I picked this up as an audiobook at a library book sale because I know one of my friends has read this author, and I figured I would pass it on to her after I'd listened to it. I knew it was part of the Cedar Cove series but I didn't realize it was #11 in the series until I got to the review site. I have read other titles in this series, but not all of them and not in order.

I will say that this book had less of my usual complaint about Macomber's fiction in that there weren't too many times that she let her characters get too far gone in their passion before reeling them in.

This book has several stories intermixed:

WARNING: SPOILERS MAY FOLLOW. READ ON AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
*****

The librarian (Grace?) gets conned into taking care of a puppy but she's determined not to keep it or love it. Partly I think because the pain of losing her previous dog has her not wanting to go through that experience again. Her husband is an easier touch. By the end of the book, she's admitted she loves the dog.

Olivia and Will have to deal with their mother's memory loss. Will is also dealing with feeling like the fifth wheel since he's single and the girl he was hoping to date decides to marry someone else. He also doesn't want to admit his attraction to his assistant Miranda--though I have to agree with him that she sends mixed signals--sometimes acting like she's attracted to him and other times acting like she dislikes him.

Linc and Laurie are married. They love each other, but made the sin of not talking to her parents (at Laurie's insistence) before getting married. I'd say they need to work on communication. Linc tries to keep his workplace woes from Laurie (instead of telling her about them from the start) until he has no other choice. Which then leads to Laurie disowning her parents (at least until her mother leaves her father).

Rachel, Bruce, and Jolene are dealing with being a blended family. It sounds like Bruce and Rachel rushed the wedding, assuming that Jolene's acceptance of Rachel as a friend would translate into her accepting Rachel as a step-mother. I'm not sure Jolene was ever consulted about her father remarrying--not that he word should be the be-all and end-all but it would have been nice if her father has asked her what she would think about him getting remarried or prepared her a bit before it happened. I also wonder how much Jolene ruled the roost before Bruce remarried--because it sounds like Rachel tried to institute some rules and Jolene pushed back and became insolent while doing so--and Bruce did nothing. It took Rachel leaving them to get Bruce to realize how out of control Jolene had become. ( )

the story of Rachel, Bruce and the bratty stepchild Jolene; and in Linc Wyse, who's father-in-law is determined to destroy his business to make his little girl come crawling home (what a jerk), and Charlotte/Ben not aging well and needing to move into a retirement home. ( )

This was a quick light read that dealt with "real life" experiences and struggles in life as aging parents who are no longer safe to stay at home alone, unplanned pregnancy, a step-daughter who undermines a marriage, a rich father in law who undermines his son in law's business. I rejoiced with happiness at the ending.
I'm not sure I read this in order of the other in this series, but even as a "stand alone" it was not difficult to follow the characters and plot. ( )

Love this series. ( )

Debbie Macomber tells a great story. I think it is best if the series is read in order, and this was a great addition to the Cedar Cove story. I enjoy seeing families restored, and this book ended with tears rolling down my face. ( )