Jackson is Emily March's latest book in the Eternity Springs series. I’m new to this series, but definitely hooked. I enjoyed the story of Jackson and Carolyn. There is humor, heartache and romance. She describes the setting so it comes to life as you read the story. Recommended!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.

Jackson has moved to Redemption, Texas to start a new life. He has soured on life after his divorce and he is definitely not looking for love! Enter Caroline! The last thing she wants is love. She must get her bookstore sustainable and she has not got time for anything else.
This is a spin off series from Emily March’s Eternity Springs series. It is not necessary that you read the Eternity Springs series. But there are some of the same characters in both reads.The story is a good, clean romance, as I like to call it….a palate cleanser. Sometimes a reader needs an easy, fun loving read after some heavy story line books. This one hit me at the right time. However, this is not my favorite Emily March book. I felt there was too much junk and squabbling between other characters and not enough connection between Jackson and Caroline. I do enjoy how the author sprinkles in little quips that have me laughing out loud. Not a bad read at all, especially for a road trip!
I received a copy from St. Martin’s Press for a honest review

This new series is a spin-off of the Eternity Springs series. It is set in Redemption, a small town in Texas. The story is light-hearted for the most part. The novel also has serious issues that the main characters must deal with in order to move forward. This author has an amazing ability of creating not just characters or plot lines but communities and extended families. This explains why there are a lot of secondary characters in this novel, some new, some already familiar if you have read the Eternity Springs series.

Jackson McBride is a gifted songwriter but he hasn’t written anything since his divorce and he is depressed by his creative dry spell. His ruthless ex-wife has dragged him through hell and she has recently separated him from his six year old daughter. He is only allowed to speak to her on the phone. His relocation to a small town Redemption in Texas brings him hope a new chapter in his life has started. He has inherited Enchanted Canyon, a very special place, unspoiled and underdeveloped.

Caroline Carruthers is a widow who has found her way to Redemption. She intends to make a home for herself in the idyllic small town that calls to her and calms her troubled spirit. What I like most about Caroline is her caring and thoughtful nature. She noticed Jackson being depressed and helped him instead of letting him be.
The characters of Caroline and Jackson were strong and layered. They both had issues that they carried into their relationship. These issues were handled with sensitivity. I loved the dynamic between these two characters, nothing was forced or rushed.

Jackson's family also has a nice spot in this story, and I wish there had been more of them.
Overall, this was an entertaining read that can be read as a standalone. 3.5 Stars

Jackson by Emily March is the 1st book in her Eternity Springs spinoff series, The McBrides of Texas. Caroline Carruthers, our heroine, is emotionally going through the despair of her husband in the later stages of Alzheimer’s; he no longer knows who she is. After his death, she decides to start a new phase in her life by moving to Redemption, Texas and open a bookstore/café.

Jackson McBride, our hero, has also had some hardships in his life, as he is still bitter over the ending of his marriage; as well as the downside of his music career. Jackson met Caroline, months before, when she went to Redemption to help a friend (Celeste) and it was Jackson who helped drive her home as her husband was dying. Jackson and his two cousins (Boone and Tucker) inherited a small western town in a canyon outside of Redemption that is abandoned, and they decide to rebuild it.

Around a year after the death of her husband is when Caroline moves to Redemption, and finds some friends she met earlier, as well as Jackson. They become very good friends, as Jackson takes Caroline around to see all the changes and how great their new project is; in time a slow build romance will start, as their friendship becomes something much more. But Jackson’s ex wife, who is a major singing star, loses people from her crew and friends in a tragic plane crash. This will push his ex to lean on Jackson with their young daughter, whom he hasn’t had visitation rights for the time she was in Europe.

I liked both Jackson and Caroline as they were both sweet, kind and likeable individually as well as a couple. With the tragedy, which finds Jackson spending more time with his daughter and ex to help her through the hard times, and to get her back on track with their careers; it puts some concerns between Jackson and Caroline if his ex wants a permanent relationship again. Caroline was very understanding and patient, and she also became very close to his daughter. There was a concern that Jackson would fall under his ex’s desire, but Emily March gave us a very nice happy ending for everyone.

I enjoyed the story very much, but I will add that though all books from the previous and this series read well as standalones, I became very confused when they had the grand opening of the town, and many of the people who were part of Eternity Springs attended; which was a bit hard not knowing who was who.
Jackson was very well written by Emily March, and all the characters were very likeable. I expect the next two books will revolve around Boone and Tucker. If you enjoy a simple sweet romance, I suggest you read Jackson.

Jackson and Caroline came to Redemption, Texas to heal both in their own way. Jackson had lost access to his beautiful daughter in a bitter divorce. Caroline is recovering from her beloved husband’s early death. How these two people learn to move on in the special atmosphere of Redemption with other unusual characters shows how the wait can be worth it.
I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a new series by Emily March but there are ties to her Eternity Springs series with character crossover.  It is set in Texas, so you know it is going to be good...or at least I do!

I had a hard time putting this book down, so enjoyable and it kept me engaged from the first page to the end.  I loved Caroline and couldn't imagine what she went through when her husband was diagnosed with early onset Alzeheimers.  She had a tough time being his caregiver but also dealing with his sister who found fault with everything Caroline did or didn't do at the end.  Jackson was also going through a rough patch related to a custody battle, but meeting Caroline woke something up inside that had been missing for some time, his music.

I laughed and was misty during various parts of this book.  I love how even though life had been tough for Caroline and Jackson, they didn't let it stand in their way.  It wasn't always easy but they made it work.  There is a little tension during various parts near the end but that just adds to the story!

I love the towns of Redemption and Ruin and some of the clever puns made regarding the names.  Angelica is interesting and I can't wait to see how her story evolves in the next two books.  She may be related to Celeste Blessing, but they are as different as night and day!

We give this book 5 paws of and if you are a fan of Emily March you won't be disappointed with this new series.

Best-selling author Emily March is back with an enchanting, engaging and engrossing contemporary romance about healing, starting over and taking chances that is sure to touch readers’ hearts and make them smile: Jackson. Intensely emotional, beautifully written and richly textured, Jackson is another surefire winner from this talented storyteller.

Singer/songwriter Jackson McBride had once had the world at his feet. With a beautiful and talented woman by his side, a gorgeous daughter and a thriving career, Jackson’s life couldn’t possibly get any better – until his domestic idyll was shattered and destroyed by betrayal and deception. Jackson used to believe that love made the world go round, but after getting his heart shattered to smithereens, he had built an impenetrable wall around himself and vowed to keep his feeling and emotions firmly under lock and key. Since the end of his marriage, Jackson’s muse seems to have abandoned him and deserted him. Lyrics and songs that used to come to him as easily as breathing are a thing of the past with him and now that he’s vowed to remain single, his entire life is going to revolve purely around business. When he receives news from his cousin Boone, that him and his cousins have inherited a legacy from their Aunt Mildred, he sets off with them to Redemption, Texas where he finds his ice-cold heart melting all thanks to a beautiful woman who has had her fair share of anguish lately: Caroline Carruthers.

When Caroline had married a man fifteen years her senior, she had thought that their love was going to last forever. However, when a cruel of twist of fate had robbed her of her chance at happiness, Caroline thought that her dreams were lost forever. Having consigned relationships and emotions to the past, the beautiful travel writer needs to look to the future and start again, but that is something that is easier said than done. However, could a fresh start be within her reach when she gets an assignment that sees her traveling all the way to Redemption, Texas, a place where she can settle down and begin anew? In Redemption, Caroline can not only make her dream of opening a bookshop a reality, but she can also lay old ghosts to rest and start living again – mainly due to an unexpected attraction to a handsome and soulful man who awakens feelings deep within her which she thought long-buried. Resisting Jackson and keeping him at arm’s length soon proves to be completely impossible, but does their relationship have any hope of surviving when there are so many obstacles standing in their way? Or will they continue to be held hostage by the past?

With so many obstacles standing in their way, can Caroline and Jackson find a way to be together? Or is their love simply not meant to be?

Emily March hits it out of the park once again with Jackson. A scintillating and enthralling tale about starting over, fresh starts and finding the courage to fall in love again, Jackson is written with all the heart, charm and warmth that are Emily March’s hallmarks. With a gorgeous cowboy hero who will make readers swoon, an intelligent and believable heroine and drama, pathos and emotion aplenty, Jackson is a first class contemporary romance from an immensely talented writer: Emily March!

I've been a fan of Emily March's Eternity Springs series since book one. The characteristics that have sent those books straight to my keeper shelf - complex, endearing characters, heart-tugging story lines, redemption, healing, starting over, and happy-ever-afters - are all on display in this first book of March's new spin-off series, along with a fair amount of humor. Moving from Colorado to the Texas Hill Country, this new series brings readers the stories of three McBride cousins: Jackson, Tucker, and Boone.

March tells this first book in two parts with part one recounting Jackson and Caroline's first meeting as well as the events that lead each of them to move to Redemption. My heart ached for Jackson from the get-go. He's reeling from a heartbreaking child custody decision when we first meet him, is still bitter about his divorce, and has lost the desire to create the music he used to write. For some reason, Caroline, a stranger he bumps into, has lyrics floating through his mind again. Caroline, in Redemption to write a travel article, enjoys talking to Jackson and touring the property he and his cousins plan to turn into an inn, restaurant, and dance hall. They "click" but not in an overtly sexual way. Caroline is married and very much in love with her husband, even though he has Alzheimer's and no longer knows her and Jackson is an honorable man who would never make a play for a married woman, even if he hadn't already sworn off women since his divorce.

The relationship between Caroline and Jackson begins in Part Two which takes place a year after their first meeting and many months after the death of Caroline's husband. I appreciate the time March gives Caroline before bringing her back to Redemption and into Jackson's sphere. As someone who has walked her path, I found her emotions to be very realistic as she begins the next chapter of her life. I also like that her late husband isn't cast aside as if he never existed. Their years together are very much a part of her as the years Jackson was married and his child are an integral part of him. They all weave together to create the individuals Caroline and Jackson now are and the relationship they create together. March uses care and sensitivity as she slowly guides them from acquaintances, to friends, to lovers, to two people embarking upon a life together. I really liked these two, both individually and as a couple, and quickly became invested in their happiness.

As a fan of Eternity Springs, I was delighted with the appearances of cross-over characters in this novel. It's especially fun to watch unflappable Celeste get her feathers ruffled while dealing with her more free-spirited cousin, Angelica. If you haven't read any of the Eternity Springs books, you might find yourself with a little character confusion when many of the Colorado residents converge on Redemption, Texas for the inn's soft opening but, aside from that chapter, this novel stands very well on its own with the vast majority of the characters new to March's fictional world. I enjoyed meeting all of them in JACKSON (even the ones who caused waves) and am already looking forward to the next chapter in Emily March's McBrides of Texas series.

4.5 stars
As posted at The Romance Dish
Advance copy received from publisher. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Caro

Cousins Boone, Jackson, and Tucker McBride have inherited land in Redemption, Texas from their great aunt who they barely knew. The boys decide to put the land and what they find there to use, such as an old brothel, a saloon, and a dance hall. With Boone and Tucker busy at the moment, Jackson is tasked to oversee reparations and remodelations where needed. Jackson is newly divorced and is not having the best time of his life after his ex-wife, a famous singer, has limited the time he can spend with his daughter.

Caroline Carruthers has been having a difficult time seeing her husband forget her day after day. Now in a care center, he has been spending more time with another patient and that breaks Caroline’s heart even though she knows his actions are due to his illness. When a sudden opportunity presents itself to Caroline she takes it and visits the town of Redemption. Here is where Caroline meets the McBride cousins and Maisy Baldwin, who for a moment help Caroline feel happy again. Her visit is cut short when she receives bad news from home. Jackson offers to drive a nervous Caroline to Austin. Since the moment Jackson met Caroline, inspiration and music came back to him after so long of not writing or feeling music like he used to, but he knows that she is taken and loves her husband very much, letting her go.

This was a nice story to start the trilogy with. The book introduces new characters and mentions characters from previous Eternity Spring stories by the same author. The main bridge between the books is Celeste Blessing the owner of Angel’s Rest Healing Center and Spa in Colorado. Celeste introduces her cousin Angelica to the McBride cousins as the innkeeper of their new inn. The interaction between these two is hilarious. Angelica is described as being more down to earth with a touch of hippie, while Celeste is just like her name describes her. Both cousins play important roles in this story and give good advice.

The death of Caroline’s husband took a great toll on her. They had been together for years and starting a new life without him made Caroline think of what changes and opportunities she should take. A relationship was not in her plans. At the same time, Jackson had been hurt by his ex-wife and his main priority was his daughter, but both found comfort in friendship and getting to know each other first making sure not to forget their priorities. This was an aspect I liked about the story because they both needed to find themselves before starting a relationship in order to give each other their full attention.

Redemption has several interesting characters and the story already sets up potential main characters and a very obvious couple for future books which I’m really excited for! It will also be fun to see how the Fallen Angel inn progresses and the McBride cousins trying to run it along with Angelica. I also hope to see more of Jackson and his music, especially now that he has a muse to inspire him.

The McBride trilogy starts off with a good story and great characters finding new adventures in Redemption, Texas. The book has romance, sad and hilarious moments, but above all it has an enchanted canyon that can change people’s hearts.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

3 1/2 stars.

This was a sweet story of second chances, and healing. It got a bit slow for me in the middle, and ironically, I felt the ending was rushed. Ha!

Also, many many may extended family members. I need a family tree. Seriously, in the front of the book, that would have been helpful, especially considering this is the first in a series.

Jackson by Emily March is the first book in The McBrides of Texas Series and the 16th book in Eternity Springs Series. Jackson can be read as a standalone even though it is a spin off. I would recommend reading prior books so you have some backstory to the characters. Once again Emily pulls me in from the beginning and never lets me go. This is a clean, sweet, quick and easy read book. The story is well written with vivid descriptions, well defined likable and realistic characters. This book has quirky characters, small town charm, romance and humor. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the Trilogy. If you haven't yet read Emily March, you’re really, really missing out. Thank you St. Martin's and NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Caroline Carruthers’ husband is 15 years older than she is and has Alzheimer’s. They loved each other even with the age difference. His sister is seven years older than he is and is nasty to Caroline. When she thinks her dreams are gone, she runs into a stranger named Celeste who asks her a favor. Turns out that favor ends up with her moving to Redemption Texas and becomes a new chapter in her life. She opens a bookstore and feels everything falling into place. Jackson McBride’s marriage ended and when things got really nasty, she ex with all her money took the one thing he loved most, his six year old daughter with very limited visitation. Could the myth of Redemption’s healing magic help Jackson and Caroline find a second chance to be happy. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

This being the first book by Emily March that I have read was sort of interesting, because, while each of the characters were new to me it felt as if I was reunited with old familiar friends. I swear it was the strangest feeling that I actually had to go back and check to be sure that this was in fact the first book of hers I had read. This story takes place in Colorado as well as Texas and in both places we have parts of the McBride Family, Boone, Jackson, and Tucker are the three cousins this trilogy will focus on but you will see the old familiar faces from Eternity Springs that you have read about before, if you aren't new to the series that is. For me while everyone was new they felt as if I had already known them. Some good and some bad ;) like every family there are angels and maybe one or two fallen angels.

Jackson has gone through a bitter divorce and it just keeps getting worse for this poor guy so when his cousin calls and asks him to meet him in Texas it couldn't have come at a better time. There is a road that can lead you to Redemption or to Ruin, it just depends on which way you choose to travel. Well, Jackson finds himself in Redemption Texas meeting his two cousins when he learns about their road to Ruin. I know, I know, I am being evasive but that's because I wouldn't want to spoil anything for you.

Caroline is going through a lot at the moment, her husband is in a long term memory care facility due to his Alzheimer's when she is asked to go to Redemption to write about. Caroline although a bit hesitant goes and the trip definitely changes her life.

This is a CLEAN romance, which I seem to be reading less and less of these days, especially when they can fall under the Women's Fiction umbrella which this one definitely can. I am glad I gave the book and the author a chance. I did enjoy the writing although I must admit it did take me longer to read this than it normally takes me and I can't pinpoint why that was. I do plan on reading Boone and Tucker's stories when they are available, both men are interesting and so are the women I believe they are going to be paired up with.

I would definitely recommend this book if you enjoy Women's Fiction, or Clean Romances.

Happy Reading!!!

**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books**

Favorite Quotes:

While she was girly enough to appreciate being called “ pretty,” she didn’t like “little lady” under any circumstance. Consequently, she had starch in her spine and scissors on her tongue as she lifted her face.

Boone was a flirt, but he was an honest flirt. And being a lawyer and a man with baggage, he hardly kissed a woman without getting a permission slip beforehand, signed in triplicate and notarized, prior to lips touching lips.

She was terrible. Stiff and awkward. She froze up the same way she did like when she needed to do math in public. She got the choreography of the dance step down, but it wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t dance. It was more Frankenstein stumbling out of the castle.

She’s a piece of work, Caroline. I know she’s been through a trauma, but she’s a Southern girl. Where’s her grit? Where’s the steel in her magnolia?


My Review:

Jackson was an easy, sweet, and pleasant read cast with endearing and interesting characters, and was an excellent introduction to bridge an established series and begin a new one. As with the previous books of hers I’ve read, Ms. March’s writing was lushly detailed with periodic hits of wry humor and amusing observations. I was stunned to noticed she currently has thirty-nine books listed on Goodreads, thirty-nine! Of which I’ve only read three, I need to rectify the error of my ways and get crackin’.

Jackson by Emily March is a sweet contemporary story involving a woman, Caroline, with a husband who is in a Mental Health Care Facility and two brothers and a cousin, Jackson. Jackson has gone to Redemption, Texas after leaving a bitter court battle that he has lost. The story evolves as the men go out to check out the land they have inherited a trustee ship to run and Caroline comes to Redemption as a favor to an old lady she has met in the care facility, but after arriving finds out her husband has passed away and his sister is angry that Caroline wasn't there at the end. Caroline and the men get involved with creating a town like experience for vacationers. Jackson and Caroline become close as they deal with their unhappy experiences with their families. Emily weaves a amazing description of what is being created for all to enjoy and the dealings of the difficult grief, while not the same, are both heavy for Jackson and Caroline. Romance blooms There's more to the story then I have written about here. There's Caroline moving to Redemption and opening a bookstore, Jackson and his famous wife and their custody battle. Jackson's loss of his 'mojo' and a haunted old house of ill repute. There's a satisfying conclusion with a HEA. I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I did.

Caroline was young when she married an older man. Now that he is gone she wants to move on with her life. So she moves to Redemption, Texas and is opening a book store. She doesn't want to find love until he meets a new man.
Jackson came to Redemption to start over since his marriage failed. He used to write songs but he just doesn't seem to have the inspiration anymore.
Jackson and his cousins are turning a beat up town into something fun and redoing the buildings of an old western town sounded like a lot of fun. I enjoyed getting to know all of these characters and reading about this town and all the beautiful spots there.
Jackson's ex likes to play games and keep their daughter from him but then tragedy strikes and brings them all together.
Thanks to St. Martin's and NetGalley for this book.

This is a great starting off point if you haven't read any of the other. Books in the Eternity Springs series. Since this is in Texas and starting in a new place you can start the series here. I also believe you can read these as stand alone, some favorites from the past do make an appearance. This is a good start to this series. There is a lot of heartache in this book. Some how everyone comes through and sometimes for the better. You will already know who the next 2 books will be about when you read this book. It's a fun, cute, contemporary romance with Cowboys and a Ghost Town.

*I received a free copy of this book via the NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

Title: Jackson
Author: Emily March
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5

Caroline doesn’t know what to do with herself after her much-older husband dies. Her life revolved around him, and now that he’s gone, she’s adrift. So she decides to move to Redemption, Texas, a small town that takes Caroline in as she gets ready to open her bookstore. She’s ready to start a new life in Redemption, but she’s not expecting to fall in love again.

Jackson comes to Redemption after an ugly custody battle with his famous ex-wife. He just wants peace and quiet—and maybe to start songwriting again, if he’s lucky. He’s not interested in love—look what happened last time—he just wants to make his new business venture a priority. Then he meets Caroline and wonders if maybe his life needs a little bit more than all work.

Jackson is a good place to start reading a new author. I’m from Texas, and the author does an excellent job in capturing the nuances of the culture and bringing the setting to life. I love the idea of Enchanted Canyon and look forward to reading more!

Emily March is a bestselling author. Jackson is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Good story of new beginnings, or as Caroline puts it "starting a new chapter" in your life. At the beginning of the story, Caroline is dealing with the effects of her husband's early onset Alzheimer's. A chance encounter with Eternity Springs resident Celeste Blessing sends Caroline off to Redemption, Texas, to write a travel story. The town makes quite an impression on her, as does new resident, Jackson McBride. Jackson and his two cousins inherited some property and must decide what to do with it. When Caroline receives devastating news while in Redemption, Jackson steps in to help.

Several months later, Caroline returns to Redemption as a new widow, looking to start a new chapter in her life. She plans to open a bookstore called "New Chapters." Still grieving the loss of her husband, any new relationships are not in her plans. It isn't long before she encounters Jackson, her knight-in-shining-armor from her last visit. Jackson and his cousins decided to turn their new property into a tourist destination, with a B&B, dance hall, and saloon. Jackson threw himself into the work as a way to forget his troubles. He and his ex-wife have been through a vicious divorce and custody battle, leaving Jackson unable to see or talk to his daughter for at least six months. On top of that, he has lost his music/songwriting mojo and wonders if he'll ever get it back. However, his encounters with Caroline provide stirrings of inspiration.

I liked the development of the relationship between Jackson and Caroline. There is an attraction from the start, but neither is in a place where they want a relationship. Caroline is still grieving, and Jackson has been burned too badly to want to try again. However, both are willing to extend the hand of friendship. I liked seeing them get to know each other, sharing in the little triumphs of their days, and providing support when things don't go so well. However, underneath the façade of friendship, the attraction between them continues to simmer. Eventually, it comes to a boil, and they decide that giving in isn't out of the question. And though they intend it to be "no strings," it isn't long before it's evident that their hearts are involved after all. However, just when things look especially promising, tragedy pulls Jackson back into the orbit of his ex-wife. I was very frustrated with Jackson at this point because it was easy to see that Sharon was angling to reel him back in, and Jackson seemed oblivious to her manipulations. I ached for Caroline, who saw it happening and feared that she would lose him. I was so happy when the light went on for Jackson, though I did think that Caroline didn't make him grovel nearly enough.

The backdrop for the story was the development of the Enchanted Canyon property. I loved the vivid descriptions of the property itself and the work they were doing to develop it. It isn't just Jackson, and his cousins Boone and Tucker, either. They have help from Eternity Springs' innkeeper extraordinaire Celeste Blessing, and her misfit sister, Angelica. I haven't read any of the Eternity Springs books, but I get the impression that there is something special about Celeste by the way everyone talks about her. Angelica, on the other hand, has a much different way of looking at things which causes frequent conflict between her and Celeste. I really liked Angelica and her "dented halo" outlook. I enjoyed the interactions between Jackson, Boone, and Tucker, from their teasing to the unquestioning support when it's needed. I loved the test run of the Inn's opening, with their friends and family from Eternity Springs and Texas.

I can't wait to read Tucker's and Boone's books. I will also go back and read the other Eternity Springs books.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Caroline Carruthers is doing some work in a town called Redemption. While there she gets terrible news about her husband and has to return home. Before she gets that phone call she meets Jackson McBride. The two strike up a strong friendship. While it is true that they had sparks, Caroline is devoted to her ailing husband.

Jackson is home in Redemption because he and his cousins have inherited property. Jackson has a chance to make something of his life. This is especially important to him because he is now divorced and has very little visitation with his daughter. He was a very successful songwriter but has lost the ability to write music. Rebuilding a ranch with his cousins may not have been his dream in life, but it could be truly fulfilling for him.

Jackson was really hurt when his ex, who is quite a famous singer, cost him everything. So when he is drawn to Caroline, it is rather a relief that she is married. He certainly is not looking for love. While learning about Redemption, while Jackson is planning his future, he and Caroline spend a bit of time together. Due the sad news Caroline received, Jackson makes sure she gets home safe and he then plans on getting his life started. All of this is in Part One of the story, which sets a fine basis for a warm, engaging read.

Quite honestly, several things change during the course of this story. For starters, Caroline suffers a great loss and decides to return to Redemption to live. Meanwhile, Jackson has been working on finding ways to spend more time with his daughter. He also is looking for that missing magic in his life, the magic that made him a creative song-writer.

Lines were never crossed with Jackson and Caroline. Their brief friendship slowly begins to turn into something more. It was refreshing, however, to see Caroline's honesty about her feelings in her previous marriage. Being a widow isn't easy, especially in the case where she genuinely loved her husband. Jackson is still dealing with baggage from his marriage. So, things progressed for Jackson and Caroline at a very nice pace.

Jackson is rich with characters from the previous series, but it offers a fresh face, Haley, Jackson's six-year-old daughter. I loved her in this book and I think her addition to the story added quite a nice layer. Another thing that made this story refreshing - and a bit frustrating - was Jackson's songwriting and what motivated him. But, it was handled with aplomb and kept me drawn to the story. There were some very touching scenes in this book and I literally could not put it down.

Jackson is the first book in a new series by Emily March. It is a spinoff of the long running Eternity Springs series. I do wish that I read at least part of the first series, because of some of the characters that appeared in this book. However, this is Jackson and Caroline's story and it read quite well as a standalone. I look forward to reading the other two books in this trilogy.

Many thanks to St. Martin's and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.