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Two Moon Bay #1
Two Moon Bay
Riley Larkin is a realist. It's why she doesn't believe her best friend, Britlee, when she insists a woman's singing on the beach is actually a ghost from the local legend. Little does Riley know that the singing will be one facet of a mystery full of small-town charm, sinister forces, and local legends.
Riley is the latest resident of Two Moon Bay, Florida. The small coastal town is the perfect location for new beginnings, and Riley is eager for the fresh start it provides. She's ready to put her failed marriage behind her and concentrate on finishing her book, fixing up her house, and making friends with the locals.
Town legend tells of Blackheart Bellacroix; his sweetheart, Destina; and their missing treasure. Riley gets swept up in the love story and even starts one of her own. From the flashy and flirty Cal to the quiet innkeeper Brooks, Riley is suddenly the center of a lot of attention. When a sinister someone begins looking for the treasure, Riley will have to decide which of her new friends she can trust to help her solve the mystery and catch a murderous thief. Riley may not believe in ghosts, but she might just become one!
Riley is the latest resident of Two Moon Bay, Florida. The small coastal town is the perfect location for new beginnings, and Riley is eager for the fresh start it provides. She's ready to put her failed marriage behind her and concentrate on finishing her book, fixing up her house, and making friends with the locals.
Town legend tells of Blackheart Bellacroix; his sweetheart, Destina; and their missing treasure. Riley gets swept up in the love story and even starts one of her own. From the flashy and flirty Cal to the quiet innkeeper Brooks, Riley is suddenly the center of a lot of attention. When a sinister someone begins looking for the treasure, Riley will have to decide which of her new friends she can trust to help her solve the mystery and catch a murderous thief. Riley may not believe in ghosts, but she might just become one!
226 pages, Paperback
Published February 8, 2017
About the author
Alyssa Johnson
32 books11 followersAlyssa Johnson has always loved literature. Whether sharing her favorite authors with her students or writing her own novels, getting lost in the pages of a good book is high on her list of fun. When she's not teaching, reading, or writing her charming mystery/romance novels, she loves hiking in the Smoky Mountains and combing the shores of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 20, 2018
Riley has given up her old life, after having found her useless husband cheating on her yet again! She used the money from her divorce settlement to buy a rundown old house in Two Moon Bay, Florida. She aims to finish writing her book and fix up her new house, in what seems like an idyllic spot for a fresh start. She has kept the cabin in the mountains and will miss it and her friends. Her best friend Britlee has read up on her new town and the tale of a pirate attacking the town and his ship and a huge treasure being hidden or sunk somewhere nearby.
The history says there is a legend of a woman singing to her secret love, the pirate Blackheart Bellacroix, and Destina Delgado, the daughter of a local rich merchant, and her maid, Temperance Biscayne, locked away and wanting to escape. A woman is still seen, hundreds of years later, along the deserted beach and her singing is often heard. There have been thousands of treasure hunters over the years, all seeking the treasure from the Doncella, which sank on December 24th 1745 and nothing has ever been found.
Riley soon gets caught up and mixing with others in the local community. Everyone seems to know her name, as it is a small town and everyone knows the name of the newest person to the town and purchaser of the old, empty house. She is soon invited to take part in the annual play about the history and legend of the pirate ship and the town. She is finding it easy to make friends and ends up with more than one interested male companion! Ryan, the local delivery person, Cal, a womaniser and Brooks, the town hottie and innkeeper.
She ends up walking into town, via the beach, for a get together and sees a lady in the distance and can hear her singing. As she gets nearer, the lady soon disappears. Did she image it, or was this the ghost the locals talk about? This is not the first time she has heard this singing near her house. She works on getting her new house into a home and is also intrigued to find out more about the legend of the pirate ship and its treasure. This last point could put her in danger, as others are also looking for the treasure and believe they have the clues to find it.
An interesting book with plenty of mystery, a little romance and lots of surprises. It’s an easy read, that kept me entertained and I read it through in one sitting to see what happened about the lost treasure and the new relationships that develop in the story. Adding in a small town with the legend of a sunken pirate ship and hidden treasure added another aspect to the story and brought in the possibility of the main character seeing a ghost and being compared to Temperance herself.
I will certainly look out for some more books by this author, as this was a pleasant read with lots to keep my interest as it went along. Something a little different, not a murder mystery, but a good mystery overall, with plenty of twists. I received an ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
The history says there is a legend of a woman singing to her secret love, the pirate Blackheart Bellacroix, and Destina Delgado, the daughter of a local rich merchant, and her maid, Temperance Biscayne, locked away and wanting to escape. A woman is still seen, hundreds of years later, along the deserted beach and her singing is often heard. There have been thousands of treasure hunters over the years, all seeking the treasure from the Doncella, which sank on December 24th 1745 and nothing has ever been found.
Riley soon gets caught up and mixing with others in the local community. Everyone seems to know her name, as it is a small town and everyone knows the name of the newest person to the town and purchaser of the old, empty house. She is soon invited to take part in the annual play about the history and legend of the pirate ship and the town. She is finding it easy to make friends and ends up with more than one interested male companion! Ryan, the local delivery person, Cal, a womaniser and Brooks, the town hottie and innkeeper.
She ends up walking into town, via the beach, for a get together and sees a lady in the distance and can hear her singing. As she gets nearer, the lady soon disappears. Did she image it, or was this the ghost the locals talk about? This is not the first time she has heard this singing near her house. She works on getting her new house into a home and is also intrigued to find out more about the legend of the pirate ship and its treasure. This last point could put her in danger, as others are also looking for the treasure and believe they have the clues to find it.
An interesting book with plenty of mystery, a little romance and lots of surprises. It’s an easy read, that kept me entertained and I read it through in one sitting to see what happened about the lost treasure and the new relationships that develop in the story. Adding in a small town with the legend of a sunken pirate ship and hidden treasure added another aspect to the story and brought in the possibility of the main character seeing a ghost and being compared to Temperance herself.
I will certainly look out for some more books by this author, as this was a pleasant read with lots to keep my interest as it went along. Something a little different, not a murder mystery, but a good mystery overall, with plenty of twists. I received an ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
November 17, 2018
Riley Larkin is fresh from a divorce, and an upcoming fortieth birthday looming. Riley has decided to make a new start in Two Moon Bay, Florida. A town with a very small population, that has a legend of a ruthless pirate and a young woman, Destina Delgado, wanting to escape an arranged marriage.
Just as Riley is making a new start in Two Moon Bay, her two step daughters arrive unannounced, the youngest, Capri, has decided to do a report on the legend. They discover one of the town's residents, Calhoun (Cal) Foxworth, has roots going back to the woman.
Rumor is that there is a buried treasure, which brings many treasure hunters to the area. When an object with what is assumed to be a map to the treasure is stolen. Riley and Cal decide to do some treasure hunting of their own.
I loved the small town atmosphere where everyone is friendly and helpful. There was a mystery, romance, and a ghost! The only objection I had with the story, was Cal's constant lewd behavior and I felt it took away from the perception that Cal was a good guy.
I received a free ARC from HiddenGems in exchange for my honest review.
Just as Riley is making a new start in Two Moon Bay, her two step daughters arrive unannounced, the youngest, Capri, has decided to do a report on the legend. They discover one of the town's residents, Calhoun (Cal) Foxworth, has roots going back to the woman.
Rumor is that there is a buried treasure, which brings many treasure hunters to the area. When an object with what is assumed to be a map to the treasure is stolen. Riley and Cal decide to do some treasure hunting of their own.
I loved the small town atmosphere where everyone is friendly and helpful. There was a mystery, romance, and a ghost! The only objection I had with the story, was Cal's constant lewd behavior and I felt it took away from the perception that Cal was a good guy.
I received a free ARC from HiddenGems in exchange for my honest review.
November 16, 2018
More a commentary on starting over than a mystery, this sweet book has some magical and romantic elements.
Riley was betrayed in marriage. The good thing to come of it was the love of two stepdaughters, who need someone caring in their lives. So she packs up a few belongings, buys a fixer-upper sight unseen and takes her chances hundreds of miles away from her home.
Riley's real estate sales agent seems to know everyone. She takes care of finding repair people and introducing Riley to the established, close-knit group of neighbors. The major surprises are an unexpected female dog and pups in the back yard and the arrival of the stepdaughters.
Riley takes it all in stride.
Much of the tension in this book comes from miscommunications, people taking offense when others say something differently than they hear. While perhaps there is a "soul mate" match made, it is for sure not love and HEA at first sight.
Everything moves quickly in this book. From cleaning a new house to becoming a trusted member of the community, even solving a crime.
I call it a gentle read and suitable for upper middle school and beyond.
Riley was betrayed in marriage. The good thing to come of it was the love of two stepdaughters, who need someone caring in their lives. So she packs up a few belongings, buys a fixer-upper sight unseen and takes her chances hundreds of miles away from her home.
Riley's real estate sales agent seems to know everyone. She takes care of finding repair people and introducing Riley to the established, close-knit group of neighbors. The major surprises are an unexpected female dog and pups in the back yard and the arrival of the stepdaughters.
Riley takes it all in stride.
Much of the tension in this book comes from miscommunications, people taking offense when others say something differently than they hear. While perhaps there is a "soul mate" match made, it is for sure not love and HEA at first sight.
Everything moves quickly in this book. From cleaning a new house to becoming a trusted member of the community, even solving a crime.
I call it a gentle read and suitable for upper middle school and beyond.
November 19, 2018
Newly divorced Riley Larkin decides to quit her job and move cross country to the picturesque town of Two Moon Bay, Florida. The last thing that she expects is to get caught up in the mystery of the town’s legend, find a new love interest, and be searching for a pirate’s missing treasure.
This is the perfect little cozy that is part mystery, part romance, and a little bit of paranormal (ghost) story. This strong but loveable main female character is joined on her adventure by two inquisitive step-daughters, and a handsome new fellow. It is a well-developed, fast read, charming story that will delight many readers
This is the perfect little cozy that is part mystery, part romance, and a little bit of paranormal (ghost) story. This strong but loveable main female character is joined on her adventure by two inquisitive step-daughters, and a handsome new fellow. It is a well-developed, fast read, charming story that will delight many readers
November 19, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. I didn't want to put it down once I started reading it. Riley's life completely chances at the age of 39. She gets a divorce and moves to Two Moon Bay in Florida. The day after she moves there, her stepdaughters show up. This book is the first 6 days that she is in Two Moon Bay and Christmas time. A lot happens to Riley during this 6 days but I don't think she would have it any other way. She finds new love in both a man and friendships. Two Moon Bay is a magical place that has brought Riley back to life.
*I received a free copy of this book via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review.*
*I received a free copy of this book via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review.*
April 14, 2017
I was thoroughly enchanted by Two Moon Bay, a picturesque town in Florida where the friendly residents feel like your best friends. The romance is sweet and the mystery surrounding a pirates treasure is intriguing. If you're looking for a light escape, lovable characters, and an idyllic beach setting, you won't be disappointed!
November 17, 2018
Man this was a great story! I loved the extra-friendly characters and the sweet storyline. I am excited to see what happens in the next installment of the series.
I was gifted an ARC in return of an honest review.
I was gifted an ARC in return of an honest review.
December 13, 2018
I received a free copy of this book from Hidden Gems in exchange for an honest review.
I had high hopes for this book, but it was very disappointing. Warning: spoilers ahead.
I know this is a work of fiction, but the story line is more than just fiction, it’s downright preposterous. I am usually pretty lenient with my reviews, but this story was so ridiculous I just can’t. The play-by-play of how much everyone loves Riley, page after page of how perfect everything is, is absolutely cringe worthy. There’s supposed to be a sequel, where of course, her ex-husband wants her back, because, you know, Riley is perfect and everyone loves her. I think I’ll pass on that one.
I had high hopes for this book, but it was very disappointing. Warning: spoilers ahead.
I know this is a work of fiction, but the story line is more than just fiction, it’s downright preposterous. I am usually pretty lenient with my reviews, but this story was so ridiculous I just can’t. The play-by-play of how much everyone loves Riley, page after page of how perfect everything is, is absolutely cringe worthy. There’s supposed to be a sequel, where of course, her ex-husband wants her back, because, you know, Riley is perfect and everyone loves her. I think I’ll pass on that one.
November 23, 2018
A reminder that a fresh start somewhere new is what's needed. I enjoyed reading this and recommend it for a good wholesome read.
March 5, 2017
The characters of Riley and Britlee are so realistic and easy to relate to. I especially enjoyed the mystery of the pirate and ghost stories surrounding Two Moon Bay. Anyone who enjoys Southern charm, a good mystery, and well-defined, interesting characters will love this book. A great read!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews