Darlin' Irish

Texas Devlins, Jessie's Story

Romance - Historical
322 Pages
Reviewed on 07/08/2013
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Author Biography

Lyn Horner resides in Texas with her husband and several very spoiled cats. Trained in the visual arts, Horner worked as a fashion illustrator and art instructor. After quitting work to raise her children, she took up writing as a creative outlet. This hobby grew into a love of historical research and the crafting of passionate romances based on that research.
The author says,

    Book Review

Reviewed by Kathryn Bennett for Readers' Favorite

Darlin' Irish (Texas Devlins, Book I) by Lyn Horner takes us back to the American west in 1872. This is the story of Jessie Devlin, a Daughter of Irish parents and one who survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. She comes from a long line of Druids and has been gifted with second sight. Plagued by nightmares where she nearly burns to death but is saved by a mysterious man, she is convinced by a vision that he is real and she must find him by “looking west.” The problem with quests like this is they can be troublesome. You can find love or death or anything in between. Captain David Taylor is a Texas man who sided with the North in the Civil War, drawing his father’s wrath because of that. He now serves in the frontier Army. While he is on a trip back to his Wyoming post, he meets Jessie, finding her beautiful, but he does not much like her temper.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction and historical romances rank high up on the list. The one issue I have with most of those I end up reading is that the historical part is just a guess and not much research has been done. That is not the case with Lyn Horner. You can tell she has done her research, and she applies such a steady but subtle hand in using it. The story itself is also written so well that you do not feel overwhelmed by any of the actions the characters take. They are subtle, well planned and seem to be what would happen in real life. Instead of some of the over the top things you can find in other historical romances. I have a deep love for all things Irish and all things historical. This book wedged them together in a perfect way. I would recommend this to others and look forward to reading more by Lyn Horner.

Maria Beltran

A psychic in the American old West is the focus of this interesting novel, the first book of Lyn Horner’s trilogy. A tale of an epic adventure, the book introduces us to two different lives – one is the extraordinary life of Jessie Devlin who inherited a gift of second sight from her Irish Druid ancestors, and the other is the mysterious life of Captain David Taylor who was banished from Texas after fighting in the War Between the States. The two souls are attracted to one another but a shattering battle between good and evil is as imminent as their fateful meeting. Violence gets in their way. Will they end up happily ever after? Or will love fail and they will be gone forever?

A romance-historical novel, "Darlin’ Irish" is undoubtedly a fascinating adult romance story that is worthy of five stars. This novel truly exemplifies the meaning of fantasy. The paranormal element works successfully. It easily becomes the controlling metaphor of the story. Yes, it is more than a romance novel that deals with sexually explicit scenes, some rough language and violent fight scenes. You will get to realize that the characters are very realistic and find yourself relating to their lives although they are far removed from your own. It is how the author relates the experience of these two heroes that look at life with a straight face. The writing is so addicting that you will never want to be disturbed. The conflict of the characters’ relationship can be appalling to the traditional and conservative readers but it is worth it. Real tension in a novel has never been this exciting!

Lit Amri

Jessie Devlin travels to the west with her brother Tye, who is chasing the latest silver rush in far off Utah Territory. Jessie, however, is searching for the man who keeps rescuing her in her nightmares, and she is well aware that danger also awaits her in the west. Captain David Taylor met the young Irish woman at the train depot in Omaha, and both are quickly put off by each other due to a small incident. Will these two be able to co-exist whilst traveling westward, or even brave enough to act upon their strong feelings for each other?

All I could think of after I finished the book was that it should be made into a movie. "Darlin’ Irish: Texas Devlins" was my first western story and I really enjoyed it. I fell in love with the spirited Jessie Devlin; I found her character refreshing and Captain David Taylor was as charming as they come. The only thing that frustrated me was the characters’ constant bickering every time they met during their travel. I was expecting a little less confrontation between these two. Nevertheless, Lyn Horner is undeniably a great writer; her writing style was amazing and effortless, resulting in a well-written tale. I was able to immerse myself in the story and it was an enjoyable western adventure. Any readers yet to try their hands on western genre must find this book perfect. I will definitely continue to read the author’s other works.