I don't read a ton of women's fiction and while I've seen Robyn Carr's books I've never picked one up. That being said the synopsis of this one interested me so I decided to pick it up and I don't regret it. This was a really powerful story about two sisters who are trying to figure out where their lives go from where they are (though in different ways) as well as growing closer.

It really was a wonderful story and I found I really enjoyed reading Carr's writing. She handled the issues in the story very well and really wrote eloquently. Since this was my first experience with her writing I was very pleasantly surprised. It was great to see the two sisters coming together when they had spent so much of their lives apart and being there for each other. If you're looking for a contemporary fiction that will tug the heartstrings and really suck you in to the characters, I would recommend this.

Sisters Addie and Justine couldn’t be more different. Addie has spent most of her adult life taking care of their parents while Justine is married, two kids, and a successful corporate lawyer. ARC from NetGalley.

Adele and Justine are sisters. Each living under the assumption that the other has in some way had the better life.
Justine is the high powered corporate attorney, two children, supportive house-husband, and beautiful San Jose home.
The perfect gilded lily of a life.
Or so one would think.

Adele, on the other hand. Left school in the middle of her Master's degree, pregnant, and the other woman in a relationship with her married professor.
But ready to drop everything to be the support that her ailing parents need.
Imperfect by far, But still clearly the apple of her parents' eye.

But after eight years...
Many things have changed. Addie now finds herself alone. After the deaths of both of her parents.
and for her part...
Justine discovers that the house of cards that was once her life is collapsing. One card at a time around her ears.
First, With the discovery that her husband has been involved in a long term affair with another woman.
And again...
After the company that she works for decides that due to a merger. A lateral career move and a decrease in pay. Is her only option within their changed landscape.
Not exactly the news that one welcomes at 52. With with a house, cheating house husband, kids on heir way to college, and no idea what the next phase of one's life landscape is going to look like.


The question here...
In both cases...
What's a woman to do?
Relax, relate, rebuild, and reclaim, of course.
And let's not forget a few more important re's...shall we?

Like re-establishing a relationship between sisters who have never really been sisters.
And the release by both woman of people, pasts, and situations which lie at the root of pain that they currently feel.

This is the perfect book for those of us who find ourselves having to start over in any capacity. Especially if you are doing so as a woman in her 30's or later.
This book offers a more "true life" approach to its character's healing processes.
As as result. Readers spend a lot of time revisiting the same issues time and again.
Particularly in the case of Justine and her ex-husband.
That is the way that divorce works.
Separation and the physical, mental, and emotional trauma that it causes-for all involved is one that takes time.
And is quite a process.
So buckle up and be prepared for more than a few trips through the emotional revolving door.
Thank you Ms. Carr. For your sensitive and realistic, yep hopeful and essentially triumphant treatment of life issues that have come to be essential truths of the modern woman.

Sunrise on Half Moon Bay is a story of family and change, lots of change. The characters are interesting, and it was easy to fall into this one and lose track of time as I read. The sisters are easy to root for and I enjoyed their growth throughout the book. I don't read a lot of women's fiction and drama because life is usually dramatic enough, but this one was just so engaging from the very beginning. The story is emotional, some parts more so than others, but it also touched me on a personal level with almost 20 years between my youngest sibling and myself. It's an unusual dynamic and Robyn Carr's version of that dynamic here intrigued me. I'd certainly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys the genre.

A heartwarming, poignant and engrossing story that made me smile and root for the characters.
I loved both Justine and Addie: they are strong willed women who have to face grief, changes and a dark road to reach happyness.
Ms Carr can surely write a book that will keep you hooked and touch your emotional chords, this one was no exception and I felt for the sisters and wanted them to be happy.
The characters are well thought and interesting, there is a lot of character development and it was great to read about Justine and Addie changing and their growing relationship.
The plot was well crafted and well told, Ms Carr is a talented storyteller and this is proved by this book.
It was an excellent reading experience and I was sad to leave the characters.
I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to MIRA and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I've been a fan of Robyn Carr since the 1990's. I've read a LOT of her books. As with any author, after reading his/her work for a while there at times can be a sense of "sameness". It is not that you dislike the book, but there is not that sense of "what a great book" but that was not an issue with "Sunrise on Half Moon Bay". A perfect book to escape the dreary, depressing news.
So, what worked for me? The realism. The relationship between Adele and Justine seems spot-on. The distance between the sisters -- the lack of connection, not because they don’t care for each other. But that caring is more pseudo sisterhood because of the difference in age and circumstances.
They never truly been in a place to develop a bond but that changes as they both face trials and tribulations.
I love that one of them is a caregiver - and that Carr explores a situation that many of us have already experienced or will experience.
Justine comes across initially as a bit cold or brittle, but under Carr’s expert hands she is humanized. Of the two she’s my favorite character. She is a strong character that is tested vs. Adele who is a bit down-trodden. Not that I didn’t like them both. Adele is saintly but naïve. Her “too stupid to live” phase was disconcerting. Luckily it doesn’t last long. Still, I loved watching her evolve into a strong confident woman.
The balance between the character growth, and the pending romances is perfect. Adele and Justine each must confront their own inadequacies before they can move forward.
My time was well spent with this enjoyable book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to ARC galley for an honest review.

I was thrilled to be asked to be part of the blog tour for this book. I love stories about sisters (I have two myself) and I love when books have women starting over in mid-life successfully (let’s just say I relate). These characters were very likable and there was a theme of finding oneself and also forgiveness in this novel, and it made me love it even more.

Thank you for letting me be part of the Harlequin tour for this book and for my e-copy!

Highly recommended for a clean read about women starting anew, family, friendship, romance, and life!

Also – hope I can say this – this is not your mother’s Harlequin. Back in the 1970’s/80’s Harlequin paperbacks were pretty racy looking and seemed like they could be “fluffy”. I love their current line of novels that feature strong women that are over 35 and dealing with life’s obstacles.

***I received an ebook copy from the publisher at no cost***

Sunrise on Half Moon Bay is a sweet story about family, relationships, love, and finding a way back home.

When Addie and Justine’s worlds are turned upside down, the two sisters find themselves navigating through different life struggles together. Though they aren’t close–in age or emotionally—their worlds are entwined. Addie always took care of their parents but now that both are gone, she’s finding herself wondering what to do with her life. Justine lives a life that looks perfect on the outside. She’s always helped Addie get by financially but now Justine’s company is facing a possible merger and that means Justine may no longer have access to the financial resources she currently does. Oh, add in some problems at home for Justine (which Addie involuntarily gets pulled into), and it’s really a recipe for disaster.

This was a pleasant story and very easy to read. The book focuses on both Addie and Justine’s journeys. There was an incredible amount of growth in each of these women as the book progressed. Addie had a lot of soul searching to do and found herself along the way. Justine showed just how strong she truly was and navigated some pretty murky waters with grace. I liked that the relationship between the two sisters morphed as the story progressed as well.

I admittedly haven’t read any of Carr’s other work but I really enjoyed how she was able to create these strong female characters who I felt like I could relate to on different levels. I personally have a large age gap between my own sister and I, so there were a number of things in Addie and Justine’s relationship that hit home for me. Everything about this book felt so authentic and it was just the kind of read that I needed to take my mind off the things going on out in the real world. There’s a nice blend of family, friendships, romance, and just enough angst to keep things balanced.

Four stars to this novel!

I contributed this review to Really Into This

Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!

Special thanks to Harlequin for providing our copy of Sunrise on Half Moon Bay by Robyn Carr in exchange for an honest & fair review.

In case you don't know, I'm a newly minted Robyn Carr fangirl. I fell in LOVE with her Virgin River series & I can't wait to read more of her books! After reading over a half dozen of her books, I feel pretty confident that I know she's going to take me on a character-driven ride with a HEA.

Yet, when I started Sunrise on Half Moon Bay by Robyn Carr I'm like, this sounds too depressing. Parents affected by disability, caregiving, lost relationships, infant loss. I'm thinking no way, Robyn. You're not ripping my heart out today.

But, then I get about 2 to 3 chapters in & I find out about a tawdry affair. Okay, Robyn. My drama loving heart is all in!

THE VERDICT

I am Really Into This book! Read this if you're looking for a sister's type of story. I always love those. Robyn is just so good at writing realistic female-driven stories. Robyn is just so good!

As a big Robyn Carr fan, it pains me to write this review, but I disliked SUNRISE ON HALF MOON BAY so much, I was a breath away from throwing the book across the room at points. I’ve read upwards of 30 RC novels previously, and none of them have hit such a sour note.

The story follows two sisters, separate in age by 20 years, as they both deal with family and personal crises. The only reason I gave this book two stars, instead of the one it probably deserves, is because I genuinely enjoyed Justine’s story. She’s the older sister and the self-contained lawyer with two teenagers and a crumbling marriage. I thought her experiences with divorce, betrayal, and the conflicting emotions that come with having your life turned on its head were engrossing. She was strong and fierce, yet willing to be flexible and change. I felt like she had a wonderful character arc and I enjoyed following it.

I started the book disliking both main characters, and as I mentioned, Justine grew on me. Adele did not. I found her to be unbelievably selfish and her self-pity grated on me throughout the whole story. I could have dealt with her as an unlikeable character, if she wasn’t so, so terrible to her longtime friend/love interest. She strung him along for YEARS and then when he finally gave her an ultimatum for his own mental health, she basically said she would settle for him but it wasn’t any kind of great love. COOL. BYE.

In addition to 50% of the main characters driving me up a wall, this book lacked Robyn Carr’s signature emotional and descriptive writing style. There was a lot of telling instead of showing, which kept me detached from the plot and characters. I hate to say it, but it felt like RC phoned it in with this one. For such a short read, it was grueling for me to slog through until the end, and the last 20% of the book was my least favorite part!

Overall, I am still a Robyn Carr fan. She has written some of my favorite small town romances and women’s fiction novels. This one just missed the mark in so many ways. I think the hardest part of this book was knowing RC can do so much better.

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**

Justine and Adele are sisters. Adele is the caregiver for their mother after a severe stroke which happened after their father suffered a spinal injury.

When I was sent this novel I readily accepted because the plot seemed meaty and involved.

**** Note this book has scenes of violence ****

As a person with disabilities whose primary caregiver is my husband, I was interested in the juggling care responsibilities and life themes. Contrary to what mny people think and the burnout experienced in this book my own experience of care by my husband works well.

However, I was hooked from beginning to end by Robyn Carr's ease with words and sensitive but gripping approach to tough subjects. The theme of bonds and conflicts betwen sisters was also very well shown and each sister's different personality was clear from the start.

I loved the cover and wanted to go through this again as soon as I'd finished. A well-paced plot and interesting and intriguing family dynamics.

My first novel by Robyn and I already want to review more by her.

Thanks to Robyn Carr and MIRA Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

5 stars.

Robyn Carr gives a satisfying story of family relationships. There was good character development on the two main characters, but less on the peripheral characters. The plot covered several current issues, but seemed less tightly woven than some of her other books. The little bit of political commentary seemed out of place.

Surprisingly upbeat story about second chances of several kinds. Adjusting to changes is a challenge. And life is filled with changes. Optimists call them opportunities. Not many people are optimistic about their future. And when swift sometimes unexpected changes take place some find it difficult to get their footing. SUNRISE ON HALF MOON BAY by Robyn Carr is an optimistic look at changes.

As always Robyn Carr seeks to make her characters life like, wondrous and memorable. In SUNRISE ON HALF MOON Carr has once again created a community of characters that work seamlessly. SUNRISE ON HALF MOON is a needed look at the reality of a difficult step many people have to take. To forge ahead when their circumstances have taken a blow. An alternative title could have been be brave and take that step.

Adele needs to be more confident and forceful. Life has been a roller coaster of changes for her and now in her early thirties she has to recreate herself. Initial goal of going for master’s degree was shorted out when her parents needed her. Adele spent eight years as a caregiver. She adored her parents. This was a given. And now that they have unfortunately passed Adele finds herself adrift. Her old goals don’t seem as important. She is looking for new choices and luckily Adele is open for opportunities, changes and choices.

Adele’s sister Justine is also at a crossroad in her own life. A successful corporate attorney Justine’s life revolved around her career. She adores her two grown daughters and felt fortunate that her husband Scott had stepped in as part time stay at home dad.

Scott had plenty to keep him busy. Sports was his thing. Unfortunately Scott found other activities to fill in time and those were detrimental to the health of his marriage. Yes. Scott has had a roving eye. Justine can’t figure out how long he has engaged in this type of activity, and now finds herself in a position she never expected. Her life is going to change.

SUNRISE ON HALF MOON is about Adele and Justine trudging through the muck and mire of new choices. Robyn Carr infuses these challenges with a delightful note of sass and humor. So important for when life seems to drag you down. You can’t help but cheer when these sister take a positive step forward. Surprising themselves to boot.

Conjure up images of women we know, of a generation that had assigned tasks and responsibilities. No one thought to bridge the gap. Expectations that women were less capable or savvy. But in the case of Justine that certainly isn’t the case. She is a well-respected lawyer, the breadwinner. Her capitulation of these responsibilities was to be efficient. After all her husband was for the most part ill equipped to switch roles and become the breadwinner.

SUNRISE ON HALF MOON emphasizes the importance of having a good support group. Someone in your corner. A good ear to listen and not necessarily judge. Adele and Justine have always supported each other. And now both discover an even broader channel of help.

It’s an adventure. That’s what SUNRISE ON HALF MOON is thanks to Robyn Carr for taking us along on a heartwarming delightful adventure into possibilities. Robyn Carr appeals to the optimist in all of us. SUNRISE ON HALF MOON is a candid look at women’s role in the household and as expected done with panache by Robyn Carr.

Once again, Robyn Carr has brought a story to life that engaged my interest, and my emotions, from start to finish. Using flawed characters, and realistic situations, she takes readers on one family's journey of heartbreak, self-discovery, reconciliation, unexpected change, and new beginnings. I couldn't put it down.

Of the two sisters, I had a greater affinity for Justine, the older sister whose marriage is falling apart. That may be due to my age, or the fact that I'm the (take-charge) oldest in my family and have a sibling twenty years younger. But in Addie, Carr has also created a younger character who put her life on hold to spend the past eight years as a caregiver. I'm sure many readers, myself included, who have walked that path will also be able to relate to the difficulties Addie has moving forward once those duties come to an end. (I'm glad Carr shows the importance of therapy in dealing with Addie's issues as well as for Justine's daughters). I suspect most readers will identify with one sister or the other, while still more will feel a greater empathy for Justine's teenage daughters as they navigate the changes brought about by the divorce of their parents and the fall-out from their father's ongoing actions. That's part of Carr's skill as a writer: creating a community of unique characters who appeal to a broad range of readers and then bringing them together to create a heart-tugging whole that can be appreciated by all. In this book, she utilizes those skills to allow readers into the thoughts and emotions of each of the women, allowing us to experience their strengths, weaknesses, joys, and fears as they work to overcome the challenges life - and a self-absorbed louse of a husband - have put in their way, strengthen their familial bonds, and redefine what they want their futures to be. I spent a lot of time cheering them on.

In addition to the primary characters, Carr has also assembled a cast of secondary characters who add depth, conflict, and hope to the story. I especially enjoyed the social workers at the workplace reentry center where Addie works. There are also love interests for both Justine and Addie (great guys I was pulling for all the way) who play significant roles in their lives and their personal evolution, though this is not a book that I would classify as romance. It's more women's fiction with romantic elements. The most important journey here is that of the women. Sunrise on Half Moon Bay is an emotion-packed, empowering story that I enthusiastically recommend.

*ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
*All thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Netgalley, and Mira Books for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

I think about the situation that Adele and Justine are in when their parents start to fall ill, and I can’t help but think about what I would do if my mom got sick and my brother and I had to figure out what to do. Our age difference may not be as drastic as Adele and Justine’s but we are definitely getting close. It’s hard to have a relationship with a sibling with so many years between you, and I can only imagine how it’s like with their years.

This is a story where sisters by birth and blood need to learn what it really means to be a part of a family, after the people that have kept them together for all of their lives are no longer there. We all know that the death of our parents is imminent, and while we know that it will come eventually, we aren’t always ready for it to happen. Even though Justine was in a situation to help financially provide for their parents with her well paying job as an attorney, Adele had to drop out of university to help out as well. It was really telling about the kind of daughter and person that Adele was that she didn’t just allow her older sister to handle the burden alone, which I know not a lot of people would see as a big deal, but I do.

I understand that this was such a difficult time for both of them, not just before their parents passed away but even afterwards. Dealing with the aftermath and having to come to terms with that fact, and somehow continue to live on with such a gaping hole in their hearts. I think that this is what really ended up pulling at my heartstrings for me, and seeing the kind of sisterly relationship that we get to see with Justine and Adele. This is definitely a book that you have to read when you’re ready to cry a little bit. Or maybe a lot. It was pretty emotional.

Addie put her college on hold to help her sister out and take care of their parents with the agreement that Justine would then help her out. Justine and Addie aren't close as there is an 20 year age difference. Addie has trouble deciding what to do next and struggles with motivation. Justine is the opposite and finds it hard to understand why she just can't get it together. Justine's life takes a drastic turn and she moves in with Addie. They begin to not only get to know each other, but reinvent themselves together. An emotional story of family, finding love in unexpected places and learning what really matters.

Addie and Justine have two very different situations happening - Addie is learning how to be herself again after caring for her sick parents up to their death. This is something I know a lot of people will be able to identify with, and it's something that's not spoken about enough so I applaud the author for making Addie a real, well-rounded character with real emotions. Personally, I could have done without so much mention of weight loss or weight loss support, but I appreciate that self image is something that can suffer while taking care of others and that this was a part of Addie's journey to getting back to the woman she was before she dropped out of Uni and to do something for herself to make herself feel good.

Justine's story was the one that hooked me in a little more, I just felt like I had a real handle on who she was and I enjoyed the presence of her two teenage daughters. I could feel her getting stronger and stronger as the story went on and I was really rooting for her by the time I was half way through.

As I said - this really isn't a fast-paced, action-packed read. It's a slow, relaxing, Summery story about the bond between sisters and about how different events can completely change your life no matter your age or situation.

I haven't read anything by this author previously, but I will now keep her in mind for when I want some escapism, don't we all need some of that at the moment?

Virgin River, a series based on this authors series of the same name, is also available to watch on Netflix right now and is perfect Quarantine viewing (I actually searched for it just for this post and ended up bingeing the first four episodes).

Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to a copy via Netgalley and for having me as part of the blog tour.

Plot

Justine and Adele are two sisters each going through their own upheavals. They’re twenty years apart in age, have never been really close, and yet find themselves leaning on each other more than ever.

I did enjoy the plot on this one, even if I felt it was a little shallow in some spots. I really loved the idea of two women growing stronger in the face of change and consequences outside of their control. My only issue was that it did seem like some things were glossed over a bit.
Characters

I found myself more enjoying Adele’s parts of the story. There was just something about her that made me want to know more. Justine was likeable and I felt for her, for sure. But, there was a stiffness there–especially in the beginning–that made it slightly more difficult for me to connect with her.
Writing

I think Robyn Carr is a talented writer. I’m really curious to read more of her stories.

My only issue was I felt like some of the dialogue felt stilted to me.
Pacing

I really enjoyed the pacing of this one. Things moved pretty quickly and didn’t lag or get boring.
Cover

I like the cover–it just made me want to go to the beach!

My review will be available at the given link, on 4/20/20.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

So, after finishing The Broken Girls, I needed something light and almost fluffy to read to give my mind a break.

Enter Sunrise on Half Moon Bay.

Robyn’s books are light and give me good feelings- she does touch on some difficult things at times- but she doesn’t dwell there.

What I liked:

The cover. So much LOVE!

The dynamic between Addie and Justine. I could understand Addie sometimes- it’s easy to want to wait and wait and wait to make some choices. And I think Justine helped prod her along a bit.

The ending. It was not perfectly wrapped- but life isn’t either and it showed how much growth the characters had went through from page 1 to the ending.




Bottom line: This is a good book if you are looking for something on the lighter side to read right now.

I love, love Robyn Carr but this was not one of my favorite books by her. I had a hard time getting into the story and even staying with it. Will give it another chance though at a future time.