The latest novel by popular women's fiction author Mallery (The Girls of Mischief Bay) is an intersecting tale of the ties that bind and strangle. When her twins enter kindergarten, stay-at-home mom Gabby is elated about her return to work and the freedom it promises. The best-laid plans start to unravel when her stepdaughter delivers shocking news that leaves her marriage and her career dreams in the lurch. Meanwhile, her best friend -Hayley is devastated by the continuous failure of the fertility treatments that threaten both her bank account and her romantic relationship. Fitness instructor Nicole's husband walks off to pursue his Hollywood dreams, and she is forced to renavigate life and the possibilities of finding love again. All of these women, who meet over freezer meal workshops, hope to simplify their lives, but the complications build by the minute. VERDICT This is at heart a novel about the relationships among women, friends, sisters, mothers, daughters, and stepchildren, with a strongly woven romantic subplot. For Mallery's fans and readers of light women's or romantic fiction.-Julia M. Reffner, North -Chesterfield, VA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Three friends provide encouragement to one another in Mallery's second installment (after The Girls of Mischief Bay) in her Mischief Bay series. The a seaside town in Los Angeles County, Calif., is home to Nicole, Gabby, and Haley. Gabby is mother to five-year-old twin girls, Kenzie and Kennedy, and 15-year-old stepdaughter Makayla. When unforeseen circumstances threaten to prevent her from going back to work after the twins start kindergarten, Gabby and her husband, Andrew, are in total disagreement. Hayley wants nothing more than to be a mother. Despite weakness from miscarriages, she is convinced that she and her husband, Rob, can be parents if only she can get one more chance at carrying a pregnancy to term. Nicole, reeling from a divorce, is not thrilled when her son, Tyler, wins a contest that enables him to meet the creator of his favorite books, Jairus. But things become more complicated when Jairus and Nicole hit it off. Gabby, Haley, and Nicole are down-to-earth real women with whom readers will be able to identify, and Mallery successfully balances each story line. The women's stories and the depth of support they provide one another make this an engaging read to be savored all the way through. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Mallery returns to Mischief Bay, California, and the lives of the women who reside there. Nicole is trying to move forward after her divorce, but when a new man shows interest, she is wary. Gabby thinks her bond with her husband, Andrew, is unshakable, but when her teenage stepdaughter, Makayla, becomes pregnant, a rift develops between them. Hayley has suffered miscarriage after miscarriage, and her doctors have warned her that her life will be in danger if she continues in her efforts to get pregnant. But having grown up made to feel second-best by her adopted family, Hayley is determined to have a biological child, even if this desire pushes her husband away. Mallery, a best-selling romance writer, can write a believable love story. But what makes this story remarkable is how strong and relatable the friendship between the characters is. This is a welcome return to Mischief Bay.--Pearson, Lynnanne Copyright 2016 Booklist

Three friends help each other navigate unexpected trials and tribulations while figuring out how to redefine themselves when things go awry. After staying home with her twins until they hit kindergarten, Gabby is excited to get back to her law career, if only part-timebut when her teenage stepdaughter faces a life-changing event, her own plans might be in jeopardy. Turning to her friends for moral support, she also becomes embroiled in their struggles, including infertility for Hayley and a recent divorce for Nicole. Because of these sudden stressors, Hayley and Gabby are facing problems in their solid marriages, while Nicole is afraid to trust a very eligible man she's just met. Her first marriage was tepid, but her ex's abandonment was harsh, and now he wants to sever legal ties with their son. It makes her sad and angry and adds another layer of fear to her fledgling relationship. What if Tyler gets close to another father figure only to be abandoned again? Hayley, an adopted daughter desperate for a child of her own, understands abandonment too well. When she can't carry a pregnancy to term, she becomes obsessed with expensive treatments, against her doctor's orders. She feels betrayed when her husband tells her that she's risking her emotional and physical health, not to mention their financial stability, and she needs to quit, and the two come to a discouraging impasse. As the three women work through their struggles and marital strife, they discover the power of friendship and the tempering effect of conflict. Mallery returns to Mischief Bay with another set of friends dealing with dramatic yet relatable turmoil, which she treats with compassion, discernment, and subtlety. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.