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Scoops #1
Safe Harbor
Melanie’s twin brother made a life-altering mistake, and now her entire world is about to change.
After years of getting straight A’s at Garrison Prep so she could have a shot at getting into Yale, Melanie’s parents announce they are moving to Haverport, a small beach town off the Connecticut coast, to give her brother Duncan “a fresh new start.”
Skeptical that anything will actually change at home, Melanie decides to spend that summer before her senior year working at the local ice cream shop, Scoops By The Sea, where she meets Calvin—tall, broody, and pretty much on a mission to make Melanie’s training absolutely miserable.
Yet while her job and the people at Scoops were meant to be a distraction from her life that was falling apart, Melanie finds them to be a lifeline in the torrential sea of terror she faces at home. And even if Calvin may seem reclusive, Melanie soon learns what it means to truly open up her heart and share the pain that torments her, especially when disaster completely shatters her life once again.
Safe Harbor is a sweet young adult romance featuring the intensity of two people falling in love for the first time, a pack of fiercely loving co-workers that feel like family, and a small town that has an obsession for festivals, fireworks, bonfires, and 32 delicious flavors of ice cream.
After years of getting straight A’s at Garrison Prep so she could have a shot at getting into Yale, Melanie’s parents announce they are moving to Haverport, a small beach town off the Connecticut coast, to give her brother Duncan “a fresh new start.”
Skeptical that anything will actually change at home, Melanie decides to spend that summer before her senior year working at the local ice cream shop, Scoops By The Sea, where she meets Calvin—tall, broody, and pretty much on a mission to make Melanie’s training absolutely miserable.
Yet while her job and the people at Scoops were meant to be a distraction from her life that was falling apart, Melanie finds them to be a lifeline in the torrential sea of terror she faces at home. And even if Calvin may seem reclusive, Melanie soon learns what it means to truly open up her heart and share the pain that torments her, especially when disaster completely shatters her life once again.
Safe Harbor is a sweet young adult romance featuring the intensity of two people falling in love for the first time, a pack of fiercely loving co-workers that feel like family, and a small town that has an obsession for festivals, fireworks, bonfires, and 32 delicious flavors of ice cream.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 20, 2023
158 people are currently reading
2872 people want to read
About the author
K. Sinko
8 books131 followersK.Sinko is an indie published author with a deep love for love stories. She is the author of Call Of The Loon, Sunday Supper, Please Be Mine, and the Scoops Series—a trilogy of stand-alone romances featuring the of a fictional ice cream shop. Her debut novel Safe Harbor became an Amazon best seller for young adult contemporary romance and is the winner of two Indieverse Awards. Follow her on Instagram and sign up for her newsletter to get the latest book updates.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews
March 14, 2025
⊹ ᝬ 🍨 3 stars ⭑ ᝰ.ᐟ◞
honestly i think i picked this up at the wrong time because i wasn't as invested as i normally would be, but i still enjoyed it. it was cute, summery, and i loved the characters, but it definitely wasn't as lighthearted as i thought. i would still absolutely recommend this though!
honestly i think i picked this up at the wrong time because i wasn't as invested as i normally would be, but i still enjoyed it. it was cute, summery, and i loved the characters, but it definitely wasn't as lighthearted as i thought. i would still absolutely recommend this though!
August 2, 2023
Not going to lie, I picked up this book after seeing an Instagram reel and figured why not give it a try after I saw that it was a cleaner read. I am so happy that I did! Although this book did have a little bit of swearing in it, I really, really loved this book. Like I haven't enjoyed a contemporary book like this in a while and it was a much-needed light read. I also really enjoyed how this book dove into harder topics and was not just a light fluffy read, it had heart and was thought and tear-provoking.
I now want to drive to a small beach town, get hired at an ice cream shop, and find love. I think Cavin was my favorite part of this whole book. He was so hard and had his walls up when we first meet him, but then he slowly begins to reveal his true self and is not afraid to discuss the hard things that have happened in his past. He loved and protected Melanie well and he was not afraid to allow his emotions to show either when they needed to. I do not know why but that just made me love him and this book even more. His and Melanie's relationship was so sweet and swoony. I really loved seeing their relationship develop and how they had each other's backs through the worst parts of their summer/lives. I am sad that the second book in the series does not come out for another year...I really want to know what happens with Rory and her story!
Content: Some swearing and there are a few more heated kissing scenes but they never go further than kissing
I now want to drive to a small beach town, get hired at an ice cream shop, and find love. I think Cavin was my favorite part of this whole book. He was so hard and had his walls up when we first meet him, but then he slowly begins to reveal his true self and is not afraid to discuss the hard things that have happened in his past. He loved and protected Melanie well and he was not afraid to allow his emotions to show either when they needed to. I do not know why but that just made me love him and this book even more. His and Melanie's relationship was so sweet and swoony. I really loved seeing their relationship develop and how they had each other's backs through the worst parts of their summer/lives. I am sad that the second book in the series does not come out for another year...I really want to know what happens with Rory and her story!
Content: Some swearing and there are a few more heated kissing scenes but they never go further than kissing
August 26, 2023
INCREDIBLE BOOK.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
It took ONE brief scene on a video to convince me to download this. And then it took my only a few chapters to be completely hooked and emotionally invested in this story. I LOVED IT.
It’s complicated. Deep. Hard to read at times and will bring out all sorts of emotions. While occasionally frustrated with Melanie, I completely understood that she is SEVENTEEN and dealing with some really heavy stuff (check trigger warnings). I love that Calvin was the perfect love interest for her. Someone to talk to, to be there, and to calm the chaos. It was swoony and sweet and this brought out all of the quintessential summer reading vibes that I have been seeking.
I adored the found family groups at Scoops and I’m now excited to read other stories in this series. It was beautifully written, captured all of my attention and now I need everyone to go read it too.
BUT BRING TISSUES.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Contemporary Romance
- Language: a little
- Romance: make-outs
- Violence: moderate
- Trigger/Content Warnings: a sibling dealing with substance abuse/addiction (alcohol), death of a loved one
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
It took ONE brief scene on a video to convince me to download this. And then it took my only a few chapters to be completely hooked and emotionally invested in this story. I LOVED IT.
It’s complicated. Deep. Hard to read at times and will bring out all sorts of emotions. While occasionally frustrated with Melanie, I completely understood that she is SEVENTEEN and dealing with some really heavy stuff (check trigger warnings). I love that Calvin was the perfect love interest for her. Someone to talk to, to be there, and to calm the chaos. It was swoony and sweet and this brought out all of the quintessential summer reading vibes that I have been seeking.
I adored the found family groups at Scoops and I’m now excited to read other stories in this series. It was beautifully written, captured all of my attention and now I need everyone to go read it too.
BUT BRING TISSUES.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Contemporary Romance
- Language: a little
- Romance: make-outs
- Violence: moderate
- Trigger/Content Warnings: a sibling dealing with substance abuse/addiction (alcohol), death of a loved one
June 15, 2023
I did not expect to love this book. I thought it was going to be a light summer beach type read, and while it was that, it was also so much more. I relate to this book so much because I have my own twin. So a lot of the feelings Melanie and Duncan shared, are so true to me. Also, the ending had me in literal tears! Ugh so so good. The romance in this one was also the sweetest. Calvin and Melanie forever 🫶🏻🫶🏻
(A more thorough review to come very soon!
(A more thorough review to come very soon!
April 16, 2024
i truly had the time of my life while reading this!! i feel like i never reach for a young adult book but i saw this author on instagram and knew i had to read it. i found myself at work thinking about this book and i couldn’t wait to get home to read it, i thought it was so cute and the vibes the vibes of this book are chefs kisses literally such small town summer vibes. i really love the idea of this book i think the author did a wonderful job, i was a little shocked (if you know you know) but i definitely recommend reading!! super quick and fast paced and so easy to fly through, loved the writing!! i’m so happy i found this book 🍨🤍 and calvin is a SWEETHEART i love him 🥹
January 15, 2025
The audiobook for Safe Harbor is officially LIVE! You can now listen to it on Audible, and it will be available on other audiobook platforms very soon.
It has been an incredible first six months of my debut novel brings out in the world! Thank you for all of the reviews (even the honest ones, because we love artistic freedom and variety!), and I cannot wait for you to read book 2 of the Scoops series, Always Choosing You, out on April 9, 2024. 🫶
Follow along on Instagram for all the latest author updates, including a new cover reveal next month! @authorksinko 🍦📖🎧✨
It has been an incredible first six months of my debut novel brings out in the world! Thank you for all of the reviews (even the honest ones, because we love artistic freedom and variety!), and I cannot wait for you to read book 2 of the Scoops series, Always Choosing You, out on April 9, 2024. 🫶
Follow along on Instagram for all the latest author updates, including a new cover reveal next month! @authorksinko 🍦📖🎧✨
May 30, 2023
Safe Harbor by K. Sinko
Release Date: June 20, 2023
This is the perfect beach read for this Summer! Melanie and her family move to Haverport to get a fresh start from their previous life. This cute small beach town is filled with everything Summer — beaches, festivals, cute boys and the local ice cream shop, Scoops. Speaking of cute boys, Calvin is moody and broody (for good reason) and helps run Scoops. He’s calculated but sweet and is very selective on who he lets into his world. Enter Melanie.
Melanie is a perfectionist and wants to a fresh start. She applies to Scoops and is lucky enough to get the job. Melanie is also a twin and her brother is the reason for their move. She so deeply wants to reconnect with her brother after that terrible night 2.5 years ago.
This story is one of change, fresh starts, trust and overcoming the hurt addiction can bring to families.
I am absolutely in love with the small town of Haverport and the healthy relationships that blossom throughout this book. Make sure you keep an eye out for it! A perfect debut for @authorksinko 🌊☀️🍦🍓
I also HIGHLY recommend reading this book with a strawberry oreo milkshake in hand🥤🫶🏼 I’m already looking forward for the rest of the series in the small beach town of Haverport🏖️🐚
⚠️Be sure to look up TW before starting this book⚠️
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Release Date: June 20, 2023
This is the perfect beach read for this Summer! Melanie and her family move to Haverport to get a fresh start from their previous life. This cute small beach town is filled with everything Summer — beaches, festivals, cute boys and the local ice cream shop, Scoops. Speaking of cute boys, Calvin is moody and broody (for good reason) and helps run Scoops. He’s calculated but sweet and is very selective on who he lets into his world. Enter Melanie.
Melanie is a perfectionist and wants to a fresh start. She applies to Scoops and is lucky enough to get the job. Melanie is also a twin and her brother is the reason for their move. She so deeply wants to reconnect with her brother after that terrible night 2.5 years ago.
This story is one of change, fresh starts, trust and overcoming the hurt addiction can bring to families.
I am absolutely in love with the small town of Haverport and the healthy relationships that blossom throughout this book. Make sure you keep an eye out for it! A perfect debut for @authorksinko 🌊☀️🍦🍓
I also HIGHLY recommend reading this book with a strawberry oreo milkshake in hand🥤🫶🏼 I’m already looking forward for the rest of the series in the small beach town of Haverport🏖️🐚
⚠️Be sure to look up TW before starting this book⚠️
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
July 3, 2023
Such a sweet YA novel. similar to Along for the Ride but with ice cream and conversations around mental health and addiction.
17 year old twins Melanie and Duncan, learn they don’t know everything about each other after all. Duncan’s addiction causes the family to move to a small harbor town they visited every summer in hopes to help Duncan after an incident occurs that fall.
Melanie, who would rather chew of her own hand before making problems for her family, moves leaving behind her prep school. Melanie gets a job at the local ice cream shop to get away from the chaos at home, where she meets 18 yr old Calvin who basically runs the store, and the rest of the Scoops gang.
For the first time Melanie has friends and is experiencing what it means to be 17 rather than placating her brother, being perfect for her parents, and working towards Yale all to keep her family afloat. Melanie’s summer in Sandy Cove is perfect, until it’s not.
17 year old twins Melanie and Duncan, learn they don’t know everything about each other after all. Duncan’s addiction causes the family to move to a small harbor town they visited every summer in hopes to help Duncan after an incident occurs that fall.
Melanie, who would rather chew of her own hand before making problems for her family, moves leaving behind her prep school. Melanie gets a job at the local ice cream shop to get away from the chaos at home, where she meets 18 yr old Calvin who basically runs the store, and the rest of the Scoops gang.
For the first time Melanie has friends and is experiencing what it means to be 17 rather than placating her brother, being perfect for her parents, and working towards Yale all to keep her family afloat. Melanie’s summer in Sandy Cove is perfect, until it’s not.
January 18, 2026
As someone with a family member that struggled with substance abuse, there was a lot here that was hard to read. My family member never went to the extremes of this character and is thankfully whole and healed but this was still a tough read for me. More should have been done to help Duncan - period - and those parents needed to have more rules/structure. The romance was sweet even though I felt like it progressed too fast physically for a YA book. I might feel differently without my personal history on this topic but I couldn’t love how this played out.
Content Notes: Makeouts/closed door romance; substance abuse
Content Notes: Makeouts/closed door romance; substance abuse
July 10, 2023
Well, this was incredibly heartbreaking but so beautiful. I was not expecting it to be so emotional…I can’t remember the last time a book pulled on my heart so much!
September 14, 2024
shoutout to stuff your kindle day for putting me onto this now i need to read the whole series! it was cute and romantic and also unexpectedly heavy but i was hooked
July 28, 2024
i literally cried.
June 28, 2023
Pick this up if you want a sweet, summer read with a clean romance, but also some emotion dealing with a loved one's struggle with addiction.
Great friend group!
The romance, the friendships, the town were all super sweet! The depth with the family dynamic surprised me. It was relatable to me to read her experience navigating through dealing with a loved one suffering from addiction/ mental illness.
Great friend group!
The romance, the friendships, the town were all super sweet! The depth with the family dynamic surprised me. It was relatable to me to read her experience navigating through dealing with a loved one suffering from addiction/ mental illness.
September 3, 2023
I wanted to like this book so much more than I actually did.
On the surface it’s a fun summer read set in a coastal town and dealing with new love. And if that’s all the story was I would have rated it much higher because that part of the story works. But it’s the details beyond that element that cause the story to just not work.
***SPOILERS***
The main issue is that the suspension of disbelief required to read this story is simply too great.
A MFC who hasn’t had a first kiss winds up having sex less than 2 months after meeting the guy.
The MFC’s parents have no issues with the MMC spending the night (the kids seem to have no curfew or rules at all).
The owner of the ice scream shop never actually works there; not even on the busiest days of the summer. He’s in 3 scenes at most.
And the most glaring problem is the way that the parents dealt with Duncan. A teen behaving the way the author depicts Duncan would be sent to rehab, no question, especially given the mental health component also at play. Drawing knives and attempting to choke family members? They had no control in their house and couldn’t or wouldn’t protect their other child. Buying Melanie a bike because Duncan wouldn’t share their joint car? No.
I honestly felt the author was irresponsible in the way that they handled the topics of teenage alcoholism and mental illness.
On the surface it’s a fun summer read set in a coastal town and dealing with new love. And if that’s all the story was I would have rated it much higher because that part of the story works. But it’s the details beyond that element that cause the story to just not work.
***SPOILERS***
The main issue is that the suspension of disbelief required to read this story is simply too great.
A MFC who hasn’t had a first kiss winds up having sex less than 2 months after meeting the guy.
The MFC’s parents have no issues with the MMC spending the night (the kids seem to have no curfew or rules at all).
The owner of the ice scream shop never actually works there; not even on the busiest days of the summer. He’s in 3 scenes at most.
And the most glaring problem is the way that the parents dealt with Duncan. A teen behaving the way the author depicts Duncan would be sent to rehab, no question, especially given the mental health component also at play. Drawing knives and attempting to choke family members? They had no control in their house and couldn’t or wouldn’t protect their other child. Buying Melanie a bike because Duncan wouldn’t share their joint car? No.
I honestly felt the author was irresponsible in the way that they handled the topics of teenage alcoholism and mental illness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2023
“Where’d you find this guy?” Melanie smiled to herself. “At an ice cream shop, with a paperback novel in his hand.”
🍦🩵🍨🌊
I really enjoyed this beach trip to Haverport! While I didn’t particularly feel like *I* connected with Melanie in a personal way, I still enjoyed going along for the ride on her journey to self-realization, healing, and first love. I’m also glad that this book didn’t shy away from a very real and tough issue that people don’t think young people can even struggle with; which is addiction. I have to hand it to the author for delving into this, because I feel like it does not happen very often in these type of books.
I will definitely be looking forward to Rory’s continuation of the story 🙂
🍦🩵🍨🌊
I really enjoyed this beach trip to Haverport! While I didn’t particularly feel like *I* connected with Melanie in a personal way, I still enjoyed going along for the ride on her journey to self-realization, healing, and first love. I’m also glad that this book didn’t shy away from a very real and tough issue that people don’t think young people can even struggle with; which is addiction. I have to hand it to the author for delving into this, because I feel like it does not happen very often in these type of books.
I will definitely be looking forward to Rory’s continuation of the story 🙂
July 11, 2023
This started out with such great small beach town, first love, ice cream shop vibes, but the second half of the book just seemed to spiral down from there.
I honestly couldn’t stand Mel’s parents. What the heck? How do you not care that your kid drinks himself into oblivion all the time and you just continue to let him go out, party, DRIVE A CAR, and put himself and everyone else in danger hoping he’ll just “get over it.” That’s not how alcoholism works! I wanted to slap them and the storyline overshadowed everything palatable.
I honestly couldn’t stand Mel’s parents. What the heck? How do you not care that your kid drinks himself into oblivion all the time and you just continue to let him go out, party, DRIVE A CAR, and put himself and everyone else in danger hoping he’ll just “get over it.” That’s not how alcoholism works! I wanted to slap them and the storyline overshadowed everything palatable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2024
By now, y'all know how picky I am with you YA reads. I often find them missing something so when I find a YA novel or series I love, I can't share it with y'all fast enough.
K. Sinko works magic in "Safe Harbor" The characters are flawed but relatable, allowing you to see your younger self in each of them. We experience heartache and loss, love and growth, family drama and a fiercely loyal found family.
Read "Safe Harbor" is you love …
-- coming of age
-- coastal setting
-- "Gilmore Girls" vibes
-- high school drama
K. Sinko works magic in "Safe Harbor" The characters are flawed but relatable, allowing you to see your younger self in each of them. We experience heartache and loss, love and growth, family drama and a fiercely loyal found family.
Read "Safe Harbor" is you love …
-- coming of age
-- coastal setting
-- "Gilmore Girls" vibes
-- high school drama
February 20, 2024
Significantly more depressing than what the book blurb indicates. Not sure how I feel about that… 🤔
July 28, 2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam Level: 🔥🔥 (closed door)
Trigger Warning: alcohol addiction, mental illness
Melanie's life has been turned upside down due to her brother's struggles with anger and alcohol abuse. When the family moves to Haverport to start fresh, Melanie decides it's time to get a job to avoid her family drama and earn enough to help out financially. At Scoops by the Sea, Melanie discovers new friends and a new crush. Calvin is all business while training Melanie, but he begins to show little signs that he might actually like her. Soon, she'll learn that happiness can be found one scoop of ice cream at a time.
I almost feel like I need to do two separate reviews of this book. First, I really liked the romance. Calvin was just an all-around gentleman and dream boyfriend. If I had a daughter, he'd be the guy I'd want her to date. I also thought Melanie made some really good choices despite everything she faced. The two of them together were so sweet. I also liked the setting and the Scoops crew. Now, here come my complaints. This book really needs a content warning at the beginning. Duncan's problems are really bad, and his parents didn't do enough to help him. Yes, it's mentioned that things were done BEFORE they moved, but there's nothing to suggest they're monitoring his behavior now or seeking help in their new town. It's as if they think he'll be fine now that he's in a new location and has a girlfriend. They also should have gotten help for Melanie. She was done such a disservice. I was honestly so angry at the end of this because Calvin seemed to be the only one trying to help. Needless to say, this part of the story brought my rating down. I might read the others because of how much I liked the romance, but I'm going to need time to recover from this first.
Steam Level: 🔥🔥 (closed door)
Trigger Warning: alcohol addiction, mental illness
Melanie's life has been turned upside down due to her brother's struggles with anger and alcohol abuse. When the family moves to Haverport to start fresh, Melanie decides it's time to get a job to avoid her family drama and earn enough to help out financially. At Scoops by the Sea, Melanie discovers new friends and a new crush. Calvin is all business while training Melanie, but he begins to show little signs that he might actually like her. Soon, she'll learn that happiness can be found one scoop of ice cream at a time.
I almost feel like I need to do two separate reviews of this book. First, I really liked the romance. Calvin was just an all-around gentleman and dream boyfriend. If I had a daughter, he'd be the guy I'd want her to date. I also thought Melanie made some really good choices despite everything she faced. The two of them together were so sweet. I also liked the setting and the Scoops crew. Now, here come my complaints. This book really needs a content warning at the beginning. Duncan's problems are really bad, and his parents didn't do enough to help him. Yes, it's mentioned that things were done BEFORE they moved, but there's nothing to suggest they're monitoring his behavior now or seeking help in their new town. It's as if they think he'll be fine now that he's in a new location and has a girlfriend. They also should have gotten help for Melanie. She was done such a disservice. I was honestly so angry at the end of this because Calvin seemed to be the only one trying to help. Needless to say, this part of the story brought my rating down. I might read the others because of how much I liked the romance, but I'm going to need time to recover from this first.
April 7, 2024
“A safe harbor among the vast, unknown shores that lay ahead.” After Melanie’s twin brother Duncan gets expelled from their prestigious prep school they move to a small cottage in a lovely beach town that they used to spend every summer at. Melanie sets out to find a job and ends up at scoops by the seat with 32 amazing ice cream flavors that Duncan has ranked from worst to best throughout their summers. What started as a job to distract her from the horrors that lie at home turns out to be the best thing that has ever happened to her. She meets coworkers who turn into her family and the boy she dreaded working with turns into exactly the person she needed in her life. I really loved reading this novel. I love how respectful Calvin is through out the entire book he is a man that everyone should have in their life. This book made me laugh as well as cry. I feel the dynamic of found family through your place of employment is something a lot of people can relate to of making such strong connections with the people you work with a see every day. The only thing I would change about this book is I wish it was written in 1st person rather than 3rd person. I think if the book was written from Melanie’s perspective the story would have felt more real and I would have loved to see more of Melanie’s thoughts and emotions rather than just a narrator. Overall I really loved this novel I thought the focus on multiple characters dealing with family members who struggle with addiction was very beautiful in the way it was handled and described. Addiction affects the lives of so many individuals and I loved how respectfully it was described not as something to be shameful of but as a mental illness. I can not wait to read the second book in the scoops series! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes romance books.
July 6, 2023
Ohhh this book. 😍 I REALLY enjoyed this one. All of the summer feels in this one.
Read if you like:
🌊Small town beach vibes
🍦Ice cream (especially Oreo 😉)
✨Found family
🫶🏼Complicated family relationships
❤️A protective, safe male MC who will seriously
make you fall in love
TW:
Alcohol abuse
Overdose
Addiction
Domestic abuse
I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of this from the author, and I’m so happy I read this on my vacation! After some problems in their old school with her twin brother, Melanie’s family moves to their beach cottage for a fresh start. Melanie has been preparing to go to Yale her entire life, and having to leave her prestigious prep school feels like everything she has done will now be for nothing.
As she settles in to her new life, she starts looking for work and manages to snag a coveted job at Scoops, the local ice cream shop. She’s trained by Calvin, who is super closed off and just an overall mystery. He takes the shop very seriously but we all know this man has a soft side and boy when we get to see it 😍😍😍😍
I absolutely adored how the ice cream shop friends were family- and how they welcomed Melanie into the mix like she has always been one of them. Calvin’s relationship with his grandma was just the most adorable- gosh I grew to really love him.
As things with her brother spiraled, Melanie found herself put in some difficult positions because how can you not want things with your twin to go back to how they were.. ugh my heart just hurt for her.
I’m so glad I read this one, and even happier that part 2 is coming! I cant wait to see what’s next.
Read if you like:
🌊Small town beach vibes
🍦Ice cream (especially Oreo 😉)
✨Found family
🫶🏼Complicated family relationships
❤️A protective, safe male MC who will seriously
make you fall in love
TW:
Alcohol abuse
Overdose
Addiction
Domestic abuse
I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of this from the author, and I’m so happy I read this on my vacation! After some problems in their old school with her twin brother, Melanie’s family moves to their beach cottage for a fresh start. Melanie has been preparing to go to Yale her entire life, and having to leave her prestigious prep school feels like everything she has done will now be for nothing.
As she settles in to her new life, she starts looking for work and manages to snag a coveted job at Scoops, the local ice cream shop. She’s trained by Calvin, who is super closed off and just an overall mystery. He takes the shop very seriously but we all know this man has a soft side and boy when we get to see it 😍😍😍😍
I absolutely adored how the ice cream shop friends were family- and how they welcomed Melanie into the mix like she has always been one of them. Calvin’s relationship with his grandma was just the most adorable- gosh I grew to really love him.
As things with her brother spiraled, Melanie found herself put in some difficult positions because how can you not want things with your twin to go back to how they were.. ugh my heart just hurt for her.
I’m so glad I read this one, and even happier that part 2 is coming! I cant wait to see what’s next.
August 9, 2024
“I’m just scared that if I admit that something good is happening in my life, I’ll just lose it.”
SO GOOD. CHEF’S KISS. I just want to dive into the small beach town of Haverport so bad. Get lost on the sandy streets and be friends with the whole staff of Scoops.
Teenage Alyssa would have fallen head over heels in love with by the book, caring, witty Calvin. How him and Melanie can comfort and listen and be exactly what each other needs in their times of darkness >>>>>. They are such great people for each other. My heart goes out to them and I only wish they never have to go through or witness the pain they experienced. They understood each other more than any one else could. Their young love made me swoon, giggle, kick my feet, and curl my toes. AAAAGGH I love them!
All of the characters were so wonderful and I wanted to be in the scenes with them, spewing quips back and forth with each other. My heart broke every time when Melanie held back or got her hopes up with dealing with Duncan’s outbursts. She’s just a sister that is put in a hard position, not knowing whether to break their twin bond and go against him or stay silent and enable his behavior. She’s better than me. I was (and still oops) such a snitch.
The ending kind of tore me for a bit, but I am so happy with the sweet ending the two lovebirds got.
I am so excited to finish the rest of this series! It gives me so much nostalgia that I don’t even have. But I just wish I got to grow up in a small beach or lake town.
SO GOOD. CHEF’S KISS. I just want to dive into the small beach town of Haverport so bad. Get lost on the sandy streets and be friends with the whole staff of Scoops.
Teenage Alyssa would have fallen head over heels in love with by the book, caring, witty Calvin. How him and Melanie can comfort and listen and be exactly what each other needs in their times of darkness >>>>>. They are such great people for each other. My heart goes out to them and I only wish they never have to go through or witness the pain they experienced. They understood each other more than any one else could. Their young love made me swoon, giggle, kick my feet, and curl my toes. AAAAGGH I love them!
All of the characters were so wonderful and I wanted to be in the scenes with them, spewing quips back and forth with each other. My heart broke every time when Melanie held back or got her hopes up with dealing with Duncan’s outbursts. She’s just a sister that is put in a hard position, not knowing whether to break their twin bond and go against him or stay silent and enable his behavior. She’s better than me. I was (and still oops) such a snitch.
The ending kind of tore me for a bit, but I am so happy with the sweet ending the two lovebirds got.
I am so excited to finish the rest of this series! It gives me so much nostalgia that I don’t even have. But I just wish I got to grow up in a small beach or lake town.
June 21, 2025
"If I'm going to be your first kiss, Melanie Albertson, then I'm going to do it right."
I was unprepared for how hard this book would hit me. Tucked within this sweet YA romance with beachy summer vibes and all the ice cream you could ask for is a story of imperfect people doing their best through hard things. A big mistake inspires Melanie's family to make a move to a new town for a fresh start. Always the go-getter and needing a distraction, Melanie finds new friendships and new perspectives after getting a summer job at the local ice cream shop.
This story is somehow both light and fluffy and deep and thought-provoking. There were moments when I would find myself smiling and other moments where I was holding back tears. It's an excellent summery story about first love, trying new things, family drama, and holding onto the things that truly matter. It will make you crave a grinder (aka sub) and an ice cream cone for sure!
More to Love:
🍦Pinkies
🍦The first kiss that was not a first kiss
🍦The next "first kiss"
🍦Haverfest
🍦The Block Party
🍦Gram
🍦Family
🍦ALL the Ice Cream!
"I've lost more than enough in my life to know that when you're blessed with something so good, you hold on to it with everything that you have."
💕: kisses, more very subtly implied
⚠️: occasional language, addiction (side characters), strained relationships, loss of loved ones
I was unprepared for how hard this book would hit me. Tucked within this sweet YA romance with beachy summer vibes and all the ice cream you could ask for is a story of imperfect people doing their best through hard things. A big mistake inspires Melanie's family to make a move to a new town for a fresh start. Always the go-getter and needing a distraction, Melanie finds new friendships and new perspectives after getting a summer job at the local ice cream shop.
This story is somehow both light and fluffy and deep and thought-provoking. There were moments when I would find myself smiling and other moments where I was holding back tears. It's an excellent summery story about first love, trying new things, family drama, and holding onto the things that truly matter. It will make you crave a grinder (aka sub) and an ice cream cone for sure!
More to Love:
🍦Pinkies
🍦The first kiss that was not a first kiss
🍦The next "first kiss"
🍦Haverfest
🍦The Block Party
🍦Gram
🍦Family
🍦ALL the Ice Cream!
"I've lost more than enough in my life to know that when you're blessed with something so good, you hold on to it with everything that you have."
💕: kisses, more very subtly implied
⚠️: occasional language, addiction (side characters), strained relationships, loss of loved ones
January 31, 2024
It’s rare to be enraptured by a fictional love story yet gutted by a dark underlying narrative all at once. Sinko cleverly struck that balance by interweaving several traumatic events into moments of escapism. In a way, these jarring moments felt like tragic reality checks.
Safe Harbor gives the reader a PG-rated glimpse of how addiction can manifest in youth, and shines a light on those who get left behind as the disease progresses. You learn the main character’s perfectionist attitude and people pleasing tendencies aren’t innate, they’re learned from her situation at home.
I have yet to see a YA novel quite like Sinko’s. She was daring enough to create a storyline around an uncomfortable reality for so many people. Many themes/lessons are sprinkled throughout the book that are applicable to all, including easing up on control, identifying manipulation, and learning to let go. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a heartfelt read.
Safe Harbor gives the reader a PG-rated glimpse of how addiction can manifest in youth, and shines a light on those who get left behind as the disease progresses. You learn the main character’s perfectionist attitude and people pleasing tendencies aren’t innate, they’re learned from her situation at home.
I have yet to see a YA novel quite like Sinko’s. She was daring enough to create a storyline around an uncomfortable reality for so many people. Many themes/lessons are sprinkled throughout the book that are applicable to all, including easing up on control, identifying manipulation, and learning to let go. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a heartfelt read.
April 14, 2024
I've been eyeing Safe Harbor since it came out in June 2023 but I kept getting nervous to read it! I had built it up in my head that I felt like I could really love this book and then didn't want to risk reading it in case I didn't like it. Safe Harbor has become one of my favorite reads of the year so far!
The setting is perfection - small beach town, ice cream shop. The employees at the ice cream shop are a great found family. So many different personalities!
My favorite (and also slightly disappointing) part about this book was that the romance was not as big of a part of the book as I expected it to be. I knew going in that it was supposed to be a romance book but Safe Harbor is so much more than that! I personally found there to be more depth then expected and was surprised that a character's alcoholism was one of if not the main part of the story. I was constantly on edge wondering what was going to happen next. Alcoholism is something that my family has gone through for years and it was definitely hard to read!
I 100% recommend reading Safe Harbor if you're looking for a book with summer vibes but also with more depth and real life issues!
The setting is perfection - small beach town, ice cream shop. The employees at the ice cream shop are a great found family. So many different personalities!
My favorite (and also slightly disappointing) part about this book was that the romance was not as big of a part of the book as I expected it to be. I knew going in that it was supposed to be a romance book but Safe Harbor is so much more than that! I personally found there to be more depth then expected and was surprised that a character's alcoholism was one of if not the main part of the story. I was constantly on edge wondering what was going to happen next. Alcoholism is something that my family has gone through for years and it was definitely hard to read!
I 100% recommend reading Safe Harbor if you're looking for a book with summer vibes but also with more depth and real life issues!
October 18, 2024
So. Beautifully. Written. I read this entire book in a day. Mind you, i did have a lot of free time this day. However I loved it. The characters, I felt what I was supposed to feel. The setting just felt like a smal beach town. I also may or may not have reminisced in the memories of working my first job in an ice cream shop, it almost made me miss it. Almost. I love the complexity of the characters, both main and side. I realized halfway in that it was gonna be a series, and I’m really unsure how much I want to read the next book but we’ll see. Truly enjoyed it, it made me smile and giggle and kick my feet, and it made me sad and cry and mourn.
I did choose to suspend my issues with the main conflicts of this story, which are their own major problems.
I did choose to suspend my issues with the main conflicts of this story, which are their own major problems.
April 18, 2024
saw this all over instagram and decided to give it a go. i’m glad i did but i really enjoyed it. this was a quick read. i felt like i was working at the ice cream shop with them and part of their scoops crew. i look forward to reading the next one in the series 🍦
*now it’s not just about the romance brewing between mel and calvin. a main focus is on heavier topics such as alcohol addiction and mental health. mel’s brother is battling an addiction with alcohol and loses control of himself at times throughout the book. these parts broke me*
*now it’s not just about the romance brewing between mel and calvin. a main focus is on heavier topics such as alcohol addiction and mental health. mel’s brother is battling an addiction with alcohol and loses control of himself at times throughout the book. these parts broke me*
May 20, 2024
Thrown into a new town due to her twin brother's mistakes, Melanie tries to navigate this new world she has now entered. I loved this book. At first, it was confusing as Melanie doesn't reveal much of her world. Although, as the reader continues reading, the whole story soon gets revealed. Which creates a very satisfying read. Another thing I liked about this book was the way it handled addiction. Melanie's reaction to the rising tension within her family resonated with me. It was all gut-wrenching and real. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to read romance with depth. This book pulls you in and tugs at your heart. Keep in mind that there are some heavy topics seen within the book. So it may be an easier read for older kids.
August 4, 2024
I absolutely loved this. NA Rom-Traum, and it pulled on aaaaaall my heartstrings. Why does it feel so good to feel sad sometimes??! It was a beautiful example of found family, young love, forgiveness, and growth.
Calvin was so sweet to Melanie. Like, actually perfect for her?? I don’t fully understand his reaction to her when they first met, but everything was so sweet and tender from their first kiss on. Also the first kiss scene was SO CUTE. And also I tried the pinky hand holding thing with my husband just to figure out what it was all about—turns out it’s pretty cute 😂
Content: Closed door…but enough leading up to it and all that I’d say NA over YA. Addiction and related topics discussed heavily.
Calvin was so sweet to Melanie. Like, actually perfect for her?? I don’t fully understand his reaction to her when they first met, but everything was so sweet and tender from their first kiss on. Also the first kiss scene was SO CUTE. And also I tried the pinky hand holding thing with my husband just to figure out what it was all about—turns out it’s pretty cute 😂
Content: Closed door…but enough leading up to it and all that I’d say NA over YA. Addiction and related topics discussed heavily.
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