3.5 stars

The family gathering is the third book in the Sullivan's Crossing series, but it works very well as a standalone novel. Having said that, I do recommend reading the first two books (What we find and Any Day Now) as they introduce the reader to characters that are seen in this book and provide you with their backstory. Robyn Carr builds a community in her books centered around family members; so, with each book in the series we see characters we already know and watch them interacting with the new characters.

The Family Gathering is mainly about Dakota Jones who has recently left the military and reconnecting with his family. While having a drink he sets his eyes on an attractive bartender named Sid who has an interesting back story herself. While these are the two main characters, the book also touches on the love story of Tom and Lola.

I'll admit it, I enjoy a good romance book. I especially enjoy Robyn Carr books because she builds a community of characters who interact with each other. Her books are not only about people but also about their town, their sense of community, and their relationships with others. Her characters are well rounded and believable. I also love that she touches on heavy subjects and this book was no exception. This book touched on divorce, adoption, stalking, betrayal, marriage, starting over, and mental illness.

Thank you to Harlequin-Romance and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The third book in Sullivan's crossing series. In this story Dakota the other Jones sibling(Cal from book one and Sierra from book two brother) has left the army and not sure what's next for him. He comes to Sullivan's crossing thinking it will be for a moment and that he can visit both his siblings and their family. As with the previous siblings he too continues to deal with the after affect of having a mental ill father who has opted out of being medicated. Dakota starts to settling down and find himself in an unwillingly competition over few woman trying to fight for his attention. Interestedly enough the only woman's he interested is the bartender Sid. The continuous theme in this series are the secondary characters(Lola and Tom) whose spouses have left them and they together falling with six children amongst the two of them. This is not your typical romance I dare say its a mixture of women fiction a bit of intrigue and pinch of suspense. I love that we get to see all the Jones siblings attending Sierra and Connie's wedding. There is also some incident that arises with their other married sibling Sedona that keep you turning the pages. With Robyn Carr novels you can never go wrong and these storylines are truly developed and make you want to read more about them and the people of Timberlake. Reviews on goodreads and amazon.

Sullivan's Crossing would be a wonderful place to live. Robyn Carr has done it again!

I love this kind of family ensemble drama. Reminded me slightly of the Maeve Binchy oldies-but-goodies.

Robyn Carr is always a sure thing for me! I am a fan of all of her series, but Sullivan’s Crossing is my absolute favorite! The elusive Dakota Jones is a character I have been looking forward to getting to know better and I have to say he did not disappoint!

Dakota immediately fell back into the family fold after years of service to our country, but wasn’t exactly sure what his next move would be. After reuniting with his brother and sister in beautiful Sullivan’s Crossing, Dakota knew (for at least now) this is where he would settle. He just needed anchor to keep him here...and then he meets the gorgeous and brainy bartender, Sid, and he starts to imagine a future he never thought possible for himself!

I find the Jone’s siblings so intriguing and fascinating! I enjoyed what Robyn Carr had in mind for Dakota! I love how we not only get Dakota and Sid’s story, but we also dive into Tom and Lola’s romance and get updates on other past favorites. Robyn Carr always adds so much depth into her romances and never fails to pull on my heartstrings. The Family Gathering is a 5 star read that you don’t want to miss! I am already looking forward to the next installment and I’m thinking I may need to do a re-read of the entire series in the near future :)

This book was amazing. I have loved everything I’ve ever read by Robyn Carr and I don’t see that changing any time soon. Please keep em’ coming!!!

Deeply touching story of family, love and second chances. The warmth of community adds to a wonderful love story between two people who have been alone for much too long. I loved this book, made me laugh and cry. Gave me a heartfelt experience.

Robyn Carr is one of the most requested authors in my bookstore. I have loved all of her books. I was glad to see that she is still writing the Sullivans Crossing series. Her books are always full of family and lots of emotion. This book was one of her best