The Next Always: Book One of the Inn Boonsboro Trilogy by Nora Roberts

The Next Alway: Book One of the Inn Boonsboro Trilogy
Photo of book cover taken by Kate Dorsey

    Since I loved the Bride Quartet series by Nora Roberts, and that set of stories is now finished, I was excited to see Ms. Roberts had begun a new series.  This time, instead of four female friends, it is three brothers.  To be honest, I think the bride books were a little better.  They flowed a bit more crisply in my opinion.  That, however, does not mean I dislike this series in any way.  If I did, I would not be eagerly anticipating the next book as much as I am.     

    Beckett Montgomery and his two brothers, Owen and Ryder, are working together to rehab a local inn.  While everything is up for discussion, each brother has their own important role.  Beckett is the architect, Owen is the organizer, and Ryder is the carpenter.  For this first book, Beckett is the main character, although we do see quite a lot of the other two.

    Clare is a single mother raising three young boys.  Her husband and the boys’ father died in the war bringing Clare back home.  She has opened up a bookshop and attracted the attention of those around her.  While this is bad in one case, most of the attention is positive.  She has a nice staff, supportive family, good friends, and of course Beckett.  Clare and Beckett have known each other since high school, where Beckett’s deep feelings for her began.  Now that she is home again, he finds himself falling for the adult Clare and her three boys. 

    While Beckett’s and Clare’s relationship develops fairly smoothly, there is a bit of a hiccup with Beckett and his brothers.  Well, not really with his brothers.  It is more Beckett and his brothers keep going up against the “help” of their mother, Justine.  She is full of ideas and always thinking up something new for her boys to do.  They will be on track with the inn, and then she comes in with something else.  This something else does not always have to do with the existing project at hand.  The boys adore their mother and would do anything for her.  Justine loves her boys dearly and only wants them to be happy.  Thankfully everything balances out as her ideas are very good.

    I believe there is a lot of foreshadowing in this book.  We are introduced to two other women.  Avery is a restaurant owner and Hope is the new inn keeper.  With two more books, and two more brothers, I speculate where this is going.

    There is one more character that cannot be forgotten.  Her name is Lizzy and she is the inn’s resident ghost. 

    Image added 11/22/21.