The Fall of Shane MacKade

The Fall of Shane MacKade
4.5 Stars

The youngest of the MacKade brothers, Shane has never met a woman he couldn't seduce that is until Rebecca Knight crosses his path. Well aware of his womanizing ways, Rebecca is determined to keep her distance, but the best laid plans are shoved aside when destiny comes knocking.

Definitely the best book in the quartet. Shane and Rebecca have incredible chemistry and their banter is witty and fun. It is wonderful seeing Shane fall for the one woman who doesn't immediately succumb to his charms.

There is also closure to the ongoing paranormal storyline as readers finally discover the identity of the Union soldier who wandered onto MacKade land to die. This is actually the one aspect of the story that show more disappointed as my personal theory didn't pan out - I had hoped that the soldier survived and was adopted by the MacKades - alas no...

All in all, a charming conclusion to the series and it has convinced me to read some of Nora's older works. show less

This is my favorite book of this series. Shane gets the best lines. And I love brainy heroines. Rebecca is written with humor and affection and honesty. Too many times, a brainy character, particularly if it's a heroine, will be written as hopelessly inept, as a comical figure--presumably to keep readers from being unable to relate to her. Rebecca has had social difficulties--controlling yet distant parents, college at 14, boarding schools, etc. will do that to you--but she's working on it, herself, using her intelligence, and that makes the difference.

Shane's a farmer, and while I may doubt the long-term compatibility of disparate levels of intelligence, he's neither intimidated by her nor condescending. There's still the physical show more fights the four brothers get into, which part of me finds amusing (they're definitely written to be amusing), and another part questions their maturity. I don't know any grown men who get in fistfights with their brothers. *deep breath* Let it go, it's just a book.

Rebecca has come to town to study the ghosts--she's had dreams about them for years, and she's tired of academia and wants to study something new just because she finds it fascinating. I've complained before about Nora's paranormals, but they don't bother me in this series. The ghosts behave the way I'd expect ghosts to behave, if I ever encountered any.

Oh. Last thing. This is one of the books with a Bimbo Darla in it. Nora wrote about 7 Bimbo Darlas, until I asked her about it--since then, there's only been one Darla in her books--a wacky twin. I probably should have kept my mouth shut. show less

Well, shoot. The four-book series is over now - I've read all four and would love to find another. I love these books - I know I'm a shallow reader of sappy romantic books, (In my defense, I do read lots of other types of books) but all of Nora Roberts brother series are just my favorite cozy comfort reads. This series is the 4 MacKade brothers - all drop dead gorgeous, family oriented, sweet, strong, a little rough, and totally sensitive. Just like all real men are :o). They are pretty much clones of the brothers in the Chesapeake Bay series and the three brothers in the Boonsboro trilogy - different occupations, same types. Roberts is great at male repartee - the sweet, funny banter all of the brothers share is fun to read - I know show more nobody like that, but still it's fun to imagine that there are relationships like that. My other favorite writer of that type of sarcastic banter, albeit in her case male/female, is Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and I have read all of her books too. So, if you like fun, sappy romance, you'll love this series. In this last one, the ghosts got a little silly - I think Roberts usually does a little better with her ghosts, but they didn't detract enough to make me not enjoy the last book as much as the other three. Now, if I could just convince Nora Roberts to write another sweet brother series like this one, I'd be in romance heaven. show less

Good not great. Fairly typical contemporary romance.

Farm boy Shane, meets his match in Genius Rebecca. She holds multiple degrees, including several doctorates, and comes to Antietum to study the "ghosts" from the Civil war. She is a friend of one of the MacCade wives, but has totally changed her looks. Instead of a female nerd, she is a sleek, foxy, somewhat headstrong woman. When she falls in love with Shane, she finds it dificult to reconcile herself to leaving because she would like to take her carefully planned affair to the married level, but daren't say a thing to "ladies man" Shane, not knowing Shane has been totally hooked and has no idea how to get from an affair to a marraige proposal. After some adventuresome paranormal events, they both find they're hooked. They marry, and LHEA.

I liked this story where playboy meets genius but it was kind of slow going especially the paranormal parts. I did enjoy this series about the MacKade brothers. Farm boy Shane pick ups Dr. Rebecca from the airport and their attraction begins.

I loved Shane, and fight he put up.