Chesapeake Blue Series by Nora Roberts

 Chesapeake Bay Saga 

by Nora Roberts

Books 1-4

I was really looking for a short series that I could sink my teeth into. I didn't want a long drawn out series and I also was looking to enjoy some contemporary romances. Let me tell you, the Chesapeake Bay Saga hit the nail on the head. 

I was at my local used book store and found these gems for a mere $15 for the set. It was the trade paperback style so they were light and the font was a perfect size. 

Sea Swept is the first book and it was Cam and Anna's story. 

Sea Swept

Cameron Quinn is coming home to say goodbye to the only father he ever loved. And he’ll have to put his fast-paced life on hold to care for the last lost boy Ray Quinn hoped to save… 

Book 2, Rising Tides is the story of Ethan and Grace's story

Rising Tides

Though not born to the tradition of a waterman, Ethan Quinn has embraced the life. But now, he must face his own dark past to accept not only who he is but what he hopes to become…

Books 3 continues to deliver with Phillip and Sybil

Inner Harbor

As Phillip Quinn struggles to draw his new brother into his life, he must deal with a beautiful woman who has secrets that will affect them all—a woman who needs both his trust and his heart…

And the finale is Seth and Dru's tale

Chesapeake Blue

When world-renowned artist Seth Quinn returns to his home on Maryland’s eastern shore, he finds the woman of his dreams. But someone from his past is determined to destroy his newfound happiness… 

These books are much more than romance stories. There is a deeply embedded family theme going on and what a special family the Quinn's are. Due to the sad and untimely deaths of the family patriarch, Ray and the matriarch, Stella,  the readers don't get the privilege of reading about their family interactions with their adult sons. Well that is to say, you do get a wee glimpse through their son's memories and a few sweet apparitional visits. The light paranormal spin is not over done. Just a slight extension for the great story. 

Stella and Ray did such a phenomenal job raising their adopted troubled boys.  You know and understand what kind people they were. 

The camaraderie between the brothers felt so real. They bickered, rough housed, made fun of each other but more than anything, they were fiercely loyal to one another. It was a pleasure to read about each of their different personalites and how they found love. 
Real life love.  

Excellent series. 

June's Vintage Romance Review - Honest Illusions by Nora Roberts

It is with great pleasure that I write a vintage romance review for Nora Roberts's Honest Illusions. 

Roxanne Nouvelle & Luke Callahan's story





Honest Illusions

By Nora Roberts

Book Blurb:
The daughter of a world-renowned magician, Roxy Nouvelle has inherited her father’s talents—and his penchant for jewel thievery. Into this colorful world comes Luke Callahan, an escape artist who captures her heart—and keeps secrets that could shatter all her illusions…

Originally published 1992

I picked up this beat up old paperback at a used book store about a year ago. It is certainly a well used loved copy but my friends kept encouraging me to read Nora's earlier stuff. I have to say, Honest Illusions was absolutely fantastic. It was a lengthy paperback at 499 pages and worth every last word. 

Honest Illusions spans over the years of Roxy and Luke's life. My favourite type of romances are always when the protagonist's have a deep-seated history and Roxy and Luke's history starts right from childhood. I was memorized with the story and there was no tearing me away from the magic of Honest Illusions. This story is timeless and can be easily read fresh today as if it was newly published. Even with the mention of VCR tapes, it fits with the time period when it was wrote. That is always one of my goals of Another Look Book Reviews; to take another look at previously published stories. 

Because Honest Illusions takes the reader on a journey with the entire Nouvelle family, it is one of those books that when it's over you feel sad that that you aren't going to visit with them anymore. That's me right now. I'm going through a bit of a withdrawal. Honest Illusions isn't just about Roxy and Luke's life; Roxy's father and step-mom (Max and Lily) are a centralized core to the story. I came to love their family and admire their love for one another. 

Roxy's magician father Max was a special man and his beautiful wife, Lily were role models and it was refreshing to read about such parental love and respect. Now it is amusing that I am using words like "role models" and "respect" to describe Max when he is an international jewel thief and Lily completely supported him. It was interesting that Max used the guise of being a talented international and highly renowned magician to cover his double life. When you think about it, David Copperfield or Chris Angel would be spectacular criminals. What a genius story line Nora Roberts created. 

Max saved a young Luke's life by practically adopting him when he was a lowly twelve year old pick pocket and Lily falls instantly in love with him as her maternal instincts kick in. Of course Roxy had different ideas and the pair start their relationship like any other would be brother and sister by bickering and pestering each other. However throughout their young life and their awkward teenage years, they're fiercely protective of each other and through eventual maturity recognize that their feelings aren't exactly normal sibling love. 

There is so much story in Honest Illusions. You have almost a lifetime with Max, Lily, Roxy and Luke. You experience adrenaline rushes with the burglaries, you are in awe of the spectacular magical shows (although no secrets are revealed) and more often than not you want to knock Roxy and Luke's heads together when they fight their feelings toward one another. That is until you finally feel all warm and fuzzy when they once and for all succumb to their feelings.  

Oh and there is anger and lots of it when the sociopathic villain of the story causes pain and despair to the Nouvelles. I wanted to reach into the book and harm Sam Wyatt myself. I fell so in love with this family that I found myself being protective of them. 

The most upsetting emotion I experienced with Honest Illusion was the heavy sadness when the horrid alzheimer's disease is draped over the Nouvelles. Such heartache. It is such a wicked disease. The lump in my throat has been there for days and I'm sure it will be for awhile. 

What an adventure. I am glad I decided to give an old tired paperback a try. 

Teasers: free lesson, carnival life, the love a true father and mother, blackmail, framing, redemption 

Montana Sky by Nora Roberts

Tess, Lily and Willa's book



Montana Sky

By Nora Roberts

Book Blurb:In life, Jack Mercy hadn't been a kind man. In death, he was no different. His daughter Willa expected to inherit his ranch, the place she'd put her heart and soul into. But at the reading of the will, she learns that her home has been given not just to her, but to two sisters she barely knows as well. And in order to inherit, they must all live on the ranch for a period of one year.

None of the three sisters are happy with the arrangement. And apparently, neither is someone else as deadly incidents begin occurring around them. Willa, Tess and Lila find themselves fighting for their lives alongside the men who have become part of the lives and their hearts.

Originally Published 1996

Great story with a bit of a romance, sisterly love, mystery and suspense all mixed together.

Montana Sky was broken down into the four seasons and each one was carefully plotted and perfectly paced with a full year of content. I found none of the sections dragged on nor ended too quickly. Even through the cold and blistering winter season, you can't help but be swept up into the descriptive settings so beautifully written by Nora Roberts. 

Three sisters, who were complete strangers, were forced to live together for a full year as a condition of their wicked father's will in order to earn their inheritance. Jack Mercy was a complete jerk in life and I suppose upon his death he wanted to remain as mean spirited as he lived. I kept hoping over and over again that it would eventually be revealed that he wanted the three sisters to know each other and become a family but it just turned out that he was as mean as ever. The man had no love for anyone except his ranch. 

Montana Sky did not really come across to me as a romance novel. I would wholeheartedly agree about it being a women's novel but the story was more centered around the growth of the relationship between the sisters. Tess, Lily and Willa were fabulous characters. By the end of the story, I felt I had friends. Each were so different and over the course of the year the women's characters and personalities had grown substantially. Tess from a shallow city girl to a horse riding and caring woman. Lily from the shy, scared flower to a woman who could stand on her own two feet and finally Willa the woman who felt she had to prove everything to world could finally accept that she already had everyone's admiration and respect. I also loved that the women each helped themselves get to their special place and it was not from the guidance of a man. 

With three women came three romances and once again each one was different and matched perfectly to the sisters personalities. They were a joy to read. 

Being a vintage romance from the 90's it was awesome to read about about the aged electronics like VCR movies and the clothing styles of the nineties. I loved being able to pick up on those notables and giggle when I read about typing reports or lacey collars on dresses. So authentic. 

Throughout Montana Sky there is a mystery brewing and a brutal murdered on the loose. I had no idea who the culprit was and I was often changing my mind on who the killer could be. It was not until the very end that the pieces of that suspenseful puzzle came together. 

Teasers: Mercy Ranch, fight with mounted animal heads, scalping, Tess with trail of condoms - "I don't know whether to be afraid or flattered."  

Captivated & Entranced by Nora Roberts

Captivated - Nash Kirkland and Morgana Donovan's book
Entranced - Mary Ellen Sutherland and Sebastian Donovan's book

Captivated & Entranced was ok. 

I liked Entranced more than Captivated. I got the book as a super deal and since it the famed Nora Roberts why not right?

I have to admit, although the writing was excellent, the love and love making was just to foo foo for me.

For instance, "They moved together, flowing over the bed as if it were an enchanted lake. As the moon began to set, shifting night closer to day, they were lost in each other, surrounded by the magic brougth to the other."
See what I mean? Way over the top and the build up to their love making was literally pages long. All full of emotions, feeling and well, magic. I really like romance obviously and I love emotions and feelings but this was just not my cup of tea.

I have to also admit, I have determined that I'm just not a fan of witches and magic and stuff. The cover shows a beautiful castle (which drew me to the book to begin with) but the setting is California not Ireland. The parents of the Donovan's live in Ireland.

Anyhow I almost always finish a book I start so I did finish but I won't be looking out for the second book of the series even if it is in the clearance rack.