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Gansett Island #23
Resilience After Dark
Second chances show up when you're not looking for them...
Cindy Lawry needs a new roommate now that her sister Julia has moved in with her fiancé, Deacon. When she can't find anyone, she puts up a flyer in the window of the Curl Up & Dye salon where she works as a hair stylist and at other places around town. With the summer season ending, she can't afford to live alone, and she doesn't want to move in with her mom and her new husband. So the roommate search is on, but she's not getting many inquiries. After growing up in an abusive household, she's anxious about letting a stranger into her home and her life.
Jace Carson needs to find a new place to live. The employee housing at the Beachcomer is right out of Animal House, and he's way past the point in life where living like that is fun. All he wants is a quiet place to be in between working as a bartender at the Beachcomber and visits with his young sons, who live on the island. When he sends a text to the number a friend gave him, he doesn't expect the recipient to be Cindy, the woman he's been flirting with for weeks at the Beachcomber bar. She comes in and orders water because she suffers from migraines and apologizes for taking up a seat at his bar. He loves having her and her sweet smile at his bar, but he's not sure that living with her would be such a good idea, especially since all he thinks about every time he sees her is how much he'd like to kiss her.
It's autumn on Gansett Island, and the residents are settling in for another long winter of cold days and cozy nights. Celebrate the 25th book in the Gansett Island series, and catch up with some of your favorite characters from past books while Cindy and Jace struggle to overcome demons from the past that threaten their chance at happily ever after.
Cindy Lawry needs a new roommate now that her sister Julia has moved in with her fiancé, Deacon. When she can't find anyone, she puts up a flyer in the window of the Curl Up & Dye salon where she works as a hair stylist and at other places around town. With the summer season ending, she can't afford to live alone, and she doesn't want to move in with her mom and her new husband. So the roommate search is on, but she's not getting many inquiries. After growing up in an abusive household, she's anxious about letting a stranger into her home and her life.
Jace Carson needs to find a new place to live. The employee housing at the Beachcomer is right out of Animal House, and he's way past the point in life where living like that is fun. All he wants is a quiet place to be in between working as a bartender at the Beachcomber and visits with his young sons, who live on the island. When he sends a text to the number a friend gave him, he doesn't expect the recipient to be Cindy, the woman he's been flirting with for weeks at the Beachcomber bar. She comes in and orders water because she suffers from migraines and apologizes for taking up a seat at his bar. He loves having her and her sweet smile at his bar, but he's not sure that living with her would be such a good idea, especially since all he thinks about every time he sees her is how much he'd like to kiss her.
It's autumn on Gansett Island, and the residents are settling in for another long winter of cold days and cozy nights. Celebrate the 25th book in the Gansett Island series, and catch up with some of your favorite characters from past books while Cindy and Jace struggle to overcome demons from the past that threaten their chance at happily ever after.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 19, 2022
505 people are currently reading
385 people want to read
About the author
Marie Force
210 books8,453 followersMarie Force is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary romance, romantic suspense and erotic romance. Her series include Gansett Island, Fatal, Treading Water, Butler Vermont and Quantum.
Her books have sold more than 12 million copies worldwide, have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have appeared on the New York Times bestseller more than 30 times. She is also a USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller, as well as a Speigel bestseller in Germany.
Her goals in life are simple—to finish raising two happy, healthy, productive young adults, to keep writing books for as long as she possibly can and to never be on a flight that makes the news.
Join Marie’s mailing list on her website at marieforce.com for news about new books and upcoming appearances in your area. Follow her on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MarieForceAuthor and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/marieforceauthor/. Contact Marie at marie@marieforce.com.
Her books have sold more than 12 million copies worldwide, have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have appeared on the New York Times bestseller more than 30 times. She is also a USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller, as well as a Speigel bestseller in Germany.
Her goals in life are simple—to finish raising two happy, healthy, productive young adults, to keep writing books for as long as she possibly can and to never be on a flight that makes the news.
Join Marie’s mailing list on her website at marieforce.com for news about new books and upcoming appearances in your area. Follow her on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MarieForceAuthor and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/marieforceauthor/. Contact Marie at marie@marieforce.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
July 31, 2022
Let me preface by saying that I have a been a fan of this series for over a decade. I love this island, their residents and even the new additions. Every book was a homecoming ride on the ferry.
Except the last two rides (books). While Resilience After Dark was a lot better than Temptation After Dark, both installments have sent me on rollercoaster ride rather than my preferred ferry ones.
I also need to add (emphasize, really) that Gansett Island is NOT just a series, but a saga. What does that mean? It means you won't properly fall in love if you start here. You need to go to the very first book: Maid for Love .
What I loved:
* Catching up with previous characters is part of the charm of loving this precious island. This where that homecoming feeling comes from. See what everyone is up to. Fall in love with them all over again. These catch ups is part of the reason I keep reading on.
* Jace and Cindy are the primary focus of this installment. Resilience is the perfect term for what we see unfold between them. Definitely love these two more than the previous ones. Their chemistry subtle and endearing.
Where the stars fell:
* When you are twenty five books in, giving a recap of previous characters is repetitive. Content is lost and replaced with fluff.
* Another area that felt repetitive was the main characters pasts. This part was significantly distracting. The constant reminder of what happened and what they were working towards didn't feel cathartic or resilient, instead it made it hard to stay engaged.
* While I love and always welcome the introduction of new upcoming characters, this time it felt a little off. Some of the focus was taken away from the main characters.
Overall...
This book was relatively better than the previous book. I loved how Jace and Cindy paired. I loved that they are still growing together. While the goal was to be resilient, it was also about forgiveness as well as acceptance. Second chances and moving forward.
For now, I will continue to follow this series. Will it be as dedicated as before? No. The eagerness to jump on that ferry is somewhat losing it's luster.
Except the last two rides (books). While Resilience After Dark was a lot better than Temptation After Dark, both installments have sent me on rollercoaster ride rather than my preferred ferry ones.
I also need to add (emphasize, really) that Gansett Island is NOT just a series, but a saga. What does that mean? It means you won't properly fall in love if you start here. You need to go to the very first book: Maid for Love .
What I loved:
* Catching up with previous characters is part of the charm of loving this precious island. This where that homecoming feeling comes from. See what everyone is up to. Fall in love with them all over again. These catch ups is part of the reason I keep reading on.
* Jace and Cindy are the primary focus of this installment. Resilience is the perfect term for what we see unfold between them. Definitely love these two more than the previous ones. Their chemistry subtle and endearing.
Where the stars fell:
* When you are twenty five books in, giving a recap of previous characters is repetitive. Content is lost and replaced with fluff.
* Another area that felt repetitive was the main characters pasts. This part was significantly distracting. The constant reminder of what happened and what they were working towards didn't feel cathartic or resilient, instead it made it hard to stay engaged.
* While I love and always welcome the introduction of new upcoming characters, this time it felt a little off. Some of the focus was taken away from the main characters.
Overall...
This book was relatively better than the previous book. I loved how Jace and Cindy paired. I loved that they are still growing together. While the goal was to be resilient, it was also about forgiveness as well as acceptance. Second chances and moving forward.
For now, I will continue to follow this series. Will it be as dedicated as before? No. The eagerness to jump on that ferry is somewhat losing it's luster.
April 19, 2022
Readers are in for a real treat as the last hurrahs of summer end on Gansett Island. New faces, new relationships, visitors, surprises galore and another unexpected helicopter ride. I especially enjoyed seeing and catching up with some old friends we haven't seen for a while. This one is fast-paced and full of snorting laughter, a few tears (happy and sad) and the ups and downs of real life keeps the Island hopping. And you're going to love Jace and Cindy! That's all I can share for now, but . . .
Be sure to check this one out on release day -- JULY 19, 2022!
July 20, 2022
Resilience After Dark may be book twenty-five in the series but its still as fresh and fun as ever.
As readers return to Gansett Island and the end of summer for Cindy Lawrys story and it's a story full of highs and lows. As Cindy falls for Jace whose on Gansett to be close to his sons who are being cared for by Seamus and Carolina after the death of their mum Lisa.
But Jace wants to be close by and make amends for the terrible mistakes he's made in the past and Gansett is the perfect place for a second chance, to start over, find acceptance and love. With a community that opens their arms to all.
And with great characters, relatable issues, heat and emotion. This really was a feelgood, fun and thoroughly enjoyable romance.
And it's one I'd happily recommend to others, even if you've never picked up a Gansett Island novel before.
As readers return to Gansett Island and the end of summer for Cindy Lawrys story and it's a story full of highs and lows. As Cindy falls for Jace whose on Gansett to be close to his sons who are being cared for by Seamus and Carolina after the death of their mum Lisa.
But Jace wants to be close by and make amends for the terrible mistakes he's made in the past and Gansett is the perfect place for a second chance, to start over, find acceptance and love. With a community that opens their arms to all.
And with great characters, relatable issues, heat and emotion. This really was a feelgood, fun and thoroughly enjoyable romance.
And it's one I'd happily recommend to others, even if you've never picked up a Gansett Island novel before.
August 10, 2022
Fantastic Book A Must Read Book and Series.
This was another Fantastic Book. Love this book and series. Love it when she put all the characters , again, in this book. Her books are about real life. Her characters , all seem real. It, like one big family. Love it , when she put real , life situation , in her book. You will laugh, and be cheering, for these characters. This is a Must Read, Book and Series. Can't wait for the next book, to come out.
This was another Fantastic Book. Love this book and series. Love it when she put all the characters , again, in this book. Her books are about real life. Her characters , all seem real. It, like one big family. Love it , when she put real , life situation , in her book. You will laugh, and be cheering, for these characters. This is a Must Read, Book and Series. Can't wait for the next book, to come out.
July 24, 2022
I loved this new Gansett Island story! Jace’s history of drug use and prison definitely made me worry when he showed up on the island. I loved what Seamus and Carolina were doing for the boys, and I worried if Jace would mess that up. I quickly realized what a good guy he is and how hard he is working on bettering himself. His relationship with his sons is his number one priority. It was so sweet to see him getting to know them. Cindy has had her fair share of heartache in her life, especially with the abuse from her father. I was wanting her to find her happily ever after so much. These two had great chemistry and built a strong friendship from the start. I thought that it was the perfect way for them to begin something new. They weren’t without their insecurities, but I really liked how they talked to each other and worked through them. I love that we get to jump back into the lives of our favorite Gansett characters with every new book. We stay up to date on all of the new things happening, good and bad. This is one of my top favorites series of all time, and I always look forward to more.
November 28, 2022
Gansett Island ist wie die Green Mountain Serie ein Must-Read für mich und mit jeder Geschichte fühle ich mich wohler und heimeliger. Es ist einfach schön zu sehen, wie die andere Charaktere sich weiterentwickeln und nebenbei schließt man neue ins Herz. Diese Insel ist für mich in den letzten 24 Bänden zu einem Zuhause geworden, wo ich immer gerne hinreisen möchte. Ich bin gespannt mit wem wir uns im nächsten Buch beschäftigen werden.
4,5 Sterne
4,5 Sterne
August 28, 2022
I loved ❤️ this book's storyline. Some parts of this story made me laugh 😂. I loved ❤️ the message in this story. I loved ❤️ the hot 🔥 & steamy scenes. I loved ❤️ Cindy's character. I loved ❤️ Jace's character. I loved ❤️ the updates on the others. I loved ❤️ the ending. Awesome job Ms. Force.
September 10, 2022
Gansett island series best reads ever
Very fantastic and prolific writer Ms Force. Wish she would write just on Gansitt Island , its always so special to read about all the Gansett clan. Can't wait for the next book to release. Hurry PLEASE
Very fantastic and prolific writer Ms Force. Wish she would write just on Gansitt Island , its always so special to read about all the Gansett clan. Can't wait for the next book to release. Hurry PLEASE
April 29, 2023
great addition to a great series
This is the 25th book in this series, and what a great addition it is! Jace and Cindy’s story is so poignant and love-filled. Watching Jace move on from the tragic mistakes of his past was a wonder.
This is the 25th book in this series, and what a great addition it is! Jace and Cindy’s story is so poignant and love-filled. Watching Jace move on from the tragic mistakes of his past was a wonder.
June 18, 2023
Resilience After Dark is the 25th book in Marie Force’s Gannett Island series and I’ve read them all. So needless to say I’m a fan of this series. But I have to agree with a previous reviewer who felt the last couple of books weren’t quite as good as the earlier ones. I guess everything, even great contemporary romance series have a limited shelf life. And after 25 books released over a decade this series has had a much longer than usual shelf-life. The reviewer mentioned revisiting all the information on characters from previous books gets tedious. And while I love the fact that the author includes so many protagonists from previous books in her current work, and I understand that if you’re going to call each book a standalone you have to give readers some background on all of the characters that appear in the story, when you’ve been a faithful reader of all 24 of those previous stories having to read through the brief background of those characters book after book, no matter how skillfully the author reveals them gets tedious. This story focuses mainly on the Lawry family rather than the McCarthys who have served as the backbone of the series. But the McCarthys do make a fair share of appearances even though Mac Jrs. pending vasectomy and his brothers arguing about which of them is the most virile is the only thing really going on with them in this story. As a fellow member of the male sex I was actually kind of embarrassed for them.
Twenty-eight year old Cindy Lawry is the youngest female of the seven Lawry siblings. She came to Gansett Island from Texas for her older sister Katie’s wedding and then accepted a job working as the hairstylist at the Curl Up and Dye Salon, the only hair salon on the island, owned by Chloe Dennis the protagonist of a previous book. Cindy like all of the Lawry siblings has serious emotional scars as a result of growing up in a household with Air Force General Mark Lawry a mean, narcissistic emotionally and physical abusive father who is now serving time in prison for nearly beating his wife to death. His gift to Cindy was to give her so much stress growing up she’s developed migraine headaches. In previous stories that involved Katie, her twin sister Julia and the oldest Lawry sibling Owen we have learned much about just how bad Mark Lawry was and how it affected them. In this story along with Cindy we meet her brothers John and Jeff and learn how their father messed them up too.
Jace the male protagonist in this story was introduced in the previous book as the father of Jackson and Kyle whose mom Lisa recently passed away from lung cancer. Seamus O’Grady and his wife Carolina who were the boy’s neighbor step up to take them in when Lisa’s illness got too much for her to take care of the boys. Lisa named Seamus and Carolina their guardians and the couple is working on adopting the boys. Jace who had been serving six years of an eleven year sentence for armed robbery gets paroled and sets out to find out what happened to his ex-wife and sons. Somehow he manages to discover they are in the custody of the O’Gradys living on Gansett Island. He contacts the O’Gradys asking if he can see his boys. They agree to allow him to visit if he’ll agree to limit his visits to twice a year and not tell them he’s their father until they are older. Jace agrees. Well the next thing you know in this book Jace has moved to Gansett Island taking a job as a bartender at the Beachcomber Hotel so he can be closer to his sons which upsets the O’Gradys fearing he’s going to try and take the boys from them. He convinces them that’s not his intention and they then agree to let him see the boys pretty much anytime he wants to. I have to say that I did feel very sympathetic to Jace. Yes, he did commit a crime that put him behind bars for six years and he did while in prison serving an eleven year sentence sign the divorce and custody papers giving Lisa full custody of his children. But now he’s out of prison, he’s working hard to get his life together and he has to watch another man play the role of father to his children. Harsh. I also got a little tired of listening to Seamus and Carolina talk about how they were there for his children when he wasn’t so that some how justifies them having a greater claim on them than their biological father. If they’d invested years into raising the boys I could agree. But the way I interpret the timeline the boys had only been in their custody for less than a year. So legally they may hold the trump cards to the boys custody but morally do they really? At any rate Jace doesn’t want to upset the boys lives anymore than they already have been with the death of their mother so he’s content to just spend time with the boys as supposedly a friend of Seamus. Which he actually becomes when Seamus stops worrying about Jace trying to take the boys away from them.
So here’s the story. Jace is tending bar when he meets and is attracted to Cindy who stops in for dinner and to listen to the live music. Because of her migraines Cindy doesn’t drink but Jace is more than happy to keep her in ice water all night while she keeps him company. And Cindy is more than happy to come to the bar nearly every night to do just that. With the busy summer season coming to a close the hotel is closing up the employee housing they offer free of charge to their summer help over the busy summer season. Jace needs to find a place to live. Apparently finding living accommodations on the island in the off season is difficult and expensive. Which honestly doesn’t make any sense to me. It would seem in the off-season the demand for housing would be down making availability more plentiful not less and cheaper. But that’s Force’s story and she’s sticking to it. Cindy had rented a home which she’d been sharing with her sister Julia who was hardly ever there since she met Deacon Taylor and is shacking up with him. When Julia formally moves in with Deacon Cindy needs to find someone to help split the rent with. I have so many problems with this scenario. So let’s take them one at a time. From what I read in the previous book Cindy rented the house that was previously occupied by Kevin McCarthy M.D. and his two adult sons Riley and Finn. The house is now described as a two bedroom but when the McCarthys were living there the three of them each had their own room? Julia asks Cindy if she can move in with her when she decides to stay on Gansett Island before she hooked up with Deacon. So it seems Cindy had already agreed to rent the house without a roommate. Julia is now making good money working as Mac McCarthy’s office manager and living with Deacon so why she is struggling to put together money to buy a car eluded me. Cindy is the only stylist cutting hair on the island so even now that the tourist season is over she seems to have a steady flow of customers from the islands 3,000 year round residents with her appointment calendar booked up for 3 weeks in advance. Yet she needs someone to help split the rent and she’s even taking a part time job working housekeeping for her brother and sister-in-law who own the Surf and Sand Hotel that their grandparents gifted them as a wedding present. Cindy’s financial worries just didn’t make sense to me. Back to the story, as I’m sure you’re aware from the blurb Jace hears of someone looking for a roommate and has no idea its Cindy until he shows up at her door to check the place out. When he tells Cindy about his background as an ex-con on parole and recovering drug addict she has serious concerns about renting him the room despite her attraction to him. But of course she does and of course they become more than roommates. But because of her father Cindy has trouble trusting men. Jace keeps saying everything in his life goes to shit and he expects that trend to continue even after he wins Cindy’s heart, gets a good job working for Mack and pretty much has unlimited access to time with his sons. Which again makes no sense to me because it was his decision to get involved with drugs and then rob a convenience store with his older brother to support their drug habit, that led him to going to prison. It wasn’t bad luck it was his bad decisions. Continue to make good decisions and the chances of more bad things happening to him are greatly reduced. But Jace doesn’t seem to get that. And here’s another thing that drove me crazy in this story. When Jace is faced with disappointments or challenges Cindy offers him good advice which seems to go right over his head. Then he goes to his A.A. meeting and when his fellow members offer him basically the same advice Cindy did, he’s like, “Oh, that very true. Thanks for the great advice. It really helps.” Seriously? Then there’s the fact that we keep getting told how Jace has been clean for over six years. Well yeah, he’s spent six of the past six and a half years in prison. So he’s only been out where he’d have easy access to drugs for six months. That’s great but hardly proof that he can remain clean and sober. Something else I didn’t get is when Mac offers Jace a fulltime job working for him why he continued to work as a bartender even at reduce hours? We know the McCarthy’s are extremely generous employers so why didn’t he just quit bartending all together so he could spend more time with Cindy at home?
While Cindy and Jace’s love story or drama are playing out we also meet John and Jeff Lawry. John is a former Tennessee cop who leaves the force but doesn’t tell anyone why until his secrets are revealed. Jeff, the youngest Lawry who as another gift from their father, got hooked on drugs and attempted suicide when he was a teenager. He has been in recovery since his beloved grandparents rescued him from his abusive father and got him into rehab. He’s been clean and sober for the past decade. He’s recently graduated from college with a degree in computer science and has a job and apartment waiting for him in Tampa. But then he falls in love with Mac and Maddie’s nanny he has to question whether he wants to leave the island. Dara and Oliver Watson the islands new lighthouse keepers also make a brief appearance and Dara’s recently divorced sister is introduced as a new character. If she’s not going to get her own future book I don’t know why the author would bother introducing her in this story because she really didn’t add anything to it. There’s also a brief tidbit/teaser involving Piper who is now working for Laura and Owen and Jack the state trooper who arrested the man who assaulted her. They’re the next book in the series Hurricane After Dark. And what’s with all of this After Dark stuff? Is it supposed to imply the stories are more steamy than your run of the mill contemporary romance? They aren’t. I mean they’re fairly steamy but if I’m being honest, after awhile most of the sex scenes all sound the same.
This was an okay story but hardly the best the series has had to offer.
Twenty-eight year old Cindy Lawry is the youngest female of the seven Lawry siblings. She came to Gansett Island from Texas for her older sister Katie’s wedding and then accepted a job working as the hairstylist at the Curl Up and Dye Salon, the only hair salon on the island, owned by Chloe Dennis the protagonist of a previous book. Cindy like all of the Lawry siblings has serious emotional scars as a result of growing up in a household with Air Force General Mark Lawry a mean, narcissistic emotionally and physical abusive father who is now serving time in prison for nearly beating his wife to death. His gift to Cindy was to give her so much stress growing up she’s developed migraine headaches. In previous stories that involved Katie, her twin sister Julia and the oldest Lawry sibling Owen we have learned much about just how bad Mark Lawry was and how it affected them. In this story along with Cindy we meet her brothers John and Jeff and learn how their father messed them up too.
Jace the male protagonist in this story was introduced in the previous book as the father of Jackson and Kyle whose mom Lisa recently passed away from lung cancer. Seamus O’Grady and his wife Carolina who were the boy’s neighbor step up to take them in when Lisa’s illness got too much for her to take care of the boys. Lisa named Seamus and Carolina their guardians and the couple is working on adopting the boys. Jace who had been serving six years of an eleven year sentence for armed robbery gets paroled and sets out to find out what happened to his ex-wife and sons. Somehow he manages to discover they are in the custody of the O’Gradys living on Gansett Island. He contacts the O’Gradys asking if he can see his boys. They agree to allow him to visit if he’ll agree to limit his visits to twice a year and not tell them he’s their father until they are older. Jace agrees. Well the next thing you know in this book Jace has moved to Gansett Island taking a job as a bartender at the Beachcomber Hotel so he can be closer to his sons which upsets the O’Gradys fearing he’s going to try and take the boys from them. He convinces them that’s not his intention and they then agree to let him see the boys pretty much anytime he wants to. I have to say that I did feel very sympathetic to Jace. Yes, he did commit a crime that put him behind bars for six years and he did while in prison serving an eleven year sentence sign the divorce and custody papers giving Lisa full custody of his children. But now he’s out of prison, he’s working hard to get his life together and he has to watch another man play the role of father to his children. Harsh. I also got a little tired of listening to Seamus and Carolina talk about how they were there for his children when he wasn’t so that some how justifies them having a greater claim on them than their biological father. If they’d invested years into raising the boys I could agree. But the way I interpret the timeline the boys had only been in their custody for less than a year. So legally they may hold the trump cards to the boys custody but morally do they really? At any rate Jace doesn’t want to upset the boys lives anymore than they already have been with the death of their mother so he’s content to just spend time with the boys as supposedly a friend of Seamus. Which he actually becomes when Seamus stops worrying about Jace trying to take the boys away from them.
So here’s the story. Jace is tending bar when he meets and is attracted to Cindy who stops in for dinner and to listen to the live music. Because of her migraines Cindy doesn’t drink but Jace is more than happy to keep her in ice water all night while she keeps him company. And Cindy is more than happy to come to the bar nearly every night to do just that. With the busy summer season coming to a close the hotel is closing up the employee housing they offer free of charge to their summer help over the busy summer season. Jace needs to find a place to live. Apparently finding living accommodations on the island in the off season is difficult and expensive. Which honestly doesn’t make any sense to me. It would seem in the off-season the demand for housing would be down making availability more plentiful not less and cheaper. But that’s Force’s story and she’s sticking to it. Cindy had rented a home which she’d been sharing with her sister Julia who was hardly ever there since she met Deacon Taylor and is shacking up with him. When Julia formally moves in with Deacon Cindy needs to find someone to help split the rent with. I have so many problems with this scenario. So let’s take them one at a time. From what I read in the previous book Cindy rented the house that was previously occupied by Kevin McCarthy M.D. and his two adult sons Riley and Finn. The house is now described as a two bedroom but when the McCarthys were living there the three of them each had their own room? Julia asks Cindy if she can move in with her when she decides to stay on Gansett Island before she hooked up with Deacon. So it seems Cindy had already agreed to rent the house without a roommate. Julia is now making good money working as Mac McCarthy’s office manager and living with Deacon so why she is struggling to put together money to buy a car eluded me. Cindy is the only stylist cutting hair on the island so even now that the tourist season is over she seems to have a steady flow of customers from the islands 3,000 year round residents with her appointment calendar booked up for 3 weeks in advance. Yet she needs someone to help split the rent and she’s even taking a part time job working housekeeping for her brother and sister-in-law who own the Surf and Sand Hotel that their grandparents gifted them as a wedding present. Cindy’s financial worries just didn’t make sense to me. Back to the story, as I’m sure you’re aware from the blurb Jace hears of someone looking for a roommate and has no idea its Cindy until he shows up at her door to check the place out. When he tells Cindy about his background as an ex-con on parole and recovering drug addict she has serious concerns about renting him the room despite her attraction to him. But of course she does and of course they become more than roommates. But because of her father Cindy has trouble trusting men. Jace keeps saying everything in his life goes to shit and he expects that trend to continue even after he wins Cindy’s heart, gets a good job working for Mack and pretty much has unlimited access to time with his sons. Which again makes no sense to me because it was his decision to get involved with drugs and then rob a convenience store with his older brother to support their drug habit, that led him to going to prison. It wasn’t bad luck it was his bad decisions. Continue to make good decisions and the chances of more bad things happening to him are greatly reduced. But Jace doesn’t seem to get that. And here’s another thing that drove me crazy in this story. When Jace is faced with disappointments or challenges Cindy offers him good advice which seems to go right over his head. Then he goes to his A.A. meeting and when his fellow members offer him basically the same advice Cindy did, he’s like, “Oh, that very true. Thanks for the great advice. It really helps.” Seriously? Then there’s the fact that we keep getting told how Jace has been clean for over six years. Well yeah, he’s spent six of the past six and a half years in prison. So he’s only been out where he’d have easy access to drugs for six months. That’s great but hardly proof that he can remain clean and sober. Something else I didn’t get is when Mac offers Jace a fulltime job working for him why he continued to work as a bartender even at reduce hours? We know the McCarthy’s are extremely generous employers so why didn’t he just quit bartending all together so he could spend more time with Cindy at home?
While Cindy and Jace’s love story or drama are playing out we also meet John and Jeff Lawry. John is a former Tennessee cop who leaves the force but doesn’t tell anyone why until his secrets are revealed. Jeff, the youngest Lawry who as another gift from their father, got hooked on drugs and attempted suicide when he was a teenager. He has been in recovery since his beloved grandparents rescued him from his abusive father and got him into rehab. He’s been clean and sober for the past decade. He’s recently graduated from college with a degree in computer science and has a job and apartment waiting for him in Tampa. But then he falls in love with Mac and Maddie’s nanny he has to question whether he wants to leave the island. Dara and Oliver Watson the islands new lighthouse keepers also make a brief appearance and Dara’s recently divorced sister is introduced as a new character. If she’s not going to get her own future book I don’t know why the author would bother introducing her in this story because she really didn’t add anything to it. There’s also a brief tidbit/teaser involving Piper who is now working for Laura and Owen and Jack the state trooper who arrested the man who assaulted her. They’re the next book in the series Hurricane After Dark. And what’s with all of this After Dark stuff? Is it supposed to imply the stories are more steamy than your run of the mill contemporary romance? They aren’t. I mean they’re fairly steamy but if I’m being honest, after awhile most of the sex scenes all sound the same.
This was an okay story but hardly the best the series has had to offer.
August 23, 2022
It still amazes me that after 25 books in this series, the Gansett saga never gets old for me. I love it as much now as when I first started with the first book. Actually, I think I love it even more as the series goes on, which I attribute to great writing and all the wonderful characters and their continuing stories.
As with the previous books in this series, Resilience After Dark does center around one couple, Jace and Cindy, but so many of the other characters we've come to know and love continue as an integral part of their story as well. It's this wonderful, continuing saga that makes this so enjoyable for me. This is another beautifully written story with lots of emotion.
Again, it amazes me that Marie Force, with her brilliant writing, makes it easy to keep all the characters and their ongoing stories straight even when it has been months since reading the previous books in the series. I'm very pleased that Marie has said there will be more to come, and I'll be looking forward to the next one.
I highly recommend this, but it's a must to start from the very beginning of the series.
As with the previous books in this series, Resilience After Dark does center around one couple, Jace and Cindy, but so many of the other characters we've come to know and love continue as an integral part of their story as well. It's this wonderful, continuing saga that makes this so enjoyable for me. This is another beautifully written story with lots of emotion.
Again, it amazes me that Marie Force, with her brilliant writing, makes it easy to keep all the characters and their ongoing stories straight even when it has been months since reading the previous books in the series. I'm very pleased that Marie has said there will be more to come, and I'll be looking forward to the next one.
I highly recommend this, but it's a must to start from the very beginning of the series.
July 25, 2022
Solid addition to the series, found myself more engaged compared to the other more recent offerings in the series. Likable protagonists, glimpses into previous/secondary characters didn’t distract, and some humor, made for a fun read!
September 11, 2022
I love this series, but this one was great. I loved catching up with all the characters and I liked the main storyline. I needed tissues several times. Sweet story.
July 23, 2022
Cindy Lawry needs a new roommate ASAP now that her sister, Julia, is moving in with her fiancé, Deacon. When she places roommate wanted flyers around the island, she is anxious to find the right person to room in the house with her after the abusive upbringing she had as a child.
Jace Carson is determined to find a permanent lodging know that summer is done and Gansett Island gets back to normal with the year round residents. When he is told about a room for rent, he jumps at the chance until he finds himself face to face with Cindy, the one woman he’s been flirting with for weeks and she is all he thinks about now.
Sparks fly this autumn as Jace and Cindy see if they can have a relationship even as their pasts surface as the summer heat gives way to autumn cool. It’s about to get interesting on Gansett Island and the fun has just begun.
RESILIENCE AFTER DARK is another wild ride from start to finish. Marie Force delivers lots of laughs, sadness, love, and friendship as readers are treated to the going on of the residents of Gansett Island. With a big cast of characters as well as it being the twenty-fifth book in the series, the author does an amazing job in capturing sub-plots and storylines of the other residents that readers have fell in love with since the first book, Maid for Love. What delights me the most in RESILIENCE AFTER DARK is the characters and how much they all have grown since we, the readers, first met them eons ago. This is an author who knows her characters inside and out, captures their vulnerabilities and strengths, keeps them growing with each book in the series and overall, delivers a character ensemble of a series that delighted me from the very first time I picked up the first book and met these wonderful characters.
With Jace and Cindy, we got to see two characters who deserve their own happy ever after more than these two. With each page of RESILIENCE AFTER DARK, I was rooting for Jace and Cindy to get their own brand of happy ever after and though there were a few interesting things along the way, I got to admit even I was thrilled at how their story turned out. Jace and Cindy have had some hard knocks and their past makes itself known in more ways than they thought but I loved how the author made it come as a strength rather than weakness for this couple and I, for one, am looking forward to seeing how they continue in future books.
RESILIENCE AFTER DARK is more than boy meets girl and falls in love, Its full of love, family, friends and more. The theme I keep coming back to is hope and love for Jace and Cindy. They took a chance on each other, and I know I am not the only one who rooted for them to win their heart’s desire. Marie Force delivers a story that is full of that hope and love not just for Jace and Cindy but for all the wonderful people set in this universe that I adore. If you want to check this series out, I highly recommend this series as a fun, sexy read and perfect for those lazy hot summer days/nights. I can’t wait to see where the author goes next in the series and just what happens next for everyone there on Gansett Island.
This is an objective review and not an endorsement
Jace Carson is determined to find a permanent lodging know that summer is done and Gansett Island gets back to normal with the year round residents. When he is told about a room for rent, he jumps at the chance until he finds himself face to face with Cindy, the one woman he’s been flirting with for weeks and she is all he thinks about now.
Sparks fly this autumn as Jace and Cindy see if they can have a relationship even as their pasts surface as the summer heat gives way to autumn cool. It’s about to get interesting on Gansett Island and the fun has just begun.
RESILIENCE AFTER DARK is another wild ride from start to finish. Marie Force delivers lots of laughs, sadness, love, and friendship as readers are treated to the going on of the residents of Gansett Island. With a big cast of characters as well as it being the twenty-fifth book in the series, the author does an amazing job in capturing sub-plots and storylines of the other residents that readers have fell in love with since the first book, Maid for Love. What delights me the most in RESILIENCE AFTER DARK is the characters and how much they all have grown since we, the readers, first met them eons ago. This is an author who knows her characters inside and out, captures their vulnerabilities and strengths, keeps them growing with each book in the series and overall, delivers a character ensemble of a series that delighted me from the very first time I picked up the first book and met these wonderful characters.
With Jace and Cindy, we got to see two characters who deserve their own happy ever after more than these two. With each page of RESILIENCE AFTER DARK, I was rooting for Jace and Cindy to get their own brand of happy ever after and though there were a few interesting things along the way, I got to admit even I was thrilled at how their story turned out. Jace and Cindy have had some hard knocks and their past makes itself known in more ways than they thought but I loved how the author made it come as a strength rather than weakness for this couple and I, for one, am looking forward to seeing how they continue in future books.
RESILIENCE AFTER DARK is more than boy meets girl and falls in love, Its full of love, family, friends and more. The theme I keep coming back to is hope and love for Jace and Cindy. They took a chance on each other, and I know I am not the only one who rooted for them to win their heart’s desire. Marie Force delivers a story that is full of that hope and love not just for Jace and Cindy but for all the wonderful people set in this universe that I adore. If you want to check this series out, I highly recommend this series as a fun, sexy read and perfect for those lazy hot summer days/nights. I can’t wait to see where the author goes next in the series and just what happens next for everyone there on Gansett Island.
This is an objective review and not an endorsement
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2022
OMG Marie did it again. Another great read. I loved it!!!
August 16, 2022
always amazing
One would think at 25 books in the series that the books would no longer be interesting. They would be wrong.
We are constantly introducing Ed to new characters that find their way into our hearts and we want to read more about them.
In these later number books they are focused on a specific couple but the rest of the island is always involved!
I think the author could write 100 books in this series and book 100 will be as good as book 1.
One would think at 25 books in the series that the books would no longer be interesting. They would be wrong.
We are constantly introducing Ed to new characters that find their way into our hearts and we want to read more about them.
In these later number books they are focused on a specific couple but the rest of the island is always involved!
I think the author could write 100 books in this series and book 100 will be as good as book 1.
August 12, 2022
2nd chances
I always love a good visit with the McCarthy crew on Gansett Island! I love all the new characters moving to our favorite island and all the families intertwined to make one big island family. With all the new people moving in Jace's story was a good reminder that not everyone knows our favorite MacCarthy family! It was refreshing to watch how welcoming they are and how they manage to embrace everyone that permanently moves to the island! I can't wait for our next visit!
I always love a good visit with the McCarthy crew on Gansett Island! I love all the new characters moving to our favorite island and all the families intertwined to make one big island family. With all the new people moving in Jace's story was a good reminder that not everyone knows our favorite MacCarthy family! It was refreshing to watch how welcoming they are and how they manage to embrace everyone that permanently moves to the island! I can't wait for our next visit!
August 14, 2022
Love this series
August 10, 2022
This book was another great book written by Marie Force. It was so great catching up with some of the couples of Gansett Island. One of the best was Mac McCarthy and his vasectomy, absolutely hilarious. The main story was about Jace and Cindy. Love the way that they meet and got together. They make one hell of a couple and will fit in well with the rest of the gang.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2022
Waiting for book 26
Awesome series and this did not disappoint. Only wish it was longer! I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Awesome series and this did not disappoint. Only wish it was longer! I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
August 7, 2022
Another fantastic trip to Gansett Island!
This book about Jace and Cindy is a different story line than usual. They have to go through a lot to get their happily ever after. Ms. Force of course brings us through a lot of people on the island to catch up. Great book you need to read for yourself! I promise it's eel worth the time spent! 💟💟💟💟💟
This book about Jace and Cindy is a different story line than usual. They have to go through a lot to get their happily ever after. Ms. Force of course brings us through a lot of people on the island to catch up. Great book you need to read for yourself! I promise it's eel worth the time spent! 💟💟💟💟💟
July 31, 2022
This book!!!! Jace and Cindy gave me so many feels, and I honestly got so choked up at one point.
I can normally pick up one of Marie Force’s books and read them fairly quickly, I know she’s going to catch me fairly early on and take me on an emotional ride, but this book, oh, this one I honestly knew was going to hurt at some point and had to keep stopping, I didn’t want Jace OR Cindy hurt, I didn’t want either to hurt the other, and using reader logic, if I put the book down it never happens!
And of course, of course I was right and wanted to yell at one of my favorite writers (who almost lost the title there for a second!). Although if she keeps up with the Maddie and Mac family hijinks, she’s always going to be up there.
And as is typical with Gansett books, there were plenty of visits with old friends to catch up on what’s going on.
I can normally pick up one of Marie Force’s books and read them fairly quickly, I know she’s going to catch me fairly early on and take me on an emotional ride, but this book, oh, this one I honestly knew was going to hurt at some point and had to keep stopping, I didn’t want Jace OR Cindy hurt, I didn’t want either to hurt the other, and using reader logic, if I put the book down it never happens!
And of course, of course I was right and wanted to yell at one of my favorite writers (who almost lost the title there for a second!). Although if she keeps up with the Maddie and Mac family hijinks, she’s always going to be up there.
And as is typical with Gansett books, there were plenty of visits with old friends to catch up on what’s going on.
August 4, 2022
Second chance
Jace and Cindy's story was emotional so fair warning!
It's a second chance for love and life! It'll keep you at the end of your seat and keeps the pages turning to find out what is happening on Gansett Island and Jace and Cindy!
I just love all the people's updates and still find someone that found new love.
Can't wait for the next book and update on all my favorite Gansett family!
Bravo Marie Force for another amazing book!
Jace and Cindy's story was emotional so fair warning!
It's a second chance for love and life! It'll keep you at the end of your seat and keeps the pages turning to find out what is happening on Gansett Island and Jace and Cindy!
I just love all the people's updates and still find someone that found new love.
Can't wait for the next book and update on all my favorite Gansett family!
Bravo Marie Force for another amazing book!
August 7, 2022
Amazing once again!
I love the way Marie writes her stories. She brings these characters to life. She is inclusive with storylines and builds integrity. Strong families of strength and love. I want to live on this magical island.
I love the way Marie writes her stories. She brings these characters to life. She is inclusive with storylines and builds integrity. Strong families of strength and love. I want to live on this magical island.
August 5, 2022
Resilience Pays Off
Great storyline bring bad experiences to light. Lessons learned from the past makes today a wonderful new start. Jace and Cindy will help each other live and love.
Great storyline bring bad experiences to light. Lessons learned from the past makes today a wonderful new start. Jace and Cindy will help each other live and love.
August 6, 2022
keep them coming!!!
I love everyone on Gansett Island! I want to read the story of John, Jeff and Josh. Keep them coming!
I love everyone on Gansett Island! I want to read the story of John, Jeff and Josh. Keep them coming!
August 1, 2022
Marie has out done herself again. The story is amazing. From the blossoming friendships between Cindy to her finally getting the guy and happy ending. So many ups and downs but let's mention the light house keepers the made a brief appearance, omg!! What a surprise and to havr their sister in the story... hmm.. could there be a setup marie. Love it!!! The entire story was amazing. The real life complexities of addiction and recoveries to finding a new life along with forgiving your own self and giving into the acceptance was beautifully writting. Thank you for the amazing story. 👏
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2022
Jace is on Gansett to get to know the sons he lost when he went to prison. The boys are settled with their adoptive parents, and Jace respects that. He just wants to know them.
Cindy is on Gansett to try to heal the wounds that were left by her brutally abusive father. Not all abuse is physical, and her dad was particularly good at psychological trauma.
Both Cindy and Jace have lessons to learn, hearts to protect, and trust to build. When the past comes calling for Jace, will he have the resilience to take the bad and learn from it? Will Cindy be able to put her issues behind her once and for all?
This book has lots of love, healing, understanding, and wisdom. I love hearing about the other Gansett Islanders that we've come to know in previous books. Great addition to this series.
You might be able to read this book as a standalone, but I think this series is best read in order. You have A LOT of wonderful hours is you're just beginning this series, since there are over 20 books waiting for you!
Cindy is on Gansett to try to heal the wounds that were left by her brutally abusive father. Not all abuse is physical, and her dad was particularly good at psychological trauma.
Both Cindy and Jace have lessons to learn, hearts to protect, and trust to build. When the past comes calling for Jace, will he have the resilience to take the bad and learn from it? Will Cindy be able to put her issues behind her once and for all?
This book has lots of love, healing, understanding, and wisdom. I love hearing about the other Gansett Islanders that we've come to know in previous books. Great addition to this series.
You might be able to read this book as a standalone, but I think this series is best read in order. You have A LOT of wonderful hours is you're just beginning this series, since there are over 20 books waiting for you!
July 30, 2022
Gansett Island’s bartender and hairdresser find love this time in book 25 of the series. What’s amazing about this series is that even though everyone knows everyone, or is seemingly related to everyone, no one story is similar to another. Each person has a unique backstory and a past that Gansett Island and it’s year round residents help to heal. And of course with so many previous stories you not only get Jace and Cindy’s story but fun glimpses back into the other stories. I laughed along with Maddie and Mac getting through his procedure and the family’s group text. I’d love for the author to actually write that out and share it with us.
August 2, 2022
Marie is the BEST!
Thank to Marie for providing such great stories. I look forward to every single book! I like how you put Niall and John together in this one. Jace and Cindy’s story is so precious. Keep writing!
Thank to Marie for providing such great stories. I look forward to every single book! I like how you put Niall and John together in this one. Jace and Cindy’s story is so precious. Keep writing!
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