This is the third novel in Terri Dulong's "Cedar Key" series. All of her novels take place on the island of Cedar Key off the coast of Florida.

I did enjoy the first two novels in Ms. Dulong's series, Spinning Forward (Cedar Key) and Casting About. Though I enjoyed the characters I thought Ms. Dulong needed to include more information on knitting since that was the part of the plot in both stories.

In her latest, this novel focuses on Monica Brooks best friend Grace Stone. From the last novel we know that Grace has a coffee shop that she managed to hold onto when developers did their best to drive her out of business. However, due to a lightning storm she loses her entire store and her apartment. Luckily her Aunt Maude is moving to Cedar Key and Grace moves in with her and begins a new business that will focus on knitting retreats for women. Grace's estranged older sister, Chole, also ends up moving to Cedar Key and the two women start to tentatively form a relationship with one another.

I wish that I could recommend this novel but this is definitely the weakest, in my opinion, of the series.

First, as was the problem with the other two novels though the characters mention knitting, cabling, etc. it is left vague with no details about how one does the knitting and what is the difference in the types of materials. I think that if Ms. Dulong is going to have knitting in this novel then you must describe it to the reader. I have no idea what knit one, pearl one is or about the fibers that the women were using and styles.

Second, Grace was just not a character that I cared for at all in this novel. She is at terms selfish, delusional, and angry. The author goes into Grace's past and you found out more about her previous relationship and why she has a hard time forming relationships. However, readers finding out about her previous relationship made her even less sympathetic to me as a character. Her interactions with her sister also I found sorely lacking.

Third, all of the other secondary characters except for Luc were cardboard cut-outs to me. Previous protagonists Sydney and Monica show up, but say very little. Considering that Monica is Grace's best friend they barely interacted in this novel. Sydney's, Nick never shows up at all in this novel which is very odd since we know from "Spinning Forward" that his mother lives on the island and he has a home there. The same thing happened with Monica's husband Adam, he just became a non-entity in this story.

Fourth, there is a plot development dealing with Monica Brook's yarn store that stretched credibility to me. We know from the last book that money is tight for the family and would be more so now so the resolution with the yarn store made no sense at all.

Fifth, to me the main focus of this novel kept shifting around so much. I started to just start to rush through the novel to just finish it already.

I would only recommend to readers who read the previous two novels who may want a peek (and I mean peek) at former characters. ( )

Sunrise on Cedar Keys by Terri Dulong
Such tragedy at the very beginning of this story: Grace not only loses her coffee shop but her apartment in a fire while
she is picking up an aunt that is relocating to the island. To make matters worse as she's settling into the new house with her and they discuss a new business venture that both are really excited about: knitting weekend retreat. Sounds like heaven to me along with the local yarn store providing yarn, etc but a call from her older married sister makes her become very angry.

She's had everything she's ever wanted in life and now it's all crumbled and Grace is allowing her to come live with them til the divorce. And her best friend Suellen also wants to relocate to the island.

I'm in love with this seaside town. They take care of the stray animals with donations.

Love the idea of their business and wish it was real-it'd be an ideal vacation spot.

Like the intrigue of the tarot cards, quite interesting along with island folklore and the history.

Now Grace has cravings of having a child before she's too old because another friend is having a baby.
Having the cleaning womans' child with them all at the holidays really shows the cheer on the island.
some old things are brought up and they can destroy many lives. Just when they had found one another.
I rate this book a 5 for the different point of view-it's refreshing. The characters are just so huggable.
The scenery and comfort you can find on the island is just precious.

Closeness and the ability to talk to one another to work through problems really got to me.

And another book in this series is in the works. I hadn't realized there were 2 other books prior to this one. I will have to go get them and read them. ( )

While this episode on Cedar Key didn't grab me quite as quickly as the first novel did, I enjoyed this visit back to the small slice of Florida know as Cedar Key and its' inhabitants very much. Sisters Chloe and Grace both manage to face some big life changes and the town continues to grow with varied industries. I look forward to the arrival of Berkley and her gem/chocolate shop in the next book! ( )

The human protagonist (the real main character is Cedar Key, Florida) of the third novel in the Cedar Key series is Grace Stone.
We've met her before: she's the owner of the village's coffee shop, Coffee, Tea and Thee. This story begins with Grace at the home of her Aunt Maude in Brunswick, where they are packing up for Maude's move to Cedar Key.

Just before the movers arrive to load up the truck, Grace receives a call from the Cedar Key fire chief, telling her that the building containing her shop and apartment has burnt down.

Grace is, of course, devastated. Cedar Key was where she'd gone to get a fresh start after the heartbreaking end of a long-term relationship. Now, she'll have to start over again, with little more than the clothes on her back.

Luckily, her Aunt Maude is moving to Cedar Key, where she's purchased a home. Maude invites Grace to live in her upstairs apartment while she figures out what she'll do.

This is a charming addition to the tales of Cedar Key. Focussing on a different character in each novel while continuing the stories of the others in the background is not an unusual technique, but Dulong uses it skilfully, especially the concept of coming to terms with one's past in order to move on.

*Many thanks to the author for the Advanced Reading Copy. I've done my best to write an impartial review. ( )

Reviewed by JoAnne

This is the third book in the Cedar Key series and it didn't disappoint. It was great reconnecting with characters from the first two books in the series as well as meet new arrivals who will play a part in future books. As you get back into Cedar Key you feel like you're a part of the small but thriving community. Knitting and romance are once again in the forefront. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am already looking forward to book 4.

Quote: "I thought back to Beau and my miscarriage. I thought I had faced my situation, but it wasn't until I saw Beau again and all of it came out into the open that I felt it was truly behind me. I had a feeling my sister was attempting to do the same thing."

http://www.romancing-the-book.com/2011/08/review-sunrise-on-cedar-key-by-terri.h... ( )