Window on the Bay {A Book Review}

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.

When a single mom becomes an empty nester, she spreads her wings to rediscover herself—and her passions—in this heartwarming novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

Jenna Boltz’s life is at a crossroads. After a messy divorce from her surgeon husband nearly twenty years ago, she raised her two children on her own, juggling motherhood with her beloved job as a Seattle intensive-care nurse. Now that Paul and Allie have gone to college and moved out, Jenna can’t help but wonder what her future holds.

Her best friend, Maureen, is excited for Jenna’s newfound independence. Now is the perfect time to finally book the trip to Paris they’ve been dreaming of since their college days. But when it comes to life’s other great adventure—dating—Jenna still isn’t sure she’s ready to let love in . . . until an unexpected encounter begins to change her mind.

When Jenna’s elderly mother breaks her hip, Dr. Rowan Lancaster saves the day. Despite his silent, stoic exterior, Rowan is immediately smitten with Jenna. And even though Jenna is hesitant about becoming involved with another surgeon, she has to admit that she’s more than a little intrigued. But when Jenna’s children approach her with shocking news, she realizes that she needs to have faith in love and embrace the unexpected—before the life she has always dreamed of passes her by.

 Debbie Macomber, the author of Cottage by the Sea, Any Dream Will Do, If Not for You, and the Rose Harbor Inn series, is a leading voice in women’s fiction. Thirteen of her novels have reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller lists, and five of her beloved Christmas novels have been hit movies on the Hallmark Channel, including Mrs. Miracle and Mr. Miracle. Hallmark Channel also produced the original series Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove, based on Macomber’s Cedar Cove books. She is also the author of the cookbook Debbie Macomber’s Table. There are more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide.

First and foremost, I must start by saying that this book was entirely not what I had expected after reading the back cover copy. That is not to say that it was a bad thing, it was just that I had gotten the impression that the story would be strictly focused on Jenna's story and romance... and that the Paris trip would be much more a point of focus in the story. The reality was a bit different. The Paris trip was certainly mentioned throughout the book, but it was more a side note than anything else. We didn't get to enjoy that journey with these two best friends as I had thought we might from the title. In addition, we got to not only see Jenna's story, but the romance of Maureen as well as the story went back and forth between their two points of view. I actually loved that we got not one, but TWO interesting love stories in one. Their experiences though different, often seemed to mirror each other in many ways. To be honest, I actually really enjoyed the story of Maureen and Logan even more than that of Jenna and Rowan. I think this is perhaps because I could see the personalities of myself (bookish and reserved) and my husband (social and a little rougher around the edges) reflected in these characters.

I must say that this story takes place in a stage of life that I- as a mom with still young children- am not familiar with, and one that I don't tend to find myself drawn to in books for this reason. I enjoyed the characters and the story regardless, though I could certainly see how this book would hold more appeal for someone who is in that stage themselves.

Overall, it was a really nice story of friendships and second chances on love and one that I would certainly recommend. If you are already a Debbie Macomber fan, this will be a welcome addition to your collection. If you're new to the author, I think you too will find yourself drawn into her heartwarming storytelling as so many others have through the years.