The ""Search for Tara"" is an intiguing and relatively modern tale of two young Americans, Linda Ryan and Joseph Garcia, who travel around Ireland on a quest inspired by Linda's grandmother. Though romantic, and very personal in it's first-person and introspective telling by Linda, a fair amount of Irish history and culture are woven in seamlessly along the way. At times in the story, however, Linda's and Joseph's own differing cultural and familial backgrounds collide with their budding romance. That is a conflict not entirely resolved in the story even into the last chapter. Then comes a unexpected but solidifying twist (no peeking allowed ).