By Sherryl Woods
Mira, $7.99, 384 pages
Fans of the author’s Sweet Magnolia series may now rejoice! There are three new books to add to the series: Midnight Promises is the first one. There’s even a bonus here – the three Senior Magnolias, who adopt the motto “we’re old and we’re bold!” (You have to love it and them — and you will!)
This is the story of Karen and Elliott Cruz – now that they’re married, that is. True romance seldom runs smoothly, and this one is no exception. Karen’s first husband ran out on her and her two kids, leaving behind all the bills for her to settle. She is understandably in a constant state of financial pressure (some real, some imagined), so when Elliott is asked by several of their friends to become a partner in a much-needed new gym for men in their hometown of Serenity, Karen is beyond suspicious and hesitant.
In the meantime, two of the three seniors Liz and Flo are worried about the eldest of them, Fran, who has suddenly become more forgetful than usual. And Elliott’s older sister Adelia is experiencing domestic difficulties.
Perception and compromise are almost sturdy secondary characters in this well-written, engaging tale of the meaning of small-town community. We should all be so fortunate as to have friends like this batch, who always have each other’s backs!
Reviewed by Kelly Ferjutz
