The MacKade Brothers: Devin and Shane

The MacKade Brothers #3-4

by Nora Roberts

The sinfully sexy MacKade brothers are back! New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts's reader favorites are once again breaking the hearts of women everywhere.

Sheriff Devin MacKade watched -- patiently, painfully -- as the woman he secretly cherished suffered through a less-than-perfect marriage. Now pretty Cassie Connor was free . . .but vulnerable. Devin knew he'd have to tread slowly, all the while wondering if The Heart of Devin MacKade could ever claim the woman he loved.

The youngest MacKade, Shane, was a man of the land, so the last woman he expected to catch his eye was a Ph.D.-toting academic. But Rebecca Knight had caught much more than that. One beautiful lady didn't mean The Fall of Shane MacKade from bachelorhood was a sure thing. But it was definitely a possibility . . .

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Chick Lit, Adult, Anthologies

443 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Nora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

Reviews

[Lovetoread · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVEEEEEE Nora Roberts books.. I enjoyed this series so much that i actually ordered Devin and Shane online.
FYI it was my FIRST book ever ordering online rather then buying at a thrift store.. but after RAFE and JARED's story i was dying to find out what happened to the other 2--- I WISH she would consider finishing the series with a book about the kids or something.. the love in that family is stuff dreams are made of...
Any book that lets you dream is amazing!!! -

Love to read

[Floriana Amoruso · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://labibliotecadellibraio.blogsp...
Ed eccoci agli ultimi due fratelli MacKade.
Il primo racconto vede come protagonista Devin MacKade, una personalità differente rispetto agli altri due, sceglie la via della giustizia diventando lo sceriffo della piccola cittadina di Antietam. Una cittadina tranquilla con un piccolo problema che tutti sanno ciò che succede e così quando la donna che lui ama da ben dodici anni, finalmente decide di denunciare il proprio marito, nuove prospettive si aprono e nuove speranze sussurrano nel cuore di Davin. Ma Cassie è una donna che ha sofferto molto, non conosce cos'è l'amore corrisposto, teme sempre di sbagliare e di subire le debite conseguenze, solo il tempo può lenire le ferite. Davin però non vuole aspettare ma con le dovute cautele le mostra un mondo tutto nuovo, dalla quale lei non deve fuggire. Riusciranno le paure a essere soppresse, riusciranno i loro cuori finalmente a congiungersi? La storia della piccola cittadina farà da sfondo e tra fantasmi che compaiono e scompaiono una nuova storia d'amore sta nascendo!
Shane MacKade si potrebbe dire che trasudi sesso da tutti i pori. E dopo queste belle parole potrei chiudere baracca e burattini e ritirarmi. Dunque il racconto, nonché ultimo della serie chiude un po' il cerchio, un cerchio che raccontato dal punto di vista della Roberts è espresso attraverso figure di uomini che con fattezze del genere non dovremmo dormire la notte. E Shane le ha tutte, un uomo che ama la vita dei campi, cura le terre affidategli per tacito accordo dai fratelli. Ma ciò che contraddistingue l'ultimo scapolo della famiglia MacKade, è la sua naturale predisposizione verso le donne, di tutti i tipi, il piacere reciproco per Shane è fondamentale. Così quando l'amore arriva...
Vi lascio in sospeso perché la storia è davvero molto bella e non va svelata!

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

First i liked that between the two books in the series, a considerable amount of time passed, because it allowed us to get a glimpse of the first couples in the futre. I love that already Rafe and Regan had a little boy, Nate, and Jared and Savannah had Layla. Layla sounds gorgeous, with dark hair and the MacKade green eyes! Throughout the first two stories, Devin was in the sidelines because the woman he had always lvoed, Cassie, had married another man. As was told in Rafe and Regan's story Cassies left him, divorced him and he went to jail. Time has passed and Devin and Cassie finally start to get together. I love how Devin has always been there, and that Cassie has been so oblivious because she's so insecure from her abusive marriage. I love how Cassie renews herself in this one, she's working at Rafe and Regan's inn with her kids, she's coming out her shell and her kids are having a normal childhood, and then she innocently kisses Devin, and he goes crazy. She realizes she may have feelings for Devin, who's always been there for her and the kids. Once they talk and start to form a relationship, Devin gets closer to Connor, and even though Connor is adamant on never having another father, he likes Devin, and little Emma already has Devin wrapped around her finger.I love how eve though their not his kids, he loves them like their his! Devin has always thought of Connor and Emma as somewhat his kids, and i love when Connor sasses Devin one day and when they come home fom school and Cassie is crying and he thinks Devin made her cry and he yells at him, and Connor expects Devin to hit him like his father used to, and then Devin praises him and makes him feel special, Connor starts to trust him. Later on, Cassie decides that she wants to go to bed with Devin, and she doesn't like sex because Joe raped her and never cared for her and loved her, so when she and Evin finally make love she realizes that she is beautiful, and not defective and that Devin is such a caring man. Their relationship moves along and when they say i love you they can't believe it and Devin already wants to marry her, but she doesn't want to because she doesn't believe in marriage based on her last one. It takes Joe almost killing them and Connor yelling at her for bringing a man into the house to hurt them again and Cassie breaking up with Devin, to make all them realize that they belong together and i love he she says yes with all four them together. I loved how Roberts connected the Barlow story with Devin and Cassie's because it followed the same guidelines, but it showed that happy endings can happen. I adored Emma she was adorable and so sweet with Devin, and i really loved how it showed that even if you've known pain and sorrow, like Cassie's marriage and Devin's waiting, there's light at the end of the tunnel. I love how Emma say she wants Devin and how he will be her daddy!!

Again i liked the pass in time, because Dev and Cassie had a little girl, Aly, and Savannah got her GED, and Regand and Rafe had another little boy Jason, and Jar and Savannah had another on the way! Shane, the ultimate ladies' man with a heart of gold, was i think the most funny and laid back of the four brothers, and Rebecca i could relate to immensely. I related to Rebecca in the aspect that she's smart and shy and people just don't come easily to her, not the part where her parents or cold hearted pirahhnas! Like Jared and Savannah, i liked how they were opposited but it different ways then Jared and Savannah. I love how throughout the previous books Shane syas that the MacKads are dropping like flies, falling in love, getting married, and having babies, and how he will never fall in love and get hitched! I love how Rebecca intrigues him so much, and she is so different from all the other women. I love once Shane learns of Rebecca's childhood or lack thereof, he wants to cherish her and let her know that she's so worth it. I love how Rebecca wants write a book about how the past affects the future, with how the Battle of Antietam and the two corporals who died in their woods, affected everyone's realtionship and how it pulled Regan and Savannah and herself to this quiet place, and how the history haunts them all and affected their relationships. I love how Shane fights teh connection he has with the hose and his great grandfather. I love how both he and Rebecca both have dreams and take them back to those days as Sarah and John and they feel the pain and what they were doing a certain points in time. I love how it annoys Shane how Rebecca is so rational that she can't argue and fight like a nromal person, and i love how passionate Shane is and how he enjoys the daily wonders of life, like farm chores. I love how she's about to leave because she can't posiibly imagine that Shane may love her as well, and they go to the meadow where the Yankee corporal is buried and Shane asks her to marry him and stay and set up her weird equipment whereever she wants as long as she stays! I loved the epilogue where Shane is so overjoyed that their having a baby and how Rebecca wants to name the baby Cameron if its boy like the dead Yankee boy, and Sarah and John's son, and Shane's middle name. I really also connected with Rebecca in the sense that she has to work to slow down and enjoy the small things in life like a walk. I love when she went to talk with Savannah and she realizes how she wants a simple life, not a succesful career and prosperity in the city world, but i man who loves her and babies that are her own like she sees in Savannah with Bryan, Layla, and Miranda, and Regan with Nate and Jason, and Cassie with Connor, Emma, and Aly.

[Kaileigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

did you guys know that the love interests of this book are so tiny??? so smol and itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polkadot bikini🥺🥺would blow away in the wind, snap in half at the touch of a feather…he’s just so big and she’s just so smalllllll

🙄anyways, nora roberts you’re better than this

[Mary Groah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book by Nora

[Liz F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devin and Shane is the conclusion to The MacKade Brothers books. As always, Nora Roberts delivers great characters and throws in a few good scares while she's at it!

Devin is the town Sheriff. Sure, he was a lawbreaker back in the day but now, he loves every single piece of the town. But what Devin cherishes most is Cassie Connor. He's loved her for years. But she married a drunk who beats his wife. Devin could do nothing but stand by as he saw the woman he loved being terrorized into silence. When she finally stands up for herself, Devin was there to help in any way he could. Now that her husband is behind bars and her divorce is final, Devin has decided that he's waited long enough. Will Devin be man enough to step up to the plate with Cassie being so reluctant? And will Cassie be strong enough to handle a MacKade?

Shane is the youngest of all the MacKades and is the last to find true love. Not that he minds! He sees his brothers all pairing up and marrying off and he's terrified by it!! Marriage is not for him, no way, no how. He loves women, all women, too much to settle for just one! But all that will change when Rebecca Knight comes to town. Make that Doctor Rebecca Knight. A close college friend of Regan's (Regan married Rafe in Book 1, story 1), Rebecca has come to town to spend some time doing her hobby: paranormal research. Rebecca is a studious academic-type...certainly not Shane's type. But what is it about her that draws him in? And how will Rebecca react to this ladies man, after a lifetime of books and studies which has left no time for romance?

Just as good as the first one. I think that Devin and Cassie's story is the most touching and exciting. I think this is a perfect example of a Nora Roberts book. Plenty of romance, a little danger and a little paranormal activity. Nora Roberts writes ghosts like nobody's business! These are older books but well worth checking out if you haven't read them yet!

[Shana · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the sequel to Rafe and Jared MacKade, it was an equally fairly lackluster book. Shane was the my least favorite of the brothers...so it was a bit of a letdown that the entire series ended with his story. (Man-whore meets geek-turned-beauty and suddenly reforms his attitude towards marriage - gag me.) Although I did enjoy how Roberts wove the historical war in Antietam with the present-day romance of each of the MacKade brothers, I found myself more often than not, annoyed and bored with the manifestations of the ghosts and their "deep emotions," particularly by the time I was able to read about Shane. The main characters, lacking in depth themselves, didn't leave much for me in the way of cultivating sorrow for the ghosts of the past. I think the basic premise for all four stories was fantastic, just wasn't impressed with the execution....but these were written very long ago by Roberts who has steadily honed her craft over the years. And I must say I could have read much more about Devin and Cassie - their characters had so many layers, that I think they could have been a novel all by themselves...and IMHO, the perfect couple to have ended the series (if only Roberts made Devin the youngest of the brothers instead of Shane).

[Juliana Philippa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devin and Shane MacKade's stories were both wonderful and I actually preferred them to Rafe and Jared's (Books 1 and 2). Definitely adding to my "to-buy" list (or rather, get from PaperbackSwap list).

[Bianmw · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5
Książka, przy której można się dobrze bawić i wzruszać do łez. Nora Roberts bardzo dobrze połączyła historię romantyczną z ciutką dozą dreszczyku. Mówię tutaj o duchach przeszłości, które łączą historie braci w całość. Polecam każdemu kto chciałby na chwilę zapomnieć o rzeczywistości. Ostrzegam, że ciężko się od tej książki oderwać!

[Lucia D'Amore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grab your tissues at the end.

[Wilma Venema · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hele slechte vertaling.

[Helen C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the final two books in the MacKade Brothers series, and as usual, she saved the best for last. The series was a quick read, which was great. Less character development than in other books but still had wonderful love stories in each with a ghost story that spanned all four novels. Definitely recommend!

[Brie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since these books flow together, I'll pick up where I left off and comment on each one.

These last two, Devin and Shane, are my favorite of the four. Rafe and Devin might just tie, but these last two are the ones I really live for. I don't really know how to explain it, since it's not like I personally relate to the women more than the first two. Though, I think out of Cassie and Rebecca, I can relate most to Rebecca. But that aside, considering how many times I've read this series, I think I have to put Shane as #1, if I had to pick a favorite. He's just undeniably charming throughout all four books. I really enjoy him and his interactions with the others.

That's what keeps me coming back to this series in particular – the strength of the characters and the big family they make together. Sweet at times, angsty at times, it just does it all for me. It's one of those in which I would sell my soul to see movies made, but at the same time I'd rather not so as to keep my images of them un-ruined.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books included the last two of the MacKades, The Heart of Devin MacKade and The Fall of Shane MacKade.

Devin's story was one I was looking the most forward too because I knew it would be about him and Cassie Dolen. Cassie had finally freed herself from s terrible abusive marriage of 10 years and had moved on with her life. She and her two children had moved into the MacKade in as manager and she was finally starting to have pride in her self. Devin had loved Cassie for over 12 years and now loved her children as if they were his own. With Joe Dolen in prison for his crimes and with Cassie able to see beyond her past to the man in Devin they realize it's time to take their friendship to more.

Shane's story may have been the one I was looking forward to the least but after reading it I was truely charmed. The supernatural aspects of the story were wonderful and watching Shane take the fall, fighting every inch of the way, was fun. Dr. Rebecca Knight, one of Regan's oldest friends, is studying the paranoral and is drawn specifically to the MacKade farm. Shane, frightened by the unknown and unexplained, is not looking forward to this person invading his space and forcing him to look into things he would rather avoid. The avoiding Rebecca is beyond his power. Theses two are as opposite as possible and the clash is a joy ride.

This is a 5* for me because sometimes there is nothing better to read then and good wholesome love story. Nora delivers every time!

[Mitzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devin and Shane MacKade were the younger brothers. Devin had become the town sheriff. Since he was a teen he had loved Cassie. She had married a man and had two children and lived in a loveless, abusive marriage. It hurt Devin to see Cassie with her bruises and hollow eyes. Then, Devin finally get the chance to put Cassie's husband, Joe Dolen away for good.

Shane MacKade, the youngest of the brothers lives in the famly farmhouse and goes about his life on the farm he loves. He's different from the others, loves the land and loves the women. He too hears the haunting cries from the house and the farm land and the woods nearby. But, he doesn't talk about it. Then, lovely prim, proper, Rebecca toting her camera and her PhD credentials comes to Antietam to write a story about the ghosts. She is an old college friend of Reagan MacKade and Shane promises to do what is needed to help Rebecca. They have an instant connection, although not necessarily a good one. But as time goes on and Rebecca spends a few nights at the farm with Shane he finds that she can let her hair down. She finds in Shane and the entire MacKade family many of the things she never had growing up. She learns the real meaning of family and love. And Shane finds that one woman is all he needs.

[Toni Aleo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved loved loved this series! Rafe and Shane are may favorites, but I love Jerad and Devin. I think Devin was probably the hottest. hmmmm, anyways, only thing I didnt like was how the whole ghost stories where told 15 freaking times, blah, I could recite that crap for you. Love the series though, and I totally agree with my BFF, move over Creeds and McKettricks, the Mackades are here :D

[Julie Eichelberger-Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

The MacKade Brothers: Devin and Shane is about the two younger brothers and although it is recommended to read Jared and Rafe's book first, you can still follow along without it. Devin's story is of unrequited love finally realized. Devin has loved Cassie since they were teenagers but she married another man right out of high school. The marriage was a volatile, abusive relationship and now she is divorced with 2 young children and her ex is in prison. Cassie is starting to find her independence and she values her friendship with Devin but isn't looking for another relationship. Devin, the town sheriff, has always watched out for Cassie but now he is ready to take their relationship further. As their connection starts to flourish, her ex escapes prison looking to exact revenge on her and the MacKades. Also part of the story is the connections the characters feel with ghosts of the Battle of Antietam that were fought on their land. This is a wonderfully written love story with touches of history and ghosts.

Shane's story is the final resolution for the reasons of the hauntings that each brother has witnessed, as well as beautiful love story. Shane runs the family farm but refuses to believe the stories and ghostly feelings and dreams that he experiences. He loves women but isn't looking to settle down so when his sister-in-law asks him to let her brainy friend stay at the farm to research the history and ghosts, he grudgingly gives in. Rebecca has been groomed since she was very young to learn and do as her parents told her but now she is finally ready to be a little rebellious and follow her dreams and research the ghosts near the MacKade properties. She has always been shy but she is coming into her own and as she and Shane spend time together, they both are experiencing love for the first time. Add in his ancestral ghosts to make this a spectacular ending to the series.

[Colleen Whale · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is basically books 3 and 4 from The MacKade Brothers series. I normally don't like to start a series in the middle, but my mom leant this to me so I gave it a shot. I didn't feel like I missed too much, but I do want to read the first two books because I felt like the other two brothers didn't have much of a voice and at times I wasn't able to remember which was which. I'm hoping by reading the first two, I'll have a better understanding of who they are and their story. Anyway, this review is about Devin and Shane. I enjoyed Devin's book better than Shane's, which is disappointing. I was looking forward to reading about Shane because he seemed fun when he appeared in Devin's book. I think it was because I didn't like the heroine in Shane's book and I couldn't understand why, exactly, Rebecca made Shane change his Ultimate Bachelor ways. She was just annoying! I liked Cassie much better and liked her relationship with Devin. I also enjoyed the drama aspect in Devin's book better, with Cassie's abusive ex-husband playing a major role. I found the brothers moved way too fast, and I'm assuming the other two books will be the same. There's nothing wrong with a slow burn you know! You don't have to jump into bed after the first kiss and then marry the girl all within two weeks. Kind of ridiculous. Overall, an enjoyable read and I definitely want to catch up and read about the other brothers.

[Coleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was actually two books: first, The Heart of Devin MacKade; and second, The Fall of Shane MacKade. These are the two youngest of the fair MacKade brothers. Apparently there were two books written about the two older brothers, Rafe and Jared. I feel certain that they are just as interesting and entertaining as the two books on the younger brothers.

Nora Roberts writes in a mild, smooth manner. The MacKade brothers - all four of them - are
good looking and likeable guys. No dispute about that. They grew up fighting with one another and have continued that tradition, so their 'women' just have to learn to live with it.

The two books were quick to read, and if I came across the two books on the older brothers, I would definitely get them and read them also.

[Bonnie Staughton · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, Nora Roberts doesn't disappoint and writes 2 interesting stories about Devin and Shane MacKade. I had read the book about the first two brothers, Rafe and Jared, a couple years ago but was able to follow the story without any problem. One reviewer stated that she didn't like the "ghosts". To me that made the stories all the more interesting. We find out quite a bit more about "Abigail" and the two soldiers in this story. The ghosts give the story more substance than just the predictable stories about the guys and their romance with the girls.

This book was a fast read for me and very enjoyable.

[Marcie · Rating 2 out of 5]

While on holiday, I picked up this used book in a free library. Since I like the JD Robb series, I thought that it would be similar. Egad. Four extremely handsome brothers marry four gorgeous women. As to the Devin and Shane relationships, the women have no sexual past or believe that they won’t like sex. The series is overwhelmingly pro-natalist as everyone is having babies at a fast pace. Shane’s love interest is a brilliant and established scientist who takes his name. In the real world, that is a dumb thing for anyone who has been published and established a professional life. This book was issued in 1996, but I expected a more enlightened storyline and was bored enough to skip pages.

[Kimmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked Devin's story but it didn't capture me in a "couldn't put it down" kind of way. I would have liked it so much more without the ghosts. I started Shane's story but DNF. I really love the writing style, the story line, the characters, all of it. I'm just turned off by the paranormal I guess? It would make me eye roll every time there was a ghost interaction, or every time Cassie felt connected because of Abigail's story. ::shrug:: This was my first Nora Roberts read so maybe I'll love another one of her works more!

[Carlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two stories in one book. The first one titled the Heart of Devin MacKade, is about the third brother Devin, how he had been in love with Cassandra Connor, since forever, but she married someone else. Devin became a cop in the town of Antietam, Maryland. This is how the story begins.


The second story is about his youngest brother: The fall of Shane MacKade, he is the farmer of the family, working the family farm. Both are interesting and hard to put down. I want to read the first two books.

[Suntimes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I’m on a Nora Roberts binge, this is the third series I’ve read of hers and I have to say I’M HOOKED!
I loved Devin and Cassie’s story so much - especially Devine’s relationship with the kids and how he prioritised their feelings as well as Cassie’s. The way he was so patient and gentle just hit me straight in the heart and I loved Cassie’s character development- how she was so fragile in the first book as well as the beginning of this one but we slowly saw her heal and gain confidence and find her strength.

I have to admit that I was hesitant about Shane and Rebecca because Shane didn’t seem ready to settle down. And their first meeting felt like it had less of an instant connection than the first three. But as I got to know them both it clicked that they really fit together. I liked how Rebecca acknowledged her past and how she hadn’t lived until recently. Her experience was relatable in the sense that she felt like she wasn’t able to live her life the way she wanted to. By the time they got together I really felt like they were a good match. I also really liked how Rebecca felt about their relationship and how she was happy to have just simply experienced love.

All in all this was a surprisingly fulfilling read as I hadn’t expected to like it so much when I picked it up. I’d definitely recommend it to those who enjoyed the Inn Boonsboro trilogy as it has several parallels.

[Flor Espinoza Sanchez ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

My mom bought me this book since she's read some of Nora Robert's books and she thought I would love it and she was right! i absolutely fell in love with Shane, as first I was confused on some parks but then I realized when the book was published and it started to click in my head. The second chance romance in Devin's story was just 😚 and the forced proximity in Shane's part made me just so happy!

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

To follow-up, the last two books are also so special. Though I feel the last one looses the plot just a bit.

There’s a difference in dreams than full on possessions, but I digress.

Devin and his heart, his love for Cassie, it kills me just a bit inside. In all the right ways.

Shane and his fall, him falling for someone who I felt needed more character development, but she was still one of my favorites. I’m not sure how to describe it.

[Lana Kamennof-sine · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always Nora Roberts excels at placing her characters into situations/plots that compel the reader. This double whammy covers spousal abuse & its impact on all in the family including the children; and then focuses on the brutality of war & its lasting impact. Fortunately it also focuses on strong, resilient, caring characters who are all individuals, and yes, enjoyably quirky.

[D'Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final installment of the MacKade brothers was just as enjoyable as the first with Raph & Jared. Thoroughly enjoyed the ghosts of Antitam from the Civil War.The characters were so loveable. A truly delightful tale that comes full circle.

[Debra McEathron · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are two great stories about love and the paranormal in a small town. The McKades are a well known family and the four brothers are great characters. The two in this book are wonderful characters and don't fall easily.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the MacKade Brothers.......dark, sexy, handsome......and I love that from the time they were young boys and now grown men they love to fight physically with each other and then end up in the mud, dirt, etc laughing their butts off.