The Return of Rafe MacKade & The Heart of Devin MacKade by Nora Roberts - A Review (-ish)

So, I ended up reading two of the four MacKade brother books by Nora Roberts yesterday. I've read the series before, but it's been years, and I felt like this would be a great chance to revisit one of my favorite author's contemporary series books.

In The Return of Rafe MacKade, the second of the four MacKade brothers, hellions and bad boys all, has come back to town, ten years after the death of his mother and his subsequent abrupt departure from town. In true romance novel fashion, Rafe is now a self-made man, having made money buying and fixing up houses. Rafe has just bought the Barlow place in the idyllic little town where he grew up. The place is reputed to be haunted, but Rafe sees a wonderful B&B in his mind's eye when he buys it. He decides to hire the proprietor of the new antiques store, Regan Bishop to furnish the house once it's renovated. Rafe and Regan strike sparks off of each other from the beginning. She's fiesty and independent, and he's all bad boy. He's very sure of his charm, and while he makes her weak in the knees, she's bound and determined not to fall for this rakish, incredibly confident man.

I picked up this book because it was mentioned over at the Smart Bitches as having a good grovel in it. Well, I must have missed that part, because while the hero definitely gets his panties in a bunch about something that I consider to be trivial, he never apologizes for it that I could see. But it was still a highly entertaining read. First, Nora's deftness with man-speak is on full display, as the MacKade brothers offer a lovely array of hero types. All relatively alpha (so Miss Kati is happy), but also different types. I enjoyed the sparks from the hero and heroine, and the heroine makes what I would call the BRG (big romantic gesture) toward the end of the book, which the hero reciprocates unexpectedly. The book also introduces an interesting secondary storyline about a battered woman named Cassie Dolin who is the reason why I read the second MacKade book. For a fun and entertaining taste of some of Nora Roberts best strengths as an author, The Return of Rafe MacKade is a great recommendation. Final grade: B


I picked up The Heart of Devin MacKade because I was interested to see his heroine, Cassie Dolin, who is introduced in the first book as a victim of domestic violence, get her HEA. Cassie married Joe Dolin young and stupidly. Joe is pretty much a good for nothing, who drinks too much, gets fired from even the most menial of jobs, and knocks his wife around for anything and everything. In the first MacKade book, The Return of Rafe MacKade, Cassie finally presses charges against Joe for battery and begins divorce precedings. In The Heart of Devin MacKade, it's a year later. Cassie is now the operator of Barlow House, the B&B that Rafe was renovating. She lives there with her two small children, Connor and Emma. She's been adored by all of the MacKade brothers all of her life. But Devin MacKade, the town sherriff has had a special place in his heart for her forever. But Devin doesn't want to make any moves that will scare Cassie. She's been victimized and treated horribly, and she's just getting her life together. But he's so in love with her he can't see straight, and she doesn't even know it. One day, after Devin does Cassie a favor, she reaches up and kisses him. Just a quick kiss, like one she'd give any of his brothers for helping her. But that kiss turns into something more, and now Cassie is seeing Devin in a new way, a romantic way. Is she ready to spread her wings and give love another chance?

Oh man do I love this book! First, Devin just about my favorite hero type - the caregiver. He's strong and tough and patient as all get out. He's willing to wait and pine rather than rush this sweet damaged woman he adores into something that would scare her. So steadfastly, he visits, he helps her, he loves her children (and they love him) and soon, one impulsive kiss has her looking at him in a different way. Devin is just about all charm. He's thoughtful and kind, but has an impressive temper. His needs and wants battle constantly with his wish to do the right thing. And while his concious prevails, it's finally Cassie who pushes him to make a move. There's little I love more than romances where one character has been in love with another forever. And this story is so poignant and lovely. Nora doesn't rush Cassie into bouncing back immediately from the domestic violence she's experienced. She makes her grow slowly and tentatively. And watching her realize how lucky she is to have Devin is just a lovely, lovely way to spend an afternoon. Final grade: A

Reading order:
Book 1 - The Return of Rafe MacKade
Book 2 - The Pride of Jared MacKade
Book 3 - The Heart of Devin MacKade
Book 4 - The Fall of Shane MacKade