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Safe Haven #1
Low Country Hero
Welcome to Safe Haven, where love - and a second chance - is just around the corner...
Sunny, carefree days splashing in the ocean - it's the life Anna George has always wanted for her five-year-old twins. And now that they've made it to Safe Haven, South Carolina, she won't let anyone stand in her way. Not the abusive ex she's just escaped and not the rugged contractor who caught her setting up house in the shuttered beachfront cabins he's refurbishing. When he offers Anna and her daughters a place to stay in exchange for her help with renovations, she's tempted. His gentle way with her girls makes her want to trust him, but she's been wrong before...
A family is the last thing contractor and former military man Sean O'Dwyer wants right now. But when he discovers Anna and her girls, he recognises kindred spirits. They're survivors who've seen the worst of people, just like he has, and he'll do anything he can to help them. As he and Anna spend their days bringing the cottages back to life and their nights sharing kisses in the warm bayou breezes, Sean must choose between the life he always wanted and the family he can't live without.
Sunny, carefree days splashing in the ocean - it's the life Anna George has always wanted for her five-year-old twins. And now that they've made it to Safe Haven, South Carolina, she won't let anyone stand in her way. Not the abusive ex she's just escaped and not the rugged contractor who caught her setting up house in the shuttered beachfront cabins he's refurbishing. When he offers Anna and her daughters a place to stay in exchange for her help with renovations, she's tempted. His gentle way with her girls makes her want to trust him, but she's been wrong before...
A family is the last thing contractor and former military man Sean O'Dwyer wants right now. But when he discovers Anna and her girls, he recognises kindred spirits. They're survivors who've seen the worst of people, just like he has, and he'll do anything he can to help them. As he and Anna spend their days bringing the cottages back to life and their nights sharing kisses in the warm bayou breezes, Sean must choose between the life he always wanted and the family he can't live without.
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 26, 2019
524 people are currently reading
1829 people want to read
About the author
Lee Tobin McClain
173 books525 followersNew York Times bestselling author of emotional, heartwarming romances. Visit http://www.leetobinmcclain.com to join newsletter, get book release details, and find out more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
February 21, 2019
Heartfelt, tender, and inspiring!
Low Country Hero is a heartwarming, emotive tale that takes us to Safe Haven, South Carolina and into the lives of Anna George, a young mother on the run with two little girls, no money, and an abusive ex that won’t let her go that easily, and Sean O’Dwyer, a dependable, compassionate contractor whose past has left him not only burdened with guilt but determined to stay familyless.
The prose is smooth and fluid. The characters are scarred, kind, diligent, and wary. And the plot is an uplifting, feel-good tale with a sliver of suspense that’s full of touching moments, friendship, family, community, introspection, acceptance, support, special needs children, romance, love, and the devasting effects of domestic abuse.
Overall, Low Country Hero is a sweet surprise, and a real treat with its engaging storylines, intriguing characters, underlying thread of revelations to come, and reminder that kindness is incredibly powerful and that a true home is one in which you feel safe, loved, and happy.
Thank you to Harlequin Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Low Country Hero is a heartwarming, emotive tale that takes us to Safe Haven, South Carolina and into the lives of Anna George, a young mother on the run with two little girls, no money, and an abusive ex that won’t let her go that easily, and Sean O’Dwyer, a dependable, compassionate contractor whose past has left him not only burdened with guilt but determined to stay familyless.
The prose is smooth and fluid. The characters are scarred, kind, diligent, and wary. And the plot is an uplifting, feel-good tale with a sliver of suspense that’s full of touching moments, friendship, family, community, introspection, acceptance, support, special needs children, romance, love, and the devasting effects of domestic abuse.
Overall, Low Country Hero is a sweet surprise, and a real treat with its engaging storylines, intriguing characters, underlying thread of revelations to come, and reminder that kindness is incredibly powerful and that a true home is one in which you feel safe, loved, and happy.
Thank you to Harlequin Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2019
Low Country Hero by Lee Tobin McClain is a heartwarming story full of hope and compassion. Primarily a romance, it also contains a trickle of suspense. Set in Safe Haven – a charming little beach town in South Carolina, this is a heartfelt story about healing and second chances, of kindness and acceptance, friendship, love and the strong bond of a close knit community.
For Sean O’Dwyer, Safe Haven has always been home, the small town that accepted him and his brothers when they had nowhere to go and no one to turn to. Former military man, now a full time contractor and part time shelter volunteer, Sean tries to give back as much as possible to the community and yet, is still struggling to find peace in life. Memories of his harsh childhood and abusive father are like a constant burden that never cease to leave. However, Sean seeks comfort in knowing that he and his brothers were fortunate enough family in the compassionate community of Safe Haven.
Anna George is on the run from her abusive ex and is determined to provide a safe and happy childhood to her five year old twin daughters. She is constantly on the lookout for the perfect abode to settle down. The tiny beach town of Safe Haven seems like just the place where Anna could maintain a low profile and afford a decent life for her daughters. When Sean finds this little family setting up house in one of the beachfront cabins he has been contracted to renovate, it doesn’t take long to figure out their story. Just like him and his brothers, Anna and the little girls are survivors, and Sean is bent on helping them out, despite Anna’s reluctance. There’s something about this family that tugs at Sean’s heart. And so begins the story of two kindred spirits and their path to self acceptance, love and contentment.
The story is mostly romance, but alongside there is also quite a bit of suspense, small town drama, and a little action. In addition there are backstories associated with secondary characters. This is the first book in the Safe Haven series and there is another background story unfolding parallel to Anna and Sean’s. I believe the author intends to complete one brother’s love story per book while continuing with the background one and finally unravelling everything in the final installment. Personally, I love stories structured like this, where with every book in the series you get closure on certain characters and then in the last book everything falls perfectly in place.
Overall, I really enjoyed this sweet and emotional story with its charming small town quirks and picture perfect setting of a tiny beach city in South Carolina. If you’re looking for a new romance series, centered around family and community, you’ll get that in Safe Haven. I loved this well done happily-ever-after and will be eagerly awaiting the next book in line, Low Country Dreams.
For more reviews visit my blog Booktimistic - Books, Outdoors & Optimism
** An ARC was provided by Harlequin Books and TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. **
For Sean O’Dwyer, Safe Haven has always been home, the small town that accepted him and his brothers when they had nowhere to go and no one to turn to. Former military man, now a full time contractor and part time shelter volunteer, Sean tries to give back as much as possible to the community and yet, is still struggling to find peace in life. Memories of his harsh childhood and abusive father are like a constant burden that never cease to leave. However, Sean seeks comfort in knowing that he and his brothers were fortunate enough family in the compassionate community of Safe Haven.
Anna George is on the run from her abusive ex and is determined to provide a safe and happy childhood to her five year old twin daughters. She is constantly on the lookout for the perfect abode to settle down. The tiny beach town of Safe Haven seems like just the place where Anna could maintain a low profile and afford a decent life for her daughters. When Sean finds this little family setting up house in one of the beachfront cabins he has been contracted to renovate, it doesn’t take long to figure out their story. Just like him and his brothers, Anna and the little girls are survivors, and Sean is bent on helping them out, despite Anna’s reluctance. There’s something about this family that tugs at Sean’s heart. And so begins the story of two kindred spirits and their path to self acceptance, love and contentment.
The story is mostly romance, but alongside there is also quite a bit of suspense, small town drama, and a little action. In addition there are backstories associated with secondary characters. This is the first book in the Safe Haven series and there is another background story unfolding parallel to Anna and Sean’s. I believe the author intends to complete one brother’s love story per book while continuing with the background one and finally unravelling everything in the final installment. Personally, I love stories structured like this, where with every book in the series you get closure on certain characters and then in the last book everything falls perfectly in place.
Overall, I really enjoyed this sweet and emotional story with its charming small town quirks and picture perfect setting of a tiny beach city in South Carolina. If you’re looking for a new romance series, centered around family and community, you’ll get that in Safe Haven. I loved this well done happily-ever-after and will be eagerly awaiting the next book in line, Low Country Dreams.
For more reviews visit my blog Booktimistic - Books, Outdoors & Optimism
** An ARC was provided by Harlequin Books and TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. **
December 17, 2019
This author is new-to-me and that's always a disquieting thrill. I mean, if it works out, there's a whole backlist I get to dive into. And yet, what are the chances I haven't already heard of the author if they're any good? Which sounds all kinds of egotistical, I know. So when I come across someone with an extensive backlist I remind myself that I'm not actually all that and give it a shot, hoping for the best. Sadly, this one reminds me why I have qualms.
Anna is extremely engaging right from the start. She's desperate to find safety for her twin girls and strong enough to have left the abusive jerk who turns out not to be her husband after all. I felt all the sympathy for her as she works to build a future that is frighteningly uncertain and learn to trust others while she's at it.
Sean should have been a similar win. I love the competent guy who loves deeply and does his best for others. It's clear from early on that he is the kind of guy others come to for help. He has strong ties to his community and deep friendships with those who live there and you can see that he has worked hard to be the kind of guy others can rely on. But that's only if you see what he does. I was deeply troubled that his internal monologue is all about how he's shiftless and a bad bet because he has "bad blood"—meaning that his father was an abusive jerk and he's convinced he can't have a family because he might some day magically turn into his father. Or something. It's both stupid and completely unsupported by any other action or input in the story. Oh, there's something about his ex flinging accusations at him about being closed off. But we don't see any interactions with her and she sounds kinda mean.
So the entire story, I'm thinking "he's going to be an idiot because of this completely unsupported weirdness the author has inflicted on this guy". It's bad characterization is what I'm saying. I mean, here's a guy who completed two successful tours in the military who is in charge of his own renovation company who others turn to for help and who has the full trust and support of literally everybody around him. So whatever his beginnings, every other message given him from the outside world is that he's a great guy who would never intentionally hurt anyone who was defenseless or weaker than he is. So this "insecurity" doesn't work, even a little bit. It's pretty much just a random negative motivation* tacked on so that the author can give us a dark moment.
Which is where the author went completely off the rails. Because that dark moment? Yeah, it was way, waaaaay too harsh. It's like if you wrote about a dog painted with tiger stripes so it'd scare monkeys only to have it transform into an actual tiger and eat everyone in the house. Yeah, you might get away with the painting the dog and have your story kinda work, but then you took it a step too far and everything got stupid.
Sadly, the story never recovered. Sean was a jerk for too long and the author relied on dramatic events to make things better and I just didn't get the emotional recovery we needed for me to have any engagement by the end. Yeah, the girls were cute (indeed, they're the best work McClain did in this story) but there needed to be more for me to be down with them being together in the end.
I'm going to end up with two really soft stars and mostly that's because I liked Anna and her twins and the community was interesting. If you're willing to let Sean's inner moments be surface only and just go along with it, you'll like this a great deal more than I did.
A note about Chaste: I'm a little surprised that this ended up being a chaste read. There's some snuggles, but they don't even talk about sex and Sean's constipation gets in the way of them actually going any further.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back (or, if that link doesn't work, here's a cache of the original) and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
Anna is extremely engaging right from the start. She's desperate to find safety for her twin girls and strong enough to have left the abusive jerk who turns out not to be her husband after all. I felt all the sympathy for her as she works to build a future that is frighteningly uncertain and learn to trust others while she's at it.
Sean should have been a similar win. I love the competent guy who loves deeply and does his best for others. It's clear from early on that he is the kind of guy others come to for help. He has strong ties to his community and deep friendships with those who live there and you can see that he has worked hard to be the kind of guy others can rely on. But that's only if you see what he does. I was deeply troubled that his internal monologue is all about how he's shiftless and a bad bet because he has "bad blood"—meaning that his father was an abusive jerk and he's convinced he can't have a family because he might some day magically turn into his father. Or something. It's both stupid and completely unsupported by any other action or input in the story. Oh, there's something about his ex flinging accusations at him about being closed off. But we don't see any interactions with her and she sounds kinda mean.
So the entire story, I'm thinking "he's going to be an idiot because of this completely unsupported weirdness the author has inflicted on this guy". It's bad characterization is what I'm saying. I mean, here's a guy who completed two successful tours in the military who is in charge of his own renovation company who others turn to for help and who has the full trust and support of literally everybody around him. So whatever his beginnings, every other message given him from the outside world is that he's a great guy who would never intentionally hurt anyone who was defenseless or weaker than he is. So this "insecurity" doesn't work, even a little bit. It's pretty much just a random negative motivation* tacked on so that the author can give us a dark moment.
Which is where the author went completely off the rails. Because that dark moment? Yeah, it was way, waaaaay too harsh. It's like if you wrote about a dog painted with tiger stripes so it'd scare monkeys only to have it transform into an actual tiger and eat everyone in the house. Yeah, you might get away with the painting the dog and have your story kinda work, but then you took it a step too far and everything got stupid.
Sadly, the story never recovered. Sean was a jerk for too long and the author relied on dramatic events to make things better and I just didn't get the emotional recovery we needed for me to have any engagement by the end. Yeah, the girls were cute (indeed, they're the best work McClain did in this story) but there needed to be more for me to be down with them being together in the end.
I'm going to end up with two really soft stars and mostly that's because I liked Anna and her twins and the community was interesting. If you're willing to let Sean's inner moments be surface only and just go along with it, you'll like this a great deal more than I did.
A note about Chaste: I'm a little surprised that this ended up being a chaste read. There's some snuggles, but they don't even talk about sex and Sean's constipation gets in the way of them actually going any further.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back (or, if that link doesn't work, here's a cache of the original) and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
March 1, 2019
Anna is fleeing form a life no one wants to have, two young children, no income, fearing for their safety. A strong, brave, and protective Anna pulls everything she has together to start a new life for her and the her two daughters. Breaking and entering was never something she thought she would do, striving to do what best, life becoming interesting quickly when Sean involves himself in the mix. Beaten down and broken, Anna slowly pieces her life back together while living in the shadows.
Sean is struggling to stay focused and find his path in life, he is a man that possess many skills yet unable to find peace in his life. Plagued by memories of an abusive father, Sean tries to change his life so he may never become like his father. Volunteering his time to shelters and Friday night dinners with his foster mom, led Sean to helping Anna more than he hoped.
So many characters and different plot lines running through Low Country Hero, it pulls a reader in and invests them in the town of Safe Haven. The characters were very well developed, all of them seemed relatable, easy to picture and could possibly be your neighbor. The chemistry between Sean and Anna was there from the first moment they met, the tension ran thick throughout the remainder of the novel. Seeing the emotional depth between the two made the hope for a happily-ever-after so much stronger. The happily-ever-after does happen for Anna and Sean but the big plot twist is still hanging on for another installment in the Safe Haven series. Ms. McClain has found a new follower eagerly awaiting for the next book!
November 2, 2019
A heartwarming start to Lee Tobin McClain’s new Safe Haven series, Low Country Hero delivers a story that readers of contemporary romance should not miss.
Anna George escapes to Safe Haven, South Carolina with her five-year-old twins, believing it a place she’ll be safe from her abusive ex. Sean O’Dwyer, a contractor struggling to find peace with his past, cannot deny the connection he feels with Anna. Together, they embark on a story full of family, friendship, community, romance, and healing.
An enjoyable read, Low Country Hero left me eager to read more of the series. The characters have great depth, the emotions they feel resonate, and their community is one I’d love to revisit.
This review is also posted on Hallie Reads.
Thanks to TLC Book Tours, I received a complimentary copy of Low Country Hero and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
Anna George escapes to Safe Haven, South Carolina with her five-year-old twins, believing it a place she’ll be safe from her abusive ex. Sean O’Dwyer, a contractor struggling to find peace with his past, cannot deny the connection he feels with Anna. Together, they embark on a story full of family, friendship, community, romance, and healing.
An enjoyable read, Low Country Hero left me eager to read more of the series. The characters have great depth, the emotions they feel resonate, and their community is one I’d love to revisit.
This review is also posted on Hallie Reads.
Thanks to TLC Book Tours, I received a complimentary copy of Low Country Hero and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
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March 6, 2019I gave it a good shot (89%) because I thought the setting was great, but I never connected with the characters. I think there was an overage of domestic violence references, more instances with a variety of people than was necessary for the story to hold my interest. There was something missing for me as a reader that I couldn't pinpoint.
I'm not rating this because I don't feel it's fair for the amount of skimming I did, and I'm not finishing the book.
I appreciate the digital copy given by the publisher for an honest review, but it just wasn't for me. I will try the author again as she has good ideas as well as a knack for setting a scene.
I'm not rating this because I don't feel it's fair for the amount of skimming I did, and I'm not finishing the book.
I appreciate the digital copy given by the publisher for an honest review, but it just wasn't for me. I will try the author again as she has good ideas as well as a knack for setting a scene.
October 19, 2019
I picked Low Country Hero because of the coastal South Carolina setting and the RaeAnne Thayne quote one of the covers!
This story takes place in the small, close-knit community of Safe Haven, SC where the neighbors always seem willing to pitch in and lend a hand to help one another. They also know a lot about each other, but that's almost always the case in small towns, and it actually helps this story flow along as at least one of these characters is looking to find out more about his/her past but is unable to remember. And there is one place in the story where a character makes a comment, something about how people seem to gravitate to Safe Haven because it is a great place to start their lives over--that is essentially where we find Anna.
Anna George is new to town with her two young twins after fleeing her abusive husband in Montana. She has happened upon a cabin in a secluded neighborhood near the coast, and since she doesn't have many resources, she decides to camp out in the cabin for a while and try to save money to start over with her girls. Sean O'Dwyer is nearby and finds her sneakily staying in one of the cabins in the neighborhood he is renovating. Sean has compassion for her and the children and works it out with the owner so she can stay in exchange for her help with the renovations. Over the course of the story, Anna and Sean grow closer, and Sean grows closer to the young girls. This is the romance aspect of the story.
There is another large part of the story that is Sean's backstory, which includes foster families, a troubled past, the traumatic loss of his mother at a young age, and overcoming the odds to own his own business. Sean recognizes something in Anna that pulls at him from some dark places in his past. There is something about her desperation to flee her abusive husband and protect her girls at all costs that reminds him of his mother, way in the back of his memory. He really wants to help Anna.
I was pulled into this story not only because I liked Anna and Sean, but because there is a suspenseful element to it. Between not knowing what Anna's ex-husband is up to and if he'll find her to some of the secondary storylines to the more intense ending-these pages turned pretty fast for me. I also love the small-town aspect so much. Speaking of the secondary characters, there are a couple of smaller storylines involving one or two other characters that may end up being featured more heavily later in this series, and I'm excited to see where these characters' lives will take them. In the meantime, I love Sean's family and friends and the good community of Safe Haven, and I'm excited to learn more about all of them.
A sidenote: at first, I was surprised at how much pagespace the abuse and trauma-talk took up. It felt like it was so much, especially for a romance story. But as I read, I realized how central those themes were to this particular story and how essential they would be to understanding where these characters came from so I could fully appreciate where they would eventually end up.
I'm super glad that I decided to read this one. The end was more thrilling than I anticipated. The story probably wrapped up more neatly than real life would be, but that's okay and I'm excited for the next installment. I hope I can read it soon.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, Harlequin!
Find this review and more like it on my blog, Into the Hall of Books!
This story takes place in the small, close-knit community of Safe Haven, SC where the neighbors always seem willing to pitch in and lend a hand to help one another. They also know a lot about each other, but that's almost always the case in small towns, and it actually helps this story flow along as at least one of these characters is looking to find out more about his/her past but is unable to remember. And there is one place in the story where a character makes a comment, something about how people seem to gravitate to Safe Haven because it is a great place to start their lives over--that is essentially where we find Anna.
Anna George is new to town with her two young twins after fleeing her abusive husband in Montana. She has happened upon a cabin in a secluded neighborhood near the coast, and since she doesn't have many resources, she decides to camp out in the cabin for a while and try to save money to start over with her girls. Sean O'Dwyer is nearby and finds her sneakily staying in one of the cabins in the neighborhood he is renovating. Sean has compassion for her and the children and works it out with the owner so she can stay in exchange for her help with the renovations. Over the course of the story, Anna and Sean grow closer, and Sean grows closer to the young girls. This is the romance aspect of the story.
There is another large part of the story that is Sean's backstory, which includes foster families, a troubled past, the traumatic loss of his mother at a young age, and overcoming the odds to own his own business. Sean recognizes something in Anna that pulls at him from some dark places in his past. There is something about her desperation to flee her abusive husband and protect her girls at all costs that reminds him of his mother, way in the back of his memory. He really wants to help Anna.
I was pulled into this story not only because I liked Anna and Sean, but because there is a suspenseful element to it. Between not knowing what Anna's ex-husband is up to and if he'll find her to some of the secondary storylines to the more intense ending-these pages turned pretty fast for me. I also love the small-town aspect so much. Speaking of the secondary characters, there are a couple of smaller storylines involving one or two other characters that may end up being featured more heavily later in this series, and I'm excited to see where these characters' lives will take them. In the meantime, I love Sean's family and friends and the good community of Safe Haven, and I'm excited to learn more about all of them.
A sidenote: at first, I was surprised at how much pagespace the abuse and trauma-talk took up. It felt like it was so much, especially for a romance story. But as I read, I realized how central those themes were to this particular story and how essential they would be to understanding where these characters came from so I could fully appreciate where they would eventually end up.
I'm super glad that I decided to read this one. The end was more thrilling than I anticipated. The story probably wrapped up more neatly than real life would be, but that's okay and I'm excited for the next installment. I hope I can read it soon.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, Harlequin!
Find this review and more like it on my blog, Into the Hall of Books!
October 9, 2018
3.5 Stars
This is my first read of this author. I didn't realize this was the start of a series. Having finished it, I now think I could go into it more objectively. It reads like the start of a series. We get the make up of the small town. We meet lots of secondary characters. There are a couple of other story lines going on besides the one with Anna and Sean. So, fair warning, this appears to be a family saga and although there is somewhat of a resolve to this story, there are many questions left at the end.
I love a tortured hero story and Sean meets this challenge. Ex-military and ex-foster care, oldest brother tasked with protecting his younger brothers. It all adds up to someone who deserves love. I am not sure Anna is his perfect match but his need to protect draws him to her. This a slow burn building friendship and trust between them.
Loved the twins and Ma Dixie. I loved the small town gossipy,quirkiness of Safe Haven. I assume the other brothers will each get books?? I would read them if for nothing else than to get the resolve of the set ups presented in this book.
Worth another look.
*Complimentary copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.
This is my first read of this author. I didn't realize this was the start of a series. Having finished it, I now think I could go into it more objectively. It reads like the start of a series. We get the make up of the small town. We meet lots of secondary characters. There are a couple of other story lines going on besides the one with Anna and Sean. So, fair warning, this appears to be a family saga and although there is somewhat of a resolve to this story, there are many questions left at the end.
I love a tortured hero story and Sean meets this challenge. Ex-military and ex-foster care, oldest brother tasked with protecting his younger brothers. It all adds up to someone who deserves love. I am not sure Anna is his perfect match but his need to protect draws him to her. This a slow burn building friendship and trust between them.
Loved the twins and Ma Dixie. I loved the small town gossipy,quirkiness of Safe Haven. I assume the other brothers will each get books?? I would read them if for nothing else than to get the resolve of the set ups presented in this book.
Worth another look.
*Complimentary copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.
June 1, 2020
Reviewed for Romancing the Readers Blog: http://www.romancingthereaders.com/20...
This was my first time reading Lee Tobin McClain. I saw this book and thought about getting it then when it came up on sale I jumped at it. I still didn't read it right away but I finally did.
This one starts off with heartbreak. I don't want to ruin too much yet for you so that's all I can tell you. You'll have to read it to understand what I'm talking about. I will tell you that the beginning of this book drew me in so much that I couldn't wait to keep reading it.
This whole series is about women being abused and those that help them. We start off with Sean who's back home and going to be fixing up a bunch of summer cabins. He's not a happy person right now. Much has happened in his past and he's home to heal his mind and heart. Part of that healing isn't in taking care of a woman and her two girls.
He really should have known he'd be lost the second he allowed them to stay in one of the cabins. Plus pretty quickly he realizes that Anna and her girls are in trouble. Since Sean knows trouble, he can't help himself, he needed to help her.
Poor Anna, she's running for her life and her daughters. What she doesn't need right now is someone in her business. She can't trust anyone.
So when she allows Sean in hers and her daughter's life she's not sure if it's a good idea. I like how much she struggled with the thought of bringing a new man into their lives after what they went through with their father.
But they all work well together and after a while, Sean finds that he likes spending time with Anna and her daughters and that they make him want to live, not just be. Anna also learns through Sean and his family about trust and that sometimes you have to trust people.
This was a wonderful story that I was so happy that I read. I liked Sean and his family and wanted to know more about them. I loved how he and his brothers held together even though they could have pulled about. If you are looking for an emotionally driven series for the summer you must get this series.
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This was my first time reading Lee Tobin McClain. I saw this book and thought about getting it then when it came up on sale I jumped at it. I still didn't read it right away but I finally did.
This one starts off with heartbreak. I don't want to ruin too much yet for you so that's all I can tell you. You'll have to read it to understand what I'm talking about. I will tell you that the beginning of this book drew me in so much that I couldn't wait to keep reading it.
This whole series is about women being abused and those that help them. We start off with Sean who's back home and going to be fixing up a bunch of summer cabins. He's not a happy person right now. Much has happened in his past and he's home to heal his mind and heart. Part of that healing isn't in taking care of a woman and her two girls.
He really should have known he'd be lost the second he allowed them to stay in one of the cabins. Plus pretty quickly he realizes that Anna and her girls are in trouble. Since Sean knows trouble, he can't help himself, he needed to help her.
Poor Anna, she's running for her life and her daughters. What she doesn't need right now is someone in her business. She can't trust anyone.
So when she allows Sean in hers and her daughter's life she's not sure if it's a good idea. I like how much she struggled with the thought of bringing a new man into their lives after what they went through with their father.
But they all work well together and after a while, Sean finds that he likes spending time with Anna and her daughters and that they make him want to live, not just be. Anna also learns through Sean and his family about trust and that sometimes you have to trust people.
This was a wonderful story that I was so happy that I read. I liked Sean and his family and wanted to know more about them. I loved how he and his brothers held together even though they could have pulled about. If you are looking for an emotionally driven series for the summer you must get this series.
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June 1, 2019
I loved Low Country Hero! I couldn't put it down. Great story! I can't wait to read the rest of the series! There could be triggers for readers who have been in abusive relationships or who grew up without one or both parents due to abuse.
Lee Tobin McClain is one of my favorite authors. I love the amount of detail she puts into her books and the amount of reality she puts in her characters. You can imagine being there. She also writes books for Harlequin's Love Inspired line. My favorite two series in that line are Rescue River and Redemption Ranch.
Lee Tobin McClain is one of my favorite authors. I love the amount of detail she puts into her books and the amount of reality she puts in her characters. You can imagine being there. She also writes books for Harlequin's Love Inspired line. My favorite two series in that line are Rescue River and Redemption Ranch.
June 16, 2019
I couldn’t put this book down. It was so good and had all the feels.
May 17, 2022
Finis in April 2022. Looking forward to reading the rest of this trilogy.
March 3, 2019
This is my first book by this author. Based on book titles, I expected this to be a romance novel and nothing else. I was very pleasantly surprised to find out that it was way more than a romance novel - even though there is romance in it. The book is about spousal abuse and how it affects not only the partner being abused but also the children who are aware of the situation.
Anna arrives in Safe Haven, SC, after a long drive from MN with her 5 year old twins. Even though she didn't know anyone in this small town, she had spent time here as a child and had fond memories of it. She also believed that it was somewhere safe for her to hide from her abusive husband. She soon meets Sean, the ex army contractor who is renovating the cabin that she broke into. Because of his childhood, he recognizes that he and Anna are survivors and he offers her a job with the renovations in exchange for a place to live. He also tries to help her twin daughters who are non-verbal around strangers. Can he and Anna find peace and a life together or will their past memories keep them apart?
Overall, I thought that this was a well written story with a lot of interesting characters in this small town. I realized near the end that some of the questions wouldn't be answered in this book and that it was the first book in a new series. I am interested in these characters and look forward to the next book in the Safe Haven series.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Anna arrives in Safe Haven, SC, after a long drive from MN with her 5 year old twins. Even though she didn't know anyone in this small town, she had spent time here as a child and had fond memories of it. She also believed that it was somewhere safe for her to hide from her abusive husband. She soon meets Sean, the ex army contractor who is renovating the cabin that she broke into. Because of his childhood, he recognizes that he and Anna are survivors and he offers her a job with the renovations in exchange for a place to live. He also tries to help her twin daughters who are non-verbal around strangers. Can he and Anna find peace and a life together or will their past memories keep them apart?
Overall, I thought that this was a well written story with a lot of interesting characters in this small town. I realized near the end that some of the questions wouldn't be answered in this book and that it was the first book in a new series. I am interested in these characters and look forward to the next book in the Safe Haven series.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
February 26, 2019
The first installment in the Safe Haven series, Low Country Hero by Lee Tobin McClain is a poignant yet heartwarming romance.
Former soldier Sean O'Dwyer has returned to Safe Haven, SC after several years away. He remains close with his brothers, Liam, who is a police officer in town and Cash, who returns frequently to visit his family. Sean is dedicated to his foster mom, Ma Dixie, and he is trying to help his foster brother, Tony, who is struggling to escape his ex-wife Brandi. Needing some peace and quiet, Sean is renovating several beach cabins when he meets Anna George and her five year old twins, Hayley and Hope. Sean is drawn to the small family and despite his reservations, he enjoys spending time with them. However, his unsettled past continues to haunt him which forces Sean to make a difficult decision about his relationship with Ann and the girls.
Anna has finally gotten the courage to leave her abusive ex, Beau, and she is trying to keep a low profile in case he comes looking for her. She does not find it easy to trust anyone and she struggles with letting anyone get close to her and her daughters. In spite of her trepidation, Anna gradually lets Sean, Ma Dixie and a few other townspeople into her life. As she begins to let down her guard just a bit, Anna is stunned when Sean suddenly pulls away from her, Hope and Hayley.
Due to his family history, Sean does not allow himself to consider having children. Neither he nor his brothers have come to terms with what happened to them after they arrived in Safe Haven. Sean completely understands Anna's situation and in spite of his efforts to stay away from her, he cannot resist getting to know her, Hope and Hayley. When he can no longer ignore his fears of becoming too attached, will Sean ruin any chance of a future with Anna? And when Anna's past catches up with her, can Sean protect her from harm?
Low Country Hero is a captivating romance with engaging characters and a realistic storyline. Anna and Sean have yet to make peace with their difficult pasts yet their attraction to one another proves to be impossible to resist. Little Hope and Hayley's reaction to the turmoil in their lives tugs on the heartstrings. Lee Tobin McClain deftly handles the domestic violence portion of the storyline with sensitivity. Readers who enjoy a clean romance with a slight element of suspense will enjoy this first outing in the Safe Haven series.
Former soldier Sean O'Dwyer has returned to Safe Haven, SC after several years away. He remains close with his brothers, Liam, who is a police officer in town and Cash, who returns frequently to visit his family. Sean is dedicated to his foster mom, Ma Dixie, and he is trying to help his foster brother, Tony, who is struggling to escape his ex-wife Brandi. Needing some peace and quiet, Sean is renovating several beach cabins when he meets Anna George and her five year old twins, Hayley and Hope. Sean is drawn to the small family and despite his reservations, he enjoys spending time with them. However, his unsettled past continues to haunt him which forces Sean to make a difficult decision about his relationship with Ann and the girls.
Anna has finally gotten the courage to leave her abusive ex, Beau, and she is trying to keep a low profile in case he comes looking for her. She does not find it easy to trust anyone and she struggles with letting anyone get close to her and her daughters. In spite of her trepidation, Anna gradually lets Sean, Ma Dixie and a few other townspeople into her life. As she begins to let down her guard just a bit, Anna is stunned when Sean suddenly pulls away from her, Hope and Hayley.
Due to his family history, Sean does not allow himself to consider having children. Neither he nor his brothers have come to terms with what happened to them after they arrived in Safe Haven. Sean completely understands Anna's situation and in spite of his efforts to stay away from her, he cannot resist getting to know her, Hope and Hayley. When he can no longer ignore his fears of becoming too attached, will Sean ruin any chance of a future with Anna? And when Anna's past catches up with her, can Sean protect her from harm?
Low Country Hero is a captivating romance with engaging characters and a realistic storyline. Anna and Sean have yet to make peace with their difficult pasts yet their attraction to one another proves to be impossible to resist. Little Hope and Hayley's reaction to the turmoil in their lives tugs on the heartstrings. Lee Tobin McClain deftly handles the domestic violence portion of the storyline with sensitivity. Readers who enjoy a clean romance with a slight element of suspense will enjoy this first outing in the Safe Haven series.
February 1, 2019
I wanted to like this book more than I did. But unfortunately it had some glaring red flags that turned me off from the beginning. First, The prologue had me hooked. It was sad and desperate and draws you right in. But after that things immediately took a bad turn... within minutes of meeting a domestic violence counselor the COUNSELOR starts talking crap about another woman and gossiping about if anyone believes her claims. The whole thing with Tony’s wife and the “she’s a liar and made it up” while portraying the heroine as a believable victim.. ugh. It just bothered me to no end. It felt cheap and unnecessary for such a serious issue. After that I found myself checked out... I couldn’t relate to the characters and instead of feeling for Anne I was more annoyed by the whole story. Unfortunately because of the way the author handled the domestic violence issue it just wasn’t the book for me.
** arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review **
** arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review **
December 8, 2019
When I picked this book up I didn’t know it was apart of a series, having now read and finished it I’ll have to read the following books as I have a few unanswered questions.
But in saying that following the two seperate but intertwined stories in this book made for a good read, this book is captivating...as the world building and character development made the book what it was. However for the first 210 pages nothing really happened it wasn’t until the end of the book that there was actually a continuous following story.
I actually quite liked this book and it’s messages I would happily read the next ones in the series and am looking forward to doing so. I liked the writing style and found this book easy and a pleasure to read, the story and character stuck in my mind so I was able to read it over a longer period without getting lost or confused.
I am so happy that the twins Anna and Sean were able to find happiness and become a family.
I really hope that the next book answers the questions for and about Rita.
But in saying that following the two seperate but intertwined stories in this book made for a good read, this book is captivating...as the world building and character development made the book what it was. However for the first 210 pages nothing really happened it wasn’t until the end of the book that there was actually a continuous following story.
I actually quite liked this book and it’s messages I would happily read the next ones in the series and am looking forward to doing so. I liked the writing style and found this book easy and a pleasure to read, the story and character stuck in my mind so I was able to read it over a longer period without getting lost or confused.
I am so happy that the twins Anna and Sean were able to find happiness and become a family.
I really hope that the next book answers the questions for and about Rita.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2019
A fun romance with just the right amount of suspense to make for a great read.
Trying to protect her five-year-old twins, Anna George has left her abusive husband and fled to Safe Haven, South Carolina. All she wants is a safe place to raise her girls and try and figure her life out. As she drives into the town, she finds what she thinks are some abandoned cabins and hopes to stay until she can get on her feet. She quickly discovers that the cabins are being refurbished by a contractor, Sean Dwyer, who catches her staying without permission. He is able to make arrangements with the owner for her to stay on the property and help him with the work. Sean remembers coming to Safe Haven when he was a young boy with his mother and two brothers to escape his abusive father. As soon as they arrived in town, his father found them and left with his mother, leaving the boys behind. He wants to help Anna and her girls even though Anna is hesitant to ask for help. It doesn’t take long for Sean to fall hard for Anna and the girls, which scares him. He has never wanted a family and now he seems to have found the one he can’t live without.
For me this wasn’t the typical romance I am used to and I loved it. The story was great, and I particularly enjoyed the way the characters came together at the right pace. They each had their struggles and used those struggles to relate to what the other might be going through. Anna was most concerned about her girls and how they would be affected with everything they were all going through. She isn’t looking for romance and after all she has been through it really is the last thing on her mind. Sean is a rough and tough kind of guy but shows a softer side when interacting with Anna and her girls. This is the first in the series and I for one can’t wait to see what happens next. There are a lot of secondary characters that need more fleshing out and can bring more life into a story already alive and kicking. Readers that enjoy a romance with characters with big hearts will love Low Country Hero.
I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.
Trying to protect her five-year-old twins, Anna George has left her abusive husband and fled to Safe Haven, South Carolina. All she wants is a safe place to raise her girls and try and figure her life out. As she drives into the town, she finds what she thinks are some abandoned cabins and hopes to stay until she can get on her feet. She quickly discovers that the cabins are being refurbished by a contractor, Sean Dwyer, who catches her staying without permission. He is able to make arrangements with the owner for her to stay on the property and help him with the work. Sean remembers coming to Safe Haven when he was a young boy with his mother and two brothers to escape his abusive father. As soon as they arrived in town, his father found them and left with his mother, leaving the boys behind. He wants to help Anna and her girls even though Anna is hesitant to ask for help. It doesn’t take long for Sean to fall hard for Anna and the girls, which scares him. He has never wanted a family and now he seems to have found the one he can’t live without.
For me this wasn’t the typical romance I am used to and I loved it. The story was great, and I particularly enjoyed the way the characters came together at the right pace. They each had their struggles and used those struggles to relate to what the other might be going through. Anna was most concerned about her girls and how they would be affected with everything they were all going through. She isn’t looking for romance and after all she has been through it really is the last thing on her mind. Sean is a rough and tough kind of guy but shows a softer side when interacting with Anna and her girls. This is the first in the series and I for one can’t wait to see what happens next. There are a lot of secondary characters that need more fleshing out and can bring more life into a story already alive and kicking. Readers that enjoy a romance with characters with big hearts will love Low Country Hero.
I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.
September 30, 2018
This is a can't miss book. It is so good I stayed up all night reading it. I can't wait for the next one. I cannot gush enough good things about this book.
Sean's father was abusive and is the reason his mother disappeared. Sean and his brothers figure that she is dead, or is she, Anna and her twins are running from an abusive husband. An they make a relationship work? Who is Rita could she possibly be Sean's long lost mother?
Thank you netgalley and harlequin for allowing me to read this title for an honest review.
Sean's father was abusive and is the reason his mother disappeared. Sean and his brothers figure that she is dead, or is she, Anna and her twins are running from an abusive husband. An they make a relationship work? Who is Rita could she possibly be Sean's long lost mother?
Thank you netgalley and harlequin for allowing me to read this title for an honest review.
March 5, 2019
Low Country Hero, the first book in Lee Tobin McClain's Safe Haven series, introduces readers to the O'Dwyer brothers, three siblings who found a home in Safe Haven, South Carolina, after their mother disappeared.
This first installment is oldest brother Sean's story. Newly returned to Safe Haven following a divorce, he discovers a woman and her young daughters squatting on the property he's renovating. He soon learns that the woman, Anna, is a victim of domestic abuse, and he can't help but be drawn to her.
I really enjoyed this first look at Safe Haven! The main story of Anna and Sean is all contained in this novel, but many other plot threads are left hanging, which definitely makes me want to come back for book two! I enjoyed watching Anna and Sean fall for each other, and I thought his relationship with Anna's daughters was really sweet. While I didn't particularly care for the romance involving Rita, a mysterious woman who shows up in town, simply because it seemed to be based purely on physical attraction, I did like Rita very much, and I look forward to continuing her story in future novels. Really, all of the minor characters are charming (well, except for the ones who aren't supposed to be), and Low Country Hero sets up what's sure to be a great small town series.
I could see this book series turning into a Hallmark Channel series in the vein of Chesapeake Shores or Cedar Cove, and I would be all for it! 4 stars.
Content note: This novel deals with domestic violence, which may be a trigger for some readers. It's a mainstream Harlequin HQN novel, but it's definitely a clean read—no swearing or sex, even behind closed doors.
Disclosure of material connection: I received this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.
This first installment is oldest brother Sean's story. Newly returned to Safe Haven following a divorce, he discovers a woman and her young daughters squatting on the property he's renovating. He soon learns that the woman, Anna, is a victim of domestic abuse, and he can't help but be drawn to her.
I really enjoyed this first look at Safe Haven! The main story of Anna and Sean is all contained in this novel, but many other plot threads are left hanging, which definitely makes me want to come back for book two! I enjoyed watching Anna and Sean fall for each other, and I thought his relationship with Anna's daughters was really sweet. While I didn't particularly care for the romance involving Rita, a mysterious woman who shows up in town, simply because it seemed to be based purely on physical attraction, I did like Rita very much, and I look forward to continuing her story in future novels. Really, all of the minor characters are charming (well, except for the ones who aren't supposed to be), and Low Country Hero sets up what's sure to be a great small town series.
I could see this book series turning into a Hallmark Channel series in the vein of Chesapeake Shores or Cedar Cove, and I would be all for it! 4 stars.
Content note: This novel deals with domestic violence, which may be a trigger for some readers. It's a mainstream Harlequin HQN novel, but it's definitely a clean read—no swearing or sex, even behind closed doors.
Disclosure of material connection: I received this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.
April 28, 2021
I read the third book in this series last Christmas and enjoyed it so much that I wanted to go back and read the first two. This series features the O'Dwyer brothers, three boys who were left behind when their mother disappeared while trying to escape her abusive husband. The boys were raised by different families, but still love one another and know they are family. This story is about Sean, the oldest of the brothers. He is refurbishing several beachfront cabins to open them once again. He stumbles upon a woman and her twin daughters squatting in one of the cabins. He immediately recognizes that she is a victim of abuse and tries his best to help her out. What he doesn't want to happen is to get attached to her and her children, but that is not as easy as it sounds.
Low Country Hero is a heartwarming, emotional story set in Safe Haven, South Carolina. Both Anna and Sean have scars and baggage that they need to get beyond if they want to have a happy, family life. This is a well-written story with characters that are smart and caring but wary. I loved the girls. They were so sweet, but also had a lot of fears that you would expect from children that had observed domestic abuse. There is some action and suspense in the story that had me on the edge of my seat, but fortunately, this is an uplifting, feel-good story. This story has themes of friendship, community, family, support and love mixed with the effects of domestic abuse, and preconceived notions of children with special needs. I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading or listening to Liam's story. The audiobook was narrated by Tanya Eby. Although I enjoy her narration for the most part, I find her voice can be a bit too saccharine at times.
Low Country Hero is a heartwarming, emotional story set in Safe Haven, South Carolina. Both Anna and Sean have scars and baggage that they need to get beyond if they want to have a happy, family life. This is a well-written story with characters that are smart and caring but wary. I loved the girls. They were so sweet, but also had a lot of fears that you would expect from children that had observed domestic abuse. There is some action and suspense in the story that had me on the edge of my seat, but fortunately, this is an uplifting, feel-good story. This story has themes of friendship, community, family, support and love mixed with the effects of domestic abuse, and preconceived notions of children with special needs. I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading or listening to Liam's story. The audiobook was narrated by Tanya Eby. Although I enjoy her narration for the most part, I find her voice can be a bit too saccharine at times.
March 14, 2019
Low Country Hero is the first book in Lee Tobin McClain's new Safe Haven series. It is a southern novel set in the small coastal town of Safe Haven, South Carolina. Anna George comes to live in Safe Haven with her young twin daughters after escaping her abusive husband. While she is staying in an empty cottage by the beach she meets contractor Sean O'Dwyer, who has been hired to renovate the cottage and surrounding community. A slow friendship and romance begins as Anna struggles to escape her past.
I was interested in reading Low Country Hero because of the setting. I love southern novels, and especially love books set on the coast. The author captured the Lowcountry coast perfectly - from the warmth of the people to the delicious southern food.
Anna is a very sympathetic protagonist. She is a warm, kind person, a devoted mother, and she really works hard to make a new life for herself and her daughters. Sean is also a very likeable character. He is working, too, to put his past behind him (his mother was an abused woman and he was raised in foster care). I found their romance that began as a slow building friendship very realistic.
The novel explores domestic violence, including Anna's story, her new friend who runs a women's shelter in town, and the story of Sean's mother. I felt this more serious storyline was handled very sensitively and it brought some real depth to what would otherwise have been a light romance.
This is the first of three books and I already look forward to continuing this series. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys women's fiction or romance with a more serious theme. The southern setting is sure to appeal as well!
I was interested in reading Low Country Hero because of the setting. I love southern novels, and especially love books set on the coast. The author captured the Lowcountry coast perfectly - from the warmth of the people to the delicious southern food.
Anna is a very sympathetic protagonist. She is a warm, kind person, a devoted mother, and she really works hard to make a new life for herself and her daughters. Sean is also a very likeable character. He is working, too, to put his past behind him (his mother was an abused woman and he was raised in foster care). I found their romance that began as a slow building friendship very realistic.
The novel explores domestic violence, including Anna's story, her new friend who runs a women's shelter in town, and the story of Sean's mother. I felt this more serious storyline was handled very sensitively and it brought some real depth to what would otherwise have been a light romance.
This is the first of three books and I already look forward to continuing this series. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys women's fiction or romance with a more serious theme. The southern setting is sure to appeal as well!
June 25, 2019
Low Country Hero was a drama filled intense, riveting read with characters that faced many challenges including domestic violence, past foster care placement, running away, overcoming and surrendering to God’s purpose for their lives. The Prologue gave enough insight into Sean O’Dwyer’s past as a young teenager to understand his present day struggles. When he discovered a young mother with her five year old twins hiding on property he ws renovating, he could identify with her fears from his own mother’s life.
Low Country is the first book in Lee Tobin McClain new series Safe Haven. I was filled with awe in how she captured every emotion along with twists and turns to keep the pages flowing. I enjoyed the sneak peek for Low Country Dreams which will focus on Liam O’Dwyer, who is an officer in Safe Haven. So I’m abiding time till I have a copy of Low Country Dreams to read.
I won a complimentary copy of Low Country Hero from the author through a Facebook party. I was not required to write a review for this book but have shared my own thoughts.
Low Country is the first book in Lee Tobin McClain new series Safe Haven. I was filled with awe in how she captured every emotion along with twists and turns to keep the pages flowing. I enjoyed the sneak peek for Low Country Dreams which will focus on Liam O’Dwyer, who is an officer in Safe Haven. So I’m abiding time till I have a copy of Low Country Dreams to read.
I won a complimentary copy of Low Country Hero from the author through a Facebook party. I was not required to write a review for this book but have shared my own thoughts.
August 6, 2019
Readers will have a greater awareness of the very difficult subject of domestic abuse and how it affects all those involved in this hard but heart warming romance.
Anna George and her sweet twins Hope and Hayley flee her abusive husband and find themselves in Safe Haven, South Carolina. This coastal town is warm and welcoming.
Sean O'Dwyer and his brothers Liam and Cash grew up here after their mother supposedly abandoned them.
Both Anna and Sean wonder if they can have a future together while still dealing with painful and emotional issues in their pasts.
There are tension filled events that take place where love and good triumph.
The author does a great job of bringing many secondary characters to life. My favorites were Ma Dixie and Claire.
Safe Haven is a place of hope, healing, love and friendship. Looking forward to reading the rest of this series.
Anna George and her sweet twins Hope and Hayley flee her abusive husband and find themselves in Safe Haven, South Carolina. This coastal town is warm and welcoming.
Sean O'Dwyer and his brothers Liam and Cash grew up here after their mother supposedly abandoned them.
Both Anna and Sean wonder if they can have a future together while still dealing with painful and emotional issues in their pasts.
There are tension filled events that take place where love and good triumph.
The author does a great job of bringing many secondary characters to life. My favorites were Ma Dixie and Claire.
Safe Haven is a place of hope, healing, love and friendship. Looking forward to reading the rest of this series.
June 26, 2019
I was familiar with Lee Tobin McClain as a Love Inspired author so when I saw this book at my public library I scooped it up and started reading. Then I had to check it out. Of course. It's very much like a Love Inspired book except I'd define it as more of a sizzling sweet romance...with lots of zzzzzz's in that sizzle! lol Still a clean read but the romantic tension is heart fluttering and temperature rising!
And woohoo -- this is the first book in her new Safe Haven series and McClain has done a superb job of setting up the town and the O'Dwyer clan (hello -- two blood brothers and a very intriguing foster brother!) Loved the longer length of the novel (as compared to a LI) which allowed the author to really flesh everything out. I don't like heat and humidity but I'm all ready to moved down to Safe Haven, South Carolina because I am totally sold on this community of caring neighbours! If only it wasn't fictional!
Angst with a capital 'A', toe-curling romance and a plot with some surprising twists all conspire to make this a glorious page-turner of a read!
And woohoo -- this is the first book in her new Safe Haven series and McClain has done a superb job of setting up the town and the O'Dwyer clan (hello -- two blood brothers and a very intriguing foster brother!) Loved the longer length of the novel (as compared to a LI) which allowed the author to really flesh everything out. I don't like heat and humidity but I'm all ready to moved down to Safe Haven, South Carolina because I am totally sold on this community of caring neighbours! If only it wasn't fictional!
Angst with a capital 'A', toe-curling romance and a plot with some surprising twists all conspire to make this a glorious page-turner of a read!
February 14, 2019
With every romance I read, I look for that one story that will leave its indelible mark. The one that will uplift and inspire. The one that will shine a light in the darkness, remind me of the good still out there in our world and restore my faith in humanity. The one that will encourage me to be a better version of myself and leave me better for having read it. Low Country Hero is that story.
Sean O'Dwyer was raised in the small, seaside town of Safe Haven, SC, and doesn’t remember much of his life before his arrival there at age thirteen. The memory of his abusive father haunts him into adulthood, however, and his last memory of his mother was watching his father forcefully drag her to his truck and drive away, leaving Sean and his two younger brothers alone and abandoned. Anna George has her own issues, having escaped her abusive, common-law husband and fled to Safe Haven with her young twin daughters. Hayley and Hope bear the weight of witnessing their mother's abuse, manifested in selective mutism and distrust of strangers.
I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around the thirteen-year-old Sean and take away all of his pain. Although he had wonderful, loving role models and a benevolent community who helped him grow into a strong, caring man, the evil of his abusive father and the fracture of losing his mother run so deep that healing the hurt is nearly impossible. But fight it as he may, Anna, with all too familiar fading bruises, and her adorable twin daughters somehow manage to work their way through the crack in Sean's heart and, bit by bit, slowly knit the pieces back together.
Trust isn’t something that comes easily to Anna, understandably, especially when it comes to men, where she always assumes the worst. But in the same way she and her daughter’s play a role in Sean's healing, the wonderful people of Safe Haven manage over time to work similar miracles in Anna's heart and psyche, enfolding her into their community and lives, giving her the unconditional love and acceptance she's never before experienced. When danger catches up with her, it’s no longer Anna fighting alone, but the whole town fighting for her and her daughters.
Honestly, I’m at a loss to explain how truly amazing this book is. These two strong, courageous characters, devastatingly damaged by similar circumstances yet affected in very different ways, instantly won my heart. If that’s not enough, the adorable, precious twins absconded with that very same heart. The vivid descriptions of my beloved low country felt like coming home, and I fell in love a third time with the colorful, charming secondary characters.
Then there is the story itself. While it lacks the sensuality some readers prefer, it more than makes up for it with palpable chemistry, many faces of love and deep, heartfelt emotions. It reaches to the reader’s soul with subtle complexities, hidden depths, understated analogies and inspiring messages. This beautiful, evocative, heartwarming book is one that will stay with me for a lifetime and I can’t wait to return to Safe Haven for the next brother, Liam's, story. Low Country Hero is easily in my top five inspiring reads for the year, and you won’t want to miss this phenomenal book!
*I reviewed an advance copy of this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.
Sean O'Dwyer was raised in the small, seaside town of Safe Haven, SC, and doesn’t remember much of his life before his arrival there at age thirteen. The memory of his abusive father haunts him into adulthood, however, and his last memory of his mother was watching his father forcefully drag her to his truck and drive away, leaving Sean and his two younger brothers alone and abandoned. Anna George has her own issues, having escaped her abusive, common-law husband and fled to Safe Haven with her young twin daughters. Hayley and Hope bear the weight of witnessing their mother's abuse, manifested in selective mutism and distrust of strangers.
I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around the thirteen-year-old Sean and take away all of his pain. Although he had wonderful, loving role models and a benevolent community who helped him grow into a strong, caring man, the evil of his abusive father and the fracture of losing his mother run so deep that healing the hurt is nearly impossible. But fight it as he may, Anna, with all too familiar fading bruises, and her adorable twin daughters somehow manage to work their way through the crack in Sean's heart and, bit by bit, slowly knit the pieces back together.
Trust isn’t something that comes easily to Anna, understandably, especially when it comes to men, where she always assumes the worst. But in the same way she and her daughter’s play a role in Sean's healing, the wonderful people of Safe Haven manage over time to work similar miracles in Anna's heart and psyche, enfolding her into their community and lives, giving her the unconditional love and acceptance she's never before experienced. When danger catches up with her, it’s no longer Anna fighting alone, but the whole town fighting for her and her daughters.
Honestly, I’m at a loss to explain how truly amazing this book is. These two strong, courageous characters, devastatingly damaged by similar circumstances yet affected in very different ways, instantly won my heart. If that’s not enough, the adorable, precious twins absconded with that very same heart. The vivid descriptions of my beloved low country felt like coming home, and I fell in love a third time with the colorful, charming secondary characters.
Then there is the story itself. While it lacks the sensuality some readers prefer, it more than makes up for it with palpable chemistry, many faces of love and deep, heartfelt emotions. It reaches to the reader’s soul with subtle complexities, hidden depths, understated analogies and inspiring messages. This beautiful, evocative, heartwarming book is one that will stay with me for a lifetime and I can’t wait to return to Safe Haven for the next brother, Liam's, story. Low Country Hero is easily in my top five inspiring reads for the year, and you won’t want to miss this phenomenal book!
*I reviewed an advance copy of this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.
October 23, 2022
Safe Haven and it's characters are good enough but jeeez, this might be one of the more repetitive romances I've read. Could have cut the length by half! I'll read the next one though cause it ended with pieces of the story unresolved.
February 28, 2019
Low County Hero is the first book in the Safe Haven series. After reading this, I am happy to know there will be more books following in the series. This was a romantic suspense that focuses on domestic violence. Even though I knew some of the things that would happen I still really enjoyed this.
This follows two different stories, but they are intertwined. I do not want to give too much away, but I loved both stories around Anna and Rita. This opens up with an intense prologue which caught my attention. I never lost interest as the story continued to progress.
There were a few things that I was not a fan of like saying the twins had special needs for having selective mutism. This was most likely from the trauma they witnessed from their parents. However; this was just something that I would have liked described as something different but it did not take away from my enjoyment of the story itself.
This also leaves so many unanswered questions around Rita and her story. I need book two now to know what happens!
Overall, I really enjoyed this and hope to continue on with the series in the future. I was sent a copy from the publisher.
February 27, 2019
Low Country Hero was my first time reading Lee Tobin McClain's work and I wasn't disappointed. The first title in the Safe Haven series is an emotional, heartfelt and inspiring story with a touch of intrigue and suspense. Anna and Sean's story is one of family, friendship and community told in multiple points of view.
The hero and heroine are both strong, courageous, and damaged characters.
Anna George has been dealt a bad hand in life. She's a survivor, and has dealt with her fair share of loss, heartache and abuse and is determined for her young daughters to find safety, happiness and community.
Sean O'Dwyer a former foster child, and military man is kind, caring and compassionate man who has his own suitcase full of baggage.
This title is a slow burn romance, that doesn't have the heat and steam that other romances have, but it certainly doesn't lack emotion.
I really enjoyed the secondary characters and cannot wait to see where this series goes next.
The hero and heroine are both strong, courageous, and damaged characters.
Anna George has been dealt a bad hand in life. She's a survivor, and has dealt with her fair share of loss, heartache and abuse and is determined for her young daughters to find safety, happiness and community.
Sean O'Dwyer a former foster child, and military man is kind, caring and compassionate man who has his own suitcase full of baggage.
This title is a slow burn romance, that doesn't have the heat and steam that other romances have, but it certainly doesn't lack emotion.
I really enjoyed the secondary characters and cannot wait to see where this series goes next.
February 26, 2019
Low Country Hero is a riveting story that grabs your attention at Chapter 1 and keeps on throughout the book. It is set in a small southern coastal town where everyone knows just about everyone. A town where nearly everyone has your back and is ready at a moment's notice to step in when needed. Sean and Anna's story in the first in a series of three. It is heartfelt, and romantic, but tension-filled, as Anna hides out from her abusive ex while also learning to let her guard down and trust. A wholly satisfying read. Ms. McClain leaves you longing for more - which you'll get in the promising second story of the series - but by no means will you feel cheated at the details left unfinished. You'll just be looking for bok #2, as will I. I was given a copy of this book from the author. It in no way affected this review. The thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 26, 2019
Romantic Suspense
This is a book about overcoming insecurities to find love.
I enjoyed the storyline,the amazing characters,the suspense,twists and turns.
The subject of domestic violence and how it affects the entire family
was dealt with in a sensitive manner.
This book is recommended for those who love Christian romantic suspense.
This is a book about overcoming insecurities to find love.
I enjoyed the storyline,the amazing characters,the suspense,twists and turns.
The subject of domestic violence and how it affects the entire family
was dealt with in a sensitive manner.
This book is recommended for those who love Christian romantic suspense.
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