Member Reviews

Sea Glass Summer was definitely a case of judging a book by its cover. When I saw this audiobook on NetGalley, I was immediately drawn to the cover and the story within was a delightful read. Having this book for review as an audiobook was wonderful. Not even four hours and I hadn’t read the previous ten titles. But I am glad that I requested this title and was approved.

This eleventh book in the South Carolina Sunsets series is about Tara Lawson. Not only having recently experiencing a difficult divorce, her job was made redundant and she was let go. Tara needs to find her compass once again, so she heads back to her hometown of Seagrove, South Carolina as she has to settle her grandmother's estate. Tara is devastated by the loss of her grandmother. Tara had a special relationship with her grandmother so being back home is especially hard for her,

Running into her childhood best friend Noah, a very talented sea glass artist, brings back fond memories for Tara. She and Noah grew up together and hunted for sea glass as children. This shared love of sea glass brings them back together, and this helps Tara heal from her emotional losses. Meanwhile, Tara and Noah just might realize their feelings for one another, despite years apart. However, finding a happy future together just might be a challenge for them, especially as Tara is still healing.

This sweet story has me wanting to check my online libraries for all of the previous books. This is the first book I have read by Rachel Hanna and I absolutely loved it. Hopefully I can read all of the previous books and I look forward to any future books in the series.

Many thanks to Dreamscape Select and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

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This was unfortunately a miss for me. It started off pretty strong and I thought I would feel a real connection to the characters but quickly veered away from that direction. It seemed a bit too short to really accomplish what the author set out to make resonate with the reader. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Sea Glass Summer is the 11th book in the South Carolina Sunsets series, but I easily read it as a standalone story. Tara Lawson's life has brought her to a crossroads. At 4o, she is recently divorced, was let go from her job and her boss suggested she take time away from journalism, and she just received a phone call that her gram, the woman who raised her, has died from pancreatic cancer, which she kept from her. Her grandmother's lawyer asks her to come home to Seagrove, South Carolina, to settle her estate. Tara heads home, wounded, grieving and not knowing what is next in her life. Shortly after arriving, she meets her childhood best friend, Noah, a successful sea glass artist. This brings back memories of them as children collecting sea glass together. The peaceful beach town, the shared silence and laughter, and the beauty of sea glass all play a part in Tara's healing process, but as summer ends, she has a painful decision to make.

This was a relatively short story that I enjoyed. Tara was a lost soul and returning to Seagrove was just what she needed. I loved the people in the community that welcomed her home with open arms. I liked the eclectic mix of characters and how they worked and lived together. They were an encouraging group and helped Tara figure out some things. The romance between Tara and Noah was sweet, and blossomed over the summer. Although I enjoyed this story, something seemed to be missing as I didn't really connect to this story as much as I wanted to. There was a second storyline about Julie, a character from other books, trying to get her book published, but because I hadn't read the other books, this was a bit of a distraction for me. I would have liked more development with Tara and Noah instead. Overall this was a sweet second chance romance that I somewhat enjoyed. The audio version was narrated by Becky Brabham. This is a new narrator for me and I enjoyed her performance.

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Sea Glass Summer
By Rachel Hanna

Tara’s life is falling apart. She lost her job, her grandmother who raised her passed away and she must return to her hometown to settle her grandmothers estate.
While in town, Rachel re-connects with her childhood best friend Noah and their relationship blossoms into something Rachel could stick around for.

I have read Rachel’s stories before and have enjoyed but this one was hard to grasp for me. I believe it was the narrator I did not appreciate.

Thank you to NetGalley & Dreamscape Select for the advanced copy of this audiobook in turn for an honest review.

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I’m not the best at listening to audiobooks, but this one was easy to follow and a very nice predictable storyline.
I definitely like the authors’ writing style,
I will admit I did not get to finish this one before it archived, but the general consensus I feel about this book for how far I got into it, is that if you need a light, summer based read , with not too much time commitment this is the perfect one for that.
And I would recommend the audiobook.

Thankyou to author Rachel Hanna, Netgalley for the opportunity to read/listen to this book ahead of publication date.
Charlene 📚🤗🌸 @lastnownext

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This was a lighthearted book. It goes from the perspective of two women and each of their stories. Tara is trying to figure out what to do after her grandmother has passed away and colleen had a baby and needs to figure out how to ask for help sometimes.

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Single parents are one of my favorite things to read about. I’m not sure if it’s because they feel like and underdog and I’m just so happy to see them win or if it’s because they usually have cute kid characters. Maybe it’s just both! This one fit into both. I was happy to see her get a second chance after her difficult past and her son too.

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This was the first Rachel Hanna book that I read, and I could tell that her characters were well known and loved by her readers. This was a nice short read before the start of summer.

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Sea Glass Summer reminded me of Sweet Home Alabama with a Second Chance romance and the beachy vibes. This was a quick read with decent characters. There was not a lot of depth or character exploration and the story with the character who is hiding that they were writing a book was a little silly.
I didn't realize this was part of a series, but I will go back and read some of the other books to see how this one stands up to the first ones.

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Sea Glass Summer  by Rachel Hanna is part of an ongoing series. This book is #11. It mainly focuses on Tara, returning home after her grandmother's death, and Noah - Tara's long term friend who now, as the story continues becomes something more.

The story also includes Julie who has been keeping a long term secret from her family and friends, she has been writing her first book. We learn of her journey and ultimate success.

I particularly liked the setting and the inclusion of the sea glass in the story, and the cover is really inviting.  There is a sense of a broad community of people who are there for each other.

The narrator does a competent narration and added to the story. I think this book will be welcomed by those who have been enjoying the series since its beginning.

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When I read this book, I did not know it was part of a series and it seems to work fine as a standalone title. I must admit, I did not enjoy the book as much as I had hoped. It was fine but the story will not stay with me now that I have closed the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

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Didn’t know this was part of series and since I hadn’t read other books, I got kind of lost. Story seemed disjointed, with several stories going on at once that never connected.

This audiobook was narrated by Becky Brabham. It was often difficult to tell who was speaking as narration was a bit uneven. With too long of too short pauses between chapters, it made it difficult to keep track of which character was meant to be speaking.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I just reviewed Sea Glass Summer by Rachel Hanna. #SeaGlassSummer #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

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A good book that resonated with me in many ways. Very good character development. It was a quick read. Predictable but still entertaining. I enjoyed book 1 more but still found this book to be a fun read.

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Sea Glass Summer is the 11th book in Rachel Hanna’s South Carolina Sunsets series. Tara Lawson grew up with her grandmother who raised her after losing both parents at a young age. Seagrove, SC, has always been home, although her broadcast journalism job in Atlanta has kept her from visiting for a while. However, she and her grandmother stay in constant contact with texts, emails, phone calls, and video chats.

If bad things come in threes, then Tara is experiencing a very bad time. First, a very difficult break up with her fiancé. Next, an error at work cost Tara her job and perhaps her career. And then, Tara receives a call from her grandmother’s attorney informing her that her beloved grandmother passed away in her sleep. Unfortunately, Tara did not know about the disease that had taken her away.

Returning to Seagrove was like a walk back in time except for missing her beloved grandmother. But Tara was able to make some new friends and connections with those she had known, in particular with her childhood best friend Noah. When they parted ways as Tara headed to college they had lost touch. New opportunities, rekindled relationships, and unexpected outcomes lead to a satisfying story. I enjoyed this book and recommend it for people following this series and genre.

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This was a quick and relaxing listen.
Enjoyable characters and easy to lose yourself into the beautiful setting.
Narrator did a good job. This is a great beach listen or something to listen to while doing things about the house.

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Tara Lawson’s world turns upside-down when she loses her job and then her beloved grandmother. She returns to her hometown to settle her grandmother’s affairs and reconnects with her childhood best friend, Noah. With no job, Tara’s unsure where to turn to next. Should she stay in Seagrove or return to the city?

I enjoyed this novel as well as the narrator.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for allowing me to listen to an ALC of this novel. #NetGalley #SeaGlassSummer

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Tara has just lost her job. She is reeling and just can’t believe it. Then she gets the call that her grandmother, who raised her, has passed away. This totally knocks her off her feet. She goes back to her childhood home, Seagrove, South Carolina to deal with her grandmother’s estate. She ends up connecting with her best friend from when she was a kid, Noah.

I have not read a book by this author before. And, of course, the whole point of reading this, for me, is because it is predictable. However, I expected a bit more.

I was not a big fan of Tara. The reason she gets mad with Noah is a bit childish. And so are some of his reactions. I had to think how old they were while reading this. I was beginning to think they were teenagers.

All of that being said, I did enjoy parts of it. I loved the setting…I mean who doesn’t enjoy a beach read!

The narrator, Becky Brabham, is ok. She is a bit dramatic, but it could have been the writing. Lord! It sounds like I didn’t like this book. But I did finish it and it has a good many 5 star reviews…read it yourself to decide!

Need a sweet tale for a beach read…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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“Sea Glass Summer” transports readers to the serene beach town of Seagrove, South Carolina, where Tara Lawson’s life takes an unexpected turn at forty. Amidst a flurry of challenges including divorce, job loss, and the passing of her grandmother, Tara finds herself drawn back to her childhood home, seeking solace and closure.

What I found particularly captivating about this book was the genuine connection between Tara and Noah, her childhood best friend turned successful sea glass artist. Their rekindled bond, intertwined with the soothing rhythm of sea glass hunting, serves as a beacon of hope and healing amidst Tara’s turmoil.

While I wished for a deeper understanding of the backstory from earlier books in the series, Tara and Noah’s journey stands firmly on its own, offering readers a heartwarming second chance romance that resonates with authenticity.

In essence, “Sea Glass Summer” is a captivating tale of love, loss, and resilience set against the backdrop of a charming coastal community. With its blend of romance and the healing power of sea glass, it’s sure to leave a lasting impression on readers.

The Narration:

Becky Brabham’s narration in the audiobook format enhances the experience, infusing the characters with warmth and depth. Her soothing tone and expressive delivery make it a compelling choice for those who prefer to immerse themselves in the story through audio.

I received a DRC of this book from the publisher, but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Quick easy read with a small town romance in this series set in South Carolina. Can't wait to read the other books in the series. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Perhaps this book would be more enjoyable if I'd read any others in the series. It seemed somewhat choppy, with a couple of different stories that never really intersected. Tara Lawson has just lost not only her job, but also her fiancée and her grandmother. She leaves Atlanta and returns to South Carolina to settle her grandmother's estate where she once again connects with her childhood best friend, Noah. Noah's now a successful artist with a gallery of his own sea glass creations. As children, Tara and Noah spent house searching for sea glass on the beach and they revived the practice upon meeting again.

Julie has written a book and self-published it to sell in the family book store. This plot line didn't seem to have much of anything to do with the Tara and her story. I kept waiting for them to be tied together but they were not.

This audiobook was narrated by Becky Brabham. It was often difficult to tell who was speaking as narration was a bit uneven. With either too long of too short pauses between chapters, it made it difficult to keep track of which character was meant to be speaking.

Note: I reviewed the audiobook ARC from NetGalley.

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