DNF @ 50%

Okay - this one wasn’t entirely the book/authors fault. When I requested the ALC I didn’t realize it was a Christian romance. Which honestly, doesn’t typically bother me (I’m Catholic myself), but this was a little heavy handed on the churchiness for me.

Early on I was having a hard time developing interest in the story. It felt like literally every other Hallmark Movie about a new owner of a run down B&B needing to fix it up and not having the time or money to do it and having to work with the other MC who needs a place to stay. EXCEPT with this one he makes her continue to drive through the fog even though she has said several times she’s uncomfortable with it, and she refuses to ask to stay at the B&B because she is attracted to him and staying in the same B&B (but in different rooms) breaks propriety. *rolls eyes*

But again, I decided to push through. The straw that broke the camel’s back was when the two MCs both used the word “concur” in a conversation within a minute of one another - ie. “I hope they concur.” NO ONE SPEAKS LIKE THIS.

The narrator was great considering the content she had to work with, and honestly she’s probably the main reason I stuck it out to 50% before DNFing.

I read this audiobook as a stand alone read, although it is number 10 in a series. This book is a sweet romance between two reluctant people walking very different, and yet not so different, roads. The diversity of the characters and personalities drew me in immediately and made me want to learn more about each one. I was so invested in the main characters, Matt and Vienna, and I was rooting for them throughout the story both as individuals and as a couple. I loved how God's hand was woven throughout the story, those little things that we have all experienced that just *had* to be God with the way they were orchestrated. The narration was amazing, as well. I cannot wait to go back and explore the first 9 books in this series!

I received an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The Hope Harbor series has been on my to be read list for so long! This is my first one but I plan on going back to reading the others. Hope Harbor sounds like a wonderful place to live.
Do you love
Small town romance
Quirky towns people
Close proximity
Sweet no spice romance
A little bit of drama
And a very possible chance of tears
Therese Plummer as the narrator(she’s my favorite narrator)

This is the book for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and RB Media for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for a honest review.

Have you read any of the GOD WINKS Books?

Did you love them??
If you did, DON’T pass this one up!!

We start off with Kay, who has purchased a B&B with ALL of her savings, and heart! She loves it! Unfortunately, it will need a lot more blood, sweat, tears and money to make it viable…

She reaches out to her brother, Matt, to come visit for a month to keep an eye on the B&B while she goes to help an Aunt who needs surgery. Once he arrives, and sees the place, his heart plummets…
He is a Vet, NOT a handyman…. How can he help??

Next we have Bev, the owner of the adorable town book and jewelry shop. A light-hearted, hippy type, free-spirited woman, who is relatively new in this small Oregon beach town herself…

Then there’s Vienna, Bev’s daughter, the straight-laced, ever hard-working young woman…who has plans to take on the world and succeed, but instead loses her job! 😮

Add in Paige and Andrew, who had a well established, money making, esteemed construction company… and then lost everything…

Plus, Charley and his taco truck… and his pet pigeons! ❤️

THIS IS ONLY AN OUTLINE OF THE CHARACTERS AND THEIR BEGINNINGS! Please do not take it as a spoiler…

This small little town has so much love and camaraderie going on, it’s amazing!
AND, you can just FEEL the presence of GOD all around!!

Hearts have been broken. Businesses’ have failed. Families have feuds. Bonds have been broken…And yet, through it all, God’s love and healing hands show through it all!

I laughed. I cried. My heart broke for them. But, God has a way… A way of showing you the right path…the right people…the right communities…

In short…this one had it all!!
Brought out all those feelings in me that make you remember…and also, help you to forget…

Of note: This is book #10, but can certainly be read as a standalone. Im sure I’ve read some in this series, but not all, and NOT in any order…

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #RecordedBooksMedia for an ARC of the audiobook which releases TODAY, 4/2/24!!

#SandcastleInn by #IreneHannon and beautifully narrated by another favorite of mine #TheresePlummer.

⭐️ Beach town setting. And the name is: Hope Harbor!! 🏖
⭐️ Romance…not quite. No one is looking for any of it! 😬🙄
⭐️ Family drama…but, can we get past it now that we’re all grown up??!!??
⭐️ Second chances, when we are at our lowest points… 🙏🏼
⭐️ Small town peeps with very deep roots in community, service, helping others, God, Church, and just downright GOODNESS!
💫 IMO…what else can you possibly ask for??

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Thanks so much for reading!📚⭐️

Sandcastle Inn is a great contemporary Christian romance! Lots of characters made for an interesting read! Matt comes to the town of Hope Harbor to help his sister renovate her newly bought inn. He meets Vienna who is visiting her mom. Sparks fly and romance starts. There is also a side story of Matt’s sister helping an aunt during surgery and a married couple struggling to make ends meet. Great book on the perseverance of marriage as well as new love.

YouTube Review: 04/03/24
YouTube Handle: KeenCat

I enjoyed this contemporary romance audiobook. I loved the cast of characters and the small town setting. There was definitely forgiveness given/received and maturing in the characters. You could see God working in people's lives. The tragedy in one character's past was extreme (trigger warning needed), yet "fixed" a bit too easily. But I loved the two main characters and how their lives were woven together with the entire cast. I ended with a happy sigh.

This audiobook was provided to me by Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.

This is the 10th book on the Hope Harbor, and it is a standalone. There are some recurring characters, but there is nothing in this story that you would be missing out on if you don’t have their history. I always enjoy the seaside setting, the ‘clean’ romance in these books, and most of all some of the more quirky things about the town (like Charley and his taco truck, seagulls Gladys and Floyd, etc.).

This story has a few different intersecting storylines and I like how it also focuses on familial relationship/bonds, and reconnecting with family members on a new level. While this book is pretty upbeat and positive, the characters are dealing with some pretty hefty losses, and in some cases a little ‘stuck’ moving forward.

I also really enjoyed this one because of the narrator - Therese Plummer is one of my absolute favorite narrators - the inflections she uses, and the different voices for the characters make it more like listening to a movie than reading a book! She is so talented, and it only adds to this audiobook for me!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley; all opinions are my own.