Well, I’m disappointed that this didn’t resolve Sarah’s story but I’m so glad to have finally gotten the answers to the mystery of Claire! (Also, it took me til this book to put Sarah and Claire together in my mind. One of my best friends is Claire; a sister to me).

This was a sweet story. I loved Mira and the storyline with Armaan was quite the fun surprise! In fact, there were a few surprises in this book.

One of the things I like best about this series is how it manages to include all the sisters in each book and balance multiple storylines. It’s so well done.

I loved this newest installment to Julie Klassen's On Devonshire Shores series. The Summers sisters are extremely relatable and I like watching how each girl grows and develops throughout all of the books, even if the main story is about one of her sisters.

The Seaside Homecoming focuses on Claire, the lost prodigal daughter, and follows themes of forgiveness, redemption, and reconciliation. Claire is a strong character in her own right, and her journey is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

I'm excited to see what comes next...hopefully a jaunt to Scotland for my favorite of the five sisters!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for sending me an early electronic copy to review. All opinions are my own.

This story explores the limited choices and society strictures that were had on women. It has Christian Themes throughout. It contains no swearing, a few alcohol mentions and chaste level 1 kissing only.

"This was a wonderful story, beginning with rejection and disappointment, then ending with love and redemption. 

As Clair grapples with the consequences of sin and separation from her family, God makes a way forward and shows her how precious she is. Step by step through interactions with newfound friends and her family, she begins to see herself differently.

Through the personal stories of the places and characters and the descriptions of the area around Sidmouth, I was taken on a journey through this time in history.

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the Summers sisters again and getting a glimpse of their lives as they interacted with Clair, but Sarah’s rigidness was a bit of a disappointment. It made me not like her as well, at least for a while.

I somehow wanted the villain to be more villainous, though he was just a man with flaws like us all. 

Overall, this is a book that I would read again and recommend.

I was given a copy courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley and Interviews & Reviews. This is my honest opinion of the book."

Julie Klassen is the best Regency Fiction author I have ever read! I love all of her books and so do my teenage daughters!

This book is the third in a series called On Devonshire Shores. It's fine if you haven't read the first two, you just won't be familiar with the other sisters or their husbands. The Seaside Homecoming centers around the eldest sister, Claire Summers. In the past, Claire made the terrible mistake of thinking herself in love with a man of fortune and agreed to elope. Once he discovered her fortune was not as large as he thought, he abandoned her on the journey. Penniless and friendless, she sought refuge with an aunt who took her in as an unpaid companion after her father cut her off. Fast forward a few years and Claire is once again homeless after her aunt dies and the house is to be sold. She decides to move to the town where her mother and sisters live to ascertain their level of friendliness or hostility. She takes a position as a partner in a boarding house. What follows is a delicious mix of history, romance and intrigue.

The Seaside Homecoming explores themes such as repentance, forgiveness, prejudice, and second chances. I enjoyed the book very much! It is a clean Christian romance with nothing inappropriate in it. I think you would enjoy this latest book by Julie Klassen!

"She had no desire to make a spectacle of herself or to upset anyone. Yet she needed this— needed God’s presence and the comfort of corporate worship, even as she felt unworthy to join the faithful."

I found book 3, Claire's story, quite satisfying and enjoyable. The return of old characters (sweet Mrs. Denby) and the introduction of new ones was a delight (Mr. William Hammond; guests of Broadbridge's Boarding House). Aunt Agnes was a difficult one and while I cannot agree with her ways, the ending outcome was a great surprise. Even Claire's Mama was difficult for me to reconcile with. However, the extremely touching and unexpected scene near the end with the two of them brought me to tears.

I am greatly looking forward to the conclusion in Sept of next year, when A Sea View Christmas comes out and Sarah finally gets her turn, along with hopefully, dear Callum Henshall.

As an aside, I found it so endearing that Julie Klassen would include various versions of the nickname pumpkin for little Mira, just as Julie's own father called her.

Five Stars

I received this eVersion from NG and the publisher without expectation or compensation. All opinions are mine alone

I have enjoyed visiting with the Summers sisters once again, and I believe The Seaside Homecoming is my favourite book in the series so far. I found it very hard to put down and it kept me up until the wee hours of the night.

We finally get to learn all the details of why Claire was banished to her aunt’s home in Scotland and how horrible the standards were for women as opposed to men in those days, regarding their reputations. But, hasn’t that always been the way? Things never change.

I was very perturbed by Mrs. Summers’ refusal to forgive her daughter because of a deathbed promise she made to her husband. Good grief! Women were so ridiculous in those days. I would never be that obedient to my husband. Everything in this book about how subservient the women were rubbed me the wrong way. However, I loved this book because all these women grew! Not just in their faith and in the real meaning of forgiveness, but in their opinions of themselves and their own worth.

I was delighted that Sarah’s story will continue in the next book. I hope she gets her happily ever after!

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley for my honest review.

"The Seaside Homecoming" by Julie Klassen is the third book in the “On Devonshire Shores” series. Julie Klassen has long been a favorite author of mine and I’ve devoured all her books. This series is such a lovely series, and this newest installment did not disappoint. I loved finally getting to meet Claire, the fallen sister, and reading her beautiful story. Claire’s story is that of a prodigal daughter. She made a mistake and had to live in exile with her great-aunt in Scotland. Claire eventually makes her way home to Sidmouth. Will her family accept her back into the fold and break their oath to her dying father? Claire must learn to make her own way as a partner in a boarding house. The proprietor, Mr. Hammond, is a handsome and mysterious man (who has an adorable daughter). Will Claire be able to trust Mr. Hammond? I loved seeing the feelings develop between the two. We also meet characters from other books in the series and see how they are doing. There is one character who still has a romance thread throughout the story that is not tied up at the end of this book. I am so glad there is going to be another installment, because I am dying to know how her love story plays out. “The Seaside Homecoming” is a tender story of family, love, forgiveness, second chances, reconciliation, and faith. I fell in love with new characters and loved how Ms. Klassen wove Indian culture into the story. The side characters are always superb in Ms. Klassen’s books. This whole series is very reminiscent of “Little Women,” and also gives a nod to “Pride and Prejudice.” I would recommend you read the series in order, as each story is a continuation and builds on itself. I highly recommend this series!

Content: I give this book a PG rating. Examples of the content: A woman is a “fallen” woman; someone swears, but the words are not actually written; possibility of abuse; mention that men swim naked at a certain beach; someone is pregnant out of wedlock; mention that someone committed suicide in the past; a man was drunk.
TW: mention of abuse; mention of suicide in the past.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

The Seaside Homecoming by Julie Klassen is a must read for Inspirational Regency romance lovers! It’s the third book in the On Devonshire Shores series. You can read this as a standalone, but if you don’t want spoilers from the first two books, you’ll want to read them in order. I always think books like this are best when you read them in order since you can see how the characters grow and change throughout the series, and these characters definitely do!

This is Claire’s story. She’s been in Scotland caring for a great-aunt for the past two years, but when her great-aunt passed away, Claire decided to move to the seaside town of Sidmouth where her estranged family owns a boarding house. If I were Claire, I think I’d do the same thing. I’d miss my family, and I’d hope and pray for reconciliation which is what Claire does. This novel really portrays how forgiveness can heal relationships and how God will always forgive us when we come to him in repentance.

I love the characters in this series! The addition of Claire and several others just add to how much I adore them. Klassen has a talent for bringing both likable and unlikable characters to life. When I read her books, I just want to be one of them! I’ve always wanted to live (or at least visit!) in the area in which the books are set. As I read The Seaside Homecoming, I really felt like I was a part of the story. It’s just so amazing, and I couldn’t put it down! Of course, the romance is simply lovely and sweet, and I cried and laughed as it developed. I read this in a day, but now I’ve got to wait another year for the next sister’s story!

I highly recommend The Seaside Homecoming for its beautiful story of forgiveness and redemption, the well-written characters, the seaside setting, and Claire’s sweet and heartwarming romance. 5 huge stars!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I love Julie Klassen books! This is a beautiful story of someone who made a mistake and felt unworthy of love and regard. It’s also a story of family, love and forgiveness!

Claire was deceived and abandoned a ruined woman. She can’t go home. Her family has disowned her. Taken in by her ailing great aunt, she serves as a caretaker and companion to her. She’s constantly reminded of her sins and not allowed to receive any communication from her sisters. When her aunt dies, Claire has no place to go. No one to take her in.

She has just enough money to travel from Scotland to England where she’s taken a partnership in a boarding house. This also happens to be in the same town her family is in.

What will their reaction be? Her mother promised her father on his deathbed she would shun Claire and never speak her name. It’s been two years. Does she have any hope of reconciliation? What if her new business partner learns of her past?

I loved the themes of hope and second chances. How God loves us where we are, regardless of our flaws. I highly recommend this book.

Book 3 of the On Devonshire Shores series was amazing. (You don’t need to read the first two books, but I recommend that you do). We finally get the whole story of what happened to Claire. A wonderful story of faith, love, redemption and forgiveness.
Claire is a brave, repentant, determined woman. Her love for little Mira was precious. William was so secretive but once he decided to trust he was all in. I enjoyed learning a little about an attaché’s life.
The bond between these five sisters is unbreakable, and the work God did in their mother’s heart touching. I enjoyed getting to see Sea View boarders and staff, a few townspeople, the married sisters and their husbands. And the connection between Armaan and William, I did not see that coming.
I loved getting little glimpses into Sarah’s thoughts and I look forward to her story conclusion, when her novella comes out September 2025.
😍”How you undo me when you call me by my given name…” 🫠
This ARC was provided through NetGalley by the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review, rating and opinions are my own.

Read The Seaside Homecoming, book 3 of On Devonshire Shores, without realizing it was a series. Great read as a stand alone. Loved Claire’s story and knowing there are two other books to get to read about the other sister’s stories also. Love Julie Klassen takes us to a beautiful English seaside in the 1800’s in this novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley and publisher. The opinions expressed are my own.
#theseasidehomecoming #julieklassen #netgalley #bethanyhousepublishers #christianfiction

The Seaside Homecoming is Book 3 of On Devonshire Shores series by Julie Klassen. The setting is well established in the previous novels and Klassen is a deft hand at using historical information to evoke time and place. The main character, Claire Summers had been banished to Scotland as a young woman and shunned by her parents and sisters for being involved in a failed elopement. She has spent her time caring for a grumpy aging relative. When her great-aunt dies, leaving Claire with minimal resources, she decides to find work in the Devonshire village that is the home of her mother and sisters, with some hope of seeing them. The story develops with many twists and turns but eventually Claire finds a good man to love and there is reconciliation and forgiveness with her family. This is another excellent novel in the series. Strongly recommended for readers of clean historical romance.

Julie Klassen once again, outdoes herself this with this delightful English novel! The Summers sisters each have a unique story and this time its Claire's turn. Disgraced and shunned, she has lived the last two years caring for a spinster Aunt in Scotland. As Aunt Mercer's life ebbs, Claire begins to wonder what the next chapter in her life will look like. Her Aunt has made it abundantly clear there will be no inheritance, so she is on her own. After the death of her aunt, with a small stipend in hand, she decides to answer an ad for a partner in a boardinghouse - in the same town as her estranged family. Hoping against hope to make a new start and heal old wounds, she heads back to England. But will rumors, unwanted guests, and a long-held family grudge keep her from staring over? Come away to the English seaside as the author weaves a poignant tale of hope and healing.

Julie Klassen has hooked me in since I read her book "The Lady of Milkweed Manor." She thinks her plots through and builds them up to a classical crescendo. Sometimes when I read a book like this, I know the outcome because the plot is so predictable. Julie has crafted a plot that keeps the reader engaged and interested throughout.

The Seaside Homecoming is first and foremost a story of redemption and forgiveness. Claire Summers has been disowned by her family because of an impulsive decision she made two years prior. For two years she lived with her great-aunt and took care of her until she passed away. She returns to the town where her mother and sisters are living and takes a position at a different boarding house.

The characters in this book are varied and for the most part likable. There are a few hoity-toities who live to make people's lives miserable. When the villain of the story shows up in the book, Claire has made peace with her situation and is making inroads to a peaceful resolution with her mother. Finding out that the whole debacle she's in is caused by money and that's all she was deemed good for, she makes her best decision and sends him away.

There are two love stories that develop throughout the book that are completely satisfying. This is one of the best books I've read so far this year. Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a Boarding House by the Sea.

Bethany House provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

A return to 1820 Devonshire and the Summers family, with Claire working through the downfall of her reputation, having taken care of her aunt in Scotland, then taking a chance to return home where her family now lives, years later. New relationships evolve and new possibilities for her. Beautifully written, everyone is completely believable, and you can't help feeling attached and defensive at times. The story takes you through a lot of feelings but hope shines through with second chances and a close-knit family. Nicely wrapped up and opened for the next installment.

I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#TheSeasideHomecoming #JulieKlassen #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #ChristianHistoricalRomance #BethanyHousePublishers

"The Seaside Homecoming" is a Christian romance set in 1820 in Scotland and England. This is the third book in a series, but it can be understood without reading the previous novels. However, it does "spoil" how the previous two romances turned out.

Claire has no patience: if she wants something, she does it immediately. If she wanted to ask her business partner something or give him something, even though it could easily wait until he left his private rooms, she felt fully justified in barging into his private rooms to confront him. He repeatedly asked her not to enter his private rooms, and this was partly to protect her reputation. She also had a bad habit of eavesdropping. Her business partner was very patient with her. After Claire made her choice of whom to marry, they intensely kissed as often as they could, only prevented in doing more before marriage by their chaperones. It just felt like Claire hadn't really learned anything from the mistakes that nearly ruined her life.

The story was mostly about her reconciliation with her sisters and mother and her spying on her business partner because she's worried he's a spy. Unlike the previous novels, there wasn't much interaction with the people staying at the boarding house or those in town. Many historical details were woven into the story and brought it alive in my imagination, but they did slow the pacing. The characters were likable and acted in realistic ways. Claire's family learned about God's forgiveness and forgiving others. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.

First sentence: Bleak. The weather, her mood, her life.

Claire Summers, the oldest sister (I believe), stars in the third book in the series. The series has been absolutely fantastic. I have LOVED all three books. They are all similar YET also each is unique. You do get a chance to reconnect (briefly) with previous characters and see how their stories are progressing.

Claire has been shunned--cast out--by her parents for eloping with a fellow who was less than honest. The marriage did not happen, and she fled to her Scottish aunt or great-aunt. She's been her companion--for better or worse--since the failed elopement. She has no idea if her sisters will ever be a part of her life again or not. (Same with her mother).

After her great-aunt dies, Claire is left without a place to go and only a small allowance to allow her to make a new start. (Not a genteel start, but a start). Claire sees an opportunity that just so happens to be near where her family has resettled....will her new beginning be a happy one? Can she make amends with her family?

As I mentioned before, I really do love the series so much. I think I may love the first two a tiny bit more than this third book. HOWEVER, all the books have been SO wonderful and just a joy to read. I do hope the series continues since there are more sisters who haven't had their own books.

Loved. This. Book. It brought back all the memories from the past two books, and was like cuddling in a warm blanket to sit and be welcomed back into this family and all they have going on. I’d been looking forward to reading about Claire’s story and loved how things ended for her. Mr. Hammond and that entire household was wonderful and I enjoyed every single page of this story. The love story was sweet, the reconnection with her family was heartbreaking and heartfelt. Just wonderful!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is book 3 of the On Devonshire Shores series, and I would recommend reading them in order - you'd lose a lot of context if you just jumped into this one! I enjoyed learning more about Claire's story & felt the story was the strongest when focused on the sisters. I liked the addition of several Indian characters & their story. The romance was only so/so for me - the love interest didn't stand out & it felt perfunctory.

I really like Julie Klassen's books & will continue to read them!