One day about
twelve years ago, Christina Dodd hosted a new-to-me author by the name of
Geralyn Dawson at the multi-author Squawk Radio blog. I was intrigued by her
humor and charm and set out in search of her books. It took only one story to
have me glomming everything I could get my hands on. In 2006, Dawson moved from
historical westerns to modern-day romantic suspense with the release of Give Him the Slip and the introduction
of the Callahan brothers. She reeled me right in and held tight through the
next two books as the stories of Luke, Matt, and Mark Callahan unfolded. Then
she took a break from writing, leaving hordes of readers (including me) desperate
to know what really happened to the missing fourth brother, John Gabriel “Gabe”
Callahan. In 2011, Dawson returned to writing with a new pseudonym and launched
Emily March’s beloved Eternity Springs series with Angel’s Rest, Gabe’s long-awaited story. The Callahan men and their
wives have appeared periodically throughout the Eternity Springs series but
now, with the publication of A Stardance
Summer, the fourteenth book in the series, the spotlight once again shines
upon their family. This time, the hero is Brick Callahan, son of Mark, and the
first of the next generation to get his own story. I adored him. How about you,
Janga?
Janga: So did I, PJ. Brick is a fascinating character in his
own right, plus there is the
Callahan connection. I confess that I am a big fan of second-generation tales,
and I’ve been longing for this one since Brick first appeared in the series.
Brick’s personal history gives the term “blended family” a new definition. All
his names reveal pieces of who he is: Mark Christopher, the boy he was; Chris
Callahan, which combines his two family identities; and, finally Brick
Callahan, the stubborn, independent, honorable man he is. With all the
larger-than-life Callahans in Brazos Bend, it made sense to me that Brick found
his piece of paradise and his independence in Colorado. I love that Emily March
gives us all these tiny vignettes that show what a loving relationship Brick
has with all of his family. Especially memorable for me was that poignant
moment when Brick thinks that his three mothers—his birth mother, his adopted
mother, and his stepmother—have all been angels in his life. Another favorite
is the scene where the Callahan brothers advise him on his love life. Then
there’s Branch’s heart-attack threat to push Brick into giving him
great-grandchildren. And having the Colorado Fourth of July Callahan family
bash to balance the Texas Christmas tradition is perfect. I also think having
Liliana know him as Mark Christopher, grow to know him as Brick Callahan, and
fall in love with all the parts of who he is was a stroke of genius on March’s
part. I don’t know about you, PJ, but I smiled every time Brick came up with
another nickname for Liliana.
PJ: Oh, I did too! I think my favorite was Freckle-Sticks.
Only someone who had grown up knowing Lili as his best friend’s pesky little
sister could have gotten away with that. Lili really tugged at my heartstrings.
While I thoroughly enjoyed her journey to love with Brick, for Lili, her summer
in Eternity Springs is also one of growth and self-discovery - almost a coming
of age even though thirty is looming on her horizon. For the past twenty years,
she’s been diligent in her efforts to be logical, controlled, and never step
out of line. My heart ached for her when, after doing everything right, it all
fell apart with betrayal both at work and at home but I cheered when she
finally took a stand and hit the road to discover just who Liliana Howe really
was. Destination: Stardance Ranch RV
Park where her landlord and friend, Patsy, and the Tornado Alleycats were
spending the summer. Did you love Patsy as much as I did, Janga? I want to be
an Alleycat too!
Janga: I think we are
Alleycats at heart, PJ, although I’ll leave the skinny dipping and the
fire-engine red hair to Patsy and her cohorts. She really is a wonderful
character. I love that she is in her seventies and still living life to the
fullest despite the challenges life throws at her. Colorful older women
characters are fairly common in romance fiction, but I can remember only a rare
few who have been as vividly drawn as Patsy. From her past as an exotic dancer
to her marriage to a man ten years her junior to her writing career, her
hundreds of friends, her matchmaking plans, and her Sundays in church, she
marches to her own drummer. Yet she seems so real I want to give her a hug. She
is just the example Lili needs. And, in this novel that is about all kinds of
families, I also think she and Lili are definitely “family” to one another,
don’t you?
PJ: I do agree, Janga. Whether family by blood, by marriage,
or by choice, Emily March brings the characters in A Stardance Summer together
with purpose and love, as she has done with each of the Eternity Springs books.
It’s one of the components of this series that I most enjoy, along with the
spiritual element that the beloved character of Celeste brings to each book. I admire March's ability to add depth to her stories through her characters' journeys of spiritual awakening without venturing into religion or inspirational territory.
Humor, Heart, Family, Love: all integral components of an
Emily March novel that solidify her place on our auto-buy lists and place her
books on our keeper shelves. Just between us, if you have not yet read A
Stardance Summer, you’re missing out on a wonderful story that will make you
smile, laugh, possibly shed some tears, want to drop-kick a few characters off
the nearest cliff, sigh with satisfaction, and ask how long you’ll have to wait
until Emily March’s next visit to Eternity Springs. However long the wait, you
can be sure we’ll be there, ready to reconnect with favorite Eternity Springs citizens, meet new ones, and join them on
another heart-tugging journey to love.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you enjoy romances with a family dynamic?
Are you reading Emily March's Eternity Springs series? Do you have a favorite book or couple in the series?
What do you think of second-generation romances? Do you enjoy seeing children from previous books all grown up and on the path to their own HEA?
One randomly chosen person leaving a comment on today's post before 11:00 p.m. ET, July 1, 2017 will receive a print copy of A Stardance Summer. (U.S. only)
A Stardance Summer
By Emily March
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: June 27,2017
Sometimes the end of one road
Brick Callahan enjoys every minute of chaos at his campground, Stardance Ranch, especially after the Tornado Alleycats arrive for an extended summer stay. The members of the all-female glamorous camping club are primarily seniors―active and adventurous, friendly and fun. But when he discovers Liliana Howe frolicking with the glamping grannies in a late night skinny-dipping session, he fears he's in for a summer of trouble. Because his best friend's kid sister has grown up to be drop-dead gorgeous.
. . .is the start of another
Betrayed by those she trusted, Lili decides she's put her career first for too long. She sells her practical sedan, buys a travel trailer, and heads to Eternity Springs for a summer of rest, relaxation, and reassessment as the newest member of the Alleycats. The last person she expects to find running an RV resort is her high school crush. Their undeniable mutual attraction is a reminder that life is full of surprises. But when the past comes calling, will their summer romance stand the test of time?
Emily March is the New
York Times, Publisher’s Weekly,
and USA Today bestselling author of
over thirty novels, including the critically acclaimed Eternity Springs series. Publishers Weekly calls March a
"master of delightful banter," and her heartwarming, emotionally
charged stories have been named to Best of the Year lists by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Romance Writers of America. A graduate of
Texas A&M University, Emily is an avid fan of Aggie sports and her recipe
for jalapeño relish has made her a tailgating legend.
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