For Madison Grayson, life is good. Newly licensed as a marriage and family therapist, she can’t wait to start her practice. Despite the unfortunate shortage of eligible bachelors on the island–they’re all too young, too old, or too weird–Maddie feels like she’s finally found her sweet spot. Not even one panic attack in the last year. Not one. And then Ricky O’Shea drops in. Literally. Floating down from the pure blue sky, the one man in the world she hoped never to see again–the one who’d been her archnemesis from kindergarten through her senior dance–parachutes into town, landing on Boon Dock, canopy draping behind him like a superhero. Ricky O’Shea. Now Pastor Rick, the new minister on Three Sisters Island. Time to panic.
My Thoughts:
Second book in the Three Sisters Island series, “On a Coastal Breeze” focuses primarily on middle daughter, Maddie Greyson. She’s finally set up her own counseling practice on the Island, and is doing quite well at it, getting a good handle on life…or so she thought, until a person from her pasts shows up.
I really liked the dynamic between Maddie and Rick. It wasn’t a simple relationship, but it was unique and growing. Though really, the romance wasn’t actually as prominant a theme in this book as I expected. The theme was more on forgiveness, and overcoming fear and anxiety. The plot was really well written, and I very much enjoyed getting a glimpse into Maddie’s counseling practice as well.
As with the first book, this story continued to show pieces from each daughter as well as their father, which was a nice touch. Cam could be a little hard for me to relate to at times, but she did grow in this book. And Blaine – she is a likeable character who faces some of her own trials in this book. Looking forward to seeing more of her story!
The ending almost came too soon – I would’ve enjoyed having it go longer! – but it certainly gives us readers something to look forward to in the third book. I’ve grown quite fond of the Greyson family and their little Maine Island. :)
This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group (Revell), through Interviews & Reviews.
He’s doing what he can to save the Prince Regent’s life . . . but can he save his new marriage as well? Evan Eldridge never meant to be a war hero–he just wanted to fight Napoleon for the future of his country. And he certainly didn’t think that saving the life of a peer would mean being made the Earl of Whitelock. But when the life you save is dear to the Prince Regent, things can change in a hurry. Now Evan has a new title, a manor house in shambles, and a stranger for a bride, all thrust upon him by a grateful ruler. What he doesn’t have are all his memories. Traumatized as a result of his wounds and bravery on the battlefield, Evan knows there’s something he can’t quite remember. It’s important, dangerous–and if he doesn’t recall it in time, will jeopardize not only his marriage but someone’s very life.
My Thoughts:
I love a good Regency story, and this one was a lovely tale indeed. The story moved along at a decent pace, and kept me intrigued the entire duration, leaving me a little sad to leave its pages upon completion. And the snippet for the next book only left me wanting more too. ^.^One of my favorite ‘tropes’ in novels are marriage of convenience stories, and this one rather fit that bill. It was really great to get to know the characters and watch how they grew despite being thrown together in a manner they didn’t necessarily wish. How it all drew to conclusion was quite satisfying as well, and I liked seeing everything tied up in the end! The whole story was delightfully done, and I am eager to continue with the series!
Giveaway!
Click on the photo above to go to the giveaway or click HERE.
About the Author:
Erica Vetsch is a New York Times best-selling and ACFW Carol Award–winning author. She is a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota with her husband, who she claims is both her total opposite and soul mate.
Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks.
A self-described history geek, she has been planning her first research trip to England.
Review copy from the publisher/author as apart of Launch Team
My rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
About the Book:
Celebrity chef Maxwell Cavanaugh is known for many things: his multiple Michelin stars, his top-rated Culinary Channel show To the Max, and most of all his horrible temper. Hadley Beckett, host of the Culinary Channel’s other top-rated show, At Home with Hadley, is beloved for her Southern charm and for making her viewers feel like family.
When Max experiences a very public temper tantrum, he’s sent packing to get his life in order. When he returns, career in shambles, his only chance to get back on TV and in the public’s good graces is to work alongside Hadley.
As these polar-opposite celeb chefs begin to peel away the layers of public persona and reputation, they will not only discover the key ingredients for getting along, but also learn the secret recipe for unexpected forgiveness . . . and maybe even love. In the meantime, hide the knives.
Fan-favorite Bethany Turner serves up a heaping helping of humor and romance with this thoroughly modern story centered on cooking, enemies, and second chances.
My Thoughts:
I don’t cook or bake. At least, I don’t particularly enjoy it. So one might ask, why are you reading a very Foodie Novel? And the answer to that, besides the fact that the story itself sounds amazing obviously, is because Bethany Turner wrote it. As soon as I read her debut novel, The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck, I was hooked on this author’s writing style. It is so unique, and fun, and witty. So of course I could not miss out on another book by her!
And of course, I utterly enjoyed this one too. Surprise! ;) The story plot was really good, and the characters fabulous. The dynamics were a joy to see played out, and seeing Max transform was especially nice. Hadley was a sweetheart of a character, and I could relate to her on many levels (except the cooking/baking… haha). Max was detestable at first, and I really wondered how we would grow to love him. But we did, we really did.
I will say that I wish there was a bit more emphasis on faith. It was very subtly present, and I still feel that the author was respectful of that, but I think Max’s transformation could have had a lot more ‘oomph’ had the emphasis been more on God’s tranformation in us.
Still, I vastly enjoyed this book, and I’m sad to see it’s over. That just means I have to wait AGAIN for another Bethany Turner book…and that is quite difficult. I guess I will just have to appease myself with rereads of the authors three published novels so far. ;)
I don’t actually know if I’ve mentioned here on my blog yet, but I’ve been studying personality types for a while now, and am in the middle of a series on my Instagram where I type characters from books and movies every Monday (God-willing, of course!). It’s been a lot of fun, and yesterday I typed Hadley and Max from this wonderful book! You can check that out on my Instagram – my username is @vikinglady10 . :)
Gods Peculiar Treasure Rae 