Good story of love, friendship, family, and loss. The book takes place in Moonlight Harbor, a small beach town in Washington, full of ordinary people with real lives. This one centers mainly around Jenna Jones, one of the characters in the previous book (Beachside Beginnings), though her family and friends also have prominent roles.
After divorcing her husband, Jenna moved to Moonlight Harbor and took over managing her elderly great-aunt's Driftwood Inn. She poured heart and soul into bringing the vintage motel back to life, and it is doing quite well. Besides the motel, Jenna fills her time with her massage therapy business, raising her teenage daughter, and watching out for Aunt Edie. As if she weren't busy enough, Jenna also ran for and won a seat on the town council. There are only two real downsides in her life: the alimony she's stuck paying her ex-husband for another year and trying to make up her mind about the two men in her life, Brody and Seth.
Brody is the local real estate agent, handsome, charming, wealthy, and determined in his pursuit of Jenna. He's a nice guy, sensitive to Jenna's wariness about getting involved, and willing to be patient as she works through her fears. Seth is an ex-con who works as a handyman. He's a loner who avoids getting close to others, but he's there when Jenna needs him. Jenna spends most of the book arguing with herself about which man before making a decision. But what happens when she receives a devastating blow that upends her life again? From the outside looking in, I easily guessed why it happened that way, but Jenna was left in the dark. It all became clear at the end, but it changed her relationships with both men.
The book takes place over a year, and we get a good look at Jenna's life and the lives of her friends and family. Besides her man troubles, Jenna must also deal with her town council duties, including a problem with an exploding deer population. She gets accosted by people on both sides of the issue, and finding a workable solution is a challenge. I liked getting to know Jenna's family. Aunt Edie may be slowing down, but she's sharp as a tack. She has plenty of advice to give whether the recipients want it or not, but she also has a big heart. I loved the scenes where she cooks for everyone. Jenna's mother, Melody, is at a crossroads. The grocery store she works at was sold, so she's out of a job. I loved seeing her gather her courage and move from the house she's lived in for so long to Moonlight Harbor, where she's close to her family. She also faces the question of whether she's ready for a new romance after so many years as a widow. Jenna's sister, Celeste, wants to move down to be with the rest of her family but has trouble convincing her husband to take that step. There are a few scenes where she comes across as somewhat selfish but shows some growth by the end.
Jenna's friend, Courtney, also faces some significant changes in her life. She quit her job with her cranky boutique owner boss to concentrate on designing her own clothes. When that boutique goes up for sale, she dreams of buying it, but there are obstacles. I liked how her friends rallied around her when an unexpected twist put it within reach. She also has her handsome firefighter boyfriend in her life and a mother dropping heavy-handed hints about marriage and grandbabies. I liked Jonas a lot and had fun with the surprise he had for Courtney.
An unexpected loss devastates Jenna's family but hits her especially hard. A perceived betrayal complicates her grief and leaves Jenna questioning her judgment. I ached for her as her dreams for the future fell apart. There were times when I wanted to shake her for her lack of trust, but it also opened her eyes to feelings she'd ignored before. I wasn't surprised by either twist at the end of the book though I liked how they happened.
I've read the book before this, which I enjoyed. This one reminded me I want to read the others in the series.
After divorcing her husband, Jenna moved to Moonlight Harbor and took over managing her elderly great-aunt's Driftwood Inn. She poured heart and soul into bringing the vintage motel back to life, and it is doing quite well. Besides the motel, Jenna fills her time with her massage therapy business, raising her teenage daughter, and watching out for Aunt Edie. As if she weren't busy enough, Jenna also ran for and won a seat on the town council. There are only two real downsides in her life: the alimony she's stuck paying her ex-husband for another year and trying to make up her mind about the two men in her life, Brody and Seth.
Brody is the local real estate agent, handsome, charming, wealthy, and determined in his pursuit of Jenna. He's a nice guy, sensitive to Jenna's wariness about getting involved, and willing to be patient as she works through her fears. Seth is an ex-con who works as a handyman. He's a loner who avoids getting close to others, but he's there when Jenna needs him. Jenna spends most of the book arguing with herself about which man before making a decision. But what happens when she receives a devastating blow that upends her life again? From the outside looking in, I easily guessed why it happened that way, but Jenna was left in the dark. It all became clear at the end, but it changed her relationships with both men.
The book takes place over a year, and we get a good look at Jenna's life and the lives of her friends and family. Besides her man troubles, Jenna must also deal with her town council duties, including a problem with an exploding deer population. She gets accosted by people on both sides of the issue, and finding a workable solution is a challenge. I liked getting to know Jenna's family. Aunt Edie may be slowing down, but she's sharp as a tack. She has plenty of advice to give whether the recipients want it or not, but she also has a big heart. I loved the scenes where she cooks for everyone. Jenna's mother, Melody, is at a crossroads. The grocery store she works at was sold, so she's out of a job. I loved seeing her gather her courage and move from the house she's lived in for so long to Moonlight Harbor, where she's close to her family. She also faces the question of whether she's ready for a new romance after so many years as a widow. Jenna's sister, Celeste, wants to move down to be with the rest of her family but has trouble convincing her husband to take that step. There are a few scenes where she comes across as somewhat selfish but shows some growth by the end.
Jenna's friend, Courtney, also faces some significant changes in her life. She quit her job with her cranky boutique owner boss to concentrate on designing her own clothes. When that boutique goes up for sale, she dreams of buying it, but there are obstacles. I liked how her friends rallied around her when an unexpected twist put it within reach. She also has her handsome firefighter boyfriend in her life and a mother dropping heavy-handed hints about marriage and grandbabies. I liked Jonas a lot and had fun with the surprise he had for Courtney.
An unexpected loss devastates Jenna's family but hits her especially hard. A perceived betrayal complicates her grief and leaves Jenna questioning her judgment. I ached for her as her dreams for the future fell apart. There were times when I wanted to shake her for her lack of trust, but it also opened her eyes to feelings she'd ignored before. I wasn't surprised by either twist at the end of the book though I liked how they happened.
I've read the book before this, which I enjoyed. This one reminded me I want to read the others in the series.
