mfabiano726's review against another edition
In book 3 of the McCarthy series, Marie Force tells the story of Luke and Sydney, who were teenage sweethearts for four summers. But, after the fouth summer, convinced that Sydney could do better than Luke (by her parents), Sydeny left for college without a word to Luke. Sydney moved on with her life. She was married and had two children. Tragically, Seth (her husband) and two kids, were killed in a car accident that left Syndey also badly injured. Sydeny goes back to the island to heal both menally and physically. After 17-years, Luke has never stopped loving Sydney and it turns out that she still very much loves him. While this story primarily revolves around these two, Force manages to keep us informed of Mac and Maddie (who are expecting their second baby) and Joe and Janey (who are are two weeks away from their wedding. She then incorporates two new love stories - Grant (another McCarthy son), who loves Abby (but she is engaged to the island's current doctor) and Ned and Francine, who are rekindling a love that they shared over 30 years ago. Let's not forget Stephanie, who works at the Marina and who has an obvious crush on Grant. Force does a wonderful job of keeping track of everyone's lives. It's a soap opera, beautifully written in novels. I can't get enough of this series!
mags_louise's review against another edition
5.0
I Love this book and have now read it multiple times. As the characters are great and so engaging and its like being welcomed back to old friends each time I read it and it always leaves me with a big smile on my face.
mandycandy7118's review against another edition
1.0
I read the first two in the series and really enjoyed them, but I just can't get through this one. I've read a lot of books with this type of plot (boy or girl leaves other boy or girl, years pass, they reunite, etc...) and it usually follows a pretty standard format of the deserter having to convince the person they left behind that they should try again. Well, I feel like this was written on opposite day. I mean, both characters want to be with the other (sort of), but I feel like Luke has to convince Sydney, which just rubs me the wrong way. All in all, I find the characters annoying and the story backwards. Based on the reviews, this works for some people, but not me.
lcdmccullough's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyed it but less than the first two books. I don't feel l had as much invested in these 2 characters as previous books. But it was great to see how everyone was doing. Still on the keeper shelf just because I love this series so much.
izzzy210's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
latoyadawson13's review against another edition
4.0
Again, I hope I get more of their story in future books. I really enjoyed this. the depth of each character and the development made me really dive into the book. Nothing was rushed and it was isntant love, marriage, and kids. They are still trying to figure it out.
bunnyovani's review against another edition
4.0
Are you seeing a trend here? Trashy bodice ripper...
xakyr's review against another edition
3.0
Looks like this series is on a bit of a roller coaster for me. I didn't enjoy it as much as the two previous entries in the series, and I think the problem lies with Sydney.
Sydney let her parents push her around a good bit, and seemed to care too much about wealth and personal standing. It lost her the love of her life once and, because of the perceptions of her parents, stands to have her lose it a second time. Granted, eventually, she does stand up to her parents, but it came too late in the story for me. She was branded as a snob in my book.
Luke seemed a little too sappy to be real, holding a torch for his summer crush and never moving on. He also let her off the hook for hurting him a little to easily, in my opinion. However, his desire to not let his wealth influence Sydney's decision was a very sensible one, for how could he know if she truly loved him unless she chose him when he's just a simple dockworker?
The McCarthy's once again play a large role in the story, showing us what is going on with the two previous couples in the series. Even the unattached brothers come home to the island to participate in Janey's wedding. This allows the author to introduce backstory for Grant's book, which is next in the series. That backstory takes up much of this story, as if Luke and Sydney's romance was a shorter story and the author needed something else to act as filler to make the story longer. It was an annoyance to be certain, but won't stop me from continuing with the series.
Sydney let her parents push her around a good bit, and seemed to care too much about wealth and personal standing. It lost her the love of her life once and, because of the perceptions of her parents, stands to have her lose it a second time. Granted, eventually, she does stand up to her parents, but it came too late in the story for me. She was branded as a snob in my book.
Luke seemed a little too sappy to be real, holding a torch for his summer crush and never moving on. He also let her off the hook for hurting him a little to easily, in my opinion. However, his desire to not let his wealth influence Sydney's decision was a very sensible one, for how could he know if she truly loved him unless she chose him when he's just a simple dockworker?
The McCarthy's once again play a large role in the story, showing us what is going on with the two previous couples in the series. Even the unattached brothers come home to the island to participate in Janey's wedding. This allows the author to introduce backstory for Grant's book, which is next in the series. That backstory takes up much of this story, as if Luke and Sydney's romance was a shorter story and the author needed something else to act as filler to make the story longer. It was an annoyance to be certain, but won't stop me from continuing with the series.
jonetta's review against another edition
4.0
Sydney Donovan suffered the ultimate tragedy when she lost her husband and two children in a car accident 15-months ago. She's now back on Gansett Island, the place where she and her family spent their summers when she was a teen. It's been 17 years since she last saw Luke Harris, the young boy she loved and left without a word. He's still on the island and never got over Sydney or the painful way she left him.
This was a poignant second-chance romance made even more relevant by Sydney's willingness to own up to her poor treatment of Luke and face the issues head on. His patience with her was admirable considering the circumstances as he accepted her return without ill will and was mindful of her suffering. I liked both of them and enjoyed how their new relationship developed.
I also liked how the secondary characters from the previous stories continue to play substantive roles in the ongoing stories. The characters for future stories are also queued up nicely. This is a feel-good series that I'm very much enjoying. It's like catnip for the soul.
This was a poignant second-chance romance made even more relevant by Sydney's willingness to own up to her poor treatment of Luke and face the issues head on. His patience with her was admirable considering the circumstances as he accepted her return without ill will and was mindful of her suffering. I liked both of them and enjoyed how their new relationship developed.
I also liked how the secondary characters from the previous stories continue to play substantive roles in the ongoing stories. The characters for future stories are also queued up nicely. This is a feel-good series that I'm very much enjoying. It's like catnip for the soul.
cocktailsandbooks1's review against another edition
4.0
When I read what happened to Sydney Donovan's family at the end of Fool for Love, I could imagine how we were going to get a story out of something so tragic. Well, we got one and it was good!
A little more than a year ago, Sydney Donovan's life was turned upside down when a drunk driver hit her car killing her 2 kids and her husband. She was not only physically broken, but psychologically as well.
Little did Sydney know that Luke Harris, her old high school summer sweetheart, watched her as she dealt with her tragedy. So he's shocked when he's immediately found out the following summer when Sydney comes back to Gansett Island. Luke has never stopped loving Sydney. She may have broken his heart when she never came back to the island, but he never found anyone bump Sydney from that place in his heart.
Finding her a little more like her old self (one who apologized for how she treated him at nineteen), they strike a deal on a friendship. However, that deal only lasts so long when the spark they had when they were teenagers rears it's head to show that it's alive and wanting to explore what might have been. However, they have a few snags they need to deal with while trying to figure out just what they have.
Her parents are still very prejudice against Luke, thinking he is somehow beneath Sydney. Luke, still a little gun shy and wondering if Sydney's going to bolt at the first opportunity, isn't all that forthcoming with what his life is like in Gansett Island (i.e., part owner in the marina and a boat restorer). And then we have Sydney, who is waiting for the other shoe to drop, convinced she has bad karma and that is why her family had been taken away.
Mixed in with all that, we get to meet up again with Joe & Janey, who are weeks away from their wedding, and Mac & Maddie, who are 2 months away from the birth of their child. It was great to see where they are in relation to how we last saw them.
Another great addition to the series. I'm happy that Marie Force will be continuing on the trials and tribulations of the residents of Gansett Island. Next up with be Grant McCarthy's story. I'm wondering though...is his match Abbey or maybe a certain bartender. I'll guess we'll have to wait and see.
4 Cocktails
A little more than a year ago, Sydney Donovan's life was turned upside down when a drunk driver hit her car killing her 2 kids and her husband. She was not only physically broken, but psychologically as well.
Little did Sydney know that Luke Harris, her old high school summer sweetheart, watched her as she dealt with her tragedy. So he's shocked when he's immediately found out the following summer when Sydney comes back to Gansett Island. Luke has never stopped loving Sydney. She may have broken his heart when she never came back to the island, but he never found anyone bump Sydney from that place in his heart.
Finding her a little more like her old self (one who apologized for how she treated him at nineteen), they strike a deal on a friendship. However, that deal only lasts so long when the spark they had when they were teenagers rears it's head to show that it's alive and wanting to explore what might have been. However, they have a few snags they need to deal with while trying to figure out just what they have.
Her parents are still very prejudice against Luke, thinking he is somehow beneath Sydney. Luke, still a little gun shy and wondering if Sydney's going to bolt at the first opportunity, isn't all that forthcoming with what his life is like in Gansett Island (i.e., part owner in the marina and a boat restorer). And then we have Sydney, who is waiting for the other shoe to drop, convinced she has bad karma and that is why her family had been taken away.
Mixed in with all that, we get to meet up again with Joe & Janey, who are weeks away from their wedding, and Mac & Maddie, who are 2 months away from the birth of their child. It was great to see where they are in relation to how we last saw them.
Another great addition to the series. I'm happy that Marie Force will be continuing on the trials and tribulations of the residents of Gansett Island. Next up with be Grant McCarthy's story. I'm wondering though...is his match Abbey or maybe a certain bartender. I'll guess we'll have to wait and see.
4 Cocktails