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Chesapeake Diaries #2
Home Again
Dallas MacGregor is living the Hollywood dream. At thirtysomething, she's an award-winning actress beloved by the public and bound for even bigger success. But when her soon-to-be-ex-husband, producer Emilio Baird, is caught in a sex scandal, Dallas's charmed life turns tabloid nightmare. Determined to shield her young son, Cody, from the ugly uproar, Dallas seeks refuge in sleepy St. Dennis, Maryland--the Chesapeake Bay town where her happiest childhood days were spent.
Reunited with her boisterous great-aunt, Dallas wants nothing more than to leave her Hollywood days behind. And when she crosses paths with local veterinarian Grant Wyler, her high school summer love, she finds he's everything she remembers, and more--and that the spark is still there. But Dallas's promising new life takes a troubling turn when the unimaginable happens and she finds herself living a mother's worst nightmare--and Emilio storms into St. Dennis to save the day, along with his damaged career. Trapped in the unwanted glare of the limelight once again, Dallas discovers that it's coolheaded Grant who is willing to risk everything to protect her and her son, and to secure the future they were always meant to share.
Reunited with her boisterous great-aunt, Dallas wants nothing more than to leave her Hollywood days behind. And when she crosses paths with local veterinarian Grant Wyler, her high school summer love, she finds he's everything she remembers, and more--and that the spark is still there. But Dallas's promising new life takes a troubling turn when the unimaginable happens and she finds herself living a mother's worst nightmare--and Emilio storms into St. Dennis to save the day, along with his damaged career. Trapped in the unwanted glare of the limelight once again, Dallas discovers that it's coolheaded Grant who is willing to risk everything to protect her and her son, and to secure the future they were always meant to share.
464 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 15, 2010
About the author
Mariah Stewart
98 books1,476 followersMariah Stewart is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of forty-one novels and three novellas and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal. She is a RITA finalist in romantic suspense and the recipient of the Award of Excellence for contemporary romance, a RIO Award for excellence in women's fiction, and a Reviewers Choice Award from Romantic Times Magazine. A three-time winner of the Golden Leaf Award presented by the New Jersey Romance Writers, Stewart was recently awarded their Lifetime Achievement Award (which placed her in their Hall of Fame along with former recipients Nora Roberts and Mary Jo Putney — very excellent company, indeed!)
After having written seven contemporary romance novels, Stewart found true happiness writing murder and mayhem. She considers herself one lucky son of a gun to have landed the best job in the world: getting paid for making up stories. At home. In sweats and J. Crew flip flops. Could life be sweeter?
After having written seven contemporary romance novels, Stewart found true happiness writing murder and mayhem. She considers herself one lucky son of a gun to have landed the best job in the world: getting paid for making up stories. At home. In sweats and J. Crew flip flops. Could life be sweeter?
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
November 7, 2017
3.75/5
Aww… this is why I love second chance romances...
This is the second book in Chesapeake Diaries series and it was such a beautiful, sweet, and romantic read. I was effortlessly pulled into the story and it kept me entertained from start to finish. I love the author’s writing style and how she creates such realistic and relatable characters. I’ve always loved her heroines because they aren’t flawless, but they are reasonable, sensible, and matured. And Dallas is no exception. I enjoyed her character a lot.
The romance between Grant and Dallas was sweet and passionate. Grant was such an endearing man. I loved that he’d got it bad for Dallas since they were both young. She had always been the one for him. But when she decided acting was her dream, he came to realize that it was time for them to go their separate ways.
Many years later, when life threw her a curveball, she brought her son back to the small town of St. Dennis. Here, she and Grant got a second chance to reconnect with each other and they both discovered there was still the bond of love between them. But as the summer was coming to an end, Grant began to wonder if love was enough to make her stay with him for good this time around.
I won’t lie and tell you that this book was captivating throughout. There were some slow moments, of course, but anyhow, I’d never once thought about quitting it. Somehow, some parts of the entire story just hit the spot for me.
Overall, a nice read.
Aww… this is why I love second chance romances...
This is the second book in Chesapeake Diaries series and it was such a beautiful, sweet, and romantic read. I was effortlessly pulled into the story and it kept me entertained from start to finish. I love the author’s writing style and how she creates such realistic and relatable characters. I’ve always loved her heroines because they aren’t flawless, but they are reasonable, sensible, and matured. And Dallas is no exception. I enjoyed her character a lot.
The romance between Grant and Dallas was sweet and passionate. Grant was such an endearing man. I loved that he’d got it bad for Dallas since they were both young. She had always been the one for him. But when she decided acting was her dream, he came to realize that it was time for them to go their separate ways.
Many years later, when life threw her a curveball, she brought her son back to the small town of St. Dennis. Here, she and Grant got a second chance to reconnect with each other and they both discovered there was still the bond of love between them. But as the summer was coming to an end, Grant began to wonder if love was enough to make her stay with him for good this time around.
I won’t lie and tell you that this book was captivating throughout. There were some slow moments, of course, but anyhow, I’d never once thought about quitting it. Somehow, some parts of the entire story just hit the spot for me.
Overall, a nice read.
October 19, 2020
Very enjoyable! What a wonderful series.
August 10, 2017
Author: Mariah Stewart
First published: 2010
Length: 448 pages, 5881 kindle locations
Setting: Contemporary. St Dennis, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland.
Sex: Explicit. Infrequent.
Hero: Vet.
Heroine: Actress.
It was fine. A nice enough second chance romance with a single Mum and a single Dad.
There’s nothing particularly spectacular about it, but it’s a perfectly good beach read. Very much a small town series with an over-arching plot, which actually isn't very interesting. *grimace*
Readable.
2.5 stars. Rounded down.
Chesapeake Diaries:
Book 1 Coming Home - Grady Shields and Vanessa Keaton
Book 2 Home Again - Dallas MacGregor and Grant Wyler
Book 3 Almost Home - Steffie Wyler and Wade MacGregor
Book 4 Hometown Girl - Brooke Madison Bowers and Jesse Enright
Book 5 Home for the Summer - Lucy Sinclair and Clay Madison
Book 6 The Long Way Home - Ellie Chapman and Cameron O'Connor
Book 7 At the River’s Edge - Sophie Enright and Jason Bowers
Book 8 On Sunset Beach - Carly Summit and Ford Sinclair
Book 9 That Chesapeake Summer - Jamie Valentine and Daniel Sinclair
Book 10 Driftwood Point - Lisbeth Parker and Alec Jansen
Book 11 The Chesapeake Bride - Cassidy Logan and Owen Parker
References:
Author's website: http://www.mariahstewart.com/books.html
(ISBN 9781405516273)
-CR-
First published: 2010
Length: 448 pages, 5881 kindle locations
Setting: Contemporary. St Dennis, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland.
Sex: Explicit. Infrequent.
Hero: Vet.
Heroine: Actress.
It was fine. A nice enough second chance romance with a single Mum and a single Dad.
There’s nothing particularly spectacular about it, but it’s a perfectly good beach read. Very much a small town series with an over-arching plot, which actually isn't very interesting. *grimace*
Readable.
2.5 stars. Rounded down.
Chesapeake Diaries:
Book 1 Coming Home - Grady Shields and Vanessa Keaton
Book 2 Home Again - Dallas MacGregor and Grant Wyler
Book 3 Almost Home - Steffie Wyler and Wade MacGregor
Book 4 Hometown Girl - Brooke Madison Bowers and Jesse Enright
Book 5 Home for the Summer - Lucy Sinclair and Clay Madison
Book 6 The Long Way Home - Ellie Chapman and Cameron O'Connor
Book 7 At the River’s Edge - Sophie Enright and Jason Bowers
Book 8 On Sunset Beach - Carly Summit and Ford Sinclair
Book 9 That Chesapeake Summer - Jamie Valentine and Daniel Sinclair
Book 10 Driftwood Point - Lisbeth Parker and Alec Jansen
Book 11 The Chesapeake Bride - Cassidy Logan and Owen Parker
References:
Author's website: http://www.mariahstewart.com/books.html
(ISBN 9781405516273)
-CR-
September 12, 2010
Review by B.A. Ruggiero for Romance Novel News
Hollywood movie star Dallas MacGregor needs to get out of L.A. after her soon-to-be-ex-husband is exposed in a sex scandal. Worried about shielding her son, Cody, from the gossip and nasty press sure to ensue, she secretly flees to St. Dennis, a sleepy town on the Chesapeake Bay where she spent idyllic summers as a child.
At the home of her great aunt and retired Hollywood actress, Berry Eberle, Dallas attempts to keep a low profile, working on a screenplay and laying low until the end of the summer. Enter Grant Wyler, town veterinarian and Dallas’s teenage love of whom she left behind years before to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. He’s divorced, available, and still in love with her. He hopes for a renewed relationship with Dallas but doesn’t want to get hurt again once the dust of the scandal settles and she returns to her Hollywood life.
For a story about a second chance at true love, there is little passion between the hero and heroine. By the time Grant and Dallas have their first, and only, intimate encounter, it occurs far too late in the story and reads flat, quick and emotionless. Readers may be left wondering whether it was worth the wait.
“Home Again” reads more like a love letter to the town St. Dennis, providing little focus on the relationship between the two main characters. Stewart devotes pages to minor details that do not drive the plot, such as the flavors at the local ice cream shop, the stray dogs that Grant takes into his shelter, and the Maryland blue crabs. This quickly becomes boring and repetitive.
The most appealing character proves to be the 80-something Berry who offers witty dialogue and exudes the charm, mystery and sophistication of an old-world movie starlet. Her regrets and secrets pique the reader’s interest, but Stewart spends little time on them.
The book shifts awkwardly from romance to suspense with a predictable climax, failing to elevate the heartbeat of the reader.
Stewart, who normally crafts romantic suspense novels, is making a return to contemporary romance. The result is a hodgepodge of genres, none of which stand out and hold its own.
“Home Again” is the second installment of “The Chesapeake Diaries” series.
Hollywood movie star Dallas MacGregor needs to get out of L.A. after her soon-to-be-ex-husband is exposed in a sex scandal. Worried about shielding her son, Cody, from the gossip and nasty press sure to ensue, she secretly flees to St. Dennis, a sleepy town on the Chesapeake Bay where she spent idyllic summers as a child.
At the home of her great aunt and retired Hollywood actress, Berry Eberle, Dallas attempts to keep a low profile, working on a screenplay and laying low until the end of the summer. Enter Grant Wyler, town veterinarian and Dallas’s teenage love of whom she left behind years before to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. He’s divorced, available, and still in love with her. He hopes for a renewed relationship with Dallas but doesn’t want to get hurt again once the dust of the scandal settles and she returns to her Hollywood life.
For a story about a second chance at true love, there is little passion between the hero and heroine. By the time Grant and Dallas have their first, and only, intimate encounter, it occurs far too late in the story and reads flat, quick and emotionless. Readers may be left wondering whether it was worth the wait.
“Home Again” reads more like a love letter to the town St. Dennis, providing little focus on the relationship between the two main characters. Stewart devotes pages to minor details that do not drive the plot, such as the flavors at the local ice cream shop, the stray dogs that Grant takes into his shelter, and the Maryland blue crabs. This quickly becomes boring and repetitive.
The most appealing character proves to be the 80-something Berry who offers witty dialogue and exudes the charm, mystery and sophistication of an old-world movie starlet. Her regrets and secrets pique the reader’s interest, but Stewart spends little time on them.
The book shifts awkwardly from romance to suspense with a predictable climax, failing to elevate the heartbeat of the reader.
Stewart, who normally crafts romantic suspense novels, is making a return to contemporary romance. The result is a hodgepodge of genres, none of which stand out and hold its own.
“Home Again” is the second installment of “The Chesapeake Diaries” series.
February 27, 2017
This book should be titled "Once Again Bored to Tears." I don't know why I'm doing this series, but I guess I'm hoping to find something to criticize about.
The story goes with Dallas MacGregor coming to St. Dennis with her young son to retreat from the bad publicity her soon-to-be ex-husband brought through a sex scandal. She stays with her grand-aunt Berry (who was once a starlet herself) for the summer. While she's trying to shield her son from the tabloid whores and write her own script that's based on a novel, Dallas reconnects with her childhood first love, Grant Wyler. He's a divorced dad who is a veterinarian of the town. He's also the brother of Steffie (owner of the ice cream place). You have to keep up with the characters from the first novel in this series to know some of the interacting characters.
I didn't mind the plot, but did the story drag on. I was even skimming through the love scenes because that was also tedious and predictable. It isn't until half way through the book that the two main characters spend anytime with each other. However, I did like Berry a lot and how she interacted with Dallas and Cody. She seemed very real for a character despite how "clean" the dialogue or "fuddy duddy" they came off with the humor in the book. I didn't even get so much of a chuckle out of the lighthearted moments. I hope Stewart sticks to being an author and doesn't do stand-up comedy. Even I wouldn't risk doing it and I'm fucking hilarious! (That's going on my tombstone.)
I guess the only part I laughed at was Emilio, the sleazy ex, for thinking he had a chance of redeeming himself or even having any part of Cody's life. Unfortunately, you see this play out in real life where guys think that they can get away with this shit and are still entitled to everything. I call this the Little White Fuck-boy Syndrome. It is where they think with their tiny sacks and use their privileges to do whatever they want. It gave me great pleasure that his son was completely repulsed by his own father even if he was too young to understand what was going on at the time and I'm sure that had to be a big blow to his fat ego. I loved Norma, Dallas' lawyer, big time. It was nice that her old rival, Brooke, became friends with her and helped her along the way.
The story goes with Dallas MacGregor coming to St. Dennis with her young son to retreat from the bad publicity her soon-to-be ex-husband brought through a sex scandal. She stays with her grand-aunt Berry (who was once a starlet herself) for the summer. While she's trying to shield her son from the tabloid whores and write her own script that's based on a novel, Dallas reconnects with her childhood first love, Grant Wyler. He's a divorced dad who is a veterinarian of the town. He's also the brother of Steffie (owner of the ice cream place). You have to keep up with the characters from the first novel in this series to know some of the interacting characters.
I didn't mind the plot, but did the story drag on. I was even skimming through the love scenes because that was also tedious and predictable. It isn't until half way through the book that the two main characters spend anytime with each other. However, I did like Berry a lot and how she interacted with Dallas and Cody. She seemed very real for a character despite how "clean" the dialogue or "fuddy duddy" they came off with the humor in the book. I didn't even get so much of a chuckle out of the lighthearted moments. I hope Stewart sticks to being an author and doesn't do stand-up comedy. Even I wouldn't risk doing it and I'm fucking hilarious! (That's going on my tombstone.)
I guess the only part I laughed at was Emilio, the sleazy ex, for thinking he had a chance of redeeming himself or even having any part of Cody's life. Unfortunately, you see this play out in real life where guys think that they can get away with this shit and are still entitled to everything. I call this the Little White Fuck-boy Syndrome. It is where they think with their tiny sacks and use their privileges to do whatever they want. It gave me great pleasure that his son was completely repulsed by his own father even if he was too young to understand what was going on at the time and I'm sure that had to be a big blow to his fat ego. I loved Norma, Dallas' lawyer, big time. It was nice that her old rival, Brooke, became friends with her and helped her along the way.
July 30, 2024
I’m a sucker for second chance romances, and Dallas and Grant were a pleasure to read about. This book made me want to visit Maryland’s eastern shore, which is only a couple hours drive from me.
March 23, 2012
My main comment about this novel is that it reads like a soap opera: The plot focuses on a group of core couples, with a bunch of supporting characters on the periphery that the reader can already tell will get their own stories. The reader is supposed to be following movie star Dallas MacGregor as she returns to her hometown and reconnects with the family and friends she left behind in search of fame and fortune. Dallas is in the middle of a divorce from her scandal-plagued director husband, and the stress of his actions is too much for their young son, so Dallas retreats to the peaceful St. Dennis to clear her head and gain perspective.
This peace is threatened by the discovery that her first love, veterinarian Grant Wyler, is also in town. Grant is now a divorced single father himself, and it looks like this star-crossed pair might finally have a chance to live happily ever after. But, as in real life, old hurts don’t just fade away, and Dallas and Grant have to figure out how to settle old disagreements before they can move forward. But then the unthinkable happens: Dallas’ son goes missing, her ex-husband descends on the town, and her relationship with Grant is put under incredible strain.
The story is a little cheesy, but once I was hooked I wanted to find out what happened next and couldn't stop watching. The plot even moves with the slowness of a television serial: The reader gets to spend time with the inner thoughts of at least a half a dozen characters, and the shifting POV further detracts from the focus on what is supposed to be the primary couple. This definitely waters down much of the emotion and connection to these characters and, while it's good for building a series that will soon include a fifth book, it didn't feel like the main characters ever really had much of a chance to stand center stage. Despite this, I really enjoyed Stewart’s exploration of how our teenage years stay with us—we don’t just ‘get over’ our youth, and it shapes us in permanent ways that are important. I also appreciated her measured introduction of characters: By the time another supporting character gets their book the reader has already had a chance to learn about them, and the novel can spend more time on plot development.
I will also add that I’m still not a fan of the diary aspect of the novel, as written by Grace Sinclair, an elderly character who has lived in St. Dennis all her life. The entries felt like a rehash of everything I had just read, and screamed "JUST IN CASE YOU WEREN'T PAYING ATENTION DURING THE LAST COUPLE OF CHAPTERS!" These diary entries would have been a lot more interesting if they had offered some insight or secret insider knowledge, that is, after all, what diaries in novels are for, but they never seem to function in a productive way in this book. The little surprise twist Grace offers in the first book of this series isn't explored further, and it makes me wonder if that was an anomaly and if ‘Gracie’s’ back story will be explored in an interesting way in future books.
Another somewhat forgettable aspect of the narrative is the near tragedy involving Dallas’ son: This event takes place so close to the end of the novel and over a span of so few pages that it was difficult to be too worried. When the climax of the story finally does arrive, it happens quickly, and there is very little suspense or question about how everything will be resolved.
Although this story never truly moved me, it did catch my interest enough to want to know what happens to the citizens of St. Dennis. I like Mariah Stewart's writing style, and the characters she has created feel real; I am compelled to return to St. Dennis to find out how everybody else's story goes. This is the second book I’ve read and I find that it isn't a series that has managed to rise above simple 'like’ that will send me rushing to recommend it all my fellow romance lovers. It's a good story, however, set in an interesting community, and would be an entertaining read for a lazy weekend or beach read. I would recommend this series to those readers who like series romance with a strong sense of community.
This peace is threatened by the discovery that her first love, veterinarian Grant Wyler, is also in town. Grant is now a divorced single father himself, and it looks like this star-crossed pair might finally have a chance to live happily ever after. But, as in real life, old hurts don’t just fade away, and Dallas and Grant have to figure out how to settle old disagreements before they can move forward. But then the unthinkable happens: Dallas’ son goes missing, her ex-husband descends on the town, and her relationship with Grant is put under incredible strain.
The story is a little cheesy, but once I was hooked I wanted to find out what happened next and couldn't stop watching. The plot even moves with the slowness of a television serial: The reader gets to spend time with the inner thoughts of at least a half a dozen characters, and the shifting POV further detracts from the focus on what is supposed to be the primary couple. This definitely waters down much of the emotion and connection to these characters and, while it's good for building a series that will soon include a fifth book, it didn't feel like the main characters ever really had much of a chance to stand center stage. Despite this, I really enjoyed Stewart’s exploration of how our teenage years stay with us—we don’t just ‘get over’ our youth, and it shapes us in permanent ways that are important. I also appreciated her measured introduction of characters: By the time another supporting character gets their book the reader has already had a chance to learn about them, and the novel can spend more time on plot development.
I will also add that I’m still not a fan of the diary aspect of the novel, as written by Grace Sinclair, an elderly character who has lived in St. Dennis all her life. The entries felt like a rehash of everything I had just read, and screamed "JUST IN CASE YOU WEREN'T PAYING ATENTION DURING THE LAST COUPLE OF CHAPTERS!" These diary entries would have been a lot more interesting if they had offered some insight or secret insider knowledge, that is, after all, what diaries in novels are for, but they never seem to function in a productive way in this book. The little surprise twist Grace offers in the first book of this series isn't explored further, and it makes me wonder if that was an anomaly and if ‘Gracie’s’ back story will be explored in an interesting way in future books.
Another somewhat forgettable aspect of the narrative is the near tragedy involving Dallas’ son: This event takes place so close to the end of the novel and over a span of so few pages that it was difficult to be too worried. When the climax of the story finally does arrive, it happens quickly, and there is very little suspense or question about how everything will be resolved.
Although this story never truly moved me, it did catch my interest enough to want to know what happens to the citizens of St. Dennis. I like Mariah Stewart's writing style, and the characters she has created feel real; I am compelled to return to St. Dennis to find out how everybody else's story goes. This is the second book I’ve read and I find that it isn't a series that has managed to rise above simple 'like’ that will send me rushing to recommend it all my fellow romance lovers. It's a good story, however, set in an interesting community, and would be an entertaining read for a lazy weekend or beach read. I would recommend this series to those readers who like series romance with a strong sense of community.
September 23, 2010
I really enjoyed the book, but...
I had one big problem with this book, and that was the description on the back cover, which, when I was reading the book felt simultaneously spoilerish and misleading.
But the content of the book itself was great!
I read Coming Home first, but it wasn't necessary. Both books can be read in either order without affecting your enjoyment.
Coming Home was a small town book mixed with romantic suspense, Home Again was a small town book mixed with an emotional drama. The tension in this book was in Dallas's relationship with her ex-husband, a truly unpleasant fellow. Luckily for the reader, he's almost entirely off-stage, and what we see is Dallas protecting her child and rebuilding her life.
I loved Dallas's Aunt Berry, and the relationships Dallas begins to build with other women. The character of the town continues to come through in this book.
Grant was much more my kind of guy than many romance heroes, but he isn't perfect. That's fine, and the relationship built (or rebuilt, since they were childhood sweethearts) in a nice way.
I did have some issues with the way the logistics of love story played out in the end, but I'm willing to look past those as part of the constraints of the genre.
I had one big problem with this book, and that was the description on the back cover, which, when I was reading the book felt simultaneously spoilerish and misleading.
But the content of the book itself was great!
I read Coming Home first, but it wasn't necessary. Both books can be read in either order without affecting your enjoyment.
Coming Home was a small town book mixed with romantic suspense, Home Again was a small town book mixed with an emotional drama. The tension in this book was in Dallas's relationship with her ex-husband, a truly unpleasant fellow. Luckily for the reader, he's almost entirely off-stage, and what we see is Dallas protecting her child and rebuilding her life.
I loved Dallas's Aunt Berry, and the relationships Dallas begins to build with other women. The character of the town continues to come through in this book.
Grant was much more my kind of guy than many romance heroes, but he isn't perfect. That's fine, and the relationship built (or rebuilt, since they were childhood sweethearts) in a nice way.
I did have some issues with the way the logistics of love story played out in the end, but I'm willing to look past those as part of the constraints of the genre.
February 2, 2015
There's just something about these books. No, they aren't necessary very good, and yes, you know exactly what to expect... but still you can't help but enjoy yourself with them.
As to this book cliched characters, the girl is a movie star and the boy is a vet. Obviously you know from the start that they're going to wind up together, but you still keep reading just to see how it will happen.
Dallas, the movie star, had a son, Cody, and I think out of everything in the book I enjoyed reading about their relationship the best.
I find that I don't have a lot to say about this, because really there's not a lot to comment on. Although I can't wait to read the next one in the series which is I believe about the ice cream shop owner!
Disclosure: I was provided this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.
As to this book cliched characters, the girl is a movie star and the boy is a vet. Obviously you know from the start that they're going to wind up together, but you still keep reading just to see how it will happen.
Dallas, the movie star, had a son, Cody, and I think out of everything in the book I enjoyed reading about their relationship the best.
I find that I don't have a lot to say about this, because really there's not a lot to comment on. Although I can't wait to read the next one in the series which is I believe about the ice cream shop owner!
Disclosure: I was provided this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 20, 2014
I don't know what it was about this book that made it so slow for me. It took me forever to read! Of course, being just before Christmas as well as doing a remodel in our bedroom leaves me with very little reading time. But still, if I'm hooked on a book I'll stay up all night reading. I really liked all of the characters. Dallas was trying so hard to be a good mom, Grant was so sweet and understanding, Berry was an absolute hoot. There was nothing to not like about this book.
I'm going with a 3-star rating on this one since I cannot put my finger on why it moved so slow for me and I loved the characters. I cannot go higher than that since it did take me so long to finish. It just didn't have that pull.
This will not stop me from reading the next in the series. I've been looking forward to Steffi and Wade's story since the first book.
I'm going with a 3-star rating on this one since I cannot put my finger on why it moved so slow for me and I loved the characters. I cannot go higher than that since it did take me so long to finish. It just didn't have that pull.
This will not stop me from reading the next in the series. I've been looking forward to Steffi and Wade's story since the first book.
July 21, 2013
I think what I like about this is the relationship between Dallas and her great aunt Berry who use to be an actress. She lives Grand and teaches her son Cody to live Grand also which he needs after having to leave his dad behind in Hollywood. You see his dad has been caught with his pannts down with someone that is not his mom. So to save Cody from the press she comes home to her aunt Berry. And runs right into her old flame Grant who is now the town Vet. which brings a dog into Cody's life which bring Grant into Dallas life again. This is a rekindle love romance but to me its more of a family story of love.
August 2, 2013
Home Again
Mariah Stewart
★☆ 1/2
Ugh. I was sooo disappointed in this book. I had enjoyed book 1 so much. But with any series theres always one book that just doesnt measure up. I hope the series goes uphill from here.
The book was good the story line fine I love Berry. Just the sweetest thing, reminds me of my auntie. But gosh the details were never ending.
I dont like how the author concentrated more on the details than on our hero and heroine. They didnt really have a story there. If anything this book could have been made shorter into a novella explaining the town and people which is what this book did.
all the romance was at the end of the book, but even then I wad unsatisfied.
Mariah Stewart
★☆ 1/2
Ugh. I was sooo disappointed in this book. I had enjoyed book 1 so much. But with any series theres always one book that just doesnt measure up. I hope the series goes uphill from here.
The book was good the story line fine I love Berry. Just the sweetest thing, reminds me of my auntie. But gosh the details were never ending.
I dont like how the author concentrated more on the details than on our hero and heroine. They didnt really have a story there. If anything this book could have been made shorter into a novella explaining the town and people which is what this book did.
all the romance was at the end of the book, but even then I wad unsatisfied.
December 21, 2015
Nice read. Hero and heroine were summer sweethearts over their high school years until she got caught up in the beginnings of her acting career and they went their separate ways. Now she's come back because of an ugly divorce and the antics of her almost ex. The hero is divorced from his wife, and the sparks kindle again. Much of the action involves visiting around town and adopting shelter dogs and learning to row a boat. Nothing much, though the heroine's son and his new best friend do get into some adventures that wreak havoc on the moms. It's a nice story with some good angst. An enjoyable read.
July 17, 2012
Loved the beautiful love story. Looking forward to reading book one and three of the series.
February 23, 2021
Summer is the perfect season for a light beach read, especially in the awful year of 2020. Needing a break from all the doom and gloom I borrowed Home Again by Mariah Stewart from my mother.
Dallas MacGregor seems to have it all. She’s an award-winning movie star married to a successful film producer named Emilio Baird and the mother of a delightful little boy named Cody.
But soon Dallas’s world comes apart when her husband is caught with two women in a scandalous sex tape. Dallas decides to divorce her scummy husband and escapes the tabloid scrutiny by returning to St. Dennis, Maryland where she spent her youth in the comfort of her family and close community.
Dallas is not alone in this time of upheaval. While in St. Dennis Dallas reunites with her fun-loving great aunt Beryl “Berry” Eberle. Berry was once a movie star herself during Hollywood’s golden age.
And there is also another resident of St. Dennis that has Dallas’s heart, local veterinarian Grant Wyler. Grant was Dallas’s first love. Is the spark still there after so many years apart? Maybe so.
Dallas finds solace and support in St. Dennis as she goes through her divorce and faces tabloid trash. She connects with other St. Dennis residents, even her rival for Grant’s affection. She fuels her creativity by working on an adapted screenplay of a popular book and getting the chance to make into a film.
And just as Dallas thrives in St. Dennis so does her son Cody. However, Dallas’s dastardly ex, Emilio arrives in St. Dennis. Is he going to cause havoc or try to make amends with Dallas and Cody? And what about Grant? Is he going to be a brief fling or a lasting love? Heck, even Aunt Berry might face a few changes in her life both professionally and in the department of romance.
Home Again kept my interest from the very first page. Though I felt that Dallas was written too good to be true and Emilio was too much of a cad, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Stewart writes in a very vivid and descriptive way that fills all five senses. I especially liked how the ice cream sold at the local shop Scoop was described. My mouth watered over the unique flavors.
And another interesting element of Home Again are the diary entries of Grace the editor of the local paper St. Dennis Gazette. These diary entries focus on Dallas and Berry’s lives. Hey, Grace is a journalist. She’s always interested in getting the “scoop” on St Dennis’s most famous residents.
And though Home Again was a bit predictable once it came to its closure, I found it a satisfying read as summer winds down.
Originally published at The Book Self:
https://thebookselfblog.wordpress.com...
Dallas MacGregor seems to have it all. She’s an award-winning movie star married to a successful film producer named Emilio Baird and the mother of a delightful little boy named Cody.
But soon Dallas’s world comes apart when her husband is caught with two women in a scandalous sex tape. Dallas decides to divorce her scummy husband and escapes the tabloid scrutiny by returning to St. Dennis, Maryland where she spent her youth in the comfort of her family and close community.
Dallas is not alone in this time of upheaval. While in St. Dennis Dallas reunites with her fun-loving great aunt Beryl “Berry” Eberle. Berry was once a movie star herself during Hollywood’s golden age.
And there is also another resident of St. Dennis that has Dallas’s heart, local veterinarian Grant Wyler. Grant was Dallas’s first love. Is the spark still there after so many years apart? Maybe so.
Dallas finds solace and support in St. Dennis as she goes through her divorce and faces tabloid trash. She connects with other St. Dennis residents, even her rival for Grant’s affection. She fuels her creativity by working on an adapted screenplay of a popular book and getting the chance to make into a film.
And just as Dallas thrives in St. Dennis so does her son Cody. However, Dallas’s dastardly ex, Emilio arrives in St. Dennis. Is he going to cause havoc or try to make amends with Dallas and Cody? And what about Grant? Is he going to be a brief fling or a lasting love? Heck, even Aunt Berry might face a few changes in her life both professionally and in the department of romance.
Home Again kept my interest from the very first page. Though I felt that Dallas was written too good to be true and Emilio was too much of a cad, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Stewart writes in a very vivid and descriptive way that fills all five senses. I especially liked how the ice cream sold at the local shop Scoop was described. My mouth watered over the unique flavors.
And another interesting element of Home Again are the diary entries of Grace the editor of the local paper St. Dennis Gazette. These diary entries focus on Dallas and Berry’s lives. Hey, Grace is a journalist. She’s always interested in getting the “scoop” on St Dennis’s most famous residents.
And though Home Again was a bit predictable once it came to its closure, I found it a satisfying read as summer winds down.
Originally published at The Book Self:
https://thebookselfblog.wordpress.com...
August 29, 2017
Alright, No. 2 in this series *cracks fingers*...
Dallas MacGregor is a blonde bombshell movie star who spent her formative years in St. Dennis with her on-again/off-again summer fling Grant Wyler before making it big in Hollywood. Somewhat unbelievably, she's still very conservative and down-to-earth - despite the sex scandals of her industry husband and constant press. So she retreats back to St. Dennis with her young son in two (who's much more precocious and innocent than a child coming up in that environment has any right to be!) to stay with her retired screen-star great aunt Berry - literally the best character in the entire book.
There she reconnects with Grant Wyler, who just seems to forgive her for tugging his heartstrings all over the place for most of his youth. Grant is a good guy with a teenager daughter (who could probably be a little more sulky than her character is written) and an animal rescue/vet business. He's a believable kind of guy and really not someone I would expect to still be pining for a movie star former girlfriend.
But it is what it is. A trite and predictable romance, not enough nastiness and suspense from Dallas's sleazeball ex to make things interesting, and adults who are just TOO damn accommodating towards children that realistically are never that well behaved.
I guess this is why they call it fiction. Heh.
Dallas MacGregor is a blonde bombshell movie star who spent her formative years in St. Dennis with her on-again/off-again summer fling Grant Wyler before making it big in Hollywood. Somewhat unbelievably, she's still very conservative and down-to-earth - despite the sex scandals of her industry husband and constant press. So she retreats back to St. Dennis with her young son in two (who's much more precocious and innocent than a child coming up in that environment has any right to be!) to stay with her retired screen-star great aunt Berry - literally the best character in the entire book.
There she reconnects with Grant Wyler, who just seems to forgive her for tugging his heartstrings all over the place for most of his youth. Grant is a good guy with a teenager daughter (who could probably be a little more sulky than her character is written) and an animal rescue/vet business. He's a believable kind of guy and really not someone I would expect to still be pining for a movie star former girlfriend.
But it is what it is. A trite and predictable romance, not enough nastiness and suspense from Dallas's sleazeball ex to make things interesting, and adults who are just TOO damn accommodating towards children that realistically are never that well behaved.
I guess this is why they call it fiction. Heh.
Read
March 22, 2024Despite my lukewarm reception to the first book in this series, I found myself inexplicably drawn to continue the series. There's a certain charm to it, a comforting predictability that serves as a literary palate cleanser. As I delved further into the series, I discovered myself growing more accustomed to its rhythm, and dare I say, even enjoying it.
As I said with first of the series , Coming Home, the author offers a sweet escape into a world of small-town romances and cozy atmospheres. Sometimes, that's precisely what one craves – a break from the chaos of reality into the soothing familiarity of a well-trodden path.
Home Again and its subsequent series offer a sweet little indulgence for those moments when you crave simplicity and comfort. While it may not leave a lasting impact or linger in your thoughts long after you've turned the final page, it certainly has its place on the bookshelf for those seeking a gentle reprieve from the complexities of life.
As I said with first of the series , Coming Home, the author offers a sweet escape into a world of small-town romances and cozy atmospheres. Sometimes, that's precisely what one craves – a break from the chaos of reality into the soothing familiarity of a well-trodden path.
Home Again and its subsequent series offer a sweet little indulgence for those moments when you crave simplicity and comfort. While it may not leave a lasting impact or linger in your thoughts long after you've turned the final page, it certainly has its place on the bookshelf for those seeking a gentle reprieve from the complexities of life.
March 30, 2020
I didn't care for this book as much as #1 in the series. Mainly because Dallas was really selfish. Especially when it came to her son. That poor kid being raised in Hollywood, the public eye and with a jerk for a dad and all she can think of is her career. She also really broke Grants heart, expecting him to be thrilled for her that she was leaving him for good to become famous. You'd think she'd be more understanding of other people's heartache after her own as a child. She just came across as "poor me me me". As a parent I couldn't relate to her at all. .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2023
A sweet story and would be a good summer/beach read. Dallas is trying to get away from the tabloids about her soon to be ex-husband who has made a sex tape video of him with other women. Dallas is a famous actress and wants to protect her son from this mess. They go stay with her famous Aunt Berry where she use to spend her summers. Dallas runs in to her old flame, Grant and the feelings on both sides are still there. When Dallas's son is in danger, Grant comes in to help. Likeable characters in the story. Enjoyable read.
October 15, 2017
I don't care if it's mass market or a serial romance series, I absolutely love this series! It's one of my very favorites. I love the setting, the characters, the plot, the writing, and the wholesome goodness that fills the pages of these stories. It's a pure feel-good story that warms your heart and keeps you reading just to be a part of this world. This book made me happy and kept me enthralled the whole way through.
May 24, 2017
I liked this second story of this series, but had a bit of a hard time believing that Dallas, one of the main characters, who is a big movie star, that she is so nice and down to earth.
Anyone with so much success would have some airs.... at least that's what I think.
Although it was a nice story and followed the town's residence that also leads to the next story...
Anyone with so much success would have some airs.... at least that's what I think.
Although it was a nice story and followed the town's residence that also leads to the next story...
January 11, 2019
Wonderful read
I love this series I'm on my third time of reading these books. I love the characters and how their lives flow through the storyline. It's not every day you find books that you finish and then next year come back to them and fall in love again with these wonderful people.
I love this series I'm on my third time of reading these books. I love the characters and how their lives flow through the storyline. It's not every day you find books that you finish and then next year come back to them and fall in love again with these wonderful people.
January 21, 2021
I read this series, in order, over the past month or so, through the lonely holidays in 'Covid 19 world'. It is a wonderful series-- 12 books each with a lovely romance, some mystery and magic. The characters are great and each story has its own theme, if you will, which made them so interesting as new friends were introduced to others in their small town on the beautiful Chesapeake.
March 27, 2024
This is the story of Dallas McGregor - a small town girl who has made it in Hollywood and is a superstar. She flees back to her town of St. Dennis when her marriage publicly crumbles and is all over the tabloids, and there she reconnects with Grant, her first love. This is a nice romance but a little slow and not quite as good as the first volume in the Chesapeake Diaries series).
November 6, 2016
The story of St. Dennis continues. This book concentrates on Dallas McGregor and her great aunt Berry, both of whom walked away from the loves of their lives. Will they be reunited with their former loves? read and find out.
July 12, 2019
Maybe it would be more if I had read the first, but Hollywood stars aren't my preferred characters. Dallas retreats to her Aunt's home on the Chesapeake Bay after her husband's sex scandal goes viral. There she reconnects with her childhood romance, who is now the town vet.
May 26, 2017
This is a charming story with great characters. The romance was too subtle, but otherwise an enjoyable book.
August 27, 2017
Enjoyed reading about how Dallas and Cody came back to St. Dennis and got her second chance with Grant. Making through the series one by one...and enjoying it.
October 21, 2017
dalllas & local vet
May 24, 2018
The story continues
I love the characters and the fact that there are multi story lines . Small town saga- believable with some drama
I love the characters and the fact that there are multi story lines . Small town saga- believable with some drama
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