October 1, 2023
March revisits Lake in the Clouds, CO, (after The Getaway) with a story full of authentic family interactions, drama, and romance. The multigenerational characters are convincing and relatable; any reader with a sister will connect immediately with the sarcastic yet loving synergy between matriarch Genevieve and her sibling Helen. As Genevieve struggles to find her place in life, and her 60th birthday looms, her daughter Willow moves back to Lake in the Clouds following a tragedy that has set her little family reeling. As the larger extended-family dynamics ebb and flow, Willow realizes that confessing her own secrets may be the only way to move forward with her mother in order to embrace a new life. Add to the mix an unexpected first encounter with a man who has scars of his own, launching a slow-burn romance that winds its way through the tale. VERDICT Gentle, wholesome, and satisfying, with pops of the unexpected, this tenderhearted tale with a touching, uplifting storyline will please March's fans and anyone looking for a captivating escape.--Kelly Moore
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October 15, 2023
Willow has come to her mother's Colorado resort for the summer. Recently widowed, she is in need of some healing, and her young son is still traumatized by the accident that took his father and nearly himself. Her younger daughter, meanwhile, is sunshine itself. Mourning is difficult, as Willow's husband was unfaithful, and they were on the verge of divorce. And, with too many things unsaid, Willow and her mother have an awkward relationship. Nonetheless, she extends her stay to manage her brother's wedding and finds that returning to Nashville is becoming less and less appealing. Throw in an elderly rancher for Mom, an uncommunicative, retired firefighter for herself, and issues with her in-laws, and Willow's life gets truly complicated. This is the second novel in the Lake in the Clouds series (after The Getaway, 2022), and the ending leaves plot points open for a third installment. While the romance is predictable, the characters are appealing, and the setting is attractive. This will have a place in a public library collection.
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