The Boldest Man in Ballymuir by Dorien Kelly

The Second of Three Books in this Romance Series. Written in 2012 by Dorien Kelly.

Another book in the Ballymuir Series successfully completed! Even though I read the first of the three books, I would not think that you would have to read the books in order to understand what is happening in this particular series. If you would like a quick recap simply scroll down to my blog entry called The Last Bride in Ballymuir.

So, book two, The Boldest Man in Ballymuir, is mainly focused on a woman named Jenna who owns a beautiful building called the Muir House. She is an American living in Ireland and exposing its citizens to fine dining at her restaurant that now doubles as a place to stay the night. Jenna is finding success in her building until a man named Dev comes into town to try to buy her property to create a new location for a resort.

This would not be a problem for Jenna if she actually owned the building. The fact of the matter is that she never could obtain ownership because the owner was an odd woman. All that Jenna had to her name was a lease that could lead to the ultimate downfall of Muir House.

The second problem in the situation was the connection between Dev and Jenna. From the start, each of them felt a connection and yearning for the other; everyone in town could see it. Jenna tried to keep her guard up, knowing that her house and restaurant were at stake. All she could do now was try to claim ownership and keep positive.

Dev, on the other hand, had his own struggles. He has always been a bold man, never caring about other’s feelings and always closing the deal or getting the girl. Will he get either of these this time around?

Spoiler- The Boldest Man In Ballymuir by Dorien Kelly

The Second of Three Books in this Romance Series. Written in 2012 by Dorien Kelly.

*Note- This post continues the writing from the Book Summaries page. Please read for previous details.*

Two of my favorite plot twists from the book came from the first two house guests ever since the remodeling of the rooms for visitors. One was Jenna’s sister, Maureen, that was a rich, daddy’s girl, who found herself in a bit of trouble and ran to Jenna’s to hide. Maureen was dating a celebrity who seemed to be cheating on her one day. Maureen panicked in anger and threw fish at him in the middle of a crowded restaurant. With him being a celebrity, the paparazzi covered this and she was seen as a crazy girl making a scene.

The second guest was Dev’s mother. Dev casually mentioned his visit to Ballymuir to his mom on the phone, not including any business endeavors. His mom, having grown up in Ballymuir, missed the town and decided she needed some change in her life. So, she packed up and headed to Muir House to stay for a while to escape her uneventful life back home without informing Dev.

The two finally ran into each other one night when Dev just had some joyous, love-filled hours in Jenna’s room and he headed downstairs in Muir House to grab them a snack. His mother was there, looking at him with no socks, no shirt and a huge grin on his face from his love upstairs. If this wasn’t awkward enough, wait until you hear who his mother had been seeing.

A man is continually mentioned talking to Jenna, dining at the restaurant and finally talking to Dev’s mom. He is a father of three from Ballymuir- all of which are from different mothers. However, the man did not know that he actually was the father of four. Dev’s mother fled the country when she found out she was going to be an unwed mother. She met a man in Northern Ireland, fell in love and he accepted Dev as his own born child.

And if this isn’t enough drama for Muir House, how about we add a bit more. Maureen’s ex-boyfriend finally tracked her down and showed up on the steps one rainy afternoon. After a few days outside her window with serenades and begging, she finally seemed to forgive him once she realized he was there for love and love is what she needed. He apologized for the misunderstanding and that he in fact was not cheating on her. The two took things slowly by him traveling back to film while Maureen stayed put to make sure she wanted him in her life.

As time goes on, Dev continually comes and goes from work in London back to Ballymuir for pleasure. Suddenly, it is sprung upon him that Muir House is officially chosen for the resort destination and next week the board will investigate the area and begin groundbreaking.

When Jenna finds out, she felt betrayed and ashamed that she let Dev in for him to just trample all over her life and ruin everything. However, the two pushed through after some tear-felt nights and created a plan containing diversions to lead the board away from Ballymuir. By strategically placing directional signs in a never-ending loop to letting all the sheep loose on the streets making it unbearable to drive, the two successfully made the town seem impossible to live in. And what better way to celebrate than a wedding between Dev and Jenna.
What did you think of this book?
There is only one more left in the Ballymuir Series and then off to the next one. If you have any suggestions, feel free to contact me or comment below!