About "Jackson"
From New York Times bestselling author Emily March comes Jackson, the newest novel in the critically acclaimed Eternity Springs series.
Sometimes it takes a new beginning
Caroline Carruthers thinks she buried her dreams along with the love of her life…until a stranger named Celeste dares her to chase a dream all on her own. Moving to Redemption, Texas, is chapter one in Caroline’s new life story. Opening a bookstore is the next. Finding love is the last thing on her mind as she settles into this new place called home. But when she meets a handsome, soulful man who’s also starting over, all bets are off.
to reach a happily-ever-after
Jackson McBride came to Redemption looking only to find himself, not someone to love. Ever since his marriage ended, he’s been bitter. Sure, he used to believe in love—he even has the old song lyrics to prove it—but the Jackson of today is all business. That is, until a beautiful young widow who’s moved to town inspires a change of heart. Could it be that the myth of Redemption’s healing magic is true…and Jackson and Caroline can find a second chance at a happy ending after all?
Check out an excerpt of "Jackson" here!
My Review
The great thing about the Eternity Springs books is that each one stands very well on its own for readers who do not have previous experience with the series, while also allowing longtime fans the opportunity to check in with favorite characters from past stories. That is particularly true of "Jackson" since it is the launch of a spinoff trilogy featuring the three McBride cousins of Texas, who are distant relations of the Callahan family featured in a number of Ms. March's previous novels.
As the story begins, Boone, Jackson, and Tucker McBride have inherited a large parcel of land just outside Redemption, Texas and must come up with a way to make it turn a profit since the terms of their great-aunt's will prohibit them from selling the land outside the family. With the help of Boone's friend from Eternity Springs, Celeste Blessing, the McBrides decide to renovate some of the property's existing buildings and turn them into a destination resort and music venue. Jackson, a former songwriter and musician who is reeling in the wake of losing a contentious custody battle with his pop star ex-wife, moves to Redemption to oversee the project. He soon befriends Caroline Carruthers, a recent widow and fellow new resident of the town who plans to begin the "next chapter" of her life by opening a bookstore. Slowly, Jackson and Caroline's friendship evolves into something more, though there are numerous challenges to be faced on their path to happiness.
I always enjoy a slow burn romance, and Caroline and Jackson's relationship was a great example of that. They both had a lot of baggage to overcome as a result of their previous marriages, and I liked that they took their time not only to work through those issues, but to get to know each other and form a friendship before their relationship turned romantic. Caroline and Jackson really seemed like a good match for each other, and I loved how they were so supportive of each other's hopes and dreams. I also enjoyed watching Caroline's relationship with Jackson's daughter, Haley, evolve. Haley was a really sweet little girl and a fun secondary character in this story.
I also liked how Ms. March handled the resolution of Jackson's custody battle with his ex-wife, Sharon. I was prepared to hate Sharon for how she treated Jackson during the custody battle, but Ms. March actually managed to redeem her character for me by the end of the book. (In fact, she did such a good job that I wouldn't mind reading a future story about Sharon!) In the end, I was just happy that everything worked out so that Jackson and his daughter could be in each other's lives.
Overall, "Jackson" was yet another enjoyable installment in the Eternity Springs series, and I look forward to the next one.
*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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