Blog Tour Review - - Lilac Lane

Lilac Lane

By Sherryl Woods

Publisher: Harlequin / Mira
Release Date: October 17, 2017
Reviewed by Janga

  

After her husband decided he preferred the bottle to his family and left her with two pre-school sons and an infant daughter to rear, Kiera Malone gave up on romance and focused on supporting her children. It was not until those children were adults that Kiera allowed herself to be wooed by Peter McDonough with his gentleness and his humor. But Peter is dead of a heart attack just hours after they became engaged, and Keira is shoring up her defenses to protect her heart. At the urging of her father and her daughter, both of whom are happily married to O’Briens of Chesapeake Shores, Maryland (The Summer Garden), Kiera leaves Dublin, at least temporarily, to spend time with her family, to help care for her granddaughter Kate, and to serve as a cultural consultant for her son-in-law’s Irish pub.

Kiera adores young Kate, is grateful to establish a closer relationship with Moira, and enjoys time with her father from whom she was estranged for years after her marriage. She is surprised at how quickly she makes friends among the O’Brien women, especially Megan O’Brien, wife of Mick, the designer and builder of the idyllic coastal town, and mentor to Moira. Life in Chesapeake Shores would be wonderful if it were not for Bryan Laramie, chef at O’Brien’s Pub. Kiera and Bryan clash at every turn. In fact, the only thing they agree on is the need to ignore the sparks of attraction between them.

Chef Laramie’s life has not turned out the way he imagined it. As a young man, he was driven by ambition, certain that he would one day own his own restaurant and win renown for his culinary creations. Then, he lost what he loved most, and he has spent the years since in a fruitless search to recover his treasure. Despite having reached the point of accepting that his search may be hopeless, he has found a measure of contentment and pride in his work at O’Brien’s and a staunch friend in Nell O’Brien O’Malley. He does not need a fiery-tempered redhead challenging him in his kitchen or elsewhere.

The O’Briens are all in favor of keeping Kiera in Chesapeake Shores, and if Nell thinks matchmaking will increase the odds of doing so, they are all prepared to do their parts. One step is to ensure that Kiera moves into the cottage next door to Bryan’s home, trusting that the sparks they have observed plus propinquity will lead to romance. The attraction is real, and Kiera and Bryan discover they actually like each other as well. But they are both wary of risking their hearts. Will the matchmakers win their bets, or will Kiera and Bryan’s old wounds and strong defenses prove stronger than love?

Lilac Lane is the fourteenth story in Woods’s popular Chesapeake Shores series, which is also now a Hallmark television series. I like the O’Briens, and I have followed this series from the beginning. One of its strengths has been the evidence that romance is not only for the young. Mick and Megan’s reconciliation was much anticipated in the early books, and the widowed matriarch Nell’s sweet reunion with the love of her youth, Dillon O’Malley, arced over two books—An O’Brien Family Christmas, #8, and The Summer Garden, #9. The renewed focus on romance between mature characters was a welcome one. Kiera and Bryan are interesting characters who have earned their HEA. Most of the large O’Brien family shows up in minor roles, with Luke and Moira, Mick and Megan, and Nell and Dillon playing more substantial roles. Fans of the series will doubtless be pleased to see them all. Woods once again proves her skill at creating these sweet, family-centered tales.

If you are a fan of small-town romance with extended family heavily engaged in one another’s lives and not shy about taking an active role that some would label blatant interference, you will likely enjoy this one. I confess that I did, even if I could not quite silence the skeptic in me that questioned if this book and, based on the frequent references to Kiera’s wild Irish sons, probably more books to follow as a bit too obviously providing more material for the television series. I suspect the cost of the book, considerably more than the earlier books, may also reflect the television connection.

Chesapeake Shores Coming to Hallmark Channel

JESSE METCALFE, MEGHAN ORY, GOLDEN GLOBE^®  NOMINEE TREAT WILLIAMS AND ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE^® DIANE LADD TO STAR IN HALLMARK CHANNEL’S FIRST INSTALLMENT OF ‘CHESAPEAKE SHORES’

Featuring ‘Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove’ Star Barbara Niven

Based on the Novels by New York Times Bestselling Author Sherryl Woods

“Chesapeake Shores” To Become A Series of Movies

for Hallmark Channel Debuting in 2016

STUDIO CITY, CA -- September 24, 2015 -- Hallmark Channel announces the start of production on “Chesapeake Shores,” a series of Hallmark Channel original movies debuting on the network in 2016.  The film, which begins shooting this week in Vancouver, is based on the novels of the same name by New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods. Jesse Metcalfe (“Dallas,” “Desperate Housewives”) stars alongside Meghan Ory (“Once Upon A Time”), Golden Globe^® nominated actor Treat Williams (“Everwood,” “Hair”), Academy Award^® nominee Diane Ladd (“Wild At Heart”) and Barbara Niven (“Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove”) in this epic, multi-generational family drama.

“It is a true honor to bring to life Sherryl Woods’ captivating novel of family and forgiveness,” said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming and Publicity, Crown Media Family Networks.  “This amazing, all-star cast will expertly portray Woods’ emotional, poignant and romantically woven story. We know our audience will be as taken and swept away by ‘Chesapeake Shores’ as we are.”

Ory portrays Abby O’Brien – a high-powered career woman, divorcee and mother to two young daughters. After years away from her family, she takes a trip from New York City to her hometown of Chesapeake Shores.  The visit brings her face to face with her past, including her high school sweetheart Trace (Metcalfe), her undemonstrative father Mick (Williams), her daring sister Jess, and her beloved grandmother Nell.  This trip also makes Abby notice the toll her career has taken on her ability to be a hands-on mother to her daughters.  As she spends more time in her charming hometown, Abby begins to consider a permanent move to the town she once called home -- Chesapeake Shores.

Metcalfe portrays Trace Riley, a handsome musician who was Abby’s first love. After high school, Abby abruptly left Trace and Chesapeake Shores without warning, an action he has never forgiven her for. Trace eventually follows his dreams to become a musician, only to return to Chesapeake Shores years later and find that Abby, too, is back in their hometown. The two remember what they once had, sparking deep and unresolved emotions.

Williams portrays Mick O’Brien, the commanding patriarch of the O’Brien clan. Mick’s wife walked out on him years ago, leaving him a single father working hard to provide for his family. Unfortunately his work took precedent, which made him emotionally unavailable to his children. When his daughter Abby returns home, it marks a new beginning for Mick and Abby as they work to reconnect and repair their strained relationship.

Ladd portrays Nell O’Brien, the beloved matriarch of the O’Brien clan and Mick’s mother. She is a warm, maternal and wise woman -- with a lovely Irish lilt – who took over rearing of the O’Brien brood when her son’s wife, Megan, abandons the family. Through the decades, she is the glue that keeps the fractious, fractured family together.

Niven portrays Megan, Mick O’Brien’s estranged wife.

Dan Paulson is the executive producer.  Martin Wood is the director and executive producer.  Vicki Sotheran and Greg Malcolm are the producers.  Nancey Silvers is the writer and executive producer, based on the books by Sherryl Woods, who also serves as an executive producer.

Hallmark Channel on Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram

TWITTER: @HallmarkChannel, @jessemetcalfe, @Rtreatwilliams #ChesapeakeShores

CONTACTS:

Brenda Lowry, 818-755-2587 BrendaLowry@crownmedia.com

Stephanie Sherman, 818-775-2414 StephanieSherman@crownmedia.com

 

—HALLMARK CHANNEL—


Are you a fan of Woods' Chesapeake Shores series?

Will you be watching the Hallmark movies next year?

Are you happy with the actors that have been cast? Are they as you visualized the characters?

I'm delighted to see Hallmark bringing romance novels into our homes through their television movies. I'm of a fan of the Cedar Cove series (based on Debbie Macomber's books) and the Christmas movie, The Nine Lives of Christmas, based on the Sheila Roberts book of the same title.

What book or book series would you like to see on the Hallmark Channel?

Review - - The Christmas Bouquet

The Christmas Bouquet

By Sherryl Woods

Publisher: Harlequin MIRA

Release Date: October 7, 2014

Caitlyn Winters, daughter of Abby O’Brien Winters Riley, is a woman with a plan for her life. She has always been the serious twin, and a summer as a teen spent volunteering in a doctor’s office in Appalachia was enough to spur her to complete college and medical school in record time. Working with the Red Cross in Africa confirmed her mission to save the world. Everything is on her schedule to completing her pediatric internship at a New York hospital so that she can return to Africa to save the lives of babies in third world countries. Then, Caitlyn catches the bride’s bouquet at the wedding of Jenny Collins, an O’Brien cousin by marriage, to second-chance country music star Caleb Green (A Seaside Christmas), and things started changing. One week after the wedding, she met Noah McIlroy, a resident in family medicine, and soon the two of them were exclusive. Just over a year later, a pregnancy test has just revealed news that jeopardizes all of Caitlin’s plans.

Noah McIlroy has dreams too. He is near the end of his residency, and he hopes to set up family practice in a medically underserved area where he can establish a home and become part of the community. He loves Caitlin, and marriage to her is part of his dream. But he also recognizes how important her dream is, and he is willing to do whatever he needs to do to see that Caitlin is happy and that their child has a happy, secure life. When he learns that Chesapeake Shores needs a doctor, he decides it may be the perfect place for him—with or without Caitlin Winters.

The Christmas Bouquet is #11 in Sherryl Woods’s Chesapeake Shores series, and the fourth Christmas book. I love the O’Briens; I count them among my favorite fictional families. But I have found the later novels in the series somewhat uneven, with my ratings ranging from 3.5 to 5 stars. For example, I loved Jenny and Caleb’s story, the 2013 Christmas tale. In this one, I liked catching glimpses of all the in-progress HEAs from Grandma Nell and her newly discovered old love to Jenny and Caleb. And I adored Noah. He is one of those sweet, nurturing heroes with lots of strength and charm and a high H. Q. (hotness quotient)—and just enough imperfections to keep him from being bland and boring.

But Caitlin often came across as whiny and selfish. Her desire to serve children who need her skills is admirable, and I am all in favor of a woman focusing on her own dream. But Caitlin is not a victim here. She was not raped or seduced, and as an educated 21^st-century woman, surely she must have known that no reversible method of birth control is fully effective. She is as responsible as Noah for the pregnancy. No one ever suggests that she abandon her dream. Noah, her family, and her mentor all assure her that a delay does not mean the end. She even recognizes this truth herself more than once, but then she reverts to a state of self-pity and frustration that her life is not working out according to her plan. Finally, even though she gives lip service to the idea that decisions concerning the baby should be made jointly by her and Noah, she persists in making choices on her own.  Even though the ending brings a wiser, less self-absorbed Caitlin, I couldn’t get past the irritation that had accumulated through the earlier pages.

Woods has written over a hundred books, and I have enjoyed many of them. Quite a few found a home on my keeper shelves. Realistically, I know that no author, perhaps particularly the most prolific ones, scores big with every book.  I will probably keep reading the Chesapeake Shores series as long as it runs. In fact, I’ve already read an ARC of #12 and consider it a winner. I’m also looking forward to what Hallmark does with the books in the 2015 adaptation of the series. But I did not like The Christmas Bouquet nearly as much as I wanted to. Still, if I had not read it, I would not have met Noah. So, final take: mixed reactions with a hero who stole my heart and a heroine who affected me like fingernails on a chalkboard. Noah and the happy-Christmas-to-all ending make it worth a read.

~Janga

Review - - Swan Point

Swan Point

By Sherryl Woods

Publisher: Harlequin MIRA

Release Date: July 29, 2014

Adelia Hernandez is recently divorced from her faithless husband and is beginning to make a new life for herself and her four children, ages eight to thirteen. Some members of her traditional Catholic family may still be unhappy with her decision to end her marriage, but Adelia knows she made the right choice. She has moved into a new home in Swan Point, an older area of her hometown, and her boss, Raylene Rollins, is so pleased with Adelia’s contributions at Chic, a clothing boutique, that she promotes her to manager. Raylene even talks to Adelia about a partnership. After years with a husband who did nothing but find fault with her, Adelia basks in praise for a job well done and her belief in her ability to insure that her children are healthy and happy grows stronger. She’s not even thinking about a romantic relationship, at least not until she meets Gabe Franklin.

Gabe Franklin grew up in Serenity, a rebel with a chip on his shoulder, ashamed and defensive about his mother whose drinking and promiscuity made her a ready target for town gossip. He left town soon after his mother’s death, but he has returned determined to show the town that he is no longer the angry troublemaker he was. He’s grateful to have a job as second in command in the construction company belonging to his cousin but he’s not certain he’s in Serenity for the long term. He is certain, however, that he is not the man for permanent relationships. His attraction to Adelia Hernandez may be strong, but he respects her concern about her children. They all deserve better than another man who will move in and out of their lives. 

Adelia and Gabe have to fight not only their own attraction to one another, but also all the well-intentioned friends who encourage the match. Even Adelia’s kids are soon won over by Gabe. On the other side are some members of Adelia’s family and her slimeball ex-husband. But the greatest obstacle the two have to overcome on their way to an HEA is Gabe’s own uncertainty that he can ever be husband and father material.

The eleventh book in Woods’s popular Sweet Magnolias series, Swan Point is a sweet romance heavy on small-town interactions and very light on sensuality. Although this book is not an inspirational, it is essentially a kisses-only romance. Readers of the series will be familiar with Adelia’s backstory and will be pleased to see her gaining self-esteem and taking definite steps toward creating a new life after her divorce. Gabe is appealing as a man who wants to change the reputation he acquired in his misspent youth and as one who still bears scars from his past. Some readers will find that his interactions with Adelia’s children add to his appeal. When Adelia’s teenage daughter circulates a photo of Gabe in tiara and boa at a tea party with her younger sisters, his reputation as a good guy is pretty much sealed.

Doubtless Sweet Magnolia fans will be delighted to see many characters from earlier novels in the series playing minor roles in this one. I think that reactions to this latest in the long-running series will be determined by the level of devotion to this author generally and to other books she has set in Serenity, South Carolina. While I have enjoyed some books in the series, I found this one a too-predictable read, and for me the moments of genuine sweetness were not enough to overcome a setting that is weak in Southern flavor and a real sense of Adelia’s culture. If you like sweet small-town romances and have never read Woods, I recommend you start with the early books in this series or in her Chesapeake Shores series to see her at her best.  

~Janga

Guest Review - - Sand Castle Bay

Sand Castle Bay

By Sherryl Woods

Publisher: Harlequin Mira

Release Date: March 26, 2013

Emily Castle and her sisters, Gabi and Samantha, spent the summers of their childhood with their grandparents who lived in Sand Castle Bay, a small town in coastal North Carolina. It was there that fourteen-year-old Emily fell in love with Boone Dorsett, the neglected son of wealthy parents and an aspiring bad boy until his relationship with Emily made him part of the extended Castle clan. But Emily had big dreams that didn’t include settling down in Sand Castle Bay. Ten years ago she left to pursue those dreams, and Boone became the man in her past. She has achieved career success as an interior designer to celebrities and other wealthy clients, but her personal life has been on hold. Now, in the aftermath of a hurricane that damaged Castle’s by the Sea, her grandmother needs her, and Emily is on her way back to Sand Castle Bay where Boone has gone on with the life she refused to share.

Boone Dorsett owes Cora Jane Castle a lot. Her love and belief in him led him from a disastrous path when he was a teenager, and she has made him feel like family ever since. He understands that Cora Jane needs her granddaughters' help getting her restaurant running again and needs them even more as emotional support, but he is wary of Emily’s return upsetting the precarious balance of his life. After Emily dumped him, he married sweet Jenny Farmer who wanted nothing more than to be Boone’s wife and the mother of his son. A year after Jenny’s death, Boone is dealing with guilt because he never loved Jenny as much as she loved him. His top priorities are his eight-year-old son B. J. and his three restaurants. He doesn’t need Emily Castle making him remember feelings best forgotten.

It doesn’t take long for Emily and Boone to recognize that the fire that once burned so brightly has been banked rather than doused. Added to the mix is the bond that develops quickly between Emily and B. J. But Boone’s life is rooted in Sand Castle Bay, and Emily is even more invested in her career when she is offered an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of women and children more than a thousand miles from North Carolina. Then, there are Boone’s former in-laws who are making noises about suing for custody of B. J. Are some obstacles too great for even love to overcome?

Sand Castle Bay introduces a new series from Sherryl Woods, who, with more than a dozen series to her credit, has ample practice in creating likeable characters who interact in a warm and friendly community. The Ocean Breeze trilogy promises more of the same. The conflict between Emily and Boone can be resolved with communication and compromise. The custody battle that concerns Boone is a toothless threat. Secondary characters include the workaholic father whose children feel deprived of his attention, the family matriarch with a penchant for interfering in the lives of those she loves, the lovable, inquisitive kid, and interesting heroines and hunky heroes-in waiting. These are all standard characters for Woods, and they all have a part to play in Sand Castle Bay.

Although Sand Castle Bay suffers in comparison to the best of Woods’s Sweet Magnolia and Chesapeake Shores books, fans of Woods who like the comfort of the familiar will probably enjoy the book. Readers who prefer their romances less predictable, more challenging, and with at least a sprinkle of spice may want to look elsewhere.

~Janga
http://justjanga.blogspot.com

Guest Review - - Where Azaleas Bloom

Where Azaleas Bloom

By Sherryl Woods

Publisher: Harlequin Mira

Release Date: August 28, 2012

Lynn Morrow and her husband Ed are still fighting over custody and support issues, but she has accepted that her marriage is over. What she can’t accept is that he is late with mortgage payments and support checks, and even with her part-time job at Raylene Rollins’s boutique, by the end of the month, she’s struggling to feed her two children. Fourteen-year-old Lexie is growing up too fast and worrying about grown-up problems, and ten-year-old Jeremy doesn’t understand why his favorite after-school snacks are no longer available.

Contractor Mitch Franklin has known Lynn since they were kids. He even had an unrequited crush on her in middle school, but she had eyes for no one but Ed Morrow even then. Mitch is a widower with two college-age sons, and while loved his wife Amy deeply and knows that in a sense he always will, he also realizes that he is ready to move on with his life.

Mitch is building a new family room onto the house of Raylene and Carter Rollins (Honeysuckle Summer), and Lynn and her children live next door to the Rollins family.  Raylene and Carter consider Mitch family and often include him in their dinner plans, and since Raylene suspects Lynn is having financial problems, she invites her and the kids for dinner as frequently as she can without wounding Lynn’s pride. Thus, Lynn and Mitch are thrown into one another’s company.  An observant guy, he soon realizes that Lynn is struggling. He offers his friendship, and when he discovers Lynn needs a second job, he hires her as part-time bookkeeper for his company, a job she can do from home and still be around for Lexie and Jeremy.

It doesn’t take long for Mitch to discover that he wants more than friendship from Lynn. She takes some convincing because she is wary of giving her heart again, but Mitch, who looks great in a pair of jeans and makes her feel cherished and respected, is hard to resist. But just as it looks as if the two have found their way to happiness, complications ensue in the form of an ex-husband, sons who aren’t happy at the idea of their dead mom being replaced, and the kind of gossip at which small towns excel.

Where Azaleas Bloom is the tenth book in Sherryl Woods’s Sweet Magnolias series. The series has suffered from some unevenness, but this one is a heart-warming, believable second chance at love story. In a society where most women experience a 45-73 percent decrease in the quality of life after divorce, Lynn’s economic woes ring true, as does her anger at her estranged husband’s irresponsibility towards his children and her guilt, however unreasonable, over a failed marriage. 

Her determination to protect her children from the things that worry her and to affirm that their father loves them regardless of his actions also seems authentic. Even Lynn’s pride and reluctance to let friends know about her problems are understandable.

It’s easy to fall in love with Mitch. He’s a good guy, compassionate and patient with a keen sense of honor and an instinctive understanding of kids. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he’s good-looking and a tender, skilled lover. The fact that he was engaged in a happy, faithful marriage for twenty-two years makes his desire to fall in love again and share his life logical. I also found his adult sons’ reactions to their father’s romance realistic.

I suspected the ending of Ed’s story well before it was revealed, although not from the beginning of Lynn’s story. Having lived through a similar experience with a close friend, I had no problem believing this subplot, but I would like to have seen more evidence that he realized the effect of his actions on his children.

As with all the Sweet Magnolia books, friendship is a strong thread in WAB. Lynn is not a Sweet Magnolia, but the women support her and draw her into their circle. The friendship theme encompasses Mitch’s relationship with Raylene and Carter, Lexie’s besties relationship with Carter’s sister Mandy, and even Lynn and Mitch’s friendship that turns to love. Fans of the series will enjoy seeing more of Raylene and Carter and, in smaller roles, other Magnolias and spouses.  Some may even remember Mitch as the contractor who built The Corner Spa in the first Sweet Magnolia book, Stealing Home.

Sweet Magnolias fans won’t want to miss this one. For readers who lost interest with the second generation stories, this one and Chasing Fireflies, Book 9, are both well worth a return to the series, And for those who have never read Sherryl Woods, if you like romance heavily flavored with sweetness and small-town relationships, I think you’ll enjoy this visit to Serenity, South Carolina, and you don’t have to have read the other books to enjoy this one.

~Janga
http://justjanga.blogspot.com

An Interview with Sherryl Woods

Today we welcome New York Times Bestselling author, Sherryl Woods!  Good Morning, Sherryl! We’re delighted to have you visit with us today at The Romance Dish. Before we begin, I have to take a moment to tell you how much I enjoy your books. I’ve been reading them since discovering the Adams family through your Silhouette Special Edition series back around 1996. When did you first start writing and how many books have you published?

Thanks so much for having me here, PJ. Believe it or not, I didn't even go into journalism intending to be a writer in that field. I wanted to do graphic design. It fascinates me how plans change. At any rate, when I left journalism in 1980, I intended to experiment for a few months. One of those experiments was writing a romance novel...or two. My first books were published in 1982 and I've since written well over a hundred in both the romance and mystery genres. I'm still astounded.

March 30, 2010

Wow! That's a whole lot of books! And many hours of reading pleasure for me over the past several years.  Your April release, Home in Carolina, continues the Sweet Magnolias series into the next generation. Will you share a bit about the story with us?

Ever since A Slice of Heaven, the second book in the original Sweet Magnolias trilogy, readers have been asking for a story about Ty Townsend and Annie Sullivan. I protested for the longest time that they were way too young, but now they've had time to grow up, live a little and make some real mistakes. In Ty's case, his mistake has cost him Annie's love and respect. Ultimately this is a story about forgiveness and reconciliation between these two lifelong best friends.

I admit to being one of those who had been eagerly anticipating Ty and Annie's story. I'm so glad you decided to write it even though you sure didn't make their journey easy. You don’t shy away from the tough topics in your stories. Do you begin a book with the intent of covering serious issues such as eating disorders, betrayal and spousal abuse or do you follow where your characters lead?

I tend to write with a lot of humor in my books, but occasionally a topic comes along that I feel is so important to women that I have to find a way to share it. In this particular collection of stories I found myself dealing with unfaithfulness, verbal abuse and physical abuse. Hopefully because there's still plenty of humor among the friends, the books won't feel dark at all, but will give women hope and show that people going through such difficult times in their own marriages can do more than survive. They can triumph.

You've done a masterful job of blending the humor with the drama.  While these books tackle serious issues, they do feel hopeful, not dark.  Many of your books in recent years, including the Sweet Magnolias series, have been set in the South Carolina Lowcountry. What draws you to this area?

Years and years ago on my first visit to Charleston, SC, I was walking through the historic district and immediately felt comfortable. At that point I hadn't even considered writing a book, but I had this image in my mind of living in an old carriage house and writing. Ironically -- and believe me with no real planning on my part -- my first book and my 100th wound up being set in Charleston. If nothing else, these books mean I get to go back to that region and visit on a regular basis. I love the charm and friendliness and the old traditions and architecture.

April 27, 2010

While the books of your Sweet Magnolia series are wonderful love stories, the enduring friendship of the heroines is a central theme that carries across all of the books. Is this a reflection of the importance of girlfriends in your own life?

Absolutely. I don't follow astrology all that closely, but I know it's a trait of those born with Cancer as a sign to cling tenaciously to people they care about, and I've done that all my life. I have friends going all the way back to elementary school. I don't see them as often anymore, but the minute we see each other or get on the phone, it's as if the years just slip away. I think friends are an incredibly important part of everyone's support system. I always feel bad when someone gets married or seriously involved with someone and starts letting those friendships slide. I just know they'll come to regret it. I suppose there's a downside to having someone know all our secrets, but I think to the contrary that it's reassuring to have all those shared memories.

The second and third books in this series, Sweet Tea at Sunrise (I love that title!) and Honeysuckle Summer are being released in May and June, respectively. I’m sure all of the fans of this series are just as excited about that as I am! What will these stories be about?

May 25, 2010

As I mentioned earlier, verbal abuse is a part of the plot in Sweet Tea at Sunrise. When Sarah comes back to Serenity, she's lost her self-esteem thanks to a thoughtless husband and some downright mean in-laws. She definitely needs a sweet-talking man like Travis McDonald to show her some kindness and respect. As for Raylene, the physical violence in her marriage has left her afraid to leave the house in Honeysuckle Summer. Tackling the idea of an agorophobic heroine was probably insane, but I think the story works and, of course, she has an amazingly patient hero any woman would be delighted to find.

I'm looking forward to reading both of their stories.  What are you working on now?

Right now I'm finishing up three new Chesapeake Shores books for spring 2011. Besides loving to write about friendships, I also love digging into family dynamics. If you read the Adams series for Silhouette, you know exactly what I mean, and the O'Briens are just as complex and, hopefully, just as much fun. In fact, those already hooked on this series, will be happy to know that Mick and Megan are set to walk down the aisle in A Chesapeake Shores Christmas, due out at the end of September...unless Connor gets his way.

Being from a large family myself, one of the things I've most enjoyed about your books is the exploration of family dynamics.  You do it so well!  Here at The Romance Dish, we all have our favorite comfort reads – those books that we return to time and again. What book is guaranteed to always bring a smile to your face and a sigh to your heart?

It's interesting that you say that. I have authors I turn to when I want a comforting, quiet read -- Maeve Binchy, Jan Karon and Joan Medlicott come to mind -- but I rarely read the same book twice. Maybe that's because I'm totally daunted by the size of my to-be-read pile and always want to plunge into the next story.

I have one of those mountainous TBR piles too but there are a couple books that I always return to for comfort. Binchy, Karon and Medlicott are all wonderful writers! 

People talk about Bucket Lists, those things that they want to do during their lifetime. What are three things on your list?

Oh my, I suppose they'd all have to do with travel. I want to rent a house in the south of France sometime, I'd love to cruise the Greek Isles, and I want to go back to the Irish countryside. There will be no daredevil stunts for me!

My passions (besides reading, of course) are my dogs, photography, travel and baking. Besides writing, what are your passions?

Movies, theater, baseball and tennis. The baseball aspect probably shows up in my books more than anything else. There are Major League players in many of them, including in this latest trilogy. Ty plays for the Atlanta Braves and Sarah's hero, Travis McDonald, played for Boston.

Sherryl, thank you so much for visiting with us today and best of luck with the new Sweet Magnolias trilogy.  Is there a question you would like to ask our readers?

Thanks so much for letting me stop by. I'd love to hear how they feel about continuing series.

Okay, readers.  What do you think?  Should a series have a natural end or do you think they can sustain stories indefinitely? 

 For more information about Sherryl and her books, please visit her website.