The Next Always (Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy #1)

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The Next Always (Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy #1)

4.05 of 5 stars 4.05 · rating details · 28,279 ratings · 2,004 reviews

"America's favorite writer" (The New Yorker) begins an all-new trilogy-inspired by the inn she owns and the town she loves.

The historic hotel in BoonsBoro, Maryland, has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it's getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. As the architect of the family, Beckett's social l...more

Paperback, 324 pages

Published November 1st 2011 by Berkley Trade (first published 2011)

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Aug 18, 2012 Ashley rated it 2 of 5 stars

After her last series, The Bride Quartet, I had high hopes that Nora Roberts had found her voice again. However, with the first book in her new The Inn BoonsBoro trilogy, I can sadly say that is not that the case.

I found the three Montgomery boys to be typical Nora Roberts male leads and the three females also seemed to fit the typical mold for a Roberts trilogy. Now, don't get me wrong, as a long-time romance novel reader, I understand that there are really only a handful of character types tha...more

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Nov 04, 2011 Talya rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book!
I will admit, I'm biased. My review is slanted to my love of beautiful packaging and this book is beautifully presented in this pretty cover. I'm also biased because I'm from MD and I have had the opportunity to visit Boonsboro, and the Inn this book is based on.

To the book, I absolutely enjoyed the story of Beckett and Clare rediscovering each other as more than friends and finding love. The banter between grown brothers Beckett, Owen and Ryder was also such a cute...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Alicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, supernatural, single-parent-focus, supports-theft-pusa

This is another book where I really, really wish we had half stars. I don't want to give it a three, but it doesn't reach four either. Sigh.

Overall, this was a cute story. I liked all of the characters a lot. Even the kids, though they were written like real children, unlike most romance novels where they're like fantasy children and unbelievably sweet and unobtrusive. They didn't just magically disappear and they whined, but they were also cute.

In my review of the last Nora Roberts book I read...more This is another book where I really, really wish we had half stars. I don't want to give it a three, but it doesn't reach four either. Sigh.

Overall, this was a cute story. I liked all of the characters a lot. Even the kids, though they were written like real children, unlike most romance novels where they're like fantasy children and unbelievably sweet and unobtrusive. They didn't just magically disappear and they whined, but they were also cute.

In my review of the last Nora Roberts book I read I complained about how most of her male characters in the last few years have been alike. It's good to finally see Roberts go back to writing a different kind of man. Beckett was warm, loving, and fun with the children. Kind of terse, but then so are pretty much all of her characters. It goes to show you can have a "manly" man who can be sweet and caring. One who doesn't make it seem like he's debasing himself by caring for a woman.

I'm torn on the supernatural element in the story. I liked it and Lizzy, but I liked it more as background to the story rather than how front and center and real it became. It didn't ruin the story at all, but it did get to be a bit much and quite predictable in the end.

The villain seemed like he was included as a way to make the story more compelling and wrap it up. So she threw in this simple plot to take care of that and to give purpose to the supernatural element. Which brings me to my biggest complaint about the story: it sort of felt like one big advertisement. Now, that's only by virtue of the fact that I was informed that in this real town is the real Inn owned by Nora Roberts. So when the story would go into long drawn out details about the process of rehabilitating the Inn and designing and outfitting the rooms (a cute idea to be sure, though I find the naming of one of the rooms for the couple from the In Death series to be somewhat tacky) it was like a neon sign saying YOU WANT TO PAY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO STAY HERE, RIGHT? RIGHT?! While looking up the town of Boonsboro to figure out where in Maryland it is, I found the website for the Inn, and it is gorgeous and if I had the money I'd be staying in the Titania and Oberon room this week, but I just didn't like the feeling that the book was a vehicle for promotion.

The thing is, she's Nora Roberts. She knows how to write books. So advertisement or not, flimsy villain or not, it's a solid and enjoyable read. I will definitely be reading the next two in the series, and, yes, wishing I could find a damn job so I could afford to drive up and stay in the pretty Inn.

What? Like you're not susceptible to advertising? Don't you judge me.(less)

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Nov 13, 2011 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, crime-police-mystery-private-invest, fiction-vixen-reviews, first-reads-arcs-won-a-copy, friends-to-lovers, ghosts, read-2011, romance, secret-crush, series, to-buy

Ah, it was nice to drop back into a world created by Nora Roberts. She has a gift with character creation and storytelling, and this book was no exception. Usually in Romance we find that it’s the heroine that has had a secret crush on the hero for quite a while. The author decided to flip the standard here and cast the hero as the one with the secret crush.

Beckett has been in love with Clare since high school. He’s a self assured guy who has never had a problem with the ladies—unless that lady...more

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May 11, 2012 Shelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, audiobook-version, romance-contemporary, set-in-usa-maryland, romance-paranormal

So, I just got the latest in the series The Last Boyfriend in the mail the other day. I was about to jump right in and thought I'd re-read my review from this book to sorta catch myself up, and saw it was a very brief and sorely lacking of detail. Of course, I had just got it on audio as well, and decided to listen to it this time and not only write a slightly better review, but also refresh myself with the characters.

I kinda wish I had just re-read the book. This audio version is not the worst...more So, I just got the latest in the series The Last Boyfriend in the mail the other day. I was about to jump right in and thought I'd re-read my review from this book to sorta catch myself up, and saw it was a very brief and sorely lacking of detail. Of course, I had just got it on audio as well, and decided to listen to it this time and not only write a slightly better review, but also refresh myself with the characters.

I kinda wish I had just re-read the book. This audio version is not the worst I've heard, as it was okay in parts, but this narrator is terrible at women's voices and even worse at the kids. I think I could have gotten past the slightly mannish voice for all the female characters, but throw it in with the nasally and whiny kids' voices, I just wanted to cringe every time the kids talk, and they talk a lot in this book! The narrator has a decent enough voice, but it's all wrong for anything fiction. I think he did the male voices just great, but half the book is Clare, with a huge chunk of her kids, plus Avery and Hope, Clare's friends. It sorta ruined it for me the second time, but I'll not let that color my review, as reading it the first time, I loved it.

Speaking of kids, I'm not usually so crazy about kids being so prevalent in my romance books, but if the author does them well, I have no problem. This is the case here. Clare's three boys, Harry, Liam and Murphy are all boys, from the action figures, video games, wanting a dog, the arguing and stickiness, it was fun to watch Clare tame them, and keep them together somehow. It made me tired just thinking about all the stuff she did to keep day to day life going, and it made me like her a lot. She had the work/life/kids balance down, even if it was hard to struggle, she did it. Life wasn't all about work, or all about her kids, or all about herself, it was great to see that balance, something that's usually lacking in most books. Family is usually a big deal in most NR books, and I appreciate that, she doesn't kill them all off to make it convenient, and have the characters obsessed with their job, no time for a social life.

Beckett was pretty good too, and I like that Clare having three sons, and Beckett was one of three sons makes them a good fit. Most guys would probably be intimidated taking on that but since he knows all about being a boy, it was a breeze for him, and he actually liked it. Speaking of brothers, the interaction between them was great too and hilarious! Owen is so organized it makes me drool, in a good way! And of course, Ryder is the one whose book I can't wait for, him and Hope are going to have sparks flying, already do! The interaction between all characters was pretty good, and realistic.

I read in someone else's review, I think Willaful (hi Willa!) that most of the conflict in NR's later books is usually external. This is the case in this book, but it's not something I mind. I think there was a little internal conflict with Clare who at first couldn't handle Beckett wanting to help with everything when she was so use to taking care of things herself. This could have been a major conflict if she wasn't so incredibly reasonable and worked it out in a few days. I can see where's coming from, as I've been in that situation, albeit without three boys to take care of. My hubby is ex-military, and when they are gone, and you're in a foreign town, it's just you and your wits. You can cry and complain all you want, but it's still got to get done, and unless you have tons of money (which military doesn't provide) you have to do it yourself. I remember having a few such fights with my husband when he's get back from deployment, I was still doing everything and he wanted to help. It's an adjustment, one that even though he's been out for 6+ years, I still have to mentally make. I wish Clare would have struggled with this a bit more, but I don't think it would have made a very good conflict, as maybe not a lot of people get this viewpoint, or would have found it irritating and come as too independent. It's really not just independence, it's just a way of thinking you get use to if you're gonna be able to hang as a military spouse.

As I mentioned in my earlier tiny review, I do like the bit of paranormal thrown in. Not too much, not to little, but just right. You could have the story without the ghost, but it's a nice element, and I much prefer the ghost in it.

Obviously, if you've read NR before, especially the later ones, you know what you're getting. No big surprises, but it still works. It's nice to get into a NR book, if you like them. I appreciate the way she describes the setting, and I don't feel bogged down in details, but I can picture everything in my head. The pacing and style is comfortable to me, and I think it's pretty darn tight, no big gaps or info dumps, the flow is easy but the story is still good. It may be formulaic, but I still find her books incredibly entertaining, along with a few million others too!

Review from first reading of Nook version, 2/6 - 2/11/12Another new series from NR, and even though every time I pick up one of her books, I think, she can't keep this up, and yet she does. I wouldn't say it's the most fabulous, but I definitely like it, a lot. I can already see the trouble brewing between Ryder and 'the innkeeper' - and of course it'll be the last book. One of the reasons I love NR - she does romance with a little bit of the mystical thrown in, and it's just enough for me, interesting but not the whole focus of the book or the characters lives. In this one we have a resident ghost living at the inn. I can't wait for the rest of the series, I wish they'd print them sooner - we all know NR is about a dozen books ahead, lol.(less)

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Feb 19, 2012 Daniela rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-paperback

Nora Roberts is an auto buy for me. She creates and describes wonderful, real characters. The dialogue is quick, witty, smart and very pop culture. The hero is adorable because he is so smitten with his girl. The heroine is a strong mature woman (widow with three young kids) That is a large undertaking for a romance but NR pulled it off. She kept it real even with a ghost in the story.The love story is sweet, tender and mature. Cant wait for the next one. You will not be disappointed.

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Nov 05, 2011 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 29, 2012 kari rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

What do I love about a Nora Roberts book? Just about everything.
Let's start with her characters. These are people you think you could know, chat with over beer and pizza, or coffee if that's more to your liking. She manages voices so expertly that you can hear the difference from person to person. The women sound like women and the men sound like men. No girly-sounding men to be found here. The children sound like children, but not silly-sounding or childish sounding. You know they are children...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Sebina (Classicmaiden) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Contemporary Romance readers who don't mind a tiny bit of supernatural in their fiction.

Shelves: _author_nora-roberts, _theme_ghosts, _type_owned-kindle-version, _romance, _type_sexy-romance-fiction, _type_owned-book-copy, _type_written-by-women, _type_first-in-series

Quick thoughts:
Loved it! I didn't mind the ghost part as some readers did (in fact I loved that!)... Nora Roberts is so good at writing fully fleshed out characters with jobs, hobbies, friends, etc... made me think of this article: In Search of Contemporary Romance Heroines with Hobbies - http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=7971
I really understood Clare and her life because of that strength (Clare's job, her children, her love of reading etc.)...and I understood why Beckett was great for her at t...more

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Nov 03, 2011 Alicia rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nora-contemporary-romance, books-i-wish-i-hadn-t-read, e-books-kindle, put-me-out-of-the-misery

I have never been so disappointed in a Nora Roberts book. It felt like she basically phoned this one in. There was no romance, no plot, no storyline basically. It was a bland account of how to build an inn in a small town, with a few interactions between a man and a woman with three kids. Blah. Oh, and then there was the supposed bad guy tossed in the mix, I guess to try and create some tension in the story? I'm not sure what the point was, really. This is definitely one of those books I wish I...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Sandy M rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I haven’t read a Nora Roberts book in forever. I used to read her all the time, I have every book on her backlist tucked away. Then I added a few more - and then quite a bit than a few more - authors to my ever-growing list, and then I started reviewing books, so a few of my favorites got pushed to the background. So I was doubly excited when I received The Next Always to review. Nora Roberts is the perfect comfort read. Reading her stories is like coming home after being gone a very long time....more I haven’t read a Nora Roberts book in forever. I used to read her all the time, I have every book on her backlist tucked away. Then I added a few more - and then quite a bit than a few more - authors to my ever-growing list, and then I started reviewing books, so a few of my favorites got pushed to the background. So I was doubly excited when I received The Next Always to review. Nora Roberts is the perfect comfort read. Reading her stories is like coming home after being gone a very long time. It’s so nice to be home.

Also, Ms. Roberts writes brothers better than anyone. My first books of hers were the Quinn brothers of the Chesapeake Blue series. They’re still my favorites, but the Montgomery brothers in this new series are giving the Quinns a serious run for their money. Beckett, Ryder, and Owen Montgomery are the heroes of these books, diligently working to restore a very old and dilapidated building into the Inn BoonsBoro. They have the typical sibling relationship, but written by Ms. Roberts just makes that more special in my eyes. Not only are the brothers, and their heroines of course, the center of this story, the inn itself as well as the town are just as front and center. You get that feel from the first page, and as that inn more and more comes into its own, you could swear it’s living and breathing just like the other characters chapter after chapter.

What also makes this book so intriguing and fun - something I didn’t know before I read it - is the fact that these events are right out of Ms. Roberts’ life. She and her family live in Boonsboro, Maryland; her husband owns Turn the Page, the local bookstore; her son owns Vestra, the pizzeria on The Square; and she and her husband bought the building we’re talking about and rebuilt it just as the Montgomery brothers have done and named it Inn BoonsBoro. Only the characters have changed in this walk through a portion of her life.

Beckett has had a thing for Clare since high school, but she had eyes for only Clint Brewster. The high school sweethearts married and Clint’s military service took them away from home to travel the world at the Army’s behest. When her husband is killed in Iraq, Clare brings her children home to Boonsboro, where she opens a bookstore, Turn the Page - both the best decisions considering the circumstances. Beckett never thought the day would come he’d be sharing a kiss with Clare, but his dreams have finally come true with the lovely widow. Hoping for more, he asks her out and a new and exciting relationship is born.

For Clare, she experiences the ability to feel when she’s in Beckett’s arms, a feeling she thought she might never have again. The more she gets to the know the man he’s become, the more she falls for Beckett, especially when she watches him with her sons. His patience and fun streak knows no bounds and her boys take to the man like ducks to water. Only her oldest son has vague recollections of Clint, so it warms her heart they could have the perfect role model in Beckett.

This relationship between them is honest, fun, and heart-felt from the beginning. They each have to face the depth of their feelings on their own along the way, and with each issue that crops up, good or bad, those feelings are further cemented in their hearts. Some of those feelings did bring tears to my eyes several times, while others make me laugh out loud just as many times. Everyone flourishes in this community. They love the small-town feeling of BoonsBoro, where everyone knows everyone’s business, but also where that business is embraced like a loving family. Each thrives in that atmosphere, just as the inn does as more of it is revealed to both the reader and the townsfolk. I’m betting a lot of readers from Small Town America will see their towns, boroughs, or parishes in BoonsBoro. Being from a small agricultural community myself, I can just picture my little town in a lot of the scenes in this book.

The Inn BoonsBoro is a beauty of a place. Ms. Roberts does a fantastic job of describing the reconstruction at different stages in the book, so that it’s like growing along with a character over time, one you love and want to see only good come to. There’s just the right amount of detail given in each meeting the brothers have, each tour they give, each scene that takes place in the inn. It’s never overwhelming or boring, like it could be considering this is a romance novel. There is a bit of paranormal associated with the inn, and it would be interesting to know if any such things also happened during the real reconstruction or if it’s all a product of Ms. Roberts’ imagination. Either way, those scenes are a nice addition, especially those with Beckett.

One of my favorite secondary characters is Avery, one of Clare’s best friends. She owns the local Italian restaurant, Vestra, where a lot of scenes take place throughout the book. Avery is outspoken, never backs down, and is just a riot to read. Hope is the other best friend, and she comes to BoonsBoro to take over as innkeeper when the former has to bow out. There’s a bit of a spark between Hope and Ryder, so I’m looking forward to see how that relationship evolves. Of course, the other brothers in the series, Clare’s sons, are also a lot of fun and their scenes with Beckett are some of my faves. And the villain. There’s a slimeball of a villain, and I’m with the Montgomery boys wanting to beat the jerk to a pulp.

I have to mention the cover of this book. It’s absolutely beautiful, and I found myself looking at it at different points while reading. It’s just enough to give you a hint of what this restored landmark might truly look like. Kudos to the artist.

The next book, The Last Boyfriend, is still more than six months away. Much too long. But the anticipation is half the fun, and mine is already ramped up about 50 percent. I’ll definitely be in need of some more comfort by the time I crack that one open, and I know Ms. Roberts will deliver exactly that once again.

See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com (less)

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Apr 17, 2013 Katharina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Zum Buch: „Rosenzauber“ von Nora Roberts ist ein Roman, der am 29.10.2012 beim Blanvalet Taschenbuch Verlag erschienen ist. Er ist der Beginn einer Trilogie.

Klappentext: Beckett Montgomery liebt seine Heimatstadt Boonsboro, wo er zusammen mit seinen beiden Brüdern begonnen hat, ein altes Hotel in ein modernes Bed & Breakfast umzubauen. Vor allem aber liebt er Clare Brewster, die nach dem Tod ihres Mannes nach Boonsboro zurückgekehrt ist und dort die Buchhandlung führt. Beckett hat es nie gew...more Zum Buch: „Rosenzauber“ von Nora Roberts ist ein Roman, der am 29.10.2012 beim Blanvalet Taschenbuch Verlag erschienen ist. Er ist der Beginn einer Trilogie.

Klappentext: Beckett Montgomery liebt seine Heimatstadt Boonsboro, wo er zusammen mit seinen beiden Brüdern begonnen hat, ein altes Hotel in ein modernes Bed & Breakfast umzubauen. Vor allem aber liebt er Clare Brewster, die nach dem Tod ihres Mannes nach Boonsboro zurückgekehrt ist und dort die Buchhandlung führt. Beckett hat es nie gewagt, Clare seine Gefühle zu offenbaren. Doch als die Eröffnung des „BoonsBoro Inn” näher rückt, fasst er schließlich Mut und bietet Clare eine private Führung an – denn jedes Zimmer ist nach einem großen Liebespaar benannt. Und tatsächlich scheint seine Idee die Bücherliebhaberin zu verzaubern. Aber Beckett ist nicht der Einzige, der Clares Herz gewinnen möchte …

Die Story: Clare lebt mit ihren drei Söhnen in einer kleinen Stadt und betreibt ein Buchgeschäft. Beckett lebt ebenfalls in dieser Kleinstadt, er restauriert mit seiner Mutter und seinen Brüdern ein altes Hotel, in dem es spukt. Er ist schon lange in Clare verliebt und gewinnt mit der Zeit ihre Zuneigung, und die ihrer Söhne. Clare verliebt sich in ihn, doch ein reicher Typ aus der Gegend versucht, sie mit allen Mitteln für sich zu gewinnen. Als er merkt, dass Clare Beckett ihm vorzieht sinnt er auf Rache und schmiedet einen Plan, der in letzter Sekunde von Clare’s Freundinnen, Beckett und der Polizei vereitelt wird, und es gibt ein romantisches Happy End.

Covergestaltung: Das Cover zeigt eine Wiese mit blauem Himmel darüber, im Vordergrund steht ein weißer Holzzaun, vor dem ein Rosenbusch steht. Hinten in der Ferne ist ein weißes Haus zu sehen.
Der Autorenname ist in rosa gehalten und der Titel in grün.

Zum Autor: Was macht eine Hausfrau und Mutter von zwei Kindern, wenn ein Schneesturm sie von der Außenwelt abschneidet? Nora Roberts schreibt einen Roman, der zwei Jahre später, 1981, unter dem Titel "Rote Rosen für Delia" veröffentlicht wird. Sie denkt sich weitere Geschichten aus und gilt inzwischen mit einer Gesamtauflage ihrer Romane von rund 100 Millionen Exemplaren als eine der erfolgreichsten Romanautorinnen weltweit. Nora Roberts wurde 1950 in Silver Spring, Maryland, geboren und ist in zweiter Ehe mit einem Zimmermann verheiratet. Das Paar betreibt gemeinsam einen Buchladen, in dem sicherlich auch die Werke angeboten werden, die sie unter den Pseudonymen J.D. Robb, Jill March oder Sarah Hardesty veröffentlicht.

Meine Meinung: Ich liebe die Bücher von Nora Roberts, und mit diesem Roman ist ihr ein erneutes Meisterwerk gelungen. Die Story ist packend und man kann sich hervorragend hineinversetzen. Weder die Romantik, noch die Spannung kommen in diesem Buch zu kurz.
Ich empfehle dieses Buch jedem, der gerne Romane liest, in denen auch mal etwas Ungewöhnliches wie ein Geist eine Rolle spielt.

(less)

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Apr 05, 2013 Carla rated it 2 of 5 stars

Confession: I have in my past lived near Boonsboro and have seen this Inn (before it was renovated) and have walked in to Nora Robert's shop on multiple occasions (even when she first opened it)- I know the area.
Reading this book brought me back, to the pizza shop, ice cream shop, Nora's shop - but there was something else about it that unsettled me, it felt like an ad - that is right, an expensive ad to boom business to the Inn. After looking up information, was I surprised to read of the thre...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Candace Salima rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Ages 18 and Up

The historic hotel in BoonsBoro, Maryland, has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. As the architect of the family, Beckett’s social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was fifteen…

From that description, one would assume this latest offering by Nora Roberts was nothin...more The historic hotel in BoonsBoro, Maryland, has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. As the architect of the family, Beckett’s social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was fifteen…

From that description, one would assume this latest offering by Nora Roberts was nothing more than a sweet romance, but that is never the case with this New York Times best-selling author.

Arguably, one of the best writers of our generation, Nora Roberts has spent a collective total of 879 weeks on the NYT Bestseller list. The reason for this is because she has delivered 198 full-length novels, 49 of which debuted at Number One on the Times list.

So what turns this from a sweet romance? Humor, the supernatural, a stalker, an architect with a penchant for pizza and beer, and a woman whose husband was killed in Iraq.

It’s always lovely to have a resident ghost providing that extra dimension in a story, but consider how the appearance of a ghost might effect a widow. With this added dimension, and the delusional stalker, an element of drama and danger are added to the story.

With laugh-out-loud humor, Roberts delivers this first in the Inn at Boonsboro Trilogy with her usual style. There is no one better out there at narrative description than Nora Roberts. Her dialogue is always crisp, character personality well-developed and put to the test throughout the story. The stories pull the reader in, as any good book should always do, and carries you through until you turn the last page. And in case you’re wondering how good the book was, I was really annoyed to find that book two doesn’t make it’s appearance until May of 2012. So yes, it’s worth reading. Nora Roberts always is.

However, I did notice Roberts seems to be pushing the envelope with profanity and crassness, not usually a part of her writing style as Roberts, although it is under her pseudonym J.D. Robb. She is one of my favorite authors, and I always buy her books the first day they hit the stores. But I was disappointed that she’d chosen to develop Beckett, the main character, in this way. Without question, he is one way with Clare, and a different way with his brothers, as is usual in any dynamic. But with the language peppered with the F-word, crude suggestions to one another, etc. I was put off by that.

Therefore, although the story was fabulous as usual, and I couldn’t put the book down even though I’m sick, I’m giving The Next Always a 4 out of 5 Star rating. Roberts was dinged for the profanity and crassness.(less)

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Feb 23, 2013 Sandi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, romance

I rarely read romance. I like romantic subplots, but I find most romances to be kind of stupid and predictable. I really didn't expect to like a Nora Roberts novel as much as I enjoyed The Next Always. I really feel like I got suckered because Audible was giving it away free through their Facebook page and I thought "Why not?". Yesterday's BOGO had the third book in the trilogy, so now I have to buy the second book too.

What really drew me into this story was the characters. Clare is a widow who...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Gretchen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: literary-exploration-2013, read-2013

There's something about finding the right book for the right time. For me this weekend, I needed something that would engage me, but wasn't going to be too taxing. This novel fit the bill.

Beckett, one of the Montgomery Boys, is working to restore the Boonsboro Inn. Clare, who grew up in the same town, is rebuilding her life after losing her military husband. Will they find love? It's Nora Roberts...what do you think?!

Some items that stand out in the book:
- Detailed descriptions of the rooms in t...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Gaby rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Publicado en: Historias Imaginarias

Siempre Hay un Mañana es el primer libro que leo de la aclamada autora Nora Roberts. Parece imposible no haberla leído antes, pero me agrada haberlo hecho por fin. Su escritura es dulce y refrescante, justo lo que necesitaba.

Beckett es uno de los hermanos Montgomery. El y sus hermanos están restaurando el viejo Hotel Boonsboro, y va a ser impresionante. Todo el pueblo esta curioso sobre como quedara, incluyendo Clare. Beckett es uno de esos hombre regulares que...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Loved the book. Quick read. Great story. Lovely setting. Puts you in a good mood. Great love story. Can't wait to read the next two!

The historic hotel in Boonsboro has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. Beckett is the architect of the family, and his social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s be...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Nilusha rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

The Next Always is a classic Nora Roberts book, first in Inn Boonsboro trilogy about three brothers renovating a historical inn and bringing it back to life and what they discover during the course of it.

Beckett Montgomery & Clare Brewster are the first couple to feature in this book but that doesn't mean that there is a shortage of scenes with other characters that are to feature in the next couple of books.

Both Beckett & Clare have had no time for love, either because one of them is to...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Marjorie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Inn BoonsBoro is a real place and Nora Roberts owns it!

Ok, now that that's over. I have to say that I didn't expect to get into this as much as I got into it. This is the first time I'm reading a heroine, Clare, who is a widowed mother of three who falls in love with the guy (building) next door. As a reader, I couldn't relate to her character in that respect. But as I got going, I realized I had more in common with the male lead, Beckett, who has had a crush on her since forever. It was never...more

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Dec 24, 2012 Hope rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, nora-roberts

This is a new trilogy by Nora Roberts and as with most of her books, I loved it! :-) I think I enjoy Ms. Robert's books so much because they are just happy, cozy, reads. When I finish them I sigh a happy sigh and spend a moment rethinking everything I enjoyed about the book. They are "make me smile" books! :-)

If you are looking for a light read, something that will grab your interest but not require tons of time, then definitely check out this trilogy. :-)

Here's from Goodreads....
The historic ho...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Susana Guerra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book focuses on Clare and Beckett. Clare is a widow who's husband died in Iraq. She was left with two young kids and a baby on the way. She decides to go back to her hometown where her family and friends live. She then opens a bookstore that she loves..

Clare spends her days taking care of her children, playing games, cooking, taking care of her business and spending time with her best friend Avery who she knows from Her choldhood. They were in the cheerleading squad together in H.S.

Beckett...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Kelly Moran rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

*This review is for the 3 books in the Inn Boonsboro Trilogy.*

THE NEXT ALWAYS
After losing her husband, Claire Brewster returned to her hometown with her three young boys in tow. Five years later, she owns the bookstore she loves and is finally feeling settled. Until Beckett Montgomery starts to make her rethink love and forever beginnings.
This trilogy involves the three Montgomery brothers, their road to true love, and the restoration of a historic hotel in small town Boonsboro--which has a ghos...more *This review is for the 3 books in the Inn Boonsboro Trilogy.*

THE NEXT ALWAYS
After losing her husband, Claire Brewster returned to her hometown with her three young boys in tow. Five years later, she owns the bookstore she loves and is finally feeling settled. Until Beckett Montgomery starts to make her rethink love and forever beginnings.
This trilogy involves the three Montgomery brothers, their road to true love, and the restoration of a historic hotel in small town Boonsboro--which has a ghost on a mission. I always felt Roberts was best when writing her trilogies, and this was no exception. The secondary characters shine, and set up the other books well. This book had a lot of heart and a low heat level. Between Beckett's workload, Claire's business, and her three sons, these two had to fight for time together. I felt this story was as realistic as it was engaging. Another great read from Roberts.

THE LAST BOYFRIEND
Owen Montgomery is the organized member of his family. He likes things in perfect order. But when heat arises between him and pizzeria owner Avery MacTavish, he finds his world completely upended. And loving it.
I loved watching the Inn come together slowly and the restoration of the historic building start to shine again. I also loved the development of the ghost angle and watching Owen lose his cool. Avery especially was a great mix of eccentric and earthbound, making her an interesting heroine. Her backstory was a great find. Low heat level, but a great love story. Not to be missed.

THE PERFECT HOPE
Ryder Montgomery has always been the hardest of the three brothers to figure out. His broodish nature keeps most at a distance, but Hope Beaumont is learning he's all soft under the hard shell. And she's also figuring out the move to Boonsboro has finally landed her right where she's supposed to be.
I couldn't wait for these two to hook up. The constant bickering made for great chemistry. I also loved seeing the Inn finished, and having conclusion for their ghostly friend. Most enjoyable was this didn't go over the top with sap. I can easily picture the three brothers and their women now, even after the story is done, still carrying on in the town, one project for their mother after another. Roberts created a world where the Inn was a secondary character, you wanted to join this crazy family, and wishing Boonsboro was real. Highly recommended.
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Nov 21, 2012 Darcy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, audio-book, listened-to-at-work, romance, ghosts

I will fully admit that the only reason I read this one was because it was free at audible a while back. I am not a big Nora Roberts fan. I love her writing as JD Robb and the In Death series, but as herself the few books I have tried just weren’t that great. This one started out that way too. Had I not been at work and I didn’t have anything else new to listen to I would have given it up. But somewhere along the line I found myself really liking the book, despite it’s slow start.

The town I foun...more I will fully admit that the only reason I read this one was because it was free at audible a while back. I am not a big Nora Roberts fan. I love her writing as JD Robb and the In Death series, but as herself the few books I have tried just weren’t that great. This one started out that way too. Had I not been at work and I didn’t have anything else new to listen to I would have given it up. But somewhere along the line I found myself really liking the book, despite it’s slow start.

The town I found to be charming. I really liked the Montgomery brothers, loved their interactions with each other and their mom, plus I loved what they were doing to the Inn and the town. While I liked that part, I think it is what made the first part of the book slow for me. Hearing about all the construction in detail was a little boring. Things started to pick up for me when the ghost, Lizzie showed up. I love how there seems to be this being in the Inn, that she is just as invested in the inn as the real people.

At first I thought Beckett and Claire’s relationship was going to be boring, but I was surprised that once Claire let it be a possibility she was aggressive in what she wanted. It was fun to see Beckett interact with the boys, “Man Night” and all the troubles had me smiling. I think the boys saw Beckett as just a big boy to play with. I loved how the older boys made toys for the smaller ones and were just as into it as the little ones.

The issues that Claire had with man pursuing her went about how I thought they would with one exception. I loved that the person that really came to her rescue was the one that she had an issue with earlier. I really liked how Beckett thanked that person when everything was settled.

The ending had me smiling again. I loved that Beckett kept his promise to Harry, but doing so in front of Claire it showed her that Beckett was indeed serious about her and her kids.

I look forward to reading more in this series. I want to see Ryder and Owen fall, I just hope that Avery and Hope are involved with them.
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Nov 17, 2012 Kristi Fenske rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It has been some time since I have picked up a book by Nora Roberts, but a friend of mine recommended The Inn Boonsboro Trilogy and I thought I might as well give it a try. It is a lovely concept of three brothers (and thier mother) breathing life into an inn forgotten by time. They work and live in the town they grew up striving to make something beautiful for the place they love. Traditional to a Nora Roberts series, this book follows Beckett Montgomery, one of the brothers, as his relationshi...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Frances Brown rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audible

WARNING: SPOILERS

Although not a big fan of Nora Roberts, I did enjoy this story. Undeniably NR rounds out her characters well, and I particularly like her Montgomery brothers: the family interaction, the banter between the three who all have unique personalities yet are brothers just the same. Their mother Justine is a hoot - somebody I'd love to have as a friend. I've actually had a few friends in my life who could have been Avery, complete with chameleon haircolor. And although I've never been...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Meg rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was not one of her best but if you like Nora Roberts, you probably won’t hate it. It is an alright, easy read for when you don’t want something that requires too much thought but want to enjoy a story. I feel that Nora Roberts is getting a bit too customary for me to enjoy her books. I enjoyed her older stuff because I hadn’t read the same characters over and over. While the circumstances, the resurrection of an old inn, surrounding the characters were different, there was little new about...more This was not one of her best but if you like Nora Roberts, you probably won’t hate it. It is an alright, easy read for when you don’t want something that requires too much thought but want to enjoy a story. I feel that Nora Roberts is getting a bit too customary for me to enjoy her books. I enjoyed her older stuff because I hadn’t read the same characters over and over. While the circumstances, the resurrection of an old inn, surrounding the characters were different, there was little new about the story.

I have found that so many authors who write similar series over and over have a tendency to write similar characters. It gets to be annoying when you have three women (as Roberts often does trilogies) and they are always in the same physical category: one blond, one redhead, and one dark-haired. At least she didn’t do the same with the guys. While I understand trying to differentiate between the characters, it is hard to imagine that there are always three cousins or best friends with one hair coloring each.

While I liked the idea of the renovation of an Inn that draws the characters together, I felt that there was too much information about the details that made the story drag on. I didn’t feel that it was necessary to add in details going down to the towel warmers and creating a whole dialogue about changing them. It was more about what had happened in the reconstruction of the Inn than in the story.

The bad guy in the story being focused on the heroine was typical of Roberts; however, I felt that it fell flat. We didn’t really see him as a threat until almost, if not longer, than halfway through which didn’t give the story enough time to heighten the tension. When it finally came to head, it wasn’t very high on the climax scale and the resolution was rushed through and then done.

The romance/relationship was just alright, nothing substantial. I liked the children and the parallel between Claire’s boys and the Montgomery brothers. There was good interaction between the brothers of both families.

The paranormal aspect, I liked, but I wish it had more significance in the way that some of her previous work included magic, and made the paranormal important aspect. I felt that it should have been more of a developed character.
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Sep 09, 2012 Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Slightly innappropriate review. Mainly, I share too many details about my personal life. You have been warned.

No, there is no need to adjust your screen...I have given my favorite author's new book only 3 stars. I was still completely engaged in the first installment chronicaling the life of Beckett Montgomery - the first of three brothers who own a contracting company together and are restoring an old inn in Boonsboro, Maryland. I loved the romantic literature theme of the Inn, the discussion o...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Casey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First off, due to listening to this being narrated by a man whom did Becket great but made all the women sound like nasal gay men....I had to struggle to see through HIS interpretation/narration of them to hear them as Nora intended, and that was difficult for me. So on a personal note, I think female readers are better b/c MOST can do a deep male voice that I can envision as a man, but when men try to sound like women, they just sound like gay men and that doesn't work for me. (And his voice f...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Susanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

Romance! I know, right?? I'm re-reading the Malazan Book of the Fallen, all ten door-stoppers of it, and I needed a break, and it just so happened that I'd mention to a friend that I'd never read Nora Roberts, and BAM! Birthday present. So here we are!

First off, I LOVED THIS BOOK. The writing was effortless, the pacing spotless, the characters lovely, the world-building believable. (The latter unsurprising, as it turns out Boonsboro is real, and the author's family actually owns all the business...more

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About Nora Roberts

aka
J.D. Robb
Sarah Hardesty

Eleanor Marie Robertson was born on October 10, 1950 in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. She was the youngest of the five children, also the only girl, of a marriage with Irish ancestors. Her family were avid readers, so books were always important in her life. She attended a Catholic school and credits the nuns with instilling in her a sense of discipline. During her sopho...more aka
J.D. Robb
Sarah Hardesty

Eleanor Marie Robertson was born on October 10, 1950 in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. She was the youngest of the five children, also the only girl, of a marriage with Irish ancestors. Her family were avid readers, so books were always important in her life. She attended a Catholic school and credits the nuns with instilling in her a sense of discipline. During her sophomore year in high school, she transferred to a local public school, where she met Ronald Aufdem-Brinke, her future first husband.

In Augusy 17, 1968, as soon as she had graduated from High School, Eleanor married, against her parents' wishes. The marriage settled in Keedysville, Maryland. Her husband worked at his father's sheet-metal business before joining her parents in their lighting company. While, she worked briefly as a legal secretary. "I could type fast but couldn't spell, I was the worst legal secretary ever," she says now. After their sons, Dan and Jason, were born she stayed home. Calling this her "Earth Mother" years, she spent much of her time doing crafts, including ceramics and sewing her children's clothes. The marriage ended separating, and they obtained the divorce in January 1985.

In February 1979, a blizzard in forced her hand to try another creative outlet. She was snowed in with a three and six year old with no kindergarten respite in sight and a dwindling supply of chocolate. During the now famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write down one of those stories. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981 as Nora Roberts, a shortened form of her birth name Eleanor Marie Robertson, because she assumed that all authors had pen names.

Eleanor wrote under the pseudonym Jill March a story for a magazine titled "Melodies of Love".

Eleanor met her second husband, Bruce Wilder, when she hired him to build bookshelves. They were married in July 1985. Her husband owns and operates a bookstore in Boonsboro, Maryland called "Turn the Page Books". Since that time, they've expanded their home, traveled the world.

In 1992, she decided adopted other pseudonym so to publish a futuristic-suspense novels, she first decided to use the pseudonym D.J. MacGregor, but she discovered that this pseudonym was used by another author. In 1995, her first "In Death" serial novel was published under the pseudonym J.D. Robb, the initials "J.D." were taken from her sons, Jason and Dan, while "Robb" is a shortened form of Roberts.

Eleanor has also been known as Sara Hardesty, because when the "Born In" series was released in U.K. it carried that name instead of Nora Roberts. She has since changed publishers.

Eleanor has been plagiarized by another best-selling romance writer, Janet Dailey. The practice came to light after a reader read Nora Roberts' "Sweet Revenge" and Janet Dailey's "Notorious" back-to-back; she noticed several similarities and posted the comparable passages on the Internet. Calling the plagiarism "mind rape," Eleanor sued Janet Daily. In 1997, Janet, admitted to repeatedly plagiarizing from Nora Roberts' work, and that both "Aspen Gold" and "Notorious" lifted heavily from Nora Roberts's work. Both of those novels were pulled from print after Janet's admission. She acknowledged the plagiarism and blamed it on a psychological disorder. In a settlement, Janet paid Eleanor an undisclosed sum, which Eleanor donated to the Literacy Volunteers of America.

A founding member of the Romance Writers of America (R.W.A.), she was the first inductee in the organization's Hall of Fame. She also is a member of several writers groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the (less)

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“I've wanted to be with you when I didn't have the right to.” — 28 people liked it

“It's about us. It's about trust.” — 13 people liked it

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The Next Always (Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy #1)

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