Title: Forever Friends by Sarah Mackenzie
Cranberry Cove Series Book One
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction, Romance
Length: 321 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
Perfect for fans of Susan Mallery and Jill Shalvis, two mothers — one pregnant, one sending her child to college — form an unlikely friendship, finding love, hope, and a new start at life in this charming, laugh-out-loud read.
Single mom Renee Rhodes seems like a woman who has it all together — perfect house, perfect kid, perfect yard. But now that her daughter is away at college, she doesn’t know what to do next. Without weekly PTA meetings and after-school chauffeur duty, Renee isn’t sure who she is anymore. What she is sure of is that she probably shouldn’t be crushing on her new boss, who couldn’t possibly be interested in a middle-aged mom….
Sadie Landry is drowning in the stay-at-home mom life. With a toddler running wild, a husband who is growing more distant by the day, and a mother-in-law who has a comment on every-little-thing, Sadie is one mommy-and-me class away from losing it. When she learns that she is pregnant again, Sadie knows that something has to change for the sake of her family — and her sanity.
After a birthday party bake-a-thon nearly turns into a three-alarm fire, Renee comes to her neighbor Sadie’s rescue with comfort, competence, and a killer pie recipe. With their unlikely friendship and a newly hatched plan to open a bakery, can Sadie and Renee finally have the lives they’ve always dreamed of?
Review:
Forever Friends by Sarah Mackenzie is a charming novel about friendship, love and new beginnings.
Sadie Landry is a stay at home mom to two year old Lincoln. Her husband, Ethan, commutes from Maine to Boston where he works long hours. Sadie is struggling to keep up with Lincoln and running their household when she learns she is pregnant again. As she comes to terms with this unexpected development, Sadie and her neighbor, Renee Rhodes, unexpectedly form a close friendship. How will Ethan react when Sadie mentions going back to work when an unanticipated job opportunity comes her way?
Renee is feeling a bit unsettled now her daughter Tansy is at college in California. She is beginning to feel somewhat dissatisfied with her life, but she is also unsure if she is ready for more changes. Renee works in the town’s pediatric practice and she is surprised by her unexpected attraction to Dr. Dan Hanlon. When she is offered the chance to turn her love of baking into a new career, Renee is uncertain if she is ready to take a leap into the unknown. With her friendship with Sadie deepening, the two consider going into business together. With some many changes happening at once, will she decide to take the plunge and open a baked goods shop? Will Renee’s fears of getting hurt again prevent her from taking a chance on a romance with Dan?
Sadie and Renee are absolutely delightful women. Although they are at drastically different places in their lives, they quickly form a tight bond when their casual acquaintance deepens into friendship. Sadie is very worried about her marriage when she admits to Ethan she would like to resume a career. Renee is unsure about giving up job security in exchange for pursuing a career as a baker. She is quite concerned about Tansy as their once close relationship becomes distant. Renee is also uncertain about whether she is ready to risk her heart again.
Forever Friends is a truly captivating novel with a cast of extraordinary characters and a heartwarming storyline. Renee’s and Sadie’s issues are quite relatable and resolved in a realistic manner. The romance between Renee and Dan is incredibly sweet and just a touch steamy. Sadie’s plight is certain to resonate with anyone who has struggled with their decision to return to work after having children. Although Sadie and Renee’s storylines are completely wrapped up by the novel’s touching conclusion, readers will have to wait for the next installment in Sarah Mackenzie’s delightful Cranberry Cove series to learn the outcome of the dangling story arc. I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this marvelous novel to fans of the genre.
