Book Reviews: 204 Rosewood Lane and 311 Pelican Court by Debbie Macomber

My love for the Cedar Cove series on Hallmark Channel--which viewers recently learned would not be renewed for a fourth season--led me to begin reading the books by beloved author Debbie Macomber.

In 204 Rosewood Lane, Grace Sherman's life flipped upside down thanks to her husband's sudden and unexplained disappearance six months ago. Questions plague Grace: Where is Dan? Who is he with? Olivia Lockhart, Grace's best friend, is a source of advice and comfort, but at least Olivia's ex-husband didn't disappear without a trace.

Elsewhere in Cedar Cove, Justine--Olivia's daughter--impulsively got married and is making a life with her new husband, Seth; Grace's daughter, Maryellen, seems to be hiding a new relationship; newspaper editor Jack Griffin continues to woo Olivia, and Rosie and Zachary Cox's marriage looks like it might be coming to an end. Oh, and how could I forget that a stranger arrived in Cedar Cove, checked into the Thyme and Tide--the local B&B--and was found dead the next morning.

Filled with drama, romance, and intrigue, 204 Rosewood Lane is a superb addition to this series set in the coastal community of Cedar Cove in Washington. Capturing the charm of small town America, Macomber adds new characters to the story while further developing the storylines of characters readers meet in the first book. It is definitely a good idea to start from the beginning of this series.

The recent divorce of Rosie and Zachary Cox plays a significant role in the third book of the Cedar Cove series, 311 Pelican Court. Known for her unusual decisions, Judge Olivia Lockhart rules that instead of the children being shuffled back and forth between the home they grew up in and their father's new apartment, Rosie and Zach must be the ones to move back and forth. 

Things aren't going smooth in Olivia's world either. Her ex-husband, Stan, has decided he wants her back, which leaves her feeling confused and puts her budding romance with Jack Griffith on ice. Her best friend, Grace Sherman, is still dealing with the fallout from her husband's sudden disappearance, but is ready to finally move on. She's just not sure how. 

The investigation into the man who died while staying at Bob and Peggy Beldon's bed and breakfast continues with some surprising twists and turns, and the consequences of Maryellen's actions end up being tougher to deal with than she anticipated.

While I enjoyed the first two books in this series, I feel 311 Pelican Court is where the series hits its stride. The core characters have been introduced and developed, so Macomber dedicates this book to moving some storylines forward and bringing others to a satisfying conclusion. It is easy for the reader to become attached to these folks and this town as if they were real. One thing I believe Macomber handles very well is how war impacts families. Some of the town's residents served in Vietnam, which is woven into their stories and has at times created more questions than answers. 

I look forward to the continuation of the series in 44 Cranberry Point, which is the location of Bob and Peggy Beldon B&B, the Thyme and Tide. 

I borrowed both these books from my local library. These reviews contain my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

I read these books for the following challenge: