Catherine and Amanda
The Calhoun Women

Nora Roberts

The Calhoun women are four sisters and their aunt who live in the old family home in Maine. It had been built in the early 1900's by their great-grandfather. His wife had committed suicide and he went crazy. Now the home is falling apart. There is a family legend that their ancestor had bought a fabulous emerald necklace for his wife. The necklace had disappeared and could still be hidden in the house but no one has found it. If the sisters could find that necklace they could save their home. Suzanna is divorced with two children ignored by their father. Lilah is the sister who is a bit flighty and follows a natural lifestyle. Amanda is the practical, organized sister. C.C. is the youngest and owns her own auto repair shop. Their Aunt CoCo has cared for them since their parents died in a car crash years earlier. A ghost haunts the house as well. This book contains the first two stories for C.C. (Catherine) and Amanda.

In Courting Catherine, Trenton St. James drives up to Bar Harbor on the recommendation of his father. The St. James family owns a chain of exclusive hotels. His father saw the Calhoun while yachting in the bay. He suggested to Trent that is would be a great property for the hotel chain. As he drives into town he has car problems. He takes the car into the local Bar Harbor garage to have it fixed. C.C. sizes up Trent from his fancy shoes and his meticulous suit that cry of money. She knows he is in town to buy their family home. She instantly is antagonized. So is he by her sharp tongue and her off putting attitude. She knows they cannot maintain the repairs on their home and need to let it go. He knows it would make a great hotel. They both know they are fighting an attraction for each other.

In A Man for Amanda, Amanda has her life mapped out for the next few years. She is the assistant manager at one of the high end Bar Harbor hotels. In a year or so she will take on one of the new St. James' retreats as manager. She is determined to do well. When Sloan O'Riley comes to Bar Harbor at Trent's request, he immediately rubs her the wrong way. He is easy going and laid back. He may not appear to be working, but he is. He bothers her and disrupts her life. Since he is having the same problem with her, they are bound to get together and ignite. Will she allow him to change her future plans?

Throughout both stories the reader also gets to read snippets from their great-grandmother Bianca's diary. Bianca had married Fergus Calhoun out of duty, not love. They had three children. Each summer was spent in Bar Harbor. She was content in her life. Then one summer an artist shows up. She is immediately pulled to Christian and falls in love. The diary chronicles her thoughts and feelings as she contrasts her life against her love. The story is not finished yet. There will be more in the last two Calhoun sisters books.

Nora Roberts was finding her stride when she wrote the Calhoun Women novels. Although these are books written for the Silhouette publishers, they feel like her books that she started releasing after the Silhouette tenure. The ongoing story line of the family home and Bianca's story is captivating. The romances are satisfying and warm. The women are strong and opinionated. The men are good foils for them - also strong but able to work with strong women.

These books have more depth than I was expecting. They're interesting in story line, character, and surroundings. If you've missed these earlier novels by Nora Roberts, look for them at your used book story or local library.

Notice: 

Courting Catherine
A Man for Amanda
For the Love of Lilah
Suzanna's Surrender

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