Lost Harbor

Oceana #3

by Kimberly Cooper Griffin

Alice Johns and Bridget Moore were young nuns when a forbidden spark lit between them. After being discovered, they were released from their convent and lost touch. But they never forgot their intense connection.

Twenty-five years later, they meet again, and the old spark is just as strong. Outside the convent, they couldn’t be more different from one another. Alice is quiet, still attached to the church, and very much in the closet. Her life at Oceana is the only thing that keeps her from disappearing behind the closet door permanently. Bridget, an outgoing sales executive who embraces her sapphic nature, has sworn off religion. When they’re alone, their passion runs deep. But when they’re out in the world, Alice’s discomfort with her sexuality leads to trouble.

For their love to survive, they must find a way to reconcile the most important passions in their lives—devotion to the church and each other.

288 pages, Paperback

Published February 13, 2024

About the author

Kimberly Cooper Griffin is an award-winning author of contemporary romance novels in the sapphic genre and the award-winning non-fiction Inkslinger series for writers. Born in San Diego, California, Kimberly joined the Air Force, traveled the world, and eventually settled down in Denver, Colorado, where she lives with her wife, the youngest of her three daughters, and a menagerie of dogs and cats.

Her fiction explores the complexities of building relationships and finding balance when life has a tendency to get in the way, and her non-fiction guides writers through the often complex writing process.

You can find her books at:

http://author.to/KimberlyCooperGriffin

Reviews

[Rosi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part of the Oceana Series Romances, of which it is the third, after Tides of Love and Sweet Spot, which have in common the environment in which they are set, a space in which diverse people live together, a kind of commune/resort with restricted access.

But each of the books can be read independently of the others, they are not connected, the only thing they have in common are the same characters that appear in all of them.

This time the protagonist is Alice, a former novice who was expelled from the convent where she was a little by vocation and a lot by obligation and family tradition. Alice has lived in Oceana for more than twenty years and she is a bit of a mystery to others, although she is a very dedicated person to helping everyone, super kind. She keeps the secret from her until one day she by chance meets Bridge, who was also a former novice at the convent along with Alice.

Now they meet again as adults but feel the same attraction that caused their expulsion. After having to leave the convent, each one has followed very different paths, Alice quietly and without romantic relationships and Bridge without hiding her sexuality and with multiple relationships, none of them serious enough for her to put before her work.

The reunion between Alice and Bridge is explosive and reignites the flame of adolescent love, which causes them to rethink what they want to do from now on.

And it has been the excess of rethinking and reflection that has made reading this book a little dense and slow and quite repetitive, with regard to religious issues. They come from the same point but since their separation they have chosen very different paths that it is not easy for them to converge again.

But despite this I found it an interesting story.


Publisher Bold Strokes Books was kind enough to provide me with an advanced reading copy via Netgalley for an honest review

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. I had no idea this was apart of a series but, it definitely can be read as a standalone. I did not feel like I was missing out on a thing. Alice Johns and Bridget Moore were nuns at 18 and were dismissed for having an inappropriate relationship. After 25 years, they have a chance meeting. I am a sucker for religious books, maybe because I am not religious at ALL and find them very interesting. The religious aspect was handled very differently in this story, where it may be the thing to tear Bridget and Alice apart after all this time. They both have moved on with life and have responded differently from their lives inside the covent. Enjoyed reading this story, the romance was very nice but, the main conflict in the story got extremely repetitive. I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Aleana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice and Bridget were both nuns but were shock to feel a forbidden spark between them. They haven’t seen each other since getting released from the convent. When they meet again Alice is still practicing her religion while working at a church she close to her chosen family but no one knows she once was a nun Bridget went a different way and became top sales executive with lot of money that she doesn’t know what to do with and hasn’t stay long at one place but still that spark they felt years ago is still there and now they have a second chance to be together but will there difference between them now causes them not to give each other a chance. I enjoy this read and it’s nice seeing previous characters and what going in their lives.


I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third in the Oceana series (I’ve read the other two) and I already knew Alice Johns, from the previous books. The books can be read as stand alone stories but the characters will interact with others in the series.

Oceana is a trailer park community whose owners have a gift of knowing who needs to live there to heal, recover, or get on their feet again. Alice was invited on the day she was thrown out of the convent, when she couldn’t bring herself to catch a bus home to the Midwest.

She built a quiet life and has a community of friends. She works for the mission historical preservation society. She considers herself Catholic with a small c. She literally runs into Bridget Moore who visits the old mission where Alice’s works. They have not seen each other for 25 years. Bridget has gone on to have a successful and fulfilling career in sales. She has come to the San Diego area to begin easing into retirement. She hasn’t step foot in a church in decades and is no longer a believer.

I’m not going to spoil the details of the story but the connection between the two is still strong. The big drama has already happened in the past. I almost wanted another obstacle other than faith to challenge them now. I still enjoyed the story but some parts felt too easy. Maybe it is their maturity that allows them to talk and not have mis-cues between them. (3.5 Stars)

[Yves V.H. [Slow reading] · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was reading through the book it felt so solemn which makes a lot of sense since the two main characters were nuns who fell in love with each other while being in the convent. I think the story is great and wonderful. When they reconnected and became more honest which each other's feelings and regrets felt somewhat heartwarming because even after all these years, they still feel the same way.

💎 Thank you, Netgalley and publisher for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice addition to the Oceana series as I wanted to know Alice's story. The story was very nicely written and not quite as religious as I thought it would be with both of them being former nuns. Being catholic, it was interesting to read their love story and the trials they went through.

Alice Johns and Bridget Moore were once young nuns that got kicked out of the convent when their forbidden love was discovered. It led them in two completely different paths until they meet again by chance twenty-five years later.
Alice works at the church and still practices her religion, but nobody knows she was once a nun. With her family in Oceana, she thinks that's all there is to life, until Bridge shows back up in her life.

Bridge is now a top sales executive and has more money than she knows what to do with and has never settled down in one place. she doesn't practice religion anymore either. She is always on the move until she was close to burnout and decides to finally slow down. The last person she expects to see again is Alice and the spark still burns.

It was interesting to see them navigate a new relationship while trying to reconcile who they were with who they are now. The author did a good job in telling this story.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sue Plant · Rating 4 out of 5]

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

Alice Johns and Bridget Moore are nuns until they get kicked out of the convent, it seems their attraction to each is forbidden, and so begins their new path

until 25 years later they find each other

an interesting story about love and loss and their way back to each other, can they overcome what happened to them 25 years ago and start again.....

an enjoyable series and one i will be keeping a look out for

[Kexx · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt slightly old fashioned and though I understood the whole concept, it seemed slightly twee, as the tragic circumstance & outrageous Catholic behaviours by authority in a monastery are seen as a low level event. Odd.

[Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second chance romance with a religious backing was not your typical lesbian story. Which in my opinion, made it interesting. Bridget Moore, former novice/nun, working as a sales executive helping people that have lose a limb with the aid of prosthesis. The work she does, makes her feel good about helping others and making a difference. Alice Johns, former novice/nun, working for the mission historical preservation society values others and the role religion plays in her life. Bridge has no place in her life for religion after being kicked out for acts against the church and God. Alice, still finds comfort in religion but in a different way. After they are both kicked out Bridget moves on and Alice stays in the community. Twenty-five years later, they meet again by accident in the gift shop where Alice works. The interest and spark is still there but religion and faith is a challenge.

I really connected to this story due to my christian upbringing and sexuality. Like Alice, I may not appreciate some of the aspects of organized religion but it is still important to me. I need it in my life during good times and not so good times. It can be a challenge to reconcile being a lesbian and being a christian but I make it work and find comfort.

ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books, Inc. via NetGalley

[Haley Bungay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really do love this series so much! Oceana just has this thing about it! Lost Harbor is the third book in the series and it was so nice to go back to this world with Alice & Bridge at the centre of it.

25 years ago they were nuns but when their love for each other was discovered both were asked to leave. Going in separate directions both in where they lived and their religious beliefs, they never thought they would get a second chance with each other.

In the 25 years they were separated from each other a lot has changed but they were easily able to pick up where they left off. I was a little cautious about this one with religion being a big theme throughout the book but I loved how the author wrote both Alice and Bridge's experiences and how they could come together and share a life. I really did enjoy reading their story and getting some flashbacks was great. In particular, Chapter 24 where Bridge ends up in the Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal was a favourite chapter of mine.

All in all, this might not have been my favourite of the series so far but I definitely enjoyed being back in the Oceana world with this amazing characters!

[Silvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice Johns and Bridget Moore, once young nuns whose forbidden spark led to their separation, reunite after twenty-five years. They quickly realise that their spark stills burn brightly. But are they too different to make things work outside the convent? Alice, leading a quiet life active in her church, keeps her past as a nun secret. . Her chosen family in Oceana completes her world. On the other hand, Bridge, a vibrant sales executive, has expanded her horizons since their separation, distancing herself from both her previous life and religious beliefs. This is the 3rd instalment in the series and it’s an interesting topic. 3.5 stars from me.
Free ARC via NetGalley

[Nathalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was nice to be able to go back to Oceana as it's such a lovely place with lovely people.

In this third installment we get Alice's story, a character we've met in the previous two books. We get more information about her past as a nun and her first love Bridge.

By coincident they run into each other again and it doesn't take long for old feelings to re-emerge. The difficulties they face bring some conflict but I like how the author makes the MC's deal with them. They think it through and communicate. Really refreshing.

An ARC was provided to me via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

[Michael Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice and Bridget became nuns when they were young. The convent was strict and when Alice and Bridget were caught together, it did not matter they were in love, they were expelled. Alice stayed in California and Bridget became an executive for a prostatic limb company. The plot centers around 25 years later when they meet again and the love is still there. Both Alice and Bridget have changed and they need to address their differences about religion and lifestyle. They need to learn how to communicate and love again. The characters change throughout the book and make for a compelling story. I recommend this book for romance readers.

[Omnipotence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sold on the premise of the book. There is something very intriguing about coping with religion and sexuality. Alice and Bridge are two former nuns reconnecting 25 years after being ousted from the convent. I like that their love was strong enough even after all those years and their reunion was not awkward. Overall a good read!

[Lindsay Ottens · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I really loved this concept and these characters. Such a great representation of the LGBTQ+ community. Alice and Bridge were so beautifully written and I was totally invested in their lives!

I did struggle some with some of the dialogue but overall really enjoyed it!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!!

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting to read about older lesbians finding each other after all these years. They really just picked up right where they left off in nun school and I loved it. Alice was a woman after my own heart in not really knowing where she stands. Bridget was able to bring Alice right out of her shell.

I received an arc through netgalley.

[AGC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lost Harbor is the third book in the Oceana series, and in my opinion the best of the three. The story delves deeper than a typical romance and the characters are more complex. It’s not often that a queer author risks writing about religion, especially in a romance, but Cooper-Griffen took the risk and handled the subject matter with finesse and a delicate touch. Nice work!

[Cynthia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this hoping for some interesting or at least thoughtful exploration of religiousness and queerness. This is not that. This is purely a romance (old school butch author at that) with a veneer of exploring spirituality for the sake of conflict. What added to the dated feel is how the author tries to emulate how younger people talk and the views on "making people who lost a limb more whole".

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lost Harbor is the third in the Oceana series romance. Its dense and very repetitive with the religious issues. However, it was an enjoyable fun read.


Thank You, NetGalley, Bold Strokes Books and Author Kimberly Cooper Griffin.

[J R · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute and sweet and very fun. another nice book from bold strokes! i loved alice's character especially. tyssm for the arc!