Saratoga Summer, 1863

Rating:
Summary: Timeless Tales review
Review: By TT reviewer Sam

At the age of four, Sinead Brennan loses her mother due to an accident with a horse. Her father then takes her and her sister from the Irish manor, where he had worked in the stables, to America. The lord of the manor, O'Malley, promises him that he will help him whenever he needs him. 20 years later, Brennan does need him and this is how our hero gets into the picture. It seems that Sinead has married a Catholic widower (in whose house she was a maid) because the widower's in-laws, the nasty Dewitts, want to raise their grandson in the Protestant faith. The widower dies, leaving Sinead in charge of the boy. The Dewitts take the matters to court, not because they want the boy, but because they want the money left to him by his father. And all this time, Sinead is living with the Dewitts, who insist on calling her Jane because Sinead is so Irish, as a nanny lowly servant. Now Brennan, Sinead's father, hatches a plot with O'Malley, where O'Malley's eldest son, Connor, is dispatched to America in order to marry Sinead so that the little boy can be brought up as a Catholic. And for some obscure reason, they all lie to Connor about Sinead's history.

Confused? I certainly was. The characters are very difficult to relate to, especially the heroine, Sinead. For 90% of the book, she stays mad and takes all her anger out on poor Connor. Now, one would think that a woman with that much anger bottled inside her and the will to pour it out on all those around her would be a tad bit assertive with the Dewitts, who after all pose the largest threat to her. But no, she is as meek as a lamb when around them. And as if the plot wasn't so complicated already, the first half of the book describes how these people try to get out of a New York gone mad with riots and mayhem. The biggest problem of this novel is that there are so many strands to keep a hold of, which is a shame, because the book certainly has potential. Ms. Nelson's descriptions of the aftermath of the Conscription Act and the conditions of the Irish are vivid. It is clear that the author has done a great amount of research before writing the novel. But as a romance novel, it is not up to par.

Rating:
Summary: SARATOGA SUMMER
Review: Ms. Nelson has certainly continued to bring forth the best in historical romance that I can honestly say I have ever read. First it was The Gunn of Killearnan, and then she did it again with Unlawful. Now she has not only done it again, but she certainly has clinched her number one spot with SARATOGA SUMMER. I don't know how she continues to do it, but I certainly hope that she never stops.

I guess I'm just fickle. I fell in love with Gerek in the Gunn of Killernan, and then when I read Ms. Nelsons Unlawful, again I fell in love, only this time with Bruic. As if this isn't bad enough, now I am totally in love with Conner. Ms. Nelson's characters are that strong. They don't give you a chance; you fall head over heels in love with them whether you want to or not.

This is not only true of the heroes of Ms. Nelson's books, but also of her heroines. They are strong women. Women who don't rely on their beauty. Women of strong character with personalities of their own. Women who compliment the men in their lives.

SARATOGA SUMMER is a lot more though. It is so rich in it's description of a true historical time in America's history that you feel as if you are actually living it. A time in history that perhaps we should not be so proud of, and yet a time that we all should not forget.

Ms. Nelson takes you on a sightseeing adventure through the streets of New York City that can only be described as very frightening, and heartbreaking. She puts you into the mind and thoughts of two newly arrived immigrants from the green countryside of Ireland. Thoughts that are in awe of what they see, hear, and smell. She brings you into their minds as they try to find their way through the throngs of people and try to understand why many of the people who came from their own country, act and behave as they do.

SARATOGA SUMMER begins in Ireland, in the summer of 1843. Life is beautiful. The Brennan family is happy working the horses on the O'Malley estate. Then something horrible happens. Annie Brennan is knocked off a fence by one of the stallions that becomes spooked. Both she and her unborn baby are killed, leaving two terrified, and heartbroken little girls, and a devastated husband. The owner of the estate, Finn O'Malley wants Bowes Brennan and his two girls to remain at the estate with his four sons, and himself, but Bowes thinks it is better for he and the girls to leave, and perhaps after a while go to America. Finn tells Bowes that if at any time they want to come back, or if there is anything that he can do for them, all they have to do is let him know.

Twenty years later Finn receives a note from America. He calls his four sons to him to discuss the note, which later results in the oldest son, Connor taking a woman he has never met in marriage, by proxy. Soon afterwards he and his younger brother, Eagan head for America to meet his young bride, Sinead, and her young son, Robbie.

What awaits the O'Malley brothers is anything but what they were expecting, and certainly enough to make Connor think twice about staying in America. But Sinead is determined to stay in New York City. She doesn't care if Connor goes back to Ireland or not. She is only concerned about Robbie. As they run for their very lives.............

If you never read a historical romance again in your life, you have to read SARATOGA SUMMER. It will absolutely astound you. I cannot put into words the power Ms. Nelson puts into her characters and scenes. Power that will absolutely take your breath away.

I learned things about that summer of 1863 that I never knew existed. Things that were both exciting as well as terrifying. Things that I never would have known if I hadn't read SARATOGA SUMMER. And all of those things that I learned were all wrapped up in the most exciting and wonderful story a person could ever ask for.

Ms. Nelson is a three-time winner with her wonderful books. And SARATOGA SUMMER wins the Triple Crown.

My only question is when will there be more.......and how can she possibly top SARATOGA SUMMER!

Rating:
Summary: SARATOGA SUMMER
Review: Ms. Nelson has certainly continued to bring forth the best in historical romance that I can honestly say I have ever read. First it was The Gunn of Killearnan, and then she did it again with Unlawful. Now she has not only done it again, but she certainly has clinched her number one spot with SARATOGA SUMMER. I don't know how she continues to do it, but I certainly hope that she never stops.

I guess I'm just fickle. I fell in love with Gerek in the Gunn of Killernan, and then when I read Ms. Nelsons Unlawful, again I fell in love, only this time with Bruic. As if this isn't bad enough, now I am totally in love with Conner. Ms. Nelson's characters are that strong. They don't give you a chance; you fall head over heels in love with them whether you want to or not.

This is not only true of the heroes of Ms. Nelson's books, but also of her heroines. They are strong women. Women who don't rely on their beauty. Women of strong character with personalities of their own. Women who compliment the men in their lives.

SARATOGA SUMMER is a lot more though. It is so rich in it's description of a true historical time in America's history that you feel as if you are actually living it. A time in history that perhaps we should not be so proud of, and yet a time that we all should not forget.

Ms. Nelson takes you on a sightseeing adventure through the streets of New York City that can only be described as very frightening, and heartbreaking. She puts you into the mind and thoughts of two newly arrived immigrants from the green countryside of Ireland. Thoughts that are in awe of what they see, hear, and smell. She brings you into their minds as they try to find their way through the throngs of people and try to understand why many of the people who came from their own country, act and behave as they do.

SARATOGA SUMMER begins in Ireland, in the summer of 1843. Life is beautiful. The Brennan family is happy working the horses on the O'Malley estate. Then something horrible happens. Annie Brennan is knocked off a fence by one of the stallions that becomes spooked. Both she and her unborn baby are killed, leaving two terrified, and heartbroken little girls, and a devastated husband. The owner of the estate, Finn O'Malley wants Bowes Brennan and his two girls to remain at the estate with his four sons, and himself, but Bowes thinks it is better for he and the girls to leave, and perhaps after a while go to America. Finn tells Bowes that if at any time they want to come back, or if there is anything that he can do for them, all they have to do is let him know.

Twenty years later Finn receives a note from America. He calls his four sons to him to discuss the note, which later results in the oldest son, Connor taking a woman he has never met in marriage, by proxy. Soon afterwards he and his younger brother, Eagan head for America to meet his young bride, Sinead, and her young son, Robbie.

What awaits the O'Malley brothers is anything but what they were expecting, and certainly enough to make Connor think twice about staying in America. But Sinead is determined to stay in New York City. She doesn't care if Connor goes back to Ireland or not. She is only concerned about Robbie. As they run for their very lives.............

If you never read a historical romance again in your life, you have to read SARATOGA SUMMER. It will absolutely astound you. I cannot put into words the power Ms. Nelson puts into her characters and scenes. Power that will absolutely take your breath away.

I learned things about that summer of 1863 that I never knew existed. Things that were both exciting as well as terrifying. Things that I never would have known if I hadn't read SARATOGA SUMMER. And all of those things that I learned were all wrapped up in the most exciting and wonderful story a person could ever ask for.

Ms. Nelson is a three-time winner with her wonderful books. And SARATOGA SUMMER wins the Triple Crown.

My only question is when will there be more.......and how can she possibly top SARATOGA SUMMER!

Rating:
Summary: 1863 Saratoga Summer grabs you and won¿t let go!
Review: You'll go from the beautiful green hills of Ireland to New York ... a city in unrest over the Conscription Law ... on to a peaceful, budding, Thoroughbred racehorse ranch in Saratoga.

Since Sinead Cavanaugh witnessed the death of her mother by a spirited horse when she was four, she's been terrified of the "beasties". But she's more afraid of losing her son, Robbie, to his grandparents the Dewitt's. They only want custody of the boy because his father left him a fortune in his will. Sinead goes along with yet another one of her father's schemes to help her keep the boy.

Bowes Brennan acts on a deal that was made in the 1500's. Since a Brennan saved the life of an O'Malley, one of them has to come to the aid of a Brennan should a severe and odd emergency occur. His daughter's happiness depends on it.

Conner O'Malley is forced to travel to America with his younger brother, Egan, to marry Sinead Cavanaugh in a desperate attempt to form a family to help her keep son and honor her husband's dying wishes. As soon as he consummates the marriage, he plans to return to his beloved horses in Ireland with or without his bride. After all, he can't stay with a woman who detests what he loves to do best ... train Thoroughbred racehorses.

This is the first novel in a series about the O'Malley brothers who wind up in Saratoga during horseracing season. 1863 Saratoga Summer is a wonderful story of love and sacrifice that will leave you feeling good and grinning from ear to ear.