Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy
From The Canon of Nora Wiki
The Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy is a contemporary romance trilogy by Nora Roberts centered on the restoration of the historic Inn BoonsBoro, a nineteenth-century hotel in Boonsboro, Maryland. While each novel follows one of the Montgomery brothers finding love, the trilogy also chronicles the creation of the inn itself, the lives of the Montgomery family, the close-knit community surrounding the town square, and the centuries-old mystery of the inn's resident ghost.
Unlike many romance trilogies, the Inn BoonsBoro books function as a continuing ensemble story. Characters introduced in the first novel remain central throughout the series, allowing the reader to witness the growth of both the businesses and the relationships that bind the community together.
Books in the Series
| # | Title | Primary Couple | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Next Always | Beckett Montgomery & Clare Brewster | Opening of the Inn BoonsBoro |
| 2 | The Last Boyfriend | Owen Montgomery & Avery MacTavish | Family history and lifelong friendship |
| 3 | The Perfect Hope | Ryder Montgomery & Hope Beaumont | Completion of the inn and the ghost's story |
Overview
The trilogy follows the Montgomery family as they transform a long-abandoned historic hotel into the luxurious Inn BoonsBoro. The renovation becomes far more than a construction project—it becomes the emotional center of the town and the catalyst for new beginnings.
As each Montgomery brother finds lasting love, the series also explores:
- family loyalty
- lifelong friendships
- small-town community
- entrepreneurship
- restoration and preservation
- second chances
- grief and healing
- history that continues to influence the present
Running alongside every romance is the mystery of a young woman believed to haunt the inn, whose tragic nineteenth-century story gradually unfolds across all three novels.
Setting
The trilogy is set primarily in Boonsboro, Maryland, a real historic town founded in 1792.
Important recurring locations include:
- Inn BoonsBoro
- Vesta Pizzeria
- Books on Main
- Turn the Page Bookstore
- Montgomery Family Contractors
- Main Street
- The Town Square
- Hopewell Inn
- Clare's bookstore
- numerous homes belonging to the Montgomery family
The restoration of the inn serves as the backdrop for nearly every major event in the trilogy.
Major Families
Montgomery Family
The central family of the trilogy.
The brothers jointly own:
They also become partners in:
Brewster Family
- Clare Brewster
- Harry Brewster (deceased)
- Clare's three sons
The Brewster storyline focuses on rebuilding life after the death of Clare's husband.
MacTavish Family
Owners of:
Beaumont Family
Hope arrives as the inn's manager and eventually becomes part of the Montgomery family.
Businesses
Several locally owned businesses form the backbone of the community.
| Business | Owner | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Inn BoonsBoro | Montgomery family | Luxury inn |
| Montgomery Family Contractors | Montgomery brothers | Construction company |
| Vesta Pizzeria | Avery MacTavish | Restaurant |
| Books on Main | Clare Brewster | Bookstore |
| Turn the Page Bookstore | Local bookstore |
Principal Characters
Montgomery Brothers
Romantic Leads
Montgomery Family
Children
- Clare's three sons
Friends and Town Residents
Numerous townspeople appear throughout all three novels, creating one of Nora Roberts' richest recurring casts.
The Ghost of Inn BoonsBoro
A mysterious female spirit inhabits the inn throughout the trilogy.
Guests and family members experience:
- unexplained scents
- laughter
- footsteps
- objects moving
- apparitions
- emotional impressions
Over the course of the series, fragments of her life gradually emerge until the final novel reveals the complete story behind her tragic death and unresolved love.
The ghost serves as more than a supernatural element; she mirrors the trilogy's central themes of hope, forgiveness, and finding one's way home.
Themes
Recurring themes include:
- Restoration
- Home
- Family
- Friendship
- Community
- Entrepreneurship
- Historic preservation
- Second chances
- Widowhood and healing
- Love after loss
- Fate
- Legacy
Timeline
The Next Always
- Restoration of the inn nears completion.
- Beckett falls in love with Clare.
- The ghost first becomes widely apparent.
The Last Boyfriend
- Owen and Avery finally acknowledge lifelong feelings.
- The inn begins full operation.
- More clues emerge about the ghost.
The Perfect Hope
- Hope becomes innkeeper.
- Ryder falls in love.
- The ghost's identity and story are finally resolved.
- The Inn BoonsBoro enters a successful new chapter.
Connections to Other Nora Roberts Works
Like many Nora Roberts contemporary trilogies, the Inn BoonsBoro series combines:
- multiple interconnected romances
- strong family relationships
- a thriving small-town setting
- local businesses
- an element of mystery
The blend of realistic contemporary romance with a gentle supernatural storyline makes it stylistically similar to:
Trivia
- The fictional inn is based on the real Inn BoonsBoro in Boonsboro, Maryland, which was purchased and restored by Nora Roberts.
- The trilogy was published over the course of a single year.
- Many locations described in the novels correspond to real businesses in downtown Boonsboro.
- Restoration details throughout the series reflect authentic architectural renovation practices.
- The ghost storyline unfolds continuously across all three novels rather than being resolved within a single book.