C2’s review of A Home by the Sea (Summer Island, Book 1) by Christina Skye
Contemporary Romance published by HQN Books 18 Oct 11
A woman dealing with betrayal and heartbreak. A man dealing with terrible loss and pressures. Sounds like a match made in heaven, right? You might be surprised.
Grace Lindstrom is a food historian – a career I find fascinating, by the way. She is in Washington DC because the Smithsonian has a huge opportunity in the works and she would love to be involved. Grace is still wrestling with the aftermath of her fiance’s death. After he was killed in a plane crash, she found out he had been cheating on her. With lots of people, including some so-called friends. She is not interested in a romantic entanglement – not even if a fabulous guy stumbles into her path.
Noah McKay is an explosives expert – not a relationship-friendly occupation, to be sure. He works for an unnamed goverment-y office that disarms and analyzes bombs and provides that info to other law enforcement types. Noah and his family are still grieving because one of his brothers was killed by a bomb. Noah is struggling with guilt, even though he was not called to deal with the situation that led to his brother’s death.
One snowy night, Noah is walking home and hears a strange sound coming from an alley. He investigates and finds Grace rescuing a mama cat, her kittens, and a puppy. Since roads are quickly becoming impassible, he calls his dad to come get them in his Hummer. The whole group goes back and spends the night at Noah’s parents’ house. Sure…that totally happens. 😉
Noah is interested and doesn’t pretend otherwise. Grace, however, is reluctant. She is still in “can’t trust any man” mode, thanks to her late fiance. Noah calls and texts but she ignores him – so rude! Just tell him you’re not interested, for crying out loud…oh, but wait, you are interested. You’re just a big chicken.
Anyhoo, eventually Grace starts to get over her fear – she gets the cool job and decides to try a relationship with Noah. Just when things are getting started, she gets a call and has to go back to her home town in Oregon. Her grandfather has been injured and is in the hospital. Grace is his only family. Noah understands and encourages her to do whatever she needs to – he will be waiting.
When Grace arrives in Oregon, her grandfather is in a coma but his injuries aren’t life-threatening. He is in good health and should recover without too much difficulty, probably. Still, it will be a while before he is able to resume anything like his normal life and will need to slow down. Someone will have to step in and help out with his animal clinic. Also, Grace’s best friends have a new business venture they are starting and invite her to join them. Since she passed up the Smithsonian opportunity when her grandfather was hurt, Grace is interested and decides to join them. The work getting a business ready to go gives her something to focus on besides worrying about her grandfather.
During her time in Oregon, Grace and Noah have been texting and talking to each other. Finally he is able to get some time off comes to visit. Even though there are lots of obstacles, Noah and Grace can see where they are headed and want to move forward with each other. *happy sigh*
Alert for those readers who are absolutely anti-paranormal: there is the occasional ghostly presence drifting through the book. It’s very unobtrusive and sweet, I think, but if you cannot stand that sort of thing and don’t want to be ambushed…well, you’ve been warned.
Does this book stand alone? Since I haven’t read the novella that introduced the series, I have to say yes. In fact, finding out who the lead couple is in the novella makes me feel better about one of the supporting characters in this book (I was afraid someone might get killed off to make way for a later HEA).
I love Ms. Skye’s Draycott Abbey series, but I never got into her Code Name books. So when I saw that her next series was going to be similar to her older books, I was intrigued. There is something so comforting about her writing style – reading this book is like curling up with a favorite blanket on a cold night. The story is filled with interesting, well-rounded characters (some with obvious spin-off potential). Even though I have a quibble with Grace ignoring phone calls for a couple of weeks and being all “I’m not ready,” if you’re looking for a good contemporary without silliness and with just enough heat, you should totally check out A Home by the Sea.
Grade: B-
Summary:
Grace Lindstrom has followed her fiancé across three continents, starry-eyed and full of dreams. But when he dies in a plane crash, Grace discovers that their life together was the cruelest kind of lie—and swears to never lose herself to that kind of love again. Until one night, when a chance encounter leads her to the kind of man she’s always dreamed of—and the deep family ties she’s never known.
Noah McKay knows he can’t offer Grace any kind of future—not when he spends every day putting his life on the line. But when Grace’s grandfather suddenly falls ill and she’s called home to the small island town where she grew up, he realizes he can’t live without her. Aided by good knitting, good chocolate and deep friendship, Grace is slowly learning to trust again—but can she learn to love a man whose secrets run so deep?
Read an excerpt.
Other books in the series:
