The Donovan Legacy by Nora Roberts

Captivated

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
Captivated is the first book in the Donovan Legacy, which tells the tale of three cousins blessed with extraordinary talents. In total there are four books that are released separately as well as a volume titled “The Donovan Legacy” which contains the first three books. This is a review of the first three books.

Captivated is Morgana’s story. Morgana, our heroine, is a witch who owns a new age store. Our hero is Nash, a screenwriter who is researching witches and magic for his next screenplay and comes to Morgana as she is well known in Monterey for her practice of Wicca. There isn’t a lot of external plot in this story but it was still quite good. I loved how Morgana never hid who she was and her in-your-face attitude and Nash’s child-like enthusiasm and open mind. Captivated is very well written and fun to read with an ending that will leave you wanting more!

Entranced

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

Entranced, the second book of the Donovan Legacy is the story of Sebastian who has the gift of sight. Our heroine, Mary Ellen, teams up with Sebastian to find a missing baby and to then go undercover to bust up a baby-kidnapping ring. Sebastian has met his match in Mary Ellen and fireworks flare when they let their feelings show. While I didn’t enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed the first, it was still well worth the read. The characters are fun and there is certainly more adventure, which makes it an enjoyable read. For those of you who read Robert’s In Death series, you will notice many similarities to Eve and Roarke.

Charmed

When a new neighbour, Boone Sawyer, moves next door to her with his young motherless daughter, Anastasia proves not only to be a good neighbour but wins the hearts of both Boone and his daughter. As time goes on Boone is drawn more and more into Anastasia's spell and begins to fall in love with her. Ana, though, worries how she will ever tell him the truth about herself and her family.

My Thoughts
In this her third book in the Donovan series, author Nora Roberts, has provided her readers with one of her most endearing characters, Anastasia Donovan. Cousin to Morgana and Sebastian featured in the first two titles of this series, Anastasia is the cousin blessed with the powers of healing.

When a new neighbour, Boone Sawyer, moves next door to her with his young motherless daughter, Anastasia proves not only to be a good neighbour but wins the hearts of both Boone and his daughter. As time goes on Boone is drawn more and more into Anastasia's spell and begins to fall in love with her. Ana, though, worries how she will ever tell him the truth about herself and her family. The decision is taken out of her hands when Jessie falls off of a ladder and is critically injured. Anastasia puts her powers to work to save the girl's life and her gifts become known to Boone.

While I adored Ana, Boone left much to be desired. Even though he doesn't really understand what is happening and isn’t sure how to react, it’s no excuse for being a narrow-minded, judgemental jerk. The woman saves his daughter and in his ‘fear’, he pushes her away. Of course, being a Silhouette romance, we are assured a happily ever after ending, but this part seriously ticked me off.

To Have and To Hold by Dawn Temple

THE WAY TO A WOMAN'S HEART...

When Lindy Monroe separated from her workaholic husband, Travis, after a devastating miscarriage, she fled to her beloved grandfather's country farm. After he died, a brokenhearted Lindy was shocked to learn that he'd left his home to her on one impossible condition: She had to live there with her husband!
City boy Travis was definitely out of his element in Land's Cross and with the beautiful women he'd briefly called his wife. But country life agreed with Travis more than he'd ever expected, and also fanned the fires of a failed marriage that hadn't quite burned to ash. Would Travis be able to set the reluctant Lindy's heart ablaze again?

My Thoughts

Lindy and Travis Monroe separated shortly after the loss of their unborn child and Lindy moved back to the home she shared with her grandfather. Roughly a year later, her grandfather dies and his will states that in order for her to receive the farm, she must live there with Travis for a set amount of time.

Determined to win Lindy back, Travis cuts back on his work with the family business and moves in with Lindy, sharing in the day- to-day operation of the farm. Over time, husband and wife learn to love and respect each other again but Lindy’s fear of Travis choosing the family business and his family over her prevents her from trusting him and taking that last step.

To Have and To Hold is the first book by Dawn Temple and what a book it is. The characters are written with such depth and the plot, while recycled a thousand times, is written in a fresh, vibrant manner. The author forces Travis and Lindy to face their deepest fears in a wonderful story that leaves the reader sighing with hope that love really does stand a chance the second time around.

The Reluctant Heiress by Christine Flynn

It was quite the shock when popular family man Senator Kendrick recently announced he had an illegitimate daughter – and yours truly has tracked down the mystery woman, hoping for an exclusive! But small-town teacher Jillian Hadley insisted she wants nothing to do with the legendary Kendricks.

But their sexy PR guru Ben Garrett has recently been seen whispering in Jillian’s ear. I don’t know what sweet words Ben used, but suddenly Jillian was whisked away to Ben’s very own private getaway! If pictures of the two together are any indication, one must wonder if the sudden impulse to be with Ben has more to do with passion than power?

My Thoughts

Jillian is a sweet, thoughtful daughter & wonderful teacher who is modest and very down to earth. When she discover's she is the illegitimate daugher of a very powerful and wealthy man, she confronts him but in the end wants nothing from him. Unfortunately, her father is being watched and this information is released to the media. When they find her they show no mercy.

Ben Garrett works for the PR firm that represents her father and is hired to assist Jillian from all the unwanted media attention. When things become too overwhelming for the small-town school teacher he takes her away from it all, to his private home on the shores of Chesapeake Bay. There, she spends time with him and his grandfather, getting to know Ben and falling in love.

The Reluctant Heiress is a sweet romantic read with an excellent plot and lots of movement. Not once was I bored with drawn out dialogue or over the top love scenes. Jillian was real and exactly how I would be if I were to discover a father I had never known. Ben is your typical committment phobic man and it is an interesting read to see him complete his journey into the man that Jillian knows he can be. A fine read for a category romance. If you want something short and sweet, The Reluctant Heiress is the book for you. Note that the book is one in a series but easily stands alone.

Gabriel's Angel

Back Cover

On the run...No one was going to take her child away from her! Pregnant and alone, Laura Malone had been on the move for months. Finding herself snowbound with an angry, impatient Gabriel Bradley was not part of her plans.

Gabe wanted to be alone. He'd cdome to the isolated cabin to think, to work and to heal. But when a woman crashed into his life - literally - he felt obligated to help. Laura was everything a man could ever want and all that he desired. She trusted him, but Gave was hard put to be an angel when Laura felt like heaven in his arms.

My Thoughts

Gabriel’s Angel is one of Nora Robert’s earlier books, published in 1989 by Silhouette. While the book follows the same typical pattern of most category romance novels, because it is Nora, there is nothing typical about it! Yes, the storyline is well over-used, two wounded souls who help each other heal, marriage of convenience, etc., but Nora writes it in a way that makes it seem fresh and original. This book is pure romantic fluff, just what one would like from a category romance. A true romantic classic, Gabriel’s Angel just begs to be reread over and over again. Check the used bookstore for the original version though as at over $15.00, the re-issued version it totally overpriced.

The Stanislaski Sisters: Falling for Rachel

Falling for Rachel is the third book in the Stanislaski series. It continues the themes of family loyalty & love, making each of us wish we had such a family.

Rachel Stanislaski is a New York City public defender and is assigned to represent 19-year-old gang banger, Nick. In a strange turn of events, Nick is assigned two months probation and Rachel is named co-guardian along with Nick’s older stepbrother Zack, a former naval officer. Nick and Zack do not get along, mostly due to Nick’s issues of abandonment and Zack’s aggressive attitude.

Because of their forced association with each other, what was minor interest soon turns to full blown attraction with Zack and Rachel falling hopelessly in love, despite their attempts to avoid it. In an ironic twist, Nick also falls for Rachel, which is probably due to the fact that she is the first person in a long time he can depend on and who believes in him. The result is a dramatic showdown between Nick, Zach and Rachel that ends with Nick running away.

Nora does a great job of touching on sensitive family issues in this book, especially the trust and abandonment issues between Zack and Nick. We see how over time, each of them overcome their issues to love and trust again and how this helps Nick turn his life around. One sweet moment is when Zach realizes Nick’s love of the piano and then buys him one to give him something to focus on and to make him happy. The book ends with Nick’s old associates robbing Zack’s pub and shooting Nick – which he survives – and everyone once and for all admitting their love and respect for each other.

Falling for Rachel is a delightful book that is hard to put down. As usual, Nora Roberts brings the characters to life, making the reader wish we were right there with them

Author: Nora Roberts
Year Published: 1993
Publisher: Sillhouette Books
Pages: 251

The Stanislaski Sisters - Taming Natasha

I am not usually a fan of category romance but since I wanted to read all of Nora's work, I picked it up. I have to say, I was not disappointed. Taming Natasha is the first book in a series about the Stanislaski siblings. Natasha, Mikhail, Alex & Rachel are children of Ukrainian parents who escaped to America so they and their children could have a better life.
Natasha Stanislaski is a former ballerina of the New York Dance Company who has moved to small town West Virginia to open a toy store. She has a painful past and the small, quiet life she enjoys is just what she was looking for. Spencer Kimball is a single father and music composer who accepts a job as a professor at the local college so that he can escape the bustle of New York City. Like Natasha, Spencer has a past filled with hurt and loss and only wishes to give his daughter a happier, better life and to become the father he always wanted to be.

When Natasha and Spencer first meet, they get off on the wrong foot through a series of misunderstandings. When Natasha takes a college class in music history, she finds that Spencer is her teacher. They develop a relationship and Natasha, who loves children, also develops a close relationship with Freddie, Spencer’s daughter. Things move along smoothly and then Natasha discovers that she is pregnant. Due to her painful past, runs away to her family as she is confused and doesn't know what to do. In the end, she returns to Spencer and they both confront their past, admit their love for one another and come together to become what each has waited their whole lives to find, a family.

There is not a lot of external drama in the book. Probably the most exciting episode is when Freddie, Spencer’s daughter, gets the chicken-pox. You do get to meet Natasha’s family which is a nice as we get a glimpse of what is to come.

Taming Natasha is a great beginning to an excellent series!

Author: Nora Roberts
Publisher: Silhouette
Year: 1990