The Next Always

Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy, Book 1

By: Nora Roberts

Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews

Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

The historic hotel in Boonsboro has endured war and peace, the changing of hands, and even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major face-lift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. As the architect in the family, Beckett’s social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was sixteen.

After losing her husband and returning to her hometown, Clare Brewster soon settles into her life as the mother of three young sons while running the town’s bookstore. Though busy and with little time for romance, Clare is drawn across the street by Beckett’s transformation of the old inn, wanting to take a closer look… at both the building and the man behind it.

With the grand opening inching closer, Beckett is happy to give Clare a private tour - one room at a time, in between blueprint meetings and kindergarten pickups. It’s no first date, but these stolen moments are the beginning of something that could arouse the secret yearning that resides in Clare’s independent heart - and open the door to the extraordinary adventure of what comes next....

©2011 Nora Roberts (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

The Next Always

It was. good rear herr Drd nice romanace . but for her I was Iexpecting more.

Could have been so much better

Good concept but left me disappointed as the story never fully developed. Often felt that there was more filler than plot.

Bad Narration

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Loved the Book, read it frist them got the audio. This Guy just cant do women and Kids. If they wanted him for the books they should think about someone else doing the other parts

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Winny voice

Any additional comments?

Will get the next book don't know yet weather the audio is worth it.

An advertisement for the Boonsboro Inn?

I played this audio on slightly faster speed. MacLeod Andrews is a fine narrator, but he reads slightly slowly. That's fine with complex text, but there's nothing convoluted or challenging about this text, nor is the prose lyrical enough to linger over.

The setting is a small historic town in Maryland. The BoonsBoro Inn is a real place, owned by Nora Roberts (author) and her husband(?) Bruce Wilder. That's the problem. The author needed to stand back from this book. It's too personal to her, so she spends too much time describing the details of her inn, undergoing reconstruction. We hear about the new picket railing, the details of the ceilings, the furniture, the window treatments, the naming of the guest rooms (named after famous lovers, including some of her own characters). It started to feel like one big advertisement. Boring. The bookstore where the heroine works, Turn the Page, is also owned by Bruce and possibly Nora.

Characters:

A ghost. The inn is haunted. The specter plays a bit part, but some readers don't like even a whiff of the paranormal. Fine with me, though.

Montgomery characters: Beckett Montgomery is the architect and hero of this tale. His brothers Ryder is the construction manager. His brother Owen is the general manager and master cabinetmaker. These three brothers, with their widowed mother, run the Montgomery family business.

Clare Brewster (née Murphy), a war widow with three sons under 10 years old: Murphy, Liam, Harry. (I love books with authentic-feeling kids playing solid roles, so I may come back to this.) Her best friend is Avery. Clare was a cheerleader in high school (ugh) and Beckett has loved her from afar since he was 16.

To quote from another review: "There was some foul language, which tends to turn me off anyway, but this felt sprinkled in kind of randomly, like she had to put it in to make her male characters seem masculine. And I guess I get it, because they "sounded" like men being written by a woman." (including token gratuitous religious profanity, which bugs me)

I LOVE THESE GUYS!

What made the experience of listening to The Next Always the most enjoyable?

This is a wonderful series! Nora is a GREAT writer, but MacLeod Andrews is the icing on the cake! He makes these characters COME ALIVE and the voices he has created for each are perfect! If God would only make some of these brothers in real life! Oh, but then I wouldn't have time to read / listen these books!Great job Nora & MacLeod!!!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Next Always?

There are too many to list!

Have you listened to any of MacLeod Andrews’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

YES! MacLeod is a great narrator!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Three perfect brothers!

Narrator is incredible

What did you love best about The Next Always?

good story with a little bit of what if thrown in.

What about MacLeod Andrews’s performance did you like?

Oh my goodness... His voice is amazing!!! I think that he could be reading anything and it would be great, but this story is perfect for his warm voice.

A WONDERFUL TRILOGY

This book sets up the trilogy and is wonderfully written and is read very well also.

I loved the narration!!!

If you could sum up The Next Always in three words, what would they be?

Relaxing, well performed, uplifting.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Next Always?

The speghetti fight.

Which character – as performed by MacLeod Andrews – was your favorite?

First off I am partial to men readers, ecpecially when there are men as main characters. I thought he was very spot on whither the emotion of the women. Yes at times I think he messed up a little and forgot to switch back to men voices, but altogether great acting. He really sets a seen. Just my opinion.....I know a lot of reviewers hated him.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Sometimes I just need a good heartwarming story without depression and a good ending. That Is what this was.

Any additional comments?

This was my first Nor Roberts book. Getting # two now. Just a hint...It took me a little bit to get into, I usually want engrossed by the first chapter. I'm glad I kept going. I do like home renovation though...lol

Hokey, but still good

Super sugary sweet and everything over the top perfectly wonderful, but still a good story. I am going to continue with the series.
It centers around three brothers. The first book features Beckett Montgomery. He has been infatuated with Claire since they were in high school. She married, moved away, had three children, was widowed and moved back to their small town. Beckett gets another chance. You can imagine the rest, except you will probably not imagine a friendly female ghost.

The narrator is not so good. He is super slow. I had to listen on 1.25 speed. His children and women voices were grating, but not so bad as to ruin the book.

Dragged on - I couldn't keep going anymore.

What did you like best about The Next Always? What did you like least?

Good foundation of a story, but it dragged on and nothing was really happening.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Give it some situations - something to want to follow to know more.

Was The Next Always worth the listening time?

Not worth my listening time.

Any additional comments?

Good foundation of a story - but it wasn't going anywhere chapter after chapter.