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Since the Day We Danced

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She’s devastated when her beloved rescue dog goes missing—but the handsome widowed father who returns him just might change her life!

Emma Wright’s world came crashing down when her husband blindsided her with divorce papers on their anniversary and left her for a younger woman. Starting over at forty, she moves into a quaint beachfront cottage on the other side of Hadley Cove with her beloved rescue dog, Riley. But just as she’s picking up the shattered pieces to her life, Riley goes missing.

Meanwhile, in Chicago, widowed father Luke Grayson vows to repair the strained relationship with his teenage son, Jeremiah. In search of new beginnings, he moves them to the picturesque small coastal town of Hadley Cove, Georgia. While they're getting settled, an unexpected visitor arrives at their doorstops, and seems to believe this is his home.

As destiny weaves Emma and Luke’s paths together in unforeseen ways, their lives will change forever.

Will they find the courage to open their fragile hearts to a second chance at love? Or will the scars of the past keep them from their happily ever after?

346 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 14, 2023

293 people are currently reading
3744 people want to read

About the author

Kerk Murray

15 books183 followers
Kerk Murray is an Amazon Top 50 and Barnes & Noble bestselling author of clean contemporary romance. His series include Dog Lovers, Hadley Cove Sweet Romance, and Sugarberry Ridge Holiday Romance.

Fans of Rachel Hanna and Debbie Macomber will love his Southern small-town stories about second chances—featuring swoony heroes, strong heroines, and rescue animals that you'll fall in love with too.

Beyond writing, Kerk is the founder of The Lexi's Legacy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps animal rescues save more lives. A portion of his book proceeds supports this mission because every animal deserves a forever home.

Connect with Kerk and sign up for his newsletter at www.kerkmurray.com for new releases and exclusive sneak peeks of upcoming books.

For film and subsidiary rights inquiries: info@kerkmurray.com

Follow Kerk:
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/2171938...
Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/profile/kerk-murray
Amazon: www.amazon.com/KerkMurray/e/B09C39NLYT
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kerkmurray
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@kerkmurray
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kerkwrites

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5 stars
281 (43%)
4 stars
243 (37%)
3 stars
94 (14%)
2 stars
21 (3%)
1 star
9 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
Profile Image for Gloria.
1,137 reviews162 followers
December 15, 2023
Since the Day We Danced is a sweet, romantic story with a lovely setting on the coast of Georgia with its marshes, bays, and beaches, near historical Savannah. I liked the characters and pulled for them to find happiness. Luke moved from Chicago to give his son Jeremiah and himself a new start, as they recover from the loss of his wife, who died a couple of years prior. Jeremiah is especially having trouble dealing with the loss. Luke blames himself for his workaholic lifestyle. His wife always wanted to live in coastal Georgia so this seems the right decision. Emma is reeling with a divorce from her husband who she found out was cheating. Thankfully, she has her sweet dog, Riley, and has started a dog treat company to supplement her teaching sub job. When Luke and Emma meet, they have an instant connection but with Jeremiah's problems, they have to be careful. This story pulls on heartstrings with both Emma and Luke's past to overcome and move on. It is great book for those who love romance and second chances.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts
Profile Image for Angel (Bookn.All.Night).
1,681 reviews44 followers
December 19, 2023
Oh man! Give me more of Hadley Cove please!! This was everything my romantic heart needed and then some.

Since the Day We Danced checks off so much:

Small Town Setting ✔️
Cottage by the Water ✔️
Community Togetherness ✔️
Second Chance at Love ✔️
Healing Hearts thru Love ✔️
Accompanying Playlist of Songs ✔️

and best of all

Animals playing a big part of the story. Absolutely loved Riley 😍

I don't read romance as much anymore since it usually doesn't center on heart angst and feelings. This author is one of my favorites, ever since reading Pawprints on Our Hearts, so I was delighted to see he wrote a romance book. I cannot wait for the next Hadley Cove installment.

This also comes with a curated playlist of songs by the author which perfectly fits with the story. It's available on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. I listened to it and man does that add a whole other level to the story. Definitely give this a listen while reading.

If you love a good, clean romance that has all the makings of a Hallmark movie, this is the one for you. Grab this and bring tissues. I certainly needed them for the last few chapters.
Profile Image for Janis.
1,052 reviews4 followers
January 5, 2024
Thanks very much to Kirk for the ARC of this book. I don’t read much romance anymore, so it was a nice change for me. I liked all the characters that I was supposed to like and detested the ones I was supposed to detest. Of course, the dog is always my favorite character. Interesting plot kept me reading. I had trouble stopping at bedtime. Wish I was a faster reader so I could have read it in one sitting. I prefer some mystery with my romance, so for me, that would make it a better story. But, there’s certainly nothing wrong with this novel and I recommend it. All of the characters grow as the story goes on, and that’s important. (Maybe not the dog. Like most of them, he’s perfect to start with.)

One big complaint I have with independent writers is all of the errors in the books. I didn’t catch any at all in this book! No spelling errors. No bad grammar. No sentences that didn’t make sense. No misinformation and downright stupidity like I see in Hallmark and Lifetime movies. What a pleasant change! The characters go to the beach. They visit a lighthouse. I’ve done both of those things and have no doubt the author has too. The entire story is absolutely believable.

There’s always a conflict that leads to a breakup in every romance novel. Frequently that feels contrived to me. This one did not. Kirk is really a talented author IMO.
Profile Image for Lyndsay Osbourne.
7 reviews
January 4, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book follows Emma Wright, recently divorced 40 year old woman with no children as well as Luke Grayson, widowed, single dad of a teenage boy.

Emma struggles with the thought of starting her love life over at forty years old. However with the encouragement of some sweet friends and a sneaky little rescue dog she just so happens to fall right in the arms of the handsome new guy in town.

You will follow their journey of how they meet (it's cute) and how they bond over life's trials and tribulations. Riley, Emma's adorable rescue dog (which happens to be a golden retriever), plays such a significant part in this story and i can't express to you how much i love it!

When i tell you i laughed, i CRIED!, i got the coziest feels with this book, i mean it!

Also, i can’t write this review without including how incredibly sweet Hadley Cove is as a town. Everyone knows everyone and they all take care of eachother!

P.S. - let me know when you get to page 288. I am forever scarred.
Profile Image for Farida  Yasser .
462 reviews18 followers
January 10, 2024
I've read wholesome, feel good romances before that I loved, but this book truly left me confused.
Throughout the whole book, the author had a mission, one single mission, which was showing his love and appreciation for animals and being vegan through the characters.
The book simply revolved around those two things, the main focus wasn't the relationship between Emma and Luke, but rather about the bond between Emma and her dog, Riley.
That was blatantly obvious when I reach the first quarter mark, and the two MCs hadn't even met!
There is giving a back story, and then there's, we're stuck in the back story and the plot doesn't seem to begin. Alas, it was a case of the later.
At some point I was like, okay, Riley is the one constant in your life, there a lot of tasty vegan options out there and your friends are almost family, got it, now, please. Move. On.
Nothing was happening. The relationship between Emma and Luke was extremely superficial, Emma liked Luke because he was the literal opposite of her ex, which wasn't the most reliable comparison because lots of people are better than abusers.
Luke just fell in love with the idea of love, one point he was planning elaborate dates for Emma, the next he was considering returning to the dating scene when some drama happened.
And don't let me start on Jeremiah, the guy got on my nerves, and let's be real here, trauma doesn't give you a pass to be an a**. Here, said it.
The book had been a let down in so many ways, which was a shame because the synopsis and cover looked promising.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Beyond the Pages with Eva K.
3,046 reviews165 followers
August 21, 2024
Quick Summary: A sunshine after the rain, women's fiction romance

My Review: Since the Day We Danced by Kerk Murray was a second chance at life kind of story. It is the first book in what promises to be an outstanding, new series set in Hadley Cove, Georgia. It is the kind of story that breaks your heart even as it gives hope.

About the Book: When two strangers who have each lost so much have a chance encounter, they are both gifted with the opportunity to heal in ways that they would never have imagined.

My Final Say: I would love to visit and sit a spell with the Hadley Cove residents. It would seem that this is a very special place with very special people. Emma and Luke's story kicked things off nicely. I am all in for the rest of the stories that are to come.

Other: Readers who are looking for a beautiful love story with texture, color, movement, and growth will find it in this wonderful novel.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Series: Yes
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: 💞

Heartfelt appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher, and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting access to this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own thoughts and opinions. I look forward to reading more from the Hadley Cove series.
Profile Image for Natalia Devargas.
93 reviews
September 11, 2024
What I enjoyed most about " Since the Day We Danced" was the characters. I could see myself in this adorable town surrounded by all these characters, they felt like friends. Such a cute love story. Love Riley (Emma's dog)
I can't wait to read more of Kerk's books. This was the first book of the series "Hadley Cove".
I'm a dog lover so I loved how the author incorporated his love for dogs in this story.
Can't wait to read the next book.
Kerk Murray is an amazing writer and person. Love that a portion of money from his sales goes to a dog rescue.
Profile Image for Jacqueline Johnston Cotton.
2,199 reviews38 followers
December 19, 2023
My kind of feel good, heartwarming book! An amazing story of two broken hearts finding each other thanks to a precious pup. With depth it's charming, inspirational and fun to read. Such loveable characters. I highly recommend this wonderful new series. Looking forward to the next book! I received an advance review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Cathy Blue.
Author 16 books3 followers
December 29, 2023
I loved reading about the healing journey of Emma and her, finding her own voice and worth again. It was a very tender written book, every page literally turnt itself.
Profile Image for Zelia Gonsalves.
40 reviews1 follower
December 19, 2023
I love this book!
As I was reading it all I could think is I want to live Hadley Cove and be apart of this amazing community. It’s such a feel good book with just the right amount of romance and the dog… oh how can you not love Riley.

This is book 1 of this series that comes out next year and I can’t wait to continue reading it.

Profile Image for Kaley.
50 reviews
November 28, 2023
I hate giving negative reviews but this book started off good to me and then by the end it was just a hot mess of randomness…it left me disappointed 😔
Profile Image for Lauren | TransportedLFL.
1,675 reviews41 followers
April 20, 2024
Thank you to Kerk Murray for the book. These opinions are my own.

This is a debut romance novel and so sweet. When Emma and her husband divorce, she is force to sell the home her grandfather gifted them on their marriage. During Fourth of July fireworks, her dog Riley gets scared and races back to their old house. The new owner Luke is a widowed single dad who moved to Hadley Cove in hopes that the change from a big city would help his high school son.

I greatly appreciated seeing two adults getting second chances at love. The book is low angst but with plenty of drama, particularly near the end. I appreciated the pacing of the love story and the beautiful descriptions of the Georgia cove. I would love to read more set in this sweet small town.
510 reviews4 followers
December 18, 2023
This contemporary romance where a second chance to love again seems very far out of reach. However, the reader goes on a beautiful journey with the main characters plus the rescue dog who makes it all possible!

Clean, with much emotion and loss, as well as heart racing moments makes this a feel good read. The teenage dimension was well described and showed how they are greatly affected by loss at a formative stage in their lives.

Swearing was eluded to but not written out which was much appreciated by this reader.

Recommended and would like to read more by this new-to-me author.

Received this as an Advanced Reader Copy via BookSirens and this is my own opinion, given voluntarily.
3,221 reviews4 followers
December 19, 2023
Two genuinely nice people meet when they're both in the midst of a life restart, brought together by an adorable rescue dog. Emma has to sell her beloved home to settle her divorce. The new owner, Luke, has relocated with his teenage son for a fresh start after the death of his wife. Friends first before they fall in love. This is the first book in a new series, and it's a great beginning. The story is heartwarming, and left me with a really happy feeling. It was easy to read, so much so that it was over before I realized it. It's my first read from the author - definitely not my last. I received an advance copy of the book, and this is my honest review.
1,393 reviews14 followers
December 3, 2023
"Sometimes, what seems impossible is just one chapter of life. Life isn't about rushing through the pages but experiencing every word, every moment."

The thing about debut romance author Kerk Murray in the beautifully written Since The Day We Danced (Hadley Cove Sweet Romance Book One) is he gives us so many uplifting moments in between the honest heartbreak experienced by Emma and Luke before their love story begins with each other

Emma is truly devastated when, at 40, her husband serves her with divorce papers. Forced to sell her house, she moves to a cottage by the beach with the only thing she wanted in the divorce, her rescue dog Riley. "Through every tear, every rage filled rant, he has been her constant."

Luke, at 42, was at a crosswords. After years of working non stop, missing out on his son's plays, ball games and even some birthdays, he finds himself at a loss when his wife dies of cancer and he doesn't know his son. He only sees the pain in his eyes from grieving his Mom, resenting his father, and when he finally says the words, "She was better than you...I wish it was you who died." Luke couldn't argue with him. This moment was my first cry reading this often brutally honest romance.

Looking for redemption Luke moves to the small town of Hadley Cove hoping to quiet his life, cut back on work and be with his son; he doesn't realize he's bought Emma's house and her dog Riley is running away back home. He finds her dog on his porch and thus begins their journey with teen angst, an abusive ex, self doubt, guilt, grief and then a dance, a kiss, and a second chance at love.

I received a free copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

*Thank you Kerk Murray for Pawprints On Our Hearts.It helped me grieve for my Lilith❤️‍🩹
Profile Image for Janet Miller.
901 reviews3 followers
November 18, 2023
This was a lovely story. Well written with interesting characters and situations. Held my interest through the end. I won't give details. You'll have to read it for yourself. You'll be glad you did. Highly recommended.
Profile Image for D..
1,771 reviews
December 17, 2023
I loved this romantic love story where the awesome dog brings Emma and Luke together. These two are working to make a new start in their lives which is very inspiring. I really enjoyed this story. I look forward to the next one. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Jami.
2,073 reviews7 followers
November 18, 2024
I listened on audio and it was an enjoyable listen. This was a light romance, set in a quaint town. The characters were interesting and I loved the inclusion of Riley the dog and volunteering at the dog rescue!
788 reviews18 followers
December 14, 2023
Emma and Luke, both recovering from recent trauma, meet up in Hadley Cove through a happy coincidence. The mutual attraction is instant but needs to be toned down due to Luke’s flawed relationship with his teenage son, Jeremiah. Emma’s rescue dog, Riley, plays a pivotal role in this charming novel.
Kerk Murray’s writing style is fluent and easy to read, despite this story addressing grief, domestic abuse, failed relationships, and teenage angst. A book well worth reading.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
255 reviews12 followers
December 16, 2023
The story begins with Emma, whose marriage is over and her family's home sold. But Emma got to keep Riley, her precious rescue dog.

Emma moves, but her dog returns to her old home. The new home owner adores Riley, but knows his owner needs to be reignited with him. Luke then meets Emma. A friendship is formed. But not without issues popping up from ex's to son's and other life problems.

A touching story, where you feel welcomed into Hadley Cove and the people in it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Adrianne Dollard.
36 reviews1 follower
June 2, 2024
Super sweet beach read. Really enjoyed it. Very uplifting story by author who also adores dogs. Love that portion of money from sales goes to dog rescue
Profile Image for Audrey Bridgers.
81 reviews1 follower
Read
June 17, 2024
DNF. I found the writing very bland and predictable so not going to force myself to finish it.
Profile Image for Terry.
706 reviews18 followers
July 21, 2024
A sweet romance in a small Georgia beach front town. A divorcee and grieving widower meet over a lovable dog and discover that life does offer second chances.
Profile Image for Martha Cunningham.
113 reviews
September 13, 2025
What a warm hearted book. Thank you sis @Zélia for introducing me to this author. Can’t wait to continue to the next book. 🥰
3 reviews
September 16, 2025
Perfect beach read! Easy to read & quick completion. Can’t wait to read the others.
Profile Image for Chris.
454 reviews
December 17, 2023
This was a lovely sweet romance, set in a small Georgia town. The main characters were terrific, and I loved the inclusion of a rescue dog named Riley. It was a touching story of new beginnings, and a sweet romance without being graphic.
35 reviews1 follower
January 5, 2024
This was a great book! It kept me on the edge so I had to just keep turning the page. It you love small town love I would recommend reading this.

I received an Advanced Review Copy for free and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Beth.
239 reviews6 followers
December 22, 2023

I almost felt like I was reading an early Nicholas Sparks’ novel. What a lovely, well written book that transported me to an intimate beach town on the East Coast.
I enjoy the use of the dog shelter as a backdrop for the story of deep love, mourning and forgiveness.
Well done
Profile Image for Roberta Cox.
79 reviews
December 15, 2023
This was a beautiful story about second chances of finding love. And a dog…there’s a rescue dog in this story. Who doesn’t want to read a beautiful story with the most precious soul?

Can’t wait to read the next book!
Profile Image for Kathy Itson.
139 reviews
December 9, 2023
This is a wonderful clean story about Luke, who lost with wife from cancer and Emma who was recently divorced. They meet and struggle with their relationship. I love the story and plan to read more of Kerk Murray's books. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews

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