Nora Roberts – Irish Rose

The second book in the Irish Hearts series, published in 1988.
Genre: contemporary romance
Cover: generic. My book has a different cover, as I have the duology with the first two stories.



Erin McKinnon. A bold beauty, she accepted Burke Logan’s loveless proposal and his cool promise of security and wealth. But could this ravishing Irish Rose win her heart-hearted husband’s love?


After reading Irish Thoroughbreds, I knew I wanted more of this series. I like the story line, of an Irish girl going to America where she meets and falls in love with a rich American horsebreeder. And this story is more of that.

When Erin McKinnon’s cousin Adelia and her husband and children are coming to visit from America, Erin is excited about it. She is also jealous, as she wants more than the small village of Skibbereen, and she wants a loving family like her cousin has for her self. What she does not know is that a friend and neighbour of Travis and Adelia is with them. And Burke Logan is instantly intrigued by the fiery Erin. He recognizes something of himself in her, the want for more, for new things, for riches.
Erin is working on the farm with her parents, but also as an accountant for the three small businesses in the village, and as cleaning lady in the Inn where the Americans are staying. She does not want them to know that, but Burke finds her in the kitchen doing the dishes the next morning.

Burke offers Erin a job working for him as his accountant, as his former accountant has just been sent to prison for embezzling his money. He needs someone to clean up the mess, and make sure all the payrolls and bills are paid in time. And he knows Erin is qualified for that, as he has been asking around about her. After some thinking, Erin accepts the job offer, as she longs to go to America. She will be living with her cousin, and travel to his estate every day. Erin does make it clear she is not interested in becoming his mistress, she is there to do his accounts and that it is. But there is a very strong attraction between them, and when Burke finds another man admiring Erin, he reaches his limit, and takes her home with him.

Burke has had a though childhood, and he is every inch the self made man. He knows if he loses this fortune, he can make another. He has kept himself aloof from other people, having few friends but Travis and Dee, and even after he marries Erin, he tries to keep distant from her. Erin would never have slept with him, let alone married him, if she did not love Burke, but this distance is driving them apart. Especially after what happens at the races …


I enjoyed this second book in the series. I like and admire Erin, for daring to take the leap and leave family and friends and everything that is familiar behind to travel to America. To accept a job from a man she hardly knows. But the pay is more than she will ever be able to make in Ireland, and of course she has Travis and Adelia to fall back on. And Paddy is there to look out for her as well. She does fall for Burke hard and fast, and is determined to make him love her back. But Burke does not know how to show his feelings, nor does he trust in them. And so he showers her with gifts and luxury, while Erin wants nothing more than to hear those 3 words.

The intrigue at the race track was well done, though not difficult to figure out.

All in all, a nice Nora Roberts romance, ideal for a cold afternoon to relax with.

7 stars.

© 2013 Reviews by Aurian