Jewels of the Sun by Nora Roberts (1999)

Jewels of the Sun is the first of a trilogy that takes place in a small village in Ireland. It focuses on the romantic lives of the Gallagher siblings, who one by one find their soulmates. Although this novel beautifully captures Irish culture for American audiences, it was a little slower than the other two, Tears of the Moon and Heart of the Sea. Good things came so easily to Jude, one might actually think all she needs to do is move to Ireland the next time she goes through a bad patch. Despite managing to hold attention, most of the plotline is spent waiting for the protagonist to face a provocative challenge.

Jude Francis Murray was a psychology instructor at a Chicago university when she suddenly quit during the middle of a semester. Her husband of eight months had met someone else and asked for a divorce. She maintained composure throughout the dissolution of her marriage and carried on the routine of her career until she was on the brink of a nervous breakdown. The old adage "a change is as good as a rest" must have been stuck in her head when she acted on the impulse to visit the country her grandmother constantly talked about as Jude was growing up. The story opens with Jude sitting in her rental car shortly after she arrives.

At a loss over what she is doing in Ireland, her anxiety grows without the security of a planned schedule. She eventually finds Fairie Hill Cottage in Ardmore, County Waterford, where she plans to stay for the following six months. Brenna O'Toole, Ardmore's helpful handywoman, happens to be there to greet Jude, shows her around the little house and builds a peat fire for warmth. Having taken an interest in the local folklore, Jude begins a paper on the subject. She soon wanders into nearby Gallagher's Pub, where she meets Aiden Gallagher, proprietor of the family business, who promptly takes a fancy to her. Having a large repertoire of the local oral folklore, he volunteers to help her with her project.

Aiden is an intriguing character in his own right. He is the eldest of three children, whose parents moved to Boston, Massachusetts, a few years before. After spending a few years of his youth traveling the world, he came back home to settle down and eventually took over the business when their parents ran away to open another pub. When he's behind the bar, his brother, Shawn, handles the kitchen while his sister, Darcy, manages the dining room. Everyone in the family is musically inclined and many have enjoyed their talents. Despite the fact that this trilogy revolves around the Gallagher kids finding their spouses, this storyline puts more emphasis on Jude's character growth.

Jude's life has been submerged in academic aristocracy. At the age of 29, she has never had girlfriends who talked about sex or boyfriends. ...In this day and age? What's up with that? Be that as it may, this story concentrates more on how she shucks the shroud of the stuffed shirt that was wrapped around her and learns to take control of her life. Jude spends the first half of this 1999 book wandering around in a daze without any particular goal. In many respects, it seems the antecedent action in Chicago would be more compelling to follow.

What makes up for a lead character not facing an obstacle is how well Author Nora Roberts renders Irish culture. She does an exceptional job of building the atmosphere of this story, at least for an American audience. Ireland is a land of enchantment and folklore. Legends of ghosts and faeries are incorporated into the storyline and add to the milieu. The dialogue and depiction of provincial life is persuasive. As expected, the pub is the heart of this community. The only criticism is how easily Jude accepts the mystic elements when they approach her. After listening to her grandmother's stories of the old country, no one expects her to be skeptical, yet wouldn't she at least be a little surprised? She's more taken back by Aiden's reaction when she rebuffs his initial advances (which is a hoot). Aiden, by the way, comes off convincingly as an Irishman. He loves his pub and a good brawl.

Even though Jewels of the Sun may be the weakest of this trilogy, it has a good sense of humor. If it manages to hold a reader's interest, then that's something. This novel is a must for anyone who likes romance and Irish culture. It's highly recommended for St. Patrick's Day reading.