Review: A Million Little Things by Susan Mallery

Title: A Million Little Things by Susan Mallery
Mischief Bay Series Book Three
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance
Length: 368 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

From the bestselling author of The Girls of Mischief Bay and The Friends We Keep comes a twisty tale of family dynamics that explores what can go terribly, hysterically wrong when the line between friendship and family blurs… 

Zoe Saldivar is more than just single—she’s ALONE. She recently broke up with her longtime boyfriend, she works from home and her best friend Jen is so obsessed with her baby that she has practically abandoned their friendship. The day Zoe accidentally traps herself in her attic with her hungry-looking cat, she realizes that it’s up to her to stop living in isolation.

Her seemingly empty life takes a sudden turn for the complicated—her first new friend is Jen’s widowed mom, Pam. The only guy to give her butterflies in a very long time is Jen’s brother. And meanwhile, Pam is being very deliberately seduced by Zoe’s own smooth-as-tequila father. Pam’s flustered, Jen’s annoyed and Zoe is beginning to think “alone” doesn’t sound so bad, after all.

Friendship isn’t just one thing—it’s a million little things, and no one writes them with more heart and humor than book club sensation Susan Mallery!

Review:

A Million Little Things is a delightfully engaging and captivating addition to Susan Mallery’s marvelous Mischief Bay series.  Although this latest release is the third installment in the series, it can be read as a standalone but I highly encourage readers to pick up the previous two novels in this wonderful series.

Zoe Saldivar has not noticed how solitary her life has become until she is accidentally locked in her attic.  Vowing to make some changes, she tries to reconnect with her best friend Jen Beldon, but with Jen obsessing over her eighteen month old son, Jack, there seems to be little room for friendship in her life.  She is also friends with Jen’s widowed mother, Pam Eiland, who, after listening to Zoe’s problems, decides to play matchmaker between her young friend and her son, Steven.  Their budding romance is going surprisingly well when Zoe receives very unexpected and life-altering news. This complication has a surprising effect on virtually everyone’s relationships including Pam’s relationship with Zoe’s dad, Miguel Saldivar. Will Pam continue to alienate the people her life? Or will she figure out a way to repair her mistakes before it is too late?

Zoe has recently ended her five year relationship and she is regretting some of the choices she made based on where she thought their romance was headed.  While she misses some aspects of her former career, she is not sure she wants to return to it.  While she mostly enjoys her current job, Zoe is uncertain whether working from home is right for her.  She would like to begin dating again, but she has few opportunities to meet men.  When Steven offers to help her with a home repair, she is surprised by how attractive she finds Jen’s brother.  Their relationship is off to an uneventful beginning when Zoe gets very unexpected news that leaves her very uncertain about her future with Steven especially after Pam’s shocking reaction.

Jen has been a stay at home mom since giving birth to Jack and while she has her son’s best interests at heart, she is extremely over-protective of him.  Although Jack is a happy, healthy and well-adjusted little boy, his failure to reach a certain milestone has Jen desperately searching for answers.  She is also quite worried about her husband, Kirk’s new job with the LAPD and she dislikes everything about his new partner, Lucas.  With her anxieties reaching a new high, Jen resents everyone’s suggestion to relax and not worry so much about everything.  She receives advice from a very unexpected source but will she act on it?

Although Pam has been widowed for two years, she still feels married to her beloved husband.  She has a busy, fulfilled life and she loves to travel.  She has a great relationship with her children, but she is very frustrated with Jen’s obsession over keeping Jack safe from anything that could possibly harm him.  When Zoe receives news that turns her life upside down, Pam’s first concern is for what this information could mean for Steven.  Instead of her loving support, she stuns everyone with the advice she gives to her son.  With several of her relationships on very shaky ground, Pam stands by her opinion, but will she eventually change her mind?

A Million Little Things is a touching novel with three interwoven storylines that are heartwarming and thought-provoking.  All of the characters are well-developed with realistic strengths and weakness that are very easy to relate to.  The story arcs are quite diverse and it is quite fascinating watching the various characters try to overcome the problems they are facing. The romance between Zoe and Steven is very sweet and despite outside conflict and a stunning development, their relationship lacks unnecessary angst or drama. Another outstanding installment in Susan Mallery’s  Mischief Bay series that old and new fans are going to love!