Window on the Bay by Debbie Macomber is a wonderful story about two best friends. In college they planned to go to Paris, but life got in the way. Now that their children are grown, and both women are single, they are finally going to take that trip. Until one of their mother's breaks a hip. I really enjoyed this story, that explores stages of life, and finding love again. Do they ever make it to Paris? Read it and find out. This is my first book by Ms. Macomber, I know where have I been, but it won't be my last. Highly recommend this book.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine. Thank you.

Jenna and Maureen are now empty nesters and looking forward to some changes. They are looking to take a trip to Paris. These ladies have been planning since they were in college. But like most things life throws a few curve balls their way. They both are divorced and not seriously dating after their experiences with their exes. Each lady finds a man that they think will fit into their lives. These men have a lot to prove to these ladies.

Enjoyed reading this book and how they each work out family situations. Each character has things they need to fix before moving forward and trusting in relationships.

Jenny Boltz has an empty nest now that her children have moved on with their lives and after a messy divorce, she is at a crossroads. Her best friend Maureen is thrilled for Jenny’s newfound freedom and insists it’s the perfect time to go to Paris like they always dreamed of. But with freedom, comes choices and Jenny is not to sure that dating is in her future even after the encouragement she gets from Maureen. But when her mother breaks her hip, Jenny finds herself drawn to the surgeon who helped her mother, Dr. Rowan Lancaster. With a future uncertain, Jenny needs to find the strength to embrace her present and take a leap to the future she wants before she can move forward.

WINDOW BY THE BAY is a typical Debbie Macomber story that at times is sweet ad funny and other times, so frustrating and annoying, it drove me bonkers. Normally I adore this author’s books with a passion but the last few books have been either a hot or miss with me. WINDOW BY THE BAY delves into two women, best friends, who raised their kids as single mothers and now must deal with empty nests. I initially loved the dynamics between Maureen and Jenny but as you get into the story, I found them at times to be quite irritating. It’s one thing to be on your own once again, no kids and lots of freedom to explore the world around you and its another to be condescending to those not in your age or career bracket. There were times I just wanted to smack these two characters for being so elitist and dismissive and yet I saw some glimmers that they were learning from their mistakes within the pages of WINDOW BY THE BAY. Regardless of how the characters first started out, by mid book, I finally saw some glimmers of positivity that gave me hope for these two women to find their happy ever after.

WINDOW BY THE BAY moves slowly in the beginning as it sets up Jenny and Maureen’s journey and once it finally got to the meat of it all, I really liked it. This may put off some readers who dropped the book midway through but if you keep at it, it does get better. The story flows smoothly at the halfway point onward and the characters do start to redeem themselves. I really enjoyed the children of Maureen and Jenny a lot as they were sensible and had some great advice for the mother’s at times, I thought was great.

Debbie Macomber pens a tale that will touch your heart at times and other times, make you want to scream. WINDOW BY THE BAY is not as good as past women’s fiction books she has written but it’s an okay read on a lazy afternoon. Now I am hoping this author gets back to what made me love her so long ago in her future books.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

A wonderful thought provoking story. Debbie Macomber does an excellent job with this story. This is a story about Maureen and Jenna. They are both divorced women and single mothers that have raised their children with no help from their former spouses. Then when their children go away to college they find that they now have lots time to think about themselves and what they want to do with their futures. This is a story of growth that two women find. I enjoyed it and recommend it to others.
I was given an early copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Jenna and Maureen have been friends since college. They never made their trip to Paris. Now that all of their kids are out of the house, they start to plan again only to have life pop up. ARC.

The characters in this book are middle age with children in college. Due to this I found it a little hard to connect with the characters since I’m in my late twenties. Overall I enjoyed reading about the women’s friendship and their relationships. I did find it strange that they talked so much about Paris and then the ending only spoke of it for about two sentences. This was not my favorite Debbie Macomber book but it was still enjoyable..

It is so nice to read a book about older, more mature women finding love. Love is something that is not reserved for only the twenty somethings in life.

Debbie Macomber writes books that women love to read. They have characters we all can relate to, settings we can imagine ourselves in and situations we can empathize with.

If you are in the market for an emotional story with families you can relate to...this is the book for you. 

Disclaimer:

I receive complimentary books to review from publishers, publicists, authors and NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, only to give my honest opinion.

Who wrote this book?
This by far was the worst book of Debbie Macomber"s that I have ever read.
I was led to believe this was going to be about the friendship of two women and their dreams of going to Paris...instead I got a childish story that was drug out throughout a book which most likely could have been summed up in two chapters.
I read almost all of Debbie's books and I just can't figure out how she actually came up with this one. This is more of a teenage/young adult book. Definitely not up to her usual standards.
I hate to be critical but this was really a boring book that just dragged on.

I completely enjoyed this story of a long-time friendship between two women, Jenna and Maureen, who met in college and are now becoming empty nesters. Jenna is having a very difficult time adjusting to a new life after her daughter moves away to college and her mother experiences a fall and a broken hip the same week. Jenna notices the handsome orthopedic surgeon treating her mother but she doesn't want to be interested in any doctors after ex husband and surgeon left her. Maureen is becoming interested in a man after a very long time but having a difficult time with the relationship aspect. The experiences of these two are very real and so are the family dynamics. As usual, life is full of unexpected surprises!<

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC; all opinions are my own.

“ Window on the Bay” is my first read by Author Debbie Macomber but rest assure, it won’t be my last. This was a beautiful story. I loved that the characters were middle aged and really trying to find themselves in the next phase of life. This was a great story of friendship and also featured some bubbling romance as well. This story was definitely emotional at times and I found myself having to grab the Kleenex. I will definitely be checking out more from Debbie in the very near future.

*I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Oh, do I love a new Debbie Macomber! Unfortunately, the pacing in Window on the Bay is more than a bit slow and the plot, which even considering the Debbie Macomber formula, is more predictable than usual. I read Mrs. Macomber's books because they feel like a hug - warm and comforting. Window on the Bay is like a quick side-hug. The emotion isn't fully there and there's no depth to the characters.

Instead of Window on the Bay, I'd recommend 2017's Any Dream Will Do. The plot is stronger, the pacing is on point, the characters are more complex, and it feels a warm hug.

I really enjoy Debbie Macomber's books. I love the easy-to-read style of writing. I love the setting and the characters. Jenna and Maureen have been friends forever. They have been there for each other through marriage, children, divorce, and new beginnings. Each woman has a different set of issues she must come to grips with in order to move on with their lives and new loves. My emotions ran the gamut from anxious, irritated, sad, and happy. Wonderful book, again!

Debbie Macomber has been writing women's fiction for many years. She has a keen sense for what her fans want; this includes a family story, a romance, something heartwarming and nothing that is rated above PG...and she delivers.

In this story two single moms, Jenna and Maureen, have children who are growing up, leaving home and facing some adult issues...college, leaving college, having a baby. The empty nest looms for both, especially Jenna who struggles as her daughter leaves home.

Jenna, a nurse, and Maureen, a librarian become involved in romances with Rowan, a surgeon and Logan, a plumber/construction worker. Each couple has their ups and downs but the ending of the novel is never in doubt.

If you are looking for a comfort read, nothing too taxing but a gentle escape, Debbie Macomber could be just the author you need.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Window By the Bay was a wonderful book. The characters struggle with defining who they are as life changes is very understandable to me since I am gearing up to send my baby to kindergarten. I adore Ms. Macomber's stories because they always ring true.

Keep the tissues close by as you are reading WINDOW ON THE BAY by Debbie Macomber. She will have your emotions all over the place. Once I started reading, it was very hard to stop! The twists and turns made it impossible to put down, as I had to know what was going to happen to Maureen and Jenna after so much heartache! What an awesome story. All of Debbie’s characters feel genuine and relatable and put your emotions on one heck of a roller coaster ride. As you are reading, you will find yourself cheering for all of them, praying they can work out their problems and be happy once again. You will also wonder how much heartbreak a person can stand before they completely break down and shatter.

WINDOW ON THE BAY is all about family and the past and the secrets that come out are heart tugging. It had me flipping through the pages like a woman on a mission. Jenna is a single mom to two after a nasty divorce. She has turned into a complete helicopter mom and is driving her kids crazy! Maureen is the single mom of one daughter and they are both empty nesters now. They decide to finally plan their trip to Paris that they have wanted to go to since they were in college. But life has other plans for them. Neither one of them is looking for love, but doesn’t it always seem to find you when you aren’t looking? WINDOW ON THE BAY is a heart tugging story that will hold you hostage until the very last page. Once you start reading, it will be very hard to put down!

WINDOW ON THE BAY is without a doubt one of the most memorable books I’ve read in 2019 so far. I was instantly emotionally invested in all of the characters. Debbie Macomber really knows how to write about family drama, heartbreak, and forgiveness. I will admit that Maureen drove me crazy with her silly way of thinking. I loved Logan and felt bad for him when Maureen kept pushing him away for the stupidest reasons. I mean, come on, these are grown women not teenagers! I can not wait to read more by this wonderful and heart tugging author. I have many of her older books to read and that brings me so much joy and happiness to know they are waiting for me!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Ballantine Books through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I just wanna say I love Debbie Macomber but I just couldn’t get into this book. I tried 2 times to read this book. It was just so slow going and was about two women that made it to middle age and wanted to find love. Took forever to get to the plot and seemed like I would never get to the end. I’m sorry this one wasn’t for me. She has done better.

I’ve always loved the light and cozy books by Debbie Macomber, and I was excited to read Window on the Bay for this very reason. It was a sweet story of friendship between best friends Jenna and Maureen. It’s also a story of love and overcoming relationships of the past, and the changing of their lives from when they were young.

It was a cute story just as I hope, if not a bit over the top at times.

*Thank you to publisher and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

I didn’t find this book to be as good as other Debbie Macomber’s books. There was just something lacking in the way the story unfolded. I found myself getting bored with the story line. I think it was the hot/cold and fast/slow aspect the characters had.
Overall, I didn’t dislike the book but it wasn’t a favorite Debbie Macomber book. I did not like the ending....
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and give my honest review/opinions of “Window on the Bay.”

I love this author and this is another winner by her. This book follows the experience of empty-nesters Jenna and Maureen. They have to adapt to having an empty nest as they both plan the trip of a lifetime to Paris. But before they get there, romance has other ideas. In this book, the characters are deep, real people with fully developed backgrounds and emotional lives. A great key to drawing the reader in and keeping them reading.

Although I tend to like my reads with a little more steam, I have read some of Debbie Macomber books that I liked and had enough real romance and a good storyline to keep my interest. However, this one was just boring. Both female characters had issues from previous marriages but were unbelievably quick to judge the men in their lives with very little provocation. They waffled back and forth, back and forth. The storyline was superficial with no depth. The characters were so poorly developed that it was impossible to identify, in any way, with any of them. The dialogue read as if a teen had written it. There was no real plot, just a bunch of short subplots that the author tried to tie together but failed. I was disappointed.