What do you think?
Rate this book
Mischief Bay #2
The Friends We Keep
In this insightful and compelling story from book club favorite Susan Mallery, three close friends test the boundaries of how much a woman can give before she has nothing left.
After five years as a stay-at-home mom, Gabby Schaefer can't wait to return to work. Oh, to use the bathroom in peace! No twins clamoring at the door, no husband barging in, no stepdaughter throwing a tantrum. But when her plans are derailed by some shocking news and her husband's crushing expectations, Gabby must fight for the right to have a life of her own.
Getting pregnant is easy for Hayley Batchelor. Staying pregnant is the hard part. Her husband is worried about the expensive fertility treatments and frantic about the threat to her health. But to Hayley, a woman who was born to be a mom should risk everything to fulfill her destiny—no matter how high the cost.
Nicole Lord is still shell-shocked by a divorce that wasn't as painful as it should've been. Other than the son they share, her ex-husband left barely a ripple in her life. A great new guy tempts her to believe maybe the second time's the charm…but how can she trust herself to recognize true love?
As their bonds of friendship deepen against the beautiful backdrop of Mischief Bay, Gabby, Hayley and Nicole will rely on good food, good wine and especially each other to navigate life's toughest changes.
After five years as a stay-at-home mom, Gabby Schaefer can't wait to return to work. Oh, to use the bathroom in peace! No twins clamoring at the door, no husband barging in, no stepdaughter throwing a tantrum. But when her plans are derailed by some shocking news and her husband's crushing expectations, Gabby must fight for the right to have a life of her own.
Getting pregnant is easy for Hayley Batchelor. Staying pregnant is the hard part. Her husband is worried about the expensive fertility treatments and frantic about the threat to her health. But to Hayley, a woman who was born to be a mom should risk everything to fulfill her destiny—no matter how high the cost.
Nicole Lord is still shell-shocked by a divorce that wasn't as painful as it should've been. Other than the son they share, her ex-husband left barely a ripple in her life. A great new guy tempts her to believe maybe the second time's the charm…but how can she trust herself to recognize true love?
As their bonds of friendship deepen against the beautiful backdrop of Mischief Bay, Gabby, Hayley and Nicole will rely on good food, good wine and especially each other to navigate life's toughest changes.
376 pages, Hardcover
First published February 23, 2016
1777 people are currently reading
9665 people want to read
About the author
Susan Mallery
862 books15.4k followers#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming and humorous novels about the relationships that define women's lives—family, friendship, romance. She's best known for putting nuanced characters into emotionally complex, real-life situations with twists that surprise readers to laughter. Because Susan is passionate about animal welfare, pets play a big role in her books. Beloved by millions of readers worldwide, her books have been translated into 28 languages.
Critics have dubbed Mallery "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!" It's no wonder that her books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list.
Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.
Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.
Critics have dubbed Mallery "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!" It's no wonder that her books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list.
Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.
Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 966 reviews
March 9, 2016
So I previously read the first book in this new series by Susan Mallery. I picked up book number two to see if there is enough going on that is going to make me want to continue with this. Based on this, I would say yes I probably am going to buy book #3 (if there is one). I would suggest that maybe the next book can focus on just one or possibly two people. I have noticed that when it's more than that, that not all story-lines are equal.
The Friends We Keep has three friends, Gabby, Hayley (mentioned and seen in book #1), and Nicole (main character from book #1) living and working in Mischief Bay, California.
Gabby is the mother of two young twins and a stepmother to 15 year old Makayla. Gabbi is happy in her marriage to her husband Andrew and can't wait to go back to work when her two little girls start school. However, due to an unexpected event, Gabby realizes that she and Andrew may not be on the same page at all.
Hayley has been trying to bring her pregnancy's to full term. Instead she keeps suffering miscarriages. After being told that if she tries to get pregnant again it can mean her life, we have Hayley and her husband Rob at an impasse.
Nicole is still dealing with the fallout from her divorce from her ex husband. She finds herself starting to reluctantly fall for someone.
Off the top, I have to say that I really enjoyed Gabby and Hayley's stories.
Gabby's was pretty complex. I liked that we didn't have a female character just rolling over for what her husband wanted. And I admired the event that we had to see Gabby and the rest of the family reacting to.
Hayley though I sympathized with, I started to feel like everything dealing with her got a bit repetitive. My thought process, if you get told carrying a baby can kill you, then you have to come to terms with that. Instead we had Hayley still trying to do whatever it takes to get pregnant, even though she knew her husband didn't agree. There is some added information concerning why Hayley is so driven to get pregnant and have a child that she carries. However, it rang a bit false to me because of her age. I know that sounds weird. But I would have been much more sympathetic to her plight if she was younger than the age she was at in this book. We have the character of her sister included in this who was just a straight up waste of space.
Nicole's story was pretty boring to me from beginning to end. Maybe it's because as a reader I already read about Nicole's marriage and divorce. Reading about her going back and forth about dating a new guy, and going back and forth about letting him be there for her, eh, not that interesting. Her story dragged a lot too. I noticed I was more engaged when reading anything dealing with Gabby and Hayley. Considering that we only get mentions and limited interactions with characters from the prior book, Shannon and Pam (from book #1) I don't get why we had Nicole in two stories. Heck, in the case of Gabby's story, it would make more sense that we had seen the character of Shannon more than we did.
And honestly I did not get the vibe that these three women were even friends. We don't get many scenes with them interacting as a group. They just seem to be there to tell another character about whatever emotional upheaval one of them is going through next. And they seem to be wise about each other's problems, but not their own. I liked "Three Sisters" because you could see why and how those three women got to know each other and even started to hang out with each other. I don't need The Golden Girls having cheesecake and discussing men conversations, but there really was no chemistry to show me how these women met and became such good friends.
I like Susan Mallery's writing, so no complaints there from me. As I said earlier though, when it's just one character I really love her books (Blackberry Island series), but when it's more than one character I just feel that there is always one that is pretty much underdeveloped, or not very interesting compared to the other characters in the book.
The setting of Mischief Bay was pretty non-descriptive. I totally forgot it took place in California until one character talked about Disney Land being close.
The ending wrapped everything up in a too neat bow. I think if this is going to be a series she continues, Mallery should feel free to have mentions made to prior characters to let the readers know what happened.
The Friends We Keep has three friends, Gabby, Hayley (mentioned and seen in book #1), and Nicole (main character from book #1) living and working in Mischief Bay, California.
Gabby is the mother of two young twins and a stepmother to 15 year old Makayla. Gabbi is happy in her marriage to her husband Andrew and can't wait to go back to work when her two little girls start school. However, due to an unexpected event, Gabby realizes that she and Andrew may not be on the same page at all.
Hayley has been trying to bring her pregnancy's to full term. Instead she keeps suffering miscarriages. After being told that if she tries to get pregnant again it can mean her life, we have Hayley and her husband Rob at an impasse.
Nicole is still dealing with the fallout from her divorce from her ex husband. She finds herself starting to reluctantly fall for someone.
Off the top, I have to say that I really enjoyed Gabby and Hayley's stories.
Gabby's was pretty complex. I liked that we didn't have a female character just rolling over for what her husband wanted. And I admired the event that we had to see Gabby and the rest of the family reacting to.
Hayley though I sympathized with, I started to feel like everything dealing with her got a bit repetitive. My thought process, if you get told carrying a baby can kill you, then you have to come to terms with that. Instead we had Hayley still trying to do whatever it takes to get pregnant, even though she knew her husband didn't agree. There is some added information concerning why Hayley is so driven to get pregnant and have a child that she carries. However, it rang a bit false to me because of her age. I know that sounds weird. But I would have been much more sympathetic to her plight if she was younger than the age she was at in this book. We have the character of her sister included in this who was just a straight up waste of space.
Nicole's story was pretty boring to me from beginning to end. Maybe it's because as a reader I already read about Nicole's marriage and divorce. Reading about her going back and forth about dating a new guy, and going back and forth about letting him be there for her, eh, not that interesting. Her story dragged a lot too. I noticed I was more engaged when reading anything dealing with Gabby and Hayley. Considering that we only get mentions and limited interactions with characters from the prior book, Shannon and Pam (from book #1) I don't get why we had Nicole in two stories. Heck, in the case of Gabby's story, it would make more sense that we had seen the character of Shannon more than we did.
And honestly I did not get the vibe that these three women were even friends. We don't get many scenes with them interacting as a group. They just seem to be there to tell another character about whatever emotional upheaval one of them is going through next. And they seem to be wise about each other's problems, but not their own. I liked "Three Sisters" because you could see why and how those three women got to know each other and even started to hang out with each other. I don't need The Golden Girls having cheesecake and discussing men conversations, but there really was no chemistry to show me how these women met and became such good friends.
I like Susan Mallery's writing, so no complaints there from me. As I said earlier though, when it's just one character I really love her books (Blackberry Island series), but when it's more than one character I just feel that there is always one that is pretty much underdeveloped, or not very interesting compared to the other characters in the book.
The setting of Mischief Bay was pretty non-descriptive. I totally forgot it took place in California until one character talked about Disney Land being close.
The ending wrapped everything up in a too neat bow. I think if this is going to be a series she continues, Mallery should feel free to have mentions made to prior characters to let the readers know what happened.
May 4, 2016
So boring I wanted to throw the book at the wall numerous times.
April 8, 2024
Holy cow, THE FRIENDS WE KEEP is one crazy story! There are three friends involved here: Gabby, Hayley, and Nicole and the way they interact with eachother was so interesting. I was instantly hooked. Gabby is the mother of two young twins and a stepmother to 15 year old Makayla. Gabby is happily married to her husband Andrew and can’t wait to go back to work when her two little girls start school. Be prepared to be on quite the emotional rollercoaster while reading!
THE FRIENDS WE KEEP is exactly why I love Susan Mallery’s books. She had me sad on one page and giggling out loud on the next. This story is all about family and the past and the life lessons are heart tugging. It had me flipping through the pages like a woman on a mission. I had to know what was going to happen to these three friends and all the secondary characters. Hayley is a woman who is determined to be a mother. Unfortunately, she can’t stay pregnant. After her fifth miscarriage, her doctor warns her that trying again would likely kill her. THE FRIENDS WE KEEP is a perfect story that will hold you hostage until the very last page. Once you start reading, it will be very hard to put down!
In THE FRIENDS WE KEEP, all of the characters are very interesting and believable, so much so that I felt as if I’ve known them for a long time. Nicole is dealing with a very non-present ex-husband who wants nothing to do with their son. Her son is 6 now and obsessed with Brad the Dragon books. She hates the author because she’s heard he’s just in it for the money and she really hates the dragon. Susan Mallery has me longing to find friends just like her characters. There are times of laughter, heartache, anger, sadness, and joy and everything that comes in-between. There is so much heart in Susan’s writing that I was left with a huge smile on my face and my heart happy. Susan Mallery is the queen of writing heartfelt stories about sisters and family drama. If you are looking for a quick, family drama story, you can’t go wrong with THE FRIENDS WE KEEP!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Mira through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
THE FRIENDS WE KEEP is exactly why I love Susan Mallery’s books. She had me sad on one page and giggling out loud on the next. This story is all about family and the past and the life lessons are heart tugging. It had me flipping through the pages like a woman on a mission. I had to know what was going to happen to these three friends and all the secondary characters. Hayley is a woman who is determined to be a mother. Unfortunately, she can’t stay pregnant. After her fifth miscarriage, her doctor warns her that trying again would likely kill her. THE FRIENDS WE KEEP is a perfect story that will hold you hostage until the very last page. Once you start reading, it will be very hard to put down!
In THE FRIENDS WE KEEP, all of the characters are very interesting and believable, so much so that I felt as if I’ve known them for a long time. Nicole is dealing with a very non-present ex-husband who wants nothing to do with their son. Her son is 6 now and obsessed with Brad the Dragon books. She hates the author because she’s heard he’s just in it for the money and she really hates the dragon. Susan Mallery has me longing to find friends just like her characters. There are times of laughter, heartache, anger, sadness, and joy and everything that comes in-between. There is so much heart in Susan’s writing that I was left with a huge smile on my face and my heart happy. Susan Mallery is the queen of writing heartfelt stories about sisters and family drama. If you are looking for a quick, family drama story, you can’t go wrong with THE FRIENDS WE KEEP!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Mira through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
February 29, 2016
This novel was written with the charm, flair and realism I’ve come to love from this author. Mallery invites us into this pocket of LA with a fantastic small town feel for an emotionally enriching novel that I couldn’t put down. I love the way that she develops this intimate story, weaving the lives of her many characters together, creating a community feel that I thoroughly loved.
I love the intimate look we get at the lives of the women that Mallery has created. I also appreciated the different personalities and lives that I got a look at. The Jairus/Nicole dynamic was a hoot. It was fun seeing their relationship from the ground floor. As understandable as Hayley’s pain was I found that she took it too far, especially at the beginning of the book, almost acting like a spoiled child. On the other hand, I was all on board with Gabby’s emotional and gut level reactions. I loved her to death. She was definitely my favourite character. Not only did I enjoy these women, but getting to know their entire families made the picture so much more complete.
This is a comical and life altering read. I couldn’t put it down from cover to cover.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
I love the intimate look we get at the lives of the women that Mallery has created. I also appreciated the different personalities and lives that I got a look at. The Jairus/Nicole dynamic was a hoot. It was fun seeing their relationship from the ground floor. As understandable as Hayley’s pain was I found that she took it too far, especially at the beginning of the book, almost acting like a spoiled child. On the other hand, I was all on board with Gabby’s emotional and gut level reactions. I loved her to death. She was definitely my favourite character. Not only did I enjoy these women, but getting to know their entire families made the picture so much more complete.
This is a comical and life altering read. I couldn’t put it down from cover to cover.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2023
4.75 stars
Funny, warm and just incredibly lovely.
Funny, warm and just incredibly lovely.
March 31, 2017
Good follow on to The Girls of Mischief Bay. Nicole was a major character in that book, with Hayley and Gabby being secondary ones. Now all three are facing new challenges in their lives and having good friends like each other is vital to getting through their days.
Nicole is adjusting to being a divorced single mother. It isn't as hard as she thought it would be, because Eric had left the marriage well before the divorce. She is still frustrated by Eric's lack of interest in being a father to their son, and her battle with this runs through the book. Her son Tyler's fascination with book character Brad the Dragon earns him a chance to meet the author. Nicole is not as thrilled as she has a preconceived idea of what he is like, thanks to her ex. The meeting between Jairus and Nicole was hilarious. There were definitely sparks between them, ones that Jairus wanted to pursue. Nicole is hesitant. She doesn't trust her judgment any longer, and is afraid that if she gets involved with him, Tyler will be the one to pay the price. Jairus is awesome with Tyler and with all the children he deals with, which helps soften her heart toward him. I loved Jairus's patience with her fears. He was sweet and romantic. He's also pretty good at cutting through the garbage, and finally makes his stand with her. I loved his big moment at the end.
Hayley is a woman who is determined to be a mother. Unfortunately, she can't stay pregnant. After her fifth miscarriage, her doctor is adamant that trying again would likely kill her. Hayley doesn't want to hear it or believe it because it would be the death of her dreams of having her own child. She has a rocky relationship with her sister. Hayley was adopted and Morgan wasn't. Hayley always felt that her sister came first in her parents' hearts, and it has affected the way that Hayley looks at adoption as an option. All of the attempts at having a baby have put a strain on her marriage, and her refusal to accept the doctor's pronouncement causes a rift between her and Rob. It isn't until she nearly dies that she starts to accept the reality. I loved that Rob was there to support her, and that his love for her was still strong. His leaving was his last ditch effort to get her to see the truth. I ached for him and his fear of losing her, and frequently wanted to tell Hayley to open her eyes and look past her own wants. The solution to their problem was really sweet.
Gabby has been married to Andrew for a while. They have five year old twins, plus Andrew's daughter from a previous marriage. Gabby has been a stay at home mom since the twins were born, but has been counting the days until they start school and she can work again. I understood her frustration, because, although he was a nice guy and really loved her, Andrew doesn't seem to respect that she has her own needs. She was frustrated by the way he never backed her up in regard to anything having to do with Makayla, and even undercut her with their twins. She constantly has to deal with the girl's attitude. When a situation came up dealing with Makayla and a boy, it was pretty satisfying to see that Gabby had been right all along. But once again, Andrew comes down on Makayla's side and expects Gabby to give up her plans and needs. I was frustrated with her at the beginning because she was something of a doormat. I really liked seeing her finally stand up to Andrew and his expectations. It took him way too long to see the truth, but when he did, he accepted his responsibility. Makayla was quite a brat, but she did some serious growing up by the end of the book.
I really liked how Nicole, Hayley and Gabby were able to listen to each other's problems. They could dish out honest advice, or just be a sounding board while the talker worked out their issues. I loved the epilogue and catching up with how things had worked out for each woman.
Nicole is adjusting to being a divorced single mother. It isn't as hard as she thought it would be, because Eric had left the marriage well before the divorce. She is still frustrated by Eric's lack of interest in being a father to their son, and her battle with this runs through the book. Her son Tyler's fascination with book character Brad the Dragon earns him a chance to meet the author. Nicole is not as thrilled as she has a preconceived idea of what he is like, thanks to her ex. The meeting between Jairus and Nicole was hilarious. There were definitely sparks between them, ones that Jairus wanted to pursue. Nicole is hesitant. She doesn't trust her judgment any longer, and is afraid that if she gets involved with him, Tyler will be the one to pay the price. Jairus is awesome with Tyler and with all the children he deals with, which helps soften her heart toward him. I loved Jairus's patience with her fears. He was sweet and romantic. He's also pretty good at cutting through the garbage, and finally makes his stand with her. I loved his big moment at the end.
Hayley is a woman who is determined to be a mother. Unfortunately, she can't stay pregnant. After her fifth miscarriage, her doctor is adamant that trying again would likely kill her. Hayley doesn't want to hear it or believe it because it would be the death of her dreams of having her own child. She has a rocky relationship with her sister. Hayley was adopted and Morgan wasn't. Hayley always felt that her sister came first in her parents' hearts, and it has affected the way that Hayley looks at adoption as an option. All of the attempts at having a baby have put a strain on her marriage, and her refusal to accept the doctor's pronouncement causes a rift between her and Rob. It isn't until she nearly dies that she starts to accept the reality. I loved that Rob was there to support her, and that his love for her was still strong. His leaving was his last ditch effort to get her to see the truth. I ached for him and his fear of losing her, and frequently wanted to tell Hayley to open her eyes and look past her own wants. The solution to their problem was really sweet.
Gabby has been married to Andrew for a while. They have five year old twins, plus Andrew's daughter from a previous marriage. Gabby has been a stay at home mom since the twins were born, but has been counting the days until they start school and she can work again. I understood her frustration, because, although he was a nice guy and really loved her, Andrew doesn't seem to respect that she has her own needs. She was frustrated by the way he never backed her up in regard to anything having to do with Makayla, and even undercut her with their twins. She constantly has to deal with the girl's attitude. When a situation came up dealing with Makayla and a boy, it was pretty satisfying to see that Gabby had been right all along. But once again, Andrew comes down on Makayla's side and expects Gabby to give up her plans and needs. I was frustrated with her at the beginning because she was something of a doormat. I really liked seeing her finally stand up to Andrew and his expectations. It took him way too long to see the truth, but when he did, he accepted his responsibility. Makayla was quite a brat, but she did some serious growing up by the end of the book.
I really liked how Nicole, Hayley and Gabby were able to listen to each other's problems. They could dish out honest advice, or just be a sounding board while the talker worked out their issues. I loved the epilogue and catching up with how things had worked out for each woman.
January 30, 2016
I really like stories of women's friendship, so was looking forward to this one. I found myself slightly surprised by being so angry at some of the characters.
The first was Andrew and Gabby. It sort of seemed like they were living a charmed life on the surface. It was only as things were revealed you saw that while Andrew was a good guy, he kept slighting Gabby in little ways. It wasn't until the drama with the stepdaughter came up that I wanted to slap Andrew. He was so out of line to expect Gabby to take the brunt of the consequences, while the guilty party lived life free. I was so happy when Gabby stood up to Andrew and tried to explain why he was wrong. I hated that he didn't get it and called her selfish. I was happy when he finally wised up and they were finally figured out a great compromise.
I was a bit surprised that I ended up angry at one of the girls, Haley. I get that she wanted her own child and how horrible it was to have that not be a possibility. But her reaction was so out of control and didn't take Rob's opinion in deference at all. While Rob made a hard decision it I thought it was the right choice to make. Haley needed to see what she risked with her choice. While hated to see Haley's dreams shattered forever, it was a good thing for her. I liked the Haley in the aftermath, the one who had to evaluate her life again and found a happy spot. I was also glad that Haley got over herself and realized that kids didn't need to be biological.
Nicole's story line was a bit boring, mostly because it was predictable from the start. I was glad that in the end she woke up and realized the great thing she had.
The first was Andrew and Gabby. It sort of seemed like they were living a charmed life on the surface. It was only as things were revealed you saw that while Andrew was a good guy, he kept slighting Gabby in little ways. It wasn't until the drama with the stepdaughter came up that I wanted to slap Andrew. He was so out of line to expect Gabby to take the brunt of the consequences, while the guilty party lived life free. I was so happy when Gabby stood up to Andrew and tried to explain why he was wrong. I hated that he didn't get it and called her selfish. I was happy when he finally wised up and they were finally figured out a great compromise.
I was a bit surprised that I ended up angry at one of the girls, Haley. I get that she wanted her own child and how horrible it was to have that not be a possibility. But her reaction was so out of control and didn't take Rob's opinion in deference at all. While Rob made a hard decision it I thought it was the right choice to make. Haley needed to see what she risked with her choice. While hated to see Haley's dreams shattered forever, it was a good thing for her. I liked the Haley in the aftermath, the one who had to evaluate her life again and found a happy spot. I was also glad that Haley got over herself and realized that kids didn't need to be biological.
Nicole's story line was a bit boring, mostly because it was predictable from the start. I was glad that in the end she woke up and realized the great thing she had.
February 2, 2019
Susan Mallery's books are always honest portrayals of real women with real problems, albeit with the slightly unreal fact that they end well.
This book is no different. Divorce, infertility, teenage pregnancy are the problems in this book. A nice enjoyable read.
This book is no different. Divorce, infertility, teenage pregnancy are the problems in this book. A nice enjoyable read.
November 30, 2015
We join three friends who are all at somewhat of a crossroads in their lives. Gabby's twins are ready to start school and she feels more than ready to go back to work. Hayley desperately wants to have a baby but her body is not cooperating. Nicole is somewhat surprised that she has gotten over her divorce so quickly with a minimum of fuss. But, as always life throws some curves their way and they each must figure out what is really important to them and rely on each other for help and support.
This is the second book in the "Mischief Bay" series, but you don't have to read the first book in order to enjoy this one. I really enjoyed this book, the relationships between the characters and their families.
This is the second book in the "Mischief Bay" series, but you don't have to read the first book in order to enjoy this one. I really enjoyed this book, the relationships between the characters and their families.
July 14, 2023
I always love a Susan Mallery book. Always. This book, however, is superior. While it is still mostly a beach book (though I would almost put it in my general fiction category), it is an engaging read with characters you care about and want to invest in. I couldn’t put this book down because I wanted to know how every situation ended.
March 1, 2018
This is one of those books I probably should have waited to read. Today was one of those slow days and it made the book feel that way too. Maybe one day I'll re-check it out and try again.
February 24, 2016
Three friends - three journeys, where will it lead each of them? Susan Mallery again managed to capture my attention as I delighted in The Friends We Keep. These kinds of books of hers are the ones I love the most. They delve into issues that could happen to anyone and take the women through the ups and downs as they learn and grow through them.
Nicole we met in the first Mischief Bay book, and so I was eager to find out where she was now. We find her divorced and managing really well with her son, while Eric her ex husband is still a pain in the butt where fatherhood is concerned. Nicole has an issue with Brad the Dragon writer who has taken over her son's life in reading. She thinks the author must be making a mint of money from the books and merchandise and is quite anti towards him. A left over from her husband who had left her to become a screen writer, Nicole does not trust and is afraid to love. When by chance she meets Jairus the author, there is a hilarious first encounter, she is in for a long roller coaster ride into a possible new relationship.
Gabby is the mother of 5 year old twins and one fifteen year old stepdaughter. Gabby loves her family but is eager to get back to work, until suddenly there is a spanner in the works. And Andrew her husband seems to have stopped listening to her. Gabby needs to find her voice and she does! I loved the relationship build between Makayla (stepdaughter) and Gabby. It had me reading on, wondering with each curve ball where things would go next. To begin with Gabby is the stepmom with 'all the pain but none of the power.' Up until now Makayla who lives with Gabby and Andrew most of the time has been like and honored guest and Andrew allows that to happen.
Hayley seemed to be the most lost of all the women. She was adopted and has always had to vie with a sister who was born about a year after Hayley was adopted. Morgan has always been demanding and well... bitchy! Hayley has never felt really loved and so her desire to have a baby is really important to her. Yet the possibility is looking less and less likely. While Nicole her friend seems to understand, others think she should 'get over it. To accept reality and adopt'. I was so unsure how her story would pan out, but I have to admit as I closed the book, it was her story that brought tears of happiness to my eyes.
As the women live their lives they are there for each other. Sounding boards to the one needing it. Their friendships were vital and important. I loved how each woman found her voice and her true heart's desires. A great read.
Nicole we met in the first Mischief Bay book, and so I was eager to find out where she was now. We find her divorced and managing really well with her son, while Eric her ex husband is still a pain in the butt where fatherhood is concerned. Nicole has an issue with Brad the Dragon writer who has taken over her son's life in reading. She thinks the author must be making a mint of money from the books and merchandise and is quite anti towards him. A left over from her husband who had left her to become a screen writer, Nicole does not trust and is afraid to love. When by chance she meets Jairus the author, there is a hilarious first encounter, she is in for a long roller coaster ride into a possible new relationship.
Gabby is the mother of 5 year old twins and one fifteen year old stepdaughter. Gabby loves her family but is eager to get back to work, until suddenly there is a spanner in the works. And Andrew her husband seems to have stopped listening to her. Gabby needs to find her voice and she does! I loved the relationship build between Makayla (stepdaughter) and Gabby. It had me reading on, wondering with each curve ball where things would go next. To begin with Gabby is the stepmom with 'all the pain but none of the power.' Up until now Makayla who lives with Gabby and Andrew most of the time has been like and honored guest and Andrew allows that to happen.
Hayley seemed to be the most lost of all the women. She was adopted and has always had to vie with a sister who was born about a year after Hayley was adopted. Morgan has always been demanding and well... bitchy! Hayley has never felt really loved and so her desire to have a baby is really important to her. Yet the possibility is looking less and less likely. While Nicole her friend seems to understand, others think she should 'get over it. To accept reality and adopt'. I was so unsure how her story would pan out, but I have to admit as I closed the book, it was her story that brought tears of happiness to my eyes.
As the women live their lives they are there for each other. Sounding boards to the one needing it. Their friendships were vital and important. I loved how each woman found her voice and her true heart's desires. A great read.
May 23, 2016
This book was really good. I did find myself wishing throughout the book that I had read this series in sequence though; there were a lot of references to what I assume to be people and events in prior books. The story was really great though. Basically, it's about three girlfriends and their struggles in their daily lives. Gabby has a step-daughter who is pregnant, Nicole is dealing with a very non-present ex-husband who wants nothing to do with their son all while she meets a gorgeous hunk of a man, and Hayley desperately wants a child of her own, but is it going to cost her her life? It was really interesting to see how the author made tapestry of their stories. Now I need to go to the library, so I can find the previous installments in this series.
July 4, 2016
Again, 3.5 - just like the rating I gave for the first book. In the first book, Pam was the whiny, annoying character. In the second book, it's Nicole. SIGH. The whole "woe is me" attitude towards dating, falling in love and scared about getting back into the dating scene just made me want to smack her! It was a bit over the top. I still like the story though and look forward to the next book.
July 31, 2016
I always like Susan Mallery's books. This one didn't disappoint. I like the three different relationships going on in the novel. I also liked how the three women confide in their friends about what's going on in their lives. In these type of books you always know the outcome will mostly end up happy but I like to see the struggles they go through to get there.
April 8, 2016
~ 2.5 Stars ~ I enjoy Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Series; however, I just do not care for the Mischief Bay characters and books. The characters seem self-centered, selfish, and unlikable. I'm sorry to say that I would not recommend them.
April 6, 2016
A delightful contemporary story about the lives of 3 women - their lives, loves, dramas and family. A little predictable but a sweet easy read which I really needed after reading some gut-wrenching non-fiction books. I give this one 3.5 Stars.
June 13, 2022
3.5/5
The second instalment of the Mischief Bay series focuses on the friendship of Gabby, Hayley, and Nicole. Gabby is really looking forward to going back to work after her twins are starting kindergarten, but she receives massive and shocking news that may force her to stay home and challenge her marriage. Hayley has been trying to get pregnant for years and her health is suffering from all the treatments. Her doctor and husband are urging her to stop due to the mental and physical toll, but she does not want to adopt due to her own traumatizing experience as the adopted child and having a toxic sister. Nicole returns from the first book following the shock of her husband leaving her for his Hollywood dreams and worries how this will impact her son.
This book wasn't bad, but I couldn't connect with these characters as much as I did in the first Mischief Bay book. I felt angry for Gabby being stuck in a hard place, and her story is probably the only one that would stick with me. Hayley was alright, I saw how her childhood trauma led to her not wanting to give up having biological children. Her part reminded me of Colleen Hoover's All Your Perfects. Nicole's parts were boring to me and I did not care for the new love interest. I didn't really feel a strong friendship connection between the three of them like I did in the first book. Near the end, I began to skim the pages, just wanting to finish the book.
The second instalment of the Mischief Bay series focuses on the friendship of Gabby, Hayley, and Nicole. Gabby is really looking forward to going back to work after her twins are starting kindergarten, but she receives massive and shocking news that may force her to stay home and challenge her marriage. Hayley has been trying to get pregnant for years and her health is suffering from all the treatments. Her doctor and husband are urging her to stop due to the mental and physical toll, but she does not want to adopt due to her own traumatizing experience as the adopted child and having a toxic sister. Nicole returns from the first book following the shock of her husband leaving her for his Hollywood dreams and worries how this will impact her son.
This book wasn't bad, but I couldn't connect with these characters as much as I did in the first Mischief Bay book. I felt angry for Gabby being stuck in a hard place, and her story is probably the only one that would stick with me. Hayley was alright, I saw how her childhood trauma led to her not wanting to give up having biological children. Her part reminded me of Colleen Hoover's All Your Perfects. Nicole's parts were boring to me and I did not care for the new love interest. I didn't really feel a strong friendship connection between the three of them like I did in the first book. Near the end, I began to skim the pages, just wanting to finish the book.
February 20, 2020
Gabby lebt mit Andrew, ihren Zwillingen und Makayla, Andrews Tochter aus erster Ehe zusammen und freut sich darauf, wieder in den Job zurückzugehen. Doch das Schicksal hat andere Pläne und die Familie muss sich neu finden. Hayley hat bereits 5 Fehlgeburten hinter sich und ihre Ehe mit Rob leidet doch sehr unter ihrem unbedingten Kinderwunsch. Und Nicole ist dabei, sich ihr Leben mit ihrem Sohn Tyler nach der Scheidung neu einzurichten.
Wie schon im ersten Band der Mischief Reihe sind die Probleme, die sich den dreien stellen, nicht ganz so einfach zu lösen Das lässt diese Reihe tatsächlich herausstechen aus den sonst üblichen Liebesroman-Reihen.
Mir hat das Buch an sich gut gefallen. Was ich allerdings doch wieder recht anstrengend fand, war die extreme Art, wie die drei Protagonistinnen mit ihren Problemen umgehen. Da gibt es nur einen Weg, nur schwarz und weiß. Besonders bei Hayley fand ich das teilweise sehr bedenklich, sie ist zeitweise extrem mit Tunnelblick unterwegs. Das hat mich teilweise ziemlich genervt, aber es scheint auch Teil des Konzepts zu sein. Bereits im ersten Teil habe ich das auch so empfunden. Ab dem Moment aber, in dem es dann an die Problemlösung geht, lässt das genervt sein dann aber auch wieder nach. Nicht alles läuft immer gleich glatt, aber nachdem die grundlegenden Probleme bekannt sind geht es gut voran und das Vergnügen Gabby, Hayley und Nicole zu begleiten ist . Am Ende habe ich das Buch mit Bedauern zugeklappt, weil ich die drei eigentlich noch gerne ein wenig weiter begleitet hätte.
So aber freue ich mich auf die folgenden Bände der Reihe, die wohl im Sommer erscheinen werden.
Wie schon im ersten Band der Mischief Reihe sind die Probleme, die sich den dreien stellen, nicht ganz so einfach zu lösen Das lässt diese Reihe tatsächlich herausstechen aus den sonst üblichen Liebesroman-Reihen.
Mir hat das Buch an sich gut gefallen. Was ich allerdings doch wieder recht anstrengend fand, war die extreme Art, wie die drei Protagonistinnen mit ihren Problemen umgehen. Da gibt es nur einen Weg, nur schwarz und weiß. Besonders bei Hayley fand ich das teilweise sehr bedenklich, sie ist zeitweise extrem mit Tunnelblick unterwegs. Das hat mich teilweise ziemlich genervt, aber es scheint auch Teil des Konzepts zu sein. Bereits im ersten Teil habe ich das auch so empfunden. Ab dem Moment aber, in dem es dann an die Problemlösung geht, lässt das genervt sein dann aber auch wieder nach. Nicht alles läuft immer gleich glatt, aber nachdem die grundlegenden Probleme bekannt sind geht es gut voran und das Vergnügen Gabby, Hayley und Nicole zu begleiten ist . Am Ende habe ich das Buch mit Bedauern zugeklappt, weil ich die drei eigentlich noch gerne ein wenig weiter begleitet hätte.
So aber freue ich mich auf die folgenden Bände der Reihe, die wohl im Sommer erscheinen werden.
September 12, 2019
I am really loving Susan Mallery's books. I've been away from this genre for a while but it's nice to get back to the feel good stories. I did like the three women but there were so many times I wanted to say "REALLY???" as they were being ridiculous, but in the end it all worked out. I love happy endings and Susan Mallery is good at delivering those! I listen to the audios on my long commute to work and back and the narrator is wonderful.
September 13, 2020
"Was lange liebt, wird endlich gut" ist der zweite Band in der Mischief Bay Reihe von Susan Mallery. Ich habe bereits die Happily-Inc-Reihe, „Wo sich die Sterne spiegeln“, „Die Liebe der Sonnenschwestern“, „Weihnachten mit Susan Mallery“, uvm. von der Autorin gelesen und bin von ihren Charaktere und Geschichte immer wieder auf neue begeistert.
In diesem Buch folgen wir den Geschichten von Nicole, Gabby und Hayley. Nicole war bereits in Band 1 "Wer flüstert, der liebt" eine der Protagonistinnen und Hayley eine Nebenfigur, da sie die Nachbarin von Pam ist. Die Leben dieser drei sind auch hier wieder eng miteinander verstrickt, denn sie sind alle drei gut befreundet.
Nicole, 30, kämpft mit den Nachwirkungen ihrer Scheidung. Ihr Leben dreht sich nun voll und ganz um ihren Sohn und seine Obsession mit Pat dem Drachen. Sie verflucht den Autoren des Kinderbuchs und würde ihm am liebsten einmal von Angesicht zu Angesicht sagen, wie sehr sie ihn hasst. Als sie dann jedoch auf ihn trifft, kommt alles anders als sie gedacht hätte. Ist er vielleicht dock kein versnobter Hollywood Autor wie ihr Ex Mann?
Gabby ist Mutter von Zwillingen und Stiefmutter der 15-jährigen Makayla. Sie ist sehr glücklich in ihrer Ehe mit ihrem Mann Andrew und kann es kaum erwarten, endlich wieder arbeiten zu gehen, wenn ihre beiden kleinen Mädchen in die Schule kommen. Aufgrund eines unerwarteten Ereignisses stellt Gabby jedoch fest, dass sie und Andrew möglicherweise überhaupt nicht auf derselben Seite stehen und sich das Familienleben etwas anders vorstellen. Wird Gabbys Traum einer erfolgreichen Karriere platzen?
Hayley wünscht sich nichts mehr als endlich Mutter zu werden und ein eigenes Kind zu bekommen. Stattdessen erleidet sie immer wieder Fehlgeburten. Nachdem ihr gesagt wurde, dass es ihren Tod bedeuten wird, wenn sie versucht, wieder schwanger zu werden, befinden sich Hayley und ihr Ehemann Rob endgültig in einer Sackgasse. Kann ihre Liebe die Tiefschläge überdauern?
Obwohl mir das Cover des zweiten Bands so viel besser gefällt und ich die Geschichte rund um Nicole sehr mochte, gefällt mir der zweite Band nicht ganz so gut. Nachdem mich der erste Band absolut mitreisen konnte, hatte ich beim zweiten Buch einfach so ein bisschen meine Schwierigkeiten wirklich am Ball zu bleiben. Mir gefiel es, das wir weiterhin Einblicke in Nicoles Leben hatten, denn sie wuchs mir bereits im ersten Teil sehr ans Herz, leider fehlte mir bei Nicole, Gabby und Hayley ein bisschen die Dynamik, wie ich sie bei Nicole, Pam und Shannon gespürt hatte. Ich fand es so wundervoll, wie langsam sich alles entwickelt hat, wie detailliert die kleineren Konflikte und Probleme beschrieben wurden und wie die drei Protagonistinnen mit diesen komplizierten Umstände umgegangen sind.
FAZIT: "Was lange liebt, wird endlich gut“ hatte für mich die perfekte Mischung aus Leichtigkeit und Tiefgang, viel Herz und Humor, aber auch Konflikte und sogar einige kleinere Geheimnisse.
* Ich habe das Buch als Rezensionsexemplar von Harper Collins zu Verfügung gestellt bekommen.
In diesem Buch folgen wir den Geschichten von Nicole, Gabby und Hayley. Nicole war bereits in Band 1 "Wer flüstert, der liebt" eine der Protagonistinnen und Hayley eine Nebenfigur, da sie die Nachbarin von Pam ist. Die Leben dieser drei sind auch hier wieder eng miteinander verstrickt, denn sie sind alle drei gut befreundet.
Nicole, 30, kämpft mit den Nachwirkungen ihrer Scheidung. Ihr Leben dreht sich nun voll und ganz um ihren Sohn und seine Obsession mit Pat dem Drachen. Sie verflucht den Autoren des Kinderbuchs und würde ihm am liebsten einmal von Angesicht zu Angesicht sagen, wie sehr sie ihn hasst. Als sie dann jedoch auf ihn trifft, kommt alles anders als sie gedacht hätte. Ist er vielleicht dock kein versnobter Hollywood Autor wie ihr Ex Mann?
Gabby ist Mutter von Zwillingen und Stiefmutter der 15-jährigen Makayla. Sie ist sehr glücklich in ihrer Ehe mit ihrem Mann Andrew und kann es kaum erwarten, endlich wieder arbeiten zu gehen, wenn ihre beiden kleinen Mädchen in die Schule kommen. Aufgrund eines unerwarteten Ereignisses stellt Gabby jedoch fest, dass sie und Andrew möglicherweise überhaupt nicht auf derselben Seite stehen und sich das Familienleben etwas anders vorstellen. Wird Gabbys Traum einer erfolgreichen Karriere platzen?
Hayley wünscht sich nichts mehr als endlich Mutter zu werden und ein eigenes Kind zu bekommen. Stattdessen erleidet sie immer wieder Fehlgeburten. Nachdem ihr gesagt wurde, dass es ihren Tod bedeuten wird, wenn sie versucht, wieder schwanger zu werden, befinden sich Hayley und ihr Ehemann Rob endgültig in einer Sackgasse. Kann ihre Liebe die Tiefschläge überdauern?
Obwohl mir das Cover des zweiten Bands so viel besser gefällt und ich die Geschichte rund um Nicole sehr mochte, gefällt mir der zweite Band nicht ganz so gut. Nachdem mich der erste Band absolut mitreisen konnte, hatte ich beim zweiten Buch einfach so ein bisschen meine Schwierigkeiten wirklich am Ball zu bleiben. Mir gefiel es, das wir weiterhin Einblicke in Nicoles Leben hatten, denn sie wuchs mir bereits im ersten Teil sehr ans Herz, leider fehlte mir bei Nicole, Gabby und Hayley ein bisschen die Dynamik, wie ich sie bei Nicole, Pam und Shannon gespürt hatte. Ich fand es so wundervoll, wie langsam sich alles entwickelt hat, wie detailliert die kleineren Konflikte und Probleme beschrieben wurden und wie die drei Protagonistinnen mit diesen komplizierten Umstände umgegangen sind.
FAZIT: "Was lange liebt, wird endlich gut“ hatte für mich die perfekte Mischung aus Leichtigkeit und Tiefgang, viel Herz und Humor, aber auch Konflikte und sogar einige kleinere Geheimnisse.
* Ich habe das Buch als Rezensionsexemplar von Harper Collins zu Verfügung gestellt bekommen.
January 21, 2018
Favorite Quotes:
While she envied her sister-in-law her careers, she wouldn’t have given up the twins for anything. She’d always wanted both. But that decision left her to wonder if having it all meant doing a lot of it badly.
How do you know that? Guys aren’t supposed to be insightful. Stop it right now.
She wanted to throw something at him. Like a shoe. Or a building. What on earth had he been thinking?
Nicole felt the carefully constructed wall around her heart crumble to dust. How was she supposed to resist a guy who was so good to her son? Who was inherently patient and kind with children?
I suspect Lisa hates most people. You don’t get to use her opinion of you to feel special. I’m sorry to say.
At one time she’d wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. If she thought he was a dick now, what did that say about her taste?
Everyone slack-jawed in amazement. She supposed that made this one of those life-changing moments people were always talking about. She should try to remember every detail.
My Review:
This was my first Susan Mallery read; now I see what all the fuss was about… it was exceptional! I adored this trio of women and had the utmost respect for them. There were three separate storylines going at once, yet they occasionally intersect and combined in a well-crafted and perfected paced manner. I felt an instant connection to this trio although I have absolutely nothing in common with either of them. The writing was involving, emotive, and engrossing. The problems facing each of the friends were realistic and at times appeared untenable, yet the plot held my attention beginning to end and resolved in the best possible fashion. More, please.
While she envied her sister-in-law her careers, she wouldn’t have given up the twins for anything. She’d always wanted both. But that decision left her to wonder if having it all meant doing a lot of it badly.
How do you know that? Guys aren’t supposed to be insightful. Stop it right now.
She wanted to throw something at him. Like a shoe. Or a building. What on earth had he been thinking?
Nicole felt the carefully constructed wall around her heart crumble to dust. How was she supposed to resist a guy who was so good to her son? Who was inherently patient and kind with children?
I suspect Lisa hates most people. You don’t get to use her opinion of you to feel special. I’m sorry to say.
At one time she’d wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. If she thought he was a dick now, what did that say about her taste?
Everyone slack-jawed in amazement. She supposed that made this one of those life-changing moments people were always talking about. She should try to remember every detail.
My Review:
This was my first Susan Mallery read; now I see what all the fuss was about… it was exceptional! I adored this trio of women and had the utmost respect for them. There were three separate storylines going at once, yet they occasionally intersect and combined in a well-crafted and perfected paced manner. I felt an instant connection to this trio although I have absolutely nothing in common with either of them. The writing was involving, emotive, and engrossing. The problems facing each of the friends were realistic and at times appeared untenable, yet the plot held my attention beginning to end and resolved in the best possible fashion. More, please.
February 28, 2016
Susan is well known (and loved) for her Fool's Gold series--which is phenomenal if you haven't read any of them yet. Now, she's traveled to a new town called Mischief Bay. Unlike the Fool's Gold books, this series focuses on more than one couple per book. And quite honestly is more women's lit than romance, though there is quite a bit of focus on each woman's romantic life. However, these books contain so much more! There are friendships and family. Romance and relationships between siblings, parents, kids and step-kids. It shows the love, support and friendship between these three women friends. And these are REAL. So real, you're going to need a hanky at times. Sometimes it will be for laughter. And sometimes it will be for the FEELS. Oh, the FEELS. You'll get to know each woman intimately. If you're an older woman, you'll recognize certain stages of your life, events you went through and the Learning Curves of Life. At times, I wanted to reach into the book and smack someone. At times I wanted to reach into the book and hug someone. Always, there were feelings. On each and every page. And that is what made me keep turning the page and yet not wanting to reach the end. I can't wait to read about more of the women in this town!
Read
March 24, 2016"Teen pregnancy, divorce, marriage struggles and adoption are just some topics touched on by Mallery in this highly original and fascinating page-turner you may lose sleep over. Mallery brings our inner lives to the surface and evokes deep emotions from her readers. You will fall in love with the girls of Mischief Bay" (4 stars @ RT Book Reviews).
November 24, 2015
Not my usual fare, but I really enjoy Mallory's work. This story of three friends who all have hit upon something in her life that will change it forever. The women were all fully realized and had very strong stories, and the line of friendship was strong throughout.
August 26, 2019
I actually liked this more than I expected based on other readers' reviews! The story involves three different women (one character is from the first book but you definitely don't have to have read the first Mischief Bay book before this one), all of whom are working through Life Issues. Nicole is recovering from her divorce, Hayley wants a biological child but it might risk her life to go through it, and Gabby is ready to go back to work now that her twin girls are going to kindergarten. But decisions aren't always easy or black & white.
Things started out a little slow, but I didn't mind the pace since it explored small moments. And then at the end, things got a little hokey - but a little hokey actually worked for this book.
Things started out a little slow, but I didn't mind the pace since it explored small moments. And then at the end, things got a little hokey - but a little hokey actually worked for this book.
January 31, 2023
Book number 2 in the Mischief Bay series takes place about a year or so after book 1. This story follows Gabby, Hayley and Nicole. Gabby was mentioned once in book 1 and Hayley was a few times, however, Nicole's story continued here.
I do love how most of the characters tie into one another. Gabby met Nicole through her sister-in-law, Shannon. (Her now-husband, Adam, is Gabby's brother.) Hayley works for Pam's family and was already friends with Nicole.
Susan Mallery always manages to delight, and somehow can tie in any character. Normally I wouldn't like a story that focuses so much on children, but everything flows so nicely. And of course, we have the pets who also play a big part in the story, in this case Boomer (the basset hound) and Jasmine (the calico.) It's a wonderfully written story about love, life, hardships and friendships. Nicole and Tyler get their happy ending, as does Gabby (though she's mostly had it the entire time.) I did feel for Hayley though, almost dying because she so badly wanted to carry a child to term. In the end, she had a pretty good outcome as well, as she and her husband, Rob, began to foster a boy, Noah, who is recovering from cancer.
The small, fictional town of Mischief Bay is charming, high class and close-knit and I look forward to seeing what else Mallery has planned for us in the second half of the series.
I do love how most of the characters tie into one another. Gabby met Nicole through her sister-in-law, Shannon. (Her now-husband, Adam, is Gabby's brother.) Hayley works for Pam's family and was already friends with Nicole.
Susan Mallery always manages to delight, and somehow can tie in any character. Normally I wouldn't like a story that focuses so much on children, but everything flows so nicely. And of course, we have the pets who also play a big part in the story, in this case Boomer (the basset hound) and Jasmine (the calico.) It's a wonderfully written story about love, life, hardships and friendships. Nicole and Tyler get their happy ending, as does Gabby (though she's mostly had it the entire time.) I did feel for Hayley though, almost dying because she so badly wanted to carry a child to term. In the end, she had a pretty good outcome as well, as she and her husband, Rob, began to foster a boy, Noah, who is recovering from cancer.
The small, fictional town of Mischief Bay is charming, high class and close-knit and I look forward to seeing what else Mallery has planned for us in the second half of the series.
February 8, 2018
Like many of the reviewers, I had mixed feelings about this novel. The characters intrigued me when I read the summary on the back cover, but I almost gave up after the first 50 pages. I was most disturbed by the actions of Hayley. She seemed not to mature as her difficulties increased and reality dictated a more reasonable response. While the reader feels sympathy for the young woman, the fact that she does not seek counselling regarding her fears makes the story less believable. Gabby, on the other hand, did change and develop as the story progressed. I particularly like the way she handled her role as a stepmom during the upsetting circumstances for her step-daughter. Nicole seemed to be almost a distraction to the plot; yet, I found her character lovable. The men in the story played secondary roles, but still added the right spice.
A good story for friendship in the end, but not a blockbuster from my perspective.
A good story for friendship in the end, but not a blockbuster from my perspective.
October 21, 2019
Ya os puedo decir que amé a estas mujeres, que me enamoré de cada una de sus historias. Me indigné con ellas en algunas partes, pero de entre esas tres historias, mi corazón lloró y entendió tanto una de ellas que me vi reflejada sin poder querer, pude entender parte del dolor tan terrible que se siente al vivir con un vacío y aceptar que a veces la palabra es un no. Aún ahora cuando escribo me siento con lágrimas en los ojos, y no porque esto sea un drama, recordemos que la esencia del género es siempre tener un final positivo y esta historia lo tiene, y no por ello deja de tocar el corazón y hacerte ver lo que a veces en silencio se llora. Amé y admiré los profundos LAZOS DE AMISTAD de estas mujeres y me enamoré de esos hombres que las acompañan y conquistan en el transcurso de un verano.
Susan Mallery es de esas autoras que será una constante en este rincón, aunque tengo claro que quizá sea de esas anestesias temporales, que no hacen mal en el alma. ¡Feliz lectura!
Susan Mallery es de esas autoras que será una constante en este rincón, aunque tengo claro que quizá sea de esas anestesias temporales, que no hacen mal en el alma. ¡Feliz lectura!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 966 reviews