Jenna Jones has been standing on the shore of the Sea of
Love for too long. Even with two good men interested in her, she's been afraid
to wade in. According to her best friend, Courtney, she should. The water's
fine. Life is great! Practically perfect, if you don't count Courtney's
problems with her cranky ex-boss. Maybe Courtney's right. It's time to dive in.
When tragedy strikes, everything changes and Jenna's more
confused than ever. But this fresh heartache might help her figure out at last
who she can turn to when times get tough.
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.
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