Secrets Of The Heart by Adrienne Vaughan

Secrets of the Heart by Adrienne Vaughan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Secrets Of The Heart is book three of The Heartfelt series, easily a stand alone novel, also a grand finale to the series. Set on a tiny island off of the west coast of Ireland, it has all the charm of Ireland and with a host of characters from movie stars to a flamboyant Post Mistress and a delightful West Highland Terrier called Monty.

Marianne Coltrane, once an adopted child, is now a grown woman, re-acquainted with her parents, who have just re-kindled their love. Soon after the honeymooners return, the island is attacked by a vicious storm which sets back the building of a bridge to the mainland. With no financial help from the government available, the islanders take it upon themselves to raise much needed funds.

There are plenty of willing helpers as famous people fly in from all over the world to buy a little piece of Ireland and help the cause, but lots of people have secrets on the island and there’s more than one that weaves it’s way to the surface with a little help from the Irish magic of Innishmahon. A magic which pulls people to the island much to the disgust of local resident Sean Grogan. I’ve really enjoyed all three books in this series and hope there’s more to come.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

View all my reviews on Goodreads

Book Review Challenge – A Review by Angie

Today we have a review from Book Review Challenger Angie, she blogs at http://angiesworld30.wordpress.com

Angie chose The Hollow Heart by Adrienne Vaughan.

Hollow Heart – Adrienne Vaughan

Here is Angie’s review.

Format: Kindle and Paperback

Genre: Contemporary Romance

This is the first book in the The Heartfelt series, about Marianne Coltrane, an award winning journalist who breaks a story regarding babies, adoption and the church. After dealing with some traumatic and sad times, she decides that it’s about time she took a sabbatical from her job to spend some time in Ireland in a little place called Innishmahon.

It’s in Innishmahon that she runs – literally into Ryan O’Gorman an actor who hates journalists and has just landed his role in one of the biggest movies in history. She has met Ryan before at a ceremony award where he became her knight in shining armour but the politeness is short lived, when she finds that he is one of the most infuriating men she has ever met.

Marianne manages to make new friends in Innishmahon and becomes best friends with Oonagh Quinn and Kathleen Macready. Along with Oonagh’s husband Padar and Father Gregory, she falls in love with Innishmahon and decides to move there for good.

Both Marianne and Ryan had escaped to Innishmahon to get a break and find themselves but what they weren’t expecting to find was true love, or is it ???

When I first started this book, I thought I was going to need my tissues at the ready, getting a lump in my throat within the first few chapters but also wanted to smile at parts as well.

As I got into the story, I found myself liking Marianne even more, especially since she was a proper journalist doing good and not a celebrity crazed stalker. I also have to say that I absolutely loved how Adrienne wrote about Monty the dog, and the things that he would probably say if he were human.

I felt so many different emotions throughout the book and don’t think there were any characters that I didn’t like, even Paul her ex-colleague needed some sympathy by the end, even if he wasn’t the friend she thought he was.

I even loved the fact that it was set in Ireland, as it is one of my favourite places having visited Cork a couple of times. I could imagine the Irish accents of the characters throughout.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am glad I chose it as part of Rosie Amber’s book review challenge. I will definitely be purchasing the next instalment of Marianne Coltrane’s adventures.

I give this book four stars.

Find a copy here on Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

 

 

 

 

 

A Change of Heart by Adrienne Vaughan

A Change of Heart by Adrienne Vaughan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Change of Heart is the second book in the Heartfelt series, I fell in love with the Island of Innishmahon and the colourful people who lived there in the first book “The Hollow Heart”. So I was delighted to find the second book took place on the island once more. Carrying straight on from where the first book ended the story heads right in with Ryan stepping off of the ferry with his young son.

On top of the vital repairs to the only bridge to the island, which was washed away in a storm, there are now plans to have a Life Boat station on the island too. Dermot Finnegan takes the role of Life Boat Captain as a disguise for some undercover police work which he has signed up for.

For a tiny island off of the Irish coast it certainly draws everyone’s attention. Superstar actress Angelique de Marcos arrives in a whirl of glamour to challenge Ryan for custody of their son. Erin Brennan is also returning to the island after a long period of absence and she too has her own secret agenda.

Throw in to the mix a Halloween Hooley, robbery, freedom fighters and some brand new relatives, it all has journalist Marianne Coltrane at breaking point, but letting the Emerald Isle work its magic, gives more than one person a second chance.

Romance, Ireland and great characters at their best, I can’t wait for the third book in the series.

Find a copy here on Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Catch up with Adrienne when she was a guest author on our blog last week, click here for the interview http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5bG

View all my reviews on Goodreads.

I’m hoping to be able to offer this book and The Hollow Heart as part of my book review challenge FREE to any readers. See yesterday’s post and keep an eye out for updates.

The Hollow Heart by Adrienne Vaughan

The Hollow Heart by Adrienne Vaughan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Hollow Heart is the first book in the Heartfelt series. It features reporter Marianne Coltrane and begins with her work at the Chesterford Chronicle where her latest scoop uncovers the illegal sale of babies from a refuge for single pregnant women. Once the story breaks Marianne finds herself being awarded Journalist of the Year for her stolen babies expose.

It’s at the awards she meets dependable George Brownlow MP. With a twist, destiny plunges Marianne through a series of cruel disasters and it’s not until she decides to take a break and escape to the Island of Innishmahon off of the Irish coast, that she begins to mend her emotional wounds. The people of the island are so welcoming; Padar and Oonagh Quinn who run the pub, Miss MacReady the postmistress and Father Gregory.

Marianne finds another person on the island is also there to find himself and escape from life. Ryan O’Gorman, TV star, once saved Marianne’s life, now he’s here saving more lives when a storm hits and families need rescuing. He doesn’t want to be remembered as a hero he wants to be a writer, but life in the fast lane pulls him away from the island and Marianne.

Stormy times lay ahead for more than one character, and I’m looking forward to reading the second book in the series to see how obstacles are overcome, relationships smoothed and families are re-united. I really enjoyed Marianne’s journey and easily fell in love with the people and the island of Innishmahon.

Find a copy here on Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

View all my reviews on Goodreads.

Adrienne will be our guest on the blog tomorrow, do come back and find out more about this author and her writing.