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Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

When Jenna Boltz's youngest goes off to college, she thinks that she and her best friend, Maureen, can finally take that trip to Paris they've been planning since their own college days. Then Jenna's mom, Carol, takes a spill, and the trip is off. Fortunately, Carol is in the care of Dr. Rowan Lancaster. One of the best orthopedic surgeons in Seattle, he is kind and attentive, but tight-lipped about his personal life. Meanwhile, librarian Maureen has an easy enough time talking books with handsome construction worker Logan, but their outside-the-library lives seem too different for any romance to start. Two sensible women find themselves struggling to open up to later-in-life love: Jenna is scarred by her ex-husband's abandonment, and Maureen's amicable divorce left her assuming that romance was just not for her. Macomber's work is as comforting as ever, and the easy pace of her story is complemented by domestic details. But where Window on the Bay really shines is in its portrayal of women who are done raising their children, but are far from done with life.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Macomber's books are as comforting as an old quilt; even hot summer weather won't keep her legion of fans away.--Susan Maguire Copyright 2019 Booklist


Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Macomber (Be a Blessing, 2019, etc.) threatens to set her latest beach read in Paris, but her characters have other plans.Maureen Zelinski and Jenna Boltz have been friends since college. Years ago, their plans to go to Paris were thwarted when Maureen found out she was pregnant. Now that they're both single mothers whose children have left the nest, the time is right to dust off their passports and try again. In a somewhat disappointing turn of events, Maureen and Jenna don't make it to Paris just yet. Instead, they stay in Seattle and pursue new love interests. Jenna, a nurse, meets orthopedic surgeon Dr. Rowan Lancaster in the emergency room after her mother falls and hurts her hip. Maureen, against her better judgment, accepts a date with Logan, a union plumber who frequents the library where she works. Jenna is afraid to date a co-worker after her workplace romance with her ex failed, but when Rowan proves to be a good listener, she's more willing to discuss her options. Maureen doesn't think she'll fit in with Logan and his beer-drinking buddies, but she's surprised when she enjoys their date at a football game. Meanwhile, Jenna worries about her children, Allie and Paul, as they navigate college and life. Though the story is primarily told from the two mothers' perspectives, Allie breaks into the narrative with a surprising connection to Rowan. Maureen's daughter, Tori, also takes on the role of confidante. The happy endings (and potential travel plans) unfold with a touch of realism to contrast the idyllic backdrop of the Pacific Northwest.Despite the false start, this heartwarming story sweetly balances friendship and mother-child bonding with romantic love. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.


Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Macomber (Cottage by the Sea) hits all the standard beats in this formulaic standalone double romance. University of Washington college buddies Jenna Boltz and Maureen Zelinski are now empty nesters and long since divorced. They are encouraged by their children, and by each other, to pursue new relationships. Jenna is charmed by Dr. Rowan Lancaster, the surgeon taking care of her mother after a fall-but, like her ex, he works at the Seattle hospital where she is a nurse, and the similarity makes her uncomfortable. Librarian Maureen gives in to the attention of construction worker Logan, who comes to her library from his worksite for book recommendations, but his working-class buddies and inability to enjoy ballet as well as football throw her off. Jenna and Maureen's emotional skills feel on par with a teenager's, and readers will find that the romances seem more like compromises than successes. Macomber's indubitable technical skill can't make up for the way her stock characters plod through their stock situations. Agent: Theresa Park, Park & Fine Literary. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

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