This is a sweet story about a small town and the caring nature of its inhabitants. They are gracious but there is the typical gossiping and busybody atmosphere. I’m not a huge fan of romance so that aspect did not appeal to me. But I liked the sense of community and the relationships.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mira for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

The Summer Retreat is a romantic fun read!

Synopsis:
Celeste Jones has plans for a perfect summer with her boyfriend (and hopefully soon-to-be fiancé)—until he dumps her to be with the woman he’s had on the side for months. Heartbroken and furious, Celeste resolves to move on. When the going gets tough, the tough…okay, the not-so-tough go to the beach.

As soon as school lets out for the summer, she waves goodbye to her first-graders, packs up her bikini and heads for Moonlight Harbor, where she knows her big sister, Jenna, will receive her with open arms. Jenna could probably use some help at the Driftwood Inn, and Celeste is happy to do chores around the place in exchange for a relaxing summer escape. She just needs something—or someone—to distract her from her troubles.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Author, Sheila Roberts knows how to write easy-to-read, contemporary women lit. This was a quick read and somewhat predictable.

This summer read features Celeste, Jenna's sister who heads to Moonlight Harbor to get away from a bad relationship and help her sister at the Driftwood Inn. Jenna finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her and she falls apart. It is one more bad relationship in a string of them. Jenna's main goal in life is to find a good man and get married, but now she is thinking she needs to give up on men. Once she arrives in Moonlight Harbor, Jenna has other plans for her sister. The local minister is single and attractive. She thinks he and Celeste would be a perfect match. Things move quickly and they are an item in a short period of time. I think that is what I did not like about this book, as the others in this series do not feature instalove. The big problem is that Celeste is not being herself, but changing to be what the pastor wants and expects from a wife. Again, not something I like as not being true to yourself will never work in the long run. As you can probably tell, this is my least favourite book of the series. I love Jenna's ongoing story and her decisions regarding who the right man for her may be. The usual characters are along for the ride with this outing and I always enjoy the support they give each other, even though their advice and meddling might not be the best. There is another group of female friends in this one that are actually rather mean and could be considered bullies to a degree, but I am glad that they can put in their place by one of their own. Overall, a good story, one I am glad I read, but definitely a bit of a letdown compared to the rest of the series.

Head to Moonlight Harbor for more of Sheila Roberts’ typical small-town charm in The Summer Retreat. It’s the third book in the series, revisiting familiar characters and adding some new drama into the mix, too.

Celeste Jones heads to the beach, determined to get over her recent heartbreak. However, as her sister Jenna’s experience will attest, romance in Moonlight Harbor is no easy feat to maneuver. It’s entertaining to see the story unfold, full of heartwarming and humorous moments, as Celeste tries to find the man right for her.

If you enjoy contemporary romance, especially in small-town settings, check out The Summer Retreat.

Contemporary small town, clean romance. Multiple points of view.
Lots of characters give the story charm.
Third book in the Moonlight Harbor series. Can be read as a standalone. I hadn’t read the previous books and had no trouble follow the characters

I was at a point where I needed just a mindless read and this fit the bill perfectly. There are some very stereotypical pieces of this book that were just ridiculous and the main character was really whiney and made stupid decisions (which I hate dumb females) based on who a guy was and what she thought she should be but it all ended happily. It was ok for if you are just looking for something fluffy to read.

I really enjoyed this book, I loved how Celeste and Jenna overcome adversity and come out better because of it. I highly recommend this book, you will love it and I warn you, you will not be able to put it down.

Thank you netgalley and harlequin for allowing me to read this title for an honest review.

When I picked this book up, I didn't realize it was the third book in a series. I feel like it read as a standalone story, but I don't know if I was missing anything about the character's stories from previous books or not. I didn't like the premise of this story overall...the main character was hungry for love and just wanted to settle down with someone and get married, whether they were the right person for her or not. I just found some of it a little unrelateable and uninteresting.

When one needs to heal from a broken heart, one goes to another town to heal won't family. And that's what the heroine did, spending time with her sister and niece as well as beginning a new romance with a local man. Alas, the relationship is not without some bumps and twists. The book features a great set of characters that includes a dog named Nemo. While the story gives positive vibes, there were instances in which some characters annoyed me. Overall, I found the book a good read.

*Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.*

Page one will grab your attention but unfortunately for me the next few chapters just did not live up to the opening and since I've been struggling with what I like these days I abandoned he story. Fortunately I picket it up a few weeks ago and found that while the story is pretty predictable it does redeem itself.
Life at Moonlight Harbor seems to be ideal, a typical East Coast summer in a beach town. It's the characters and the undercurrents that keep things interesting as well as the heartwarming though quirky family relationships. While this book won't rank at the top for me, I am glad that I was able to go back and read it. It makes a nice light hearted summer read even though I am reading it on a stormy overcast dull and dreary day.

I love "beach reads like this." The characters were fresh and interesting and I found the storyline easy to follow and progressed at the perfect pace. I will definitely read more books by this author!

In the third Moonlight Harbor series book...…...

After Celeste finds out that the man she had planned to marry has cheated on her, Celeste takes off for the summer to visit her sister, who had purchased an inn, and help her out while clearing her head.

Once she arrives in Moonlight Harbor she finds that there are eligible men and that a few of them are vying for her attention.

She meets Pastor Paul through her sister, who pushes Celeste towards a relationship with him.

A writer, Henry, is staying in Cabin 12 and at first glance Celeste thinks he is murderer, but as a friendship forms between him, Celeste realizes he is a writer and there are sparks between them. Celeste ignores her instincts and follows the path she feels is safe. Can she find happiness with safety or will she listen to her heart.


4.5 stars

This is the third book in the Moonlight Harbor series but can be read as a stand alone. Celeste heads to her sister, Jenna's Bed and Breakfast in Moonlight Harbor for the summer. She has just been blindsided by her boyfriend and figures she can help out for a room for the summer. Both Celeste and her sister have trouble in the romance department. I found Celeste just a little obsessed with finding a man and getting married but both sisters have a family history. Sheila Roberts is one of the authors I pick up without even reading the blurb on the cover. She always has a great romance and this one has two. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I just adored this book, so much so that I read it in one day. So much so I overlooked the fact that I found Celeste to be a bit annoying and couldn't stand her sister Jenna. I loved how relatable the story was. I could hear the conversations in my head and they sounded like one that would really happen. Jenna could go on vacation, not come back, and I wouldn't care. I have two sisters, neither of them in a million years, would push me so hard towards someone because they were the perfect and safe option. They would want me to decide for myself, and if I made the wrong choice, they would be there to help pick up the pieces of me.

But again, I just adored the dynamic between Henry and Celeste and their interactions were my favorite in the book. An easy beach read that can be read in a day....PICK THIS ONE UP.

Thank you Netgalley, for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2925590313

Loved it! Sheila Roberts always draws me right in and I couldn’t put it down. Celeste ends up in Moonlight Harbor after a bad breakup with her boyfriend and it was the perfect fix for it! Can’t wait for the next!

Fun, light read. It tended to get a bit "wordy", but was still enjoyable. It will be a great beach read.

I decided to DNF this one and to not review it widely. It wasn't working for me and I wasn't connecting with the characters or the story. I am not comfortable reviewing it as I didn't finish it and it wasn't for me.

I really love the real characters in this novel. Celeste and her sister's run through the maze of love was great read during the pop up summer storm. I indulge in several hours of beach reading fun. Romantic junkies will really get this book.

Perfect book for a sunny summer afternoon. This book is a great light beach read and I liked it a lot! Its the third book in the series but you can read it as a stand alone. Sheila Roberts continues to write books that I am never disappointed in