Featuring a heartwarming romance, close family ties and delightful friendships, Lilac Lane is an endearing addition to Sherryl Woods' Chesapeake Shores series.

Following the sudden death of her mother Keira Malone's fiancé, Moira O'Brien is worried about her mom so she comes up with a foolproof plan to lure her to the US from Ireland. She convinces her mom that her husband Luke could use her help in his pub and she could use a helping hand with their baby. Keira readily agrees to visit temporarily and while waiting for her visa issues to be fully worked out, she is working at the pub as a consultant. Keira has not had an easy life and she is not one to mince words or hold back from voicing her opinions. Needless to say, she immediately gets on the pub's chef Bryan Laramie's nerves, who is not always amenable to her suggestions.

Bryan is haunted by the fact that he has not seen his daughter since his wife walked out on him years ago and he has never stopped looking for her. Although he is always pleasant, he is a bit of a loner who is devoted to his job. He wants to get along with Luke's mother-in-law, but Keira always manages to irritate him with her unsolicited advice. However, when she moves in next door to him, the unlikely pair end up spending a lot of time in each other's company. After his daughter unexpectedly re-enters his life, Keira is instrumental in smoothing over the rough spots in their reunion.

The relationship between Bryan and Keira is originally a little antagonistic as they bicker back and forth at the pub. Their peaceful moments are often short-lived due to their respective baggage. Their surprising friendship paves the way for their unlikely yet incredibly sweet romance but Keira's fears come between them on more than one occasion. She is quick to put obstacles in their path since she is afraid of risking her heart again. Until Bryan meets Keira, his unsettled past with his wife makes him hesitant to become seriously involved but his growing feelings for the feisty Irishwoman are the catalyst he needs to take steps to resolve these issues.

Lilac Lane is an engaging novel with a fantastic cast of characters and a slow moving but heartfelt romance. Readers who enjoy close-knit families, small town settings and clean romances are sure to love this newest installment in Sherryl Woods' homespun Chesapeake Shores series. ( )

This is a series that I keep coming back to, and no matter how much time has passed, it still feels like I'm coming home. Oh sure, the main players may be different but the township, the community, the camaraderie, and togetherness, are always the same.

Keira Malone and Bryan Laramie are like oil and vinegar; they don't seem to mix but the combination is spectacular! Keira is a visitor from abroad just trying to find her place in this small town for a few months while her daughter keeps an eye on her...not that her daughter would admit (at first) to such intents. She's come to grips with her meddling as well as that of her father, Dillon, but that doesn't mean she has to like it in ALL areas of her life. You see, the reason she "needed" looking after in the first place was because Cupid has been playing some bad tricks on her heart and the latest arrow to take aim fizzled out through no fault of his or her own, but the hurt was just as bad. So no, Keira has no intent of laying low and letting the O'Briens take over her life's direction...but sometimes be need that meddling from those that care for us to find out proper direction again. Even the likes of Bryan can admit to that.

In the end, it was a lovely read that perfectly complements the series. The story's slow development forces the reader to take a step back and enjoy the read page by page as was intended. You'll laugh at the plotting of well intentioned Nell, smile at the O'Briens outlook on life and love, and even be surprised by the unexpected developments that impact not only Bryan's life but Keira's as well. There's so much to love and then some, so if you're a fan of the author already, or a newbie to her work, take a trip down Lilac Lane. You won't be sorry!


**copy received for review ( )

Terrific book. It has been a long time since my last visit to Chesapeake Shores, but it was effortless to slide right back into it. This is the story of Keira, Moira's mother (The Summer Garden) and Bryan, the chef at Luke O'Brien's pub. Relations between Keira and Moira had been strained for a long time before they mended their relationship in the earlier book. Keira raised her three children on her own when her husband deserted her, leaving Keira somewhat bitter and wary of love. Just when she opened herself up again to the possibility, her fiancé died, leaving Keira grieving and lost. Worried about her mother, Moira stretches the truth with the help of her new O'Brien relatives and convinces Keira to come to Maryland, using baby Kate and the pub as the reasons for the visit. Moira really hopes to convince her mother to stay in Chesapeake Shores.

Bryan is the chef at the pub. He worked in both New York and Baltimore before coming to Chesapeake Shores. While not quite a loner, he mostly keeps to himself. He rules his kitchen, accepting interference only from his boss, Luke, and Nell O'Brien, the family matriarch who taught him the traditional Irish recipes served at the pub. The arrival of feisty and blunt Keira doesn't sit well with him, but he doesn't have much choice in the matter.

I liked both Keira and Bryan and the development of their relationship. In the beginning, it is very adversarial, as Keira takes her job of ensuring authenticity very seriously, but Bryan doesn't take her suggestions well. Things begin to change a little bit when Keira moves into the cottage next door to Bryan's house, and they discover that when they leave their work difference behind they get along very well. There were some terrific scenes of late-night chats over wine, and early mornings spent weeding Bryan's garden. The sparks of antagonism that flew between them begin to change to a different kind of sparks. But both Keira and Bryan have baggage that makes them resistant to those sparks. Keira's risked her heart twice and had it broken, though in different ways. Risking it again seems to be the height of folly, so she works hard to keep that little bit of distance between them. Bryan was married many years before but neglected his wife in his zeal to cement his career. His wife took their baby girl and left him without a word when she reached the end of her patience. Bryan has spent almost twenty years trying to find them. Having failed at marriage once, trying again is the last thing on his mind.

But Keira and Bryan aren't given the chance to fight their feelings for long. The O'Brien family is well-known for their tendency to interfere in the lives of those they care for. Everyone from Nell to Mick, right on down the line can see what is happening, and they all have ideas on how to bring the reluctant duo together. Nell comes up with the bright idea of a cooking competition, with the title of best Irish stew between Keira and Bryan up for grabs. I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes machinations of various O'Briens as they fan the flames of competition. Keira recognizes her growing feelings for Bryan, but her fears hold her back from saying anything. I loved the scene where Bryan finds out the truth and the twist that Keira throws into his declaration. I loved how the competition played out and their big moment at the end was fantastic.

In the midst of all this drama, Bryan receives the shock of his life. His long-lost daughter appears in Chesapeake Shores looking for answers. I loved seeing this side of Bryan as he and Deanna got to know each other. The scene where Deanna finally gets up the courage to face her father had me in tears. I also loved that Keira was there to support him. There are some sweet scenes as Keira helps smooth over the rough spots of their reunion.

As always, I love the secondary appearances of other characters. The bits with Moira and her attempts to balance family and career were realistic and moving. I loved the get-togethers at Sally's as the O'Brien women share their days, and how they embraced Keira as one of their own. I laughed out loud at Mick's antics during the buildup to the competition. Nell was a riot as she involved herself and others in her matchmaking. As Bryan and Keira's boss, Luke had quite the challenge in keeping the peace at the pub. And in the end, the entire town had a part in the romance between Bryan and Keira. It will be interesting to see if there will be further Chesapeake Shores books and who will star in them. I'm leaning toward Deanna, plus the frequent mentions of Keira's estranged sons leaves the door open for them also. ( )

I am usually a big fan of this authors books but I found myself frustrated with the characters interactions with each other. I also had a difficult time getting into this book and almost didn’t finish it. ( )

I always wanted to read Ms. Wood's book and I loved this novel! It was told with such passion that I almost thought the people were REAL! I struggled with Keira as she raised her three children without a husband and a father since her marriage ended, and I jumped for JOY when she FINALLY let her heart open to love again! ( )