Raven of the Sea (The O'Brien Tales #1) by Stacey Reynolds

 

Summary (from the publisher): Against the backdrop of windswept, coastal Ireland, two people are brought together under unlikely circumstances, one scarred by tragedy, the other by betrayal.

Branna O’Mara never expected to be orphaned at the age of twenty-three. When she lost her father, Major Brian O’Mara, USMC in the Second Battle of Fallujah, she thought she’d taken the worst life had to give. She never imagined she would lose her mother to cancer, six years later. The life of a military child prepared her for the challenges of relocating, but for the first time, she’d be doing it alone. Where do you go when you’re the last man standing? The solution came to her when she received an email with a real estate listing in County Clare, Ireland. Having inherited her parents’ rental properties, she knew the value of a diamond in the rough. A secluded cottage in the land of her ancestors was just the fresh start she needed. What she wasn’t prepared for was another buyer, after the deal had been struck. As she becomes intertwined with the people, the music, and the spirit of the small town, she understands that she’s finally found somewhere to belong. Michael O’Brien and the entire O’Brien clan are a force to be reckoned with, but she will not allow them to take her new home.

Michael O’Brien is a local hero and rescue swimmer for the Irish Coast Guard. He has lived in the small coastal village of Doolin, in County Clare, all of his life. Emerging from the ashes of a failed marriage, and living with his parents, is not where he expected to be at the age of twenty-nine. All he really wants is to buy the local Kelly cottage, fix it up, and live in peace. After two years on the market, he never imagined there would be a competing bidder. He certainly didn’t expect some little yank to swoop into town and try to buy it right out from under him. He finds himself drawn into an unlikely battle with a fiery, young American woman, neither of them willing to bend. But as her secrets unravel and the woman is revealed, will he be able to push her out of the cottage, the town, and out of his life?

Review: Branna O'Mara has lost her mother to cancer at the age of 23, leaving her totally alone in the world, having previously lost her father in the line of duty. She decides to move to County Clare, Ireland for a fresh start but her plans are thwarted when another buyer for the cottage she has located appears. Her rival for the cottage is Michael O'Brien, rescue swimmer for the Irish Guards and a local to the area with a large, loving family. 

This romance was absolutely littered with tropes of the genre. Branna is an absolutely perfect woman whose only flaw is that she is terrible at remembering to stay hydrated. And Michael is a hot, strong man who is exceedingly good at reminding her to drink water. They were just too good to be true and the set-up a bit too unbelievable, but it certainly made for a good story. 

But in spite of how cliched so much of the story was and at times ridiculous, I was still riveted by the tale. Branna and Michael had a sweet love story, albeit one with some silly turns of events. I did like how Reynolds really brought Michael's family into the story. Branna yearns to belong and be part of a family, so it was sweet to see how welcoming the O'Brien family is to her and to see the book focusing on a larger picture than just the romance. 

Stars: 3