Sweet Tomorrows

September 12, 2016
Macomber's consummate writing craft shines in this conclusion to the Rose Harbor series (after Silver Linings), set in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. Jo Marie, the innkeeper at the Rose Harbor Inn, resumes dating after her boyfriend, Mark, disappears in Iraq. When he resurfaces nine months later, she is torn between his eagerness to get married and the temptation of a new relationship with Greg, who promises no heartaches. Emily, one of Jo Marie's boarders, plans to start afresh in Cedar Grove with no regrets about the past, but the only house she is interested in buying belongs to brooding Nick, who has no intent of selling. Both Jo Marie and Emily love damaged men, which add layers of complexity to this powerful romance. Nick pursues Emily even though she repeatedly asks him to leave her alone, narrowly avoiding looking like a stalker. Jo Marie's agonizing choice between Mark and Greg is intensely personal and completely relatable (though Greg is never fully developed as a character). This isn't a fluffy romance in which the hero swoops in and saves the day; in fact, Emily saves Nick from his crippling guilt and Jo Marie guides Mark into making a difficult decision. Macomber will leave readers confident that they can find peace and healing when they learn to trust in love. Agent: Theresa Park, Park Literary & Media.

While Mark Taylor is missing in the Middle East, innkeeper Jo Marie Rose takes on a new boarder and a new romance.The Rose Harbor series (Silver Linings, 2015, etc.) has been building to a happily ever after (or not) for Mark and Jo Marie. In this final installment, Jo Marie must decide if loving a soldier is worth the risk of being widowed a second time when Mark accepts a dangerous mission, and her anguish is heartbreaking. Mark's rival is a dashing widower named Greg, whose patience and sweetness make him a serious contender for Jo Marie's heart. "You're worth it," he tells her. "If things work out with Mark, I'll accept that and move on, and if they don't you need to know I'll be right here waiting for you.." Meanwhile, Jo Marie's boarder, Emily Gaffney, finds her dream home in Cedar Cove after accepting a teaching job, but its current owner, Nick Schwartz, chases her away before she can make an offer. As always, Jo Marie's guests have packed plenty of baggage: Emily was jilted twice after her exes discovered her painful secret, and tragedy has left Nick with emotional scars, but they are both drawn to the inn and to each other to heal. In this tightly focused narrative, the four main characters have space to sort out their complicated feelings in alternating chapters, and there are juicy updates on previous guests as well. Macomber fans will leave the Rose Harbor Inn with warm memories of healing, hope, and enduring love. COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 1, 2016

Mark Taylor made Jo Marie Rose promise to move on if he did not come back from his personal mission of righting a past wrong, and she is making that happen. She meets Greg and begins a relationship that quickly deepens. Thinking she can finally move forward, Jo Marie is shocked to learn that Mark is still alive and has been admitted to the hospital in critical condition. Determined to be by his side every minute, she leaves the inn in the capable hands of her summer boarder Emily Gaffney. Emily is starting over in a new town with no reminders of the love she left behind. Jogging one morning she meets Elvis, a beautiful German shepherd that belongs to Nick Schwartz. With his own demons to tame, Nick is the last person Emily should be interested in. The healing spirit of the Rose Harbor Inn begins to take hold, bringing Emily and Nick as well as Jo Marie and Mark's stories full circle. VERDICT Fans will enjoy this final installment of the "Rose Harbor" series (after Silver Linings) as they see Jo Marie's story finally come to an end. [See Prepub Alert, 2/21/16.]--Jane Blue, Andrews P.L., NC

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2016

Alas, fans, this is the end of Macomber's hugely popular "Rose Harbor" series, set in the fictional town of Cedar Cove, WA. Uncertain of Mark Taylor's love, innkeeper Jo Marie Rose starts dating again and finds real closeness with a boarder also seeking a new path in life, while heartbroken Emily Gaffney concludes that marriage will never come her way and thinks about adopting children. Both have some surprises in store. Love Letters, third in the series, was an LJ Best Women's Fiction title.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.