Category Archives: Sand Castle Bay

Review: Sand Castle Bay by Sherryl Woods

Title: Sand Castle Bay by Sherryl Woods
Ocean Breeze Series Book One
Publisher: HarelquinMIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In a trade-off she’s lived to regret, Emily Castle left home years ago to become an interior designer. The youngest of three sisters, Emily desperately wanted to prove herself. Success, though, came at the cost of leaving behind the man she loved.

For Boone Dorsett, losing Emily left his heart shattered, but another woman was waiting in the wings. Now a widower with a young son, Boone has a second chance with Emily when a storm brings her home. But with his former in-laws threatening a custody suit, the stakes of loving her are higher than ever.

Will fate once again separate them—or is the time finally right for these two star-crossed lovers?

The Review:

Fans of second chance at love stories are going to love Sand Castle Bay, the first installment in Sherryl Woods Ocean Breeze series. Strong family ties and lovable characters add to this wonderful novel’s appeal.

Emily Castle and Boone Dorsett were high school sweethearts whose relationship ended when Emily left to pursue her career. Boone married soon after their break up and he is now a widower with an adorable young son. Emily has a thriving interior design business and she has successfully avoided seeing Boone in the ten years since their break up. That is until a hurricane brings Emily and her sisters, Gabi and Samantha, home to help their grandmother, Cora Jane, repair the damage to their family’s restaurant.

Emily and Boone are delightful characters and I really enjoyed watching them grow both as individuals and as a couple. I adored Boone right from the beginning. He is kind-hearted and loving and a terrific dad to his son B.J.. He might still be in love with Emily, but he is reluctant to risk getting his heart broken again.

I was initially unsure if I would like Emily. She was quick to jump to conclusions and reluctant to accept responsibility for her role in the break up between her and Boone. I gained a lot respect for Emily during the resolution of this part of the storyline. She is a strong and independent woman but her vulnerabilities make her sympathetic and extremely likable.

The relationship between Emily and Boone is slow growing and not without its share of missteps and mistakes. Boone is overly cautious about letting Emily in B.J.’s life so he tries to keep them from growing too close. Miscommunications and misunderstandings threaten to derail their burgeoning relationship. As Boone and Emily soon discover, compromise is a two way street. Adding to their complicated relationship is the sudden reappearance of B.J.’s grandparents and their threat of a custody battle.

Sand Castle Bay is a charming novel with engaging characters and a realistic storyline. Sherryl Woods beautifully sets the stage for the future installments of the Ocean Breeze series and I am eagerly anticipating Gabi’s story, Wind Chime Point.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harlequin, HarlequinMira, Ocean Breeze Series, Rated B+, Romance, Sand Castle Bay, Sherryl Woods