"Sandcastle Inn" by Irene Hannon

Sandcastle Inn (Apr. 2, 2024) by Irene Hannon.

<This is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone novel.>

Hope Harbor, Oregon, is nothing more than a stopover point for 33-year-old Vienna Price, who’s come to visit her nonconforming, carefree mom, Bev, owner of Bev’s Book Nook and maker of custom jewelry since her retirement. Vienna’s been recently fired from a high-end position with a boutique hotel chain. She holds an MBA with a double concentration in finance and marketing. Her planned-to-a-T life is crumbling, and she’s at loose ends. Traveling to Hope Harbor isn’t in Dr. Matt Quinn’s (a veterinarian) initial plans, either, but he goes to help his sister, Kay Marshall, nine years his senior, who raised him from age nine. Kay purchased Beachview B&B before seeing its disrepair and is in way over her head. Beachview B&B doesn’t just need a little TLC; it’s already on life support. Kay’s gone “Florence Nightingale” to care for a grandmother-figure who’s having surgery, leaving Matt with a foundering B&B and stuck in an “emotional wasteland” with his misplaced guilt after shattering losses. Vienna has the skills to revive the B&B. Has she the skills to mend a broken heart?
        Andrew and Paige Thompson, both in their upper 20s, are desperate for work after someone they trusted ruined their business and reputation. Andrew is in construction. The B&B needs a contractor. Might this be the project that gets them off rocky ground so they can gain stable footing yet again?
        While not my first novel from Hannon, it is my first in her Hope Harbor series, and it’s the 10th installment! This fictional town on the Oregon coast is one I’d happily visit. I’d snitch a homemade cookie and peruse the inventory at Bev’s Book Nook. I’d want to eat Charley’s fish tacos daily and grab pizza from Frank’s weekly. Hope Harbor embodies a whimsy and steadfastness that is delightful to read, even as the relatable characters grapple with life-altering events and piecemeal their lives back together. Faith is staunch, but not forceful. Hannon’s writing in this Christian, contemporary romance is warm and wholesome. The pacing is snappy, the dialogue unencumbered by lofty monologues. I wouldn’t say no to another visit to Hope Harbor!

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”