Must Love Flowers by Debbie Macomber

 

Must Love Flowers by Debbie Macomber-321 pages

Joan is not living the life she expected. Now a widow and an empty-nester, she has become by her own admission something of a recluse. But after another birthday spent alone, she is finally inclined to listen to her sister, who has been begging Joan to reengage with the world. With her support, Joan gathers the courage to take some long-awaited steps: hiring someone to tame her overgrown garden, joining a grief support group, and even renting out a room to a local college student. Before long Joan is starting to feel a little like herself again.

Across town, Maggie works mornings as a barista, tending to impatient customers before rushing to afternoon nursing classes. She's been living with her alcoholic father, ducking his temperamental outbursts and struggling to pay the household bills. But her circumstances brighten when she finds a room for rent in Joan's home. In the unexpected warmth of her new situation, Maggie finds a glimmer of hope for a better life. 

This book was light and refreshing. Especially watching Joan emerge from her grief and opening her heart to new adventures.  I enjoyed the book.

Dear Santa by Debbie Macomber

272 pages / 4 hrs, 59 mins 

"Lindy Carmichael isn't feeling particularly joyful when she returns home to Wenatchee, Washington, for Christmas. The man she thought was "the one" has cheated on her with her best friend, and she feels completely devoid of creativity in her graphic-design job. Not even carolers or Christmas cookies can cheer her up--but Lindy's mother, Ellen, remembers an old tradition that might lift her daughter's spirits.

"Reading through a box of childhood letters to Santa and reminiscing about what she'd wished for as a young girl may be just the inspiration Lindy needs. With Ellen's encouragement, she decides to write a new letter to Santa, one that will encourage her to have faith and believe just as she'd done all those years ago. Little does Lindy know that this exercise in gratitude will cause her wishes to unfold before her in miraculous ways. And, thanks to some fateful twists of Christmas magic--especially an unexpected connection with a handsome former classmate--Lindy ultimately realizes that there is truly no place like home for the holidays." --from the publisher

Oh boy. I wanted a sweet Christmas story, but this one was too sweet for me. I give it two out of five stars. In Macomber's defense, I rarely read these kinds of books, and don't like them very much. 

Cottage by the Sea by Debbie Macomber

Cottage by the Sea by Debbie Macomber
352 pages / 10 hrs, 58 mins

"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."  --from the publisher

A nice story with simple plot lines, unbelievably wonderful characters and a happy ending.  But sometimes that's what I'm in the mood for!  I gave it three stars out of five.

The Inn at Rose Harbor (Rose Harbor #1) by Debbie Macomber

The Inn at Rose Harbor (Rose Harbor #1) by Debbie Macomber -- 330 pages

Jo Marie Barlow bought a Bed & Breakfast in hopes to start life fresh. She's still hurting from the death of her husband, but she's hopeful that Rose Harbor Inn will help her heal.
Not only will the B&B become a special home for her, it will also play an important role for the hurting people who come to stay there.

Debbie Macomber is a feel-good writer. Her writing doesn't challenge, the stories aren't ground breaking, but they're nice. It's the kind of reading I'd like to do if I was particularly tired or not feeling well.

Blossom Street Brides by Debbie Macomber

Blossom Street Brides by Debbie Macomber - 336 pages

This novel focuses on the stories several people in Blossom Street who frequent the store A Good Yarn.  We step into the lives of newlyweds Bethanne and Max and see the trouble they have living in different states due to their businesses.  When Max's friend Rooster comes with him on a trip to Seattle, he meets Lauren and they begin a relationship, albeit also long distance.  We see how Lydia, the owner of A Good Yarn, deals with family issues while a secret someone created a charity campaign using her store's products leading to an increase in customers.  Lastly, we see how Lauren's bosses Elisa and Garry deal with their teenage daughter's unplanned pregnancy.

Overall, the story captured me.  I especially wanted to find out how Lauren and Rooster's relationship played out and who created the knitting basket campaign.

Morning Comes Softly by Debbie Macomber

Morning Comes Softly by Debbie Macomber - 384 pages

In this novel, Mary Werner is a shy, small-town Louisana librarian who answers a personals ad from Travis Thompson, a rancher in Montana.  Travis is looking for a wife after taking in his two orphaned nephews and orphaned niece.  Mary is looking for a change in the wake of her last living  family member's death.  Both decide to help each other out, so Mary leaves for Montana.  Once she arrives and they marry, readers learn about their budding relationship that goes beyond the help-wife Travis intended and how they manage their newly formed family.  Also a key story line is that of Travis looking for the person responsible for his brother and sister-in-law's tragic car crash.

This novel was okay.  The story line was essentially a modern day rehash of Jeanette Oke's Love Comes Softly (thus the title of this novel; morning just happen to be when many important things happen).  And Macomber used all the stereotypical librarian descriptions, which all of us at JCL should know are not always true!

Learning to Love by Debbie Macomber

Learning to Love by Debbie Macomber - 381 pages

This book contained to short romances by Debbie Macomber.

Sugar and Spice - Librarian Jayne wants to find a handsome man to take to her 10 year high school reunion to show everyone they were wrong about her.  She attracts her neighbor's attention when he notices her carrying around a book on how to find a man. 
Love By Design - Ellen is housemother to three college students while attending college herself.  Unfortunately, she didn't know that the house she is living in was rented out by the owner's brother without his knowing it.

Both romances are obviously older.  The story lines are incredibly outdated as are the stereotypes of women.  I can not recommend this book at all.  If it wasn't for the fact that this fulfilled the month's challenge I wouldn't have finished the book.

Navy Baby by Debbie Macomber

Navy Baby by Debbie Macomber - 298 pages

Navy Baby  focuses one what happens when a sailor is on leave, meets a girl, and a pregnancy occurs.  Hannah Raymond is reeling after the tragic loss of her fiancee when she literally runs into seaman Riley Murdock.  After he helps her out of a bind, they share a drink, and end up renting a hotel room.  And that is just the first chapter.  After months of attempting to deny what happened, Hannah tells her father and he tracks Riley down and more or less forces them to marry.  The rest of the novel deals with the ups and downs of Hannah and Riley getting to know each other and adjusting to married life as well as the pending birth of their child.

I think Macomber did a good job showing the contrasts between Hannah and Riley's personalities and how they eventually find some common ground.  However, when compared to some of the other stories in the series, I find this one lackluster.  The characters just lack the dynamics that draw one fully into the story.  Plus it seems it was too easy for George Raymond, Hannah's father, to track Riley down when all they had was a name and branch of service in a pre-tech heavy era (the story is originally from 1991).

Navy Woman by Debbie Macomber

Navy Woman by Debbie Macomber - 296 pages

In this installment of the Navy Series, Macomber addresses a tricky issue:  what happens when a navy woman falls for her commanding officer?  Lt. Commander Catherine Frederickson, a JAG lawyer, has been recently reassigned to the Bangor Naval Base in Seattle.  Commander Royce Nyland is the department executive officer.  While at first it seems that Royce dislikes Catherine by assigning her weekly Friday night watches and extra duties, he soon realizes it is because he is attracted to her and her name is the first to come to mind.  Once both figure this out, they tried to deny their feelings (to acknowledge them is to risk a court-martial) but it doesn't work, especially after Royce's daughter Kelly meets Catherine.  Will they find a way to be together?

I'll admit freely as I am typing this, I don't have the book completed but I will by tonight (my next shift is April 1; I wanted this to count for March).  So far, it has been a refreshing change from book 3, Navy Brat, and a return to the style of books 1 and 2.  The story has a heart and is believable.  And it is written in such a way that one feels the characters joys and pains.

Navy Brat by Debbie Macomber

Navy Brat by Debbie Macomber - 297 pages

Navy Brat is the third book in Macomber's Navy Series.  Compared to the three I previously reviewed, this book was less interesting, less realistic, and had a convoluted plot.  Erin MacNamera is a navy brat who is trying to place roots in the Seattle area.  When a much younger friend of her father is asked by her father to check on her while he is in Seattle, the plot begins.  As soon as Lieutenant Brandon "Brand" Davis meets Erin, he knows she is the one.  However, the rest of the book is a back and forth debate over the state and meaning of their relationship.  In essence, she is afraid to commit to a Navy man after her experiences frequently moving and its consequences as a Navy child.  Sure, it has it's good points, but it lacked the heart the other three books thus far have had.

Navy Blues by Debbie Macomber

Navy Blues by Debbie Macomber - 298 pages

Navy Blues picks up a storyline began in Navy Wife. Steve Kyle, sister of Lindy Kyle Callaghan, agrees to meet his ex-wife, Carol,  for the Christmas holiday.  Both have regrets about their divorce.  Unbeknownst to Steve, Carol has an ulterior motive:  she wants a baby and is using him to meet her goal.  The book then follows the ups and downs of their relationship as they rekindle old flames, reopen old arguments, and begin new verbal battles.  We see Lindy do her best to help both sides and how the rest of the first year of her marriage to Rush Callaghan goes.

I enjoyed this book and how it ties in neatly with Navy Wife.  While the situation Steve and Carol find themselves in seems uncommon, their arguments and the passion that still existed between them seemed very real.  I also liked how it also tied up loose ends where Lindy and Rush were concerned.

Navy Wife by Debbie Macomber

Navy Wife by Debbie Macomber - 296 pages

Navy Wife is the first book in Macomber's Navy Series I read another book of earlier this month.  Compared to that book, Navy Husband, this one is much better.  The relationships feel less stiff and more believable and the descriptions flow better (as opposed to repeating the same things in a straightforward manner).

In this novel, Lindy Kyle has just exited a long-term relationship and is looking for a new start.  Taking her brother, Steve, up on his offer, she moves to Seattle and takes over his half of an apartment he shares with a friend while both are on sea duty.  However, Rush Callaghan's carrier has mechanical difficulties and returns to port.  At first upset to find Lindy in his apartment, Rush soon warms to her and romance blossoms.  Eventually, they decide to marry (hence the title) but both soon have regrets about going from meeting to marriage in under a month and an accident aboard the carrier causes more evaluations of the situation.

Navy Husband by Debbie Macomber

Navy Husband by Debbie Macomber - 248 pages

Navy Husband is one of the books in Macomber's Navy Series.  In this novel, Shana Berrie is charged with her niece, Jazmine's, care when her sister is given a tour of sea duty.  Between this, a bad break-up, and the new ice cream and pizza parlor she purchases and is running, Shana believes she has little time for romance.  Upon meeting Jazmine's godfather, Lt. Commander Adam Kennedy, their is instant attraction between both adults, which is helped along through Jazmine's meddling.  Meanwhile, on the U.S.S. Woodrow Wilson, Shana's sister Ali is finally beginning to get over her husband's death in a F-18 crash two years earlier.  While the process began before she boarded the aircraft carrier, meeting the ship's navigator, Commander Frank Dillon, has helped the process along despite both knowing the consequences of a shipboard romance.

In all, Navy Husband was a cute story.  I definitely want to read the other five books sometime soon.

Starry Night: A Christmas Novel by Debbie Macomber

Starry Night: A Christmas Novel by Debbie Macomber, 243 pages

I completed this heartwarming page turner in the wee hours of the morning.  Starry Night tells the story of Carrie Slayton, a society reporter hoping to her dream move into investigative reporting.  Her boss says if she can locate the elusive author of a best selling book, Finn Dalton, and secure an interview she can have her pick of any story.  But when she locates Finn, things do not work out as expected.  Does Carrie opt to follow her heart--and Finn's trust--or betray it?

I enjoyed the book, and being the first I have read of Debbie Macomber, I may opt to try another one of her books in the future.