50 Harbor Street by Debbie Macomber

Have you ever lived/experienced small town life? Did living in a small town remind you of Mayberry on the Andy Griffith Show?

This book had a nice, small-town feel. There were a lot of characters with problems. Reading this novel reminded me of watching a soap opera. The story focused on Olivia, the judge of Cedar Cove, and her newly-wedded life with her husband, Jack. They suffer from a traumatic event. Grace also has problems with her love life since Cliff, her love interest, ignores her, and appears unable to forgive her for her indiscretion. Then there’s Linette, a teen-aged girl who has a huge crush on her boyfriend, Anson. Anson is from the wrong side of the tracks, from the wrong side of the law, and she’s been forbidden to see him. There’s also Cecilia, who is pregnant. She’s worried about this pregnancy because her first child (born in a previous book) only lived a short time. Her first baby died from a heart ailment and she’s worried about the life of her second child. Her husband, Ian, is in the military and it’s hard for her to go through this pregnancy while her husband is at sea. However, she had a nice network of military wives to which she goes to for strength during her pregnancy.

Then there’s Justine and her husband Seth who own the Lighthouse Restaurant. The Lighthouse Restaurant is a popular seafood place in Cedar Cove. MaryEllen is also going through a difficult pregnancy and her husband Jon is struggling to help her. They have a two-year old daughter, Katie. Needing assistance, MaryEllen tries to convince Jon to reach out to his family, but, he can’t forgive his family for lying against him, forcing him to go to prison for a crime he did not commit.

In the small town of Cedar Cove, a lot of the residents know one another. The setting reminded me a Mayberry on the Andy Griffith Show. This book had a huge cast of characters. I can understand why it was made into a Hallmark Channel TV series. I’ve never watched it, though. I’ve been meaning to give it a try, but, time has just gotten away with me.

Have you ever lived in a small town where a lot of the residents knew one another? Do you like small-town life?

The Inn At Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber

Have you ever had a best friend or a spouse to die unexpectedly? If so, how did you deal with your grief?

Jo Marie is still reeling from the recent, unexpected death of her military husband, Paul. She needs a change in her life, so, she opens a bed and breakfast in the small friendly town of Cedar Cove. She names her place The Rose Harbor Inn. One of her first two guests are Joshua Weaver, a man who has been called back to town by Michelle, a woman he befriended in high school. Michelle beckons him back to town because his step-father is dying. Joshua wants nothing to do with his step-father since the man treated him so horribly while he was growing up.

Her second guest is Abby Kincaid. Abby was driving the car which killed her best friend in high school. She can never forgive herself for the accident and she cuts herself off from her friends and family, shunning their offers of friendship and love. After being absent for several years, she’s back in Cedar Cove to attend her brother’s wedding. Can she find the courage to move forward with her life and forgive herself for the accident?

I liked this book. I think one of the unique aspects that I liked about it was that it touched upon the realm of the supernatural, just a little bit. Overall, a nice, heartwarming read.

So, have you ever had a best friend or a spouse to die unexpectedly? If so, how did you deal with your grief?