The Return of Rafe MacKade

Hmm. Rafe's a handsy brat, at the beginning, and seems to be "winning" the relationship for a good two-thirds of the book - I kept wanting Regan to tell him no and make it stick, for a change. Then they both get some serious shocks, and have to work through what the relationship between them actually is and what it means to each of them. I really like that Rafe had set up to lose the bet before Regan did - shows that he had been thinking. And a happy ending, of course. I could swear I had read at least one of the MacKade books before, but apparently not - and now I want to, to see what happens with the other three brothers.

The Return of Rafe MacKade
4 Stars

Regan and Rafe’s romance is your typical clash of wills storyline as Regan strives to maintain her independence in the face of her intense attraction to Rafe. The characters are well developed with enough detail concerning their pasts to make the conflict between the two believable. Moreover, the small town atmosphere and the dynamic between the MacKade brothers is wonderful, and their banter and antics make them completely irresistible.


The secondary plot revolving around Cassie and her abusive husband adds depth to an otherwise run of the mill romance because the issues raised are still as relevant today as they were when the book was originally published in 1995. It always astounds me how obtuse and show more idiotic the legal system is when it comes to spousal abuse.

Finally, the story of two civil war soldiers, one Union and the other Confederate, and their link to the Barlow house is both charming and heart-wrenching. Nevertheless, the connection between the ghostly occurrences in the house and Regan and Rafe’s relationship could have been better developed.

In sum, a relatively light hearted read, which reminded me of why I enjoy Nora’s writing so much. show less

The Return of Rafe MacKade
4 Stars

Regan and Rafe’s romance is your typical clash of wills storyline as Regan strives to maintain her independence in the face of her intense attraction to Rafe. The characters are well developed with enough detail concerning their pasts to make the conflict between the two believable. Moreover, the small town atmosphere and the dynamic between the MacKade brothers is wonderful, and their banter and antics make them completely irresistible.


The secondary plot revolving around Cassie and her abusive husband adds depth to an otherwise run of the mill romance because the issues raised are still as relevant today as they were when the book was originally published in 1995. It always astounds me how obtuse and show more idiotic the legal system is when it comes to spousal abuse.

Finally, the story of two civil war soldiers, one Union and the other Confederate, and their link to the Barlow house is both charming and heart-wrenching. Nevertheless, the connection between the ghostly occurrences in the house and Regan and Rafe’s relationship could have been better developed.

In sum, a relatively light hearted read, which reminded me of why I enjoy Nora’s writing so much. show less

I'm a little tired of the heroes who are always getting in physical fights. I guess it's supposed to show how manly they are, but it just makes me think they're idiots. And not in an indulgent way. I'm also a little tired of romance characters who either "don't want a relationship" or assume it's going to end. And then there's dumping the whole relationship because of one misunderstanding. Bah. We won't mention the dream with the two corporals. Except to say that I really, really, don't like dream sequences in books. At all. I'm still waiting for the exception to that one. Still, the ghosts in this one were okay (yes, I know--gasp, shock, amazement)--it was all just feelings, cold spots, seeing a room the way it used to be--that works show more fine for me. And of course the red leather skirt & pool scene is a classic. show less

Loved it! Great ambiance, fabulous house, strong heroine. This was a great read.

DNF at 20% No rating b/c it's just not my style, I doubt there's anything really horribly wrong with it. Probably.

Because I believe in swift decisions. And there was a paranormal element that I have low tolerance for.

And also, the hero's eyes are green. The heroine is super hot. The hero's hair is black. the heroine's eyes are blue. They are both super hot.

Nora Roberts and I just don't gel.

Puro entretenimiento, nada del otro mundo, he leído mucho mejores de Nora, pero vamos, que para pasar una tarde, están bien