Customer Reviews

Heart of the Sea (Irish Jewels Trilogy)

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Over the past year, I have treated myself to first two part of this Nora Roberts trilogy. I had high expectations for the third and final book, and I was not disappointed. Heart of the Sea tells the story of Darcy, the last single Gallagher sibling, and Trevor Magee, a couple made for eachother. But also, the story includes the tale of Gwen and Carrick, and how they both hope to find eachother after three centuries of separation. This reunion depends upon the fate of Darcy and Trevor. This book, like the ones that preceded it, is rich with Irish flavor, noticeable in everything from the scenery to the dialogue. The friendly, homey atmosphere established in the first two books is again well maintained in the third. Of course, our friends Shawn, Brenna, Aidan, and a very pregnant Jude are around going on with their daily lives, observing the happenings between their Darcy and the Yank. A quick paced story with many acting characters keeps the readers interest, and a lovely story it is at that. After reading this book, the reader is satisfied and happy for the family they have come to know and love.

I think I've read everything Nora Roberts has written. I am amazed that this woman can be so prolific and yet manages to avoid being stale. This is the third book of the Faerie trilogy set in Ireland. It tells the story of the last Gallagher sibling, Darcy and her relationship with Irish-American entrepreneur Trevor McGee. It also concludes the saga of Carrick and Gwen.

Is this book a tad formulaic? Yes. If you've read any of her other trilogies such as her "Born In..." series or her "...Dream" series, you could pretty much tell how this trilogy would unfold. But that doesn't detract from the feeling of story well told after you've finished the series. Darcy is he kind of a heroine I always wanted to have when used to read Harlequins or Silhouette romances. She is determined, ambitious and has a strong sense of herself. She is sexy and sexual. And she is unabashedly in love with her family. My biggest quibble with this book is that I felt Darcy's character overshadowed Trevor's. I kept asking myself "Why would she love him except that he is handsome and has money?" I didn't get the sense of satisfaction from their relationship the way I did with Jude/Aidan or Brenna/Shawn. My biggest praise of this book, and especially of this series, is that the sense of family and familial feeling is really strong. That is always a strong point in Nora Roberts' books and this one is no different. A nice conclusion to a fine series.

Back to Ardmore we go. Two couples down. One more to hitch. If it can be managed Prince Carrick and Lady Gwen Fitzgerald will finally be able to spend eternity together as they were meant to, basking forever in the love that first touched and ignited their hearts 300 years back (YAY! :) )
What more can be said? Aidan is more in love with Jude than ever and Shawn and Brenna finally realized their own happiness together. These two couples show that it's really wonderful that love can be so strong, last for such a time, and make lives so rich as it grows stronger day by day. All the humor and scenic color and flavor of the other two books in this series is back in Heart Of The Sea. The spice is back with a vengeance too. (Keep your tongues in your mouths! :D)
When we last left our band of merry heroes and heroines there was discussion of expanding Gallagher's pub. Now that plan gets put into full action. Enter Trevor Magee, a New York businessman who goes RIGHT after whatever he wants and pulls no punches to get it. He is, unlike his grandfather, very sentimental about his roots in Ireland and wants to go back to Ardmore to build a theater. Gallagher's pub and Trevor's theater seem like a match made in Heaven, and so they are.
Naturally after seeing her two happy go lucky brothers fall willing and happy victim to love's sweet embrace, Darcy begins to wonder "Where's mine?" (Don't worry sweetheart, he's flying in from New York today at 10. :D)
Another reviewer mentioned that she loved that Lady Gwen spoke more in this book. I have to agree. It was nice to get her opinion on things and have her tell her story. I love the fact also that through MUCH debate and heated discussion with some good-humoured banter thrown in, we learn that despite being materalistic Darcy Gallagher is in fact a much deeper and very tender woman that really only wants to be loved for who she is as a woman and a person. I love how both she AND Trevor are able to go after thier dream but through their passionate "battles" and talks and more they learn that love is FAR more important to life than ambition. I was really struck by Darcy's line "Do you think I'm so small of heart that I can't love where there isn't gain". VERY powerful stuff. Kudos.
I love and adore the fact that this book (and this entire series) shows the world that love indeed can and does conquer everything, that it barrels right through obstacles, even if it has to chip away at them bit by bit to get the job done. The job WILL and DOES get done. The final reunion between Prince Carrick and Lady Gwen Fitzgerald warmed my heart and brought a smle to my face, along with tears to my eyes.
In short this is a lovely story and a fitting conclusion to a great trilogy of books. A love story with lots of spice but not too graphic. It is more poetic than lewd or explicit. It just makes you feel good to pick up and read. It transports back to a place and time where love really is the strongest "magic" that exists. I loved this book and series, and I hope you can grow to love it too. Peace. God bless you.

JEWELS OF THE SUN, the first book in the "enchanting" trilogy by Nora Roberts, was the first Nora Roberts book I ever read. It hooked me on her books very quickly, and it's a great plus that she writes them fairly quickly. HEART OF THE SEA is truly enchanting, as it says on the cover. The magic is more evident in this last installment: in the first book, Gwen was only seen, in the second (TEARS OF THE MOON) she spoke to Brenna, now, finally, Gwen actually sticks around to have conversations. It was very rewarding to finally get to hear her side of the romance with Carrick. And speaking of Carrick, he is as charming and impatient as ever!

I was also pleased that Roberts developed Darcy's character to be more than her materialistic traits that appeared prevalent in the pervious books. She is a caring and talented woman who is unafraid of going after what she wants, but she is vulnerable as well, which makes her more human and even more likable. Trevor is the perfect match for her. He, too, goes after what he wants with single-minded determination, which is why it's so great to watch the sparks fly between him and Darcy.

The secondary characters are back in force as well. Jude and Aidan's relationship is stronger than ever, and it is wonderful to see Jude's tremendous growth in confidence since JEWELS OF THE SUN. I confess to being a little disappointed in Brenna and Shawn; I expected them to bicker and snap good-naturedly as they did before they got married, but becoming husband and wife seems to have made them a little *too* sappy -- despite this, it was still nice to visit with them again.

HEART OF THE SEA and its predecessors are lighthearted and uplifting throughout, and I came away as fulfilled as I have with any book by Roberts. Any fan of Roberts will appreciate this book; first-time readers, start this series at the beginning, but by all means, read it.

Irish Trilogy - Book 3

The conclusion brings Darcy to the forefront. She is restless working and singing the family pub. She longs for an exciting better life and wants the finer things for herself. Darcy comes off as shallow and materialistic.

Trevor Magee is a businessman searching for his Irish roots while building the new theater, and too much of the story was spent on the construction. He is an arrogant flashy, and doesn't mind flaunting it.

These two have to be together for the story to conclude, and for the spirits to be at rest.

In Jewels of the Sun and Tears of the Moon, we were treated to a glimpse of life in Ardmore, Ireland and exactly what that life entailed if you were a Gallagher. I followed Jude and Adain's love story in the first book and was hooked on this trilogy. Then came the story of Shawn and Brenna and I continued to be enthralled. (I've written reviews on both of these books). But I have to say, that even though I enjoyed the first two, I was anxiously awaiting the story of free-spirited Darcy Gallagher, and the outcome of the love shared between a faerie prince and the love he lost. Ok, so it sounds a bit hokey but what can I say, I'm a romantic!

Heart of the Sea is the finale of the Faerie Tale Trilogy and focuses on the youngest Gallagher and only female, Darcy. Darcy is beautiful and has quite the singing voice, as do all of the Gallaghers. I wonder if it doesn't go hand-in-hand with growing up working and owning an Irish pub. Darcy wants to see the world and wants more out of life than what Ardmore can offer. When wealthy American builder Trevor Magee comes to town, there is instant sparks between the two of them.

It seems that Trevor's Irish roots have drawn him back to Ireland (or some say it's fate) and he wants to build a theater behind the Gallagher pub. It's not an easy battle - the theater nor his attraction for Darcy, but Trevor decides that both are worth his time and energy.

When Trevor hears Darcy sing, he's amazed and has his company offer her a recording contract. It's everything she wants and will enable her to see the world, but at what costs? She's torn between the music that has always been a special part of her life, and the man that she loves.

But don't forget the three centuries old spell that needs to be broken in order for Carrick, Prince of the Faeries, to be able to claim his lost love, Gwen. Carrick has two of the three requirements met and just needs Darcy to fall for Trevor in order to finally break the hex.

The plot line is a simple romance, with a little made-up mythology thrown in. The book is an easy read and enjoyable, but not without a few bumps along the way. I found the scenes between Gwen and Trevor a bit more than I could handle. It was very sugarcoated and make-believe type stuff. Whereas the scenes in the first two novels were a little more believable, if you can believe in faeries and curses.

When the story leaves Ardmore and has Darcy and Trevor traveling it took some of the charm away from the tale. One thing that Nora Roberts does well is write about Ireland (read her Born In series to understand her love for the country and the Irish people) and she shouldn't try to deviate from it in a series about Ireland!

I was also a bit disappointed with the ending. Not with the Darcy and Trevor ending, as anyone could predict that outcome, but with the faerie tale ending. It was anticlimactic and I felt let down. There were fireworks, of course, but I expect so much more. After all, Carrick and Gwen had been apart for three hundred years - how about some sensual embraces or something!

Overall it was enjoyable and not mind-boggling. Heart of the Sea is a perfect book to take on vacation with you - it can be put down easily and won't interfere with your site-seeing plans.

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Darcy is the youngest of the Gallagher siblings and the only one still looking for happily-ever-after. She is a small town girl with big city dreams. She swears she will only marry a rich man who can give her the exotic life she has always longed for. She believes in fate and magic and faery legends, but who wouldn't when living a life in the small Irish town of Ardmore, where legends are a matter of course?

Trevor Magee is an Irishman who was raised in the US by his exceedingly practical parents. He comes to Ardmore to build a theatre, and learn more about his family history and what caused them to abandon their roots. He is happy to meet the Gallagher clan and is brought into their fold. When he first sees Darcy in a window, he is fascinated by her beauty and is determined to get to know her.

Trevor and Darcy are mutually attracted and agreeable to having a fling. Darcy has no interest in love, only money and fame; Trevor doesn't believe in love, but is willing to shower Darcy with riches and adventure. The more they are together, the more they are drawn to each other, until their agreement is no longer enough. With the help of Carrick the faery prince and his lady love who is now a ghost, maybe Trevor and Darcy will come together and realize their real dreams are in fact each other.

This conclusion to the Gallagher trilogy is definitely not the best of the three. It is in fact, extremely disappointing. Darcy is very shallow, caring only about money and fame and flaunting them both. When she was a minor character in the other two books, this was tolerable, when she is the heroine, it is annoying. All through the story, she made it very clear to Trevor that was all she wanted from him, nothing more. Until she started to fall in love with him... Then suddenly she gets angry when that is all he is giving her, though she never told him her feelings had changed and that she now wanted more. She expected him to be a mind reader and got mad when he wasn't. Her only saving grace is her love for her family. It is obvious how much she cares about them and is evident she would do anything for them. Trevor tries hard to meet her desires, even when he comes to realize he wants more then her gratitude. He goes out of his way to accommodate what she had originally desired and is confused when she isn't happy with that anymore. Trevor is seen for the good man he is, all the way to the end, but Darcy never redeems herself, in this reviewer's opinion.

Also disappointing was the conclusion of the underlying story woven throughout the entire trilogy...the story of Carrick and Gwen. They both only played minor roles in all three books, but the reader comes to love them both and hope for the curse placed by Carrick, in a moment of sorrow and anger, to be broken. Much build-up to their story's conclusion was given, and more was expected then was granted. Their saga's end is brushed over, added almost as an afterthought, where this reviewer would have liked to see a better climactic ending.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, July 2002. All rights reserved.

You don't need me to tell the you the story in this, the third of her stories about the life and loves the Gallagher siblings. That has been done very well by the other reviewers. I just want to add to the reviews by saying that, as a Nora Roberts fan, this one was one of my least favorites. The first book of this trilogy captured my imagination with the use of the ghosts and legend and their impact on the main charaters' lives, but with each of the successive books, the story got weaker and weaker. I can't get a handle on my dismay with this book, but suffice it to say that when I finished, all I could say was to my friends and fellow romance readers, "Oh well -- whatever." Not my usual, "you've gotta buy this one!" Trust me, you can wait to borrow it from a friend.

I've read all three books and enjoyed them greatly. The characters are all well drawn and the interaction between them is terrific. I only had a few quibbles. I thought that the initial meeting between Darcy and Trevor was contrived. How many American's named Trevor are going to be on the building crew? How many men named Trevor do *you* know? (G). It's not a common name. Ms. Roberts would have done better to give him some family nickname he could have given Darcy without lying about what he was called. That entire scene was an insult to Darcy's intelligence.

The ending! I was so happy that Carrick and Lady Gwen got together, but just riding off into the sunset was dissapointing in the extreme. After cheering for them through three books, I expected some kind of 'show' when they got back together. Sort of a la Ladyhawke. Not the same, but certianly more drama/melodrama. After all (G), we're talking about Ireland, Ghosts, and a Prince of the Faeries here!

Still in all a great read. If it weren't for those two things, which bothered me a lot, I would have given this book five stars.

I was looking forward to the conclusion of this trilogy, as I had loved the first one, Jewels of the Sun. The second installment, Tears of the Moon, didn't live up to Ms. Roberts' reputation for warm likeable characters. Unfortunately, for the second time in a row, we have a thoroughly unlikeable heroine. I agree with a previous reviewer who said that Darcy is the "worst sort of money grubber." It seems unrealistic to me for Trevor to believe she'd love him even if he were penniless. Trevor seems to be an okay guy but if he's such a hunk, and rich to boot, why does he feel the need to "buy" her companionship? What saves this book is the charming backdrop of a small Irish village and the rowdy, wonderful Gallagher's Pub. The best parts of the book are the ones where Aidan(the perfect hero, in my opinion) and Jude are in the forefront. Their relationship is so sweet and loving. If this is your first Nora Roberts novel, Heart of the Sea can give you a glimpse of how wonderful her stories are, but she has written far better ones than this.