Review

For the past eleven years, September has brought to mind kids going back to school, leaves changing colors, the promise of cooler weather…and a new Cedar Cove novel by Debbie Macomber. The newest book is 1105 Yakima Street, which refers to the address of Rachel and Bruce Peyton, the main focus of the book.

Rachel and Bruce are expecting their first child together, but their marriage is having major difficulties because of the way Rachel’s 13-year-old step-daughter, Jolene, is behaving. Although Rachel loves Bruce and his daughter, she is determined to do what it takes to protect her unborn baby from Jolene’s hostility.

One of the other main plots features Linc and Lori Wyse, who recently got married after a whirlwind courtship. Now Lori’s wealthy and powerful father is sabotaging Linc’s new auto body business, which is putting a strain on their finances and their marriage. Other subplots include a fire in Ben and Charlotte Rhodes’ home and adopted Gloria Ashton trying to fit in with her biological family while dealing with an unplanned pregnancy.

This book has an ongoing theme of the importance of friendship, from Grace and Olivia’s longtime friendship to the new friendship forming between Linc and his brother-in-law Mack. The book also deals with issues like how devastating the death of a beloved pet can be and also the difficulties in dealing with aging parents. However, most of the storylines deal with romance and marriage, with the majority of couples in the series eventually getting a happy ending. The couples in the book face realistic issues, such as interfering relatives, money problems, and difficulties with a step-child, that are told through dramatic stories. For example, Jolene’s treatment of Rachel seems over the top for someone thirteen years old who loved Rachel and originally encouraged the relationship with Bruce. However, the dramatic incidents between Rachel and Jolene illustrate the problems many people face in a blended family.

Some of the love stories in this book are more romantic than others, but I love that there are so many characters to root for. Rachel has always been one of my favorite characters because of her kindness to others, strong work ethic, and sweet personality. Her husband Bruce comes across a little weak, yet pushy, but I appreciate that he obviously loves Rachel and is willing to fight for their marriage. In another storyline, Linc, who doesn’t make a great impression in an earlier book because of his controlling nature, shows he has matured and is now a loving and devoted husband to his wife Lori.

Sheriff’s deputy Gloria Ashton and Dr. Chad Timmons’ have an unusual courtship, and while Chad’s character isn’t well-developed in this book, Gloria and Chad are still a couple to root for. Will Jefferson’s love/hate relationship with his gallery assistant Miranda Sullivan may be leaning more towards the love side. Will has proven to be a blatant womanizer in prior books and he is as arrogant as ever in this book. He is trying to change, but I’m not sure how Miranda has gotten past Will calling her a “big-boned opinionated windbag.”

This is a fun, fast-paced, and satisfying book for Macomber fans. However someone new to the Cedar Cove series won’t get the benefit of in-depth knowledge of the characters, which will make the book less enjoyable. While I’ve rated this book a “4”, I would give the series a “5”, because the author has created a town filled with characters the reader cares about and looks forward to spending time with in each new book. Prior books in the series included some sort of mystery, from anonymous letters to unexplained deaths, but this book is missing that element of mystery which would have given it a little more substance. Although 1105 Yakima Street isn’t the strongest installment, fans of the Cedar Cove series will love catching up with the characters that by now seem like old friends. Some of the storylines are resolved by the end, but others are left up in the air to be answered in 1225 Christmas Tree Lane, which is coming out in October and will be the final book in this charming series. Septembers may never be the same.

Reviewed by Christine K.