Happy Harbor was the first book I had the pleasure of reading by Rachel Hanna. It was a well written women’s fiction with an element of romance that added to its enjoyment. This captivating story took place in the quaint town of Happy Harbor where everyone knew everyone and gossip traveled as quick as it was dispatched. The characters were flawed and complex which made them endearing and interesting. I listened to the audiobook of Happy Harbor that was narrated very well by Rebecca Gibel. She really did an exceptional job of capturing the essence of Happy Harbor and all the people that resided there.

Josie Campbell grew up in Happy Harbor but as soon as she was old enough to start making her own decisions she knew that she would leave and never come back. Over the course of Josie’s childhood, her mother, Diane, had embarrassed her more times than Josie wished to remember. Josie’s mother had come to rely on alcohol and drugs to drown out her pain, problems and struggles. Diane proved to be totally unreliable and never present when Josie needed her. Unfortunately, Josie was also often embarrassed by her mother’s behavior and suffered from her poor and almost nonexistent parenting skills. Thankfully, Josie’s grandmother stepped up and provided Josie with the love, support and the attention she was craving. Josie loved her grandmother with her whole heart. When Josie finally left Happy Harbor she promised herself that she would never return.

Years later, Josie, a single mother to a teenage daughter, Kendra, held down a prestigious job in marketing in Atlanta. She owned a spacious condo and boasted a handsome, attentive and successful fiancé. Josie’s daughter Kendra attended a prestigious private high school but Kendra was not happy. She felt like she did not belong at that school. The kids were rich, entitled and wanted nothing to do with her. Kendra purposely tried to get in trouble so that her mother would recognize how unhappy she was there. Then Josie lost her job. Josie was let go because she had a hard time delegating assignments and getting along with her coworkers. She always believed that no one could complete a project as well as she could so Josie took on more than she could handle and her performance suffered as a result. If that wasn’t bad enough, Josie’s fiancée broke off their engagement and was moving on with a much younger woman. A few days later, though, Josie received the most devastating news of all. Her beloved grandmother had died. Josie had to return to Happy Harbor, the one place she swore to never return to again. Josie had reservations about returning but knew she had no choice. Kendra, on the other hand, was excited about going to Happy Harbor but sad that it was under these circumstances. When Josie and Kendra arrived in Happy Harbor, they were instructed to meet with Josie’s grandmother’s lawyer for the reading of the Will. The funeral was to take place the following day. Josie learned that her grandmother had left her historic home and long owned restaurant to Josie. There were stipulations though. Josie had to remain in Happy Harbor for six months before she could consider selling either one of them. The other stipulation that Josie’s grandmother imposed on her was that Josie was not allowed to fire any of the employees her grandmother had working for her in that six month period. This was a nightmare for Josie! How would she survive for six months in Happy Harbor? Would Josie be able to run her grandmother’s restaurant and make it profitable again? Would Josie be able to tolerate the employees employed by her grandmother for the six month period? How would Kendra adapt to small town living?

Happy Harbor explored small town bonds where everyone pitched in to help their neighbors. It also explored the themes of family, loss, trust, friendship, forgiveness, reconciliation and trust. Perhaps the most prevalent aspect of Happy Harbor, in my opinion, was the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters. It also explored the possibility of how people could change if they really wanted to and if they put their mind to it and had the support and encouragement of those around them. Happy Harbor by Rachel Hanna was uplifting and inspiring. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Happy Harbor and highly recommend it.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing Audiobooks for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of Happy Harbor by Rachel Hanna through Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Another great story from Rachel Hanna!

"Happy Harbor" tells the story of a single mom who's endured a lot of trauma in her life. Raised in a small town, where everyone knew her family's business, being regularly embarrassed by the drunken behavior of her mother and raised by her grandmother, Josie has decided that the only person she can trust, besides herself, is her grandmother.

But when her dear grandmother passes away and leaves behind a bit of a mess that Josie has to work her way through, she begins to wonder what her grandmother was thinking!

But Josie and her daughter Kendra are in need of a new beginning. And sometimes, the best place to find a fresh start is among people who know and love you, despite knowing all your secrets.

As Josie tries to find her way, she is taught lessons about her past, herself, and what it means to be part of a small community.

A great story for anyone who loves small-town settings, lovable characters, realistic stress, and triumphant endings.

Thank you to Rachel Hanna, Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

This is the perfect beach read. I loved the relationship between mother and daughter. As a single mom, I can relate to being the “mean parent” for wanting the best for your child while trying to navigate your own relationships and struggles.

After a particularly bad day, Josie receives devastating news: her grandmother has passed away, and she must return to her hometown of Happy Harbor. Upon arriving, she discovers that her grandmother has orchestrated an unexpected reunion by setting her up to work alongside her estranged mother. This premise had the potential for a compelling story of redemption and personal transformation, but unfortunately, it fell short for me.

Josie’s character was over-narrated to the point where I found her insufferable, with little to no redeeming qualities. Instead of drawing me into her journey, the excessive bad behavior made it difficult to empathize with her. While the supporting characters showed hints of growth, their development remained surface-level, leaving them feeling underexplored. While the book had a decent concept, it lacked the depth and emotional resonance needed to leave a lasting impression. It's a story I’ll likely forget soon.

I really loved the audio narration for Happy Harbor by Rachel Hanna. Narrator Rebecca Gibel does a fantastic job bring all of the characters to live and I really loved the emotional connection she portrayed in her narrations of Josie, her daughter and Walker Jackson. Great job!

Thank you Blackstone Pub Audio for the gifted ALC.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #RachelHanna, and #BlackstonePublishing for the ARC of the print and audiobook versions of #HappyHarbor.

This story of reconciliation and forgiveness, listening before making judgments about people and situations, extending patience and grace to others, and a bit of romance all made for a sweet and realistic story causing me to reflect on how much our world needs more of all these things generously poured out in our neighborhoods, schools, churches, towns, states, etc. Rachel Hanna’s novel jumps into the action and characters’ lives quickly, putting the reader right in the middle of multiple family crises from the beginning. I loved the characters in this story—hard-edged Josie, her daughter Kendra who was trying to figure out who she was and who she would follow, Josie’s changed and sober mother, and Josie’s crush, Walker. Hanna wrote them beautifully and each was vital to the story. Pick up this book and see the changes in Josie, Kendra, and others, be inspired to reflect and consider ways you might want to change too.

My first impressions of this book are that MC Josie is a really awful person. She is mean to everyone and doesn’t seem to have much respect for anyone. Sadly through the book she doesn’t get much better and it really made it hard to sympathize with her when things happened. I kind of felt like she had it coming. When she learns what will happen to her grandmothers house and restaurant if she doesn’t take it, it made me laugh out loud and then I may have muttered WTF. It is really unrealistic honestly and just weird.

On a plus side the story was good and I liked the other characters, like her drug addict mother who was able to turn her life around. So giving it 3 stars for the story line, you just have to get past the main character.

Josie Campbell is enduring a terrible day. She had always believed that leaving her hometown would lead to a better life. As a single mother now engaged to a lawyer, her prospects seemed to be improving. However, her Nana's death in Happy Harbor brings Josie and her daughter back to their hometown, along with a flood of old memories. Growing up, Josie's mother, an alcoholic, consistently disappointed her. Returning to town after many years, Josie discovers significant changes in her hometown.
She learns she has inherited her Nana's restaurant and historic home. To claim her inheritance, she must live in town and manage the restaurant for six months without altering anything. She discovers Walker Jackson residing in her guest house, and her mother, now sober for years, working at the restaurant and living above it. Josie's daughter is adapting to small-town life and forming friendships. Yet, Josie braces herself for disaster, anticipating that everything could collapse at any moment.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!

What a great romcom!! I enjoyed this book so much. A first for me by this author but will not be my last! Wow!! So good!! I loved the characters and they worked so well together.

Addictive and creative is how I describe this book. With each story I read by the author, my heart is full of good things. I loved the complexity of the story and the structure of the plot. The characters are rich and unforgettable. It was an excellent read

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)

“Sometimes our memories of bad times take up so much space that we don’t allow for better memories to replace them.”

I read this book in under 24 hours. So yeah I’d say I liked it. It was cozier than the books I typically gravitate towards but something just pulled me to this one.

I connected with so many of the characters in this book. To be honest, Josie reminded me a lot of myself and reminded me there are things, just like with Josie, that I really need to work on. Don’t we all? The opening chapters are basically Josie’s world being turned upside down in every possible aspect of her life. Just the worst day.

Josie’s connection with her grandmother really pulled at my heartstrings because that is exactly how I felt about my mommom. Just like Josie’s grandmother, mine also really valued family and connections with those around her. When Josie got “the call” i was at my doctor’s office and almost cried my eyes out.

The mime & clown school part of the will was so diabolical, and hilarious.

There were several instances of instalove in this one which is one of my least favorite tropes BUT in this book it didn’t even bother me because the book was just so perfect for me to read in this particular moment of my life.

This was an all around solid read and I just loved it so much. It is going to be added to my forever shelf. ❤️

This book is the definition of making lemonade out of lemons! Just when you think one more bad thing can’t happen to the lead character, here comes more bad news. However, I enjoyed the strong female characters in this book and the redemption stories that came from it. I loved the small town charm and the single mom storyline. This was a fun and easy summer read. 3..5 stars. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Happy Harbor is a very nice summer read. A fun story with interesting characters. I wasn’t very sympathetic to the main character for much of the book, but I was pleased with how it was all wrapped up.

People never change. At least that’s what Josie thinks. Until her Grandmother’s death brings her and her daughter back to Happy Harbor. Happy Harbor is a place Josie has avoided for years.

This book is full of emotions, but oh so cozy! I love the small town family feel! Definitely a fantastic read!

Happy Harbor is a story healing, family, and transformation. It intricately weaves themes of trust, personal growth, and the profound question of whether people can truly change. Josie’s journey, marked by past disappointments and personal challenges, is both inspiring and relatable as she navigates her way towards healing.

Walker is effortlessly charming and deeply endearing. His dedication to those he cares about is admirable, and his patience and support for Josie are particularly heartwarming. He allows her the space to be herself while gently encouraging her to become her best self.

The subplots add richness to the narrative, especially the touching romance of Josie’s teenage daughter and the adorable, authentic portrayal of autism. These elements enhance the depth and relatability of the story, making “Happy Harbor” a truly compelling read.

Loved the narrator!

When Josie’s grandma dies, she and her teenage daughter must return to Josie’s hometown to run her grandma’s restaurant. Josie hasn’t been home in years because of her alcoholic mother, but having just lost her job and her fiancé, and her daughter Kendra wants a fresh start. Josie’s grandma has left Josie her house and restaurant, if she will agree to stay for 6 months, including reconciling with her now sober mom.

Jodie’s attitude was the absolute worst, and I can’t imagine that it will just magically go away after the end of the book. There were many flat characters. Josie had a love interest back in her hometown, and I don’t think we were ever given a reason why the two would like each other, but suddenly they are in love? This book was not for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an audio ARC of this book.

Happy Harbor is a sweet little novel of redemption and happy endings. It was an enjoyable story, but seemed to be lacking something. I didn’t feel very invested in this story or the characters. I normally enjoy Rachel Hanna’s books, but this wasn’t one of my favorites.

A very clean slow burn story, more about self-growth than romance. Despite her frustration with the faults of her mother and daughter, Josie is the one who has the most growing to do. Themes of forgiveness and trust and accepting help and love were prevalent throughout. While Josie’s issues were a large part of the story, she was so darn unlikeable it was almost hard to believe how kind people could be to her! I loved the small town, and the side characters!
Rebecca Gibel did a good job with the narration and setting the tone of each character.

📘 - Wholesome story about a character who has been burned by people in the past. She has to learn to trust, not just for love but for all relationships.
🎧- good narrators
🌶️ - Hallmark movie
👧 - okay for teens- yes

3.5 Stars rounding up

This is a book about 4 generations of women in a family overcoming past hurts. I loved that part of the story. The side story of the love interest was just ok for me. The FMC was unlikable so i found myself getting annoyed with her. But that is part of her story and is what makes the family dynamic play out so well. I did want to scream at her at one point though, Ha. Overall a nice summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone publishing for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.