Ever since I discovered Debbie Macomber's books, I have looked forward to the last week of August when her annual Cedar Cove (set in Seattle) novel is released. 1105 Yakima Street is her 11th book in the series. The 12th book (1225 Christmas Tree Lane) is released in three weeks and it is the last one in the series. Sigh...
I have read all 11 books (and have preordered the 12th) and have loved them all. 1105 Yakima Street was not my favorite (but it was still VERY good), but I think I have figured out why that might be. Each of the 10 previous books focus on one family and is named for the street address of the main family. 1105 Yakima Street is no different in this manner but the side plots of this book are more numerous to the point that the main family focus has been shifted. I felt like I was really only reading the story of Rachel, Jolene, and Bruce every 4th chapter. It was a little frustrating. However, I completely understand that Macomber is trying to wrap up lose ends and end her series. I fully believe that this accounts for the shift in focus, but the constant changing is what made this book less enthralling than her others. I am just glad that I read the letter from Macomber before reading the book. It made me sad to learn that the series was ending, but made the character shifts more understandable.
I am not sure what I am going to do next year when the last Tuesday of August rolls around and there's not a Cedar Cover book waiting for me to read. I discovered the series after Macomber had written the first 4, so I was able to read them all at once and then had to wait for the annual release like everyone else. So, for the last 6 years, I have looked forward to the last Tuesday in August (which is always my second day back at school so it gave me a silver lining in the cloud of summer being over) to read the next installment of the Cedar Cove story. These characters are now so real in my mind it's a bit like a family member moving, or your favorite TV show ending. I felt like this when Friends and Seinfeld were done. Now I am mourning a town in Washington, Cedar Cove.
If you haven't had a chance to read any of this series, you should give it a try. The first book is 16 Lighthouse Road and it will not disappoint you, I promise. I guess the good news for anyone picking up the series now is that you don't have to wait for an annual release--they are all out and ready to be devoured! I feel compelled to add, too, that this series of books and the characters from them are so wildly popular that there's actually an annual festival in Washington State each year called Cedar Cove Days. I guess it's like the Star Trek convention for the Romance sect! Anyway, I do hope that you'll give this series a try. I can only imagine that one day soon I'll start re-reading these books. I am just having a hard time imagining that the series is done. Too bad Nick at Night won't do a Cedar Cove marathon like they recently just did with Friends. I guess re-reading will be my version of re-runs!
Happy reading everyone. My 52 books have now been read! Woo-hoo!
No comments:
Post a Comment