Official Review: Niamh by Gary Hope

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 20 Nov 2018, 22:19

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Niamh" by Gary Hope.]

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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Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 22 Nov 2018, 08:51

Romance is not my taste. But I enjoyed your review. Thank you

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 22 Nov 2018, 09:42

Sushan wrote: ↑22 Nov 2018, 08:51 Romance is not my taste. But I enjoyed your review. Thank you

Thanks for reading.

Book Lover 35 · Post by **Book Lover 35** » 23 Nov 2018, 01:55

I've never been to Ireland, but my dad has. He loves it. I would definitely like to hear more about Ireland. This sounds like a great romance. I hope the two do find each other again. Thank you for the review!

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 23 Nov 2018, 07:29

Book Lover 35 wrote: ↑23 Nov 2018, 01:55 I've never been to Ireland, but my dad has. He loves it. I would definitely like to hear more about Ireland. This sounds like a great romance. I hope the two do find each other again. Thank you for the review!

This author includes many exquisite descriptions of the countryside. It made an appropriate setting for the story. Hope you will have a chance to read it. Thanks for reading.

Kristy Khem · Post by **Kristy Khem** » 23 Nov 2018, 22:32

This mystical, Irish romance sounds like a book I would love to read! Your review sealed the deal, I'll be getting this one for sure

inaramid · Post by **inaramid** » 25 Nov 2018, 02:45

I love this line from your opening paragraph: "This novel will give your heart an emotional workout." The setting and the characters seem to make this a worthwhile read. Thanks for this review!

gen_g · Post by **gen_g** » 25 Nov 2018, 03:19

This sounds like a beautiful read. I do enjoy romance novels, so I will put this on my to-read list. Thanks for the review!

Post by **kandscreeley** » 25 Nov 2018, 11:45

I'm not normally into romance but the small town setting in Ireland makes this intriguing. I'd be curious to see if it's clean. Thanks for the review.

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 26 Nov 2018, 20:54

KristyKhem wrote: ↑23 Nov 2018, 22:32 This mystical, Irish romance sounds like a book I would love to read! Your review sealed the deal, I'll be getting this one for sure

Hope you like it. It touched my heart from the very beginning.

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 26 Nov 2018, 20:58

inaramid wrote: ↑25 Nov 2018, 02:45 I love this line from your opening paragraph: "This novel will give your heart an emotional workout." The setting and the characters seem to make this a worthwhile read. Thanks for this review!

I laughed and cried with this story. Forget the gym! I'll just read the rest of this author's works!

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 26 Nov 2018, 20:58

gen_g wrote: ↑25 Nov 2018, 03:19 This sounds like a beautiful read. I do enjoy romance novels, so I will put this on my to-read list. Thanks for the review!

Hope you enjoy it. Thanks for reading.

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 26 Nov 2018, 21:10

kandscreeley wrote: ↑25 Nov 2018, 11:45 I'm not normally into romance but the small town setting in Ireland makes this intriguing. I'd be curious to see if it's clean. Thanks for the review.

It is clean. That made it more enjoyable. The story concentrates on the emotional bonds and relationships. Hope you have a chance to check it out.