Best selling author Debbie Macomber takes us back to the lively neighborhood of Blossom Street with Back on Blossom Street. Lydia from A Good Yarn and Susannah from Susannah’s Garden are back, along with Lydia’s acerbic sister, Margaret, along with two troubled souls, Alix and Collete, both in need of a shoulder to cry on and a good cup of tea.

Alix Townsend is the daughter of a felon and sister to a dead junkie. She isn’t exactly preacher's wife material, if only she could convince her fiancé Jordon of this. It is rather unfortunate that she is desperately in love with him and her future mother-in-law is planning the wedding of the century. She can’t go through with the wedding no matter what her heart tells her. The only question is how is she going to break the news to Jordon while breaking both their hearts?

Collete Blake is the new woman in town. The young widow quietly takes a room over Lydia’s shop and starts work in Susannah’s flower shop. She’s in hiding from her old boss, and perhaps herself. Hiding will only be good for a few more months until her pregnancy starts to show; then she might have to rethink her plans. This lasts until her former boss, Christian Dempsey, shows up and demands she return to her old job and him. If he only knew why she left in the first place he would understand why it is impossible, but Collete isn’t telling.

Lydia’s shop, The Good Yarn, gives all the women a chance to meet and knit. While knitting, friendships form, troubles slip out, and tears flow—just another day on Blossom Street. Almost another day, until Margaret’s brand new car is hijacked while her teenager daughter is driving it. It will probably take all the women to work out that problem among all the other troubles and travails that occur on Blossom.

Lydia and Susannah are well-balanced characters complimented by the cynical and paranoid Margaret. The pairing of the tough-talking, self-doubting Alix with her serene, but often oblivious, fiancé Jordon is inspired. The teaming of Christian and Collete works well on several levels. The meddlesome but caring Aunt Elizabeth adds a human touch to the mysterious Dempsey family. The cast of characters is as varied and conflicted--as a neighborhood of actual folks. Blossom Street has a real feel to it.

Back on Blossom Street is another Macomber gem; full of the things that make a Macomber novel a must read: tears, laughter and most of all, love. Don’t miss it.

Reviewed by Morgan Wyatt
© July 2007