Evening Stars by Susan Mallery

Susan Mallery's writing is easy to read. She has a way with words that gives the reader an intimate look into each of the characters. Evening Stars is the first in a Blackberry Island series, an island set off the Pacific Northwest coast. I liked the story and the family dynamics between the sisters and their mother. However, one thing that discouraged me from adding it to my list of favorite books for this year was the mother, Bonnie's romantic attachment. I prefer traditional relationships and felt that a male partner would have enhanced the story. I'll definitely look out for more of Susan Mallery's books though, she's a very talented writer and storyteller. 

From the cover:

Small-town nurse Nina Wentworth has made a career out of being a caretaker. More “Mom” than their mother ever was, she sacrificed medical school – and her first love – so her sister could break free. Which is why she isn’t exactly thrilled to see Averil back on Blackberry Island, especially when Nina’s life has suddenly become…complicated.

Nina unexpectedly finds herself juggling two men—her high school sweetheart and a younger, maverick pilot who also wants to claim her heart. But as fun as all this romance is, Nina has real life to deal with. Averil doesn’t seem to want the great guy she’s married to or be making headway writing her first book, their mom is living life just as recklessly as she always has, and Nina’s starting to realize that the control she once had is slipping out of her fingers. Her hopes of getting off the island seem to be stretching further away…until her mother makes a discovery that could change everything forever.