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Mendocino Cove #1
The Hotel at Beach and Forgotten
After many happy years in Nantucket and Maine, Jenny suddenly finds herself widowed, penniless, and going on fifty...
Jenny escapes to beautiful Mendocino Cove, the small town at the West Coast where she grew up. Here, her grandmother’s beloved seaside hotel still sits, empty and abandoned, on the corner of Beach Street and Forgotten Lane.
Despite her acclaimed research into the history of Nantucket, Jenny worries she is too old to find a job and start over. But Mendocino Cove is full of sandy beaches, enchanting morning fogs, and kind people. Soon, Jenny finds a sisterhood of women ready to help - and a childhood friend who never stopped waiting for her.
Tackling obstacles with humor and heart, Jenny gets a second chance at love - and uncovers a startling family secret!
This is the first book in a heartwarming saga following sisters of the heart who are ready to start over. Northern California, with its stunning coastline, charming vineyards, and majestic redwood forests full of ferns and secrets, provides the gorgeous setting for riveting stories about dreams, hopes, and second chances. Each book in this feel-good series can be read on its own but has a recurring cast of adult sons and daughters, friends, and family!
Jenny escapes to beautiful Mendocino Cove, the small town at the West Coast where she grew up. Here, her grandmother’s beloved seaside hotel still sits, empty and abandoned, on the corner of Beach Street and Forgotten Lane.
Despite her acclaimed research into the history of Nantucket, Jenny worries she is too old to find a job and start over. But Mendocino Cove is full of sandy beaches, enchanting morning fogs, and kind people. Soon, Jenny finds a sisterhood of women ready to help - and a childhood friend who never stopped waiting for her.
Tackling obstacles with humor and heart, Jenny gets a second chance at love - and uncovers a startling family secret!
This is the first book in a heartwarming saga following sisters of the heart who are ready to start over. Northern California, with its stunning coastline, charming vineyards, and majestic redwood forests full of ferns and secrets, provides the gorgeous setting for riveting stories about dreams, hopes, and second chances. Each book in this feel-good series can be read on its own but has a recurring cast of adult sons and daughters, friends, and family!
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 14, 2023
1000 people are currently reading
528 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
July 2, 2024
2.25 stars • stuff your kindle day (september 2023)
i hated it, then i liked it, then i got annoyed with the grandiose descriptions of every single meal they had, then a seal broke into a house, then the long lost lovers came together in the most anti-climatic way. just eh. it has some bright spots, but over all blew it.
* an ok read
* struggled to finish or just finished for the sake of finishing
* would make changes that may eliminate characters or adjust story lines
* if i never picked this book up i would still be completely the same person
i hated it, then i liked it, then i got annoyed with the grandiose descriptions of every single meal they had, then a seal broke into a house, then the long lost lovers came together in the most anti-climatic way. just eh. it has some bright spots, but over all blew it.
* an ok read
* struggled to finish or just finished for the sake of finishing
* would make changes that may eliminate characters or adjust story lines
* if i never picked this book up i would still be completely the same person
June 23, 2024
It was an interesting story. It was a bit disjointed but I liked the characters and plot premise so I'm getting the next book to see if it keeps me interested.
Amazon synopsis:
Jenny escapes to beautiful Mendocino Cove, the small town at the West Coast where she grew up. Here, her grandmother’s beloved seaside hotel still sits, empty and abandoned, on the corner of Beach Street and Forgotten Lane.
Despite her acclaimed research into the history of Nantucket, Jenny worries she is too old to find a job and start over. But Mendocino Cove is full of sandy beaches, enchanting morning fogs, and kind people. Soon, Jenny finds a sisterhood of women ready to help - and a childhood friend who never stopped waiting for her.
Tackling obstacles with humor and heart, Jenny gets a second chance at love - and uncovers a startling family secret!
This is the first book in a heartwarming saga following sisters of the heart who are ready to start over. Northern California, with its stunning coastline, charming vineyards, and majestic redwood forests full of ferns and secrets, provides the gorgeous setting for riveting stories about dreams, hopes, and second chances. Each book in this feel-good series can be read on its own but has a recurring cast of adult sons and daughters, friends, and family!
Amazon synopsis:
Jenny escapes to beautiful Mendocino Cove, the small town at the West Coast where she grew up. Here, her grandmother’s beloved seaside hotel still sits, empty and abandoned, on the corner of Beach Street and Forgotten Lane.
Despite her acclaimed research into the history of Nantucket, Jenny worries she is too old to find a job and start over. But Mendocino Cove is full of sandy beaches, enchanting morning fogs, and kind people. Soon, Jenny finds a sisterhood of women ready to help - and a childhood friend who never stopped waiting for her.
Tackling obstacles with humor and heart, Jenny gets a second chance at love - and uncovers a startling family secret!
This is the first book in a heartwarming saga following sisters of the heart who are ready to start over. Northern California, with its stunning coastline, charming vineyards, and majestic redwood forests full of ferns and secrets, provides the gorgeous setting for riveting stories about dreams, hopes, and second chances. Each book in this feel-good series can be read on its own but has a recurring cast of adult sons and daughters, friends, and family!
September 28, 2025
Hotel
What a sad beginning. Husband stole from others and kills himself when they find out! Jenny is left to clean up the mess but Jenny returned to Mendocino Beach, the coastal town that held bittersweet memories from her childhood. The hotel, once a sanctuary during a tumultuous time after her mother's death, now became her refuge again. Her husband's betrayal and subsequent suicide had shattered her world, leaving her with nothing but painful secrets. Determined to protect her children from the ugly truth, she carried the weight of her husband's criminal actions silently. As she settled into the familiar surroundings, Jenny sensed that this moment marked the beginning of her true journey—a chance to rebuild and find herself amidst the echoes of her past. pdoesn't tell her kids what he has done she lost everything! Now she's back in Mendocino Beach in the hotel that she loved when her grandmother sent her away from when her mother dies she is sent away with her aunt. And now her real story begins.
What a sad beginning. Husband stole from others and kills himself when they find out! Jenny is left to clean up the mess but Jenny returned to Mendocino Beach, the coastal town that held bittersweet memories from her childhood. The hotel, once a sanctuary during a tumultuous time after her mother's death, now became her refuge again. Her husband's betrayal and subsequent suicide had shattered her world, leaving her with nothing but painful secrets. Determined to protect her children from the ugly truth, she carried the weight of her husband's criminal actions silently. As she settled into the familiar surroundings, Jenny sensed that this moment marked the beginning of her true journey—a chance to rebuild and find herself amidst the echoes of her past. pdoesn't tell her kids what he has done she lost everything! Now she's back in Mendocino Beach in the hotel that she loved when her grandmother sent her away from when her mother dies she is sent away with her aunt. And now her real story begins.
April 22, 2024
Mendocino Cove CA
Jenny who’s husband killed himself after taking peoples money in business scams comes back to Mendocino where she grow up. In a 10 room hotel that was really a mansion. When she came back her best buddies she grow up with still lived there and they took up where the yrs left them. They helped her through her ruff times and help to get her back on her feet. She stayed with Faye the first night, they helped her get the place dusted out and cleaned up painted. They took her to Billies brother Jon’s vineyard. Jenny always had. Crush on Jon. She never knew he liked her back. She told him she wasn’t ready for a relationship. But he’d wait. They had bond fires on the beach cooked out. Thought there was ghost in the house. Have a seal named Polly that would wave at them and bark tell they talked to her. She got her dream job as a history professor. She had studied about a guy and girl who eloped from Nantucket, they ended up being her GGGGrandparents.
Nice bestie book.
Jenny who’s husband killed himself after taking peoples money in business scams comes back to Mendocino where she grow up. In a 10 room hotel that was really a mansion. When she came back her best buddies she grow up with still lived there and they took up where the yrs left them. They helped her through her ruff times and help to get her back on her feet. She stayed with Faye the first night, they helped her get the place dusted out and cleaned up painted. They took her to Billies brother Jon’s vineyard. Jenny always had. Crush on Jon. She never knew he liked her back. She told him she wasn’t ready for a relationship. But he’d wait. They had bond fires on the beach cooked out. Thought there was ghost in the house. Have a seal named Polly that would wave at them and bark tell they talked to her. She got her dream job as a history professor. She had studied about a guy and girl who eloped from Nantucket, they ended up being her GGGGrandparents.
Nice bestie book.
July 14, 2023
What a wonderful start to a new series! I’m hooked! This is a beautifully written story that gives us sisters of the heart, a family mystery, new beginnings, and even a bit of suspense… The friendship between the three women at the heart of the book is inspiring and genuinely heartwarming. Jenny, Faye, and Billie are very well-rounded and easy to relate to and empathize with. Jenny’s story takes center stage, but her friends are a crucial part of her journey. The secondary characters are nearly as intriguing; I definitely wouldn’t mind reading more about them in future books! The author has an incredible knack for describing the setting of the story, making Mendocino Cove and the hotel at Beach and Forgotten feel almost like characters in their own right. Recommend!
April 1, 2024
This has the potential to be a good book but unfortunately I was bored and couldn't keep going with it. The writing is decent. I enjoyed the descriptions of the area and the hotel, but the dialogue...awful. It felt like it was written by a middle-schooler. The main characters, the 3 friends, were poorly developed. No way these women in their 50s weren't more emotionally mature. They visited their friend who they just discovered came back to town and had no social graces for an initial conversation. Just launched into "why didn't you answer my email". Odd.
March 24, 2025
A hopeful story of redemption and faith in the future
A newly widowed woman, confused and sad, flees to the home of her birth where she discovers her childhood friends are still the sisters of her heart. She lived on the coast of Nantucket and she crossed the entire country to return to an empty hotel on another coast in Mendocino, California. Although the author gets details wrong, her heart must have loved the town as she catches some of the feelings that inspire and inform it. It's an engaging story! I am looking forward to reading the next of her books.
A newly widowed woman, confused and sad, flees to the home of her birth where she discovers her childhood friends are still the sisters of her heart. She lived on the coast of Nantucket and she crossed the entire country to return to an empty hotel on another coast in Mendocino, California. Although the author gets details wrong, her heart must have loved the town as she catches some of the feelings that inspire and inform it. It's an engaging story! I am looking forward to reading the next of her books.
May 4, 2025
1.5 ⭐️⭐️ I almost DNF’d like 4 times because I was so bored with this story. The book is short though so I kept going hoping the ending would be worth it! It wasn’t. This is the downside of trying to get thru all the books you own instead of buying more or turning KU back on 🤣 The thing that bothered me the most (other than the lack of anything going on) was the dialogue… it was so strange. The characters basically narrated everything going on out loud, “I’m going to do this now, why don’t you go do this very particular thing and we’ll meet back and this place to do another particular thing”.
July 15, 2023
I loved this story! As the first book in a new series, you will be grabbed from the beginning and sorry when the book ends. The descriptions on Mendocino Cove make you want to move there. The close relationship among the old friends is absolutely amazing. They totally help and support each other. I am anxious to read the rest of the series.
I received a free copy of this book and this is my voluntary, honest review.
I received a free copy of this book and this is my voluntary, honest review.
August 27, 2023
Soft and Easy Read
I enjoyed reading The Hotel at Beach and forgotten. There were no major twists or turns—the kind of book to cuddle up to on a stormy day with a soft blanket and a hot cup of tea or hot chocolate. The beach lover in me could almost smell the ocean air, hear the surf, and feel the sand between my toes. I look forward to the continuing story to see what comes next.
I enjoyed reading The Hotel at Beach and forgotten. There were no major twists or turns—the kind of book to cuddle up to on a stormy day with a soft blanket and a hot cup of tea or hot chocolate. The beach lover in me could almost smell the ocean air, hear the surf, and feel the sand between my toes. I look forward to the continuing story to see what comes next.
August 16, 2024
interesting historically
I enjoyed the historical mystery connected to Jenny’s family. I hope a sequel will have more about this. I thought each character was developed in a way that you could see their distinct personalities. I did find the constant references to food and eating distracting. Did these people cook day and night? If I ate and drank as much as they did, I’d weigh 300 lbs. All the food talk seemed a little incongruent with the theme of the book.
I enjoyed the historical mystery connected to Jenny’s family. I hope a sequel will have more about this. I thought each character was developed in a way that you could see their distinct personalities. I did find the constant references to food and eating distracting. Did these people cook day and night? If I ate and drank as much as they did, I’d weigh 300 lbs. All the food talk seemed a little incongruent with the theme of the book.
March 27, 2025
this was so good!
Old friends reunite at the Cove when Jenny returns after being widowed. Trying to find her way to a new life, she lives in the family’s hotel-mansion as she tries to find a way to support herself. One thing always leads to another.
I like these characters. About the time I figure their has to be a bad guy, it turns out not to be. There’s also a good reminder here. Stay in touch with old friends.
I look forward to reading the next book.
Old friends reunite at the Cove when Jenny returns after being widowed. Trying to find her way to a new life, she lives in the family’s hotel-mansion as she tries to find a way to support herself. One thing always leads to another.
I like these characters. About the time I figure their has to be a bad guy, it turns out not to be. There’s also a good reminder here. Stay in touch with old friends.
I look forward to reading the next book.
August 24, 2023
Jenny's return to Mendocino Cove is a time for forgiveness and gratitude. Her friends, Billie and Faye, that she had neglected for many years eventually open their arms and welcome her back. With the generosity of her aunt she has a place to start over. I enjoyed the wonderful characters, their location and look forward to the romances and the secrets in the future books.
September 26, 2023
An easy read that you can fly through but I felt like the plot was so far in the background and wasn’t properly developed. Her new life seemed so rushed and everything happened in such a short amount of time. With more length and much more detail, this book could have great potential. For me personally it felt like a middle school book.
November 19, 2023
Good beach reading
Liked the book. Not a strong story but good non the less. I couldn't believe the male and female characters just stepped right back into their relationship. Loved the support and love from the three old friends. Wish I had experienced living on one of the coasts.
Liked the book. Not a strong story but good non the less. I couldn't believe the male and female characters just stepped right back into their relationship. Loved the support and love from the three old friends. Wish I had experienced living on one of the coasts.
November 20, 2023
too far fetched
I was bored most of the book. The plot seemed too contrite and everything seemed to sappy to be interesting. A woman loses everything but then remembers a old hotel her family owned and just happens to be in good shape to move into. Not sure what the reasons for long discussions on food they were eating either. Was not a fan of this book.
I was bored most of the book. The plot seemed too contrite and everything seemed to sappy to be interesting. A woman loses everything but then remembers a old hotel her family owned and just happens to be in good shape to move into. Not sure what the reasons for long discussions on food they were eating either. Was not a fan of this book.
December 30, 2023
The book where nothing happened.
The plot just didn’t really exist, there were a few subplots (all which resolved themselves within a few pages) but I couldn’t quite figure out what the main story was.
Wish more time was spent developing any of the storylines rather than describing in great detail what they ate at every meal. Not for me 🤷🏻♀️
The plot just didn’t really exist, there were a few subplots (all which resolved themselves within a few pages) but I couldn’t quite figure out what the main story was.
Wish more time was spent developing any of the storylines rather than describing in great detail what they ate at every meal. Not for me 🤷🏻♀️
February 12, 2025
life happens
Sweet story of a woman who is starting over after her husband died and left her with his meds to clean up. With no choice she moves back to her childhood home, now own by her aunt. The aunt seems to have very little interest other than paying someone to check in on it.
Jenny reconnects quick with old friends and discovers the story of her past.
Sweet story of a woman who is starting over after her husband died and left her with his meds to clean up. With no choice she moves back to her childhood home, now own by her aunt. The aunt seems to have very little interest other than paying someone to check in on it.
Jenny reconnects quick with old friends and discovers the story of her past.
September 4, 2025
Cozy and peaceful
A very cozy and peaceful book. I was expecting more romance, more plot, and more development. But I can't complain about much. It was simple and still enjoyable. It is a very gentle and effortless story of a woman reconnecting with her childhood people and starting a new life.
A very cozy and peaceful book. I was expecting more romance, more plot, and more development. But I can't complain about much. It was simple and still enjoyable. It is a very gentle and effortless story of a woman reconnecting with her childhood people and starting a new life.
October 7, 2023
A story for your heart
The world building is wonderful. You can almost feel the sea breezes. Jenny and the rest of the characters felt like old friends. Highly recommend this book. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
The world building is wonderful. You can almost feel the sea breezes. Jenny and the rest of the characters felt like old friends. Highly recommend this book. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
November 13, 2023
Totally immersive read
What a wonderful book. Warm, engaging and really well written. I was completely immersed in the characters, the house, the beach. About to start the next book. No sleep for me tonight!
What a wonderful book. Warm, engaging and really well written. I was completely immersed in the characters, the house, the beach. About to start the next book. No sleep for me tonight!
November 14, 2023
Engaging storyline
This story was a little predictable but had just enough surprise twist to keep it interesting. It left me wanting to know what comes next for the reunited friends.
This story was a little predictable but had just enough surprise twist to keep it interesting. It left me wanting to know what comes next for the reunited friends.
August 2, 2025
Sweet story
I really enjoyed this sweet and mildly exciting story. The characters are interesting, the references to the sea are inspiring and the thought of finding treasure is intriguing. I will be reading the series, for sure.
I really enjoyed this sweet and mildly exciting story. The characters are interesting, the references to the sea are inspiring and the thought of finding treasure is intriguing. I will be reading the series, for sure.
October 27, 2025
Sweet story, easy read, but in serious need of proofreading. Were they really admiring his "back hair"? or his black hair? Were they "panting" or painting? A character is introduced as Carolina but was later referred to as Caroline.
November 12, 2025
1st of series.
Chapter 28 Jenny "Like I said. I'm still a mess. But I'm trying to sort myself out...
Overall, the more I read, the less I cared about these women.
And maybe folks do talk like these folks do, but??
Inconclusive. Confusing.
Chapter 28 Jenny "Like I said. I'm still a mess. But I'm trying to sort myself out...
Overall, the more I read, the less I cared about these women.
And maybe folks do talk like these folks do, but??
Inconclusive. Confusing.
September 29, 2023
Absolutely excellent story, with lots of possibilities for future books.
October 24, 2023
To be continued
January 14, 2024
SUPER slow start!! Picked up towards the end, overall a decent read. It was definitely an easy read though. Good ending to pick up in the next book for this series.
March 11, 2024
very interesting
Well written ,holds the interest and want to read more about the story, could not ask for any more than that
Well written ,holds the interest and want to read more about the story, could not ask for any more than that
April 2, 2024
An easy read, but it felt underdeveloped. I needed more about the spirits in the house and the relationships between the ladies.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews