"Delightful Irish Romance"

MULLIGAN STEW opens with Bridget Mulligan and her son Jacob attending her Granny's funeral. Granny was hit by a truck as she chased General Lee--the late Grandpa Frye's deaf and senile coonhound--across a road. This fun opening is a great example of author Stover's sly sense of humor and the bizarre happenings that Jacob and Bridget mention throughout the book always made me chuckle.

Bridget is the divorced wife of Culley Mulligan who disappeared the day after their wedding, leaving her embarrassed and pregnant with Jacob. As Bridget is trying to figure out what to do with her life after Granny's death, she discovers that Granny had a little gambling problem and nothing is left of her estate. As things seem to be going from bad to worse, she receives word that her husband did not desert her; he was killed in an auto accident when he was on his way back to her. His family has just discovered Bridget's existence and they want her and Jacob to come to Ireland to live with them.

Bridget is greeted with open arms by Culley's mother, Fiona, and his sister Maggie. But his brother Riley remains unconvinced that Culley would marry Bridget after only knowing her a few days. Worse yet is the fact that Culley was betrothed to a village girl and Riley is sure he would not have betrayed his local sweetheart. The local girl is determined to see that Bridget and Jacob will never be accepted in the village.

Hovering in the background on the Mulligan estate is the mysterious Caislean Dubh and the happenings within the castle have bedeviled the Mulligans for generations. Riley in particular is marked by what happened in the castle when he was a young boy.

Riley Mulligan is a dark man, who wants to reject his new sister-in-law and deny the paternity of Jacob; but his inherent goodness and sense of fair play will not allow him to do so. But he certainly doesn't have to give in cheerfully and he does his best to deny the attraction between himself and Bridget--but even if angst-ridden, Riley was never cruel and proved to be a very satisfactory hero.

Stover captures the brooding quality of the Irish coast and the story moves along quickly. MULLIGAN STEW is from the Irish Eyes series and proves to be an enjoyable read.

Reviewed by Linda Hurst
Posted July 8, 2002

Author Interview

Summary

A WOMAN
Single mother Bridget Mulligan is on the verge of homelessness when her late husband's family invites her and her son to Ireland. Irish in-laws sound like more trouble than Grandpa's coonhound when the neighbor's poodle goes into heat, but Bridget is out of options.

A MAN
Riley Mulligan believes the American temptress is only after their property, though he can't deny her son's resemblance to his late brother. Unfortunately, Riley also finds Bridget's guileless and bewitching ways dangerously desirable....

AND DESTINY
The Mulligans' ancestral castle overlooking the sea haunts Bridget, and she realizes that her dreams are somehow tied to the ancient keep. And to the mysterious man who is her brother-in-law....