"THE NEWPORT LADIES BOOK CLUB: Tying the Knot," by Josi Kilpack, Annette Lyon, Heather Moore and Julie Wright, Covenant Communications, $14.99, 176 pages (f)
Athena Di Jasper has spent too much time pushing people out of her life.
But after the sudden death of her mother and her father's rapid deterioration due to Alzheimer's disease, Athena realizes the life she's lived is not the life she wants.
Tossing her fears aside, Athena accepts a marriage proposal from her handsome and patient boyfriend, Grey Ronning, starting a chain of magical events for the women of the Newport Ladies Book Club in the final — and ninth — installment, "Tying the Knot."
Utah authors and Newport Ladies Book Club collaborators Josi Kilpack, Annette Lyon, Heather Moore and Julie Wright, come together in the final novel to answer questions readers could only wonder at with the close of each of the previous books.
"Tying the Knot" takes readers on one final romance-focused adventure, with chapters alternating from the perspectives of Athena, Ruby, Ilana, Olivia, Victoria, Daisy, Paige and Shannon as they make their way to Athens, Greece, for Athena and Grey's destination wedding.
And as Gabriel, Ruby's Greek beau, tells it, magical things happen in Greece — and one by one each of the book club ladies find their hearts mended and filled in unexpected ways.
While some loose ends were easier to tie up than others, Kilpack, Lyon, Moore and Wright, who are all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, make sure to bring satisfying resolutions to each woman's story in this fast-paced, easy read.
While the other books in the series can be read as stand-alone story, "Tying the Knot" takes pieces from every story. It's easier to understand the finer plot points if readers have at least read "Athena," "Ruby's Secret" and "Victoria's Promise" before reading "Tying the Knot."
"Tying the Knot" brings a little drama and a lot of romance, mixed into stories that just about any woman can relate to. Lovers of the Newport Ladies Book Club books are sure to be satisfied with this conclusion.
While "Tying the Knot" does not contain any violence, swearing or sexual content, there is a high volume of kissing and modest blushing.
Hikari Loftus is a graduate from the University of Utah. She blogs at FoldedPagesDistillery.blogspot.com