Tag Archives: Debbie Macomber

Cottage by the Sea by Debbie Macomber – a Review

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Cottage by the Sea by Debbie Macomber – a Review

 

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Description:
After tragedy strikes, Annie moves in to the summer cottage where her family vacationed when she was a child. Soon Annie finds herself making new friends, even developing a romance with a quiet and mysterious painter. And as she becomes part of the community, Annie learns that the surest way to heal is by making a difference in the lives of those around her.

 

 

Review:

Cottage by the Sea by Debbie Macomber is another one of her wonderful romantic standalone novels.  We meet Annie (our heroine ) in her younger days, when she was with her parents and brother vacationing at Oceanside. She caught the attention of Keaton (our shy and non-talkative hero), who despite his school mates constantly picking on him, he found himself wanting to befriend Annie.  But shortly afterwards, her family left Oceanside, and each summer Keaton would look for her, but she never came back.

Years later, Annie is a Physician’s Assistant, and happy living in Seattle, with the friends she has made.  When her mom tries to convince her  to come home to visit, Annie begs off, as she wants to stay with her friends.  The next day, Annie learns there was a terrible tragedy, with a mudslide destroying many homes and lives.  She is devastated as not only was her mother and father killed, but so too was her brother, his wife and their baby. Alone and in deep mourning, Annie is pushed to get out and find a happy place to try to snap out of her grief. 

Annie will eventually travel to her happy childhood days at the beach in Oceanside, and decides to stay for a while, since she begins to feel peace again.  She will get a job with the local doctor as his assistant, with a contract for a year.  When she discovers the cabin she and her family stayed in was still there, but in disrepair, she tries to rent it.

Keaton, who recognizes the grown up Annie, will help her rent the cabin by the recluse owner, Mellie.  What follows is a wonderful sweet fun story that has a fantastic group of secondary characters, a slow build romance, as well as a couple we rooted for from the start. 

There were many issues surrounding some of the characters.  Keaton had his own issues, being a very talented artist, but unable to communicate very well, as well as having a father who was not nice.  Annie was trying to overcome her deep grief, which she blames herself for surviving.   Mellie was another wonderful but crazy character, as she was cold and unfriendly at the start, with a phobia, not leaving the house for 5 years. 

It was so much fun to see Annie slowly force Mellie to open up and eventually become friends.  Annie also earns the respect of the townsfolk, as she is very caring and knowledgeable in helping care for them.  She becomes involved in helping a woman and her children from an abusive husband/father.  This was a very good addition to the storyline.

With the slow built romance, it was wonderful to see Annie bring Keaton out of his shell, and in time they both knew they were falling hard for each other.  Keaton fears that after a year, Annie will leave and go back to Seattle.  Will Annie leave Oceanside and Keaton?

Cottage by the Sea was a wonderful heartwarming story that had us unable to put the book down.  I loved every moment of this book, as Macomber outdid herself with this one.  If you enjoy a story that grabs your attention, with wonderful, if not flawed characters, and a romance that was sweet, but stayed mostly in the background, then you need to read Cottage by the Sea. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber – a Review

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Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber – a Review

 

Merry and BrightAmazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
Merry Knight is pretty busy these days. She’s taking care of her family, baking cookies, decorating for the holidays, and hoping to stay out of the crosshairs of her stressed and by-the-book boss at the consulting firm where she temps. Her own social life is the last thing she has in mind, much less a man. Without her knowledge, Merry’s well-meaning mom and brother create an online dating profile for her–minus her photo–and the matches start rolling in. Initially, Merry is incredulous, but she reluctantly decides to give it a whirl.

Soon Merry finds herself chatting with a charming stranger, a man with similar interests and an unmistakably kind soul. Their online exchanges become the brightest part of her day. But meeting face-to-face is altogether different, and her special friend is the last person Merry expects–or desires. Still, sometimes hearts can see what our eyes cannot. In this satisfying seasonal tale, unanticipated love is only a click away.

 


Review:

Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber was a sweet lighthearted Christmas romance.

Mary Knight is our heroine, who lives with her mom, dad and brother. Mary works as a temp, until just before Christmas, which will complete her one year contract, as she wants to go back to school. She works hard and is willing to work overtime.  At work she is known as Merry, because of an uncorrected spelling error by HR.

Jayson Bright is the boss of the company and he is a workaholic, especially since he is trying to win a bid. Jayson comes across to his staff, as cold, and unfriendly. His cousin tries to tell him to go out and have some fun, find himself a date, even using one of those computer dating sites.

Mary’s mother and her brother, Patrick, who is challenged,  also try to tell Mary to find a boyfriend. One day without her approval they set up a profile for her on a dating site. The picture used was that of her dog, Bogie. She figures no harm done, as who will look at her with a picture of a dog. Mary meet Jay…..
Jay sees the dog picture, which brings memories of when he was a kid. Soon Mary and Jay begin a friendship on the internet

Jayson is working overtime to try to meet his deadline, and when he needs help, it is Merry who will stay late to finished to project. Neither Jay nor Mary know each other’s identity, until they agree to meet. Only Mary doesn’t show up. When Jay asks why she didn’t come she tells him that she knows him, and there can be nothing further between them. However, as she works more with Jayson (who still doesn’t know who she is), she realizes that he really is a nice guy.

What follows is a heartwarming and sweet story of two people who are lonely and by finding each other, they begin to change the way they look at things. Christmas was a perfect setting for this romance.  Will Mary be able to tell Jayson who she is? Will Jay accept that Merry and Mary are one and the same. You will have to read the book to find out.

Merry and Bright is a sweet pure romance with a couple we could not help but root for. Another wonderful fast paced romance, with a Christmas theme by Debbie Macomber that you need to read

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Any Dream Will Do by Debbie Macomber – a Review

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Any Dream Will Do by Debbie Macomber – a Review

 

Any Dream Will DoAmazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
Shay Benson adored her younger brother, Caden, and that got her into trouble. When he owed money, Shay realized she would do anything to help him avoid the men who were threatening him, and she crossed lines she never should have crossed. Now, determined to start fresh, she finds herself in search of a place to stay and wanders into a church to escape from the cold.

Pastor Drew Douglas adored his wife. But when he lost her, it was all he could do to focus on his two beautiful kids, and his flock came in a distant third. Now, as he too is thinking about a fresh start, he walks through his sanctuary and finds Shay sitting in a pew.

The pair strike up a friendship—Drew helps Shay get back on her feet, and she reignites his sense of purpose—that, over time, turns into something deeper, something soulful, spiritual, and possibly romantic. Even Drew’s two children are taken with this woman who has brought light back into their lives. Perhaps most important, Shay learns to trust again as she, in turn, proves herself trustworthy to her adopted community.

But Caden’s return to town and a disastrous secret threaten to undo the life Shay has tried so hard to rebuild. It will take the utmost courage and faith if she and Drew hope to find healing and open their hearts to a brighter future

 

Review:

Any Dream Will Do by Debbie Macomber is a wonderful heartwarming story about second chances and finding love.  Any Dream Will Do begins with Shay Benson, our heroine, making a grave mistake in helping her brother; after serving three years in prison for embezzlement, which during that time, she never heard from her brother again. When Shay is released from prison, she has no money, and has no one to help her; she gets on a bus to nowhere, and ends up in a local church in a small town and desperately prays for some guidance. 

Drew Douglas, is the pastor of his church, and when he hears a noise, he realizes that someone has entered the church.  Drew himself was deep in prayer, trying to find a way to get past his depression, since the loss of his wife 4 years before.  Drew has two children, and he knows he needs to find a way to step out of his mourning for them, as well as he is losing members of  his church.  When Drew goes to find out who entered, he meets Shay, and he will try to bring her to one of the town’s clinics that help those in need. Shay openly explains that she just got out of prison, but Drew is determined to help the young lady.  Shay at first is not too sure she will qualify to be in this program, but she will persevere and slowly change her perspective at having a chance for a new life.  She meets many people who will become her friends along the way, which also includes Drew, who will become her friend, as will his two children. 

Drew finds himself having a new purpose, and begins to return to the living, winning back his parishioners, his friends, and spending quality time with his daughter and son.  Drew also finds himself enjoying spending time with Shay, and how she is with his children.  Both know theirs is just a friendship, which has some townspeople not happy, as Shay’s past has them determined to force Drew not to become romantically involved.  Those who know Shay, have seen all the good she does helping others, with volunteer work, and the homeless, not to mention how Drew’s children have grown to love her.  Shay’s brother and her ex will come back to haunt her, causing more problems, but she is now strong enough to fight them

Even though this was an unlikely pair, their growing romance was so well written and beautiful to see.  I loved how Shay was so loving to the children, and to Drew, even though she felt she was not worthy of him. I loved how they both got second chances in life to rise above the trauma of their past; as each needed to learn to trust their hearts, and have faith and hope again.

Debbie Macomber gives us wonderful story about love, second chances, friendship, issues, and forgiveness.   This was a sweet and inspiring story, with a great couple, wonderful children and secondary characters.  I strongly suggest you read Any Dream Will Do.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Mr. Miracle: A Christmas Novel by Debbie Macomber – a Review

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Mr. Miracle: A Christmas Novel by Debbie Macomber – a Review

 

Mr. MiracleAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository / BAM

Description:
Harry Mills is a guardian angel on a mission: help twenty-four-year-old Addie Folsom get her life back on track—and, if the right moment strikes, help her find love. Posing as a teacher at a local college in Tacoma, Washington, Harry is up to the task, but not even he can predict the surprises that lay in store.

After trying to make it on her own, Addie has returned home to Tacoma for the holidays, but this time she plans to stay for good, enrolling in the local community college to earn her degree. What she doesn’t plan to do is run into Erich Simmons.

Addie and her next-door neighbor, Erich, are like night and day. Growing up, he was popular and outgoing while she was rebellious and headstrong, and he never missed an opportunity to tease her. Now she intends to avoid him entirely, yet when they’re suddenly forced to spend Christmas together, Addie braces for trouble.

Perhaps it’s the spirit of the season or the magic of mistletoe, but Addie and Erich soon find they have more in common than they thought—and that two people who seem so wrong for each other may actually be just right. With a little prompting from a certain angelic teacher, the two are in for a holiday miracle they’ll never forget.

 

 

Review:

Mr. Miracle by Debbie Macomber is another sweet Christmas story. In fact, this story will be made into a TV movie or series shortly. Mr. Miracle has a few leading characters, with the brunt of the story being about Addie and Erich. However, we meet Harry Mills right from the start, and he is an angel sent to help Addie and Erich find each other. This is Harry’s first mission, and he is on probation. He meets his senior angel, who though very experienced, looks very young, as opposed to Harry’s middle age appearance. At first Harry is over confident… how hard is it to deal with humans on Earth. What follows are some very humorous and uncomfortable moments for Harry in his human body.

Addie comes home for Christmas after her father’s death, and though she has been away for many years, she plans to stay to re-build her life again. She signs up for a class to get her high school diploma, and Harry is her teacher. Addie discovers her mother is planning on a two week cruise with her neighbor friend. Erich is the son of the neighbor, and he and Addie do not really like each other. When Erich has a car accident, suffering broken wrists, his mom plans to cancel the trip, which would mean Addie’s mom will also miss out. It is Harry who puts the seed in Addie’s mind to help her mother, and take care of Erich for two weeks. Neither one of them are happy about the arrangement, but they want their mothers to have fun. They are resigned to bear with each other, and Addie is determined to make something out of what she expects to be a lonely Christmas.

What follows is a sweet story about how slowly Addie and Erich become friends, and then realize that they have changed over the years, with their relationship taking a sweet turn. Erich came across as Scrooge, since he was laid up, and hated Christmas. But Addie was determined to prove him wrong. It is also a story of characters introduced in the school, that Addie befriends, which could be part of the television series.

The story between Addie and Erich was really sweet, but it was the situations that Harry would constantly find himself that made for much humor. I liked Celeste the other experienced angel. If you want a sweet Christmas read, Mr. Miracle would be a perfect book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by through Edelweiss

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Starry Night by Debbie Macomber – a Review

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Starry Night by Debbie Macomber – a Review

Starry NightLinks to order Starry Night: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
’Tis the season for romance, second chances, and Christmas cheer with this new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.
 
Carrie Slayton, a big-city society-page columnist, longs to write more serious news stories. So her editor hands her a challenge: She can cover any topic she wants, but only if she first scores the paper an interview with Finn Dalton, the notoriously reclusive author.
 
Living in the remote Alaskan wilderness, Finn has written a megabestselling memoir about surviving in the wild. But he stubbornly declines to speak to anyone in the press, and no one even knows exactly where he lives.
 
Digging deep into Finn’s past, Carrie develops a theory on his whereabouts. It is the holidays, but her career is at stake, so she forsakes her family celebrations and flies out to snowy Alaska. When she finally finds Finn, she discovers a man both more charismatic and more stubborn than she even expected. And soon she is torn between pursuing the story of a lifetime and following her heart.
 
Filled with all the comforts and joys of Christmastime, Starry Night is a delightful novel of finding happiness in the most surprising places.

Review:

Starry Night by Debbie Macomber is a sweet enjoyable contemporary romance.  Our heroine, Carrie Slayton works as a society reporter for a large Chicago newspaper.  Carrie is tired of handling the news & attending the events on the society front.  She wants to do real news, and when she approaches her editor, threatening to leave, he gives her an impossible task, which if she succeeds, he will let her do a high profile assignment.

Carrie must find the elusive Finn Dalton, who is the hero in Starry Night, and get an interview.  Finn is a best selling author, having written about survival in the Alaskan Wilderness.  But he prefers his privacy and no one knows who he is.  There has never been any luck in finding out who is Finn Dalton. But Carrie jumps at the chance, and does her own investigation.  She discovers by chance, a woman she thinks is Finn’s mother, and after speaking with her, Carrie heads to Alaska.  She convinces a friend of Finn’s to take her to his remote cabin on the other side of the lake.  Surprise..Surprise …when Finn sees this girl falling down in the ice and snow in front of his cabin.  Finn and his dog, Hennessy come to Carrie’s rescue, which is followed by a blizzard. 

Of course, since they are snowed in, no chance for Finn to kick Carrie out.  Well at least not yet.  What follows are two people who do not like each other from the beginning.  Carrie finds him rude, and unfriendly.  Finn just doesn’t like or trust any woman.  Only Hennessy and Carrie hit it off immediately, much to Finn’s displeasure.  Carrie tries to be friendly, trying to explain, but Finn refuses to talk to her, giving her the cold shoulder.

Since he wouldn’t talk, and she had to sleep on the couch with Hennessey, it was funny and I totally got a kick out of it, Carrie talks to the dog as if she was talking to Finn.  Even Finn laughed at her responses, speaking for the dog, and eventually he came out of his shell to talk more.  Over the next couple of days, Finn opens up to Carrie more, telling her some of the secrets as to why he is a loner.  He blames his mother for leaving his father when he was a child, and has had bad experiences with women.  Therefore, he swears off all women.  Carrie manages to get Finn to talk, and has enough information to write that article on Finn.  When the snow is cleared, Carrie heads for home, but not before they both know there is something between them.  As she prepares to leave, Finn tells her not to publish the article on him.  Carrie must make a decision to grab the opportunity of a lifetime, or do what her heart tells her is the right thing to do.

It is a fun story, as both Finn and Carrie text each other daily, and talk on the phone.  A wonderful moment when he surprises her with a visit during Thanksgiving in Chicago, and he meets her friends.  Just when they both know they love each other, something happens to break it apart.  Carrie, though heartbroken, works her own plan to try to get Finn back and make him rise above the issues that have haunted him all his life.  A very nice romance that ends during Christmas time. 

I enjoyed reading this book, as it was a sweet simple romance, and a great couple. If you are looking for steamy romance, this book is not for you. But if you want to read something that is pure romance, a fast enjoyable read, with an unlikely couple that you know will end up together, then read this book. This is after all true blue romance and a HEA is a must.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Edelweiss and Publisher

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