SAND CASTLE BAY by Sherryl Woods

An Ocean Breeze Novel, Book One in Trilogy

Harlequin Mira

March 26^th, 2013

978-0-7783-1436-3

Contemporary Romance

E-book ARC

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Publisher via Netgalley

 

Emily Castle left Ocean Breeze to discover her place in the world but leaving to find that success caused her to break not just her heart but also the one man who she loved more than anything in the world. Now ten years later, Emily comes face to face with the one man who has held onto her heart all those years-Boone Dorsett. But Boone didn’t pine away for her. He turned around and married someone else, had a child and found happiness until he lost his wife from an unexpected illness. Seeing Emily again brings up old hurts, secret desires and more for Boone hasn’t forgotten his childhood sweetheart, the one who walked away from him and the life he imagined they would have together. Can Boone and Emily find a way to rediscover their love or will forces against their reunion separate them forever?

I absolutely adore Ms. Woods’s books. She brings something to the story that literally charms you, be it the characters, the setting or the small town life. There is always something about her stories that lift my spirits up, makes me smile, sigh and root for characters to get their own happily ever. In her newest book and the introduction to the Ocean Breeze trilogy, Ms. Woods gives the readers a place that will leave you eager for more. The love this author has for North Carolina comes through loud and clear and I found  myself falling for the Castle Sisters, their loving if at times meddling grandmother and the residents of Ocean Breeze. This is an author who knows how to weave a spell around her readers with a cast of characters that are diverse as well as intriguing & storylines that touch the heart. I can’t say enough about this author or her books.

SAND CASTLE BAY introduces the reader to Ocean Breeze and the Castle sisters who, each having their own careers as well as still dealing with old hurts and sibling rivalry between them. Emily Castle left ten years before to discover the world, make her mark as an interior decorator to the stars and in the process, left behind not just her broken heart but also Boone’s, who just didn’t understand why she had to leave. Emily and Boone are a couple I enjoyed immensely though at times I wanted to smack Boone upside the head for his attitude towards Emily. I won’t spoil it in case you haven’t picked this up yet but needless to say I felt that Boone needed to just admit to himself he let his pride and ego get in the way of a happily ever after back then. Emily’s interactions with Boone, her sisters and grandmother were at times funny, intriguing and downright enjoyable. I loved her sisters and how they had an opinion on her and Boone’s relationship even after Emily kept denying they had one was fun to see. Who hasn’t had a family member or friend do this to you? The secondary characters are just as intriguing and I am eager to see Cora Jane’s secret romance becomes something more in the next two books.

SAND CASTLE BAY is a story of family, second chances and love in all its many forms. It is an emotional story, one that the reader can’t help but enjoy even as you flip the pages to see what happens next. Ms. Woods’ delivers a stellar story that leaves you eager for the next book. If you enjoy a contemporary feel good story then try SAND CASTLE BAY. I look forward to more visits to Ocean Breeze in the future.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement