 Author: Irene Hannon Genre: Contemporary Romance Series: Hope Harbor #10 Pages:352 Release Date: April 2, 2024 Publisher: Revell Vienna Price never intended to return for more than a passing visit to Oregon and all the bad memories she'd left behind. But when your career tanks, home is where you go to nurse your wounds and chart a new course. Only temporarily, of course--because as much as she loves her quirky mom, anything more than a short stay would drive them both crazy. A trip to Oregon isn't in Matt Quinn's plans, either, until a perfectly timed appeal for help arrives from his sister. What better place to decompress after a shattering loss than a quiet, seaside town named Hope Harbor? But R&R isn't on the agenda when he arrives to find his sister's new enterprise on life support. Vienna, however, may have just the skills needed to resuscitate the foundering B&B--if Matt can convince her to hang around long enough to mend an inn . . . and his heart.
 Reviewer: Marie Edwards The first book I read in this series was book #6: Starfish Pier, and as a result, I immediately became invested in the town of Hope Harbor and its inhabitants. Every spring, I find myself eagerly awaiting each visit to Hope Harbor. I also look forward to Charley’s sage advice with each order of fish tacos. Like usual, Hannon brings new characters to Hope Harbor, some passing through. Or, rather, that’s how it begins. Some? Looking for second chances, much like widow Kay Marshall, who is the new owner of the derelict Beachview B & B. Her widower brother comes to town, expecting some R&R. The poor place has more than just its structural inadequacies. In the internet age, bad reviews have all but ruined its reputation. The structural renovations and repairs are where Andrew and Paige come in. And, like most everyone in Hope Harbor, they come with a sad tale of their own. One that Andrew fears might ruin his chance to repair Beachview. The B&B’s reputation is where Vienna’s experience is needed. Despite their less-than-ideal meeting, once she sees a clean version of Matt, she’s instantly attracted. Matt feels something, but the guilt of his wife’s death haunts him. That isn’t the only secret he’s harboring, though. Like she usually does, Hannon weaves in real-life issues to give her characters and story depth. There were times when Vienna’s complicated relationship with her mother eerily mirrored my own with my mother. Some situations were nearly in line with what has happened in our lives. Andrew and Paige also have family issues due to her father's attitude towards Andrew. Given that the name of the book usually coincides with the location featured, I was stumped by how it got the title. Of course, that is part of Vienna’s plan—to rebrand the inn. This is not a light-hearted read. It is an interesting one, though. It is filled with a lot of heavy themes. A child's death and the mention of suicide are among the themes that may cause concern for some readers. These occur before the story but are central to a character’s past. There is also a reference to homelessness as well. Despite being from a Christian publisher, there are hardly any Christian themes in it. It is a clean read with regard to intimacy and language. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.  Reviewer: Elisha Varela I love home or inn fixer-upper books, and reading one from Irene Hannon was a refreshing change to go from her mystery books to a romance book, but I liked it very much. Usually, when I review books, I keep that thought in the back of my head, but with this book, I totally forgot about that and just generally enjoyed it. I thought it was going to be a cute and fluffy story. I was not expecting it to make me cry. It was very well written, and I liked that even after what everyone had been through and the hardships they all faced, they still trusted in God. Matt and Vienna were cute, and I liked their characters. The chemistry they had together was great, but I really loved Andrew and Paige. I know the book wasn’t about them, but I wish they were spoken about and had more time. For my honest opinion, I received a complimentary copy from Revell Publishers via Interviews & Reviews. Reviewer: Connie Porter Saunders Welcome back to Hope Harbor, the fictional town on the Oregon coast that's become an ideal place to visit and an even better place to put down roots. In her newest novel, author Irene Hannon shares the captivating story of two people who find unexpected challenges, unforeseen blessings, and unanticipated love when they temporarily return to Hope Harbor. I loved the blossoming friendship between Vienna and Matt and was intrigued by Vienna's troubled relationship with her mother, but a special delight was catching up with Charley Lopez, taco maker/advice giver extraordinaire! This is the tenth book in the Hope Harbor series, and Hannon's creativity has never been more evident. I recommend Sandcastle Inn to all who enjoy contemporary Christian romance! For my honest opinion, I received a complimentary copy from Revell Publishers via Interviews & Reviews. Reviewer: Tammy Lunsford In reading all of the books in the Hope Harbor series, including this one, one thing always stands out. There is no such thing as a coincidence. There is divine providence, which is in large supply in Hope Harbor. It is a place of healing and restoration, but most of all, hope. Matt Quinn is struggling with personal issues. His partner in his veterinarian practice convinces him that he needs to take some much-needed R&R, and what better place than Hope Harbor, Oregon? Matt's sister, Kay, has purchased a B&B that she wants to rehab, so he decides he will go help her. When he arrives, he realizes this project is much bigger than Kay had let on. Vienna Price has always been a career-minded woman. Now she has lost her job at a luxury hotel where she planned to move up. She decides to visit her mom (Deb) in Hope Harbor for a short period on her way to finding a new job. Deb has always been a little different, and Vienna and Deb have always butted heads, so Vienna has no plans to stay long. As a side note, I loved Deb, and you will too. Both Matt and Vienna have no plans to stay for long, but this is when divine providence lends them a hand. There are many other characters in this story who play a necessary part, but suffice it to say that this group of people needs one another. They just do not know it yet. As in every Hope Harbor novel, there are appearances by my two favorite clerics, who are golf buddies and best friends but who also love to tease one another mercilessly about their biblical knowledge and the other's church. They are always fun to meet again, and they provide a little humor. The issues that the characters in this book are experiencing are heartbreaking and emotional but hope eventually abounds. Everything ends just as it should. I am always sad to close a Hope Harbor book, but I am happy as well because the story gives you the right amount of sadness and happiness, but most of all, it restores your faith in humanity and gives me hope. Thank you to Revell for a copy of this book through Interviews and Reviews. I am leaving this review voluntarily. Reviewer: Monica Huyser I am always so glad to be back in Hope Harbor when a new installment in the series comes out from Irene Hannon. Sandcastle Inn is the tenth Hope Harbor book. However, if you have not read any of the previous books, they can each stand alone with no problems. Sandcastle Inn focuses on relationships. First, we have Matt, who is in Hope Harbor on hiatus from his veterinarian job to help his sister out, who got in over her head when she purchased a bed and breakfast. Matt's sister, Kay, is leaving Matt with the bed and breakfast while she is off to help their adopted grandmother go through a heart operation back in Idaho. Then there is Vienna, who lost her corporate job due to corporate consolidation and is home to visit her mother, Bev, who runs the town's bookstore and makes unique jewelry. Paige and Andrew are new in town as they try to figure out how to go forward in their lives as a young married couple after Andrew's business partner stole money from the business. Their luck changes as they find they can work to help remodel the bed and breakfast for Matt. As always, Charlie is in town running his taco stand and offering hope and encouragement to all who need it. I enjoyed the romance developing between Matt and Vienna. I also enjoyed how the author showed relationships being restored, as with Vienna and her mother learning to appreciate each other's differences. Paige was estranged from her parents due to her marriage to Andrew, but there were some welcome changes in that family as the book went on. I especially liked how Bev and Vienna reached a new appreciation for each other. All of the main characters in this book faced some challenges. It was also fun to see the townspeople help each other out when they needed help. I always enjoy Charlie and his encouraging words/actions, as well as his seagull friends Floyd and Gladys. The faith element is evident in most characters, but it is light in this book. The ending to Sandcastle Inn did feel a bit rushed. I would have liked to have seen more of the relationship develop between Matt and Vienna. All in all, I enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next book in the series. I received a copy of this book from Revell through Interviews & Reviews. All opinions are my own. Reviewer: Ewurabena Wilson
A beautiful novel about hope and a second chance in the seaside town of Hope Harbor. This is my first time reading this author’s work, and I cannot wait to read more of her novels. Irene Hannon’s Sandcastle Inn is like hearing a testimony and coming to the belief that there is still hope, even amid uncertainties. Sandcastle Inn, the tenth book in the book series titled A Hope Harbor Novel, has whetted my appetite to read all the preceding standalone novels in this series. Welcome to the town of Hope Harbor, Oregon, a beautiful place that has a way of making you want to stay forever. Meet Vienna Price, a young woman who has lost her job and is in town from Denver to visit her mother, Bev. Will the reunion of these two opposite women spark a flame of togetherness or create a wedge between them? Then there is also a new person in town, Matt Quinn, a burnt-out veterinarian from San Francisco who volunteers to take care of his sister Kay’s inn, Beachview B&B. The introduction of two other main leads added depth to the novel. Paige and Andrew Thompson, natives of Portland, are a struggling couple who have suffered the devastation of a betrayal leading to the loss of their livelihood. What should be a short period of respite for these four people, who have all lost significant things in their lives, ends up being a new beginning through the remodelling of Beachview B&B to Sandcastle Inn. What really struck me throughout the novel was the message of hope. I could identify with Vienna because she had lost her job and did not know what to do. I could also identify with Andrew and Paige, being at the end of their rope and not being sure whether to hope for a hand to help or fall into despair. This novel will encourage anyone who is going through rough times and needs to be reminded of the goodness of God in times of adversity. For first-time readers of Irene Hannon, like me, grab and read this book. You will love it. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley and Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion. Leave a Reply. |
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