The Backup Plan A Novel

Review by Booklist Review

Eleanor Graham ran the Last Chance Inn in Sunrise Cove, a small town at Lake Tahoe. When she died, she left it to tomboy Alice Moore, her ex-best friend Lauren Scott, and former troubled kid Knox Rawlings, and the three of them have no idea why. What they do know is that the inn is in terrible shape, and they have a month to do the necessary repairs before claiming their inheritances and going their separate ways. Then they find Eleanor's old iPad, complete with unsent emails that reveal a whole lot about their pasts. As they peel old wallpaper and face their demons, the three reluctantly grow closer. Alice and Knox act on their sizzling attraction to each other, and straightlaced Lauren finds a romance of her own. The slow reveal of secrets drives this novel of found family as the three, especially Alice, start to redefine the meaning of home. Full of quirky details that make the characters pop, this is classic Shalvis and will appeal to readers of Robyn Carr and Kristan Higgins.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Bestseller Shalvis shines in her endearing third Sunrise Cove series (after The Friendship Pact). Alice Moore; her brother, Will; her best friend (and Will's girlfriend), Lauren Scott; and Alice's crush, Knox Rawlings, grew up together in Sunrise Cove, Calif., looked after by feisty local matriarch and "pseudo-grandmother" Eleanor Graham. Four years before the book starts, Will died, as did Knox's alcoholic mother, and Alice and Knox separately fled town. Lauren, the only one who stays behind, is also the only blood relative to Eleanor, but they were long estranged due to the lies of Lauren's selfish father. All three 20-something former friends are surprised when Eleanor dies and leaves the trio co-ownership of the Wild West Last Chance Inn in Sunrise Cove, with the stipulation that all must come to the inn for the necessary renovations or forfeit their share. As restoring the inn helps to heal old wounds, the friends slowly find their way back to each other--and true love blossoms between both Alice and Knox and Lauren and local widower Ben, whose five-year-old daughter is a scene-stealer. Readers will easily fall for Shalvis's well-shaded characters and heart-filled plot. This is the literary equivalent of comfort food. Agent: Annelise Robey, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Jan.)

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Review by Library Journal Review

Alice Moore is stunned to learn that she has inherited the falling apart Wild West B&B on the shores of Lake Tahoe in Sunrise Cove, where she lived and sometimes worked. But the inheritance comes with stipulations. She must stay at the B&B for one year along with Knox, her former crush, and Lauren, Sunrise Cove's librarian and Alice's former best friend. Now strangers connected only by the instructions in a will and the secrets of the past, the three must find a way to work together to bring the B&B back to life. As they form new friendships and feelings between Alice and Knox grow, the three must also come to terms with their grief over the death of Alice's brother. Alice and Knox's romance takes center stage with a lovely secondary romance for Lauren too. VERDICT A solid story perfect for readers who enjoy introspection, emotional resolution, and found-family alongside their romance. Though this is the third installment in Shalvis's "Sunrise Cove" series (after The Friendship Pact), it stands alone, without crossover characters.--Elizabeth Gabriel

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