I would have given this book andotehr 1/2 of star if the heroine was not so whiny about her being so old at the ripe old age of 30. Her complaints about her body and her life and her dating someone 4 years younger than her would have been more tolerable if she were at least 5-10 years older. Otherwise a very good book about 2 sisters and a mother whose confront their designated roles in the family, and their desires to be better people than they are. ( )

Excellent characters, riveting storyline with real-life family drama and soul-searching relationships. And there is a dog!!!!! ( )

I previously read and loved Barefoot Season (Blackberry Island) and Three Sisters (Blackberry Island) which are books one and two in the Blackberry Island series. I have tried to get into the Fool's Gold series but like this one better since it seems to have more depth than that series.

With this latest installment Ms. Mallery focuses on two sisters, Nina and Averill. Nina was introduced in the prior novel, "Three Sisters" as a nurse who was about to go to work with Andi (the pediatrician).

In this novel we find Nina frustrated with her current life since her mother and her partner are constantly needing her to step in and be the adult to keep them from being taken advantage of while they run their antique shop on Blackberry Island. Averil who is younger and lives in CA feels like something is missing from her life and though she loves her husband returns home to see if she can get a handle on why she is not happy. Though both sisters love each other they tend to end up fighting constantly. With Nina having to deal with her ex boyfriend coming back to town and a younger man who used to have a crush on her years ago resurfaces at the same time she finds herself fighting to stay in control.

Overall I really loved this novel. We get some welcome appearances by Andi, Boston, and Deanna from the last book but we don't really get much time to catch up with that trio. We do get several steamy sex scenes throughout the novel. Also Nina's voice was written very strong and I had nothing but sympathy for her throughout this entire novel.

Probably the weakest link in this story is the character of Averil. I honestly felt like she still at the end did not get what her behavior and actions to date were part of the problem with her and her sister and also her husband. And I didn't care for their mother at all. Some of her behavior in this story was just unthinkable and I have no idea how either daughter even managed to put up with her through the years. Though I liked the ending I didn't think that the mother "deserved" such a happy ending.

I think to make this a stronger novel it should have just stayed focused on Nina instead of switching the third person narrative between her and Averil. Also one thing that Susan Mallery always seems to put in her novels that is starting to make me laugh (probably not the reaction she wants) is that every time the hero and heroine make love she talks about the heroine seeing into the hero's "soul" when he reaches his peak so to speak. Now I don't know everything but I do know that is not possible. It's a minor thing but every time she puts that in her novels I do crack up.

I would still recommend to long-time fans who want to catch up with the characters on Blackberry Island. ( )

4.5 stars.

In Evening Stars, the third installment of Susan Mallery's heartwarming Blackberry Island series, complicated family dynamics are almost impossible to overcome when Nina Wentworth and her visiting sister Averil find themselves trapped in the roles that have defined them since childhood. Averil is happily married but the prospect of beginning a family leaves her contemplating exactly what she wants out of life. Nina is still taking care of everyone, including her irresponsible mother Bonnie, and when two men from her past unexpectedly reappear, she is forced to re-examine her past choices and take a good hard look at what she wants for her future.

As a child, Nina was thrust into the parental role for both Averil and Bonnie and years later, nothing has changed in that respect. She let go of her dream of becoming a doctor and in the process she also lost her first love, Dylan Harrington. Now Dylan has returned to Blackberry Island to work in his father's practice and Nina begins to re-evaluate her past. Further complicating her life is the sudden reappearance of Kyle Eastland, a young Navy pilot who has never forgotten his teenage crush on Nina. Now stationed at a nearby base, Kyle is hopeful that he can convince Nina to give him a chance now they are both grown up.

Averil's unexpected visit is the last thing that Nina needs as she tries to deal with the latest evidence of their mother's irresponsibility. Averil and Nina love one another but their interactions are laced with misunderstandings and Bonnie's return just adds more tension to their relationship.

I really liked the contrast in Nina's relationships with Dylan and Kyle. With Kyle, Nina could just let go and live in the moment. Carefree fun with no expectations or demands which really fit in with Kyle's personality. He reminded me of a puppy-playful and enthusiastic but lacking maturity.

On the other hand, Dylan is a painful reminder of all that Nina has lost. Their first encounters are uncomfortable and filled with tension until they finally discuss the elephant in the room: their failed youthful romance. It is through these discussions that Nina gains a new perspective on her role in their break up and provides her the opportunity to revisit childhood dreams.

Evening Stars is a beautiful journey of self-discovery for the Wentworth women. Nina and Averil undergo a great deal of soul searching as they contemplate their pasts and in doing so, they are able fully embrace their futures. A lovely conclusion to Susan Mallery's delightful Blackberry Island series.
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Another entry in a romantic series. Choose between a navy pilot and a doctor? Solve the problems this causes in the family!