Sherryl Woods

When a storm brings her back home to the North Carolina coast, successful interior designer Emily Castle gets a second chance at love with the man she left behind, widower and single father Boone Dorsett. Original.

Sand Castle Bay

Lauren Sullivan

Oh, the angst. Ten years may have passed since they last saw each other, but the main characters still act like emotionally immature teenagers. It felt like half the book consisted of each character whining "how can we make this work out?!?!? it'll never work!!! but I love him/her so MUCH!!!" and the other half was highly unrealistic interactions with 8-year-old BJ (seriously, what does that stand for?) who apparently instantly attaches to Emily (view spoiler)[and, what, a year after his mom dies, decides he's perfectly fine with a new woman in his dad's life AND wants to call her "mom." (hide spoiler)]

Other characters, let's see... Emotionally distant dad, two sisters (view spoiler)[(who freaking eavesdrop on a highly private conversation, what the heck?) (hide spoiler)] and assorted friends who are ridiculously obvious series bait (along with associated subplots that take up several pages and then just get dropped), and, oh goodness, Cora Jane, whose meddling was just plain annoying. Seriously, you've barely seen your granddaughter in ten years and you think you know exactly what's best for her?

The ending resolution felt abrupt and unrealistic, and there's a whole twist in the plot that pops up, isn't actually resolved, but supposedly we have a happy ending anyway? Super unsatisfying.

Sand Castle Bay

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