Review: Land of Dreams by Kate Kerrigan

Land of Dreams by Kate Kerrigan is the third book in the series which features Ellie Hogan who leaves Ireland and starts her life anew in New York. In this installment, Ellie ends up in LA after her oldest son takes off there to pursue a career in acting. While in LA, Ellie, now almost 50, reflects on her life to date and has some important revelations about how she has arrived in this point in life and what matters to her most.

When Ellie's son Leo runs away from his boarding school to follow an agent to LA to be part of the movies, Ellie's maternal instinct kicks in and she immediately packs up to travel across the country and bring her boy home. Recently widowed when her second husband is killed in Pearl Harbor, Ellie is alone again and her boys are all she has - they are her purpose and she must protect them. She intends to locate her son and immediately return to NY with him but when she sees her shy, reserved son come alive at the prospect of a career in acting she relents and decides to stay while Leo completes his contract with Paramount. Always one to gather a community around her, Ellie brings out the elderly Bridie, an Irish woman that has been like a mother to Ellie and a Nan to her sons, to live with her and the boys. She also takes in Freddie, Leo's down on his luck agent, and Freddie's vacuous girlfriend Crystal. Together they pass their days adjusting to life in sunny California at the fringes of the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle.

Despite swearing off men following the loss of two husbands, Ellie finds herself captivated and pursued by Stan, a Polish composer who writes scores for Hollywood films. Ellie is her own worst enemy in her relationship with Stan and tries to sabotage it at every turn but she can't deny her feelings for him and constantly finds herself back with him. While coping with her relationship with Stan, she is also facing the decline of her dear friend, Bridie. Bridie's tough exterior can't hide the onset of dementia and Ellie must dedicate herself to keeping Bridie safe while maintaining the older woman's dignity.

My Thoughts
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series (my review of Ellis Island and my review of City of Hope) so I was happy to "meet" Ellie again in this final installment. She is as feisty as ever but her fire is tinged with self awareness - she is now fifty and spends much of the book reflecting on the choices that have gotten her to this point in her life and seeing patterns in her behavior. This maturity in Ellie is appealing and tempers some of her more impulsive schemes. Perhaps my favorite part of this book is the relationship between Ellie and Bridie - tough Bridie tells it like it us but also is vulnerable as old age begins to take its toll.  She is aware that she is failing but is also fiercely proud and fights to maintain her dignity.  Ellie rises to this challenge and takes care of Bridie as she would if Bridie were her mother.  Bridie provides continuity in Ellie's story as she has been with her since she first arrived in the US and she also creates an opportunity for Ellie to show her gentler side as she cares for the older woman.

Although it is the third book in a series, Land of Dreams can stand on his own - the author references what happened in the first two books enough to make the connections to this story. But I feel the real strength in the book is Ellie and you can appreciate her so much more if you have read the first two books.  If you read Land of Dreams first, go back and read the other two!

Audiobook Review: An Irish Country Girl by Patrick Taylor

An Irish Country Girl by Patrick Taylor (10 hours, 19 minute; narrated by Terry Donnelly): Maureen "Kinky" Kincaid is the wry, no-nonsense housekeeper to Doctor Fingal O'Reilly and his young assistant Dr. Barry Laverty in the town of Ballybucklebo. For the first few books in the series, she supported the doctors and was largely in the background; this book tells her story before she came to Ballybucklebo.

 Kinky begins telling her story to a group of local children at Christmas. She weaves the tale of Irish fairies, or dubh sidhe, through her own story and captivates the young children. Young Maureen O'Hanlon was fey and could see things that others could not. At first, she was scared of "the sight" which her mother also shared but as she grew to trust it she realized she had a gift. Her gift also gives her a healthy respect for the fairies and their power to punish those that cross them while protecting others. There is a lot of folklore and magic smattered throughout the story of her young life but it features a little less prominently as she meets her future husband. Maureen was instantly taken by Paudeen Kincaid even though his traditional beliefs about women not working ran counter to Maureen's desire to be teacher and her independent streak. Their love story is endearing, if tragic.

My Thoughts
I have read a number of the books in this popular Irish series (my review of An Irish Country Christmas) and always enjoy the cozy nature of the books. I get drawn into the small town life and the memorable characters. An Irish Country Girl did not disappoint but it is different from the earlier books.  The biggest difference is the theme of Irish mythology and the prominence it takes within the book. I initially had trouble with this part of the book but the storytelling eventually drew me in.

This is my first time listening to the narration of Terry Donnelly and I really enjoyed her narration - it was such a pleasure listening to her lilting Irish accent. Although this is the fourth book in the series, it truly stands alone as it is the contained story of Kinky's young life with almost no character overlap with the other books. If you are looking for an enjoyable read with a peek into small town Irish life of the past, pick up An Irish Country Girl and get transported by a true Irish storyteller.

Review: The Wanderer by Robyn Carr

The Wanderer by Robyn Carr is a new series by the author set in the Oregon Coast in the town of Thunder Point. We are introduced to a collection of locals when Cooper arrives following the death of his close friend and longtime resident of Thunder Point, Ben. There is Mac, the police deputy, who is a single father living with his children and Aunt Lou; Gina is a single mother with her now teenage daughter; Sarah Dupre with her high school age younger brother is a relatively new resident in Thunder Point. The book largely focuses on the day to day lives of these characters but there is some romance thrown in for good measure. 

Cooper arrives in Thunder Point following the death of his friend, Ben. Ben has died suddenly due to a fall and Cooper soon discovers that his friend has left him his land, bait shop and bar. Cooper is surprised since he did not consider himself especially close to Ben. He sets about figuring out what to do with his new inheritance and trying to learn a little more about Ben including the mysterious circumstances of his death. Cooper considers himself to be passing through Thunder Point but he wants to do right by his friend's memory and fix up the bar and shop because he knew it meant a lot to Ben. This allows him to meet the rest of the Thunder Point community including Mac McCain, the police deputy. The two men quickly hit if off and Cooper enlists Mac's help in figuring out if Ben's death was really an accident. Cooper also meets Sarah Dupre and is drawn to the attractive young woman who is a Coast Guard helicopter pilot and guardian to her young brother since their parent's sudden death when she was just eighteen. Sarah has been hurt recently and is resisting her attraction to Cooper - especially considering he only plans to pass through Thunder Point.

My Thoughts
This is the first of Robyn Carr's novels which I have read and I enjoyed it.  It is an easy read with characters that you can't help but like. I also liked that there was a little mystery thrown in with Ben's death and there was a twist in that story line which I didn't see coming. I am glad that I have read the first novel in this author's latest series because now I have a lot to look forward to as additional novels in Thunder Point arrive!

Review: The Good Woman by Jane Porter

The Good Woman by Jane Porter introduces us to the Brennan sisters - Meg, Bree, Kit and Sarah- but the story focuses on Meg. Margaret Mary Brennan Roberts has always been the "good girl" - she is the responsible older sister, wife and dedicated mother to three. A perfectionist, she keeps the many plates of this busy family spinning from sports commitments and dance recitals to family birthdays.  All this and she works full time at a Napa winery as their marketing coordinator.

Lately, however, she is feeling under appreciated by her husband and beginning to question her need to always do the "right" thing. Feeling weighed down by her many commitments, Meg is tired and feels depleted. In addition to her busy home life, Meg is also entrenched in the many issues faced by her family.  Her sister Kit has been in a ten year relationship with Richard and there is no proposal in sight despite the fact that Kit very much wants to get married and have children.  Sarah's pro baseball player husband, Boone, cheated on her and Sarah has felt insecure in their relationship since. Being the protective older sister, Meg wants to protect her sisters from these hurts and her heart aches to see them struggle in their relationships.  Perhaps the most devastating family news, however, is that their mother's cancer is back and has metastasized.

Just as she is feeling insecure in her relationship with her husband and frustrated by the lack of passion they share lately, Jane's boss Chad takes an active interest in her. He pays her all the attention her husband does not - complimenting her on her clothes and appreciating the work she does for the vineyard. Pulled in so many directions and feeling under appreciated, Meg is especially vulnerable to this attention and she struggles with her conscience which warns that she is in dangerous territory.

My Thoughts
I have long been a fan of Jane Porter's contemporary fiction and when I started The Good Woman I was reminded of just how much I enjoy her books.  The characters come to life and feel like those you know in real life - your sisters, best friends and book club members. Meg, in particular, rang true for me - I see much of myself in her.  Even though I am not married with kids, I can relate to being the first born, being a perfectionist and feeling very obligated all the time. At one point in the novel, Meg's father recounts a story from Meg's childhood; she insisted on getting ready for school all by herself and finally came downstairs dressed in pants and a skirt. Her parents thought it was funny and were prepared to let her go dressed as is because Meg was so very proud of getting ready on her own.  At the last minute, her Dad changed her shoes because she had them on the wrong feet - Meg was devastated and said she just wanted to get it right.  She was hard on herself even as a young girl - her Dad reminded her that she came that way - her parents didn't cultivate that in her. My Mom says the same thing to me  all the time.  I get Meg.

This book is the first in a trilogy (the second book, focusing on Kit and entitled The Good Daughter is already out) - I am definitely looking forward to continuing to read about the Brennan sisters.