Stevie‘s review of Sea Glass Sunrise (The Brides Of Blueberry Cove, Book 1) by Donna Kauffman
Contemporary Romance published by Zebra 26 May 15
I like stories about small towns where everyone knows everyone else, but I suspect I’m starting to get pickier about the fine details of what makes a great small town romance. For a start, I want a plot that kicks off straight away with an obvious central conflict, no matter how minor the issue. I’m also becoming a little distrustful of characters who return home purely because things haven’t worked out for them in the big wide world, and who seem to have no real plan of what they’ll do next. Of course, that last point can be fixed if the conflict they run into back home points them towards a resolution of their own conflict.
Hannah quits her job as a hot-shot Washington DC lawyer after what she thinks is a serious long-term relationship ends in the most embarrassing way possible. Her big brother’s wedding gives her the perfect excuse to return to Blueberry Cove for the first time in years, but she has no intention of leaving again after the ceremony is over, or of spoiling everyone’s happiness at the big event by telling them about her problems. As soon as she arrives in town, she’s in a road accident of her own making – and meets up with Carlton Blue, who’s in town to try to repair a century-old rift between two branches of his family.
After getting patched up, Hannah heads off to meet up with her brother and sisters – and be introduced to her future sister-in-law. They tell her about all the changes in town since her last visit, including the proposed redevelopment of the fishing port into a fancy new yacht club which will benefit few of the locals and seems to be resented by most of them. This is the construction project that Carlton is using as his excuse for being in town, even though he has no real intention of signing the contract that’s being drawn up for him.
Hannah knows from the start what Carlton’s planning, so there’s no real conflict in this story until an arson attack endangers Carlton’s distant relatives, and Carlton becomes chief suspect in spite of being the one who ensures that everyone gets out of the area safely. The mystery of who set the fire is quite understated, but I managed to guess who’s behind everything shortly before the big reveal. However, I do feel that the resolution of the conflict feels a little flat, particularly as it is mainly external to the hero and heroine and the minor conflicts their relationship goes through feels even more minor as a result.
I am also quite disappointed that we never really find out what Hannah is going to do for a living now she’s come home, even though we do get a glimpse of how her personal life is panning out in the months following her brother’s wedding. I’m quite intrigued by the vague mentions of the sisters’ Uncle Fergus, though judging by the synopses of the other books in this series and the series that it’s spun off from, it doesn’t seem as if his story is getting told any time soon. Overall, a town I’d quite like to visit, but in more interesting company than I’ve seen in this book.
Grade: C
Summary:
In seaside Blueberry Cove, Maine, friends are just another word for family, and big-city politics take a backseat to local pride. But the real treasure on these shores is always love…
When D.C. lawyer Hannah McCrae heads home for her brother’s wedding, she’s dragging a lot of baggage along with her—and she doesn’t mean suitcases. Betrayed personally, and humiliated professionally, the last thing she wants is a new man. That’s fine with square-jawed, rugged contractor Calder Blue. He and Hannah may be wildly attracted to one another, but all he wants is to build the town’s hotly contested new yacht club and mend a centuries-old family feud. Yet thanks to resentments old and new, day after day the pair wind up tangled in each other’s business—and maybe soon in each other’s arms.
Every bride needs something “blue”…
Includes a delicious wedding cake recipe!
No excerpt found.
Other books in this series:
Starfish Moon
