Bayside Evenings

The Bayside Hunters #2

by Stacy Claflin

She’s single and stuck. His relationship is going nowhere. Will the next wedding they plan… be their own?

Dakota Hunter is great at wedding planning but terrible at finding a guy. Each one she encounters is worse than the one before… until she meets Clay. There’s one teensy problem: her attractive new assistant has a long-term girlfriend.

Clay Harper is thrilled to land his new job with Dakota, surrounding himself with happy couples day in and day out. But when he sees true love in person, he realizes his own relationship is far less than happy. It doesn’t help that being around Dakota feels easy. It feels right.

As Dakota and Clay grow a deeper connection, Clay’s girlfriend refuses to go down without a fight. Can the wedding planners go from seeing happy couples… to being one?

Bayside Evenings is a standalone book in the Bayside Hunters collection of sweet romance stories. If you like heartwarming tales, palpable chemistry, and weddings, then you’ll love this latest affectionate tale by USA Today bestselling author, Stacy Claflin.

Read Bayside Evenings to plan for love today!

Meet all of the Hunters!
SEASIDE HUNTERS - The California Hunters:
Seaside Surprises
Seaside Heartbeats
Seaside Dances
Seaside Kisses
Seaside Christmas

BAYSIDE HUNTERS - The Oregon Hunters:
Bayside Wishes
Bayside Evenings
Bayside Promises
Bayside Destinies (Coming Soon)
Bayside Dreams (Coming Soon)

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Amazon, Contemporary Romance

238 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 14, 2016

About the author

Stacy Claflin writes about complex women overcoming incredible odds. Whether it's her Gone trilogy of psychological thrillers, her ongoing Transformed paranormal saga, or her Seaside Hunters sweet romance series, Stacy's three-dimensional heroines shine through.

Decades after she wrote her first stories on construction paper and years after typing on an inherited green screen computer that weighed half a ton, Stacy realized her dream of becoming a full-time author.

When she's not busy writing or educating her kids from home, Stacy enjoys watching TV shows like Supernatural, Pretty Little Liars, and Once Upon a Time.

Join Stacy's newsletter to get free books: http://stacyclaflin.com/newsletter/

Reviews

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dakota is a wedding planner and one of the best, but she's unlucky in finding love for herself. When she hires a new assistant, a friend of her brother's, sparks fly, but then she discovers that Clay has a longtime girlfriend. And she's not one to break up a relationship.

Dakota is very driven and good at what she does. You'd think after being around happy couples and bridezillas all day, she'd know exactly what she wants in a relationship and how to go after it, but she still seems a bit hesitant and assumes way too much. That right there shows she's completely human, after all. Clay seems content to float along in life with the way things have been for practically forever, but Dakota awakens some feelings in him that he didn't know existed. I love how he's quick to make decisions and to implement them into his life, no matter the cost.

Some people aren't fans of love triangles, but this one feels like something that could honestly happen in real life. I like the emotions that are played upon, although I wish the character development went just a little deeper.

I love this series. I love how close-knit the family is and enjoy getting to know them each better on an individual level. Their family relations are so cozy, secure, and heartwarming. If family doesn't watch your back, who will? I can't wait to read about the next sibling.

Content: 1-2 very mild words; clean romance (mild kissing).

*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review*

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very sweet romance. I enjoyed the look at the life of wedding planners and how unreasonable some people can be. I also enjoyed the romance between Dakota and Clay. It was nice that they didn't just jump into bed at the first chance. I also enjoyed the family interaction. Love how the brothers look after their sister.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bayside Evenings - a review by Rosemary Kenny

Wedding planner Dakota Hunter has her salon, The Chateau, in Enchantment Bay. It's a thriving business that requires a third assistant to help her cover all her clients' needs...and that's where Clay comes into the picture.
How does he enhance Dakota's life?
Before Clay and Dakota can dream of an HEA together, he has to get rid of an overpowering, controlling girlfriend and cope with a celebrity 'bridezilla', who doesn't have time for dress fittings, or cake tasting and nearly leaves her groom at the altar over last-minute doubts.
Meanwhile, Dakota must try to juggle four weddings taking place on the same day - in a snow-storm - stop jumping to the wrong conclusion about Clay's visits to a jeweller's and break her own rule about not dating employees.
Luckily love finds a way and finally all is sorted out in the best way possible.
Get your copy of Stacy Claflin's Bayside Evenings today - it will warm your heart and make you ready for more, for sure!

[Jacquelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Bayside Evenings’ was entertaining. The plot involved a female business owner, a male (who is good friends with the business owner’s brother) getting out of a relationship, becoming an employee, dealing with a difficult diva of a client, breaking up with the girlfriend again, getting sick, dramatic irony, falling for the employee, wearing a ton of hats while working, humor, coming to an understanding with the boss’s brother, having a discussion with a mom, talking a person down from backing out, and falling in love. Moreover, Dakota and Clay, the protagonists, emanated chemistry and were well-suited for each other. Additionally, I appreciated the author’s vivid details that created a lively tone. Overall, I liked the delightful narrative.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a story! Dakota Hunter has the most challenging and sometimes frustrating business of running a wedding planning service. And when little things keep going wrong, she is glad she found a very capable assistant named Clayton (Clay) Harper. He's also pretty easy on the eyes. He seems to love doing anything to please Dakota, and it's a shame when a past relationship keeps causing misunderstandings between him and Dakota. Of course things work out in the end, but getting there is full of all kinds of thrills I loved reading this book even though I got so wrapped up in it that I really felt sorry for Dakota and Clay many times.

[Jean Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sweet, clean and wholesome romance. Dakota and Clay are wonderful as a couple and also as individuals. This is not a love triangle, although there are a couple of misunderstandings. I loved how after jumping to conclusions once before, Dakota decided to talk to Clay and see what is going on with him. Dakota is a wedding planner and both she and her coworkers are in demand and getting more business all the time. When Dakota hires Clay, he is an amazing asset to her business. Clay has a way with people, able to calm a nervous bride down and is always ready to help wherever needed. I really enjoyed reading this entertaining story.

[Joanne H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific love story. Dakota was a wedding planner and she needed an assistant so she hired a man that just happened to be eye candy. She didn't want a office romance that wasn't allowed so she tried to keep her distance, well, you know how that goes and trouble arises with an ex girlfriend that showed up. Now things get dicey and crazy. Love can hurt but true love comes through, but does it? good book!

[Pat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dakota was running a wedding venue that was doing very well. She ended up hiring Clay as her assistant as business was really picking up the pace. He was smart, learned things quickly and was confident in his dealings with clients. There was a spark between the two that they tried to deny. Dakota didn’t want to end up with an emotional mess on her hands so she tries to limit their interactions. This is an interesting story that is fast paced and well written.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a sweet, clean (highly appreciate), romantic story. Loved Dakota and Clay as individuals and as a couple. This is not a love triangle, hate those. This is the second in the series and liked how Stacy brought back Dakota's family. I actually liked this one better than the first and you can read out of order if you don't mind spoilers. Highly recommend. Looking forward to book 3.

[Virginia L · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wedding planner finds the man of her dreams

Weddings can be fun, romantic, happy or dramatic. This wedding planner has a hectic time when she's hired by a celebrity that's very set in her ways and hard to please. There's drama, tension and everything in between as a new assistant is hired. A very entertaining story.

[Readitnweep · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only reached page 5. The main character has expressed what she wants: a good date. But then there’s a very unnecessary flashback. The reader only needs to know Charlotte is a big client. Got it. Check. No need for a flashback.

Any momentum from the amusing bad date opener was stopped dead by the flashback.

[Jennifer Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you know it's love

Dakota owns a wedding business and hires Clay as her assistant. She finds herself falling in love with him, but she has a policy not to date employees. Clay's girlfriend shows up and Dakota realizes she has no chance with him. They break up because of the girl wants him to move to the town where she lives and works. What will Dakota do now?

[Kathy Wortham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was good as romances go, it does not have the predictable end which I liked. I did not like the jumping to conclusions form of insecurity held by Dakota. She should not have been still affected by her high school prom date. So, the story never fully explained why she was that way.

[Paige Norman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another ho-hum read, really no chemistry between the characters, and there were too many distractions. Part of a series, a standalone, but the rest of the people might make more sense if you read the series. HEA, but not a very satisfying one.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful love story, though there were several problems due to jumping to conclusions, but with love it all works out. I received a complimentary copy and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

[Linda Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Love

This is the story of Dakota and Clay, another incredible Bayside story. The book flows naturally with real life problems that keeps the reader engaged.

[Kath · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice romance

A red motorcycle, attraction, wedding planners, small town, romance, and a nice family all work into an enjoyable romance book. Such a nice story.

[carole williamson]

Love the Hunters!

[Stasia Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice

Good characters. So many of the female leads are so insecure. And are afraid of communicating.
But the romance was sweet.

[Marilyn Renaudin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance tale

Very enjoyable story of love development. A tale that warms your heart. sometimes you have to put aside your own rules and let love rule!

[Michele Duck · Rating 4 out of 5]

A happy read

A more real life take on these type of stories. Everything does not go as planned but it all turns out percent in the end. A nice way read. I enjoyed it

[Sherry Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Read

Nice story and very good insight to a wedding planners life. Did not have any of those ‘Oh my gosh’ moments that add depth to a book. And the ending is predictable.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book by this author got to read all of hers now

[Caprice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first straight romance I've read by Stacy Claflin. In fact she is a new author for me. The other book of hers that I read dealt with werewolves. With that being said, this book was very good. However there wasn't as much character development as I'd like.

Dakota has decided to swear off dating after another date with a new guy begins horribly. She tells that guy that she has an emergency at work, and so walks out on the date before the food even arrives. Dakota owns a wedding planning business and an event venue. She is desperately in need of an assistant to help with an upcoming celebrity wedding. After she returns to work following the date debacle, Clay just happens to walk in to apply for the job. He's the most gorgeous thing she's ever seen. After finding out that he is a friend of her brother's, she pretty much hires him on the spot. The rest of the story deals with the growing attraction between them, Clay's stalker ex girlfriend, and Dakota's misunderstanding of some things she sees but doesn't talk to Clay about.

This book had a lot of good points. First of all, it is classified as a sweet romance, so there is little if any profanity. This is a huge plus for me, because I really don't like to read books that are overburdened with foul language, sometimes just for no reason but filler. Secondly, with this being a sweet romance, there is no hot and steamy sex scenes. There is some kissing described but it is done in a very tasteful way. It's refreshing to read a book that doesn't try to make readers believe that "everyone talks like that" meaning profanity several times in one sentence.

The few drawbacks I found were that with this shorter book the characters weren't developed as deeply as I like. Because it is part of a series, there isn't much background information. I'm sure much of that was taken care of in previous books. It took me a while to figure out which of the characters were Dakota's family members and who were employees. There were some snippets of development of her parents and siblings, but at times I felt a little lost.

Regardless of the few negatives I found with this book, I still highly recommend it. It can be read as a standalone novel, but I think that there is a definite advantage to reading all of the Hunter family books in order, because although this book is complete in itself, the previous books in the series would give background information that would help with understanding, especially with who is who in the family.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bayside Evenings is a sweet contemporary romance from this author who also writes other genres. Dakota owns a wedding & event planning venue. She's getting overwhelmed & needs to hire an assistant so that she can have a life outside of work. Clay wants to intern with someone so that he can gain experience on running a business before he tries to branch out on his own. Since Clay was recommended by Dakota's brother she hires him on. From the beginning, Dakota is attracted to Clay but she finds out he has a girlfriend & so it's all business. Clay isn't sure of his relationship & his feelings for Dakota just confuse him more. Will Clay stay with his girlfriend? Does the relationship between Dakota & Clay have a chance?

This is a great addition to this series. It can be read as a stand alone but you are introduced to various family members & supporting cast in previous books. I don't find this confusing but others might. This is a sweet romance as there is little to no profanity & "behind closed doors" sex scenes. It's a straight forward HEA with detours into the relationships within the cast & dealing with bridezillas. The characters are well developed & realistic boy(girl) next door types. The narrative is very descriptive & moves quickly. I really enjoyed the premise & this book delivered. I would recommend this book to anyone loving sweet romances & to anyone loving their romance more intense, this is a delightful break & you will enjoy it.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Charlotte Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dakota, you are an interesting lady, running a wedding planning business and being so unlucky in love. How can a woman who makes a living on love not find her own happy ending? Just when she decides to give up Clay walks into her life.

There were times I loved Dakota and times I wanted to smack her. I loved how she was willing to open herself up to Clay and still keep herself in check. She didn’t give in to the temptation and just sleep with Clay. She pushed, pulled, and prodded to make sure that their relationship was real. She kept her morals and made Clay work to be with her. What I didn’t love… I know that she’s been burnt by relationships in the past but really??? Every time Clay was out of her sight she seemed to be questioning what he was doing. I am a big believer that relationships are built on trust and it seemed Clay had to work 100 times harder than necessary to earn Dakota’s trust.

Bayside Evenings is the second book in The Bayside Hunter’s series but can easily be read as a standalone. I recommend checking out Stacy Claflin’s series.

[Tammy Northington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great ready by Stacy. You meet Dakota who is a wedding planner & has horrible luck finding the right guy for her. She's planning the wedding of a celebrity & is in dire need of another assistant. In walks Jake for an interview. He's HOT in her opinion, but she doesn't mix business with pleasure. The wedding they are planning throws them both together in ways that neither of them could have predicted--such as being forced to try on the bride's wedding dress & groom's tux since they are about the same size & the bride can't tear herself away from every day life to come try it on herself. Jake's ex shows up at the fitting & causes Dakota to not tell Jake how she feels. This is an emotional roller coaster for Dakota, but hang on tight as this is one read that you won't want to put down.

[Alex Haber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an arc of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Dakota is a wedding planner but in her personal life, she isn’t finding any love right now could things turn around for her? Clay hopes to first his own business but till then he went for a job opening that his friend told him about. Clay was with his girlfriend or will things change around in his life?It’s a light read with humor and a sweet romance.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful story, lots of emotional ups and downs. I've read some of the other books about the Hunters, so it was a nice return to visit familiar characters. The reactions and actions of the characters were believable - frustrating at times, but realistic. I enjoyed the story, and appreciate a sweet romance.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put it down! Bayside Evenings was full of romance, humor, lot's of misunderstandings and some drama. Great romance story and we got to hear about other familiar characters. Can't wait for the next book! I received a ARC for an honest review.