Coasts & Coworkers

by Amanda Tero Matthews

Working together was required. Falling in love with her sister’s ex wasn’t.

Natalia O’Brien makes a living writing other people’s stories. But when she’s assigned to write the biographical history of Everwild Island on a tight deadline, she feels completely unqualified.

Accepting help from Noah Lester is the only solution … except he’s her sister’s ex-fiancé.

Noah’s broken engagement to Gianna taught him to keep his distance from complicated situations, and Natalia definitely qualifies. But with a promotion on the line, he accepts the project.

As they dig into Everwild’s past, Natalia begins to challenge the doubts she’s carried for years, and Noah starts to see her for who she really is.

Working together is risky. Falling in love would be even riskier.

Escape to Everwild Island in this clean, faith-filled beach read with workplace romance, complicated family dynamics, and Biblical love.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Romance, Christian

Unknown Binding

Expected publication July 31, 2026

About the author

Amanda Tero loves getting lost in the world of fiction. If she’s not reading or listening to audiobooks, then she’s working on her own stories and worlds.

She writes YA Christian fiction under Amanda Tero (best known for A Strand of Hope and Tales of Faith), clean Christian beach romances under Amanda Tero Matthews (coming in 2026), and co-authors Christian cozy mysteries under Chelsea Michelle (2025 Selah Awards finalist, Transactions We Expose).

Find free stories & subscriber to her newsletter at amandatero.com/newsletter

Also, follow her on Instagram @amandaterobooks

Reviews

[Amanda Matthews]

My first Amanda Tero Matthews' book is about to be released to the wild!

[Hannah Foster]

This was a refreshing, enjoyable, and encouraging contemporary romance.

While I didn’t always connect with Natalia and her weepiness, I definitely understood why she was so insecure. I loved watching Noah and Natalia slowly learn to work together. I also loved seeing their faith and the way Noah started helping Natalia through her insecurities.

I was really mad at Noah toward the end. Like really, Noah! You knew better!

This was such a sweet, slow-burn romance, and I loved that there was so much more to the relationship than just appearances or physical attraction. There was also depth, faith, healing, growth, grace, forgiveness and so much more. I loved all the Christian themes and that the author did not shy away from writing the truth. I want to see more of this in Christian fiction!

The setting was so lovely, immersive, and picturesque! Like I need to go to that Island now.

Can’t wait to read more in this series! And so glad I had the opportunity to be on the arc team.

*I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Leah (faithfulreadingcorner) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coasts and Coworkers is a contemporary romance set on the fictional vacation island called Everwild.

I liked this book enough to give it 3⭐️
While the romance wasn’t my favorite, I did really like the beautiful island setting, as well as the faith themes throughout this story. I loved how the author highlighted God’s love for us despite our actions and imperfections.

I don’t normally read contemporary fiction, so I thought I’d give this one a try. Personally, I couldn’t connect with the characters or their situations but they may resonate with others. 🩵

*I received an arc from the author; all opinions are my own

[Rylie Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this so fast. It really had me hooked from the first page. I enjoyed the Christian themes and growth the characters went through throughout the storyline.

This is a no spice Christian romance with no language. It has on page prayer, they go to church together, and it does not contain any language.

Very cute and clean read. Thank you so much to the author for letting me read this ARC 🫶

[✧*̥˚ Jordyn *˚✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

┈ ⋞ 〈 Coast & Coworkers 〉 ⋟ ┈ ★★★☆☆ 3.5 (was unsure whether to round up or not)

╰┈➤ This book was the perfect length to read if you need an easier bite to read. I loved the themes of biblical & true + sacrificial love. The author really pulled off forbidden love without making it feel weird, which made me so happy to see.

I absolutely loved the strong Christian themes in this book. It’s not enough that we see a sermon on page (and one that keeps your interest at that). And I loved how the characters read their bibles often, and took off for the sabbath.

I also LOVED the atmosphere. I was completely transported to the island, and all of the charming and charismatic shops and focal points. Each shop owner felt very real and original, and very small town charm. I couldn’t help but crave their coffees, pastries, burgers, and fries.

My favorite scene was definitely the bike scene 😌🚲
The romance was nicely paced, and I enjoyed the dual pov.

However, the start of the book felt a little hard to get into. The first chapter was a nice start, but afterwards it was a little hard for me to connect to.
And then some little things mentioned struck me as odd (including an insinuation that real men don’t cry). I didn’t lower my rating bc of that nit pick, but it just gave me the ick.
I feel like I also just didn’t always love how the mmc treated the fmc. I know he was in love, but his internal voice didn’t seem to always seem the kindest towards her. It felt more like the love was completely physical and based off of looks sometimes (I know that wasn’t completely the case, but I think it could’ve had more depth maybe).

Overall it was a very sweet reading that kept me smiling. If you’re into hallmark, forced proximity, forbidden love, small beach town vibes, and enjoy having open faith on the page then you’ll enjoy this book!

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Content: toxic relationship, one slap, noting how curves fall on an outfit of the fmc, a couple kisses (not very described other than mostly passionate)

Special thanks to the author for my complimentary ARC. I was not required to leave a review, all thoughts are happily my own :)

[Sarah Rhomberg]

Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I expected a cute, clean and easy read, and the author came through with precisely that! I made it through this book in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it.

The length of this novel positively surprised me, as did the worldbuilding the author did surrounding the island the story is set on.

The characters were a little stereotypical (think "insecure girl meets hurt guy"), but I suppose that's a part of it being a romcom. A detail that generally bothers me in books is when random characters later on turn out to be Christians, as was the case in this novel. But hey, that can be overlooked.

If you're looking for a clean Christian romance that focusses on character growth instead of explicit scenes, give this one a try.

I'm looking forward to the next book (and will probably be rereading this one at some point too)!

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coast and Coworkers is a sweet, faith themed romance that buds between two coworkers. I enjoyed reading Natalia and Noah’s story. There was a beautiful lesson to be learned in this story. Actually, there were many beautiful life lessons. I definitely got frustrated near end but the story unfolded beautifully.

[Menallie Slusher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really cute book! I think the romance flowed well, the Christianity felt real and not cheesy.
The timing of everything went well and I think that the boundaries talk was well written and felt real

[Clean Book Hoarders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am always a sucker for a bookish book, and this is no exception! This is a romance, but is really about biblical love and how that applies to all relationships. This was an entertaining story with great faith themes and lessons. There are some tougher scenes in the book (emotional/verbal abuse and manipulation) but feel needed for the lesson to hit home. I really loved the island and its history and am looking forward to continuing on in the series! 5⭐️

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Trudy Cordle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Noah and Natalia's story!! Noah dated Natalia's older half-sister, Gianna, but broke it off a week before they were to marry. All three of them work for the same publishing company, but in different departments. Now, Natalia and Noah are tasked with writing the history of Everwild Island, GA. Their timeline is just a few days over a month. The more time they spend together, the more Noah sees how different Gianna and Natalia are, and Noah realizes he wants to see Natalia come out of her shell and be the woman God created her to be. Natalia feels like Noah sees her, and he's helping her to see how God loves us, and that she's been seeing herself wrong. When Gianna manages to get Noah to rethink everything he's come to know about Natalia, Natalia realizes she can still finish what she set out to do, and that she's not has hopeless as Gianna made her think she was. When Noah comes to his senses, he realizes he really wants a second chance with Natalia. He realizes that if it's God's will, he'll be able to get that second change. Love how things work out, and that Natalia does come to realize that standing up for herself and having confidence in herself isn't be selfish, and that God didn't create her to be a doormat or a whipping post to her sister.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, was not required to leave a review, and the opinion expressed is my own.

[Rebekah Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! The characters were so real. They weren’t perfect, but they were growing. Noah’s struggles of thinking Natalia is just like her sister and how he had to learn that such thinking and his attitude toward her weren’t Christian was so good. And Natalia’s struggle to learn what true love really is and that it was okay to set boundaries just made me want to hug her!
I loved the setting! Such a lovely, beautiful place!
I did get a bit mad at Noah toward the end. I wanted to step into the pages and tell him a thing or two, but he knew the truth and just chose not to acknowledge it for a time, but it didn’t last long and he got straightened out.
The ending made me smile!
This is a sweet, clean, Christian romance story. Only a few kisses that weren’t descriptive. I really appreciated that the author made Christianity a real part of the story and characters. It didn’t just have a verse or two or a couple prayers tossed in to call it Christian, but it was a vital aspect of who the characters were and their relationship.
And can I just thank the author for not making the relationship based on how someone looked but on character?

[Chloe Field · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guys, I didn't even have time to update the shelf for this book to "Currently Reading"! Just as I was craving a clean, faith-filled contemporary romance, God sent this ARC my way + I read it within a few hours this afternoon/evening. ☺️

This story is beautiful.

I don't know how else to put it! 😂

The island is gorgeous, all the locations came alive for me, and the characters are just so well-developed! I have an incredible amount of respect for all the worldbuilding the author did to be able to craft this story well. The backstory truly gave it such depth + believability that I wish more books had. 🫶

I also loved how Natalia + Noah's relationship slowly built over time (!), leading up to *spoiler alert* their first kiss, which is just so sweet + perfect. 🥹💕

I highly recommend this book.

Clean, no spice romance; no language; a few kisses, non-detailed.

I received an ARC copy from the author to review, but all thoughts are my own. I am not required to leave a positive review.

[Anna |This Curly Girl Reads| · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have loved reading Amanda’s co-authored series The Watson Twin Mysteries, so I was thrilled when I heard she was writing her first romance 😍

Though it’s a beachy love story, it’s not shallow 😉 But seriously, the characters—especially Natalia—have some serious things to work through. I also appreciated how they lived out their Christianity. There were some tough scenes (every one included Natalia’s horrible sister!), but there were also some really awesome real life Christian walk moments. I loved that! I also adored the “bonus” section at the end that included some of the research Natalia and Noah “went through”. It really was a fun addition!

Read if you enjoy…
🌊Beach settings
🌊Enemies to love
🌊Writer stories
🌊Family History
🌊Overcomers

Coasts and Coworkers is such a sweet romance! Definitely add it to your TBR. I am looking forward to the rest of the series❤️

Content: family (mostly verbal) abuse and manipulation

*I received an advanced reading copy from the authors. I wasn’t required to leave a review ❤️

[Schlabach Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the author asked me to read this, in exchange for an honest review, she gave the synopsis, which sounded like quite the interesting tea, and it didn't dissapoint. The drama of a sister's ex fiancée was one I've never seen in a story before. The sister was a narcissist to her core, which was painful to see and man, if there were ever a time I'd want to smack a fictional character, it was Gianna. Grrrrrr. Haha. But all joking aside, Natalia and Noah both suffered at the hands of Gianna, and as a result they botg needed to figure out the true meaning of love, which was displayed in a healthy way. The island story and characters all felt genuine and lovable, the beach scenes were fun, and the faith content was good. Thank you to the author for my gifted ebook. This is my honest review. Content: a narcissist sister, loss of parent via abandonment, a distant mother or is detached from her kids.
Romance: kisses, hugs, hand holding only.
Faith: present.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet story that drew me in from the start. I read this book in a day, if that tells you anything!

I really loved all of the focus on faith throughout the book. Both main characters pray a LOT, especially Noah. Natalia had a lot to work through due to a toxic relationship with her sister, and even though it sort of started as an enemies to lovers situation, he was so helpful, patient, and encouraging. The author did a great job with this book.. I was literally so annoyed with Natalia’s sister. She was AWFUL. Lol. I absolutely loved the setting. The beach, the little shops. It makes me want to go on an island vacation.

There were themes of setting boundaries in toxic relationships, the definition of true love, dealing with insecurities, and following your dreams.

There was no spice and no language.
I received this as an ARC and all opinions

[Ysabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why I love this book:
- Noah
- Natalia
- Noah and Natalia 🥹
- The fact that they're both writers
- The tension (between them and between them and... one specific character)
- The emotions and healing from trauma (A little embarrassed to admit I cried... but yes, I cried. Both Natalia and Noah resonate strong with me.)
- The fact that this is a Christian book and the author did not give a sermon

This is a no-spice clean romance, completely wholesome, and no, that does not mean it's boring. Butterflies in my stomach? Darling, this gave me fireworks.

I savored every page of this book, and my only regret is that it wasn't longer... so after finishing it I reread it twice.😂

*I am part of the launch team of this book and received an ARC. Opinion is my own.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Coast & Coworkers by Amanda Tero Matthews. This is the beginning of a new series and I enjoyed visiting Everwild Island with its beautiful scenery. Getting to meet some of the residents and businesses while Natalia and Noah work on a special project together was fun. Watching Natalia and Noah go from "not interested in ever dating each other" to more was very interesting. There are wonderful faith elements involving love and forgiveness and boundaries. Being able to follow their dreams and getting a happy ending left me with a sigh and a smile. I'm looking forward to what comes next in this series!

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

Yay! I have another favourite to add to my ever-growing shelf! Amanda has written such a beautiful story with flawed characters on a journey to find peace and grace. She has woven throughout her book God's love and forgiveness and how that plays out in our lives. Noah and Natalia start their journey confused by the lies they have been told by others, but along this journey come to understand who they are in Christ and how to live that everyday! I was constantly swept away by the beauty of the island and I just loved reading this sweet romance!
By the way, there were moments where I was stressed out to the eyeballs, because the manipulation is WILD!!! So please, fully prepare for your heartstrings to be tugged!

Moments I loved the most:
⛪️ the church service
⛱️ picnic on the beach
🚲 learning to ride a bike
😔 the way Noah responded when Natalia was overwhelmed
☕️ Pepper's Pot drinks menu
🥐 acts of service

Content guide:
Language - dang, darn,4 gosh x6, heck x3, golly x4, "holy mackerel" as a shop name, unspoken curses

Sexual content - not detailed kisses, barely detailed kiss

Other content - possible trigger warning for emotion abuse (Natalia's sister is manipulative to both her and Noah)

[Anna Scovel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been a long while since I read a book where the romance was the main plot. I love a good subplot romance, but I was interested in this because I’ve been enjoying some of this authors other books this year. I liked it. It was fun and quick to read. I thought the concept worked. The main characters had interesting flaws, and the antagonist really worked! (She’s awful.) The ending was sweet and satisfying.

I usually go for a little more complicated and/or gritty, but if you are looking for something light and fun, add this to your list!

I received a free copy of this book (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.

[Kimberly Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of this book for submitting an honest review.

I enjoyed the storyline and the characters. Both characters demonstrated growth throughout the book; I found myself feeling the angst of them working through their challenges. I could picture the island and the history the author developed to be able to give the book the foundation was another highlight. I will definitely read more by this author.

[Sharon S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet book by Amanda Tero Matthews.
Noah and Natalia are on the assignment to write a book about the island, Everwild. It’s owned by a billionaire who wants the book done in a month.
Natalia is Noah’s ex’s half sister so things are tense to begin with.
Sweet story about misconceptions and misunderstandings that can lead to new friendship and maybe more.
*I received this as an ARC reader and am leaving my unbiased review.

[Arie N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was refreshing to read. With the conversations about faith and turning to God was encouraging. Although I do not normally read contemporary romances, it was a fun little book to read.
I may not have related to Natalia, I did towards Noah.
The only reason this was not a 5 star read for me was that it lagged in a few places and felt a little fast in others.
Overall, it was a decent read and I would recommend it to others.

[Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coasts and coworkers is an amazing faith filled book. I loved Noah and Natalia's story and learned a lot from the story. There were many funny parts that made me giggle, and so many times, I learned something new. I loved seeing the characters grow and deal with certain struggles they had from a Biblical perspective. I would totally recommend this amazing faith filled story. 🤗

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book! The island of Everwild was easy to fall into with the beautiful descriptions of the scenery and residents. Natalia and Noah were characters that were able to bloom and develop. To overcome pasts and rebuild futures. This is a clean romance and I would definitely recommend this book!
I received a copy of this book from the author, but my review is my own.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coasts & Coworkers was a refreshing romantic novel. I enjoyed Everwild island and would love to visit, if it were a real location! The island was attractive because it had a small town feel with the added bonus of the beach. It was a joy to watch Natalia and Noah's relationship grow from mere professional tolerance to a loving romance. The characters and the issues they faced were realistic and met with faith. They didn't always respond to God's leading immediately, just like real life, but they did mature and make better choices. Meanwhile, there was some delightful humor mixed in with the "working vacation". I am a part of the ARC program AND I fully endorse this book. It brought a smile to my face and left me longing to return!!

[Jenny Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful Christian novel, set on an island, that delved into family dynamics, relationships, and overcoming difficulties through prayer. The story was lovely and well-crafted. It made me aspire to vacation on Everwild!

[Kim Hampton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy from the author for editing/review purposes. My opinion is my own. Recommended for anyone who enjoys contemporary Christian romance.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

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