Book Review: Evening Stars (Blackberry Island) by Susan Mallery

Two grown sisters, once again share their childhood home, examine their lives,  hoping to come to terms with themselves and their futures in another heartwarming tale from USA TODAY bestselling author, Susan Mallery. 

A poignant tale of two sisters on the verge of claiming their dreams, EVENING STARS is the third (and final installment) of her wildly popular Blackberry Island series.


More “Mom” than their mother ever was, Nina Wentworth, a small-town nurse, sacrificed medical school – and her first love – so her sister, Averil, could break free. Averil, however, returns to town, dissatisfied with her amazing husband and running into writer’s block on her first novel. As her flighty mother’s antique store fails and Averil’s marriage disintegrates, Nina’s own dreams of getting off the island become even more complicated when her high school sweetheart and a young fighter pilot arrive, competing for her attention. With everything spinning out of control, Nina isn’t sure she can keep it all together, until her mother makes a discovery that could change everything.

EVENING STARS is an atmospheric and enchanting tale of the challenges we face when deciding between our hearts and our heads. Full of beautiful narration and real emotion, it is Mallery’s most heartfelt look into the world of Blackberry Island.

MY THOUGHTS: Just finished reading the book. This is actually my first novel from Susan's book series. I think she is an amazing writer. I was so engaged in the storyline and I had to find out more about Nina. She is a strong woman. She is a small-town nurse who wants to pursue her dreams and she sacrificed medical school to take care of her sister Averil and their mother. To make her life complicated, she also finds herself caught between two men who love her. I'm not going to spoil it, but I'd recommend reading the series when you get a chance.

WHERE TO BUY: The novel just released late February 2014 and is now available at local book retailers, and online at Amazon.com and Harlequin.com.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Susan Mallery has entertained millions of readers with her witty and emotional stories about women and the relationships that define their lives. She has published more than 100 romance and women's fiction novels, beginning with two books the same month when she was just out of college. Her books have spent more than 120 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list and have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestsellers list, statistically tied for #1 (THREE LITTLE WORDS, a Fool's Gold romance). Known for her keen insight into human nature and her humorous take on life, Susan Mallery has been described by RT Book Reviews as "in a class by herself!" and was featured as a Red Hot Read in Cosmopolitan Magazine. In 2013, four of her books were named to Amazon's "Best Book of the Month" list.

With a Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Susan is one of the few writers who can understand her royalty statement. She went on to get a Masters in Writing Popular Fiction and has extensively studied story structure in screenwriting courses, though she has no plans to write for the screen. Her goal, always, is to give readers a story that will move them, populated with characters who feel like real people.

Booklist says, "Novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and Publisher's Weekly calls her prose "luscious and provocative." Susan appreciates critical praise, but she values praise from her readers even more. She credits her successful career to the loyal readers who rush out to buy each new book on the day it's released.

With the advent of ebooks, Susan's career has soared even higher, and her books make regular appearances on both print and ebook bestsellers lists. She has embraced the Digital Age with a robust website (www.susanmallery.com), an active presence on Facebook and a free Susan Mallery app for the iPhone, iPad, and Android devices (www.mobileroadie.com/apps/susanmallery). At www.foolsgoldca.com, she also provides bonus content such as after-the-happily-ever-after updates for the Fool's Gold romances, her most popular ongoing series.

Born and raised in California, Susan lives with her family in Seattle, where she survives the dreary days of winter with the help of a "happy lamp" and plenty of coffee.



Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the mentioned book from the PR firm or publisher in exchange of my review. Any expressed opinions are my own and personal thoughts. No other compensation was given.