Cheryl
Characters: Violet, Dani, Whitney, Sully, and Ford POV: multi-character, limited I'll Stand By You is a nostalgic short story of five friends working at a hotel for one last summer after graduation that will lead them all on different paths. This prequel is an excellent crossover because it gives a good taste of what's to time to these new set of characters! Also, the Boston Classic series characters lend their star power and storylines by slowly intersecting with Henry Smith's (Boston Classics #4) family dog named Ribsy. I enjoyed the mystery and how the MCs found clues to finding Ribsy and, simultaneously, tackle big decisions of what will be the following "chapters" after their summer job at the hotel. I love the multi-character POV with the exciting and intriguing premises for the next book series. Each POV gives excellent insight into each character's issues and, at the same time, keeps many details hidden for the upcoming books. The sharing and character development are just suitable for a novella. This book, set in the 1990s, brings back many fun memories for generation readers that is relatable, which all would appreciate as these moments are a great teaser to start the series! Overall, I'll Stand By You is a quick and easy read that gives the right amount of build-up to have readers excited for the upcoming new series. It is about growing up (coming of age), friendship, trust, and hope. With these new and complex characters coming with so much "baggage" and insecurities, the next series will indeed have a lot of "explaining" and "unraveling" soon!
Stephanie Hall
'I'll Stand By You' was my first ever Karen Grey book and I feel like I've been missing out! This book apparently serves as a bonus epilogue to her Boston Classics series, which I now just NEED to read, as well as a prequel to her new Carolina Classics series, which I also now just NEED to read. A sign of a great author when you feel that you immediately need to read more of their books! This was a witty, fun and absorbing book that made you feel as if you were among friends. It won't disappoint!
Wendy Livingstone
This is a prequel to a new series. This is about five lifelong friends who all grew up together, Violet, Danielle, Whitney, Ford, and Sully, who are all working together at a popular Wrightsfords beach hotel. These characters are all trying to figure out in which direction their lives should take. This is a well written quick read, which is fun, emotional, entertaining, and humorous, with witty banter, loyalty, and love, which leads to a compelling page turner. I look forward to reading more in