Love, Unexpected

Two Moon Bay #3

by Virginia McCullough

Moving to a new place isn’t easy…

Until a neglected ship and its owner make her feel at home

After spying a boat in need of some TLC, single mom Andi Sterling strikes a deal with its owner, Zeke Donovan, who shares her passion for restoring old things. Uncovering the legendary ship’s secrets draws them closer. Is it too soon for Andi to open her heart to the chance to build new dreams?

Genres: Romance

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published May 8, 2018

About the author

A writer all her adult life, Virginia McCullough has had the opportunity to write the stories of her heart in her novels, including Girl in the Spotlight, the first book in her Two Moon Bay series for Harlequin Heartwarming. (Book 2 is scheduled for release in January 2018). Her award-winning romance and women’s fiction titles include The Jacks of Her Heart, Amber Light, Greta’s Grace, The Chapels on the Hill, and Island Healing.

Born and raised in Chicago, Virginia has been lucky enough to develop her writing career in many locations, including the coast of Maine, the mountains of North Carolina, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and currently, Northeast Wisconsin. She started her career in nonfiction, first writing articles and then books as a ghostwriter and coauthor. She’s written more than 100 books for physicians, business owners, professional speakers and many others with information to share or a story to tell.

Virginia’s books feature characters who could be your neighbors and friends. They come in all ages and struggle with everyday life issues in small-town environments that almost always include water—oceans, lakes, or rivers. The mother of two grown children, you’ll find Virginia with her nose a book, walking on trails or her neighborhood street, or she may be packing her bag to take off for her next adventure. And she’s always working on another story about hope, healing, and second chances.

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love, Unexpected was a fun read. I recognized some of the characters, since I'd read the first book in the series, Girl in the Spotlight, last year. I definitely think this book stands on its own, but it was fun seeing how those characters lives have continued.

Andi was a nice main character and I liked how she enjoys restoring old things. I did think she was too hard on herself about her failed past marriages, but I could understand being that way. Aren't we all our own worse critic?

I loved how Zeke took care of his dad, trying to make sure he didn't feel he was too much trouble.

The romance was nice, it wasn't too fast though what Zeke did towards the end was a little sudden.

I definitely recommend this novel to all fans of contemporary romance. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was asked to give my honest opinion of the book - which I have done.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Virginia McCullough’s Love, Unexpected. I have yet to be disappointed with the books I have read by her in the past and this one is no different. I thought it was sweet, inspiring and heartwarming. Andi and Zeke had wonderful chemistry and their story were relateable to me. I love the beautiful setting of Two Moon Bay

I give Love, Unexpected 4 stars and recommend it for readers who love a good and clean romance.

[Chelle Jo · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm generally not hugely critical of books. As long as they meet basic standards, I feel it was not "time wasted" when I read a book.

I'm not sure how this book was published by Harelquin, much less considered a romance.

What should have been the true inciting incident didn't happen until page 362, immediately followed by the crisis and black moment at 368. Which was the most basic of simple misunderstandings, that was quickly resolved with a quick chat.

The central plot was not the romance since there was no romance in this book for the first 300 plus pages. A shy glance here, a "feeling" there and then nada. Nothing else mentioned.

This wasn't a romance. It was a story of a woman who moved onto a boat to renovate it, was hired by the (male) owner, and they talked a time or two, with some completely random items thrown in being found on the boat. Her and "love interest" shared a couple conversational exchanges, and barely shared a kiss at the end of chapter 14 on page 314. There was no build up. No anticipation, I didn't even care if they kissed or moved on with their lives and never spoke to each other again.

I wasn't rooting for them. I wasn't invested. There was no emotion connection to these two - as individuals and especially not as a couple.

There was no heat, no tension, no buildup of attraction. But suddenly after the "black moment" (if one could call it that, but sure, let's go with that) when they decided to talk it out (two seconds later, because at this point, the author has to hurry through everything because she went on for 360 pages about renovating this boat) they are suddenly "hungry" for the others kisses and "crave the delicious kiss"... which only made me cringe because it was so far from their cold attitude towards each other and romance, that it felt foreign and forced.

This is not at all what I expect from an Harlequin. Not what I expect from a romance in general. A forced romance in the last 30-50 pages just for the sake of labeling it a romance. I'm not sure how this slipped through the crack.

I know one thing. It has made me completely gun-shy to this author, and I'll be more careful in the future to not pick up another of her books.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is from one friend and will be on its way to another - which makes me smile.

I enjoyed seeing Andi live and work on the old yacht, discovering its history. I also liked that she was able to get along well with her ex-husband's new wife, despite the natural range of emotions from peace to regret to resentment and back to peace. That showed character, but in a natural, unforced way.

I also liked how good the other characters were to the elderly Art character, despite their understandable frustrations with his forgetfulness. My favorite quote on the character was, "You've been a bear; I love you." It's a good reminder to be gentle, forgiving, patient, and compassionate towards others' weaknesses.

"Unlike a lot of people, Andi didn't walk on eggshells around his dad [Art] as if she was afraid to talk to him. A couple of women he'd dated had acted like his dad was nothing more than a problem to be solved." Another good reminder to think beyond the pragmatic and practical to the hearts of others. I was afraid that the author would "kill off" the Art character in order to get him out of the way, a different kind of pragmatism. I won't say whether or not that happened.

I didn't understand why Brooke didn't like the idea of living on a boat for a season at first. I thought any ten-year-old kid would be thrilled for the adventure of it. But then I wondered if she were spoiled as far boats go, as her dad already living in the waterfront community. She didn't seem emotionally spoiled in other regards in the story, though. She did attend an expensive horse riding camp, but seemed appreciative of it.

Speaking of spoiled, I couldn't understand why Andi wasn't more frantic to get a job and make that a higher priority. Even if she'd built up a cushion in case of crisis, one never knows whether the unemployment would last longer than the nest egg. I do understand her considering other career options, though, and realize that does take longer.

I thought that Zeke should've been more wary of pursuing a future with her, perhaps considering some pre-marital counselling together to try to prevent the problems of her prior two marriages. I am skeptical that Zeke is the "one" this time around, when apparently she'd thought that twice before. Andi herself wanted to take things more slowly, which was wise.

Andi thought that others didn't like her, although she realized that she didn't actually have any reasons to believe that. Harboring thoughts like that might make her respond-in-kind to ambiguous situations rather than giving the benefit of the doubt. Then, that sort of response might have put a negative damper on potential friendships. Fortunately, Andi didn't spend a lot of time dwelling on those kinds of thoughts and she knew they weren't realistic. Most of the time, confirmation bias tends to make ambiguous situations appear to support our foregone conclusions - that someone doesn't like us - when in reality, that might not be true. Then we become even more entrenched in wrong ideas or misunderstanding.

Andi also wondered if she didn't have very good people skills, because all her friendships had been work-related ones, and she'd intentionally kept them shallow, in order to keep them positive for a better working environment. But I think she underestimated her people skills. If she could get along well with others in her office, she had people skills. It was just a matter of whether she wanted to deepen or enhance them.

Andi blamed her earlier divorces on her parents. Their marriage was such a good one that she ran too quickly into marriage. I could envision that happening, but blame goes a bit far. Andi should've (and often did) take responsibility for her own actions. Despite Andi's blame of her parents, children of loving parents usually end up understanding how a loving family works and how to work through disagreement.

Speaking of Andi's mom, I agree with the reviewer who said that she wasn't very supportive of Andi or her decisions. I'd add to that comment that the mom seemed dense as to the harm her criticism was doing. Between her critical attitude and her lack of perception over the harm it did, I wondered if Andi's parents' marriage wasn't truly as happy as Andi thought it was.

But, in the mom's defense, Andi really had made a series of unwise choices. I could see how it would be difficult to trust her to make good ones ... but it was more than time to just let it go.

I actually fell asleep while reading this book. It's been years and years since that happened to me; I don't even know when. Usually, I don't nod off while reading. The written word generally holds more interest for me than that. So, that doesn't speak well of this book, but it's not just the book. I've also been unusually tired from various events lately.

Favorite quote: "Enjoying good food is like enjoying life."

[Jennifer Robb · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I like: Andi and Miles are exes but manage to have a good relationship about their daughter, Brooke. Andi also gets along with Miles's second wife, Lark (at least most of the time). Zeke is now supporting Art (his father) and being a steadying influence for him, just as Art did for him while Zeke was growing up. Two Moon Bay seems a nice community. Zeke and Andi don't get married after only knowing each other for a few months--they do decide to "go steady" which is believable to me based on the time frame--it was a nice change from most of these books that seem to feel the characters need to get married by the end of the book. I liked learning about the history of the boat. Andi's not afraid to take a new career direction once she realizes that she's not looking forward to the office job.

What I didn't like: Andi's mom seems to think Andi made a poor choice to divorce Miles (even though it was years ago) and a poor choice to move to Two Moon Bay without planning ahead for things like a job--I don't feel she supported her daughter's choices well, though she does seem to change her tune when Brooke visits her over the summer. Brooke's attitude toward her mom at the beginning of the book; she's surly and resentful that they moved even though she's apparently spent time in this town with her father and stepmother in the past. Brooke also doesn't seem to consider her mother's feelings when she whines to move in with her dad for the summer. Quinn's dismissal of the boat his family owned as if it's not important.

[Kate Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Single mom Andi Sterling is taking a break from her previous inside-an-office job and indulges her love or renovation when she sees a decrepit yacht and asks the owner's son, Zeke Donovan, if she might bring it back to its original beauty. He agrees and she moves onto the boat with her daughter.

Thus begins the remaking of the boat along with the hearts of both Andi and Zeke. Both harbor secret hurts in need of healing and their growing friendship amid an attraction they aren't sure they should express becomes the salve for those hurts. Both know that completion of the work on the yacht also means that he'll go back to keeping the boat works shop his father owns open. And she'll go on to a new job, probably not in little Two Moon Bay, which is sad when both dream of sharing Drifting Dreamer as its motors around the Great Lakes once its seaworthy again.

Happily, opportunities begin to emerge that may mean Andi won't leave, and Zeke won't lose what he's finally found--but then he mentions the M word and Andi freaks. What happens next I won't give away.

[Jess Holden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love, Unexpected by Virginia McCullough takes us back to two moon bay. I love this little town. I always enjoy each visit. In this visit we get to restore an old yacht as well as get to know the lovely Andi and Zeke. The are both very humbling and sweet. I enjoyed getting to know both of them.

I think my hardest aspect of this book was the relationship with Andi and her ex husband. I know that she moved closer so it would be easier on her daughter. Yet I found the living circumstances in this book hard to believe. I have been in Lark's situation and I must say I would find it extremely hard to allow my significant other's ex to live in my home. (granted it is a different location but the actual home is offered). This was almost a turning point for me. Yet I read on and further enjoyed the rest of this story.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to think of Andi when we first met her. Her ability to be level-headed and fair with her ex, Miles, impressed me a lot. I really enjoyed getting the chance to see ‘what’s what’ from her perspective. We hadn’t gotten a chance to learn much of anything about Zeke and this book fixes that. I especially like that our hero and heroine are more mature, and the slow build of the relationship made it feel even more important to the story. I love the sense of the unknown that carries through the history they learn as they work to discover the origins of the yacht. The evocative descriptions of this beautiful old wooden boat make me want to learn more about these classic antiques.
I received a complimentary copy of this book.

[Jennifer Rupp · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so refreshing to read this story so grounded in reality—believable, likable characters fraught with contemporary issues of single motherhood, shared custody, aging parents, family businesses, moving to a new town and reinventing oneself. And all set in a landscape so familiar to me. And yet open and willing to try again at love. I really got lost in this one and you will, too. Harlequin promises Heartwarming and Virginia McCullough delivers!

[Nicki - The Overflowing Bookcase · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by Virginia McCullough, but it will definitely not be my last. I truly enjoyed the sweet and romantic story about Andi and Zeke. The characters were well written and the storyline had me hooked from the opening pages. Not only is this a great honest and true romance but it also made me want to read more.