Seaside Reunion

Starfish Bay #1

by Irene Hannon

After surviving a devastating tragedy, combat reporter Nate Garrison returns to the only place that ever felt like home: Starfish Bay. But his reunion with lovely Lindsey Collier is nothing like he'd imagined. The sad-eyed widow who runs the mercantile was once the girl who made young Nate dream—of a future, of family ties and deep roots. Now Lindsey avoids love, loss…and Nate, who finally understands that God has given him a second chance. With the help of a little boy and an entire community, they just might discover faith's true healing power.

Genres: Love Inspired, Christian Fiction, Romance, Christian, Fiction, Contemporary, Christian Romance

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Irene Hannon, who writes both contemporary romance and romantic suspense, is the author of more than 65 novels. Her books have been honored with three coveted RITA awards from Romance Writers of America (the “Oscar” of romance fiction) and she is a member of that organization's elite Hall of Fame. She has also received a Career Achievement award from RT Book Reviews for her entire body of work. Other awards for individual books include National Readers' Choice, HOLT Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, Retailers Choice, Booksellers' Best, and Reviewers' Choice from RT Book Reviews. She is also a two-time Christy award finalist.

Millions of her books have been sold worldwide, and her novels have been translated into multiple languages.

A former corporate communications executive with a Fortune 500 company, Irene now writes full time. To learn more about Irene and her books, visit www.irenehannon.com.

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book.

[Sally Lindsay-briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, the seaside tide rolled in slowly for this book, but then it got much better. I understood why my friend liked it so much. Lindsey and Nate are old childhood friends but they don't want to commit to a relationship. Lindsey wants to save the Point where she spent many happy hours but a delveloper wants to build on it and destroy a small chapel that is located there. Nate is a journalist who does much to help with the issue and he not only tudors a boy but he and Lindsey come closer to God and each other. This is an inspiring story that you think is a light read but because of it's spiritual insights; it is far from it.

[Susan Snodgrass · Rating 4 out of 5]

'He didn't talk about his painful past. Ever. With anyone.'

Irene Hannon has re-released this older book of hers, one I'd never read. I'm very happy I picked it up. Written in her wonderful style, she allows her readers glimpses inside of her characters, their joys and their heartaches. She shows us that sometimes what we think we want most is not the best God has planned for us. I enjoyed this very much and look forward to the re-release of the others in this series.

[Katherine Miller]

Great read

I love this series. The author portrays Starfish Bay so well I felt like I was there. Very heartwarming story of real
Life struggles and disappointments and how Gods hand is in it all got our good and His glory.

[LINDA BOURG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh this is the first book i read by Irene Hannon and i LOVED it. It captured my heart from the very beginning. This will not be the last one i read by her in fact i added a few more to my tbr list already. This story is about a young boy and girl who made some pretty special memories when they were children. But life got in the way and the young boy moved away with his parents. These two individuals both dealt with devastating issues in their lives. But when Nate the young boy returns to Starfish Bay to reach out to a touchstone in his life, the place where he met his first love, healing begins in his life and he meets up with the young girl Lindsey, who has walls up in her life. But together they push through and find healing and a love so true. A must read. Love this sweet story, on to book two in this series soon.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the last book, I didn’t hate it but I didn’t particularly love it. I really have nothing against it but I just didn’t absolutely love/connect to it. It was enjoyable enough tho considering I read it in just a few hours but it’s not going to be a book I think about often like I do with some of the books I read!!

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This seems like a smaller version of Hannon's popular Hope Harbor series - I might call it Irene Hannon light! It was a pretty quick read and a good start to a 3-book series that takes place in a small community on the northern California coast.

This first book is the story of Nate Garrison and Lindsey Collier, who had been childhood friends but whose pathways had widely diverged in the intervening years. Nate had become a writer specializing in combat reporting, embedded with troops in Afghanistan. A terrible experience there has him fleeing back towards a time of his life when he felt safe, and hoping to reunite with a person who had been his best friend. But he discovers that Lindsey is a widow, and one who has been traumatized but won't talk about it. And what's more, the place the two of them had met and which had been forefront in all their memories is about to be torn down and replaced with a mammoth development. What will it take to save The Point from destruction - and to rebuild two lives devastated by trauma?

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed Seaside Reunion by Irene Hannon. The heroine Lindsey is sweet and vulnerable but not too sweet. She is able to push back when necessary. The hero Nick is the kind of guy who would be hard to ignore. To the world he is a successful war time newspaper reporter, but inside he's still the boy who cherished Lindsey has his best friend during his brief stay at Starfish Bay. He and Lindsey share a love for the Point, a special promontory overlooking the ocean. The Point becomes the point of a dispute over its future. I was afraid it was going to just be the story of another slick developer versus hometown woman protecting the environment. However, I persevered because I trusted Irene Hannon and I was not disappointed. My husband also read this book and truly enjoyed it. Afterwords, we even had a discussion about Touchstones in our own lives, a theme in this book. If you haven't read and Irene Hannon novel, you are missing A good read.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lindsey Collier was the little girl that was his best friend the year he had a decent life in Starfish Bay. Nate Garrison is an investigative reporter on leave for a few weeks after a roadside bombing in Afghanistan. Lindsey doesn't remember him at first, but as they get to know each other again after 25 years, sparks fly...

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eeeeep!!!! Just. Eeeeeeepppp!!!! This is a retro read reimagined by the author and part of her Encore Edition updated re-releases. So, the book originally published as.a Love Inspired in 2012, but, if like me, you missed the original, the author has reworked the story and released it again as an indie book. And that’s all kinds of eeeeeepppp, because Love Inspired older print editions are hard to come by…and audible editions are unheard of.

Which leads me to a whole lot more ‘eeeeppping’ because Seaside Reunion is masterfully narrated by the amazing Therese Plummer and makes for a truly sublime listening experience. I’m sooooo bibliophile giddy about these Encore Editions — especially that they are all available in audio format as well.

So, if you love Irene Hannon’s Hope Harbor series, you need to come visit Starfish Bay. It has that same sense of community, friendships and inspiration. I don’t know for sure, but I’m thinking maybe this Starfish Bay series was the inspiration for Hope Harbor.

And these characters!!! Complex, hurting, struggling to recapture their purpose after tragedy. Nate, from all that he has experienced as a combat reporter, and Lindsey trying to find her way after a tragic loss.

Both find themselves back in Starfish Bay. It’s a bittersweet homecoming for Lindsey as she works along side her father at the general store. But for Nate it’s something so much more. After enduring a less then ideal childhood, the nine months he spent in Starfish Bay in his youth are the closest thing he has ever experienced to the comforts of home. And part of that was due to his friendship with Lindsey. Only their reunion doesn’t go quite as planned.

Cue some laughter and wincing and heart hurting moments as these two struggle to find their footing among clashing wills and misunderstandings before the roots of their friendship take hold again. And then there’s hope for so much more!

Seaside Reunion is emotionally stirring, uplifting and completely riveting.

https://kavsbestreads.ca/2023/07/30/s...

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seaside Reunion: Starfish Bay Book 1 is by Irene Hannon. This wonderful book is set on the coast of California near the Redwoods. It is about long friendship, second chances, helping others, and fighting for what you believe is best. It is one that you don’t want to put down and one which will require your having tissues available. Can a short summer friendship be memorable enough to warrant a return many years later?
Lindsey Collier worked for her father at the Starfish Bay Mercantile and had done so since she had come home after the death of her husband to care for her Father when he broke his hip. The work was not hard nor challenging but it needed to be done. She also tutored on the side as she had been a teacher. She definitely wasn’t trusting of too many people, especially a scruffy man who had just entered the mercantile. Luckily for her, she was near the 911 button and she had her gun for which she had a license to carry. However, she didn’t have to worry as he only wanted a suggestion as to where he could stay and some food. She also knew him, or so he said. He had been here long ago when they were about 7. Why had he come back?
Nate Garrison was a war correspondent journalist from Chicago. He had just returned from Afghanistan and something there demanded that he return to Starfish Bay. He had no idea why; but he had heeded that voice. Now he was in the presence of one of the two people he really remembered here. He remembered Lindsey and Reverend Tobias. As he was to learn, Reverend Tobias was gone; but Lindsey was still here. What did he want here in Starfish Bay? What did he want from Lindsey? He doesn’t have the answers but with Lindsey’s help, maybe he can find them.

[Adrienne · Rating 1 out of 5]

SEASIDE REUNION
----------------------

Two minor details tripped me up:

1. The protagonist cannot remember the MLI (to the extent that she has to ask her father for a reminder), but she remembers that he was always pushing the glasses up on his face when he was eight or so?

2. The MLI remembers something a pastor said when he was around eight or so, and he remembers it perfectly? This probably has more to do with how the information is presented in print, but it threw me. Why not have the MLI search his memory a bit to to try to remember? Or, a paraphrase?

And, finally, as a non-minor detail, the pace was slow, causing the above pauses to feel more like reading boulders than blips.

To speak positively, the hook kept me reading farther than I might have otherwise, and the character arc(s) held potential.

[kaotickitten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seaside Reunion is a quick and entertaining read. The book starts out slow and builds. You surely wish for more time with the characters. Which is a good thing this is a series.

I don’t like to give spoilers, but to that end Nate and Lindsey are a likable pair. At first the two are not anyone you would route for, but they grow on you. The setting of a California cliff town was described in a way that was brought to life.

As a Christian book you look to see one of two things is it a preachy book or a clean book. It is neither it is more in the middle. God is working in this book but to show how even the faithful can loss and regain their faith.

All in all I would reread this one again.

[MSreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best book in the starfish bay series. I felt so emotional when she found the agate rock. I always looked forward to the quiet part in my day to finish this seaside reunion story and watch the love unfold. It was sweet and having read the series backwards, it was nice to see the other characters from the other two starfish bay books. I really enjoyed Irene’s writing. My only gripe with this story was that there was a lot of mention of cookies, so I constantly wanted to eat cookies haha

[Debbie West · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story

This story was so good. The characters pulled me in completely. I loved the situation with Jarrod (or Jarrett?) & how Nate's simple request for assistance helped the boy with his grief. The fight to save the Point was a great event to pull Nate & Lindsey together again & reveal Nate's feelings. I loved his "touchstone". I even wanted to read the letters he'd received from readers. That's what makes a great author .Ms Hannon pulled me all the way into the lives of Starfish Bay new residents.

[Kathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my second time reading this book and I liked it just as much as I did the first time. Nate returns to Starfish Bay, the only place from his childhood that felt like home. He's not sure exactly what he's looking for when he is reunited with his childhood friend, Lindsey. They have both changed over the years and have experienced more than enough hurt. (From the back cover): "With the help of a little boy and an entire community, they just might discover faith's true healing power."

[Steve W · Rating 5 out of 5]

A somewhat sad, but sweet, story of a man seeking to restore the peace and happiness had really only felt while living in Starfish Bay briefly as a boy. It wasn't just the town that Nate found so satisfying, but the memories of his deep friendship with Lindsey. Can returning to that town, even if briefly, restore his sense of belonging? Is Lindsey willing to take a chance on letting him back into her life, especially the possibility of loving him, after what happened to her husband Mark?

[Ruth Schmeckpeper · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Nate returns to the one place he remembers feeling truly happy as a child, he reconnects with Lindsey—and something deeper begins to stir. I was especially touched by the story’s gentle emphasis on kindness and the quiet power of reaching out to bless others. Nate’s article about “touchstones” beautifully anchors the story, weaving together the growing romance and a heartfelt fight for a shared cause.

[Brooke Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean…it was a cute book, but it follows a formula that’s too perfect…boy and girl are friends; one moves away and they never reunite; until…adulthood; both are scared and scarred from difficult lives. Love ensues with the small town helpers.
I didn’t realize this was Love Inspired until I started reading. I got what was advertised on the book cover. It was a quaint love story.

[Rose Marie Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

good book

This was a very good read. It has Romance, laughter, sadness, and intrigue. The story tells of one coming home after being gone for a long time and the struggle he has had over the years. He considered Star Fish Bay his home where he was happy and his best friend still there. He arranged to stay there forever if it’s God’s will.

[Kathi McNeel · Rating 5 out of 5]

a good book!

A story of two people who helped each other work through traumatic experiences, processing thoughts, fears and past hurts to find their “touch stone” of acceptance for a better life. It was good to see how they came back and were strengthened in their faith in God. Y it all, in the process finding a new life in each other.

[Gadgetgayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content: clean, mild kissing, retelling of a murder without graphic details, references to an alcoholic father.

Cute, gentle story. A bit slow, but did have a few “deep thought” moments.

[Pianosue · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read. Nate Garrison returns to the only place that ever felt like home: Starfish Bay. Will he and Lindsey Collier be able to rekindle their friendship. Will they be able to work thru their baggage and establish a new friendship?

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a real quick read. Just what I needed. She came back to her home town after her husbands death. Her childhood friend also came back to find answers and hope. They found each other. They worked together to save a place they used to meet at.

[Mardell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful! Wonderful story set in an incredible coastal town off the Pacific Ocean. With a realistic cast of characters it won me over immediately. Congratulations to Irene Hannon on this newly re-relsased book. I enjoyed it very much and hope others will find the series.

[Karen Holman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book by Irene Hannon is the first in this series. The creative characters, Northern California setting, and an ending that will fall in line with others in this category. copy right 2012 278 pages

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going back to what we remember is sometimes the best medicine. In this case Nate goes back to Seaside Bay to see old friends and see if he can find his way back. Good friends reunite and A love story unfolds. Great read!

[Tonya Rood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring and sweet

Ms. Hannon creates characters that are easy to relate to and I especially enjoy and appreciate how she weaves in a strong faith based message. Can't wait to read the next book in this collection.

[Leah Cochran · Rating 3 out of 5]

IDNF, it was not bad writing. It was just predictable. I've read so many stories of small town trying to be bought out by big business and the love story that comes with it when they're trying to fight the big companies along that line. It's been done too many times.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great start to a new series! We all have places like The Point.