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Jo Ellen Tremaine grieves for her best friend, Katie McGrath and her mother Christine McGrath. Both died during a recent California earthquake. Jo and Katie grew up like sisters and Christine was like a mother to Jo. Katie is survived by her daughter Callie who is a year old. Jo loves Callie and wants to adopt her, but first she needs Katie’s remaining family to relinquish all claims to future custody. While researching Katie’s family, Jo discovers she is also survived by her father and three brothers, Cameron, Colin and Quinn. Since Cameron McGrath is the confirmed bachelor of the bunch, Jo figures he’ll be the easy target. She heads to New York to get Cameron’s signature and maybe find out why Katie’s father threw her mother out before Katie was born.
Cameron lives in New York City, is an avid Yankees fan and heads up the legal department for the Futura Investments. Cam is happy with his bachelor status and has no desire for a serious relationship or a family of his own. He and his brothers never fully recovered from their mother’s desertion, so Cam is not prepared when Jo Ellen Tremaine shows up casting doubts on the reasons his father gave him about why his mother left. He’s definitely shocked to learn he had a sister. Jo packs a mighty punch when she gives him the letters his mother wrote to his father over the years begging to be allowed to come home, asking about her boys and telling him about the beautiful daughter they have. Cam’s father returned the letters unopened. Cam’s emotions are raw after reading the letters and realizing that things may not be as he’d thought. He and Jo spend an emotional night together and he realizes he can’t sign the papers until he talks to his brothers.
Jo returns to California after Cam refuses to sign the custody papers. She’s unsure if the McGrath’s will give up Callie without a fight. She also realizes she has feelings for Cam. When he shows up on her doorstep, she thinks he’s come to take Callie, but actually Cam wants to spend time with them and get a feel for what Callie’s life will be like while his brothers talk to their father and wives and decide what to do about the situation. Cam also wants to explore his growing feelings for Jo and learn more about his mother and sister.
The third and final book in the “Earth, Wind and Fire” series takes us deep into the life of Cameron McGrath and sneaks a peak at Quinn, Colin and their loves from the other two books. The McGrath brothers are sexy, cool and loveable…just ask their women. I think WHEN THE EARTH MOVES is a great conclusion to the series. Although the title is directed toward the earthquake, it also describes how Cam and Jo feel when they get near one another.
Roxanne St. Claire writes with so much emotion; telling a story which looks deep into family relationships gone awry. Only Cam’s father knows the real story, but stubbornness has always kept him from accepting the truth. Cam and Jo are both very secure in the choices they’ve made for their respective lives, even with the emotional baggage they carry around. But doubt creeps in and with the help of a one year old, they change their attitudes about life and love. Can they find happiness through all the emotions? Of course, I can’t tell you! You’ll just have to read this wonderful book to find out.
Reviewed by Jennifer Ray
for The Road to Romance
April 4, 2005
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