#1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods brings readers two classic tales of the Devaneys…brothers torn apart in childhood, reunited by love
Ryan's Place
Abandoned by his parents and separated from his brothers, Ryan Devaney doesn't believe in love. Until Maggie O'Brien storms into his Irish pub and her bright smile and tender touch have him reconsidering. The beautiful redhead warms his frozen spirit and awakens forgotten dreams—like the desire to search for his long-lost brothers. Will he dare to believe there's a place for them in happily-ever-after?
Sean's Reckoning
Son of a shattered family, fireman Sean Devaney knows love never lasts, so he refuses to chance it. Then he meets single mom Deanna Blackwell, who has just lost everything in a devastating fire. Despite the warning in Sean's head, he's drawn to protect the stunning woman and her son. Sean may be tough enough to storm burning buildings…but is he brave enough to risk building a family of his own?
With two other careers to her credit before becoming a novelist and four states in which she's lived for extended periods of time, Sherryl Woods has collected friends and memories, along with way too much unnecessary junk.
"The friends are the only things I've brought with me through the years that really matter," she says. "I could probably live without one more chintz teacup, another tin-litho sandpail or another snowglobe, but I need those friends."
The theme of enduring friendships and families is always central to Sherryl's books, including her latest Chesapeake Shores series — THE INN AT EAGLE POINT, FLOWERS ON MAIN and HARBOR LIGHTS.
Author of more than 100 romance and mystery novels, Sherryl Woods grew up in Virginia. Over the years she had lived in Ohio and Florida, as well as California. Currently she divides her time between Key Biscayne, Florida and Colonial Beach, Virginia, the small, river-front town where she spent her childhood summers.
A graduate of Ohio State University School of Journalism, Sherryl spent more than ten years as a journalist, most of them as a television critic for newspapers in Ohio and Florida. For several years she also coordinated a motivational program for the more than 8,000 employees at the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Medical Center.
Her first book, RESTORING LOVE, was published in 1982 by Dell Candlelight Ecstasy under the pseudonym of Suzanne Sherrill. Her second book, SAND CASTLES, under the pseudonym of Alexandra Kirk, was published later that same year by Bantam. She began using her own name when she moved to the Second Chance at Love line at Berkley Publishing. In 1986, she began writing full-time and also began her long career at Silhouette Books with the Desire title NOT AT EIGHT, DARLING, set in the world of television which she covered for so many years.
In addition to her more than 75 romances for Silhouette Desire and Special Edition, she has written thirteen mysteries — nine in the Amanda Roberts series and four in the Molly DeWitt series.
When she's not writing or reading, Sherryl loves to garden, though she's not at her best on a riding lawn mower. She also loves tennis, theater, and ballet, even though her top spin has long since vanished, she's never set foot on a stage, and she's way too uncoordinated to dance. She also loves baseball and claims anyone who's ever seen Kevin Costner in "Bull Durham" can understand why.
I read a book by this author a long time ago. this was a nice set f books to get reacqainted with her writing. I look forward to reading about the other brothers.
I loved loved loved Ryan and Sean's stories! I enjoyed the bantering back and forth in Ryan's place between Ryan and Maggie. I loved how even though Ryan was still very heartbroken and scared she kept pushing and tugging at him until he realized he was not really living. I felt so terrible for him being abandoned as a child by his parents and separated from his brothers. J was so happy he took the step to start looking for them and found Sean. In Sean's story, I was able to see that there was still that awkwardness for him with Ryan. It felt like a more true depiction if it were to happen in real life. I cannot wait to finish reading this series and to see what happened with Michael and the twins and to find out why their parents left them. Such a great story that had me hooked from the first page.
Sadly disappointing- couldn’t even finish book! I found both main characters (especially Maggie) annoying. I’ve enjoyed Sherryl woods’ other books -Chesapeake shores (nice quick, light reads), but this one was not enjoyable and found myself disliking the characters the more I read 😕 oh well!
What better day to start reading romance novels than Valentine's Day? And what better novels to read than a few from a series that captured a reader's attention despite a strong aversion to most romance writing. The Devaney brothers have a terrible past. When the oldest of them was only nine, the boys' parents took the youngest two, twins, and abandoned the other three. No explanations, no warning. The older boys just come home from school one day to an empty apartment. That day and the breakup of the three brothers that follows has shaped every decision of their lives ever since. They're all convinced that love is impossible, family is an illusion not to be courted or trusted, and some things are just unforgivable. Of course, this is just the perfect setup for a string of romance novels. Enter a few beautiful women with their own intriguing past stories and dynamic characters, and watch the pages fly by! Ryan and Sean, the eldest brothers, have each forged somewhat successful lives for themselves in Boston. They do their jobs, have few friends, and keep the past buried as deeply as possible. It won't spoil a thing to say that, by the end of these two books, both their worlds have been turned upside down by women who refuse to give up or walk out on the men, even when those men throw down ultimatums and give the ladies every reason why giving up or walking out would be best for everyone. Women in romance novels are often portrayed as "good listeners." Thank goodness the women in these novels don't fit that mold too literally.
This series is about five brothers who grew up in foster homes they were separated when they were quite young. It is interesting reading a series with male leads instead of female leads. Ryan's place is Ryan the oldest he was only 8 when put in foster care, in comes a fiery redhead Maggie who opens his heart and encourages Ryan to seek out his family and he does find Sean. Sean's reckoning, Sean is a firefighter and meets DeAnna through her son after their apartment burns down. Deanna is a single mom whose first husband left them, she has not seen her family and they know nothing about her son. They both work through unresolved issues with family. I really like this series Sherryl Woods never disappoints
two good stories but i remain confused at how their appears to be 2 nell obriens. One the widowed matriarch who marries her old flame and is mother to 3 men especially Mick obrien and the other happily married and living in boston?
Two great stories about two brothers finding love and each other. Now I am curious about the third brother and about the reason why the parents left them and took of with the younger twins.
I enjoyed both stories, although I liked Ryan and Maggie's story more. Having read some of her Chesapeake Shores series, I was surprised by the overlap of names, particular Nell O'Brien.
I usually breeze through books. I picked this up thinking it would be a fun beach read. This book took me forever to get through and did not hold my interest at all.
Finished the second in this series of brothers who found each other after years of separation and how that reunion has lead to healing for each of them as they begin their own families.
I had the unfortunate experience of reading the last of the Devaney Brothers: Daniel. It was a good story so I decided that I need to read the first two books as well to comprehend the logic of abandonment and neglect theory. After all, that’s how these five brothers got separated in the first place.
The Devaney Brothers: Ryan and Sean is the first book in the series about five brothers separated from one another at a young age when their parents ‘disappeared’ from their apartment one day and abandoned the oldest three children, taking only with them their two-year-old twin brothers. Moving on from one foster parent to another, it is a story of how the first two brothers struggled to find their identity, shutting off their hearts to find true love as they grew up, blaming themselves for being ‘bad’ as a kid as they thought that was the reason why their parents left them, and how they found each other and determined to find their third brother.
As the brothers grew, Ryan, the oldest of the boys lives a somewhat solitary life running his Irish pub in Boston while Sean was a fireman. Unbeknownst to both of them, they were living just a few miles away from each other. The women in their lives helped them find each other and learned to healed their wounds and accept one another as brothers.
There are two stories in the book. I liked the story about Ryan and Maggie and found myself drawn to their characters, their romantic and funny moments. I connected to them quickly. Unfortunately, not so much with Sean and Deanna’s story; I had a hard time grasping with their love story. Like the characters didn’t really connect; like something was missing from their relationship. Don’t get me wrong. They had great stories to tell, but I fell asleep a few times when I was reading their story. Unlike with Maggie and Ryan: I even brought the book with me to work and every chance I got, I secretly glanced at a few pages as I can’t wait to read the next chapter.
Because of Ryan and Maggie, I truly enjoyed reading this book. Two thumbs up!
This is a reprint and combined two stories. This is Ryan and Sean's story. When Ryan was only 8 they came home for school to empty apartment. Their parents took their twin brothers and left them. They don't know why they were left. Then different foster families. They all have issues of trust in family and love.
Ryan felt guilty that he could not save his brothers from being separated. Ryan is a very giving person. Ryan owns a Irish Pub in Boston.
Maggie O'Brien comes in the pub Thanksgiving Eve. She needs help getting home with a car full of food. Maggie finds herself attracted to Ryan. She decides to find out where it could go. She decides to chase Ryan.
Maggie helps Ryan to search for his family.I really liked the characters. I wonder why there parents abandoned them. Too bad the kids have scars and lack of trust and love.
Sean's story
He is a firefighter. He never plans of falling in love and having a family. While watching for hot spots of apartment building that had just burned up. He catches a little boy climbing into the fire truck. Sean goes and get him.
Deanna Blackwell little boy got away from Ruby his baby sitter. Deanna Blackwell just lost everything she had except for her son. Her ex-husband left her before the baby was born. She is working two jobs to take care of herself and son.
Because of their past neither trust anyone. They are afraid of the future.
Their are a lot of drama, lack of trust and love. Their are plenty of humor scenes, and some sex scenes.
The story is good and draws you into their lives and
I have now met two of the Devaney brothers and am looking forward to meeting the other brothers. This is a wonderful, sweet book that looks at families in two different ways. The boys were separated when their parents took the twins and left town. Ryan, Sean and Michael were split up and they all feel like they let each other down. They were only children but Ryan felt, as the oldest, it was his job to protect his brothers. Now, as an adult, he shy's away from relationship that might have a future because he does not believe in long term or love until he met Maggie. Sean was a fireman who rescued Deanna and her son from a fire but he soon learned that she was the one that rescued him. Just like Ryan, Sean felt he was not capable of long term or love nor did he want to try. These two stores make you realize how children are affected by the actions of their parents. Good stories.
I liked this one, liked that 2 old books have been re-issued into one book. I hated to hear the back story of what happened to Ryan and Sean. I could see why in Ryan's book there wasn't much of the other brother, the stage needed to be set. However when I got to Sean's book I wanted more of the brothers, more of them learning to like and even love each other again, to see them rebuilding their relationship. Instead there was a mention, then one scene, definitely not enough.
I did like how both women helped Ryan and Sean deal with their past and the abandonment issues they didn't realize they had. I hope that we get more of the brothers interacting in the next week.
Ryan's Place: Ryan is a absolute self centered, procrastinator and jerk. Maggie is pushy, nose in other peoples business and faces, a pain in the butt and there's more I could add. I really didn't enjoy this books as much as I liked other books written by Sherryl Woods. I found it rather boring and tedious.
Sean's Reconing: Sean had more heart and was much better person all around. Not as many hang ups as his brother, Ryan. Deanna was a nice person too even though she had a bad experiences with her first husband. This book I found rather more interesting would like to have more plot. But I'm not the writer.
I know that I should not read the same authors and expect different results, but for some reason I am holding out hope. I like the premise of the whole series -- finding out what happened to the Devaney's and why they were abandoned as children. I just have a hard time buying the fact that because they were abandoned at a young age, NONE of them believe in love. AND despite this they seem to fall in love and get married really quickly. I keep expecting the next book in the series to be better, and maybe I'll be right.
I think we all wonder what we would do if an unexpected family member turned up. In these two stories, two brothers find each other after adulthood. Sherryl keeps us captivated as they meet each other, their love interests, and solve their issues. Can't wait to read the next book about two more brothers.
Another Sherryl Woods hit, as usual she never disappoints. Ryan and Sean both having been abandoned by their parents when they young need to learn that it is possible to love and be loved. Maggie and Deanna are there to help them discover this.
Totally enjoyed Ryan and Sean's stories and am now looking forward to the Devaney Brothers: Michael and Patrick. I love Sherryl Woods books....they are so good you just can't put it down until you are finished with it. And then you don't want it to end.....
I loved reading about the Devaney Brothers. Sheryl writes wonderful books with characters you fall in love with from the 1st page. I will be reading Michael's story, can't wait to start it.
I like Sherryl Woods book. The are all about families. This one involves two brothers and their struggle with their past as they were abandoned by their parents at an early. The books show the effects of what happens in early childhood effect our adult lives.
The book was as awesome as her other books. This book isn't just lust and romance, but she wrote the true meaning of family. How the bound of a family can affect us and the rest of lives. There are many other lessons to learn from this book and the rest of her tremendously written novels.
Two great stories about men who are brothers, separated as children from each other and their parents. They found each other an women who understood their fears and loved them. Worth reading.
Review of the audio version. Maggie OBrien. Flat tire in the cold. Needs help. Ryan. Pub owner. Grouchy, tough guy on the outside, soft touch on the inside. Theirs is a sweet story. Terrific narration.
Great book. fast read. love how the two books are connected with some of the same characters. This allows the reader to get closer to the characters. the characters are very believable and the circumstances are very relatable especially in the 2nd story Sean's Reckoning. Highly recommend.