When Irish Eyes are Smiling...

 

Everything seems to be going well.  It is fitting that I read a book about Ireland as we draw closer to Saint Patrick’s Day, and that I’m of Irish descent.

Be warned, there are some *SPOILERS* in this post.

Born in Fire is part of Nora Roberts’s Born In trilogy.  I purchased this book, along with the other two novels Born in Ice and Born in Shame, as one big book under the title Irish Born.  I was intrigued when I saw the beautiful ring with an emerald heart on the cover, and since I’m Irish and these novels involve Ireland I thought it would be an entertaining read.

Born in Fire focuses on Maggie Concannon, a glass blowing artist who lives in County Clare, Ireland. Maggie is extremely close to her father, Tom, who is a big dreamer.  Tom and Maggie’s mother, Maeve, don’t exactly get along making Maggie feel that she should never get married.  Unfortunately, while out on the cliffs with her father, he dies.  Maggie chats with her sister, Brianna, about how her father was a good man.  Their mother comes out, claiming that even though Tom is dead, he’s still making her life a hardship. 

Maggie and her sister then discuss the future.  Brianna wants to turn their home into a bed-and-breakfast because she enjoys having people around.  Maggie just wants to get back to work on her art.

The scene then goes to Dublin, where Rogan Sweeney is dealing with business.  He works at Worldwide Galleries, one of the top international galleries.  He wants to have Maggie belong exclusively to Worldwide and show her work all over the globe.  Rogan then travels out to County Clare to meet Maggie in person.  They discuss Maggie’s work and how Rogan wants to put it on display in the gallery and make Maggie very wealthy.  Maggie isn’t quite sure what to think so she sends him out.

Maggie decides to accept his offer, but only if she can do what she wants to do.  Rogan and Maggie negotiate minor details before Rogan kisses her. 

The novel goes through the unique relationship between Rogan and Maggie.  She meets Rogan’s grandmother, Christine, who knew Maggie’s own grandmother when she lived in County Clare.  Her debut in Dublin is a huge success, and Maggie soon realizes she’s in love with Rogan, and Rogan also comes to the same realization.

Back in Clare, Maggie realizes that she can free her sister from their mother by purchasing a home for her.  That way Brianna can operate her bed and breakfast without their mother in the way.  Maeve isn’t happy about it, and even confesses to Maggie that a boy that Brianna loved was forced away by Maeve so Brianna wouldn’t be married young.

Rogan returns to Maggie, and they make love for the first time.  They travel to Paris for another gallery opening and to Rogan’s villa on the Mediterranean.  Rogan then asks for Maggie to marry him.  Maggie isn’t so sure of this idea, but she says she’ll think about it.

Rogan then meets Maggie’s uncle who is flirting shamelessly with his own grandmother.  He travels off to Rome, while Maggie goes to Dublin finding him gone.  He goes to County Clare to meet Maggie, where she agrees to marry Rogan and be glad to be his.

I really enjoyed this book, because Maggie was so stubborn the whole time about her feelings.  It took the whole novel for her to realize that she could marry because she did fall in love.

This book is just another great example of Nora Roberts’s great talent as an author.  I’ve read a lot of her books lately, and if you’d like to learn more about this book or any others visit Roberts’s website at noraroberts.com.

Next week I’ll continue with the next book in the trilogy – Born in Ice.  Hopefully it will be just as good as the first book!

Thanks for reading and I hope you’ll be reading next week!