Publication June 13, 2023
Shalvis is a master at creating books that give readers all the "feels". This one is no exception. I'd sorta drifted away from her books for awhile but am glad I found my way home with the advent of the Sunrise Cove series. Harper Shaw is starting over. She's brittle, prickly, and talks to her dog, a 125 lb. Bermese rescue. I liked her immediately. I did have to chuckle as she slides into town, literally, honest, and makes the comment about not realizing there would be snow on the ground that time of year. Uh, yeah, right. Anyone who follows Shalvis on social media surely knows what the weather is like in the Tahoe area. Me think this was wistful wishing on Shalvis’ part ha
In any case, Harper is not just starting over, she's making an effort to change how she lives her life, too. For instance, no lists. I'm not sure that was a great idea when you're moving but, well, it does mean she'll be more open to random people and adventure, right? Well, not exactly. Let's just say ignoring an offer of help, twice, in fact, tells you right away that the new Harper is still a work in progress. Hambone, aka Ham, her dog, in contrast, seems to have never met a stranger. Of course, although she’s sworn off men, she’s not blind. She's not immune to men, noticing that the stranger, Brodie Campbell, is, well, attractive. He turns out to not just own the bar next to her soon-to-be business, but is her landlord. She's also not sure about Shay who comes to her rescue with kitty litter. The fact she's dressed up as Velma from the Scooby Doo crew when they first meet probably had something to do with Harper's reluctance to trust her immediately. That said, somehow you just know they're going to be great friends.
I won't detail the plot as the blurb does an excellent job. I loved the characters immediately and the fact that we got to see things quickly through the eyes of both main characters, Harper and Brodie. The nuances and quirks of each emerge as we learn their backstories, not to mention the stories of the supporting characters. Now, true, you just want to shake some sense into some of them almost immediately, too, as they hide their real emotions and selves behind invisible walls. In other words, be prepared for a bit of an emotional roller coaster at times. Toss in a runaway teen girl searching for her real father and, whoa, life gets interesting for our new friends in Sunshine Cove. Oh, and you'll love the family texts sent by the brothers. They alone provide great insight into who each brother is and that despite the joking around they love each other. And, trust me, there are several love stories for you to enjoy. Just make sure that seat belt for the emotional roller coaster is firmly fastened.
Bottom line, if you like romances and women's fiction that is both character driven and well-written, you should give this one a read. There's much more to the story than I've touched on, so it'll grab and hold your attention and, yes, give your "feels" a work-out. Thanks #NetGalley and #Avon - #HarperVoyager for inviting me back to Sunrise Cove. Hope to return soon.
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