4 out of 4 stars
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Niamh, by Gary Hope, is classified as other fiction. This novel will give your heart an emotional workout. Passion and drama come together to elicit laughter and tears.
Paul Alfred wanted to forget his past life in North Carolina. He escaped to Europe, where he settled in Ireland. Paul changed his name to Mark McCarty. He began to explore his new country. One outing put him in contact with a beautiful Irish woman. Niamh made Mark’s heart sing. He fell head over heels in love with her. As suddenly as Mark and Niamh met, circumstances separated them. Mark then initiated a desperate search for Niamh, who name means, "the girl from the sea".
Mark refuses to admit defeat in his efforts to locate Niamh. She persistently eludes all his efforts to locate her. Other women begin to pursue Mark. Niamh, too, abandons all hope of finding Mark. She establishes a romantic relationship with a man from her hometown. Meanwhile, several other secondary characters find love. Mark’s boss, Ailin, emigrates to North Carolina where he meets Gabriella. An online romance provides fodder for town gossip. Will these relationships continue or will hearts be broken?
The setting is a small town where everyone meddles in everyone else’s business. This elicits tense and humorous situations. The dialogues between the citizens seem like a family conversation. The author pulls you into the daily routine of this small town. Readers become emotionally involved in all the romantic drama.
This is a well-written and well-developed story. The author does a superb job of designing situations that make you gasp, cry, cheer, and laugh. Well-developed secondary characters add intrigue to the story. An omniscient third-person point of view embeds the reader inside the various relationships.
The vivid descriptions of the various historical sites strengthen the appeal of the setting. Gary Hope builds a romantic wonderland with captivating descriptions of Ireland. Mark travels around the country and introduces the reader to various landmarks. Historical locations, including Croagh Patrick, the Rock of Cashel, and Ashford Castle impress and intrigue. The author interjects leprechauns and castles, mountains and seashores to create an enchanted ambiance.
I am happy to award this book 4 out of 4 stars. Minimal grammar errors heighten the enjoyment of this novel. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance novels. This novel also expands the reader’s knowledge of Ireland. Gary Hope incorporates substantial cultural and historical information in this novel. I enjoyed researching several of the sites mentioned in the story.
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Niamh
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