
When Breen Kelly was a girl, her father would tell her stories of magical places. Now she’s an anxious twentysomething mired in student debt and working a job she hates. But one day she stumbles upon a shocking discovery: her mother has been hiding an investment account in her name. It has been funded by her long-lost father—and it’s worth nearly four million dollars.
This newfound fortune would be life-changing for anyone. But little does Breen know that when she uses some of the money to journey to Ireland, it will unlock mysteries she couldn’t have imagined. Here, she will begin to understand why she kept seeing that silver-haired, elusive man, why she imagined his voice in her head saying Come home, Breen Siobhan. It’s time you came home. Why she dreamed of dragons. And where her true destiny lies—through a portal in Galway that takes her to a land of faeries and mermaids, to a man named Keegan, and to the courage in her own heart that will guide her through a powerful, dangerous destiny…

Comment: This is the first book in the Dragon Heart Legacy trilogy by Nora Roberts. I've finally got the chance to purchase the third book and will now read the trilogy in three consecutive months. 

(as is my usual tactic with series or trilogies, if I can)

In this first story we meet Breen Kelly, a young woman who is tired and has a rather sad life, she is a teacher and isn't eager to think she needs to this her whole life, but things are what they are. Everything changes when she accidentally finds some paperwork at her mother's house claiming she has a lot of money in the bank, in her own name. After a phone call, she finds out her father had been sending money from Ireland but her mother never told her about it and more, she has not helped Breen, who had to work several jobs at the same time she studied. When she is able, Breen decides to take advantage of this newfound money and travels to Ireland, to find her father or information about him and she ends up discovering more than she imagined, for her father came from another world, a fantastical place where the Fae and other types of beings exist. Breen is actually welcomed by a grandmother and others she forgot existed when her mother decided to take her away as a child. But it turns out not everyone in her family liked this and her grandfather is a terrible enemy, one Breen is supposed to help defeat... but how?  

Considering the years and the experience the author has with writing, her craft - as she likes to say - is as superb as always and if there was a reason why I feel in love with her books and why she is certainly the author whose books I've read the most so far, is her ability to write an engaging story. It does help she is prolific, but even the books I liked less weren't badly written, perhaps just less appealing. This means that this story is as fascinating and as engaging, but I must say the pace was a bit too slow.

Unlike her usual trilogy tactic, this one seems to be about Breen and her discovering of her roots, skills and powers. It doesn't seem this will be divided into three main couples, one book pr couple while the ongoing plot develops sequentially. I can't say if I like this way better or not, but thinking of the amount of pages and how so much was happening so slowly, I got the impression the whole setting up of the plot points took too long.

As a matter of fact, I did like the slower beginning, when we are given scenes of Breen struggling, mostly emotionally, about her days and I think this set up the mood well enough, especially for when she finds out about what her mother kept from her. Perhaps what wasn't as interesting to me, and this is something I've noticed or felt like in regards to other more recent books by her, is that everything is a little too well done, the writing took a very smooth and staged path, which means her style is easily recognizable, but perhaps a little too repetitive. Her older books seemed to be more spontaneous, or the scenes/situations felt like it. Now, her writing is as great, as I've said, but it feels less intrinsic.

Things obviously change when Breen travels to Ireland (reading this author's books through the years, so many set in this country, did make me want to visit, that is true about how captivating her words are) and discovers the new world Tamlah, which I saw as being parallel to ours, where the Fae and other beings co exist, but where magic and paranormal are the norm. This is something done in other series too, but it was interesting to see Breen did feel a little conflicted about the two worlds, about what she should do in regards to her options. The fact Tamlah has an evil man to defeat, her own grandfather means she needs to prioritize this, but I think it's not hard to see where the main story is going.

It is true that Breen isn't an immediately perfect student learning about her powers and her fighting skills, but everything is described in such a way that I can't help think Breen is a perfect heroine. I don't know how to say this but a different type of interaction with others, different dynamics to her surroundings instead of having this incredible task to defeat the bad guy would make for a more compelling story and having Breen deal with these changes in her life in a more realistic way might make for a fresh type of story for the author. I think some ideas are wonderful, or seem so, and then they don't go to any exciting place. I can't say I dislike the author's choices - I like her books - but sometimes the execution is too perfect, too flawless and the characters seem to blend among each other.

Since this is the first in the trilogy, nothing definitive really happens and the book ends on a slight cliffhanger. It's nothing radical, and I can wait one more month to read it, and I predict it will have more content and scenes set on Tamlah, probably so that Breen can get used to this "world" and her role as a supposed savior. I'm still hopeful to see great scenes and more excitement...

Grade: 7/10

Nora Roberts - Legacy

Adrian Rizzo was seven when she met her father for the first time. That was the day he nearly killed her—before her mother, Lina, stepped in.
Soon after, Adrian was dropped off at her grandparents’ house in Maryland, where she spent a long summer drinking lemonade, playing with dogs, making a new best friend—and developing the stirrings of a crush on her friend’s ten-year-old brother. Lina, meanwhile, traveled the country promoting her fitness brand and turning it into a billion-dollar business. There was no point in dwelling on the past.
A decade later, Adrian has created her own line of yoga and workout videos, following in Lina’s footsteps but intent on maintaining creative control. And she’s just as cool-headed and ambitious as her mother. They aren’t close, but they’re cordial—as long as neither crosses the other.
But while Lina dismisses the death threats that Adrian starts getting as a routine part of her daughter’s growing celebrity, Adrian can’t help but find the vicious rhymes unsettling. Year after year, they keep arriving—the postmarks changing, but the menacing tone the same. They continue after she returns to Maryland and becomes reacquainted with Raylan, her childhood crush, all grown up and as gorgeously green-eyed as ever. Sometimes it even seems like the terrifying messages are indeed routine, like nothing will come of them. Until the murders start, and the escalation begins…

Comment: Another one of the single titles written by this prolific author in the recent years. This one was published in 2021.

In this novel, a mix of romance, woman's fiction and light suspense, we meet heroine Adrian Rizzo who as a young child witnessed the death of her father, a man she had just met. Her father and mother had no relationship and when that man suddenly appears and attacks Adrian, wanting to hurt her mother, a freak accident causes his death and it seems his contribution for her life would not go past biology. 

As an adult, with her life focus on the fitness and exercise videos that made her mother, and now her, famous, Adrian has a very stable routine, has her friends and relocates to Maryland so she can live with her grandfather, after her grandmother's death. She even reconnects to a childhood friend and her older brother, who also comes back after tragedy strikes. 

All seems to go well but Adrian has been received anonymous letters for years from a fan... the messages are creepy and now it seems the creepiness is escalating.. is Adrian in much more danger than she ever thought after all?

I don't think it's too much to repeat that this famous author has a formula, has a pattern of writing and this book is no novelty from anything else she has published recently, if one is a fan. At the same time, it fits all the expectations, it's easy to follow the ideas presented and if there isn't as much originality as one might like, that isn't a surprise either. For me, the style and shape are very familiar and I like the comfort it gives me to read something I can predict how it might go.

In fact, I must say that predictability is something the author's books always have... perhaps  - and this is my biggest complaint about Nora Roberts' work since a few years now - the stories feature very predictable behaviors and developments and the characters always seem to have a grasp or a control over their lives, as if so many steps are "staged". I still remember the older romances, or the sagas where often things were very alike from book to book but the characters were, somehow, more charismatic and spontaneous. This doesn't mean surprising delight never happens, for instance I've read The Liar in 2020 and it fit all the boxes for me to like it more than others by the author.

Adrian and her mother excel at fitness programs and how to sell that idea to others. It makes the life of everyone easier but Adrian did act with certainty a lot of the time and her only doubts were easily vanquished. Sometimes this can seem a bit annoying, I confess.Despite that, I liked her and the fact she wasn't conceited or spoiled as she could but of course I could trust Nora Roberts to create a likable heroine. I can't say if the fact we have scenes with Adrian as a child, then as a teenager and then as adult mean we can more easily see her evolution or that said evolution feels even less spontaneous since everything she does at any age is always the obvious behavior.

The hero does go through more challenging issues in life, but he is quite easy to read as well. I wouldn't mind characters who would be more layered, complex...but then, I do appreciate the fact I know they won't be hard to like so this is tricky to explain. I liked Raylan and how he comes to be part of Adrian's life, I liked seeing certain things through his perspective, I especially liked he isn't one of those heroes who has to be convinced his feelings are more intense than what he believes, but he is a bit too perfect sometimes.

There isn't much to say about the plot, to be honest. Every decision, every situation is described and presented perfectly, within the right boundaries, never to be a reflection but to offer the best type of conclusion.. I know this is too reductive to the actual work the author does, but I still like her books, so I can't complain that much. The most debatable element is the suspense one and who might be after Adrian but t be honest again, in this book, that element of surprise is totally lost.

I don't think the author intentionally makes it a really complex job of keeping the identity of the villain hidden, it's just not the focus here, although this is kept a mystery until the last chapters. But as soon as I read a certain passage, quite early on in the story, I immediately thought of someone and I was proved right. I only had a second of doubt in the middle of the book because of yet another specific passage but my initial idea was correct, which means this doesn't have a true psychological or suspense content, but it's something to add conflict and delay to the HEA.

I like it how the author always includes a lot of what she certainly researches to enrich her novels, even when some elements are recurrent (like the author herself, often some character really enjoys gardening for instance) and here we learn some things about what it means to launch an online business related to fitness and such. I also liked the more rural Maryland setting and the image that it evokes in me, regarding a childhood spent in a quiet, cozier area. I liked the book as a whole and some details but I have to be truthful and say it won't be in my favorites list by the author either.

Grade: 7/10

Nora Roberts - The Collector

When professional house-sitter Lila Emerson witnesses a murder/suicide from her current apartment-sitting job, life as she knows it takes a dramatic turn. Suddenly, the woman with no permanent ties finds herself almost wishing for one. . . .
Artist Ashton Archer knows his brother isn’t capable of violence—against himself or others. He recruits Lila, the only eyewitness, to help him uncover what happened. Ash longs to paint her as intensely as he hungers to touch her. But their investigation draws them into a rarified circle where priceless antiques are bought, sold, gambled away, and stolen, where what you possess is who you are, and where what you desire becomes a deadly obsession. . . .

Comment: Despite the fact some books by a beloved author aren't always as great and being aware some more recent ones in series by this one in particular haven't been the best, I still feel dedicated to the work of Nora Roberts. I like to keep some of her titles on the shelf, thankfully she is prolific and writes one or two a year, and the idea I'll always have something by her to read does not stop being appealing.

This title is from 2014 and in it we meet Lila Emerson, a professional house sitter and novelist. Lila likes to do a good job while she is taking care of the house of others and her reputation makes her name one which keeps being recommended, allowing her to travel and see many things. Lila also likes to use her binoculars to watch others while she is staying somewhere. Many can see this a being nosy but Lila is inspired by the lives of others, often settled in a way she chose not to be...until the day she sees a woman being murdered and of course Lila has to call help. From then on, between the police and the brother of the man suspected of killing the woman and then himself, her life changes and she feels she has to know what really happened and by having seen something, she feels parts of it as well. But the real killer discovers Lila saw something, could it be her life is in danger too?

This was, as I expected, a very patterned story for anyone who is familiar to the work of the author. I don't mean this as a critic; in fact, there is something peaceful in knowing what kind of story one will get. Of course, the formula works better in certain stories than others but when it comes to the author's standalone novels, most of the time, the result is one I like.

Lila's work of house sitting is quite original, at least I don't think this is as easy or as glamorous as the story intended to portray...someone simply staying and benefiting from the house itself with the owners permission... when  the story begins, Lila is stating as new job and she can use the jacuzzi, she can live there as if it's her house, no matter the references to "leave things as they were" or to not leave things out of place or her own stuff forgotten... although, I suppose people who can afford to have this service while they are in vacation or something probably feel comfortable enough to allow it.

I wouldn't mind trying this but wouldn't it be weird to use/deal with things which belong to others? I must be too suspicious but the idea both fascinated and left apprehensive. Of course, for the plot's purposes, it was quite handy and I must confess I liked the cover of my edition a lot, it's quite suggestive, one being without much care, just admiring the night view in a sleek, elegant place... it also made it believable how Lila saw the crime but couldn't know all the details, making this a good setup for the upcoming scenes.

From the moment Lila meets the "hero", Ashton, I think the rest followed a more repetitive pattern, as I've said, they go from just working together to explain a few facts to become inseparable and from then to love was practically just a few chapters. I could see how such a situation would be conductive to more intense feelings so quickly but the practical side of me felt like there could have been more to make this sound more organic, as if they couldn't help it. The way the story developed, though, there were many moments where it just felt planned. Which it was, of course, but... I still wish the romance had been sharper or more complex in how they felt they couldn't help but falling in love.

The same thing for the secondary relationship between Lila and Ashton's best friends, who happened to have been married as they were younger... what are the odds! But ok, this was just a device to bring them together in convenient times. I also think the other characters are pretty much the staple of Nora Roberts' work, easily identified and compared with so many others in previous books. I don't mind it, but it can feel a bit too easy how characters just play their roles like clockwork.

What was surprising was how the antagonist, the villain used a female assassin to do his dirty work. I can't remember many female killers in the body of work of the author so that was quite invigorating even though the motivations and behaviors we get while briefly in that woman's head are pretty basic. Still, this worked out for this story but I must say the whole collecting notion which explains the title is just too superficial, as if the villain had nothing else to do but sit in a chair plotting and looking at his collection. It's so... simplistic and basic. I do think Nora Roberts could improve the characterization  bit more.

Like I said, this can also depend on the type of story, after all the same device worked well for me in other books by her. The police investigation was too simple, there were several coincidences and when there's more than one, the plot just feels fake, obviously, as if it couldn't exactly develop that way or at that pace. I did have this feeling here and there but since I see these books as comfort reads, I could put aside what I liked less and appreciate what I liked more. It hasn't worked in other books and I'm certain readers not fans might find too much to criticize in this one anyway, but... I think it's still a good use of time, comparing to a lot out there.

Grade: 7/10

Nora Roberts - The Obsession

Naomi Carson is a survivor. As a child, her family was torn apart by a shocking crime. It could have destroyed her, but Naomi has grown up strong, with a passion for photography that has taken her all around the world.
Now, at last, she has decided to put down roots. The beautiful old house on Point Bluff needs work, but Naomi has new friends in town who are willing to help, including Xander Keaton - gorgeous, infuriating and determined to win her heart.
But as Naomi plans for the future, her past is catching up with her. Someone in town knows her terrifying secret - and won't let her forget it. As her new home is rocked by violence, Naomi must discover her persecutor's identity, before it's too late.

Comment: Another title from the author which is now out of the pile... I do try to space them because one day I won't have any more to read until the next release...

In this story the heroine is Naomi Carson who, as a 12 year old, found out her father was a serial killer. Although this didn't affect her life completely, she still couldn't escape from the unwanted attention and turned her life into something behind a camera, becoming a photographer. Now an adult, she decides it's time for a grown up step and she buys a house on the west coast, which needs renovations and that is how she sees herself slowly becoming part of the community, including Xander, someone who wants her to be something more, as well as content with her life. However, there is a person who stalks her because of who she is and who her father is. Will Naomi have any peace?

As with any prolific author, it's inevitable some books are better, some are less appealing, some are more engaging, others only seem formulaic and I'm putting this one among those who are comfort reads for the author's style, meaning they are clearly hers and that is both good and slightly boring, in the sense that to me it felt just like a simple addition and not something out of the ordinary.

I don't think this is a bad book, in fact I had a good time reading and there is something about the style's repetitiveness that feels like spending time with friends. At the same time, the story didn't feel special enough to stay in my radar so much and I feel I might not remember much about it, such as it has happened with other books. The ones that speak to us remain and I love that I still remember a lot of the titles I liked best. Anyway, I'd put this one in the average middle, not bad, not great.

Naomi is a classic heroine for this author, vulnerable but with determination and perfect flaws. It's quite a paradox but all her heroines do everything well, even if they face problems of difficulties... Naomi feels she can't truly settle but when she decides to do so, even in the middle of a renovation, all goes well, all goes smooth... I get it but it feels there isn't a real evolution to happen, you know.

Well, there is the romantic aspect, of course. Although even in that area, the way Naomi and Xander go from two people who meet over a tire problem on the side of the road to a couple in love felt very quick and without any real stress. It's not as if they jump into a relationship right away but the process felt very superficial, not like in the author's old romances, where obviously the focus on that element made them all feel special. I kind of wish the romance here had been more obvious in how they were thinking of one another. All the words were a little too like a pattern we've seen in almost al of her recent single titles.

Xander is straightforward Nora hero, totally commendable and with one or two issues in his life but perfect for Naomi and a great human being. I don't think anything about him makes him memorable, though, so I suppose that can count as a flaw for him. Pretty much everything he does is a cliché and I believe the author could have given him more depth. He is a good hero, but not great.

The story sets a lot of its focus on the house renovation, the things Naomi needs to deal with, the people she meets, the fact she adopts a dog without planning on it....again, a wonderful work by mrs Roberts in investigating researching elements, probably adapting many she learned throughout the years for other books... but it's impossible to overlook her dedication for detail, her sense of putting things correctly on the page in such a way that it's a pleasure to read about tidy and well planned scenes.

A very negative aspect for me in this book was the villain. Very two dimensional, more than obvious from the moment of the first time the character showed up on the page. I don't know if it wasn't meant to be more of a mystery, if it simply suited this specific plot, but it was weak, not very inspired and the motivation for murder and stalking Naomi as uninspiring as it could be. I suppose it can be believable from some psychological POV, but I don't think it added any strength to this book.

All in all, this wasn't a bad book, I can say it again, but it could have been much better and it does feel a little like a loss opportunity. This won't be in my favorite list by her, but I must say it did work better, it was still more engaging than what other authors out there do or I've happened to have read, so... I guess it depends on what kind of style readers like the best.

Grade: 7/10

Nora Roberts - The Rise of Magicks

After the sickness known as the Doom destroyed civilization, magick has become commonplace, and Fallon Swift has spent her young years learning its ways. Fallon cannot live in peace until she frees those who have been preyed upon by the government or the fanatical Purity Warriors, endlessly hunted or locked up in laboratories, brutalized for years on end. She is determined to save even those who have been complicit with this evil out of fear or weakness--if, indeed, they can be saved.
Strengthened by the bond she shares with her fellow warrior, Duncan, Fallon has already succeeded in rescuing countless shifters and elves and ordinary humans. Now she must help them heal--and rediscover the light and faith within themselves. For although from the time of her birth, she has been The One, she is still only one. And as she faces down an old nemesis, sets her sights on the enemy's stronghold, and pursues her destiny--to finally restore the mystical shield that once protected them all--she will need an army behind her...

Comment: This is the third installment in the Chronicles of the One trilogy, a paranormal series by author Nora Roberts and where we get to see the conclusion of the story and the war between good and evil.

In this third section, war goes on, our characters are getting ready to face the enemy and Fallon, as the One, is still recruiting followers to help her but who she will help in return. She makes new alliances while removing enemies one by one, step by step. However, her evil cousin is certainly hiding something and Fallon needs all the help she can get to finally clean the planet of all the evil which also rose when the Doom hit the world and killed so many.

At the same time, she is wondering where her feelings for Duncan will lead her but perhaps there isn't much to think about, since he seems to feel the same way. Will they succeed in their endeavor to be the answer to the world's protection?

I'll start immediately by saying I expected more from this book. The first book was a good start for a story that was unique and quite different from the author's usual style. The second book was more alike any YA books out there but I felt invested enough to have enjoyed it. I fully expected something incredible for this last book but it wasn't as good as I imagined it could be.

I would say the biggest issue for me was how under developed the characters felt in this installment. Everyone already had their role established, there was no surprise, no development, no change in anything besides the basics. There were countless scenes preparing for war, discussing the war between the good and the bad guys and even more on smaller scaled fights while Fallon and her followers were helping those in need or freeing areas so her goal of bringing back the Light would happen effectively. But on how the characters' interacted, how their relationships were or how they would become more complex, nothing.

I would expect this form the author's usual books and, in fact, this was just like any other third installment of the paranormal trilogies I've read by mrs Roberts in the past. I would not be surprised, then, were this to be another repetitive type of trilogy, but the premise of this series and based on the first book, I did think things might go a different path. True, there are some changes from the usual, but to me it was not enough to make me think of this books fondly.

It's not a novelty to know the good guys win but even the battles, the fights, no matter how detailed the preparations, felt very staged, quickly done... again, it's not I'd want the author to start writing about every single thing, but the way things are done, everything feels staged and automatic and I miss a more relatable kind of plot, where I could follow the characters, where I could see how this would be affecting them...the story simply stopped being intriguing for me after a while.

Fallon and Duncan maintain the pattern and obviously fall in love. However, not even this seemed passionate nor fascinating. They could have had a different dynamic, even allowing their fates to be pre destined, but we didn't get to see them falling in love because the other person was special or because the things they shared or the situations they had to do together would force them to see the other person like that. You know, as in any type of romance where getting to know the other person would be why you were falling in love and why you felt it was right, fate or being mates aside. I missed this here.

All things considered, this was weaker than I hoped for. There are plenty of books by the author I love and many scenes in all of them I re-read sometimes but this won't be one of those, sadly.

Grade: 6/10

Nora Roberts - Of Blood and Bone

They look like an everyday family living an ordinary life. But beyond the edges of this peaceful farm, unimaginable forces of light and dark have been unleashed.
Fallon Swift, approaching her thirteenth birthday, barely knows the world that existed before—the city where her parents lived, now in ruins and reclaimed by nature since the Doom sickened and killed billions. Traveling anywhere is a danger, as vicious gangs of Raiders and fanatics called Purity Warriors search for their next victim. Those like Fallon, in possession of gifts, are hunted—and the time is coming when her true nature, her identity as The One, can no longer be hidden.In a mysterious shelter in the forest, her training is about to begin under the guidance of Mallick, whose skills have been honed over centuries. She will learn the old ways of healing; study and spar; encounter faeries and elves and shifters; and find powers within herself she never imagined. And when the time is right, she will take up the sword, and fight. For until she grows into the woman she was born to be, the world outside will never be whole again.

Comment: This is the second installment in the Chronicles of the One trilogy by Nora Roberts. This is probably the author whose books I've read the most of (and she does have plenty) so it is no surprise I have continued with the trilogy. In this second book we follow the characters as Fallon, the key protagonist, has become a teenager.

After the terrible event of the Doom, which killed so many people, things have kind of settled in a seemingly routine situation, with people wanting to survive and thrive on one side, and on the other people who gave in to their evil side wanting to cause even more havoc. Everyone seems to know a battle between the "good and evil" will have to happen one day and, in the meantime, both sides prepare themselves. That is why Fallon, the girl born to save the world, needs to practice and learn how to do it and how to be able to help others. She has also been developing more powers and when necessary, she can try to help to warn others. However, the warning signs aren't always obvious...

This felt like a very classical "second book in a series" because many things happened but none really interfered with the big scheme of things. It was still entertaining but I admit there was quite a repetition of the same things although I must applaud the author to do it in a way that didn't feel too annoying.

Fallon is now a teenager and she has to follow her destiny (what a silly expression) to be the savior of the world. Much of that means training and learning with a mentor, away from her family. I suppose I can see where the author went with this tactic but it's certainly not anything special or new. How often this happened in other YA or fantasy series? Even saying this, however, the story isn't too bad for what the author aimed for and, for her, this is actually refreshing since it's so out of her usual style.

I liked the family connections Fallon and her brothers and their parents had. Of course they are meant to symbolize unity and stability and love and to be even more impressive why Fallon has to go away to study. On the other hand, it sort of establishes the fact only a loving family could give Fallon a strong enough base so that she won't use her powers wrongly nor will she be tempted by the evil side. Everything is very formulaic, that's for certain, but even recognizing the signs, I still kept reading.

What I liked the best was how the characters got along, how they worked together to create peace and stability for those who were part of the community. I don't mind reading about ordinary, domestic lives and Nora Roberts can use this very well in her books. The focus on this novel was on Fallon's family but also on the New Hope community, where the main events of the previous book took place. When this was reaching the final part, the main characters seemed to converge there again, so I can only assume that it will be there where the big battle will happen too.

There's an enemy in this book too, though, someone who plays quite a role closer to the end and although the author wrote things in a convincing way for the situation it was, I can't help but think it was a little cheesy how the big reveal was done when we learn who the bad person is within the community. Lack of imagination, not wanting to go too far..who knows what the author's reason was but the effect, for me, was a bit weak.

I don't know what to say further on this, basically the book works as a bridge to the final one when the big events will happen and the end is reached. From the point of view of a fan, this is indeed new for the author, so good work in trying something outside of a comfort zone, but from the POV of a reader, this was nothing special. I'd have to conclude with "it was so-so but since I did like to spend time reading...
Grade: 7/10

Nora Roberts - Year One

With one drop of blood, the old world is gone for ever. And in its place, something extraordinary begins. . . They call it The Doom - a deadly pandemic that starts on a cold New Year's Eve in the Scottish countryside. There's something mysterious about the virus and the way it spreads. As billions fall sick and die, some survivors find themselves invested with strange, unexpected abilities. Lana, a New York chef, has the power to move things and people with her will. Fred can summon light in the darkness. Jonah, a paramedic, sees snatches of the future in those he touches. Katie gives birth to twins, and suspects that she has brought fresh magic into the world, along with new life. But The Doom affects people differently. Along with the light, a dark and terrifying magic will also rise. As the remaining authorities round up the immune and the 'Uncannies' for testing, Lana, Katie and others flee New York in search of a safe haven. The old world is over, and Year One has begun. 

Comment: This is the first installment in the Chronicles of the One trilogy. This trilogy was released between late 2017 and in 2018 but I've waited to have the three books in paperback and this year I'm finally getting to it.

In this story the world is facing a crisis like never before due to a deadly virus which spreads quickly, affecting only humans, and while some die soon after, others seem to be immune and survive. There are others who not only survive but start showing evidence of having weird abilities or an increase of something special, like paramedic Jonah who used to have a feeling if someone could be dying or could be saved and now he knows that for certain. However, not everyone showing new skills has the good and the fair in mind and while those who survived try to find a new way to live, there's also dangerous people out there, looking only for trouble...

How not to think of this as "convenient" but Nora Roberts, along with so many other authors who wrote books about some kind of epidemic disease or virus, certainly didn't see, could not guess, a certain coronavirus would really be something we would need to deal with in real life. No, the virus in this book isn't like the one we face in our lives, but it's indeed weird to hear about these things when they were written before we could even start to see the damage it could cause... weird indeed...

Those who have been fans of the author have come to rely on two things from the author: she writes romance and she writes with a formula. Whether readers like it or not, whether they care or not about that, the point is her style is unique and easily recognizable. I'd say she tried to go away from her comfort zone with this one - imagination/inspiration aside - but having read so many of her books, almost all of them except the ones I'm saving up, I can also see how she didn't quite achieved that.

The idea of this book is not her usual, but then except for medical thrillers or science fiction, who would think of it? However, mrs Roberts is also known for her trademark romance content and in some trilogies there can be paranormal details as well. I'd say this is subtle for the most part because it's not a fantasy world she thought of, just unusual things in a contemporary setting. The same things is seen here but she did go a step further with the powers people got with being immune of the virus. The idea is the "universe" or whatever force compensated fo the loss of billions. I can go with it yes, but it does seem she was going so well into a different kind of novel and then she returned again to her formula... personally I don't mind but I also can imagine how special it could be if she dared to not go there...

Another element a little out of the ordinary for her style is that this book, being first in a trilogy didn't pair up a couple straight away. This one was more focused on how some groups of survivors dealt with the consequences of the virus and death and no one to maintain things. There are many characters being presented, we do have the POV of many but none was center stge until the end. That's when something I didn't foresee happened and the focus seems to go into a kind of "Savior" cliché trope where someone will eventually save the world. I understand this plot choice but it was not something that different from the author's style that I could say I was surprised. It seems, though, the following books will focus on this character as she grows up and gets older. It's different in the sense usually the author's trilogies or quartets focus on adult characters in the same time line.

I can see why some readers felt this was  a wasted opportunity for an unpredictable story from this author. I think the pacing was also a little...rushed, because for a pandemic where weird and new things happen every day, and people are afraid, we saw the main characters seem to reach a goal they set for themselves rather quickly. Perhaps not easily but it didn't feel the changes were happening organically or at a pace one could believe... I see why, the point is to reach an end, a deadline so things can be et for the next installment but... it made some events during the plot feel a bit unrealistic (well, more than what would be if people could actually develop paranormal powers after a virus....).

Nevertheless, I still liked getting to know the characters and if there is one thing the books by Nora Roberts are to me is being entertaining and solid, so I always feel glad I was able to follow the lives of those characters and think along them for a while. I'm curious to see how all the characters are in their lives in the next book since it seems it will be set a few years after this one ended.

Grade: 7/10

Nora Roberts - The Liar

Shelby Foxworth lost her husband. Then she lost her illusions…
The man who took her from Tennessee to an exclusive Philadelphia suburb left her in crippling debt. He was an adulterer and a liar, and when Shelby tracks down his safe-deposit box, she finds multiple IDs. The man she loved wasn’t just dead. He never really existed.
Shelby takes her three-year-old daughter and heads south to seek comfort in her hometown, where she meets someone new: Griff Lott, a successful contractor. But her husband had secrets she has yet to discover. Even in this small town, surrounded by loved ones, danger is closer than she knows—and threatens Griff, as well. And an attempted murder is only the beginning...

Comment: This was the latest book by Nora Roberts I have read. I keep pacing myself so that I always have something by her to read yearly, as she is still one of my favorite authors.

In this book we meet Shelby Foxworth, a recently widowed young woman, who discovers her husband and father of her child is not who she thought he was. He had many debts and bills which now Shelby has to pay for. She has been selling everything she can in order to pay off what is due and she feels that the best way for her and her daughter Callie to get past the lies and the betrayal is to to get back to her family, a place where she can find peace and the caring of those who love her.

Once back, Shelby slowly lets her family help her heal and there is even a man who seems to be someone she could trust and rely on. However, the lies from her her husband's past still follow Shelby and suddenly there is a lot more to worry about than she anticipated. Will she be able to get past that and find happiness again?

In a way, all the books by this author end up being successful. Even the ones readers might dislike more or like less or feel repetitive, still manage to please a bigger majority. I did read some comments here and there, without delving too much to avoid spoilers, and I got the impression some opinions weren't as positive because some felt she repeats the same types of characters all the time. However, even if one allows this to be likely, I still had a great time reading this novel and, in the end, it worked out well for me.

I think the first chapters really drew me in. If there's one thing the author is good at is in creating the right characterization for her protagonists and Shelby felt like someone we could meet in real life, she was an average type southern woman who faced quite a complicated situation and I immediately felt for her, while she went through the motions to try to solve some problems, deal with others... I think the first pages were well set as well as the mood Shelby was in, especially as she left the house she knew she would not get back to, which also made me think about personal scenes...

Anyway, so the story pretty much follows Shelby as she goes back to her family home and how she starts to make plans to get on with her life after a marriage that wasn't successful. This story felt quiet, slow paced, the atmosphere felt easy to visualize and it was very good to see a big family like hers being united, friendly, all the elements were there for each other. It was very good to see not Shelby and not Griff, the hero, had bad/unwelcoming/distant parents as a moot for conflict.

I should say, though, the biggest focus is in Shelby and how her life is affected by what her liar husband has done. I feel the hero didn't have as much air time, he was developed as a human being (of course he's a great guy, a great friend, a great partner...) but we don't have as much from his background and his family as we could, so he does feel a little under developed. He's likeable and his skills and ability to be in the right place at the right time are not in question, but it would have been nice to have more about him than just the necessary information.

The romance is often an important part of any book by this author. Often her characters seem a bit too perfect, even among the characteristics which deem them "flawed", and the hero here, in particular, gave me that impression. As for the love story, it was so easy, so convenient...I could see this happening in real life, just two people sharing things, being closer because of mutual friends, of circumstances and slowly getting to appreciate and care for one another. I still think the relationship evolved too easily and this is one detail I'd change a bit too.

The best thing about this book is how Shelby's family unites to help her, to give her support when she decides to do things or when it's necessary to take steps into solve what they believe to be a mess left by her husband. It's true this might not be the most original plot or the most intricate but I liked the way the scenes played out, I liked the overall feel of the story. It was also nice to see how Shelby decided to get back her best friend and how she kept thinking it wasn't as easy as one could think.

I think that, all things considered, this was a good story, entertaining, I liked spending time reading it, turning the pages... I know it might not work so well for others and I know some of the less positive aspects could be so much better but, still, this ended up being a great book for me.

Grade: 9/10

Nora Roberts - Chasing Fire

Rowan Tripp is addicted to danger. She's been fighting the annual forest fires in the rugged Montana mountains since she was eighteen years old. She can read a wildfire like no one else - and is prepared to put her life on the line again and again to save others. But now she is mourning the death of her good friend and jump partner, Jim - and haunted by the fact that she might have been able to save him. More pressing is the fact that the new season's recruits to the 'smoke-jumping' team need to be trained. Rowan has a strict rule: NEVER get romantically involved with anyone she works with. But the moment she meets Gull Curry that rule is severely tested. And when it becomes clear that someone does blame Rowan for Jim's death, and is determined to seek revenge, Rowan finds that she needs Gull's help and support more than ever ... 

Comment: I've said often that Nora Roberts was the first author I became a fan of, I've read practically all her books except the ones I'm spacing out so that I always have something by her to read every year. This month I picked this title, which was originally released in 2011.

In this book we meet heroine Rowan Tripp, a fierce woman who likes challenges and what bigger rush there is but to jump into fires and save lives in the process? Rowan is a smoke jumper, a specific kind of firefighter who work mostly in rough terrain.

This story starts with a new season, right after a bad time for Rowan's team because one of their team mates has died in a fire. Now Rowan and the others are ready to start a new season and among the new rookies is Gull Curry, a guy Rowan feels attracted to but with whom she swears she won't be involved with, since it's her rule to not date team members.

However, there's something between them and Rowan might need all the support she can, especially when problems start at the base and people even die... can Rowan and her team be in danger?

I should start by saying I'm usually glad the author picks unusual jobs for her characters or situations to set her stories in specific scenarios and this story with smoke jumpers and where the male protagonist also has a business in the arcade games was quite imaginative.

But I must also confess I'm not a huge fan of firefighting settings in general and the author has written quite a few. Nothing wrong with it and the people who work in this field really must be brave and real life heroes but there's this component of danger and risk I'm not very interested in reading when it comes to fiction. Difficult enough the danger does exist, much less to read about it for fun...

Basically, the plot is centered around the smile jumpers at a certain base in Montana, how they are professionals who need to train hard and be in shape, be ready for what might happen. I actually like reading about all the technical aspects of how careful they must be with their equipment and how well trained they need to be so they can know how to act.

In Nora Robert's books, all protagonists are amazing professionals and although at times all the details (proof of an amazing research) are quite well inserted to the story, they also seem too technical too, almost as if the novel is a "how to" little manual.

I've also noticed many of her books, especially the ones labeled romantic suspense but all her recent ones in general (say since one or two decades ago) have a lot of page count dedicated to show case how clever, professional and well known her protagonists are about whatever field they are in. Being a good professional can be very sexy yes, but I think it also comes to a point where it feels clinical and since this author's books are more and more detailed about everything, I also have this feeling quite often.

This to say Rowan and Gull are knowledgeable and us their brains but it does feel as if they could not make mistakes and that is a little difficult to relate to at times.

Their relationship is a very easy one. They pretty much settle into it with no problems whatsoever ( they are too focused on their job and the issues related to it) and I sincerely think the fact this is also a romance was quite overlooked here. Yes, they are both incredibly savvy and smart people but as a couple they work without any effort! I found this very difficult to accept. Yes, I know the relationship is a given but why should they work? The conversations they have and the common things they share cannot be enough, I think.

The romance is really bland. The end, where the HEA is evident in the horizon just felt overdone and a little pitiful because to me the development of their relationship was very dull.

There's a secondary romance between Rowan's father and a woman he meets at work and has had more cute scenes, I think.

In my opinion, the best relationships depicted here ended up being the one between Rowan and her father and the friendships between coworkers, etc.

The suspense plot is weak. I don't usually "discover" who the villain is or, to be honest, I don't really try to guess because the fun is the road to the surprise but in this case it felt really obvious who the villain was and I was right in my assumption. The reason behind the problems has emit but the way it was explored was really weak.

All in all, this was a book I feel I enjoyed more for my habit of enjoying the author's books. I like her style, I'm a fan of many of her books and even the ones I feel weren't so good still strike a cord. They are fluid, easy to read. 

The romance and plot of this was was really weak but the author carried it with fascinating sets and technical descriptions. It was good to learn something but to me Nora Roberts does seem to have reached the point where her skill is overshadowing her writing talent a little...

Grade: 7/10