The Inn at Rose Harbor (Rose Harbor #1) - Debbie Macomber

I chose to read this book for part of my 2015 challenge.  This book is set in the fictional town of Cedar Cove, Washington.  I'd been watching a few different books set in my state and this was the first one to drop that I felt I wanted to read.  If Cedar Cove sounds familiar, it's a series on Hallmark Channel.  I've watched a few episodes and it wasn't too bad.

The Inn at Rose Harbor is a place of healing.  In this book, you're following the stories of three individuals: Jo Marie, Josh and Abby.

Jo Marie is the new owner of the inn and is hurting.  Her husband was tragically killed and she's having trouble moving on.  She's making decisions based on her heart and feels like her husband is guiding her steps.  When she meets her two guests, she sees their pain and hopes they'll find the peace she seeks.  She's afraid that fitting in will be hard in Cedar Cove, but she's pleasantly surprised.

Josh is in town to tie up some loose ends with his stepfather.  The man was cruel to Josh in the past, but when childhood friend, Michelle, tells him the man is dying, he feels obligated to go and do his duty.  His stepfather hasn't changed any, but Michelle has words of wisdom for Josh that can help his heart heal and let him open his heart.  He just has to let her in...

Abby has avoided Cedar Cove like the plague.  She's carried the burden of guilt for her best friend's death and thinks that everyone else hates her as much as she hates herself. Being in Cedar Cove allows her to make peace with her demons and find the strength to move forward with the life she put on pause that fateful night.

At first, I was afraid I would get confused with three distinct story lines going back and forth all the time, but it was masterfully done and I didn't have any problems.  Jo Marie is the only one to be written in the first person, so it's easy to know when it's her story. Transitions between the other two are well done and each character is fully developed.  It was a good job on the author's part!

The other two books in the series are called Rose Harbor in Bloom and Love Letters. While I enjoyed reading this book, I didn't feel compelled to continue on with the series. Not because I didn't like the story but because, in the end, this just isn't the type of book I choose to read on a regular basis.  Also, at the end of the book was a short story called When First They Met, which is the story of Jo Marie and her husband, Paul.  I chose not to read it because it would have just been heartbreaking to read their of their wonderful love and know that he dies shortly thereafter.  It's the sentimental side of me, I suppose...

Overall, this was a well written book and I commend the author.  I think fans of the Cedar Cove series would enjoy this book and they'll see a few return names from that series as well.  Good Book!