Straight on Toward Paradise

Shellwater Key #2

by Kristin Wallace

A beautiful, funny, sweet contemporary romance in the tradition of Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery, Kristan Higgins. Set against the backdrop of the Florida sun and a forgotten dinner theater that brings three childhood friends back together after years apart.

Emma Bertram’s life is a recipe for disaster, but she’s about to discover that love and forgiveness are the perfect ingredients for a happy ending.

At fifteen, Emma Bertram’s perfect family splintered when her father left her mother for another woman. Anger and bitterness, along with the demands of being a professional chef, have kept Emma apart from her father and his new family for years. Then her father and stepmother are killed in a car accident. Returning to her childhood home of Shellwater Key, Emma learns she has become guardian of her two half-sisters.

What Emma knows about raising children could fit on a restaurant napkin. So when her mother offers to stay and help with the girls, Emma can’t say no. She also can’t say no to her childhood friend’s job offer to be the head chef at the old Paradise Dinner Theatre. Renovating the dilapidated kitchen may be even more challenging than dealing with her half-sisters. Then there’s her father’s law partner, Reece Casings, who has no trouble telling Emma what she’s doing wrong. The buttoned-up, so-wrong-for-her, but oh-so-handsome lawyer makes Emma’s blood boil. Or is it heart race?

Romance is the last thing on Emma’s mind, especially when her mother and one of her sisters are cast in the debut musical at The Paradise. When she’s dealing with a firestorm of teenaged angst from her other sister. And when her mother is starring in a romance of her own, with the much younger lead in the production. All that is nothing compared to the explosive secret that boils to the surface when Reece reveals a much deeper connection to her family than anyone ever knew.

In the end Emma will have to learn how to forgive her father…and herself…and trust in love and faith again if she ever hopes to serve up a happily ever after for everyone.

427 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 16, 2017

About the author

Growing up Kristin devoured books like bags of Dove Dark Chocolate. Her first Golden Book led to Laura Ingalls Wilder, Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, C.S. Lewis and the Sweet Valley High series. Later, she discovered romance novels and fell in love all over again. It’s no surprise then that Kristin would one day try her hand at writing them. She writes inspirational romance and women’s fiction filled with love, laughter and a leap of faith. When she’s not writing her next novel, Kristin works as an advertising copywriter for clients that have included the Miami Marlins, Discovery Networks, The Peabody Hotel, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises and Sea World. She also enjoys singing in her church choir and worship team and playing flute in a community orchestra.

Reviews

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma has never got over her parents divorce and her feeling of abandonment by the father she adored. Now her father and stepmother have been killed in an accident and she finds herself the guardian of her two young and heartbroken half sisters; half sisters who she has resented because they lived the life she had taken away from her and whom she doesn't know very well. The last thing she needs is her attraction to an insanely hot lawyer, who is forever judging her and finding her wanting.

The family dynamics between the sisters was believable and Emma's close relationship with her mother Mary, who steps up to help her daughter and her re-connection with her old school friend was heartwarming.

Although part of a series this can be read as a standalone. Read and enjoy.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

[Rita Sheppard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the heartbreaking story of Emma Bertram who has just lost her father and stepmother suddenly in an auto accident. Emma must come to terms with the fact that she never forgave her father for divorcing her mother. Now she must cope with her feelings as well as the two young daughters who were left behind and their Uncle Reece who seems to dislike Emma on sight.

Follow Emma's journey to grow and accept her place in the lives of her sisters Imogene and Paige as they meld their new family together with Emma's mother Mary.

[Norma Wiegert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma's parents divorced when Emma was 14 destroying her perfect happy family. 16 years later Emma returns to Shellwater Key for her Father and Stepmother's funeral and learns she has been named guardian of her 2 younger stepsisters Imogene and Paige. The 3 sisters must work through the grief of losing their father in addition to Imogene and Paige losing their Mother as well. Emma must work through her resentment for her Father's new family. Add to the mix Emma's Father's handsome law partner and family friend Reese

This is a delightful trip back to Shellwater Key on the coast of southwest Florida and an enjoyable read revisiting the quaint little gulf coast town and the people that live there.
I received an ARC from the author. This is my honest review and it is voluntarily given.

[Beth McLeod · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the Shellwater Key series, especially because it's not just about people in a town going about their lives. Each book adds more to the continuing story about the Paradise and keeps you coming back for more. (Smart thinking, Kristin Wallace!) I enjoy the peripheral characters in this story, as well, and like how we get to learn a little more about them in each book.I'm really hoping Noah Johnson gets his own book; I just know there's a fascinating story there. This book has a bit of a plot twist that I did not see coming, and there were times when I both laughed and cried while on the same page. I'm looking forward to more pieces to the Shellwater Key puzzle!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So romantic...full of emotion..

This book was so romantic and full of lots of emotion. Reece was a super hot hero ;) Emma was a vulnerable, strong heroine who was put into a tough situation. Emma's mother, Mary, was a strong character who also has a romance that I really enjoyed reading about. The younger sisters were amazing characters also. I enjoyed seeing characters from previous books and look forward to reading the next in the series. Overall the book was clean but there was some light swear words and heavy kissing scenes. A great end of summer read! Highly recommend!

[Pamela Devereux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family

You never know how your family will be shaped. Emma's was changed the day her dad left. Now she is back for his funeral and the hits keep coming. She is now the guardian of her 2 half sisters. The youngest Paige is a easy going person but Imogine is a 14 year old angry teenage. Add in Emma's mother who helps out. What could possibly go wrong. The angst between lawyer Reece and Emma are priceless. Everyone wants to know when are they going to just admit that they set off sparks around each other. So now we have have Layla and Emma back. Will the old Paradise Theatre bring Callie home to honor the pact?

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think out of all this Authors books this has been the one I liked the most what a story! Chef Emma Bertram has had very little to do with her father since he walked out on her mother and married someone else but now that he is dead she must raise her step-sisters . Reece Casings was her fathers law partner and he blames Emma for the rift between her father and herself. I did not want to put this book down it just kept you wanting to know what would happen next.
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Sophie Koufes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 2 in the Shellwater Keys Series. This novel is about following Emma Bertram's journey of love & forgiveness. The premise of the novel is captivating. With sensational character's that are realistic with real emotions and flaws. A sweet novel that is touching & will warm your heart. Looking forward to reading the next novel in this series. I volunteerily reviewed an advanced reading copy of this book.

[Tracey Tranter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma, a globe trotting chef, returns home to Shellwater, following the death of her estranged father and her step mother. Her father has left her two half sisters to raise. Emma butts heads constantly with Reece, Emma's fathers law partner.

A great read with lots of intrigue. I will certainly keep reading this series. Love it!

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I cannot handle books where characters fall in love and get engaged all without ever going on one single date. Nope, this was not the book for me.

And FYI if you start a second family, but have no idea how to apologize to the first family for your actions I don't believe the first family should spend the entire book apologizing for being hurt and angry. Come on!

[J Lundsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book for it's heartfelt emotions and character development. Emma is forced home after her father and step -mother are killed. She is shocked to learn that she has been named guardian to her two little half-sisters. Emma never forgave her father for leaving her mother and starting a new life. Reece is her father's law partner and the girls' unofficial uncle (and thorn in Emma's side). There is instant chemistry between Emma and Reece but both do their best to ignore it.

What I liked: Reece is amazing. I may not agree with all his choices but his heart was always in the right place and his pursuit of Emma was perfect. The secondary characters (especially Mary) are fantastic and I loved Emma's sisters. There are some surprising developments that I should have seen coming but still shocked me!

What I didn't like: I had a hard time warming up to Emma although by the end of the story I was crying along with her. She showed tremendous growth through the story.

This is the second in this series although can be read completely by itself. I look forward to the next Shellwater Keys story.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book two in the Shellwater Key series. It can easily be read as a standalone novel, but I'd recommend reading book one, Left Turn at Paradise, for maximum enjoyment. This book continues the story of a group of residents in Shellwater Key, a small community of the southwest coast of Florida. They are reviving the long-ago abandoned dinner-theater in town. The theater, affectionately dubbed Greta Garbo, is a magical place that seems to cast her spell on the people that work there.

This book tells the story of Emma, one of three childhood friends that left town as a teenager, who is returning under difficult circumstances. Her father left her mother for a younger woman and started a new family with her. Rather than live in the same town, Emma's mother moved them to a new place where they could have a fresh start. Emma never felt a part of her father's new family. She resented her younger half-sisters and despised her stepmother and never came to visit. Then, her father and stepmother are killed in a car accident, and she is named her sisters' guardian. With no one else to step in, she returns to Shellwater Key.

She immediately clashes with her father's law partner, Reece. He is the very protective uncle who is concerned about Emma's ability to handle her new responsibilities. Emma is mistrustful of men after her father walked out on her and her most recent relationship ended badly. She is constantly irritated by what she perceives as Reece's judgment. Neither are prepared for their immediate attraction. Their chemistry is palpable, but the story is a sweet romance with no love scenes.

The character development is great, with Emma growing into her role as "mother" to her sisters. There is a wonderful cast of characters with another sweet, secondary love story of Emma's mother, Mary, who is rediscovering herself back in Shellwater Key. We get to see everyone from book one and Emma reconnect with her childhood friend, Layla.

Both books explore complicated family dynamics. The central themes of forgiveness, both of family and of oneself, faith, and fate are woven throughout both books. I'm really looking forward to the next book, which I assume will be the story of the third childhood friend, Callie.

[Pascale’s*ARC,Unwind,Read,Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the moment they lock eyes on each other, there are fireworks. Emma and Reece have a very fiery relationship. They share a passionate dislike for each other. At first.

-"Honey, there are enough sparks flying between you two to start a forest fire,” her mother said.

Emma distrusts men due to her father having an affair when she was a teenager and leaving her and her mother to marry his mistress and start a new family. She feels hurt and rejected and wants nothing to do with him or his new family. But when tragedy strikes Emma is forced to face her past and her new family becomes her present and her future in a way she never expected and feels completely unprepared for. With one terrible phone call, her entire world is turned upside down.

-'Emma still kept a part of herself separate, not allowing anyone in for fear of getting hurt. It broke Mary’s heart to know her daughter might never find true happiness again, but she didn't know how to fix all the broken pieces.'-

This full-length novel takes the reader on a full emotional roller coaster filled with ups and downs, twists and turns, and you should be prepared to hang on tight for the ride! I loved the story and I look forward to the next instalment where we will no doubt learn about the missing friend, Callie. This is book two in the series but it is easily read as a stand-alone novel.

This book is relatively clean, however there is some swearing and some pretty steamy scenes, although no descriptive sex. I loved the story and I give it 4.5 stars.

[Julie Jefferies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma is confronting her place in the family she felt she never fitted into when she suddenly finds herself on her way back to a town she left fifteen years ago after her parents divorced. Emma's Dad and step mums have been tragical killed in an accident, and she has been left as guardian of her half sisters, who seem to hate her. Not to mention Reece, the partner in her dads law firm, who seems to think it should have been him that had custody of her sisters. So now she's battling with sisters she loves that hate her, a guy she hates but is incredibly drawn to, plus trying to deal with her own heartbreak and the feelings of never forgiving her dad. Emma's mum Mary has come to support her at the funeral, but finds herself staying on to help Emma. Mary hates the looks and whispered stares from others, but when she's offered a job at at place that used to have so much soul and character, but is now falling down, Mary hopes that she too may discover part of her soul that she lost many years ago.

This is a very confronting book to read for anyone that has been either a spouse or child in a divorce, it hits you at the rawness of dealing with been left the only child not included when your dad remarries and has more kids, or the wife who gave up her dreams for a man who didn't want her.

This was superbly written, as you would expect from Kristin. I must admit that for most of chapter 25 I cried, but it's just another tribute to Kristin's amazing skill at getting you to connect with the characters she's writing. An absolute must read.

[Laura Van Nice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chef Emma Bertram never got over the betrayal she felt when her father divorced her mother for another woman, as a consequence she kept her contact with him sparse and superficial. So it was a shock when she was named as guardian to her two young step-sisters after the unexpected death of he and his wife. It also didn't appear to meet with the approval of his friend and business partner, Reece Casings, who always seems to catch Emma at her worst. Will these three sisters ever be able to form a family?

There were times this was tough to read, I could just feel the pain Emma carried with her over her father's behavior and how it affected so many decisions in her life. And yet I couldn't help but admire the way she was determined to figure things out with her sisters and make it work. There were times I was pretty frustrated with Reece though, because, for the longest time he didn't seem to get why the whole situation was so difficult for Emma. I did like the relationship he had with the girls and the surprising relationships Emma's mother developed with them.

The spiritual thread in the book was done with a light hand, but the overall theme of the book was forgiveness, which was handled exceptionally well. There was a warning underlying the entire plot about what the consequences can be if we withhold forgiveness.

Altogether this book handled a weighty subject with skill and I look forward to the author's next book.

[Katrina Epperson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kristin Wallace is a new author for me. I found her books at the end of last year and truly enjoy the stories she brings. This is the second installment in her Shellwater Key series and I truly felt it was a stand alone. The plot is engaging and kept me turning the pages. It is full of emotions like bitterness, resentment, love and forgiveness. The characters are strong, complicated yet well developed. I found myself cheering for Emma one minute and giving her a piece of my mind the next. She exhibits strong emotions which considering all things she really is entitled too. Suddenly she must face the past in order to have a future, but as we all know dealing with the past brings both joy and heartbreak. Reece Casings, I found to be an intriguing character and fell in love with him a little. He seems very controlling, but when his secret is revealed he becomes even more endearing. The secondary characters are well integrated and bring a lot of southern charm to the story.

This is a story I would recommend to anyone who loves a good, clean romance.


I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Rita Kunselman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Kristin does such a good job leading you along with her, thru all the twists and turns of a love story. It is more then just a love story because, you learned how she envied her step sisters as they had a loving family but, she had lost her Dad when her mom & dad divorced. You learn how she reaches out to them because, her father had made her responsible for them in the event of his & her step moms death. You learn how she becomes closer to her mom and of course, there is a man! How both of their backgrounds makes it hard to build a relationship. I would definitely recommend this book. It's a feel good book!

I was given an ARC to freely read and review.

[Melanie Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really enjoyable sweet romance. I loved the dynamics of the family and how they learned to move past hurts together. I enjoyed the fact that this book is connected to the other books, but the situation is different and not just a carbon copy of the last book. The only way you could have made this a better book is to have more of Reece interacting with the Emma. The are both good characters, I just would have liked to have seen more of him with her in a one on one situation. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Patricia Baxes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kristin Wallace has gifted us with another remarkable Shellwater Key story filled with all the elements of an outstanding romance. What a delightful read!

We've got a terrific storyline, interesting characters, and enough angst to float a boat. This is the real deal. One-Click it today!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Straight On To Paradise is a sweet story of growth, second chances, healing, and happiness. Kristin Wallace has a style of writing that draws the reader in and makes them feel like one of the gang! I felt the heartbreak, the heartache, the healing, and the love on every page.

[Caryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful story!

[Lynn Bremer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love triumphs

This was a story I could identify with. Emma has to forgive her father if she wants to be happy. Unfortunately, it's too late to do it face to face. She has to put her half sisters first because she is all they have left. This story is about forgiveness, personal growth, an angst teenager, a mother's sacrifice, but most of all how love can heal.