Category Archives: Mischief Bay Series

January 17, 2018 · 11:58 pm

Review: Sisters Like Us by Susan Mallery

Title: Sisters Like Us by Susan Mallery
Mischief Bay Series Book Four
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction, Romance
Length: 432 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

The grass is always greener on your sister’s side of the fence…

Divorce left Harper Szymanski with a name no one can spell, a house she can’t afford and a teenage daughter who’s pulling away. With her fledgling virtual-assistant business, she’s scrambling to maintain her overbearing mother’s ridiculous Susie Homemaker standards and still pay the bills, thanks to clients like Lucas, the annoying playboy cop who claims he hangs around for Harper’s fresh-baked cookies.

Spending half her life in school hasn’t prepared Dr. Stacey Bloom for her most daunting challenge—motherhood. She didn’t inherit the nurturing gene like Harper and is in deep denial that a baby is coming. Worse, her mother will be horrified to learn that Stacey’s husband plans to be a stay-at-home dad…assuming Stacey can first find the courage to tell Mom she’s already six months pregnant.

Separately they may be a mess, but together Harper and Stacey can survive anything—their indomitable mother, overwhelming maternity stores and ex’s weddings. Sisters Like Us is a delightful look at sisters, mothers and daughters in today’s fast-paced world, told with Susan Mallery’s trademark warmth and humor.

Review:

Sisters Like Us by Susan Mallery is a winsome story about three generations of women and their sometimes complicated relationships. This  fourth installment in the Mischief Bay series easily stands on its own, but I highly recommend the previous books as well.

Forty-two year old Harper Szymanski is a divorced mom who loves her sixteen year old daughter Becca but works long hours trying to keep her virtual assistant business going.  She is a people pleaser who lets people walk all over her since she has a difficult time standing up for herself.  Her relationship with her mother Bunny is a bit of a mess since Bunny is firmly stuck in the ’50s where a man is always right and a woman should always put her husband and family’s needs before her own.

Harper’s younger sister, forty year old Stacey Bloom, is a super smart and socially awkward scientist who works on the cutting edge of MS research. She and her husband Kit are about to become first time parents and Stacey is greatly concerned over her lack of maternal instincts. She is also worried about Bunny’s reaction to their nontraditional plan for Kit to become a stay at home dad while she continues  working. But what troubles Stacey the most are her fears about what effect a baby will have on her and Kit’s relationship.

Becca is a typical teen who is insecure, somewhat self-absorbed and struggling with the loss of one of her closest friend’s after she moves out of state. She is also quite unhappy with the situation with her father who makes promises to her that he never keeps. He has virtually disappeared from her life which leaves her feeling unloved. Just when Becca reaches her lowest point, she meets Kit’s nephew, Ashton, and their friendship becomes a highlight in her life.

One of Harper’s favorite clients, Lucas Wheeler, is a fifty year old cop whose dating life is an endless array of short term relationships with vapid young women in their early twenties. He is a frequent visitor in their home whose friendship she greatly treasures. Lucas is surprisingly attentive to Becca and he becomes a father figure of sorts after he spend a lot of time with her helping her get her driver’s license.  Lucas and Harper unexpectedly fall into a relationship but since she is so different from the women he typically dates, will there be a shelf-life to their fling?

Sisters Like Us is an emotionally compelling novel that is poignant yet humorous. The chapters alternate between Harper, Stacey and Becca’s points of view as each of them attempt to overcome their personal issues. Harper and Stacey are both struggling with Bunny’s negative influence in their lives as she continues to make them both feel inadequate. Becca matures with guidance and advice from Lucas and a surprise romance of her own. Lucas and Harper’s transition from friends to lovers is understated and their interactions are laugh out loud funny and quite moving. Old and new fans of  Susan Mallery are going to love this newest addition to the enchanting Mischief Bay series.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harlequin, Mira, Mischief Bay Series, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Sisters Like Us, Susan Mallery, Women's Fiction

February 27, 2017 · 11:58 pm

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!

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Filed under A Million Little Things, Contemporary, Fiction, Harlequin, Mira, Mischief Bay Series, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Susan Mallery

February 22, 2016 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Friends We Keep by Susan Mallery

Title: The Friends We Keep by Susan Mallery
Mischief Bay Series Book Two
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction, romance
Length: 416 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In this insightful and compelling story from book club favorite Susan Mallery, three close friends test the boundaries of how much a woman can give before she has nothing left 

After five years as a stay-at-home mom, Gabby Schaefer can’t wait to return to work. Oh, to use the bathroom in peace! No twins clamoring at the door, no husband barging in, no stepdaughter throwing a tantrum. But when her plans are derailed by some shocking news and her husband’s crushing expectations, Gabby must fight for the right to have a life of her own.

Getting pregnant is easy for Hayley Batchelor. Staying pregnant is the hard part. Her husband is worried about the expensive fertility treatments and frantic about the threat to her health. But to Hayley, a woman who was born to be a mom should risk everything to fulfill her destiny—no matter how high the cost.

Nicole Lord is still shell-shocked by a divorce that wasn’t as painful as it should’ve been. Other than the son they share, her ex-husband left barely a ripple in her life. A great new guy tempts her to believe maybe the second time’s the charm…but how can she trust herself to recognize true love?

As their bonds of friendship deepen against the beautiful backdrop of Mischief Bay, Gabby, Hayley and Nicole will rely on good food, good wine and especially each other to navigate life’s toughest changes.

Review:

The Friends We Keep is another hard-hitting and incisive installment in Susan Mallery’s dramatic yet heartfelt Mischief Bay series. A wonderful mix of old and new characters keeps the series fresh and makes it very easy for both old and new fans to delve into this newest release with ease.

One of the characters from the first novel in the series is Nicole Lord. Nicole has recovered her equilibrium following her divorce and she is easily juggling her career and life as a single parent. She has been able to cut back on her hours at her Pilates studio which allows her to spend extra time with her young son Tyler. While Tyler seems well adjusted and happy, Nicole is worried about her ex-husband’s apparent lack of interest in their son. Just as she is trying to get a handle on the growing chasm between Tyler and her ex, she finds herself attracted to a very unlikely newcomer to her life. When their relationship becomes more serious than she is comfortable with, will Nicole allow her fears to ruin her chance at happiness?

Gabby Schaefer is a happily married stay at home mom to five year old twins Kenzie and Kennedy and her moody fifteen year old stepdaughter Makayla. Just as Gabby is on the verge of returning to work when the twins begin kindergarten, a shocking revelation throws her life and marriage into turmoil. Although she and her husband Andrew have a rock solid marriage, their differing opinions on how to handle the situation create unexpected tension between them. For the first time, Gabby refuses to defer to Andrew’s wishes and their marriage grows strained as they try to find a compromise that works for everyone.

Hayley Batchelor and her husband Rob have been dealing with infertility for several years now. Numerous miscarriages and hormone treatments have taken a terrible toll on her body but she refuses to give up her dream of giving birth to a child of her own. Hayley is still trying to recover from another devastating miscarriage when her doctor gives her a very troubling diagnosis. Her desperation leads her to taking drastic steps to continue her treatments, but she is stunned by Rob’s reaction once he learns about her plans. In danger of losing both her chance at motherhood and her husband, Hayley must make a decision about what is most important: a biological child or saving her marriage.

As Hayley, Nicole and Gabby face very different challenges, they provide one another with emotional support and valuable advice. They offer each other unconditional love and support but they do not let their close friendship stop them from always being honest when discussing their problems. Fortunately, their friendships are strong enough to withstand brutal honesty during these discussions and oftentimes, hearing another viewpoint provides much needed clarity that helps them as they work through their individual issues. While each character is immensely appealing and for the most part, likable, it is very easy to grow frustrated (and sometimes angry) with some of their personal decisions.

Heartwarming yet poignant, The Friends We Keep is an engrossing addition to the Mischief Bay series. With realistic characters facing true to life problems, Susan Mallery has once again written an emotional and perceptive story that is sure to resonate with readers. It is an absolutely beautiful novel of friendship and family that old and new fans of this uplifting series are sure to love.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harlequin, Mira, Mischief Bay Series, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Susan Mallery, The Friends We Keep, Women's Fiction

February 23, 2015 · 11:57 pm

Review: The Girls of Mischief Bay by Susan Mallery

girls mischiefTitle: The Girls of Mischief Bay by Susan Mallery
Mischief Bay Book One
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Length: 416 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Summary:

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery is world renowned for her “insightful, funny, and poignant” stories (Booklist). With her brand-new Mischief Bay series, she brings vivid color to the story of three friends on the brink of a new life.

Nicole Lord wants to be a good wife, but there’s a difference between being supportive and supporting her husband, who quit his job to write a screenplay she’s never seen. He won’t even help take care of their son, leaving Nicole to run the house and work full-time.

Sacrificing a personal life for her career is how Shannon Rigg became a VP at her firm, but she wonders now whether she made the right choice. An exciting new relationship with a great guy convinces her that it might not be too late—until he drops a bombshell that has her questioning whether she really can have it all.

Although Pam Eiland adores her husband, she feels restless now that the kids are grown. Finding sexy new ways to surprise him brings the heat and humor back to their marriage, but when unexpected change turns her life upside down, she’ll have to redefine herself. Again.

Through romance and heartbreak, laughter and tears, the girls of Mischief Bay will discover that life is richer with friends at your side.

The Review:

The Girls of Mischief Bay is a beautiful novel of friendship and new beginnings for three very different women who are at very different stages of their lives. Heartwarming and poignant, this first installment in Susan Mallery’s Mischief Bay series is a very emotional story that is sure to appeal to readers of all ages.

Nicole Lord is the youngest of the three women and she is married with a five year old son, Tyler. She is trying to be a supportive wife, but she has become increasingly unhappy with her home life. Without warning, her husband Eric quit his job to pursue his dream of becoming a screenwriter, leaving her as the sole breadwinner in the family. Nicole is physically exhausted from juggling her long hours at her pilates studio with household chores and childcare duties. Her frustration with Eric increases as he does less and less around the house and fails to follow through with his promises to help out more. With their unresolved disagreements hanging over them, Nicole is beginning to worry their marriage might not be worth saving.

Shannon Rigg is a successful businesswoman who has never been married. She longs for a husband and family, but she is unwilling to give up the career she loves. Deciding to give on line dating a try, she meets Adam, a divorced father of two. Adam is not intimidated by her success or her dedication to her job and he is determined not to repeat the mistakes that contributed to his divorce. Just as Shannon is on the verge of having it all-career, husband and family, Adam’s stunning revelation threatens their future together and leaves Shannon questioning what she really wants in life.

Pam Eiland is happily married but after thirty plus years of marriage, their life is more routine than passionate. She is having a bit of a mid life crisis when she decides it is time to put the spark back into her marriage. A weekend retreat is just what she and her husband need to get back on track and they are happier than ever when an unexpected tragedy forces her to re-evaluate her life.

While all three women must face some of the changes in their lives on their own, Nicole, Pam and Shannon are always on hand to offer one another unconditional love and friendship. With the most life experience, Pam is calm and reassuring and Nicole and Shannon often turn to her for advice. Pam and Shannon are both very business savvy and Nicole finds their guidance invaluable in both her professional and personal lives. Nicole and Shannon provide Pam with emotional support when her life dramatically changes.

The Girls of Mischief Bay is an absolutely marvelous beginning to Susan Mallery’s Mischief Bay series. The small town setting is very charming and quite homey. The characters are well-drawn and easy to relate to with true to life flaws and imperfections. The challenges each of the women are facing are realistic and the novel’s conclusion feels more like a beginning as they each prepare for the next stage in their lives. It is a very endearing and heartfelt novel that will leave readers impatiently awaiting the next book in this delightful new series.

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Filed under Contemporary, Fiction, Harlequin, Mira, Mischief Bay Series, Rated B+, Review, Susan Mallery, The Girls of Mischief Bay