Review: Claire the Au Pair on a Tear (Celtic Hearts) by Peggy McGee

 

Claire the Au Pair on a Tear

by Peggy McGee

Claire Mahoney, a nurse at a care center near Cork, Ireland, became independent once her dad remarried and moved to Michigan to begin a new life. Taking after his traits, it frayed relationships between her embittered mother and sister Bree who was recently divorced herself.

Though, when her flat mate found a job as an au pair in the States, it enticed Claire to follow suit. Being a nurse, she was quite sought after for special needs children, finally accepting one close to her dad, hoping to reconnect and begin anew. Placed with a family with an Irish background, who owned a winery to care for a boy recovering from leukemia and his younger sister, became a challenge for someone who had limited experience around kids.
However, it did increase her social life, presenting other opportunities including meeting her step-siblings for the first time and touring the area. Unexpectedly, declining health issues of her mum called her back home finding her sister mired with addictions. Ironically, it was her sister’s ex Eric who was there to support her with Ava her niece becoming a common denominator between the two.
Because of the circumstances, they emotionally maintained their distance not wanting to make issues worse. Now, it was decision time whether Claire was to return to Michigan to pursue past friendships or remain in Ireland, knowing any relationship with her sister’s ex could further cause a rift within the family. Join Claire the au pair on a tear between continents to decide her future happiness.

My Take:

Claire Mahoney is a nurse at a convalescent facility in Ireland, trying to keep her head above water and escape from an abusive home. Since her parents had gotten a divorce, her mother and sister had practically disowned her, wrapped up as they were in their own addictions. But when she voiced the concerns of a patient to not be resuscitated, against the wishes of a daughter who couldn't let go, her job was in jeopardy. A friend had taken a job as an au pair in the United States, and put her name in as a good candidate. After all, nurses were in high demand for this role, especially for wealthy families with kids suffering from life-threatening illnesses. With few other options, Claire jumped at the chance to serve a family in Michigan within 100 miles of her father. 

The son, Aiden, was struggling with cancer, and the younger daughter, Kayla, had been a bone marrow donor. Both children were sickly and in need of her expert care. her nursing duties were the least of her worries, however, as she soon found herself the unwilling recipient of the amorous attentions from several handsome suitors. While struggling between the need to serve, and the chance for love, Claire received a call from her sister, informing her that their mother was dying of cancer, and needed her help back in Ireland. She returned with little hope of reconciling with her caustic mother, and the toxic vitriol she received from her dying mother was all the thanks she was to receive. Surprisingly, her sister's ex-husband became the only assistance she received when she got back. Would Claire survive the abuse from her mother and sister, and find love in the process? 

Content:

Drug Content:
PG – There is a considerable amount of drinking in this novel. The mother and sister are both alcoholic, and the sister struggles with a cocaine addiction. The family Claire is working for in the States runs a winery, and there is casual drinking there, but no drunkenness. A drug dealer makes things a bit dicey. 
 
Violence:
G – None at all. There is death but it's all natural causes, and most life-threatening situations are medical in nature.
 
Language:
G – Nada.
 
Adult Content:
G – This is a lighthearted romance, but there's only a few stolen kisses.
 
Christian content:
There's a bit here. This is not specifically a Christian romance, but several characters struggle with their faith. Church is attended, prayers are made, and a character receives Last Rites. In some respects, we see faithfulness in the face of severe persecution, service under fire, and a mix of characters who show self-control and shoulder responsibility, counterposed with those who have no self control and no accountability. 

 
Final Analysis:
I'm not usually a reader of lighthearted romances, but I enjoyed this book. The plot was interesting, and the characters had some depth. The pacing started out well but bogged a bit at the midpoint, and didn't start clicking well until about the 3/4 mark. I found some characters unredeemable, but all were believable and most had flaws of some sort that lent depth to them. The conflict in this book was raw and real, especially between Claire and her mother. I especially like the interactions between Claire and Eric, and was satisfied with the book's resolution. It's a reasonable read, with likable characters. Four Stars!

About the Author:

Peggy McGee, author of "The Psychic Sara Series", the Orphan Train Adventures, and the Wildflower Series (to name a few) taught school, covering many grade levels and college courses in various states, during the first part of her employment years. She has a MS in Education, to include Social Sciences and a Reading Specialty. Most recently, prior to retirement, she was involved with the elderly, providing for their psycho-social needs. During this time, she published many newsletters; however, her ultimate goal was always to become an author. She has three children, five grandchildren and currently lives with her husband in Michigan.