Evening Stars
New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery returns to Blackberry Island with the poignant tale of two sisters on the verge of claiming their dreamsSmall-town nurse Nina Wentworth has made a career out of being a caretaker. More “Mum” than their mother ever was, she sacrificed medical school—and her first love—so her sister could break free. Which is why she isn’t exactly thrilled to see Averil back on Blackberry Island, especially when Nina’s life has suddenly become…complicated.Nina unexpectedly finds herself juggling two men—her high school sweetheart and a younger maverick pilot who also wants to claim her heart. But as fun as all this romance is, Nina has real life to deal with. Averil doesn’t seem to want the great guy she’s married to, and doesn't seem to be making headway writing her first book; their mom is living life just as recklessly as she always has; and Nina’s starting to realize that the control she once had is slipping out of her fingers. Her hopes of getting off the island seem to be stretching further away…until her mother makes a discovery that could change everything forever.But before Nina and Averil can reach for the stars, they have to decide what they want. Will Averil stay? Will Nina leave? And what about the men who claim to love them? Does love heal, or will finding their happy ending mean giving up all they've ever wanted?
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New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery returns to Blackberry Island with the poignant tale of two sisters on the verge of claiming their dreams.
Small-town nurse Nina Wentworth has made a career out of being a caretaker. More âMomâ than their mother ever was, she sacrificed medical schoolâand her first loveâso her sister could break free. Which is why she isnât exactly thrilled to see Averil back on Blackberry Island, especially when Ninaâs life has suddenly becomeâ¦complicated.
Nina unexpectedly finds herself juggling two menâher high school sweetheart and a younger maverick pilot who also wants to claim her heart. But as fun as all this romance is, Nina has real life to deal with. Averil doesnât seem to want the great guy sheâs married to, and doesnât seem to be making headway writing her first book; their mom is living life just as recklessly as she always has; and Ninaâs starting to realize that the control she once had is slipping out of her fingers. Her hopes of getting off the island seem to be stretching further awayâ¦until her mother makes a discovery that could change everything forever.
But before Nina and Averil can reach for the stars, they have to decide what they want. Will Averil stay? Will Nina leave? And what about the men who claim to love them? Does love heal, or will finding their happy ending mean giving up all theyâve ever wanted?
Praise for the novels of Susan Mallery
âIn her second âBlackberry Islandâ novel, Mallery has again created an engrossing tale of emotional growth and the healing power of friendship as these three âsistersâ meet lifeâs challenges.â
âLibrary Journal on Three Sisters
âSusan Mallery gives us a candid, honest look into the turmoil of family life when tragedies and personal crises occurâ¦Mallery never disappoints her readers and Three Sisters is no exception. Itâs a winner and should be on everyoneâs short list of must reads.â
âFresh Fiction
âBarefoot Season is a well-written story of healing, letting go, and making room in your heart for hope.â
âUSA TODAY
âGritty and magical, angst-ridden and sweet.â
âPublishers Weekly on Barefoot Season
âSusan Mallery weaves a tale of broken friendship with enough twists and turns to keep even the most seasoned reader of commercial womenâs fiction guessing about where the story will lead.â
âBook Reporter on Barefoot Season
âMallery skillfully reveals insights into each womanâs life to create a poignant tale of forgiveness, friendship renewed, and family.â
âLibrary Journal on Barefoot Season
âMallery has set the bar highâ¦.The charactersâ¦come to life in their small-town setting and will touch readersâ hearts and funny bones.â
âRT Book Reviews on Barefoot Season
âThis poignant tale of family dynamics, the jarring impact of change, and eventual acceptance and healing is sure to please Malleryâs many, devoted fans.â
âBooklist on Already Home
To the women in my life.
Thank you for becoming my âsisters of the heart.â Thank you for the love and support, for the friendship, the laughs, the advice, the caring. Thank you for being there, for believing in me and for telling me straight, when Iâm heading in the wrong direction. This is for you. With all my love.
Contents
Chapter One
IN A BATTLE between Betty Boop and multicolored hearts, Nina Wentworth decided it was going to be a Betty Boop kind of day. She pulled the short-sleeved scrub shirt over her head and was already moving toward the bathroom before the fabric settled over her hips.
âDonât be snug, donât be snug,â she chanted as she came to a stop in front of the mirror and reached for her brush.
The shirt settled as it should, with a couple of inches to spare. Nina breathed a sigh of relief. Last nightâs incident with three brownies and a rather large glass of red wine hadnât made a lasting impression on her hips. She was grateful, and she would repent later on an elliptical. Or at least vow to eat her brownies one at a time.
Ten seconds of brushing, one minute of braiding and her blond hair was neat and tidy. She dashed out into the hall, toward the kitchen where she grabbed her car keys and nearly made it to the back door. Just as she was reaching for the knob, the house phone rang.
Nina glanced from the clock to the phone. Everyone in her worldâfriends, family, workâhad her cell. Very few calls came on the antiquated landline, and none of them were good news. Nina retraced her steps and braced herself for disaster.
