Friday Five - Five Nora Roberts Reviews

I'm taking a bit of a break from my usual Friday Linkups to try something a little different.  I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much.  This is a bookish week and today I'm sharing 5 short reviews of Nora Roberts books I've read recently. 

1.  Birthright by Nora Roberts - There's quite a lot going on in this book.  There's a main romance, a secondary romance and a side romance or two.  As well there's an archeological dig, town controversary, some murder, and a black market adoption ring going on.  Callie is a bit of an arrogant hot head which I kind of liked because she's so different then the usual Roberts heroine.  Jake gets pretty bossy with her which I didn't love but I liked that this was a second chance romance where both people had messed up and both people are talking about how they're going to change.  The plot itself kept me interested and I really enjoyed it.  I have been in the mood for romantic suspense lately and this was an entertaining one.  My Rating: Really Liked It

2.  The Search by Nora Roberts - This is one of Roberts' darker books involving a serial killer and the one that got away.  While the plot is pretty predictable it's enjoyable and pulled me in from the beginning.  I really loved Fiona and the parts about dog training as well as the details on how the search and rescue teams work.  It has me interested in working on scent work with my own puppy!  I also loved her relationship with her stepmother and the community on Orcas Island.  I did not love Simon, love interest and main character #2.  While his relationship with his dog Jaws was funny and provided lots of comedic moments he's still kind of a jerk.  He's not a bad person or mean or anything he's just comes off as a bit emotionally stunted and unable to communicate.  I just never fully bought the relationship between him and Fiona.  My Rating: Liked It

3.  The Stars of Mithra trilogy (Hidden Star, Captive Star, Secret Star) by Nora Roberts - This is a fun trilogy involving a trio of tight knit friends and a trio of rare and beautiful blue diamonds.  The trilogy came out in the 90s and it's definitely showing its age (we are going to admit how long ago that was) not only in lack of technology but in some of the dynamics in each of the relationships.  There's a bit more of a tinge of aggression than I prefer in my romances.  My favorite book and couple was Bailey and Cade (1st book) and my least favorite was Grace and Seth (3rd book).  Bailey and Cade and MJ and Jack work pretty well as a team and while both males are in a more official investigative capacity they do seem to respect and listen to the women.  In the 3rd book I liked Grace but Seth set my teeth on edge.  I liked that Grace called him out on his judging her regarding her past but the fact that he did it in the first place and never seemed to truly repent made him a difficult romantic hero to root for.  This is a fun trilogy and I'm glad I reread it but it won't be at the top of my reread list anytime soon.  My Rating: Liked It

4. The Villa by Nora Roberts - This is a stand alone suspenseful family saga focused around a winery with generations of family traditions and deep roots.  There's quite a lot going on between the daily business of a major international wine label, family drama, corporate espionage, new romances, and a handful of murders.  While Sophia and Ty are the main characters I especially enjoyed the relationship between Sophia's mother, Pilar, and the new company COO, David.  They both have their baggage and their hang ups and they have some issues to work through.  Sophia and Ty are an interesting pair.  He's more interested in the growing of the grapes and the making of the wine while her focus is more on the promotion and business aspects of the company.  They both have strong personalities and it was interesting seeing them learn how to work together.  The start was a little slow but picked up pace pretty quickly and was just enjoyable as I expect a Nora Roberts to be.  My Rating: Really Liked It  

5.  Born in Fire by Nora Roberts - I was surprised to see that this book was actually published in the mid-90s.  Other than a few things related to technology (no cell phones, Rogan's insistence that Maggie get an answering machine) it felt much fresher without the over-Alpha male I typically associate with books published in the mid-90s and earlier.  Maggie and Rogan are complicated characters.  She is a glass artist who is the definition of a temperamental artist.  She's argumentative and stubborn and I couldn't help but like her even when she was in full temper.  Rogan is a gallery owner with a love for business and an appreciation for art.  He's used to being in charge and having people obey his commands.  The fact that he fell in love with Maggie and didn't expect her to change as well as a few different incredibly meaningful gestures really made me appreciate his character.  Maggie has a complicated relationship with her family and watching her navigate those in the best way she knows how made me sympathize with her deeply.  This is a couple I can't help but root for and I'm glad I'll get to catch up with them a bit in the next book in the trilogy. My Rating: Loved It!