Title: Harbor Lights
Author: Sherryl Woods
Series: Chesapeake Shores #3
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Dates read: 20th – 21st July 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Mira
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: His father’s belated transformation was hard to buy, but there was at least some evidence to support it.

Struggling in his role as a newly single father, former army medic Kevin O’Brien moves home to Chesapeake Shores. He wants a haven for himself and his toddler son, surrounded by the family he knows he can count on, and a future that’s nothing like his past. But Kevin is suddenly facing a risk he hadn’t anticipated, in the form of Main Street bookseller Shanna Carlyle.

Shanna immediately recognizes Kevin as a wounded soul – she’s had way too much experience with the type. Still, this charming O’Brien man and his son are almost impossible to resist.

Then, just when the barriers are toppling, someone from Shanna’s past appears. Confronted with a threat to their hard-won serenity, Kevin and Shanna face their toughest challenge – learning to trust again.

From the very outset of this novel, and from her introduction in Flowers on Main, I knew that Kevin’s wife was going to die. And it was kind of tragic. But also something that I was gleefully anticipating… there’s not enough of her to become attached to. And I mostly just really wanted to get started on Kevin’s life and journey. Some of the extra complications of their relationship were not foreseen though. Which made the whole story all that much more intriguing.

As much as the loss of his wife makes Kevin’s backstory and the complications he brings to the relationship is a little sad. It is Shanna’s backstory which was really heart breaking. No wonder she had so many hang ups. But she was also one of the sweetest, kindest characters that I’ve read in a while. I love all of that softness and tenderness that she brings to the story line.

Most love stories which are of this calibre are all about finding a second chance and moving on from the past. This is partly what happens in this novel. But, mostly, it is about hope and finding a way to have their own happily ever after. It’s about moving on and carving out a life for yourself after your heart and life has been shattered.

This was a more complex romance than what I’ve been reading lately. But it was what I seriously enjoyed about this. I love that there were many, many moments of difficulties and emotions. Not something that I always find in a good romance. It was a story that made you hope / think that no matter what horrible things happen… there is always the chance of creating a new happily ever after for yourself. In spite of everything that may go wrong.

Image source: Booktopia

Title: Flowers on Main
Author: Sherryl Woods
Series: Chesapeake Shores #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Dates read: 19th – 20th July 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Mira
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: Nell said, sounding vaguely wary, but definitely not surprised.

When her last two plays are dismal failures and her relationship with her temperamental mentor falls apart, writer Bree O’Brien abandons Chicago and the regional theater where she hoped to make a name for herself to return home. Opening Flowers on Main promises to bring her a new challenge and a new kind of fulfillment.

But not all is peaceful and serene in Chesapeake Shores, with her estranged mother on the scene and her ex-lover on the warpath. Jake Collins has plenty of reasons to want Bree out of his life, but none of those are a match for the one reason he wants her to stay: he’s still in love with her.

Jake might be able to get past that old hurt if he knew Bree was home to stay, but is she? The only way to know for sure is to take a dangerous leap of faith.

Bree is the quiet, lovely O’Brien sister. So I seriously looked forward to reading her story. After all, she’s the quiet sane sister. And sometimes they’re the ones that are the most ridiculously fun. Particularly when you begin to find out about the things in her past which made her run. And the lead man in this story? Jake… he’s just gorgeous. And underhanded. And wonderful.

There seems to be a bit of a recurring theme in the Chesapeake Shores books so far… that of reigniting love; second chances; and getting rid of naysayers. I love the idea that even though there have been bad moments in the past, there is always a chance for redemption. For Abbey it was walking back to the life that she said goodbye to. But, for Bree, it was so much more intense and complicated. The fact that Bree and Jake were able to get over their own past… it gives you hope for the future. Or at least, it gives me hope.

I love that one of the obstacles to the relationship in this novel were due to, in part, needing to just grow the hell up. And, you know, get over the past and find a way into the future. It’s something that I think we all sometimes need to keep in mind. And, as someone, who has been in a relationship since I was in my teens… I can completely understand both sides of the conflict in this… which is probably what I enjoyed so much about Woods’ writing in this novel – it was realistic in its approach to emotions and feelings.

After finishing this novel, I weirdly really want a flower shop. I have no idea why. As much as I enjoy flowers – I’m not great at growing them, and I’ve never tried to arrange them. This is another one of those stories that act as a fantastic reminder that having an insanely high-powered career isn’t necessarily going to make you happy. And that giving up such a thing can sometimes lead to never-ending happiness.

Image source: HarperCollins Australia

Title: The Inn at Eagle Point
Author: Sherryl Woods
Series: Chesapeake Shores #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Dates read: 15th – 17th July 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Mira
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: If she had, Abby would have stayed far, far away from the bank.

It’s been years since Abby O’Brien Winters set foot in Chesapeake Shores. The Maryland town her father built has too many sad memories and Abby too few spare moments, thanks to her demanding Wall Street career, the crumbling of her marriage and energetic daughters. Then one panicked phone call from her youngest sister brings her racing back home to protect Jess’s dream of renovating the charming Inn at Eagle Point.

But saving the inn from foreclosure means dealing not only with her own fractured family, but also with Trace Riley, the man Abby left ten years ago. Trace can be a roadblock to her plans… or proof that second chances happen in the most unexpected ways.

What a beautiful start to a beautiful series. It’s cute, it’s quaint and it’s everything that I love in a good contemporary romance series. Particularly since I seem to be drawn to the series which feature older adults now. And second chance love stories. And people with a ridiculous amount of history that makes you go yup… we all have a bit of a tough time in life… but there’s hope!

I really liked that there was this slow realisation in Abby throughout this story that divorce is a two-way street and that it’s not all her own fault. That even though Wes doesn’t seem like a totally terrible guy… he’s still kind of a dick all the way throughout. He was one of those villains that I really didn’t like… but I also didn’t completely hate. I just thought he was a bit of a petulant child. And I loved that Abby also came to this same realisation… it highlighted the idea of second chances and understanding not only other people again, but yourself.

The driver for the beginning of this series is all about sisterly love. It’s strong, it’s annoying and it’s complex. I know. I have an annoying little sister. One that I love dearly, don’t get me wrong… but still annoying at times. I loved how Woods was realistic about the annoyance of siblings and how intertwined we all are in each others’ lives. It just made the whole story more fun and, honestly, cute. Again, Wes’ silliness also highlighted that you should really never get between sisters… you’ll always loose.

This isn’t just a romance. It’s a great tale about family, children, and second chances. Not only is it about Abby and Trace finding a second chance and a life and love that suits them. But it’s also about healing wounds in family and taking a second chance on them. Even as the next generation grows to make their own bull headed mistakes…

Image source: HarperCollins Australia