The Best is Yet to Come by Debbie Macomber Review

 Hello Everyone :)

I pray today finds you all doing well, and I want to thank you all for joining me for another book review here on The Preppy Book Princess.

If I'm being honest, the last couple of days have been a bit of a doozy around here. Yesterday at 5:30 am, my hubby and I got woken up to our carbon monoxide detector going off. After multiple visits from the energy company and a furnace repair company, we found out that a part of our furnace wasn't working properly, and we aren't able to use it until it gets fixed. Unfortunately, the part isn't going to be available for a couple of weeks, so we're facing some pretty cold days with no furnace. This may not be a big deal in certain parts of the world in late April, but we've also been getting a freak snowstorm in our part of the country, and it's basically looking like Christmas again outside.

I'm so thankful for Jesus looking out for us though, as without the detector going off when it did, who knows what might have happened.

Anyways, let's stop talking about the bad news, and talk about some books instead.

I know we're already well into 2023, but today's review is actually for one of the titles from my Most Anticipated 2022 releases.

I was on the waiting list for this particular title at the library for quite sometime, so it was quite late in 2022 when I finally got the chance to read it.

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, then you already know that Debbie Macomber is always one of my most very favorite authors, and today I can't wait to share with you all what I ended up thinking about this poignant and heartwarming read.

Keep reading down below for my full review.

The Best is Yet to Come by Debbie Macomber:

Source: Library

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Publication Date: July 12th, 2022

Genre: Women's Fiction/Contemporary/Chick Lit

Series: Oceanside

Synopsis:

When a woman alone in the world bravely chooses to open her heart, two lost souls have a new chance at belonging, in this intimate novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

A new beginning in charming Oceanside, Washington, is exactly what Hope Godwin needs after the death of her twin brother. There are plenty of distractions, like her cozy cottage with the slightly nosy landlords next door, and a brewing drama among her students at the local high school.

Despite having settled quickly into the community, something is still missing for Hope. That is, until her landlord convinces her to volunteer at his animal shelter. There she meets Shadow, a rescue dog that everyone has given up on. But true to her name, Hope believes he’s worth saving.

Like Shadow, shelter volunteer Cade Lincoln Jr., is suffering with injuries most can’t see. A wounded ex-marine, Cade identifies with Shadow, assuming they are both beyond help. Hope senses that what they each need is someone to believe in them, and she has a lot of love to give. As she gains Shadow’s trust, Hope notices Cade begins to open up as well. Finding the courage to be vulnerable again, Cade and Hope take steps toward a relationship, and Hope finally begins to feel at peace in her new home.

But Hope’s new happiness is put to the test when Cade’s past conflicts resurface, and Hope becomes embroiled in the escalating situation at the high school. Love and compassion are supposed to heal all wounds. But are they enough to help Hope and Cade overcome the pain of their past and the obstacles in the way of a better future?

(synopsis from goodreads)

My Review:

Debbie Macomber has been one of my favorites for years, and yet lately, I've found her summery novels to be kind of hit or miss. Thankfully this newest one ended up being a hit for me, and I personally think it's the best so far from the Oceanside series. With relatable characters that are learning how to move on from deep hurts, a sinister mystery developing between some of the teens at the local high school, and a wonderful beachfront setting, it truly showcases Debbie's amazing talent as a storyteller, and I found myself breezing through the majority of it one sitting.

Hope and Cade were both characters that kept me engaged within their story, and I found my heart breaking for everything they'd been through on their journey. I loved the fact this one touches on the many issues that veteran's face when they have to reintegrate into society, and I thought this was handled authentically and tastefully. I especially loved that Hope and Cade meet at the local animal shelter, and that she's willing to give a dog named Shadow a chance when no one else is. It spoke volumes of the big heart that Hope had, and the reader is witness to this throughout the majority of the story as she tries to help not only Shadow, but also Cade and the teenagers in the classes she teaches at the local high school.

I wasn't expecting the mystery to be quite what it was when I first read the synopsis, and I loved that it pulled me in and kept me guessing right until the end. It was much more than a typical teen drama story, and it ended up being my favorite part of the story.

My only complaint would be that I wanted a little more from the romance between Hope and Cade. It seemed like the reader wasn't witness to enough time together between the two of them for it to have gotten as serious as fast as it did. I wanted more of their interactions and more of their developing relationship, and since I didn't get that, I wasn't too invested in their romance as a whole.

Overall though, this one was another wonderful story from one of the genre's best, and I'm thankful that Debbie Macomber has decided against this being her last novel.

Final Rating: 4/5.

I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys clean and cozy romances with a touch of mystery thrown in for good measure.

Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great a great rest of your day:)

This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The photo does not belong to me, and all rights to the respective owners.