What a lovely story! With characters you feel you want to know, and a setting that you definitely want to visit, the book has you almost shouting out loud at Lucy the main character. An uplifting story about new friendships, finding yourself and a little bit of magic from Starshine Cove … thoroughly enjoyable.

Quoting a line from this book, "I am happy to enjoy this uncomplicated feeling of happiness" sums up my feelings for "Finding Hope in Starshine Cove". Debbie Johnson writes beautifully.

Starshine Cove is on my bucket list of travels. If it existed, I'll fly there in a heartbeat. It was a captivating read, and the beauty and love of friendship brought tears to my eyes. It was a book I was truly sad to part with when it ended.

This was a really lovely visit back to Starshine Cove, a hidden village full of slightly eccentric, but very warm-hearted, locals!

I've loved all this series, but I think this was my favourite so far. Lucy lives in the wilds of Ireland but has travelled to Starshine Cove in Dorset, along with her 16 year old daughter Rose, to attend an old friend's wedding. Whilst at the airport she has a slight flirtation with a handsome guy (Josh), pretending she has a different life/name, and unfortunately he turns out to be the groom's brother, which she finds out at the hen party!

It didn't get off to a very good start, but once things are finally sorted out Lucy and Josh get closer, albeit very slowly, as Lucy definitely has trust issues because of her pyschologically abusive ex-husband. Lucy had a lucky escape from him, but now the same thing is happening to his new wife, who later turns up in Starshine Cove needing help along with her three young children, Rose's step-brothers and sister who she is very close to.

So there's lots of emotions flying around, with the wedding preparations and celebrations in full flow, Lucy reconnecting with her old friends, Rose finally realising what her father is really like, the ex-wife finding the courage to break free of her marriage, and Lucy and Josh's relationship progressing. Josh was really lovely and so patient with Lucy.

Each of the books in this series can be read separately, but it's always nice to know the story of the other characters, Ella from the first book (marrying in this book) and Cally in the second book, so I'd recommend reading them in order, and they're also both lovely reads. Very enjoyable series, I look forward to the next book.

There is a warmth in the Starshine Cove books which makes ithem very enjoyable to read. This books is a light enjoyable read, I like to mix up the serious and more demanding with enjoyable stories such as this one. Light the Starshine Cove books may be but this book touches on the very serious subject of coersive control which gives a depth and another layer to the story. The book is well written and the characters are so interesting and fun. Highly recommend.

The title of this book is just perfect. This book is one of those that you race to finish as the characters are so fabulous and you are desperate to know how things get unpicked, but at the same time you know the ending will disappoint because it is the end of the book and there is not more to delight. This books manages to enchant, delight and also highlight abusive relationships and the power of friendships. The whole cast of characters in Starshine Cove and great, fun, kind, rounded and generous. The friendships are powerful and quite literally life saving, mother daughter relationships are well described in all their love and frustration, and the menacing ex is also given a good outing,
I could have done with another chapter, or an extra epilogue a year or so on to satisfy my wish for the characters to live on!

This was a very good book. It was very well written and some deep themes that make you think. But it was still very fun to read.

After a very hard marriage to an emotionally abusive man which ended 16 yrs prior, Lucy reconnects with old friends at a wedding. This and the town of Starshine Cove help her and her teen move forward in life. Part of a series but fine on its own. Triggers warning for those who have dealt with abusive relationships.

This was, as expected, another warm and uplifting read set in the wonderful location of Starshine Cove, this time featuring Lucy who still bears the scars of her marriage ten years later. This does touch on the very difficult subject of coercive control but without digging too deeply and it’s very well balanced by the overall positivity of the book. This shows a thoughtful representation of the effect of a toxic relationship and how challenging moving on can be and the importance of trust. This is beautifully balanced out with a very happy continuation of Ella’s story alongside catching up with all the other wonderful residents. I really enjoyed the depth of this story but also the accompanying escapism that each Starshine Cove book offers and I really hope there’s more to come. 9/10

I wasn’t expecting to love this as much as I did! While this is book #3 in a series, it reads well as a stand alone in my opinion. This is my first book by Debbie Johnson, and it won’t be my last. Huge thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the advanced copy. These thoughts and opinions are my own. Publication date April 24, 2024.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for this ARC**

This book read like a cozy Hallmark channel movie, without the cheesiness. I loved all the characters and the town. It made me laugh, cry, and everything in between. This is my first book in the series however I don’t think you need to read them in order to read this one.

What an absolutely beautiful book! From start to finish it was just a real joy to read. Loved the characters and I became very fond of them. Stunning location that you will just want to move to. The Perfect Summer Read!

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for this review copy of Finding hope in Starshine cove. As soon as I saw a new Debbie Johnson story was available, I dropped everything else I had been reading to start this new book. And again, Ms Johnson did nog disappoint.

We are back in Dorset, in the magical little town called Starshine Cove. Ella, who we met in a previous story, is getting married and her best friends are flying in from all over. Lucy and her teenage daughter Rose are coming from Ireland, where they have lived a very secluded life for the past ten years.
Lucy is still recovering from an abusive marriage when she meets all the lovely people from Starshine Cove, including the handsome brother of the groom.

Debbie Johnson’s writing is so comforting. Her stories are sweet, her characters believable but what I love most is that she describes tough situations in a way that touches my heart. When a character in this story was having a panic attack, I felt my own heart racing. I have shed tears when Lucy described what she had gone through and I am sorry to have raced through this book in a weekend.

I absolutely, 100% recommend this book to everyone!

I really liked how abusive relationships, motherhood/daughterhood, and rekindling friendships were talked about. It was real, it was relatable, and it felt genuine. I really believed the friendships and felt the characters were fleshed out. However, as for the actual romance, it felt quite rushed and like it didn't take up the percentage of the story I expected. I also felt like most of the chapters were too long and should have been broken up into two or just cut down. I feel like this would be the perfect read for any mother who has been through an abusive relationship and is on their own healing journey.

I almost immediately fell in love with both Starshine Cove and its quirky characters. The journey the main characters went on was well written and left me wanting more! You'll laugh, you'll cry, you may even get mad and disappointed. But you will not be disappointed to read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

TWs: domestic, emotional/psychological abuse

This is my first Starshine Cove book. The town is charming and seems idyllic. The way Starshine Cove is described makes me want to go visit there. I think this book was more about self-discovery, healing, and friendships with a dash of romance. I originally thought that it was kind of slow-moving for the first few chapters, but after a bit, I realized that it was important to read more of Lucy's backstory and know more about her friendships to understand her character. Even though it's been many years since her divorce from her abusive ex-husband, Lucy is still struggling and healing from what she experienced. Lucy's close friends and Josh all help her face her trauma and move forward. It was great to see how Lucy began to see herself as someone deserving of happiness and to develop the confidence to live her life for herself, and I think that believing in your own self-worth is something we all can take away from this book.

I was definitely worried about her relationship with Josh (he's the best!) in the context of everything that was going on in Lucy's life, but I was ultimately happy with how it all worked out in the end. This was a quick, heartwarming read about a group of friends who are really just going through hardships in their lives with the steadiness and constancy of their friendship to lean on.

This was a nice change of pace from all of the murder mysteries I have been reading lately. I’m glad that Lucy finally found her voice. I just wish that I had been able to see Lyssa’s brothers take care of Robert. Starshine Cove seems like a wonderful place.

This is the third book in this fabulous series but could be read as a standalone although for maximum enjoyment I would recommend reading them all in order.

This instalment focuses on the stories of Lucy and Josh as well as allowing the reader to catch up with the other inhabitants of the beautiful setting of star shine cove.

This is so much more than a romance series and covers a lot of life issues that readers can relate to which are all explored in a sensitive and compassionate way.

I hope there is going to be more books in this series so we can keep track of how the characters lives are going and with everything that happens in star shine cove a place that is sprinkled with magic and everything seems a little brighter with the help of friends and community spirit.

Oh wow this book has had me crying and smiling.
I'm so happy Lucy got happy in the end.
It also shows people you can get strong again.
Lucy is an amazing character and I hope we get to read more from her.
I hope there's more books in this series as it's a brilliant one.

This is my 2nd Starshine Cove novel by the author, and I've really enjoyed them. There's a truly warm, inviting vibe to the stories, and the characters are human and likable (for the most part!). My only complaint would be that this one ended pretty quickly and suddenly. I hope the characters pop up in the next installment -- I will absolutely be a reader.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

This is a sweet, heartwarming, touching and fun story. 10 years after her divorce from an emotionally abusive man, Lucy is still afraid of anyone controlling her. But, she's built a safe life for herself and her daughter and reunited with old friends. Lucy and her daughter attend the wedding of one of those old friends in Starshine Cove, where she finds an outpouring of love, support, kindness and a sense of belonging, along with a little romance.
A delightful, easy read that makes me want to move to Starshine Cove!
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.