Good second chance romance. Beau is a professional fisherman who returned to Christmas Bay and his cousins Poppy and Cora after his grandfather's death. His will requires them to work together in his antique shop for a year before they can sell it. The timing was good for Beau, who was recovering from a shoulder injury. The last thing he expected was to run into his ex-fiancée, the girl he broke up with, to follow his dream.

Summer returned to Christmas Bay to escape a difficult situation with a coworker and pursue her dream of furniture restoration. She stops in the antique store to talk about selling her furniture through them. Surprised to see Beau, she knows working with him is risky for her heart, but she does it anyway.

I enjoyed the rekindling of Beau and Summer's relationship. Their attraction is as strong as before, but both are reluctant to open their hearts again. Beau's past makes him wary of commitment, and Summer doesn't want to go through the heartbreak she experienced the first time. But as they spend time together, the old feelings grow stronger, and each begins to think, "What if?"

Beau's protectiveness kicks in when Summer's coworker finds her and threatens her peace of mind. I liked how he and his cousins stepped up to help her. But when Beau's feelings conflict with his career plans, he panics and pulls away before realizing what he is giving up. Now he must convince Summer that she can trust him not to walk away from her again. The ending was sweet and emotional, and the epilogue was a terrific wrap-up for the book. I look forward to Cora's story.

I had two favorite secondary characters - Tank, the goat, and Beau's niece, Mary. Tank is Summer's pet and is sort of an emotional support animal. There are some great scenes, from Tank's lighthearted antics to an emotionally charged health crisis. Mary is a preteen whirlwind of emotion and unfiltered opinions. I laughed out loud at some of her conversations with Beau and her unsolicited advice. I'd love to see a story about her when she grows up.

This is a tender and emotionally rich story about second chances, personal growth, and rediscovering love where you least expect it. Set in the cozy and endearing coastal town of Christmas Bay, the novel follows Beau Evers, a professional fisherman whose fast-paced life is interrupted when an injury and the death of his grandfather force him to return home.

Back in Christmas Bay, Beau learns that his grandfather’s will has a surprising condition—he must stay in town for a year and help run the family’s antique store with his cousins. It’s the last place Beau imagined himself, but things get even more complicated when he crosses paths with Summer Smith, his former fiancée, the woman he left behind years ago.

Summer has made a quiet life for herself in Christmas Bay, pursuing her passion for refinishing furniture after leaving the hustle of her big-city career. She’s wary of Beau at first, still carrying the emotional scars from when he walked away. But as they’re thrown together through their work at the store, old sparks start to reignite. Despite their past, their chemistry is undeniable—and so is the emotional pull between them.

As Beau settles into the rhythm of small-town life, he begins to see the value in community, family, and the kind of love that endures. Summer, too, must confront her lingering feelings and decide if she’s willing to take a risk on Beau again. Their journey is full of warmth, vulnerability, and heartfelt moments. This is a sweet, satisfying romance that explores how sometimes, going back is the only way forward. Fans of emotional, second-chance love stories with a strong sense of place and family will find plenty to love in this heartfelt read.

4.5/5 — This is the second in the Hearts on Main Street series, following Flirting With the Past. In this series, cousins Beau, Cora, and Poppy have returned to Christmas Bay after the death of their beloved grandfather to inherit his antique store. They must work together in the store for one year before deciding whether to sell it or keep it.

This installment features a sweet second-chance romance between Beau and Summer, his girlfriend from years ago. He broke up with Summer in order to pursue a career in pro fishing, but a shoulder injury has derailed his career. He is working in the antique store one day when Summer walks in, hopeful to make a business deal to sell her antique furniture thru their store. Summer is a furniture restorer, and knows that working with Beau is bound to be trouble for her heart, but she does it anyway. The two reconcile against a backdrop of drama, as Summer has a stalker, and Beau is required to make some big decisions about his fishing career vs. the small-town, rooted life he loves. I got caught up in all of it. Couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

I loved the Oregon setting, with the water and forests, and once again I loved Beau’s wonderful family. I fell hard for them in the first installment of this series. Especially Beau’s preteen niece Mary and the family’s Great Dane, Roo, who were both on many of the pages in this book, which I found delightful. I’m eager for Cora’s book next, since she is trying to mend from her broken heart and grief after her husband passed before the beginning of this series.

His Small Town Catch by Kaylie Newell, two in the Hearts on Main Street series, is a wonderful and heartwarming story of family, healing, second chances, and finding love when you least expect it. Beau Evers left college to become a professional fisherman; leaving his girlfriend, Summer, heartbroken. After the death of his grandfather Beau is forced to leave the pro fishing circuit to help run his antique store with his cousins for a year in Christmas Bay. Being away from the circuit has been difficult for Beau, but it forces him to take care of his injured shoulder; surgery to repair is scheduled in the near future. Summer Smith left her big city job after feeling threatened by a co-worker and nothing could be done. She moved to small town Christmas Bay to pursue her passion of refinishing furniture. Stopping in an antique store to try to make a deal with them, to provide her furniture for sale, she runs into Beau.

With sparks flying, magnetic attraction pulling them together, Beau and Summer find themselves spending more time together; reconnecting and getting a second chance. When the former co-worker finds her, threatening her tranquility, Beau and his cousins step up to protect her. Beau will have to prove to Summer she can trust and depend on him, that he won’t leave her again, before they can have their HEA. This was a delightful story and now I can’t wait for the next story in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
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