Coast Guard Courtship

by Lisa Carter

A Seaside Romance

Coast Guard Officer Braeden Scott's life is all about freedom and adventure. Being assigned to a tiny Virginia coastal village is the last thing he wants. But thanks to a feisty redhead, he's soon discovering the charms of a small-town life. Amelia Duer is all about home and hearth. Taking care of others is her whole world. As Braeden spends more time with her and her nephew, his hopes for a family begin to resurface. Could Amelia prove to be the anchor this charming Coastie needs to stop wandering and create a home for good?

Genres: Love Inspired, Christian Fiction

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 17, 2015

About the author

Writer. Book Lover. Avid Gardener. World Traveler.

Lisa Carter is the Publishers Weekly bestselling and award-winning author of more than thirty books. She writes the contemporary Truelove Matchmaker romance series with Love Inspired. She also writes romantic suspense—best described as “Sweet Tea with a Slice of Murder.” When not hard at work on her next fictional adventure, she enjoys reading and spending time with her family. A native North Carolinian, she has strong opinions on barbecue and ACC basketball. www.lisacarterauthor.com

Follow Lisa on BookBub for the latest book news at https://bit.ly/3G2iWGv.

Join her newsletter mailing list for book happenings at https://rb.gy/2ilkh7.

Reviews

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet romance with a hero (Braeden) who is a Coast Guard Officer and a heroine (Amelia) who runs a charter fishing boat. I loved the small Virginia coastal town where the story is set. There was a strong sense of place throughout and I really felt like I was in the small town by the sea. I enjoyed Amelia’s meddling family and I look forward to seeing them again in the following books. A charming and enjoyable read.

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet romance between a stalward coast guard officer and feisty fisher woman. Both are emotionally vulnerable and put up walls to protect themselves. I was surprised by how quickly Braedon falls for Amelia, and most of the book he is working to bring down her walls. The dialogue between them was a bit disjointed throughout the book, I wasn't used to the author's style of writing conversation. They had a propensity to misunderstand each other which created much of the conflict. The setting was very much a part of the story, and I loved the descriptions of the coastal town and ocean.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Lisa Carter's romantic suspense novels so I was eager to read her debut Love Inspired book. If I had to sum it up in one word I'd have to go with...awesome! Carter creates vivid images of a captivating seaside town and the salt-of-the-earth characters who live there. I swear an occasional spray of salt water misted up off the page a time or two. Love becoming so immersed in a setting.

Amelia is an intriguing (and frustrating) heroine. I've never met one with such a huge chip on her shoulder -- more like a boulder, actually. It's there for a reason as she's lived through a number of tragedies but sometimes I just wanted slap her upside the head and tell her to give poor Braeden a chance. Mind you he has a few stubborn characteristics too. If you like a good dose of grit mixed in with your romance, liberally peppered with laughter and laced with toe-curling moments, then Coast Guard Courtship is the book for you.

[Dorel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book I read by Lisa Carter. I'm sorry I stopped reading this story 📖 at chapter 4 because it didn't grab my interest.

[Angie Fehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

NC based writer Lisa Carter places her Coast Guard centered romance in the small town of Kiptohanock, Virginia, where CG officer Braeden Scott gets stationed and quickly finds himself tangled up with feisty redhead Amelia Duer. Being a redhead myself, I had to chuckle at one point in the story where a comment is made about redheaded women in general being "insidious" LOL

Amelia runs her father's charter fishing business since her father decided to take up part time work in a boat repair shop. Running the shop serves as a perfect excuse for Amelia to keep a close eye on her dad as he recovers from a recent heart attack. She grew up in the kind of family where her father never got the son he wanted, so he raised her as he would a boy, turning her into his "fishing buddy", as he liked to think of her. Developing that bond early on has served them well now as they move into the adult phase of parent-child friendship.

Braeden's first impression of her is that she's not terribly feminine but certainly admirably gutsy and "tough as a sea barnacle"... the type of compliment that wants to make you say, "Thanks.. I think...". When Braeden rents out a boat shed property without first informing Amelia, she ends up nearly taking him out with a harpoon! (A simple misunderstanding... you'll see.... )

Braeden loves a life full of adventure and wild experiences while Amelia is all about having stability and a home & community where she can firmly root. She has reasons for insisting on a firm home base: she lost her mother to cancer and her sister to a drunk driver, leading to Amelia becoming the guardian of her five year old nephew, Max, who is battling leukemia. Max's father is also in the Coast Guard... or at least was... his role in this story is sort of that of "deadbeat dad who abandoned the family".

Trying to do her best, Amelia is struggling with Max while he works this phase where he answers all her instructions with "you're not my real mom". There's added pressure on her since she took out loans against her father's business to cover the cost of Max's chemo treatments. Now finding herself unbelievably stressed out and deeply in debt, there's an added layer of tension since her remaining family members grow to see her as someone generally too salty to associate with.

While the arrival of Braeden is an unexpected upset to the routine at first, he proves to be a nice distraction from all the heavier dealings in Amelia's days. There IS something about him that she can't help but be drawn to, but thanks to the whole situation with Max's father, Amelia also happens to have a bit of a chip on her shoulder when it comes to Coast Guard fellas. Then there's the difference in faith between them -- While Amelia finds great comfort in fellowship, Braeden isn't much of a church-goer (but he has his reasons for being so).

Braeden unknowingly finds the ways to her heart ... largely by just being himself. He shows willingness to spend so much quality time with Max (such as teaching him how to swim), helping Amelia's sister, Beatrice aka "Honey" navigate out of her own Coast Guard romance gone sour, AND encourages Amelia to pursue art as a career, at the very least as a side gig. While she does love creating paintings of local seascapes and townspeople, Amelia has strong fears of taking her work public... but perhaps with Braeden's support to bolster her, anything is possible!

This is one well-balanced romance! It's part of Harlequin's "Love Inspired" line, so there are Christian themes mildly discussed within the plot, while also incorporating plenty of humor and warm & cuddly courtship scenes. Sometimes titles within this line tend to run a bit heavy on the sap but this one got it just right. To balance out the sweet, there are more serious topics woven in. Max's story as he battles leukemia has its bittersweet notes, but not to Afterschool Special levels. Still, that scene with Max getting attached to a Black Lab only to be told maybe a dog isn't a great idea, and him snapping back with "I'm gonna die anyway"... Kid put a chip in this heart of mine! Then there's the tough moments that circle Coast Guard life itself --- the blessings of ships ceremony where a bell is rung for each crew member lost to sea, and the intensity that builds around responding to mayday calls. It's all in here!

By story's close, the reader is left waiting to hear the results of Max's latest tests... but since he makes an appearance in Book 2, it looks like the prognosis is good!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good book about 2 people learning to let the past go and take a chance on what God has in store for them. I loved Braden and Amelia. I loved learning about their pasts and why they were the people they were today. I loved how Braden fought for Amelia. I really just loved their story especially the ending. I enjoyed learning about the Coast guard and the Tidewater accent. I grew up in Maryland not far from where this book is set on the eastern shore of Virginia. I didn't even know about the tidewater accent. I enjoyed this book and can't wait to start the next one.

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the storyline, but why, oh why, can't there ever be a straightforward love story, without all the major misunderstandings?

There was also too much

- nickname calling - constant 'shore girl', 'coastie', etc. Do people really talk like that all the time?

- rank name - Boatswain's Mate First Class Petty Officer - really? And that's BEFORE adding his name on the end. Good grief, your victim will be long dead before you even get the dude's attention!

[Kim hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved how the characters came together.

[Ranie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very sweet story about sacrificing one's happiness, learning to trust and accepting love!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Lisa Carter and I loved it. It was well written and engaging. I loved this story of love, forgiveness, and learning to trust God.

[The Glassed And The Furious · Rating 1 out of 5]

Something about the writing style just didn't work for me. It was too detached and too bland. Also a lot of random stuff is crammed into very few pages with little to no rational transitions which interrupts any reading flow. I just didn't like it and gave up in chapter 5.

[Barbara Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read, but not as complex or rich as some of Carter's other works.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2
Braeden Scott is a coast guard officer who loves his carefree lifestyle and his sailboat: 'The Trouble with Redheads'. He's recently been assigned a post in a quaint little town on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. It's an assignment he's not looking forward to, until he meets up with Amelia Duer. Amelia has sacrificed a lot for her family; caring for her dad, keeping the family business going, as well as parenting her nephew, Max. She's set aside her dreams for their sake. When Braeden and Amelia first meet sparks fly. She knows what coasties are like and she is not getting involved again. Braeden knows red heads are trouble, as his boat name implies. Marriage is not for him. But as Braeden spends more time with Amelia, he begins to realize there is more to her than meets the eye. He begins to picture hearth and home with this special lady. He also begins to see why she loves this little village and the folks in it so much. As Amelia spends time with Braeden she begins to see how Braeden cares and interacts with her and Max; his kind, gentle and teasing ways make her think that dreams maybe can come true. She begins to realize he's not like the other coasties. But troubled waters lie ahead. Will their faith and relationship be strong enough to see them through?

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I felt like I was by the sea and could hear the waves crashing against the shore. The folks you'll meet quickly find their way into your heart. Braeden was my favorite kind of hero. A self-confident guy with a heart of gold, yet not perfect. Amelia was likable but very frustrating. She had some real issues with self-esteem and fear, but as frustrating as Amelia was, I could totally understand why she was like that and easily relate to some of the things she dealt with. I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction and romantic tension between Amelia and Braeden. There were plenty of sigh-worthy moments. Max is a boy who will definitely win your heart with his antics. The story is a great reminder that we need to have faith instead of fear; trust that God knows best. Alright then, grab your deck shoes and suntan lotion and sail away to Virginia's Eastern Shore and see for yourself, what the Coast Guard Courtship is all about.

*This complimentary copy was provided by Harlequin through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

For more information about this book or other books by Lisa Carter, I encourage you to visit his website http://www.lisacarterauthor.com/

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The atmosphere is total and believable in this Chesapeake Bay romance. A new Coast Guard officer arrives in a small town and to help the prickly townsfolk accept him he stays with a family. The family now run charter boats and nature watching tours, since all the fish have been eaten.

The red-haired outnumber other persons in this town, and the daughter of the family is as fiery by nature, a rugged outdoorswoman with a hidden artistic talent. She's raising her nephew, whose parents were killed at sea. The little lad is a great character but at only five he's already got serious illness, which seems like a lot of trouble for one family to bear. Around here, Coasties are regarded as fly-by-nights, who'll romance a girl and take off to another posting. The newcomer will have his work cut out to make a strong woman look at him twice. Even if he does look great in uniform.

I enjoyed all the talk of crab pots, bait buckets, shore birds and tides. The atmosphere is wonderfully portrayed with occasional action at sea. What sticks out like a sore thumb however is that the heroine jumps into the sea wearing Wellington boots when someone is in difficulties. No way a daughter of a fishing family would do this. She would know that boots fill with water and drag the wearer down. She'd shuck them off in seconds and make her jump, no thought required.

Otherwise this is a fine read and anyone interested in the locality or a romance with a difference should pick it up. The tale is suitable for young adult readers as well and they could learn a lot.

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

I liked the characters, they had trials in their lives. They care for each other. It does has some Christian values and mentions faith in God. Is a clean read.

Amelia Duer is talented , caring, hardworking. She a caretaker too she is mothering her nephew. Helped her younger sister. She works on the family charter boat. She is a redhead.

Amelia has a lot things going for her but she also has low self image.

Max is a 5 year old that is cute. He lost his parents and has faced cancer. He wants to be treated as a normal healthy kid.

Braeden Scott is a Coast Guard Officer. He has just got transferred to Virginia. His boat is called Trouble with Redheads. He never plans to marry.

This is a good nice story. That I wondered how it would work out. There was a lot of drama with Max's health, losing there boat and other things.

I was given this ebook to read from Net Galley and Harlequin. In return I agreed to give a honest review.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coast Guard Courtship was a sweet, contemporary story. I liked both of the main characters a lot, as well as the whole Duer family. I enjoyed the setting of the book, though I've never been there it felt as though the author knew from personal experience about the setting (which she did) and that's one of the reasons it felt so authentic. The ending was great, especially for a Love Inspired novel as sometimes they can feel so rushed. I definitely recommend this book to fans of contemporary Christian fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book to review. I was asked to give my honest opinion of the book - which I have done.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book caught my eye for two reasons. I live in Tidewater Virginia and been part of the Coast Guard family for over 30 years. This book is Christian fiction but not preachy. Everyone can enjoy this love story set on a small island in the Chesapeake bay. Well written and very correct on its military content and the beautiful Eastern Shore.

[Patty Champion · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this title. It is set on the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. I enjoyed how the author reminded us that we need to give our worries to god. i enjoyed the insights on the coast guard. I will recommend this title to all my romance customers

[Susan Vance · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Bree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice story, a little unrealistic tho. Liked part of story on coast guard.