Monday, June 23, 2014

Evening Stars (Blackberry Island #3) by Susan Mallery

Series: Blackberry Island #3
368p.
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review
Small-town nurse Nina Wentworth has made a career out of being a caretaker. More "Mom" than their mother ever was, she sacrificed medical school—and her first love—so her sister could break free. Which is why she isn't exactly thrilled to see Averil back on Blackberry Island, especially when Nina's life has suddenly become…complicated.

Nina unexpectedly finds herself juggling two men—her high school sweetheart and a younger maverick pilot who also wants to claim her heart. But as fun as all this romance is, Nina has real life to deal with. Averil doesn't seem to want the great guy she's married to, and doesn't seem to be making headway writing her first book; their mom is living life just as recklessly as she always has; and Nina's starting to realize that the control she once had is slipping out of her fingers. Her hopes of getting off the island seem to be stretching further away…until her mother makes a discovery that could change everything forever.

But before Nina and Averil can reach for the stars, they have to decide what they want. Will Averil stay? Will Nina leave? And what about the men who claim to love them? Does love heal, or will finding their happy ending mean giving up all they've ever wanted?
My thoughts:
 I had not read the other books in the series, but there was no problem as it can be read as a standalone. Each book is about different characters on the island. In this book we follow 2 sisters and a mother with a Peter Pan complex. Each sister has her own issues stemming from the way they grew up. All in all this is a story about finding what you truly want in your life and then taking the steps to achieve the new goal.

In this story we do get a love triangle, but in the story it is used more as a way to break one kind of habit and really putting a magnifying glass to the life Nina was living. So, in this book it works because it has a purpose. I did enjoy the characters in this book and did root for them, but I didn't feel as connected as I really wanted. I had a better connection to Nina who took on more than her fair share of the responsibility despite the life lessons it costed those around her. Her sister seemed more bratty to me, but toward the end of the story, when she really started to find herself, is where I started connecting to her. I never really connected to the mother, but she was more of a side character so it worked out fine.

I give this book 3 stars. It is a nice chick lit kind of read where epiphanies reign and romance is found. I recommend it to those who enjoy small town stories.

23 comments:

  1. A shame you didn't feel as connected with the characters as you might have, I know good characters can make or break a book for me.

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  2. Well, I can deal with a triangle for a purpose :)

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  3. Is it weird that love triangles in adult books don't bother me nearly as much as they do in YA? I don't really know why, maybe it's because the seem to have a purpose outside just causing relationship drama like you said this one did:) Glad you can read this one as a standalone despite it being book 3!

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    1. I agree. :) There seems to be no purpose in YA other than to create drama. :p

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  4. You know, as much as I dislike triangles, if they serve a purpose like this, they can work. And small town is always good.

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  5. It sounds really nice and a book always gets bonus points when the main character has the same name as me. Woohoo! :)

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    1. LOL! I know! Well, as long as she isn't the bad guy. :D

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  6. One thing I need to do is read a Susan Mallory book. I have yet to read one. I KNOW! Will do it.

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  7. I am glad to hear the triangle worked, I adore small town romances, it's been a while since I've read one of Mallory's series. I need to fix that

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  8. I know a lot of people HATE triangles but if they're done right i can find it in myself to respect them and actually grow fond of them. Glad ot hear the triangle worked and made sense in this book and didn't feel like a useful burden! Lovely review ;)

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  9. Oh yes that's what is nice with romance like that, reading out of order lol.

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  10. I've really enjoyed some of hers in the Fools Gold series. Small town romances are so one of my favorites :)

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  11. This has been one of my recommendations for those who want a beachy feel to a story but with some depth to it. It's been pretty popular.

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  12. Not sure I'd enjoy this very much with the love triangle, but I'm definitely curious about this author. Wonderful review, Melissa!

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  13. I haven't read any of this authors books but I've been thinking I really should. This one sounds like a decent read!

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  14. I need to read some Mallery. I don't mind love-triangles when they serve a purpose. Sometimes I don't mind them just for the hell of it. lol. Glad this turned out good. I'd still have to start with the first book. ;)

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  15. I love when series books can be read as standalones! I am so bad about keeping up with series. This sounds like something I'd probably enjoy if I spent an evening on it, but I probably wouldn't go out of my way to read it since you didn't connect with the characters as much as you would have liked. Lovely thoughtful review!

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  16. lol. A Peter Pan complex. I like that. And cool to hear it's okay to start with this one. :) Thank you!

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