After reading In With the Tide, I looked through all my books to see if I had read anything else by Charlee James. I didn’t remember this author or any of her books, sure enough this is the first book. Often the covers do not cause me to request or read a book but this one caught my eye. It is different in a refreshing way from the usual hot man cover. I liked the cover and I liked the book.

I liked it a lot and loved the characters for the most part. There is nothing but sweetness concerning Maris. Then what is not to love with a tough military man is wrapped around a newborn’s finger from day one. Even Lindsay is to be admired for working to stand on her own two feet as a single parent.

Lindsay and Damien are two wounded souls who are prickly and untrusting though it is their foremost desire to have someone trustworthy. Because of this there is a lot of drama in this well-written story; realistic but at times eyerolling too. I also liked the HEA which has a major changeup. The foreshadowing at the beginning of the book made me think something was in store for Damien, but I thought it would be the predictable ending. This was simply a well-done surprise.

It’s easy for family and friends to sympathize with someone they know who has been physically abused. But it is another story if a person is emotionally or verbally abused. Unless you yourself is suffering or has survived this kind of abuse, just like any psychological experience, it is difficult for those who have not lived with it to empathize.

Damien and Lindsey’s story is more than the “baby-in-the-picture” plot. It is a story of two people trying to live life while surviving and recovering from psychological violence. The length of time they have endured it does not matter, be it a couple of years or an entire childhood, it had long-lasting effects on them. It ingrained in them that they are at fault and are being made to feel guilty.

Should a trigger warning be given for this book? Maybe not? That’s my opinion but I’m not a survivor of such abuse, I don’t know what triggers them. In my observation, there were very few instances shown in the book about the abuse themselves. The story is how they recover from it. But you could read between the lines and know that they were both intimidated, criticized, and undermind. Lindsey was even economically abused and was told what she can and cannot do.

This review now sounds heavy, but the story is full of hope and new beginnings. It shows us we can heal and it is not a sign of weakness to lean on someone or ask for help.

I have never read anything by Charlee and I was not disappointed with this book at all. In this book Lindsay comes home broken from a marriage that did not work, but she's also very pregnant and will stop at nothing to protect and give this child the life she deserves. When she run into Damien it seems like things aren't going as planned for either. Damien is home to close up his dads estate and to bury the old man and so regrets that seem to still haunt Damien. This book was super fun read and really got you in the heart two broken people looking for healing but not want to face the things that are right there. They try to work it through but nothing seems to work. The love between the two seems very natural and not forced which is refreshing. I also enjoyed how the author described the area without to much just perfect it makes you want to go an visit the Cap just to see what was described. I loved how easy the story flowed and really got you into the story while leaving you guessing where she was going next. This story does have a some adult language and mild adult scenes but so worth the read.

A friends to lovers romance with sincerity and heart aplenty. Lindsey and Damien were two likeable characters and Jay and Alex just as interesting. The story has emotional moments and dramatic elements that kept this reader’s attention fixed to the pages. Some twists that snuck up on this reader and some contentious moments too, but overall In With The Tide by Charlee James is a read that leaves a smile.
Review copy received from Tule Publishing via Netgalley

Awesome read! It was heartwarming and touched a place deep in my soul. Strong characters and excellent writing made this one very enjoyable.

Newly divorced and pregnant, Lindsey Hunter finds herself moving back to Cape Cod for a fresh start for herself and her baby. The last person she expects to run into is Damien Trent. Sure they were friends when they were very young but after middle school Damien basically ignored Lindsey. Then he enlisted and left his unhappy childhood and Lindsey in the rear view. They reconnect when he stops to help Lindsey after her car dies. It's obvious that the attraction and chemistry between them is still as strong as ever. The longer they spend time together the stronger the feelings become. Is there anyway for them to make this thing work this time?

Highly recommended.

In With the Tide by Charlee Jones. A heart-warming story with great characters and storyline. I loved the setting. A great start to a new series the Cape Cod Shores series. I look forward to seeing what is up next in this series and to read more by this author.

I really enjoyed this sweet love story. The characters I thought were very well done. The hero, Damien is our bad boy turned ex-Marine. The heroine is played by Lindsey, town sweetheart, returning home as a pregnant divorcee. The chemistry is still there between these two, which makes for a delightful story. The birth of baby Maris was one of my favorite parts of the story. It seemed a little short and rushed to me. Maybe because I found it so touching and the turning point to their relationship. I just felt it deserved more detail. Both characters are strong individuals, having gone through their own nightmares. Lindsey's ex was verbally abusive and controlling. Depleting her of any self as-steam. Damien's nightmare started as a child from his drunken fathers beatings. Then was added to by his several stays in Afghanistan. Together they find themselves stronger and more capable to work through their issues. There is a line from the story that to me sums up this story line. “....for a second chance at first love rarely came twice in a lifetime.” Loved this book and I recommend it. This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and Net Galley. My thanks to them. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

This is a new to me author. I picked it up based on the synopsis. Single parent tropes get me every time. This one is also a second chance romance. Lindsey and Damien knew each other in high school but parted ways for a few years.

Sweet story with a bit of angst and self doubt layered in. Both Damien and Lindsey are good people with good hearts, they just kept bumbling over each other with big blowouts when they made bad assumptions.

The writing was a little choppy-- Jumped around quickly from scene to scene. I see promise here, though. I would pick up the next in the series just to see if things improve. Interesting secondary characters make me want to know their stories, too.

In with the Tide is a charming story filled with conflicting emotions and warring feelings. When two old friends intersect on a Cape Cod highway, life changes for both of them.

Lindsay Hunter saved Damien Trent many times when they were young and poles apart. He never forgot her sincerity and she never forgot him. When circumstances bring them together, a love erupts with its own volatility of insecurity and trust weariness. A lot has to happen to change insecurity to trust if the relationship is to survive.

I am anxiously awaiting the next installment in the Cape Cod Shore novels.

Damien is back in town to sort out his late Father's house. Lindsey is moving back, pregnant, and leaving her cheating husband. They were close once but they haven't seen each other for year. The attraction is still there, but they both need to deal with some issues.
A short, but enjoyable read

This was a short novel that covers some common themes: the pregnant heroine leaving a very bad marriage who encounters a hunky guy who has just left the military and who has some issues, but they fall in love and the guy finds salvation in love of the heroine and her baby. I always love the bad boy who falls for a tiny newborn infant storyline. But this novel is so short that there is just not enough depth to the characters. We never learn why Lindsey married her domineering, obnoxious husband and then stuck with him. She comes from a loving, middle-class family. I would have liked some more background there. Also, why didn’t she get any money or funds for her child in her divorce? The ex-husband shows up and tries to intimidate her; why wasn’t he paying childcare? Didn’t she have a lawyer in her divorce? The author could have given a bit of an answer for these questions.

It all get resolves happily and quickly. If you want a short, quick and sweet romance, you might enjoy this.

I really liked this book! Of course I was pulled in because it is one of my favorite troupes. The H did grate on my nerves a bit, but not too bad. I would recommend this book if you're looking for a cute book that's not too angsty!

There are within this story such emotional moments that you'll find yourself drawing a quick breath at just how deeply you are touched. This is author is new to me, I have found her writing superb in creating attachments to her characters. Through the heartbreak she created for her characters, there is the brightness of a HEA that shined through providing a very satisfying ending to Damien and Lindsey's story.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

A truly sweet romance! It’s a story about second chances on love, childhood sweethearts reunited and building and rebuilding families.
Damien, a former Marine with a troubled past, is a wonderful hero, a brawny and rugged man with scars inside and outside. Damien’s bonding with baby Maris is endearing to watch; and when he suggests “just cuddling” to the heroine, a recent mother who has given birth…
Lindsey is a great heroine too, who learns to overcome her insecurities.
The story felt a bit sappy sometimes but the strong, tender relationship between Damien, Lindsey and Maris made it really heartwarming.
We get a glimpse of Jay and Alex, I hope we’ll have their story soon.

I liked the premise of the book. Childhood friends reconnect after years of not seeing each other, he's a vet and she's pregnant. It's a cute idea with a lot of directions that the story can be taken. Damien is returning home for the first time in years after the death of his father to settle his affairs. Lindsey is coming home pregnant after finding out that her loser husband is cheating on her with his assistant.

The issue I had with the book wasn't with the story, but rather with the way it was written. I love to get lost in a good romance, where you know the voice of the characters, meaningful dialogue, and little gestures. In this book, there is very little dialogue. There are descriptions of talks late into the night, sharing of their lives, etc. but we, as the reader, don't get to "hear" any of that. Before you know it, a month has passed. A great opportunity presents itself when Lindsey goes into labor and Damien is there to support her. I was expecting this big birth scene where Damien cuts the cord and there is all of this celebration. Instead we read about him cutting the cord. For me, this would have been something to endear the characters more to me.

The story is really a great idea and the direction it takes is really interesting. I just felt like the characters fell a little flat.

So, i liked the idea of the story and how family was made at the end but i guess i had something different in mind.

In With the Tide had great third person writing which I appreciated. The flow of the story was a bit disjointed for me though. It moved quickly without a lot of depth and I easily became distracted while reading it. I think the premise of the story was great and the heroine still being pregnant added interesting perspective.