Robin’s Reviews 2024Â
Looking for a sweet (clean), second-chance romance novel? SEABREEZE INN by Jan Moran is a good pick.
I have high expectations for romances. I need something more than the typical romance tropes in a book. This one gave me that extra in an unexpected subplot, but because I would have liked stronger character development, I give SEABREEZE INN by Jan Moran a 4-star rating.
Summary
Ivy and Shelley are sisters, headed from the east coast to California for a party their parents are throwing. While in the area, Ivy checks out the house her husband purchased using all his retirement funds just before he died. (She didn’t know about their financial trouble or the house purchase until after his death.) She put this California house up for sale, but meanwhile, she also had to sell her own home to get out of the debt he put them in.
When she arrives, she discovers the house isn’t the small cottage she imagined. It’s a mansion, designed by famed architect, Julia Morgan, who also designed Randolph Hearst’s castle in San Simone. Unfortunately, time hasn’t been friendly to the structure. Ivy needs a plan B in case it doesn’t sell or she’ll lose it anyway in a forced sale to cover taxes. Ivy and Shelley decide to make it into a Bed and Breakfast to raise the money needed to pay the taxes and keep the new business afloat. It doesn’t help that the town residents aren’t very welcoming. Ivy’s husband’s plans to tear down the house to build a resort annoyed the locals, so Ivy has to prove herself trustworthy. It gets more complicated when Bennett, her realtor and the town mayor, turns out to be a past crush.
So far it sounds like a typical romance storyline, but I like more substance. Jan Moran meets the challenge. A subplot concerns something found at the house that may have been hidden for protection during the war (no spoilers here). I love the plausible situation. Readers get a touch of history through this discovery which complicates Ivy’s tight timeline to save the house. I love when a romance crosses genres, blending historical tidbits into a contemporary story. Unfortunately, I think I loved this historical part of the story more than the romance. However, Ivy’s sister gets a romance of her own, so it’s a two-for-one in this book.
My Thoughts
I had a hard time believing the romance between Ivy and Bennett. They were on again, off again several times. By the end, they seemed too distant to be in love. And I found it hard to believe he didn’t remember her from their teen years when he supposedly had a crush on her. I mean, how often do you hear the name Ivy? Shelley’s romance with Mitch was more believable to me.
I give Jan Moran credit for adding a good side story. I’m glad I read SEABREEZE INN. I liked it enough that I’ll be checking out more books by this author. SEABREEZE SUNSET and SEABREEZE SUMMER are the next two in the series of ten books. I’m also interested in another series by Jan Moran, the first installment called CORAL COTTAGE.
SEABREEZE INN by Jan Moran is worth the read if you like an easy-read, beachy romance.
If You Like…
If you like SEABREEZE INN, check out this past recommendation: The Cafe at Beach End by RaeAnne Thayne.
Drop me a comment below! What are you reading that you’d recommend? Who are your favorite authors? Ask me a question about books and/or writing. I’d love to hear from you!
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