When literary agent Tracy Ratcliffe travels to the sleepy village of Wentworth Cove, Maine, for a much-needed vacation, the most excitement she's expecting is a sunset walk along the beach. Instead, she hears about a portrait of a woman who looks suspiciously like her that has hung in the local art gallery for years, even though she's never set foot in Wentworth Cove before.
Tracy also meets handsome Nathan Norsworthy, a moody aspiring novelist who takes her breath away. Nathan helps her deal with the suspicion that the man she knew and loved as her father probably wasn't. That is, until she begins to suspect that Nathan is using her to break into the world of publishing.
Rebecca Stevenson is a native Texan, but marriage took her to New England and the Maine coast stole her heart. She lives in Texas again, but frequent trips back to the Northeast were the inspirations and settings for her four-book Wentworth Cove series.
A former English and creative writing teacher, she thought if she could teach writing, she should be able to do it. Those thoughts and some brainstorming sessions with her daughter led to her first novel, Another Summer, set in a picturesque coastal village in Maine. From that debut novel, the Wentworth Cove series was born.
The four-book Trinity Springs series came about from a desire to write about her home state of Texas—replete with horses, ranches, and line dancing.
She’s currently working on the first book in a new series set in a lakeside village in New Hampshire.
Workaholic Tracy Ratcliffe is convinced to take a much needed vacation from her job as a literary agent. Her mother suggests a month in a small cottage in Wentworth Cove, Maine. Although it’s very unlike her, Tracy rents Grayson Cottage, turns off her cell phone and leaves big city Boston behind. She plans to truly “get away from it all”.
Tracy is immediately enchanted by the small town and the friendly people, with one exception. Aspiring author Nathan Norsworthy, her neighbor’s son, is very rude and not very welcoming. However, Tracy can’t help but be attracted to the man, but fears he could be using her to get into publishing.
To add to Tracy’s suspicions, several people in town hint that she seems familiar to them. Although she was never in Wentworth Cove before, Tracy is shocked to discover a portrait that bears a striking resemblance to herself. She begins asking questions and not getting answers to her liking. Tracy wonders if it had been a mistake to visit this little town or if her world is about to be turned upside down.
I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, but this story drew me right in. I desperately wanted to be in Wentworth Cove as the author painted a beautiful picture of the quaint town and swept me right into it alongside Tracy.
This is a fast-paced story with realistic characters. My only complaint is that the book isn’t longer. I would have liked to delve more into the characters. I’m hoping one of the secondary characters, Maggie, gets her own story. I just know there is more to be told there.
It’s a well written, sweet romance that is perfect for summer reading. Actually, it would be excellent reading any time of year, but summer time is even better. This is a delightful book to read at the beach or by a pool.
FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
What could go wrong when a beautiful literary agent and a sexy aspiring writer attract? They may get delightfully complicated and deliciously romantic! I was hooked! This is a sweet love story with a little mystery that unravels as Tracy Ratcliffe discovers a secret from the past. The delightful village of Wentworth Cove has more than one surprise in store for her. Is her father really the man who raised her? Does the writer with the amazing eyes really like her or is he just looking to get his book published? It’s a plot that keeps you turning pages. I enjoyed the well-developed, likable characters and the beautiful setting along the New England coastline. It really makes me want to visit coastal Maine. My only complaint is that it ended too soon! Stevenson better give us a sequel! This is a clean romantic read I definitely recommend.
In short, 4.5 stars out of 5. Stevenson draws the reader in and creates a wonderful sense of place, both in Maine and in the characters' lives. Her Christian faith is infused in the story and comes across as genuine, not preachy; the story is clean, thought-provoking, and well-written.
Stevenson does a fabulous job of bringing the small cove town - and nearby cities - to life, and characters are developed well. The ending was somewhat abrupt, perhaps because I hadn't been keeping track of how far along I was; I reached it and just went, "What?! It can't be over!" :) But I was gratified to note that, despite its surprise, it didn't tie up all the loose ends perfectly without any question. There's still an element of ambiguity left to the reader, and unlike many other romance novels - spoiler alert!! - there's not a marriage proposal. That, for a change, made me very happy; the characters have known each other such a short time that it would have come across contrived and unrealistic.
Much of the book involves discussions about and visits to libraries and bookstores - always up my alley! :)
I received a free copy of the book to review and was not paid for this review. All opinions are 100% my own.
For an almost 30 year old woman who has made her way up the ladder in the hard, "dog eat dog" world of publishing, the main character is a hapless innocent. She vacations at her mother's insistence, a mother with whom she has a cordial, if distant relationship. She still hasn't recovered from the death of her father, 10 years earlier. I spent a fair amount of time wanting to shake some sense into her. When a mystery presents itself, instead of asking questions and following up, she runs away...remember, she's a 30 year old, not 6 year old. Of course, had she done the adult thing, the book would have been 2 chapters long!
When Tracy's mother talks her into taking a vacation, and books her a cottage, Tracy has no idea what she will do in this small town in Maine. Within days, Tracy meets some terrific friends, and Nathan. Her world gets turned upside down. Is that good or bad? Depends. Great heart-warming story. I really enjoyed it.
Light romance story. Main character a little annoying in the way she jumped to conclusions on many occasions. I understand this was the plot line in the story but it was a little much. Wentworth Cove sounds like a great place to live or visit.
The author grabbed me from the beginning…and never let go! She writes so convincing that the characters in the book become so real! I look forward to her next offering.
This is an easy, refreshing story about a woman, Tracy, who takes a much needed break for a month in a small town in Maine. She encounters a mysterious man, whom she is not impressed with. While there, she also discovers a secret from her past, that shakes her to her core.
I loved the soothing, nostalgic dialogue and characters, as well as the setting. Tracy seemed much older than thirty in some regards, yet she was quick to assume and jump to conclusions, which helped her seem more her age and not as mature as I first thought. She has a way about her that draws friends to her and I enjoyed watching those friendships bloom, between those older than her and those much younger than her. She's a very likable character.
The first woman she meets is a neighbor, Kate. Kate makes everyone feel at ease, including the reader. She's very stable, accepting, and friendly. I loved unraveling the little mysteries, right along with Tracy. I really enjoyed Nathan and his family as well.
A few of the characters felt similar to me. It was clear who was speaking, but they often blended into one another because their voices were so alike. The pro to that is I really liked all but one character and the con is that I really wanted them all to be more unique.
I would love to visit Maine someday. The imagery was really beautiful and it was a great story.
Content: a vague, possible affair from the past; mild kissing; Clean!
*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*
Literary agent Tracy Ratcliffe rents a cottage in charming Wentworth Cove, Maine, for a month, to “get away from it all” and relax. “Grayson Cottage was smaller, but more charming, than she’d imagined; a butter yellow clapboard with white trim, window boxes full of ruby red geraniums, pink and white dahlias lining a short curved stone walkway from the street to the front door.”
Tracy is charmed by the delightful town and its friendly people, but a certain feeling of unease begins to grow when a couple of the townspeople seem to recognize her. She discovers a portrait that bears a striking resemblance to her. She wonders about the circumstances of her mother’s visit 30 years earlier – another summer. Enter tall, dark, handsome, but taciturn Nathan Norsworthy and the stage is set for an engaging read.
I felt that I knew Tracy personally and could relate to her as she muses “what was it about dark wooden shelves filled with books that made her heart skip a beat?”
I loved the descriptions of Maine with its quaint villages, sandy beaches, rocky coast, sunsets, and delicious clam chowder. And what a perfect book cover - a young woman looking out at the endless ocean!
It is an excellent debut novel with stories left untold, I think. I’d like to know more about Maggie and John.
The novel flows well, is a quick, easy read, and entirely clean.
Overall, I liked this novel and thought it was a pleasant read. The characters were likable - perhaps too perfect in some cases - and the main character very prone to jumping to conclusions. The hero - as per tradition - was gorgeous, but I would have liked him to be a little harder to catch! I thought his occupation was delightful and full marks to the author for bringing something different to the plot.
The writing could have been much tighter and the author or editor should have cut out some of the repetition - there were instances of Tracy going working the same thoughts over and over - and over - which is understandable but she flew off at tangents very easily - and there could have been a lot more tension generated. IMO, the author could have made a lot more of the plot with more depth and mystery. The solution - no spoilers! - came almost too easily, but I did like the ending and what it implied for the relationships between the characters.
On her mother's recommendation, Tracy arrives in coastal Maine for a needed get away vacation. As she discovers the sleepy little village of Wentworth Cove, she meets locals and make friends, including writer Nathan. When several people remark about how familiar she looks, she wonders about the circumstances of her mother's visit 30 years before.
As she tries to learn information about her mother's previous visit, she discovers questions and her assumptions about the answers aren't what she wants to know. Will learning the answers bring her peace or discomfort?
While I found Tracy's reactions frustrating at times, the story was a sweet, clean read and easily finished in one sitting. I would have loved some more character and story depth, but this is a sweet story, perfect for an afternoon at the beach or in front of a fire.
I enjoyed this story. It was a sweet and very clean romance with a hint of mystery surrounding the painting that was thought to have been of Tracy's mother. And the mystery surrounding the summer her mother spent in Wentworth before Tracy was born.
The relationship between Tracy and Kate was great. I loved the way that Kate took Tracy under her wing and showed her such kindness without any expectations.
This should be the title of this unbelievable lead character's personality which could not be made up for with the over dramatic landscapes or love from out of nowhere from one of the genuine characters written out of the Norsworthy family. Kate lived in her on little world and expected everyone else to revolve around her and I am afraid that is not how it works in a real world.
Rebecca Stevenson creates a lovely way to escape in Another Summer. I enjoyed the setting. The characters are well developed and interesting, and the romance is fun. This is a great summer read--or a great read for when you wish it was summer!