Next Song I Sing (Book One) by Donna McDonald Review

NEXT TIME AROUND Series

New Contemporary Series!

In 2010 and 2011 when I was writing the Never Too Late Series, I got quite a few messages and emails from some of my younger readers asking if I would write a series about 40 yr old divorced women having to start over.  Having been one myself at age 41, I thought I could probably do justice to that request. So this series was born and I began work on it. The first book has been in progress for some time, but I was having trouble finding a title that resonated with me. I think I'm satisfied with them now.  If you've read my other work, you'll know by now that I like to name the series books so they are related.

This series starts with a set of three former college roommates. All three are 40 now and have divorced within the last couple of years. The heroine of the first book (Chloe Zanders) has been living a whole coast away from the other two (Taylor Baird and Emma Wallace), but since her divorce has now returned to sunny California where she and her friends attended school. Together again after years of living apart, the trio decides to help each other find true love and romance.

If the other two books turn out like the first, this series will be funny, full of mishaps, and lighter story lines that will hopefully make you laugh. I am dealing with a touchy topic here and there, but was definitely shooting for humor over heartache. You can let me know later how I did.

Here's the line-up and the progression so far:

Next Song I Sing (Book One)
Word Count: 73,107 
Released May 2012

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About the Author

After 35 years of doing everything for a living except writing books, I finally published my first romance novel in March of 2011. Ten novels later, I feel like I'm living my own “happily ever after” life as a modestly successful author who gives back to the universe by doing her best to keep several Lexington, Kentucky coffee shops in business.

I dream of selling my house and taking to the open road once I figure out how to do so without my children and grandchildren finding out. For the time being, I continue to live contentedly with my permanent fiancée of many years who helps me sneak away from real life as often as he can.

I love him dearly for it.
My story of writing romances
As a life-long romance reader, I have always been drawn to stories containing strong heroes and heroines who know their minds and live their truths. When I got the urge to write about older women and men, I did so with full knowledge some readers might not be interested in reading about mature characters in love. I knew there was a possibility the stories might not sell, but in typical Baby Boomer rebellious fashion, I said “screw it, I’m not making the characters younger, they need to be older”.  Why did I do this? Because my youngest child is twenty-eight, not eighteen. Because I’ve had two, long term relationships where I continue to happily express my sexuality. The first one lasted for twenty-three years. I personally know people of many ages who are still falling in love as if they were a teenager and new at it. Being older--or so it seems to me--just means you just get to the profound, meaningful sex part quicker, and there’s so much less fumbling in the dark. Thank heaven for experience.

My NEVER TOO LATE series characters are older, successful, mostly stable, and yet on the brink of starting over. Things have happened to them that color their judgments about life. They often hate getting older. Cancer hits a loved one. Their jobs end. Still life goes on somehow. Good thing too, or we would all be in a lot of trouble in this world. I don’t dwell on how they handle the trauma. That's for another type of book.  Instead, I wanted to focus on the fact that they survive, and later thrive by finding love and happiness despite their setbacks.

My ART OF LOVE series is about men and women who lead complicated, intense lives honoring their creativity enough to struggle to make a living with it. The series starts around an older man with two adult sons. I wanted to show loving and good, yet imperfect males in all their glory. I wanted to show that love really can overcome many things that seem insurmountable.

My NEXT TIME AROUND series is being written in response to the many requests I got from readers for stories about women who divorce and have to start over looking for love.

My FORCED TO SERVE series is my attempt to indulge my dark side. It is paranormal, science fiction, romance, and complicated alien relationships all rolled into one. It was a chance to write about female warriors and to do fight scenes, which have been both a challenge and great creative fun for me.

What has my writing brought me? Mostly the pleasure of knowing readers like my work. I come to my website to read the Guest Book which never fails to remind me that you are the reason I wanted to write so badly in the first place. I wanted to make you laugh and make you see that person in life with new eyes. I wanted to be inspired to keep looking for the good things in life, including your pleasure in living. I wanted everyone to know that love, sex, and romance are great at any age.

Thank you for buying my books and helping make my dreams come true. Much love and happiness, ~ Donna McDonald

PS: I really do believe that it's never too late.

My Review:
I have read a lot of other books by this author. They were mostly centered around families, like the siblings in the "Art of Love" series. Which I loved and had to start reading this series. I liked this book because it centered around friends that are all done with college. They are all 40 (which I am getting close to), and divorced. They know each other and they know what they want. They have been there and done that. I liked that the heroine left the East coast (where I live) to the nice sunny, snow free West coast of California. I read this book during a snowstorm! I liked how Chloe was using her music that was related to her life and what she was going through. I really liked the ending and I hope to read more of Chloe's songs in future books. I can not to read more about her friends as well. I am giving this book a 5/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own.