A Christmas Miracle in the Little Irish Village - Michelle Vernal (Bookouture - Oct 2023)

Series: Emerald Bay (Book 3)
 
Ava Kelly loves returning to Emerald Bay for Christmas. Snowflakes fall on the green rolling hills and mulled wine fills The Shamrock Inn with the smell of winter spice. But this year, the Kelly family is hoping for a miracle…
 
When twenty-four-year-old Ava Kelly and her adventurous twin Grace return home to The Shamrock Inn, their Ma’s favourite baubles bring back so many memories of Christmases past. They have always done everything together, even leaving their little Irish village for the excitement of London. But with the locket her handsome ex Shane gave her hanging just above her heart, Ava has just one wish this festive season…
 
After a year stuck in a job she can’t stand and going on dreadful dates, Ava longs to be back with Shane. Curling up in front of the fire with him, the brooding fisherman everyone else sees melts away as his blue eyes meet hers. But planning a future with Shane would mean telling Grace she’ll be moving back to the village for good. Ava knows it will break her sister’s heart for them to be parted.
 
But, before Ava can build up the courage to talk to her twin, terrible tidings about Shane hit The Shamrock Inn like a winter storm. With everyone but Grace rushing to the harbour, will Ava’s hopes for a future with both Shane and her sister in it be dashed? Or could a Christmas miracle bring them all together?
 
Terrific story of love and family. I loved returning to Emerald Bay and spending time with the Kelly family at the Shamrock Inn. This book focuses mainly on Ava, Grace's twin and the youngest of the family. Ava has always been quieter, while Grace is outgoing and adventurous. The story opens with Ava and Grace leaving Emerald Bay to live and work in London. They are looking forward to life outside their quiet village. There are glimpses of their relationships with their sisters and various community members. While Grace is bubbling with enthusiasm, Ava is more contemplative, thinking about how her move ended her relationship with Shane.
 
Fast forward a year. Ava's enthusiasm for the move is all but gone. She dislikes her job, her plans for traveling have never happened, and she is homesick for Emerald Bay and Shane. The description of her date with Tyson is hilarious and painful and is just about the last straw regarding her life in London. Then she gets a call from her mother back in Emerald Bay, telling her that Shane is missing, having been swept overboard while working his family's fishing boat. Ava immediately hops on a plane home. During the flight, she remembers how she and Shane met. She realizes she still loves Shane and hopes for a chance to repair their relationship.
 
I was thoroughly immersed in the story as the village rallied around Shane's family during the search. I loved the sense of community and seeing how everyone pitched in. But there are bumps in the road ahead. Grace has never been a fan of Shane and their relationship, and her attitude is jarring when she arrives on the scene. She pushes Ava about returning to London and resuming their life there. Ava, who has been a follower when it comes to Grace, puts her foot down about staying in Emerald Bay. This drives a wedge between her and Grace.
 
There were times when I wanted to shake both of them. While each made valid points, the delivery was antagonistic, and neither was willing to give an inch. I could feel Ava's unhappiness over the break, but she stubbornly held on to her hurt and anger. Grace was also disinclined to make the first move. I liked watching their other sisters, mom, and grandmother try to break the impasse. I loved seeing them all collaborate to bring the stalemate to an end.
 
The intensity of the search for Shane and Ava's refusal to give up kept me glued to the pages. I was as hopeful as Ava that he would be found safe and sound (he is, of course). I liked how Ava and Shane talked honestly with each other about what drove them apart and their reasons. I ached for Shane when he revealed why he refused to leave Emerald Bay. It was sweet to see them rekindle their romance now that each has gained a little more maturity. I loved the ending and look forward to seeing more of them in the future.
 
I liked getting reacquainted with the residents of Emerald Bay. Each one is unique in their quirkiness, and it is always fun to see their interactions with members of the Kelly family and each other. 

New Beginnings in the Little Irish Village - Michelle Vernal (Bookouture - May 2023)

Series:  Emerald Bay (Book 2)
 
Thirty-two-year-old Imogen Kelly is meant to be living her best life in Dublin but the bright lights of the city aren't making her truly happy. So she leaps at the chance to take on an interior design job at the big country manor at the edge of Emerald Bay. It also gives Imogen an excuse to return to the place where she spent an unforgettable summer with her first love, Lachlan Leslie, the heir to Benmore House.
 
Imogen's heart is full of hope at the thought of seeing her childhood sweetheart but on the way there she nearly has an accident on the winding, muddy country road. She arrives at Benmore House late and flustered, only to discover the builder working with her on the renovation project is none other than Ryan O'Malley - the class prankster who was forever pinging her bra strap at school.
 
Within seconds it's clear he's still a cheeky charmer, even if he's transformed into a gorgeous guy who unexpectedly sets her pulse racing. Forced into close proximity with relentlessly cheerful Ryan, who's forever (badly) singing rock ballads at the top of his voice, Imogen at first finds him an annoying distraction.
 
With St Patrick's Day celebrations in full swing, Imogen has her work cut out to keep the job on track. Spending more time with Ryan, she discovers that, behind his warm smile and generous ways, he's nursing heartache. But when she finally sees blue-eyed Lachlan again,Imogen has to face up to the truth about the secret summer romance they shared.
 
Will she leave Emerald Bay broken-hearted? Or will Imogen realise that home really is where the heart is?
 
Sweet story of coming home, family, and new beginnings. Imogen left her home village of Emerald Bay and moved to Dublin, where she has a successful interior design business. While she has friends and an older boyfriend, Nevin, there are days when she feels something is missing. When offered a job doing up several rooms at Benmore House, the big manor in Emerald Bay, she jumps at the chance, hoping to see her childhood sweetheart again. Not that she wants to start anything up again; after all, he broke her teenage heart, but it would be nice to finally close the door on that chapter of her life.
 
She nearly has an accident on her way to Benmore House, stopping quickly to allow a family of ducks to cross the road. Then she's almost hit by another vehicle as she attempts to help a straggling duckling join the rest. The other driver is Ryan O'Malley, her school nemesis and class prankster, who has grown up to be a very handsome man. I loved their encounter, with Imogen trying to be the sophisticated city girl and Ryan being his usual teasing self. Then she discovers that Ryan is the builder also working on the project.
 
Though there is some tension between them initially, it doesn't take long for them to form a friendly working relationship. Ryan is a nice guy who rarely lets anything rile him up. He left behind his job and his girlfriend in London to come home when his dad had a stroke and has happily settled back into village life. As they spend time together, Imogen discovers there is more to Ryan than she expected.
 
I liked seeing Imogen readjust to village life. Her observations about the other residents were fun and realistic, as life in a small village means everyone seems to know what is happening with everyone else. I enjoyed seeing Imogen cope with everything from riding on the back of a scooter to being commandeered as Ms. Leprechaun for the St. Patrick's Day parade. She's also nervous about introducing her boyfriend to her family - not least because of the age difference between them.
 
There's no end of drama as Imogen deals with decorating issues at Benmore House, seeing Lachlan again for the first time since she was sixteen, and dealing with Nevin. Imogen has terrific self-confidence regarding her work, and I enjoyed seeing her deal with everything from delays to messed-up deliveries. Her meeting with Lachlan was quite an eye-opener for her. The author did a marvelous job of giving him the right amount of smarminess to make him unlikeable. The descriptions of Nevin and his attitudes made me wonder what Imogen saw in him, especially the more I saw of Ryan.
 
One of the things I liked about Imogen is her big heart. She isn't rude or obnoxious, even when she's frustrated by gossip and nosiness. I enjoyed seeing her empathy for Ryan over his worry about his father. When Mr. O'Malley's illness worsens, Imogen finds a way to help the family. I also loved how close she was with her family. There is plenty of love to go around, along with a fair helping of advice, wanted or not. I enjoyed catching up with Shannon and James (Christmas in the Little Irish Village) and the antics of Napoleon, the cat. I also liked seeing more of the family, especially the grandmother, Nan.
 
I liked watching Imogen and Ryan grow closer as they worked together. It's easy to see their friendship becoming more even though Imogen was blind to it for a long time. There are some sweet scenes of them together, from sharing lunches to escaping too much family drama. I loved the auction at the end of the book and seeing Imogen go after what she wanted.

Patriot Games - Tom Clancy (Putnam - Aug 1987)

It is fall. Years before the defection of a Soviet submarine will send him hurtling into confrontation with the Soviets, historian, ex-Marine and CIA analyst Jack Ryan is vacationing in London with his wife and young daughter, when a terrorist attack takes place before his eyes. Instinctively, he dives forward to break it up, and is shot. It is not until he wakes up in the hospital that he leans whose lives he has saved -- the Prince and Princess of Wales and their new young son -- and which enemies he has made -- the Ulster Liberation Army, an ultra-left-wing splinter of the IRA.
 
By his impulsive act, he has gained both the gratitude of a nation and then enmity of hits most dangerous men -- men who do not sit on their hate. And in the weeks and months to come, it is Jack Ryan, and his family, who will become the targets of that hate.
 
Sweeping from England to Ireland to America with ever-growing momentum, its suspense steadily intensifying as Ryan must summon all the skills and knowledge at his command to battle back against his nemesis, Patriot Games gives us a remarkable set of characters in the most desperate struggle of their lives. As with Tom Clancy's two previous triumphs, it is both a marvel of the storyteller's art -- and, as the headlines attest, frighteningly real.
 
This was a reread of a book I read when it first came out and several times since then. It starts with a bang as Jack, on a working vacation in London with his family, witnesses a kidnapping attempt on the royal family. His instinctive reaction stopped the attack and put him in the bullseye of revenge.
 
One of the things I enjoy most every time I read this book is the deft mixture of action, darkness, and humor. The opening attack sucked me into the story and kept me on the edge of my seat as Jack rushed into action. Clancy's descriptions are vivid enough that I can picture the events as they happen. The confusion at the scene felt realistic, and I could feel Jack's worry that he'd end up "stuck like a pig" when the good guys showed up. I always laugh at the scenes in the hospital as Jack deals with the doctors (including his wife) and other medical personnel. The scenes with various law enforcement personnel show Jack what he inadvertently got involved in and reveal his razor-sharp mind as he processes what he learns. The scenes with multiple royal family members are good, but my favorite is when he helps the prince work through his feelings about what happened. Though not particularly realistic, it is still a great scene.
 
As the book continues, we get the viewpoints of both the bad guys and the good guys. Jack and his family return home, secure in the knowledge that the bad guy is in jail and terrorists have never attacked on American soil. But the tension ramps up as the bad guy escapes and assorted good guys get a bad feeling about what might happen. Jack is lured into the CIA's sphere as he tries to get a handle on the group behind the attack. Their fears are realized when Jack's wife and daughter are nearly killed in an attack, and only luck prevents Jack from being attacked too. I ached for Jack as he dealt with his feelings of guilt and fear by getting more involved in the case. Jack goes through a lot of self-examination as he tries to reconcile his need for justice with the anger and desire for revenge that he also feels.
 
The tension builds as the book follows the terrorists as they make plans for their next attack. The attention to detail and insights into the various players' motivations were intriguing. At the same time, we see the good guys trying to assemble the puzzle pieces in time to stop whatever is planned.
 
The final confrontation was a nail-biter. It started easy, with the royal visit and some amusing banter between Jack, Robby, and the prince. The chaos of the attack was described so vividly that I felt as though I was there. The escape by boat was exciting, and their arrival at the Academy was tense but also had a few lighter moments. The pursuit of the last of the bad guys had me on the edge of my seat until it was all over. Jack faced a crossroads in his life, and it was interesting to see how he handled it. I loved the ending.
 
One of my favorite lines is as the Superintendent asks Robby who is aboard the ship: "Chief Znamirowski and the duty boat section, Captain Peters and some Marines, Doctor Ryan, and, uh, Captain Wales, sir, of the Royal Navy" "Is that where he is?..."

Saint Patrick the Forgiver - Ned Bustard (IVP Kids - Feb 2023)

Hello, my name is Patrick. You may have heard my story. I walked the span of Ireland to tell of God’s great glory. And with a wee green shamrock I shared of the Three-in-One: our God—the blessed mystery— Father, Spirit, and the Son.
 
Everybody's Irish on Saint Patrick's Day. But did you know that Patrick—the greatest bishop of Ireland—wasn't Irish? Combining Patrick's words from his Confessions with a few of the legends about him, this whimsical retelling will teach families about the fascinating life of the real Saint Patrick and help them discover a remarkable story of love and forgiveness along the way. Told in rollicking rhyme and beautifully illustrated with Ned Bustard's signature linocut artwork.
 

A terrific picture book about the life of Saint Patrick. The story is told in a simple rhyming verse that will appeal to readers of all ages. It covers Patrick's life from being a slave in Ireland to his return to Britain and entering the priesthood to his return to Ireland to bring Christianity to the island. The theme of forgiveness and how hard it can be to accomplish runs throughout the story.
 
There is a colorful illustration for each verse, and I loved the simplicity and beauty of each picture as it related to the verse. They also incorporated Celtic symbols within the images, adding an extra touch of Irish culture.
 
I highly recommend this as an introduction to the story behind St. Patrick's Day.