There’s another high school reunion taking place on the shores of Barefoot Bay and it’s bringing some timeless romance to the beach…When forty-eight year old widower Mark Solomon arrives in Barefoot Bay for his high school reunion, he’s not quite prepared for the onslaught of memories or the attention from interested single women who’ve gathered for the annual event on the beach. He’s ready to ditch the whole thing and resume his life as an adventure-seeking world traveler until he discovers a woman sobbing on his doorstep…and has an idea. By her own admission, advertising copywriter Emma DeWitt is jaded, jilted, and jobless, but she goes over the edge when she learns that the resort villa that was supposed to be the site of her romantic honeymoon is occupied by a single man. But when the sexy silver fox whose staying in the villa surprises her with an irresistible offer to pose as his fake fiancée, Emma sees a way to have her week in paradise and begin healing her broken heart. Mark believes every person has only one soul mate…and he’s met, married, and buried his. Emma believes that love is a marketing concept created to sell fairy tales and expensive weddings. What if they are both wrong…and completely right for each other?About the Barefoot Bay Series by New York Times Bestselling Author Roxanne St. ClaireOn these sun-washed shores of this tropical paradise, you’ll meet heroes who’ll steal your heart, heroines who’ll make you stand up and cheer, and characters who quickly become familiar and beloved. Some are spicy, some are sweet, but every book in the Barefoot Bay series stands alone, and tempts readers to come back again and again. So, kick off your shoes and fall in love with billionaires, brides, bodyguards, silver foxes, and more…all on one dreamy island.Every book in the series is a stand-alone romance!1 – Secrets on the Sand2 – Seduction on the Sand3 – Scandal on the Sand4 – Barefoot in White5 – Barefoot in Lace6 – Barefoot in Pearls 7 – Barefoot Bound 8 – Barefoot with a Bodyguard 9 – Barefoot with a Stranger 10 – Barefoot with a Bad Boy 11 – Barefoot Dreams 12 – Barefoot at Sunset 13 – Barefoot at Moonrise 14 – Barefoot at Midnight Critical Reviews of Roxanne St. Claire Novels “St. Claire, as always, brings a scorching tear-up-the-sheets romance combined with a great dealing with real issues starring memorable characters in vivid scenes.” — Romantic Times Magazine “Non-stop action, sweet and sexy romance, lively characters, and a celebration of family and forgiveness.” — Publishers Weekly “Plenty of heat, humor, and heart!” — USA Today’s Happy Ever After blog “The writing was perfectly on point as always and the pace of the story was flawless. But be forewarned that you will laugh, cry, and sigh with happiness. I sure did.” — www.harlequinjunkies.com “The Barefoot Bay series is an all-around knockout, soulsatisfying read. Roxanne St. Claire writes with warmth and heart and the community she’s built at Barefoot Bay is one I want to visit again and again.” — Mariah Stewart, New York Times bestselling author “This book stayed with me long after I put it down.” — All About RomanceAbout the AuthorPublished since 2003, Roxanne St. Claire is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than fifty romance and suspense novels. She has written several popular series, including The Dogfather, Barefoot Bay, the Guardian Angelinos, and the Bullet Catchers.In addition to being an ten-time nominee and one-time winner of the prestigious RITA™ Award for the best in romance writing, Roxanne has won the National Reader’s Choice Award for best romantic suspense four times.
I don’t know about you, but when I check out an author's bio, it’s usually because I’ve read a book I liked and wondered about the person behind it. Let's skip the formal bio and I'll give you the inside scoop on who Roxanne St. Claire really is.
First of all, call me Rocki. Everyone does. Evidently, when my mother brought me home from the hospital I seemed too scrawny and small to pull off “Roxanne” (she’d read Cyrano de Bergerac while pregnant or I would have been Judy) so they called me Rocki.
I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, the youngest of five (overachievers, every one), and fell in love with words and stories the summer I read Gone With The Wind. That year, for my twelfth birthday, my parents gave me a typewriter (with italic font – it was the coolest thing) and from that day on, I’ve had my fingers on a keyboard, pounding out love stories for fun. My AP English teacher taught me the two most important lessons an aspiring author ever needs: 1) verbs are the key to life and 2) a writer should get a real job. After attending UCLA and graduating with a degree in communications, I tried acting and television broadcasting. Oh, they aren’t real jobs? I learned that the hard way. I changed my last name from Zink to St. Claire because a news producer told me Roxanne Zink had too many harsh consonants for a TV personality – apparently Katie Couric didn’t get the memo. I got some fun gigs, and even met Tom Hanks when I did a guest appearance on Bosom Buddies. I liked on camera work, but wasn’t too crazy about starvation, so I moved to Boston and got that “real” job. In fact, I placed my foot on the bottom rung of the corporate ladder and didn’t look down until I’d climbed all the way up to the level of Senior Vice President at the world’s largest public relations firm. On the way up, I met the man of my dreams in an elevator. Two years later – in the same elevator! – he asked me to marry him and I wisely said yes.
I stayed in PR, moved to Miami, had a few babies, lost my home in a hurricane, built another one a few hours north and all along, I kept writing my “stories” for fun. One night, I read a particularly fabulous romance novel that changed my life for good. That night, I decided I wanted to make someone else feel as whole and happy as that author made me feel. (Everyone asks! It was Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.) With two small children and one big “real” job, writing my first novel wasn’t easy, but I did finish a manuscript that managed to get the attention of a literary agent. She told me to do one thing and one thing fast: write another book. (The first one is usually a “learner” book, honestly.) That second manuscript sold to Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books and was released in 2003 as Tropical Getaway. Since then, I’ve written almost thirty more, in multiple genres, and long ago replaced the corporate ladder with the rollercoaster of publishing as a full-time novelist. Finally, writing is my real job.
Today, I live in a small beach community in Florida with my husband and two dogs. Our kids are off to college and law school, which means my nest is empty! I spend my time writing, working with the kids at my church, enjoying my husband's gourmet cooking, and hanging with my many writer friends. Of course, I love to read. I’m still crazy about words and stories and hope to write at least a hundred books in my lifetime. And, yes, verbs are the key to life. My favorites? Love. Work. Believe.
My love of the Barefoot Bay book universe is no secret amongst my friends. I've yet to be let down and this first book in the Timeless series continues the trend.
Mark Solomon grew up on Mimosa Key, married his soulmate and lost Julia to cancer 16-years ago. He's been running away from his grief that entire time and is back at Barefoot Bay to participate in the planning for the high school's reunion of all classes. A chance meeting with recently jilted Emma DeWitt has the two of them team up to protect him from all of the single ladies interested in being the next Mrs. Solomon.
This may have started as a fake romance but it was a lovely journey to watch from the sidelines. It's a beautiful, clever and fun story that I enjoyed immensely. It was delightful to read about two mature adults coming together in spite of their shared issues. Though not angst free, they work through issues like you would hope to see between two people of an age.
I loved everything about this story and these characters. With the Casa Blanca Resort as a setting, it was just magical. It's great to be back in Barefoot Bay.
Roxanne St. Claire's several Barefoot Bay series comprise a variety of stories – some have billionaire heroes, some are centered on weddings, some have romantic suspense themes and there's even a Barefoot Bay Kindle World with other authors having the opportunity to write stories in her trademarked setting. It was actually one of those stories, Wild on the Rocks by Kiersten Hallie Krum, that led me to discover this author and her books. When I heard about the Barefoot Bay Timeless series, with main characters approaching or over 40, I knew this was a series I wanted to read.
Mark is back in Barefoot Bay for his 30th high school reunion. At 48, he's already married his high school sweetheart Julia, lived a wonderful life with her and grieved her death from cancer sixteen years earlier. He hadn't intended to come back for the reunion but whenever important decisions had to be made in his life following Julia's death he'd come to accept certain signs from her spirit, and feeling a nudge again, he's come back home. He's reconnecting with some high school friends and has been asked to help with the steering committee for the reunion that will encompass several anniversary years. What he isn't looking forward to is the sympathy and questions about Julia's death and his current marital state. When he comes across a weeping woman on the doorstep of his resort cabin his gentlemanly manners come through and he invites her in. Emma reveals to Mark that her fiance dumped her shortly before their wedding and she's come to visit the place they were supposed to have their honeymoon – and discovered that her ex canceled the reservation for the cabin that Mark is now staying in. A quick thinking Mark proposes a plan – she can stay with him in the cabin (he'll take the couch) and get her bearings again (she's not only fiance-less, she's jobless too). In return, she can pretend to be his fiance at the reunion to stop any questions about Julia and matchmaking attempts from the single ladies present. It's a perfect plan – if they can follow it through without getting too involved. When their week together is up and the reunion is over, will their new found feelings for each other be so easy to dismiss?
What a lovely story! There are definitely moments of poignancy as Mark comes to terms with being back in his home town where he met and buried his wife, but they are treated in such a way as to make the story emotional without being maudlin. Part of the story involves both Mark and Emma facing their fears. For Emma, it's her current situation of having quit her job as a copywriter when her relationship ended with the man who was also her boss. As a woman pushing forty, the idea of starting out again is daunting, but Mark makes her face that fear and consider a future branching out with her own business. For Mark, his fear is facing all those places where he and Julia used to spend time together – whether it's the church they got married in (and where her funeral was), a visit with Julia's aged father, or even walking the halls of the high school again. He always believed that Julia was his one and only soul mate, and the feelings he starts to develop for Emma, even in such a short time are worrisome. He'd never anticipated falling for another woman. But where Emma has some of the same qualities that Julia had, she's definitely her own woman. Emma is bright and smart and funny and empathetic. She makes Mark feel again, and he is challenged to let her in all the way. I really enjoyed how the story played out, how Mark and Emma dealt with the sexual attraction between them in a believable manner and how suited they were as a couple. Their love scenes are sensual and full of emotion as neither can pretend that what's happening between them is just sex. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters that we meet and the scenes where Mark is visiting some of his old haunts and realizing that they are no longer the same as his memories. This is so true for anyone over a certain age who has gone back home to visit, or has ever experienced a high school reunion. I think these touches add a lot of realism to the story and make it one with which older readers will identify. It was lovely to see Mark and Emma get their happy ending and I look forward to reading more of this series (and catching up on the author's backlist!).
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the author for review.
I can usually rely upon this author for a satisfying contemporary romance and she delivered once again! Barefoot Bay is one of my favorite places to re-visit.
I really enjoyed Mark and Emma and their romantic story. Mark's deceased wife Julia was a big player in the story and I liked how the author made her out to be fondly remembered but without a maudlin edge. All the issues were around Mark's ability to let go of the past.
You don't often get to read a romance where the main characters are over 40 so hats off to Ms. St. Claire for this refreshing change.
A beautiful contemporary romance that will leave you in awe and wishing that this Florida resort actually existed. I know I'd be on their waiting list. St Claire can bring me to tears in the best emotional way. I was a sobbing mess in one part. It's so good. A powerful love. Both past and present.
Part of a series but stands on its own. Don't be put off by initial descriptions of "silver" in his hair. He's only in his 40's while the heroine is in her 30's. Does age really matter in a riveting romance? Not when there is laughter, friendship, and commonality. If you love a good romance, this is one you don't want to miss.
Excerpt: “And right then, under the pale moon with man she’d known a little more than twenty-four hours, Emma felt her whole heart and soul slip, slide, and stumble toward something she’d never felt before. Mark believed in her, and because of that, she believed in herself.” Excerpt From: Roxanne St. Claire. “Barefoot At Sunset.”
Absolutely loved this story so much!!! All the feelings and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I absolutely love that Roxanne St. Claire has brought her readers back to Barefoot Bay with the Barefoot Bay Timeless series. As I'm not close to my own 25th high school reunion, I love reading about a little bit older hero. I absolutely loved Mark Solomon from the moment he appeared on the page.
I loved that Mark not only fell in love with his high school girlfriend, he still loved her years after she passed away. I grew up in a small town so totally got the whole concern from Mark that everyone would still bring up him and Julia at their reunion. I also loved that Mark still talked to Julia and listened to her advice all those years later. I also absolutely loved that Mark wanted to help Emma out as soon as he met her.
Emma is such a fun and strong character. I love that even though she had been jilted by her fiancée and lost her job, she still went to Barefoot Bay for her honeymoon. I loved that Mark and Emma connected so well from the very first moment they met. Yes Mark is one of those heroes who takes cares of everyone, but they also had an amazing attraction from the very beginning. I loved they didn't really rush into anything to quickly. Yes they were pretending to be engaged to one another, but they talked and connected on every single level.
I loved watching Mark and Emma fall for one another. They had absolutely amazing chemistry together and I loved them as a couple. I didn't love that Mark didn't share when he learned more about Emma's ex, but understood he wanted to protect Emma. I have to admit that as Mark and Emma grew closer to each other, I loved them more and more as a couple.
Roxanne St. Claire pulled every single emotion possible out of me while reading Barefoot at Sunset. I went from laughing out loud at times to crying like a baby at other times. I love a book that makes me feel so many different emotions. Ms. St. Claire gave me hope for second chance romance with Mark and Emma. I absolutely adored everything about Barefoot at Sunset and am anxiously awaiting the next 2 books in the Barefoot Bay Timeless series.
A new beginning and Barefoot Bay Timeless book 1 in a trilogy blew me away. If you want laughter, hope, fun, you'll get all that and more in BAREFOOT AT SUNSET. Mark Solomon is set up to help wih his 30th high school reunion. How he got roped into that he'll never know. He dreads it because it's going to be bringing things up which he'd rather forget. The last thing he expects to see is a women outside his bungalow crying her eyes out. What's he supposed to do now? So he decides to help her. Now he has a plan, and maybe she'll help him out with his dilemma. It just may work. It's supposed to be fake. Well truth be told things go a different way. Neither of them expected it. But there it is. Will they act on it?
Emma DeWitt came to Barefoot Bay for a reason. Now she's looking at the bungalow where she was supposed to stay. No clue what to do. She jerk of a fiancée dumped her. What happens next shocked the heck out of her. She thinks about it.
Is it possible to find your soul mate twice in a lifetime? You'll have to buy the book to find out.
This book was simply awesome!! With characters a bit older and wiser it was refreshing to watch their relationship build into something strong and lasting. Mark Solomon arrives in Mimosa Bay for a high school reunion and is immediately overwhelmed with the women blatantly showing their interest in him. He may be a single widower but enough is enough. Emma DeWitt shows up at Casa Blanca at what was suppose to be her honeymoon retreat to find Mark staying in the villa that was suppose to be hers. When he makes an out of the blue proposition for her to act as his fake fiance in exchange for her staying in the villa with him she simply can't refuse! These two are great together and slowly what starts out as a simple friendship turns into something much more.
You definitely want to grab this wonderfully written story. I highly recommend it.
Oh My, Oh My, how I loved this story. This is my first story from this author, and what a storyteller Roxanne St. Claire is. This story played out so well it came to life for me. I found myself clinging to every word. From the couple’s meeting, to the ruse, to the lie of omission to protect Emma's heart, and lastly to their happily ever after. I knew I’d hate it when the story ended.
Some readers might say this was a love at first sight story. But, with this hero I could really imagine how Emma would fall so quickly for this sweet caring man. I read along with the audio, and the narrator B.J. Harrison did an okay job. But, the one thing that would have made this audio great is if Sebastian York was the voice for Mark Solomon. Because, I sure did get the feels from the Silver Fox on the cover, and Mr. York’s voice would have sent me over the edge.
Emma was sweet and funny even in her melancholy state. Our heroine had some fears, and Mark wanted to help. The three kisses to help with one of Emma's fears was adorable. The scene with the biscuit cans was so sweet and funny. To list all the things I loved about this romance would mean I’d have to type out the entire book....
Moral to this story: “It’s nice to remember your youth, but don’t hang on to the past so hard you completely miss the future.”
I’m looking forward to reading more stories from this author. Most Excellent Read.
Does a great love story matter the ages of the two main characters? Not when those two people are Mark Solomon and Emma DeWitt. But most especially when they are written from the heart and soul of a master storyteller, Roxanne St. Claire, who continually captures true love, laughter and hilarity, the highs and lows of heartache, the devastation and triumph over loss, the true essence of friendship, and the very best of romance with an HEA that will always leave you wanting more. Thank goodness this is book one of a new trilogy! I cannot wait for the next book in this fun new series set in our favorite tropical locale, Barefoot Bay!
Mark Solomon is a thrill seeking, high-adventure, extreme sports enthusiast always traveling to another remote location around the world, never settling down after losing his one true love and high school sweetheart several years ago.
Mark has arrived at Casa Blanca Resort to help with the Mimosa High Class Reunion as a personal favor to Lacy, the owner, a former classmate and friend. But also because he believes his late wife, Julia, has sent him a message that he needs to do this but is severely dreading due to the many painful memories of Julia as he is still deeply grieving her loss. But as Mark leaves early from a committee meeting, he stumbles upon the beautiful Emma literally weeping her eyes out on the steps of his villa. A villa that was supposed to be Emma's for her honeymoon that very same week but was canceled just that morning by her ex-fiancé.
There's an instant attraction between both Mark, who resembles George Clooney, and our beautiful heroine Emma. He invites her in as he is an "old-school gentlemen" in nearly every way. The more they talk, the more Mark realizes this presents the perfect opportunity to keep his former classmates from hitting him with a barrage of painful questions about their former classmate, his late wife, while also keeping the single women from trying to hook up with him by asking her to pretend to be his wife for the week. She can stay in the beautiful villa on a purely platonic level, of course, and enjoy all that should have been hers in the first place.
From here the story carries the reader through the most wonderful and yes, romantic of times as we learn about our hero and heroine, secondary characters who will come to play a more pivotal role in later books, and a gamut of emotions that will have you soaring, laughing, rooting for our main characters and so much more.
Is it possible to find true love a second time? Find out in Barefoot at Sunset!
*I was honored to receive a complimentary copy from the author for this honest review.
Ever read a book that just reaches you on an emotional level and doesn't let go? I should have known just when I read Roxanne St. Claire's dedication for the book that this would be that type of story.
Mark Solomon, 48 years old is back home in Barefoot Bay after being away for 16 years. 16 years ago, Mark lost his wife, Julia to cancer. Julia was his high school sweetheart and the love of his life. After her death, Mark sold their company for a nice profit and found different ways to spend his time....mostly doing death defying extreme sports. It's time for the Mimosa High high school reunion and Lacey Walker has convinced Mark to be on the reunion committee. As Mark is walking back to his Casa Blanca bungalow, he stumbles upon a woman, sobbing in front of his place. Being the compassionate guy he is, he invites her in and learns that Emma DeWitt was suppose to be there, in that bungalow, on her honeymoon, but her ex, Kyle, broke it off with her. Kyle was also her boss....so now Emma had no relationship and no job. Emma is a copy writer and designed all of the brochures that Casa Blanca uses and had always dreamed of visiting the place.
Mark decides to offer Emma a deal. She can stay with him for the next week, in the bungalow, if she will pretend to be his fiance. He is so tired of everyone asking him about Julia, or woman hitting on him that he thinks this will be a great solution. Emma is hesitant but ends up agreeing. I loved how these two made a pact to always be honest with each other. It really helped solidify their relationship. I just loved the way these two started having feeling for each other. They both were hesitant for different reasons but in the end they were just meant to be. I liked how Julia would talk to him in different ways.....that was fun. I really enjoyed how Mark and Emma just complimented each other....it really was a case of twice in a lifetime for Mark.
Overall this was a wonderful story with wonderful characters that will make you laugh, swoon and cry (or sob in my case). It really touched my heartstrings, and I highly recommend this.
I recieved this through audiobook boom in exchange for a fair review. The reader, B. J. Harrison, was very good!
Mark and Emma. This is my first time reading/listening to this author and it's not a story line I normally like, but I ended up really enjoying this. It's a smooth easy read about a mature couple (He's 48 and she's 38) who find love when they least expected it. She was recently jilted and was hoping to stay at the posh resort originally booked for her honeymoon, but her scuzzy ex had already cancelled the reservation. Instead she finds Mark who had taken the suite to attend his high school reunion. He's overwhelmed by meeting people who remember him as one of a couple. But Julie, his high school love, aka soul mate, died 16 years ago. He has yet to get over it, and has spent the last decade + running from having to deal with his grief. So NOT a story I usually like... So anywhoo, Mark finds Emma weeping and makes her a deal. She can stay in the villa if she pretends to be his fiance so people stop with the pity looks and the women stop hitting on him. I really liked both characters. The author does a nice job leading the characters past his 'Past' and into a future together. I thought it was pretty clever how she wove the story together without too much angst and yet kept my interest. It's a hard sell to keep a characters first love still a deep love, yet not have the new lady seem second best. To be honest, I wasn't totally sold on it. Mostly because his epiphany didn't come til the last 98% and she made most of effort. It's not that he is pushing her away or anything, but he realizes his love for her very slowly. I still like his character and it was pretty romantic. It's pretty PG with some sex scenes that are more emotional than 'hot'. More realistic ; ) I would love to read more by this author and I thought her story worked well on audio. There's a nice little intro by the author about her story being inspired by her own brother falling in love for a second time after his first wife passed away.
I was given this book free in exchange for an honest review. Another thrilling, emotional ride on the Barefoot Bay roller coaster! In this new Barefoot Bay series, St. Claire is giving us men who are slightly older, slightly wiser and possibly slightly more patient in the bedroom. That's a winning combination for this gal. Mark married his high school sweetheart, the one he considered his soulmate. Since she died sixteen years ago, he has roamed the world--alone. He occasionally gets "signs" from his former wife and the latest one is telling him to attend his class reunion at Barefoot Bay. He finds a weeping Emma literally on his doorstep and discovers she was just left at the altar and had planned to spend her honeymoon in the bed he is currently sleeping in. She is a woman fed up with lying men! Mark is amazingly attracted to her, considering he's already had his one great love. They strike a deal that includes no romance, no heart involvement. She will help him keep the ladies at the reunion away from him, and in return she can stay with him at the resort. Is it possible for them to stick to the plan or will love find it's way into their hearts and souls? Be swept away, again, by Barefoot Bay. You won't be disappointed!
FINALLY a story that is actually current and up-to-date and deals with people as they fall in love in today's society... In their 30s and 40s - not just their 20s!!! Gosh this is refreshing and realistic. Bravo, Ms. St. Claire!!
Let me start off by saying that most of the time I don’t even notice or remember the age of characters in a book. That being said I was still a little iffy on this book. I love Roxanne St Claire’s books but this was highly promoted as an older hero. I was not sure I would be able to connect with the characters like I do in her other books. I was wrong about that.
Mark is attending his high school reunion which is an all class reunion since the school was so small. He is only there because of a sign he got from his late wife. The problem is everyone knew Mark as part of Mark and Julia, now Julia is gone. It seems like everywhere he turns someone is asking him why he hasn’t remarried or telling them how sorry they are. After finding Emma crying on his doorstep he comes up with a plan to help him get through the week without having to answer all the questions he would rather avoid.
Emma got dumped right before her wedding. She is the one that wrote the brochure for Casa Blanca and thinks it is the perfect place for a honeymoon. Even though the wedding was called off she still wants her vacation in paradise. The man staying in the villa that she should have been in is nice enough to let her in to look around. Then Mark tells her his crazy idea of her pretending to be his wife for the week so he avoids the questions and she gets to have her vacation.
This was another great addition to the Barefoot Bay world. As always this is a standalone but if you have read the other books set in Barefoot Bay you will get to see a few of your favorite characters.
Emma DeWitt is supposed to be married and spending her honeymoon on Barefoot Bay. Her boss/boyfriend broke off their engagement so she decided to go check out what she would be missing on her honeymoon.
Mark Solomon couldn’t believe he had been roped into being on a committee for his high school reunion but here he is in at Casa Blanca Resort & Spa on Barefoot Bay. He dreaded seeing all the other graduates, as he knew the first thing they wanted to say to him was that they were sorry about Julia and ask why hadn’t he remarried. What was he thinking coming to this reunion?
When he gets back to his villa that evening there is a woman on the stone patio sobbing her heart out. Once he hears her story, he comes up with a plan to help them both.
Roxanne St Clair has outdone herself with this one. Absolutely, full of everything you love in a romance story. There is a broken heart, lots of fun getting to know each other, some digging down deep into some hard issues, tenderness, sweet walks on the beach, and hot sex. Of course there is a troublemaker, lies and tears. However, it all comes together quite nicely. All the secondary characters work really well in the story and it is always fun to catch up with characters from other Barefoot Bay books as well. Roxanne St. Clair cannot write a bad book. This can be read as a stand alone but reading all the Barefoot Bay books will make you want to book a flight asap!
Slip your toes in the sand of Barefoot Bay and fall in love with this absolutely wonderful story. Mark Solomon has come home to Mimosa Key for his high school reunion and he is wrangled onto the planning committee. The first steps into the first meeting and he is bombarded with questions about his late wife. This sends him into survivor mode and he escapes back to his villa, excepts he finds a crying woman on his doorstep. Emma DeWitt is not having a good day, her fiance has canceled the wedding and after canceling everything she found the honeymoon was still booked so she thought she would take advantage of it but when she tried to check in, the reservation had been booked. She knew what villa she was to be in so she thought she would try to get a glimpse at it and this is where she meets Mark.
Oh what a tangled web we weave. These two were so perfect for each other and are proof that there is someone for everyone even the second time around.
**Received this book in exchange for an honest review**
ARC Review- Barefoot at Sunset by Roxanne St. Claire
Finding love at any age is a gift. Discovering it twice in one life time is a rarity. The timeless series of Barefoot Bay was a wonderful idea. When I originally heard about this series I didn't know what to expect but Ms. St. Claire did what she does best. Wrote a great story. Mark has floundered for years after a devastating loss. His days are spent testing his body in extreme ways and traveling the world trying to forget. A high school reunion proves to be cathartic in more ways then one. It reminds him that he is more than the other half of a power couple and that it is time to move on. Set in a place that is postcard worthy, Barefoot at Sunset exudes a wisdom and maturity that only time can yield. There is no other way to describe this story than that is a welcome asset to this series.
Barefoot at Sunset is the latest in Roxanne St. Claire’s fabulous Barefoot Bay Universe and heralds the coming of the silver foxes. Yes, the silver foxes that we all know and love are now the heroes of their own series. I, for one, am definitely cheering their arrival. Love is not reserved for the young and sometimes it is far sweeter when it occurs later in life, or even the second time around.
This book made me laugh and it made me cry. It also made me hope that I have friends as good as the fictional ones St. Claire brings to the page. Emma and Mark are the beginning to what I hope are many more books about my generation finding love. I know there are at least two more this summer and I can’t wait.
Copy received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
One chapter in and I was hooked! Totally hooked! First the hero of this book is closer to my age than most and then the author made him a Desert Storm veteran which my husband and I are both Desert Storm veterans. It's how we met. In the desert in Saudi Arabia. I'm a 80's chick too so hey this author had a lot going in this book for me. I loved Mark Soomon. He's this great guy with a history to prove it and a heart that is hurting. HThen he meets Emma DeWitt crying in front of his Villa in Barefoot Bay. Emma's been jilted almost at the alter by the man who also her boss. Now she has no job and no husband. Thinking she could still enjoy the resort where they were supposed to honeymoon it all crashes in on her when she finds out her ex cancelled before she arrived to enjoy it. Mark takes her in even though she looks a bit crazy and i swear you can feel the click between the two of them. Mark's there for a Mimosa Key high school reunion but he finds himself helping Emma with her fears while she helps with his and enjoying every minute. Of course there can never been smooth sailing in a story so it's got some drama to go with the fun. Seriously one of the best books i have read in a while. If i could have had the time i would have read it from cover to cover without a break for anything. For me seriously that good. There are peeks at who tho the next two books in this 3 pack series will be about so you can look forward to that as well. I for one am excited to see what is coming next!
The story starts with us meeting widower Mark Solomon who was talk into being a part of his high school reunion. It has been 30th since he graduated high school. He never realizes that being back in Barefoot Bay that he would have all these memories that all of a sudden came rushing in on him. At this point he wasn’t ready for the attention that he was getting from the single women.
By accident he meets Emma DeWitt, who is an, advertising copywriter, who just got jilted, and jobless. She just found out that the resort villa that she was supposed to be her romantic honeymoon is now occupied by a single man. Now this man is very sexy and he is a silver fox whose staying in the villa.
Barefoot at Sunset is the latest in Roxanne St. Claire’s fabulous Barefoot Bay series. We get to meet some silver foxes that you can’t resist. I can’t wait for the next book to see just what Roxanne has in store for us. It was great to see that you can fine love at any age. Because sometime we don’t give ourselves a chance at finding love again or even giving love a second chance. Love is such a wonderful gift to share with someone special, and Roxanne St. Claire knows how to write a story that has all the feeling of joy and happiness with a few tears and some laughter. This is a must read!
Rocki has done it yet again. How can she make me fall in love with her characters with every new story?
‘Being with a woman had never made him feel guilty before. Or at least it hadn’t made him feel like something inside him had changed. But Emma did. She made him feel like he was breaking the bond with his soul mate…the one whose voice he couldn’t even remember.’
Barefoot at Sunset took us back to gorgeous Barefoot Bay for a class reunion on the sand where bittersweet memories prevailed for one long-time widower. But, lucky for him, he had the opportunity to make new memories when he met a lovely woman who changed his life forever.
This novel kicks off the new Timeless trilogy in the Barefoot Bay series that features a decidedly more mature cast of characters to follow. And boy has it started in spectacular fashion! The all-years class reunion was the perfect catalyst to let us meet silver foxes Mark, Law, and Ken and to set them up with what will become some unforgettable romances.
"Barefoot at Sunset" by Roxanne St. Claire is part of her 'Barefoot' series of books but it is the first book in her 'Barefoot Bay Timeless' series. In this story Mark Solomon goes back to Barefoot Bay for his high school reunion. He's torn because his soulmate, high school sweetheart, and wife passed away from Cancer and he's forced to remember their good times together. He meets Emma Dewitt, who is crying on his doorstep, since she showed up in Barefoot Bay because she was supposed to be married, and this was to be her honeymoon. The only problem is that she was dumped by her fiance before the wedding. The two find their way together as cohorts, he needs someone to fend off the unwanted advances of the ladies at the reunion, and she needs a place to stay. They pretend to be engaged, become friends, and through a series of events find their way together. I love the "Barefoot Series" but I absolutely LOVED this story.
First, let me tell you how touched it was when I started reading this book, visiting Lacey's resort and experimenting again that precious feeling the Barefoot titles have on me. I loved Mark from the beginning and was moved by Emma's bad luck in the romantic scene.
There is one and only one soul mate. Mark and his wife, Julia, always believed in this, but now, 16 years after Julia's death and on the occasion of his school's reunion, Mark's belief will be tested. In the hopes of deflecting other women's attention and questions about his late wife, Mark asks Emma to act as his fiancée but the faking will change their lives forever.
This is a beautiful love story of trust and cumplicity between two people that need each other. The hard point that sounded unbelievable to me was the fact is all happened just in less than a week. Sorry, Ms. St. Claire.
Mark Soloman is back in Mimosa Key for his high school reunion. He married his high school sweetheart, but was widowed 16 years ago and is not ready to face the memories the reunion will bring back. He finds Emma DeWitt crying on his villa doorstep. His villa was supposed to be her honeymoon destination, except there was no wedding. Her groom broke up with her right before the wedding. Mark has an idea, maybe Emma can help him hold off all the single women from the reunion and she can get a chance to overcome her broken heart and figure out what she is going to do. She has quit her job and doesn't know what is in her future. This is a story of second chances. This is a great start to the authors new Timeless series. Another great read by Roxanne.
There are not enough stars for this book! I loved, loved, loved this book. Mark and Emma are such wonderful characters. You can't help but fall in love with them. Their journey to love is not easy but it is emotional. I laughed, cried, and had butterflies all in the same book! After his life tragically changed many years ago, Mark has basically given up and shut his heart off from love. Emma was basically jilted just before the alter, and is just trying to find some peace in life. Who would have guessed a high school reunion would forever change their lives. This is definitely a wonderful addition to the Barefoot books!
Wow! I love the Barefoot Bay books, and am always happy to make a return visit. The new Timeless series featuring some Silver Foxes is off to an awesome start! Loved the chemistry, banter, and deep caring between the two main characters - both free to be themselves in a "no- strings, temporary" situation. Enjoyed 'visiting' some of the Barefoot Bay characters from previous books, and loved seeing Mark and Emma get their second chance at love.Can't wait for the next Timeless book!
In Barefoot at Sunset, Mark has made his life travelling the world seeking adventure after the loss of his true love years ago. He finds himself back in Barefoot Bay for his high school's 30th reunion, but is caught off guard by the memories, the questions, and the women after him. He thinks he's moved on from his loss, but has he really? Emma has come to Barefoot Bay when her life doesn't go as planned, but even that doesn't go as planned. Together by circumstance and coincidence, Mark and Emma are on their own adventure in Barefoot Bay. Both of them have walls around their hearts, but sometime those walls are meant to be breached...
Barefoot at Sunset is a second chance romance in the dreamy setting of Barefoot Bay. I love going to Barefoot Bay, and this time was no exception. Mark and Emma are mature characters, with a lot of life experience, but they are by no means perfect. They are very different, but the quick connection between them as they move from friends to something more was believable. I enjoyed watching them get to know each other, have fun together, and share their heart aches. To me they felt good for each other, and I liked how open both of them were...even if what was being said wasn't what the other wanted to hear. The unexpected journey they are on and the character growth was heart warming and hopeful.
I'd recommend Barefoot at Sunset to any romance reader.
Finding romance at any age is a special treat and not just for the young ones but also the middle age silver foxes!! I was so excited when Rocki said she was going to write about silver foxes, and this book was a pure delight to read. I love returning to Barefoot Bay and reacquaint with past characters. This book will bring smiles, tears and more smiles. Loved Mark and Emma.
Mark has returned to Barefoot Bay for a class reunion, he lost his wife, soul mate sixteen years ago never expecting to find true love again. Emma has arrived for her honeymoon, that never happened since she was jilted at the alter. Mark is staying in Emma's room since her fiancee has cancelled the reservations. With no where else to stay, Mark offers up a deal with Emma. Will she be his fake fiancee for the week for a place to stay. There friendship develops into so much more, as they face their fears.
I can't wait to read the next two books in this series!!
Very enjoyable second-time-around-at-love story. Mark is 48 and a long time widower; Emma is 38 and has just been jilted days before her wedding. I had been afraid that the middle-aged man romance would be just a regular romance with older leads; but St. Claire did a credible job of making Mark the real deal. The 'permissions and pushes' from the late wife near the end were sweet touches.
My only real complaint was the rather contrived 'big misunderstanding'. Still, it was sweet and a good read; just what the reader has come to expect from the "Barefoot Bay" series.