Nora Roberts easily mingles real locations from her personal life into the fictional plot of her newest best-seller, "The Next Always," the first in a new trilogy.
"The Next Always" introduces the Montgomery brothers -- Beckett, Ryder and Owen -- who are in the midst of renovating a crumbling town landmark into an upscale inn.
Roberts launches the trilogy with Beckett's story. He's the architect among the three brothers who created the design for their family project. Beckett has quietly carried a torch for Clare Brewster since their days in high school. She married right out of high school and left town when her husband went into the military. Now she's back, widowed and mother of three young boys. She's intrigued by the remodeling happening at Inn BoonsBoro across the street from her bookstore and by the man who is making it happen.
The author's detailed descriptions of the renovation reflect her intimate knowledge of transforming a centuries-old landmark into a B&B. Roberts and her husband, Bruce Wilder, bought an 18th-century property in western Maryland and transformed it two years ago into an upscale boutique hotel. It, too, is named Inn BoonsBoro, just like its fictional counterpart in "The Next Always."
Turn the Page bookstore in BoonsBoro is operated by her husband in real life, by Clare in her novel. Both inns boast a Gifts Inn BoonsBoro gift shop. In Maryland, the Vesta Pizza parlor is operated by her son; in the book, Vesta is operated by Clare's best friend, Avery.
Guest suites in both inns are named for famous literary couples -- ranging from Elizabeth and Darcy, in which much of the fictional suspense takes place, to Nick and Nora from "The Thin Man" and Marguerite and Percy from "The Scarlet Pimpernel."
However, "The Next Always" shouldn't be mistaken for a 300-page advertisement for Roberts' hometown inn.
Roberts excels in character development and dialogue, and it's that powerful duo that will draw readers into "The Next Always." Her prose is realistic, honest, funny and emotional.
As Beckett and Clare's romance slowly unfolds, Roberts' storytelling has the uncanny effect of making readers feel part of the Montgomerys' circle of the friends, invested in the outcome as we watch the brothers' relationships grow.
The second installment of the trilogy, "The Last Boyfriend," is due May 1.