Reprise Review: Dearest Irish by Lyn Horner

 

Genre: Western Romance/Historical Romance/Supernatural

Description:

“Dearest Irish (Texas Devlins, Rose’s Story) is the third book in a western romance trilogy set in the 1870s. This unique series features three siblings who descend from a hidden line of Irish Celtic Druids. Each possesses a rare psychic talent they hide for fear of persecution. Dearest Irish stars Rose Devlin, youngest of the three. Rose has an extraordinary ability to heal with her mind, a secret gift that has caused her great pain in the past. She also harbors another secret, one she can’t share even with her brother and sister, one that threatens her chances of ever finding love.”

“Choctaw Jack, a half-breed cowboy introduced in Dashing Irish (Texas Devlins, Tye’s story), straddles two worlds, dividing his loyalties between his mother’s people and the family of a friend who died in the Civil War. Like Rose, he keeps shocking secrets. If they ever come to light, he stands to lose his job, possibly his life. Yet, he must risk everything to save someone he loves, even if it means kidnapping Rose.”

Author:

Lyn Horner resides in Texas with her husband and several beloved cats. Trained in the visual arts, Horner worked as a fashion illustrator and later as an art instructor for Art Instruction Schools (famous for their "Draw Me" heads.) After quitting work to raise her children, she took up writing as a creative outlet. This hobby grew into a love of historical research and the crafting of passionate romances based upon that research.  She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Yellow Rose Romance Writers, and Celtic Hearts Romance Writers. Ms. Horner was also nominated for Books and Pals first ever Readers’ Choice Award for her novel Dashing Irish.

To learn more about Lyn Horner visit her website, or facebook page.

Appraisal:

Rose has lived a sheltered life having spent the last seven years in self-imposed exile in a convent in Chicago. She is naïve and trying to find her place in the world while keeping her healing touch a secret. Choctaw Jack witnesses Rose healing a mean spirited stallion’s leg injury under the cover of darkness. To save this unbreakable horse she must learn to ride him or watch him be destroyed. Her sensibilities won’t allow that to happen. Tye employs Jack to teach her how to ride a horse. The plot takes a mean twist when Jack receives word that his mother is dying back on the reservation.  After having witnessed Rose heal the stallion he kidnaps Rose to take her to heal his mother. It is a long hard journey, physically and emotionally as neither is willing to share their past.

This story is engaging as two battered and wounded souls find each other and begin to heal one another. I sympathized with Choctaw Jack trying to live in both the Indian world and the white man’s world, but he has managed it well. Jack is a complicated man with a sordid past that he is not sure he deserves forgiveness for. He recognizes Rose’s wounded spirit and does his best to contain his desire while he tries to figure her out. Each feel they are not worthy enough to ever be loved.

Lyn Horner has done an outstanding job exposing what life was like in this time period between Native Americans, the Calvary, and other settlers in the Oklahoma and Texas areas whether on the trail, the reservation, or a homestead. This story has it all. The fact that she has brought Irish immigrants, with a Druid history into the melting pot just makes it that much more interesting. The plot is realistic and the characters were wonderfully portrayed.  This is an entertaining and educational story that took me on a wonderful journey into the past.

Buy now from:    Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

This book contains adult situations that may be offensive to some.

Added for Reprise Review: Dearest Irish by Lyn Horner was a nominee in the Romance category for B&P 2014 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran May 17, 2013.

Format/Typo Issues:

No Significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 90-95,000 words