WINDOW BY THE BAY by Debbie Macomber

Ballantine Books

July 16^th, 2019

978-0399181337

Contemporary, Women’s Fiction

E-ARC

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Publisher via Netgalley

3 Hearts

Jenny Boltz has an empty nest now that her children have moved on with their lives and after a messy divorce, she is at a crossroads. Her best friend Maureen is thrilled for Jenny’s newfound freedom and insists it’s the perfect time to go to Paris like they always dreamed of. But with freedom, comes choices and Jenny is not to sure that dating is in her future even after the encouragement she gets from Maureen. But when her mother breaks her hip, Jenny finds herself drawn to the surgeon who helped her mother, Dr. Rowan Lancaster. With a future uncertain, Jenny needs to find the strength to embrace her present and take a leap to the future she wants before she can move forward.

WINDOW BY THE BAY is a typical Debbie Macomber story that at times is sweet ad funny and other times, so frustrating and annoying, it drove me bonkers. Normally I adore this author’s books with a passion but the last few books have been either a hot or miss with me. WINDOW BY THE BAY delves into two women, best friends, who raised their kids as single mothers and now must deal with empty nests. I initially loved the dynamics between Maureen and Jenny but as you get into the story, I found them at times to be quite irritating. It’s one thing to be on your own once again, no kids and lots of freedom to explore the world around you and its another to be condescending to those not in your age or career bracket. There were times I just wanted to smack these two characters for being so elitist and dismissive and yet I saw some glimmers that they were learning from their mistakes within the pages of WINDOW BY THE BAY. Regardless of how the characters first started out, by mid book, I finally saw some glimmers of positivity that gave me hope for these two women to find their happy ever after.

WINDOW BY THE BAY moves slowly in the beginning as it sets up Jenny and Maureen’s journey and once it finally got to the meat of it all, I really liked it. This may put off some readers who dropped the book midway through but if you keep at it, it does get better. The story flows smoothly at the halfway point onward and the characters do start to redeem themselves. I really enjoyed the children of Maureen and Jenny a lot as they were sensible and had some great advice for the mother’s at times, I thought was great.

Debbie Macomber pens a tale that will touch your heart at times and other times, make you want to scream. WINDOW BY THE BAY is not as good as past women’s fiction books she has written but it’s an okay read on a lazy afternoon. Now I am hoping this author gets back to what made me love her so long ago in her future books.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

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COTTAGE BY THE SEA by Debbie Macomber

Ballantine Books

July 17^th, 2018

978-0-399-18123-2

Contemporary, Women’s Fiction

Hardcopy

Reviewed by Dawn Roberto

Obtained by Publisher

4 Hearts

Annie Marlow was living the life she wanted in Los Angeles when tragedy struck and changed it forever. After eighteen months of trying to move on and get out from the fog of grief and despair, she finds peace in the small town of Oceanside, Washington, where she has many memories of vacationing with her family growing up. With new friends, a job she is beginning to enjoy and more, this small town finds its way to heal a shattered woman when she thought all was lost. Now with romance on the horizon with the gentle giant, Seth Keaton, Annie finds her life is beginning to turn yet again when an opportunity drops in her lap. Will she leave the peace and security of Oceanside to take this opportunity or will she stay nestled in the safety that she has come to cherish?

Debbie Macomber delivers a strong and emotional story that will tear at your heart in more ways than ever in COTTAGE BY THE SEA. With her trademark writing style, she delivers a story that is full of heart and at times lots of pain though tinged with hope. I loved this new release by one of my favorite authors. She created a story that is at times quite emotional, loving and with a sweep of her pen, romantic as well. When I first met Annie, she was full of life, hope and delight, determined to have a four-day weekend with her friends, to have fun without family obligations getting in her way. In all reality, a typical twenty-something who thinks she has the whole world to get to the heart of things later. As many know, life sometimes doesn’t deliver all rainbows and sunshine, especially when tragedy strikes. Annie made me love her and I in turn loved how she was able to finally breath, find peace and a chance to love once more. The small town of Oceanside worked its magic on Annie and I found it so irresistible. I was longing to see if this special town was real just to visit it one day. With each page I read, I was sucked not Annie’s story, of her coming to grips with her loss and finding her new normal; grieving yet also finding peace that has eluded her for over a year. The story flows so smoothly I didn’t know I was at the end of the book until I turned the page and saw there was nothing left of Annie, Keaton and their friends story.

Ms. Macomber delivers a story that is at once powerful yet charming. A story that will stay with you long after you are done with the book. The characters made me laugh, cry, smile and sigh. I loved meeting Annie, Keaton and the residents of Oceanside so very much. Ms. Macomber has a knack to creating a story that leaves you breathless and longing for more. If you haven’t tried one of her books before, this is a perfect introduction into her writing. I do want to point out you may need a box of tissues at times as you fall into Annie’s life and loss.  COTTAGE BY THE SEA is a fast-paced story that will leave you with a smile in your heart and on your face. I look forward to seeing where this author goes next as I know I won’t be disappointed with her next story.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

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IF NOT FOR YOU by Debbie Macomber

Ballantine
New Beginnings Series Book 3
August 22^nd, 2017
978-0-553-39196-1
Contemporary Romance
Hardcover
Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)
Obtained by Publisher

4 Hearts

 

 

If Beth Prudhomme didn’t get fed up with her sweet but oh so controlling parents, she never would have moved to Portland near her aunt Sunshine, a new job as a music teacher and new friends such as fellow teacher, Nichole. When she gets set up on a blind date, Beth is resigned to an awkward evening making small talk and a longing for something else. But when Beth meets Sam, she finds him totally out of her comfort zone. Sam is long haired, tattoos galore and seems to be more at ease in a biker bar than at an opera. But when tragedy strikes Beth, she finds another side of Sam that causes her to reassess her first impression of him.

Sam was sure Beth is a tight-laced society girl and at first glance she is that but when Sam helps Beth in her time of need, he finds something different about her, something that calls to him even as he tries to fight his attraction to her. Soon an unlikely friendship emerges between these two opposites and they find that romance that surprises them to pieces. But when Beth’s well-meaning if controlling mom comes to Portland, family secrets and more engulf Beth. Unfortunately, when secrets come out about Sam’s past, Beth will have to figure out her feelings for this unconventional blue-collar guy but when Beth goes too far and hurts Sam, can she figure out a way to show him how sorry she is and heal the break between them? Or will she lose the one person who has become the most important person in her life?

IF NOT FOR YOU by Debbie Macomber is a sweet and entertaining story about two people who are opposites but are just perfect for one another. The story flows a bit slow in the beginning but picks up steam after a few chapters in. If you stick with it, you will find the heart of the story and the characters themselves. This is an author I adore since I discovered her books years ago, especially since she writes such uplifting and heartwarming stories to enjoy. This is an author who knows how to steal her readers hearts and deliver stories that deal with everyday issues such as new jobs, blind dates, divorce, relationships, etc.

The core of this author’s books is her castoff characters and IF NOT FOR YOU continues with some amazing characters to fall for. We got Beth who is determined to make it on her own and find her own path in life, just not the one her parents want for her; there is Sam, who is determined to not get involved in a relationship and the secondary characters such as Beth’s aunt Sunshine who has secrets of her own that slowly come out. These plus a few returning regulars from the first two books keep the story moving along and kept my interest till the very end. They are multifaceted and so likeable that I was dying to go grab a coffee with them or have a chat.

IF NOT FOR YOU is a sweet story that will give you so many feels even as you root for Beth and Sam to find their way over the bumps life throws at them. I loved seeing how their unlikely of friendship turns to love even as both try to fight it at times. If you enjoy a contemporary story that will steal your heart with a great set of characters, then you will definitely enjoy IF NOT FOR YOU. You don’t have to read the first wo books (Last One Home & A Girl’s Guide to Moving On) to follow this one as it can be read as a standalone story. Though I highly recommend reading these first two books especially as Nichole plays in Beth’s story a bit and her story is just as compelling as Beth’s. Now I am eager to see where this author goes next in the New Beginnings series and hope we don’t have to wait too long.

 
This is an objective review and not an endorsement

ANY DREAM WILL DO by Debbie Macomber

Ballantine Books
August 8^th, 2017
9780399181191
Contemporary/Women’s Fiction
Paperback ARC
Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)
Obtained by Publisher
3.5 Hearts

 

Shay Benson loves her younger brother, Caden but when he brings trouble to her door, Shay finds out that in helping him, she lost the life she was making for herself. Now released from prison and trying to get back on her feet, Shay discovers that the path to the life she wants is not going to be easy.

Pastor Drew Douglas is lost and lonely after his wife died, leaving him and their two children behind. Drew finds Shay in his church one day and thus begins a journey for these two that will show them their heart’s desire. But as time goes on, Drew and Shay’s friendship evolves and grows and as Shay opens to Drew and lets down her guard, she finds a life worth fighting for. But when her past finds her, can Drew and Shay survive the chaos it causes or will their fragile bond break amid the weight of Shay’s past?

Debbie Macomber is a wonderful storyteller and delivers a heart stirring story of two people who find themselves at a crossroad. I normally enjoy this author’s books and as I was reading ANY DREAM WILL DO, I got sidetracked by all the mentions of religion and god though it didn’t come across as preachy in my opinion. It just moved the story along nicely. I mainly concentrated on Shay and Drew’s growing friendship. Normally I put books down that have an overabundance of religion within the storyline but in this l attest story from one of my favorite authors, I found it to be charming and perfectly written. I loved how Shay and Drew clicked after they first met and I enjoyed seeing these two continue to grow and evolve within the pages of ANY DREEAM WILL DO.

The story isn’t just about Shay and her desire to stay on the straight and narrow but of allowing her guard down to see the opportunities before her, that with hard work she could make that life she always dreamed of happen. Drew is at a standstill ever since his wife died. Meeting Shay leaves him reeling in a good way and he feels like he has awoken from fog. As much as I enjoyed these two main characters apart, together they were electric. I loved the scenes where they tease and flirt with one another, where Shay is interacting with Drew’s kids in a charming sort of way that left me falling just a little bit more in love with her. Shay is sweet, kind, compassionate and determined whereas Drew is trying to take it one day at a time and when he meets up with Shay again after many months apart, he is startled by how much she has changed yet stayed the same. Ms. Macomber has a gift of creating such unique and intriguing characters for readers to love. From Drew and Shay to Mark and Sarah’s love for Shay. Add in some homeless men who Shay befriends and tries to help plus members of Drew’s church well you get a sense of this village that is on Shay’s journey.

 
ANY DREAM WILL DO is a perfect book if you enjoy second chance stories filled with unbelievable characters that steal your heart, a storyline that is fast paced and keeps you glued to the pages until the very end and an author who is a master storyteller. Ms. Macomber is an auto-buy for myself and I look forward to seeing where she goes next for her readers to enjoy. If you haven’t tried this author before, then this is the perfect book to get started with.
 
This is an objective review and not an endorsement

SWEET TOMORROWS by Debbie Macomber

Rose Harbor Series Book 5

Ballantine Books

August 2^nd, 2016

978-0-553-39183-1

Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction

Hardcover

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Publisher

4.5 Hearts

Nine months ago Jo Marie found herself alone after Mark Turner left Cedar Cove abruptly. Broken hearted, she throws herself into her work and Inn, hoping to heal a heart that aches for Mark in ways she never anticipated feeling again. Determined to not lose herself to grief, she gets back into the swing of things, dating and living a life, abit without the one man who stole her heart so long ago. Finding a companion after a new visitor to the Rose Harbor Inn, Emily Gaffney, JoMarie is determined to move on even as she longs to hear from Mark in some way.

Emily is determined to move forward as well and make a new life for herself. She has a new job in Cedar Cove and is determined to heal her broken heart. But when she finds a house she falls in love with, She finds herself meeting the one man who will turn her inside out and make her heart long for something she thought she would never find again.

Two wounded hearts, a magical inn and a town determined to show these two people that love can heal even the broken of hearts. They just got to have faith in themselves and in the future, whatever it m ay be.

I fell in love with Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove series right from book one and her final book in the spin-off series left me in tears in more ways than one. This is an author who knows how to write emotionally rich stories with characters you can’t help but fall in love with as well story lines that steal the heart. What make this author so magical to me is her characters. Her stories are rich with a cast of characters that grow and evolve with each book and deliver stirring storylines that just draw you in right from the beginning. I adore Cedar Cove and am sad the series is ending but the way the author winds up all the lose threads left in SWEET TOMORROWS is pure perfection!

Meet Jo Marie Rose and proprietor of the Inn at Rose Harbor. She has healed her broken heart after losing her husband and found that the inn has brought peace to many other guests as well. This magical place has just one more thing to do- let Jo Marie and Emily find peace as well as love. I fell for Jo Marie in book one, Inn at Rose Harbor and have been eager to read each installment of the series with a bated breath. The characters are complex and just a little like everyday people, so much so I want to go visit Cedar Cove and experience it myself. Emily is a woman who is determined to move foreword, with no man, relying only on herself after a few broken relationships that have broken her heart and shattered her confidence. I love how Emily is skeptical to Jo Marie’s claims that the inn brings about peace and happiness. But as the inn works its magic on these two special people, both find their future in doubt as they wrestle with their vulnerabilities and what life has decided to be in store of them. The characters continue to amaze me as I flipped the pages of SWEET TOMORROWS. With a right balance of emotions and vulnerabilities,

Ms. Macomber delivers a stirring story that shows the reader the path of letting go of fear, healing a heart broken and finding your path in life even after all the setbacks you may experience. I cried, I laughed and I sighed with happiness in the end as I got to climax of the story. As I closed this final chapter in the Rose Harbor series, I was pleased to see how it ended while looking forward to what this author has upcoming next.

If you enjoy an emotionally rich story that delivers strong character development, a romantic storyline that will steal your heart and more then you need to start reading Rose Harbor series right from the beginning. Even though you can read this one without reading the first four books, I feel it’s better to experience the magic of the series in whole right from the beginning.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

LAST ONE HOME by Debbie Macomber

Ballantine Books
March 10^th, 2015
978-0-553-39188-6
Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Hardcover
Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Publisher
4 Hearts




Once Cassie Carter was close to her two sisters, Karen & Nichole. That was in a fit of rebellion; Cassie left home and married the wrong man. Now thirteen years later, divorced and trying to get back on her feet, Cassie finds that life has a way of reconnecting you to the ones you loved. This time for Cassie, Karen and Nichole, finding forgiveness amid the tears and pain of past hurts will show these three women that family is more than blood ties, it’s about love beyond measure.

I got to admit when I need a major pick me up or feel good novel, I reach for Debbie Macomber books. These stories are full of heart, amazing life like characters and story lines that mimic the world today and all it is to many people. In LAST ONE HOME we meet the Carter sisters-Karen, Cassie and Nichole. With a stroke of this author’s keyboard, we find three unlikely people bound by blood ties and a past that is full of laughter and tears. This is not a typical romance novel. In it Cassie has left an abused marriage, got knocked down so many times, she struggles to find her way back up again but she goes on, one determined step at a time. Because she ran away from home with a man her parents didn’t approve of, she has lost touch of her family. With the right amount of depth and perception, Ms. Macomber delivers a powerful story about a woman determined to give her daughter stability and a home, of sisters finding their way back to one another and finding out that the bond between them may be damaged but isn’t broken. It’s about family and what love and forgiveness can do to help heal battered hearts and minds. I got to admit LAST ONE HOME drew me in right from the first page and didn’t let up until I finished the book. I could not put it down and I was transfixed at how this author delivered a powerful yet emotional book that made me hope this was the beginning of a new series for her.

Meet Cassie, Karen and Nichole. Cassie was always viewed as the favorite of her dad’s and when she ran away from home at eighteen in a fit of rebellion with the man her parents disapproved of, well lets just her family went to pieces in a new york minute. Karen and Nichole have spent years trying to be the perfect kids and to weather the after effects of Cassie leaving. Confused, hurt and more than a little angry, both women find that reconnecting with Cassie will take more than a ‘I’m sorry’ on both ends, it will take a whole lot of forgiveness and letting go of the past in order to have a brighter future. What I love about Ms. Macomber’s characters is that they are quite life like and there is a connection between them in someway. The bond Cassie shared with her sisters growing up resonates strongly throughout the book and when these three people meet after many years apart, lets just say the timing is perfect as each person is going through a crisis that will leave them scrambling for some sort of peace. The characters are well written, multi-dimensional and capture your attention immediately. I loved the dynamics between the sisters as well as Cassie’s relationship with her daughter Aimee, who made me giggle a lot which helped give the story some of the best light hearted moments I ever read. The secondary characters are just as entertaining and kept my interest and Cassie’s love interest; Steve had some baggage as well that had me rooting for him to fall for Cassie.

LAST ONE HOME is more than a book about sisters, it’s about life, family, love and forgiveness. It’s about reconnecting with loved ones, be it family or friends. It’s about finding your way back to the ones who have loved you forever. Ms. Macomber delivers a story that will leave you breathless in the end and I am eager to see what else this author has in store for her readers in the future. Now all I can ask is, Will this be a new series because I would love to see how these three sisters made out months/years down the road.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement