jscarpa14's review against another edition
5.0
I've been working my way SLOWLY back through the Three Sisters Island Trilogy and because I didn't devour it like the first time I was disheartened to think that maybe I had grown out of my love for Nora Roberts' Trilogies. Then I started listening to the audiobook of this when I was trying to sleep the other night and I found myself intrigued again, wanting to remember more of Jude's story. So I picked up the book today skipping to the part where the audiobook put me to sleep (all audiobooks put me to sleep it's why I read the books instead of listening to them. It's nothing to do with the actual story that does the putting me to sleep.) and I started reading. Even though I've read this probably more than the five times I've guessed at I was swept away all over again by this wonderful story.
I really love Jude as a character watching her grow into someone stronger and to find herself in a new country among new people. It's hard not to feel for someone whose never really had friends before or felt free to express herself and it's hard not to love them when you meet a character who so clearly deserves to have many friends and great loves. More than the love story, the character arc and growth for Jude makes this story worth reading again and again. This is a character who finds her inner feminist, locates her backbone and grow into this strong admirable woman. She begins as a bit of neurotic doormat and becomes someone who really earned my respect over the course of the story. She charmed me with the way every simple kindness shown to her is interpreted by her like a miracle to behold. The way she looks at the world is refreshing and I guess I could just gush about this character for hours. I liked Aiden as well, he never ceased to amuse me during the course of this story, but Jude is the character that makes this book in my personal opinion.
While some of the outlooks are a bit dated in an age where the big push is for gender equality and a move away from gender stereo types I think if you take into account when this was written even the biggest feminist among you can see the budding feminist undertones despite the outlooks of some characters that men and women have specific roles at times if that makes any sense at all. An example of what I mean is when Jude talks about the potential children she might have had with William she talks about how the education and career path for said fictional baby would be dependent on gender. Granted she never had children with William so none of this really matters but small things like that do date this book a little but if you consider when it's written and you're anything like me it won't bother you as much as if you had seen those things in a book written in the last year or so per say.
As always the prose is lyrical and the mythology of the book both intriguing and charming. I loved the inclusion of what are supposed to be Irish Folk Tales, I don't know if they actually are real folk tales, especially since one sounded like the plot to Lady Hawk, but they could easily be imagined as real tales whether they are or not. I have to say however my favorite scene, the one the really makes this book for me is the one which ends in a broken nose. I LOVED that. I'd give more details but I don't want to offer too much of a spoiler for anyone who hasn't read this one yet. The supporting characters and interesting and well developed and the plot while interesting isn't necessarily what I'd call fast paced. It's reminds me sort of like a babbling brook where you think I'll just wade in and relax on an inner tube for a little bit and before you know it you've traveled to the end. The story sort of lulls you in and surrounds you so you don't really notice until you've run out of pages that you sat and read the whole book in one sitting again.
Obviously I consider this one to be highly recommended. It's humorous, charming and delightful.
I really love Jude as a character watching her grow into someone stronger and to find herself in a new country among new people. It's hard not to feel for someone whose never really had friends before or felt free to express herself and it's hard not to love them when you meet a character who so clearly deserves to have many friends and great loves. More than the love story, the character arc and growth for Jude makes this story worth reading again and again. This is a character who finds her inner feminist, locates her backbone and grow into this strong admirable woman. She begins as a bit of neurotic doormat and becomes someone who really earned my respect over the course of the story. She charmed me with the way every simple kindness shown to her is interpreted by her like a miracle to behold. The way she looks at the world is refreshing and I guess I could just gush about this character for hours. I liked Aiden as well, he never ceased to amuse me during the course of this story, but Jude is the character that makes this book in my personal opinion.
While some of the outlooks are a bit dated in an age where the big push is for gender equality and a move away from gender stereo types I think if you take into account when this was written even the biggest feminist among you can see the budding feminist undertones despite the outlooks of some characters that men and women have specific roles at times if that makes any sense at all. An example of what I mean is when Jude talks about the potential children she might have had with William she talks about how the education and career path for said fictional baby would be dependent on gender. Granted she never had children with William so none of this really matters but small things like that do date this book a little but if you consider when it's written and you're anything like me it won't bother you as much as if you had seen those things in a book written in the last year or so per say.
As always the prose is lyrical and the mythology of the book both intriguing and charming. I loved the inclusion of what are supposed to be Irish Folk Tales, I don't know if they actually are real folk tales, especially since one sounded like the plot to Lady Hawk, but they could easily be imagined as real tales whether they are or not. I have to say however my favorite scene, the one the really makes this book for me is the one which ends in a broken nose. I LOVED that. I'd give more details but I don't want to offer too much of a spoiler for anyone who hasn't read this one yet. The supporting characters and interesting and well developed and the plot while interesting isn't necessarily what I'd call fast paced. It's reminds me sort of like a babbling brook where you think I'll just wade in and relax on an inner tube for a little bit and before you know it you've traveled to the end. The story sort of lulls you in and surrounds you so you don't really notice until you've run out of pages that you sat and read the whole book in one sitting again.
Obviously I consider this one to be highly recommended. It's humorous, charming and delightful.
kimberly_b's review against another edition
2.0
This was my second and last Nora Roberts book, because this was another snooze fest for me.
The highlight of Jewels of the Sun was the descriptions of Ireland in the beginning. It was all downhill from there.
I know that only reading two of the (it seems like) billion novels that NR has written is probably not a fair sample to draw any conclusions from, but I just can't muster up any enthusiasm to try anything else by her. However, I will still give her J.D. Robb books a go, because I've heard that those are much different (aside from being a different genre of course).
The highlight of Jewels of the Sun was the descriptions of Ireland in the beginning. It was all downhill from there.
I know that only reading two of the (it seems like) billion novels that NR has written is probably not a fair sample to draw any conclusions from, but I just can't muster up any enthusiasm to try anything else by her. However, I will still give her J.D. Robb books a go, because I've heard that those are much different (aside from being a different genre of course).
teachingkids1982's review against another edition
2.0
i just can't get into romance novels... there needs to be more life in them or structure or something.
schnoebs13's review against another edition
The female lead was just kind of annoying and I didnt find myself getting pulled into the story at all. I know her speculative romance is not always my favorite but usually I can enjoy them just for a pallet cleanse. Sadly, this didn’t work.
noranie's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
miss_chanandlerbong09's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
msripley's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
ghostworldx's review against another edition
3.0
Hmm…this was enjoyable for the most part. The male lead made questionable choices at the end that made me compare him to Gaston from Beauty and The Beast. It was difficult to like the guy at the end. I was immersed with the main character’s growth in the beginning but then the ending felt too fast. I expected the male lead to work more for his forgiveness.