Monday, May 18, 2015

Review: The Next Always by Nora Roberts

Title: The Next Always
Series: Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy
Author: Nora Roberts
Read copy: Paperback
Published: November 1, 2011
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN: 0425243214
ISBN-13: 9780425243213

The historic hotel in Boonsboro has endured war and peace, the changing of hands, and even rumored hauntings. Now it's getting a major face-lift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. As the architect in the family, Beckett's social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there's another project he's got his eye on: the girl he's been waiting to kiss since he was sixteen.

After losing her husband and returning to her hometown, Clare Brewster soon settles into her life as the mother of three young sons while running the town's bookstore. Though busy and with little time for romance, Clare is drawn across the street by Beckett's transformation of the old inn, wanting to take a closer look...at both the building and the man behind it.

With the grand opening inching closer, Beckett is happy to give Clare a private tour - one room at a time, in between blueprint meetings and kindergarten pickups. It's no first date, but these stolen moments are the beginning of something that could arouse the secret yearning that resides in Clare's independent heart - and open the door to the extraordinary adventure of what comes next...


My rating:

Beckett Montgomery has been crushing on Clare Brewster for years, way back when she was still a Murphy, dating his friend, but she always saw him as only a friend. She'd moved away, had three children, lost her husband to the war, and came back to her hometown six years ago...So what has made Beckett decide to make a move now, after all this time? Maybe it's the rebuilding of the old inn that feels like a rebirth, starting something new, maybe it's the nice lady ghost smelling of honeysuckle that's walking the halls of the old inn...Or maybe it's just the right time. The right place. And the right woman.


Okay, I have no idea where that introduction came from. Moving on.

I just realized (again) that Nora Roberts is my go-to author when I want to send my brain out for coffee and spend a couple of hours de-stressing with a good book. Her romance novels (the straight-up romances, no suspense required) really help me switch everything off and just enjoy reading, turning pages, visiting wonderful places, and even more wonderful characters. There's romance (without explicit "seduction scenes"—trust me, sometimes less is more), laughter, banter (I adore the back-and-forth between the characters, be it friends, family or lovers), and wonderful relationships between characters.

This first book in the Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy was no different. We're introduced to the three Montgomery brothers that are restoring an old inn, the women they (are destined to) love, their friends and families, and the close-knit community of the town of Boonsboro.
The Montgomerys (along with their mother) were a hoot, Beckett was all adorable with Clare's three sons, he and Clare were a lovely couple, the pizzeria owner was a hoot in her own right...I must say, not a single thing was out of place. Well, maybe I could've done without the "villain", but at least that was resolved quickly.

This book was one of those that, after you finish, you want to start all over again, just because you know you're gonna have fun all over again reading it. And one of those series/trilogy starters that make you itch to read the next instalment ASAP. No wonder I always wait for all the books in a NR trilogy to be released before digging in.

Loved it...And starting on the next one.



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