Two Out of Three
I love a good series. Now, the way I see it, there are two primary ways to write a book series.The first is to have multiple books about one character. The Christy Miller series by Robin Jones Gunn is one of these kinds of series (and one that I've loved for a long time). The second way is to write multiple books about different characters who are connected to each other, often they're family or from the same place. Robin Jones Gunn's Glenbrooke series does this.Some next-level authors like to turn the first kind of series into a springboard for the second kind. So, they write one series about a single character. Then write another series about either the same character or other characters from the story universe.However they're written, I enjoy series because they give you the chance to really get to know the characters and their world.
The most recent series I've read was the Prince Edward Island Dreams series by Liz Johnson. I randomly picked up the first book The Red Door Inn at the library one day and really enjoyed it.It's the story of Marie Carrington, a young woman who's running away from her home and the bad memories it holds. In exchange for a ride to Prince Edward Island, she agrees to help an old widower and his crotchety nephew remodel and decorate an old home on the island. It's a beautiful story set on a beautiful island that's most famous for the Anne of Green Gables stories. I truly enjoyed this story and the multiple viewpoints it's told from.
The second book, Where Two Hearts Meet, was just as good, if not better. In my opinion. This one follows a native Prince Edward Islander, chef Caden Holt, as she learns to step out of her comfort zone and pursue her dreams. This book left me wishing Caden was real so I could be friends with her and eat all the delicious treats she makes!The end of the second book introduces the main character of the third book, and I was pretty excited to dive into book three. Until I actually started it...
On Love's Gentle Shore was not the book I was hoping it would be. I rarely give up on books, but I gave up on this one about a third of the way through. The author's writing and storytelling style were both great, but it wasn't the story I was hoping for when I finished the second book. Given that the first two books had such original plots, I was expecting the same thing from book three. When that didn't happen, I just couldn't get into it.I still look forward to reading other book by this author though! Her writing style was really enjoyable and her stories were heartfelt, even if I didn't really like the last one. Two out of three ain't bad, so I'm still glad I read them!!I would also still recommend them. I bet most people would love book three as much as books one and two. It just wasn't for me.If you've read these books, I would love to hear your thoughts about them, especially the third one!