Nora Roberts Groupies discussion

A question came up in another thread about the MacGregors series and I realized we didn't have a MacGregors thread in the group with information on the 2 orders and room for discussion. So here's some info on the series.

**********

Summary: A multi-generational family series. The first few books were based around boisterous, matchmaking Scottish millionaire Daniel MacGregor as he tried to find the perfect mate for his children. Roberts then backtracked and wrote 2 historical volumes about MacGregor ancestors and then Daniel's story. After that she wrote 4 more books involving Daniel's grandchildren. The series is very family oriented, lots of tradition.

**NOTE: there are two different orders to this series. One is the order they were published, which starts with Daniel's children, the goes backward in time, then forward, etc. Or they can be read in timeline chronology (historicals to present), which is what I recommend.

Order Published
1. Playing the Odds
2. Tempting Fate
3. All the Possibilities
4. One Man's Art
5. For Now, Forever
6. In From the Cold - Harlequin Historical Christmas Stories (anth)
7. Rebellion
8. The MacGregor Brides
9. The Winning Hand
10. The MacGregor Grooms
11. The Perfect Neighbor

Timeline Chronology
7. Rebellion
6. In From the Cold - Harlequin Historical Christmas Stories (anth)
5. For Now, Forever
1. Playing the Odds
2. Tempting Fate
3. All the Possibilities
4. One Man's Art
8. The MacGregor Brides
9. The Winning Hand
10. The MacGregor Grooms
11. The Perfect Neighbor

*** NOTE: A number of these stories are now found in anthologies:
The MacGregors: Serena & Caine (Playing The Odds; Tempting Fate)
The MacGregors: Alan & Grant (Tempting Fate; All The Possibilities)
The MacGregors: Daniel & Ian (For Now, Forever; In From The Cold)
The MacGregors: Robert & Cybil (The Winning Hand; The Perfect Neighbor)

**********

Nora Roberts

Thanks Isis.

Thanks for the timeline order. I like to read my series that way. I haven't read any of the Macgregor's yet and I look forward to starting them.

There is a slight issue in reading the timeline order with regards to Daniel's book (For Now, Forever). It was the fifth written, after that of his 3 children and a daughter-in-law's brother. And the beginning of the book starts in the present, with his married children around him and references to things in their lives that you read about from their books. Then it slips into the past and tells about how Daniel met and married Anna.

So if you read in Timeline Chronology, there are a few spoilers in reading Daniel's book before his childrens' books.

I read them in published order, and I liked it that way. The scenes that flashed to present time make more sense doing it that way. IMO, of course.

Thanks for the warning Isis! Maybe I will read Daniel's book after the children then.

I am going to have to think about this one! So much to consider!

It might work to read the 2 historicals, then books 1-4 (the kids) then Daniel's. Reading the 2 historicals first doesn't ruin anything. They're basically just about long dead relatives of the MacGregors (but also give you a good understanding of the MacGregor way).

I haven;t read this series, but really want to. Now I don't know which way to read them! And the other problem, finding all of them!
Debbie

I read them in published order too. I did find a huge problem though. In Serena's (Serena/Justin) book she has the violet eyes that her great great grandmother has, who was also Serena McGregor. The problem, present day Serena can't be from old world Serena, because that Serena married Brigham and they have a different last name. That sort of crap bugs me. Note to authors, when writing pre-books after the fact, please read the books you have already written to get the correct facts.

You get that Nora, Teryl! It's been too long for me to remember details.

I've found them all, although a few took a bit of looking. But I'm with you Deborah, I don't know which order to read them in now.

Briansgirl wrote: "I've found them all, although a few took a bit of looking. But I'm with you Deborah, I don't know which order to read them in now."

I read in timeline chronology. But I think maybe the best way to read them is a combo or the two orders.

I'd suggest going:

7. Rebellion
6. In From the Cold - Harlequin Historical Christmas Stories (anth)
1. Playing the Odds
2. Tempting Fate
3. All the Possibilities
4. One Man's Art
5. For Now, Forever
8. The MacGregor Brides
9. The Winning Hand
10. The MacGregor Grooms
11. The Perfect Neighbor

Thanks Isis. I think that is the order that I am going to try.

Thanks Isis. I printed it out so that when I'm ready to start the order list is easy to find.

All this talk of the series is making me want to read it again. I really love this series.

haha this is funny im reading a McGregor book right now. im reading serenas and justinblades story..i have all of the McGregor books.

I have read
The MacGregors Robert & Cybil
and
Rebellion

I loved them both and have the rest of the series on my bookcase waiting for an opening in my schedule!

Thanks for the update, Isis. I love this series too and I need to check if I have read all of them. Regardless, it may be time for a re-read. I like reading things in chronological order and before I just read them whenever I could find them. Hopefully they have most of them at the library.

I love this family. I haven't read just In from the cold, but soon I'll read it. My favorite book of the saga is for Alan and Shelby, next are the books for the granddaughters and grandsons.

I've been rereading the MacGregor books this past week...and they're still just as good as the first time that I read them. This is just a fantastic series and it'll always be on my keeper shelf.

I definately loved this series. Daniel is my favorite grandpa image ever. This is a good reread.

The MacGregor series is one my absolute favorites by NR. I've reread them and it gets better each time.

I read them all in publish order but I don't think that matters too much. You definitely want to read the ones about the kids (Serena, Caine and Alan) before you read the others.

I am about to star this series...fingers crossed I like it.

I hope you like it Jill...This was the first NR series I read that made me fall in love with NR books

I absolutely love the MacGregor series!!!! I just finished Rebellion and enjoyed it so much. I still have to read Serena and Caine's stories, and The Perfect Neighbor yet.

Does anybody know if I can find the older ones and where? Please.

Check out Nora's website. I believe that you can get the older books in this series for your kindle or nook.

Okay thank you. I'll check it out.

Farah wrote: "Does anybody know if I can find the older ones and where? Please."

If you're looking for actual paperbacks, i recently saw them at my local grocery store! It took me a minute to recognize them because they've completely changed the cover form the version I bought years ago! Try Barnes and Noble. They also seem to keep a bunch of her stuff in stock.

Christina wrote: "Farah wrote: "Does anybody know if I can find the older ones and where? Please."

If you're looking for actual paperbacks, i recently saw them at my local grocery store! It took me a minute to rec..."

Thank you so much Christina, but I don't live in America. Hopefully I can order them from my local bookshop.

Farah wrote: "Christina wrote: "Farah wrote: "Does anybody know if I can find the older ones and where? Please."

If you're looking for actual paperbacks, i recently saw them at my local grocery store! It took ..."

If not, try Amazon. I've seen them there before. Good luck! :-)

Christina wrote: "Farah wrote: "Christina wrote: "Farah wrote: "Does anybody know if I can find the older ones and where? Please."

If you're looking for actual paperbacks, i recently saw them at my local grocery st..."

Thanks I'll try amazon too. :)

I have the Julia Bride Doll that I'm looking to sell. I want her to go to a really good home. Would anyone be interested?

OK , I have finally decided to get started on this series. I have opted to start with Rebellion. I'm so excited.

I am currently reading this series, and am loving it!
Can't believe how late on the curve I am, but catching up. Just finished book 4. I have to say Caine is my favorite, and I really like Shelby.

I'm also currently reading this series and following the publish order... All the MacGregors are amazing and I've just started reading The MacGregor Brides.
Also I've not bought most of the books but read them online or downloaded them in pdf and then read them on my tablet.

Will have to check out The MacGregors - not having any luck finding at the library for Kindle format though. I love everything Nora Roberts - getting ready to start Book 3 of Inn BoonsBora.

I wish she would keep going with this series! We need Amelia, Adria, and Matthew's stories and then there's all the great grandchildren! Hahaha well at least she should give us the rest of the grandchildren's stories

If you're still looking for some of the books, you could also try Thriftbooks.com too!

They just started appearing in libraries as they're being converted to digital format.

I adore The MacGregor Brides and The MacGregor Grooms.
The grandchildren (try to) fight off The MacGregor schemes all while playing right into his hand. It's love, insanity, family.

In Rebellion Serena and Brigham have a son they name Daniel. Is this the same Daniel Duncan MacGregors that is the main character of the MacGregors Clan in Playing the odds and other books? If he is, then in the book For Now, Forever the history that Daniel tells young Anna Whitfield is all wrong.