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Summer Beach #1
Seabreeze Inn
A widowed artist. An old crush. One summer to get her life back.
Ivy Bay’s life implodes after discovering that her late husband had spent their life savings on a beach house. Strapped for cash as an art teacher and with nowhere to go, Ivy and her recently jilted sister head to Summer Beach to recreate their lives. If only renovating a historical home didn’t unveil a host of hidden secrets in the beachside community—and the mayor wasn’t her former high school crush.
Bennett Dylan led a campaign against Ivy’s late husband to block the rezoning of the beach house land for a high-rise resort. Although it’s been ten years since his wife’s death, Bennett is avoiding the pain of loving—and possibly losing—another woman. And then the FBI shows up… Ivy’s demands for a zoning variance for a bed-and-breakfast couldn’t come at a worse time for him.
Despite distractions, Ivy has one summer to sway the town to salvage her livelihood and the new life in Summer Beach she’s come to love.
With spellbinding intrigue and poignant self-discovery, the Seabreeze Inn is a sweet summer beach read. If you like sun-soaked beach sagas you can lose yourself in, the Seabreeze Inn and Summer Beach’s fascinating characters are for you. Get it now and start your vacation in Summer Beach.
Ivy Bay’s life implodes after discovering that her late husband had spent their life savings on a beach house. Strapped for cash as an art teacher and with nowhere to go, Ivy and her recently jilted sister head to Summer Beach to recreate their lives. If only renovating a historical home didn’t unveil a host of hidden secrets in the beachside community—and the mayor wasn’t her former high school crush.
Bennett Dylan led a campaign against Ivy’s late husband to block the rezoning of the beach house land for a high-rise resort. Although it’s been ten years since his wife’s death, Bennett is avoiding the pain of loving—and possibly losing—another woman. And then the FBI shows up… Ivy’s demands for a zoning variance for a bed-and-breakfast couldn’t come at a worse time for him.
Despite distractions, Ivy has one summer to sway the town to salvage her livelihood and the new life in Summer Beach she’s come to love.
With spellbinding intrigue and poignant self-discovery, the Seabreeze Inn is a sweet summer beach read. If you like sun-soaked beach sagas you can lose yourself in, the Seabreeze Inn and Summer Beach’s fascinating characters are for you. Get it now and start your vacation in Summer Beach.
382 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 2019
8054 people are currently reading
12413 people want to read
About the author
Jan Moran
75 books4,134 followersHi there, and welcome! If you like fun beach reads or romantic sagas that whisk you off to places like sunny beaches or Italy, Paris, and Napa Valley, then come on in. I write clean and wholesome feel-good novels.
Never miss a sale or new release! Tap "Follow" on Goodreads. Join my Readers Club and get a free read to download now, The Summer Beach Welcome Kit: https://www.janmoran.com/newsletter
If you like to binge read, visit my new online bookshop for special ebook, audiobook, and paperback bundles: https://store.janmoran.com/collection...
Join me in my Facebook Readers Group, too, where we celebrate good books and cheer each other on: https://www.facebook.com/groups/58425.... That's where I share sales, ARCs, and lots of fun times.
Here's where you can find all my books: https://viewauthor.at/JanMoranBooks.
So what's new? Look for the new SEABREEZE GALA, which earned a spot (thanks to readers!) on the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists, so we've been celebrating. Besides my women's fiction beach series (Summer Beach, Coral Cottage, and Crown Island series), I also write 20th-century historical sagas with a touch of romance. THE WINEMAKERS is my latest re-launch, and HEPBURN'S NECKLACE, set against the Audrey Hepburn film, ROMAN HOLIDAY, is my latest dual timeline historical.
If you enjoy Mary Kay Andrews, Elin Hilderbrand, Brenda Novak, and Mary Alice Monroe's beach reads, then you'll want to start with SEABREEZE INN. If you like to escape to another time with Danielle Steel, Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, or Fiona Davis, then check out THE CHOCOLATIER, a sweet read set on the shores of Amalfi, Italy, HEPBURN'S NECKLACE iN Lake Como, Italy, or THE WINEMAKERS, which will whisk you to 1950s Napa Valley and Tuscany.
If you're an audiobook aficionado, you're in luck! Most of my books are available in audio on my store: https://store.janmoran.com/collection..., and on Audible, Apple, and Amazon, read by the super-talented Erin Bennett (Elin Hilderbrand, Debbie Macomber, etc), an award-winning narrator.
My SUNSHINE & SECOND CHANCES series (aka LOVE CALIFORNIA) is also a lot of fun. It's a linked series of six best friends that I based on some of my favorite travel destinations. Each book is a mini-vacay, starting with Paris in FLAWLESS, Spain in BEAUTY MARK, Malibu and Ireland in RUNWAY, and three more fun locales. These are also widely available on audio Audible, Apple, and Amazon, as well as Kobo, and Barnes & Noble.
Let's keep in touch! Here's how:
- Follow me on Bookbub to learn of all my sales, new releases, and preorders: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jan-m...
- Come visit me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/janmoranbooks to find out more.
- And...get a free read when you join my newsletter group: http://www.janmoran.com/contact-jan.
If you're a library patron and prefer to borrow from a library, simply ask your local library to order copies for you and other patrons. Library ebooks are also available through Libby, Overdrive, and CloudLibrary, so your librarian can purchase ebooks through these services to make them accessible to you. Just ask; many of my books are there.
My books have also been translated into German, Polish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Turkish, Russian, Lithuanian, and other languages. Most titles are also available in audiobook and large print formats.
Thank you all for your support on this amazing writing journey. I love to hear from readers--that's how your beloved Seabreeze Inn has kept growing new books. And thank you for sharing my books with your friends. If you have book club meetings and would like to connect with me by Zoom, please reach out through my website at https://www.janmoran.com/contact.
Happy reading!
Never miss a sale or new release! Tap "Follow" on Goodreads. Join my Readers Club and get a free read to download now, The Summer Beach Welcome Kit: https://www.janmoran.com/newsletter
If you like to binge read, visit my new online bookshop for special ebook, audiobook, and paperback bundles: https://store.janmoran.com/collection...
Join me in my Facebook Readers Group, too, where we celebrate good books and cheer each other on: https://www.facebook.com/groups/58425.... That's where I share sales, ARCs, and lots of fun times.
Here's where you can find all my books: https://viewauthor.at/JanMoranBooks.
So what's new? Look for the new SEABREEZE GALA, which earned a spot (thanks to readers!) on the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists, so we've been celebrating. Besides my women's fiction beach series (Summer Beach, Coral Cottage, and Crown Island series), I also write 20th-century historical sagas with a touch of romance. THE WINEMAKERS is my latest re-launch, and HEPBURN'S NECKLACE, set against the Audrey Hepburn film, ROMAN HOLIDAY, is my latest dual timeline historical.
If you enjoy Mary Kay Andrews, Elin Hilderbrand, Brenda Novak, and Mary Alice Monroe's beach reads, then you'll want to start with SEABREEZE INN. If you like to escape to another time with Danielle Steel, Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, or Fiona Davis, then check out THE CHOCOLATIER, a sweet read set on the shores of Amalfi, Italy, HEPBURN'S NECKLACE iN Lake Como, Italy, or THE WINEMAKERS, which will whisk you to 1950s Napa Valley and Tuscany.
If you're an audiobook aficionado, you're in luck! Most of my books are available in audio on my store: https://store.janmoran.com/collection..., and on Audible, Apple, and Amazon, read by the super-talented Erin Bennett (Elin Hilderbrand, Debbie Macomber, etc), an award-winning narrator.
My SUNSHINE & SECOND CHANCES series (aka LOVE CALIFORNIA) is also a lot of fun. It's a linked series of six best friends that I based on some of my favorite travel destinations. Each book is a mini-vacay, starting with Paris in FLAWLESS, Spain in BEAUTY MARK, Malibu and Ireland in RUNWAY, and three more fun locales. These are also widely available on audio Audible, Apple, and Amazon, as well as Kobo, and Barnes & Noble.
Let's keep in touch! Here's how:
- Follow me on Bookbub to learn of all my sales, new releases, and preorders: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jan-m...
- Come visit me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/janmoranbooks to find out more.
- And...get a free read when you join my newsletter group: http://www.janmoran.com/contact-jan.
If you're a library patron and prefer to borrow from a library, simply ask your local library to order copies for you and other patrons. Library ebooks are also available through Libby, Overdrive, and CloudLibrary, so your librarian can purchase ebooks through these services to make them accessible to you. Just ask; many of my books are there.
My books have also been translated into German, Polish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Turkish, Russian, Lithuanian, and other languages. Most titles are also available in audiobook and large print formats.
Thank you all for your support on this amazing writing journey. I love to hear from readers--that's how your beloved Seabreeze Inn has kept growing new books. And thank you for sharing my books with your friends. If you have book club meetings and would like to connect with me by Zoom, please reach out through my website at https://www.janmoran.com/contact.
Happy reading!
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 705 reviews
August 1, 2019
A SUMMER MUST READ!!
Who wouldn’t be taken in by a gorgeous vintage home with views of the beach from every angle?
Ivy immediately fell in love with Las Brisas that she had no idea her husband had bought. She had planned to immediately sell when the realtor told her it would take over a year to even get someone interested so she changed her mind and decided to keep the home.
I fell in love with the house too...it sounded like a lovely place to live or to spend time. What made the house more intriguing was the fact that the house and the original owner had some history dating back to WWII.
Ivy and her sister Shelly made plans to turn the home into a bed and breakfast, but the city wouldn't allow that zoning so they decided on renting rooms and having a wedding planning business.
Both Ivy and Shelley were lovable in their own way. I enjoyed their interactions and creativity.
Even though their business decision was moving forward there still was one problem in town for Ivy. Her problem was the mayor who was also her real estate agent that Ivy knew from high school.
A lot of things were going on in Ivy's life including the death of her husband with secrets Ivy never knew about.
Meanwhile their mother and father had something to tell them and everyone was thinking the worst.
SEABREEZE INN is as delightful as the title sounds.
We get a glimpse of life in the charming town of Summer Beach and of beach living.
If you enjoy a light, breezy read, old houses with secrets, and characters with secrets, you will want to add this book to your TBR. Art lovers will also enjoy this book that slips in a little romance.
SEABREEZE INN is truly an enjoyable, lovely read that will lift your spirits and have you looking up famous artists and seeing if the town is real or fictional. 5/5
This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Who wouldn’t be taken in by a gorgeous vintage home with views of the beach from every angle?
Ivy immediately fell in love with Las Brisas that she had no idea her husband had bought. She had planned to immediately sell when the realtor told her it would take over a year to even get someone interested so she changed her mind and decided to keep the home.
I fell in love with the house too...it sounded like a lovely place to live or to spend time. What made the house more intriguing was the fact that the house and the original owner had some history dating back to WWII.
Ivy and her sister Shelly made plans to turn the home into a bed and breakfast, but the city wouldn't allow that zoning so they decided on renting rooms and having a wedding planning business.
Both Ivy and Shelley were lovable in their own way. I enjoyed their interactions and creativity.
Even though their business decision was moving forward there still was one problem in town for Ivy. Her problem was the mayor who was also her real estate agent that Ivy knew from high school.
A lot of things were going on in Ivy's life including the death of her husband with secrets Ivy never knew about.
Meanwhile their mother and father had something to tell them and everyone was thinking the worst.
SEABREEZE INN is as delightful as the title sounds.
We get a glimpse of life in the charming town of Summer Beach and of beach living.
If you enjoy a light, breezy read, old houses with secrets, and characters with secrets, you will want to add this book to your TBR. Art lovers will also enjoy this book that slips in a little romance.
SEABREEZE INN is truly an enjoyable, lovely read that will lift your spirits and have you looking up famous artists and seeing if the town is real or fictional. 5/5
This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
April 30, 2025
This is an entertaining, well-written, contemporary romance novel. It has likable and engaging characters, a lovely, vividly described beach setting, supportive family, relationship drama, a bit of mystery, a sweet romance, and a satisfying conclusion. The recipes were a nice touch. I listened to the audio book, and the narrator, Ms. Erin Bennett, does an excellent job voicing the characters. I am looking forward to reading the next entry in this series with great anticipation.
March 17, 2020
I am finding all kinds of terrific books these days with new to me authors! I really enjoyed this one. Major life changes, devastating secrets uncovered, second chances later in life, small town life and tight-knit family abounds in this entertaining new series. Can't wait for the next one!
April 19, 2021
I was looking for a light read and can never resist small town beach communities. I didn't dislike the book, but can't say I was wowed by it either. It was evident early on this was a spin-off from a previous series, and all the secondary characters felt overwhelming...not sure if I will continue with the series.
June 30, 2023
Thanks for looking at Seabreeze Inn, the first in my Summer Beach series. For special bundles and more, visit my online shop at https://store.janmoran.com. The Summer Beach series has been a favorite to write, and I love sharing stories in this sweet beach town.
July 24, 2023
What a delightful, well written story! Read this for free via “Serial Reads” by Barnes and Noble (Nook). 4 color me surprised stars ☀️☺️ cheers! ✌🏻🌴
March 28, 2020
Could have been better
A quick read that could have been so much more developed but creating an inn/bed and breakfast and landscaping business was a negligible part of the story. the main characters - ivy and shelley - were distinctly unlikeable - quick to rush to erroneous conclusions about situations and judgmental opinions about other characters without any clear resolution. In fact, it seems the last few pages of the book just wrap up one tiny storyline in as few sentences as possible - almost as if it were a writing assignment and required another 300 words:
A quick read that could have been so much more developed but creating an inn/bed and breakfast and landscaping business was a negligible part of the story. the main characters - ivy and shelley - were distinctly unlikeable - quick to rush to erroneous conclusions about situations and judgmental opinions about other characters without any clear resolution. In fact, it seems the last few pages of the book just wrap up one tiny storyline in as few sentences as possible - almost as if it were a writing assignment and required another 300 words:
October 21, 2020
Enjoyed this and will follow up with #2 at some point.
Read
April 2, 2020Rating: 3.5/5.0
Ivy and Bennett’s love story is lighthearted and airy, with a smooth integration of historical details about California in the years leading up to and including World War II.
Read full review in the 2020 April issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Ivy and Bennett’s love story is lighthearted and airy, with a smooth integration of historical details about California in the years leading up to and including World War II.
Read full review in the 2020 April issue of InD'tale Magazine.
May 15, 2024
I love discovering a new writer. My favorite background for this time of the year ~ is the beach. A great summer beach read about stepping out of your comfort zone. What do you do when life throws surprises at you?
July 25, 2020
Easy summer read
This is more of a 2.5 rating. The story and writing are rather simplistic and it’s obvious it was written to be part of a series. There’s little depth to most of the characters which leaves me with no desire to read more in the series
This is more of a 2.5 rating. The story and writing are rather simplistic and it’s obvious it was written to be part of a series. There’s little depth to most of the characters which leaves me with no desire to read more in the series
February 9, 2022
*Nota = 2.5
Livro sessão da tarde para passar o tempo. Algumas coisas na trama não faz muito sentido. E a personagem principal é muito chata!!
Livro sessão da tarde para passar o tempo. Algumas coisas na trama não faz muito sentido. E a personagem principal é muito chata!!
February 4, 2022
Acho que a intenção da autora é oferecer uma leitura leve, o que ela realmente faz, mas algumas coisas parecem muito improváveis e quebram a verossimilhança.
July 24, 2019
Another great read by Jan Moran. I have read almost all of her books and none has disappointed me.
I must admit that when the synopsis said Ivy’s husband blew their retirement money on a “beach house” I was thinking a “cottage”. Boy, was I wrong! He bought a house that was designed by Julia Morgan who designed Randolph Hearst’s Castle in San Simone CA. I doubt she designed anything “small”.
This book is the perfect blend of mystery and romance in a spectacular setting with a tad of historical fiction thrown in. And an added bonus for those who have read her Love, California series, the main character from Sparkle (Book 6 in that series) makes an appearance. It’s okay if you haven’t read the series (although you should for their delightfulness), it isn’t critical to this story.
The characters are believable and fun. Sisters Ivy and Shelly haven’t had much luck with men; Ivy especially is reluctant to get involved again with any man. Her focus is on trying to get this house that has fallen into disrepair into shape to rent out rooms. With limited funds everything is a challenge for her. Ivy and Shelly draw upon their business skills to meet the challenge.
They also have the challenge of trying to be accepted into the small close-knit community of Summer Beach. Ivy’s late husband antagonized everyone when he tried to have the house torn down and replaced by a high-rise building. Her ex especially crossed Bennett Dylan, the mayor of the little town – who just happens to be the guy Ivy had a major crush on the summer before she started college. Bennett is still recovering from the death of his wife so romance is the last thing on his mind.
Thrown into all this is a discovery that brings the FBI to town. Life isn’t boring in this little seaside town.
I love how the women in Jan’s stories are always intelligent and strong business women. At the core of all her books is a strong, close-knit family. The story evoked a wide range of emotions – frustration, anger, fear, jubilation, but most of all love.
I must admit that when the synopsis said Ivy’s husband blew their retirement money on a “beach house” I was thinking a “cottage”. Boy, was I wrong! He bought a house that was designed by Julia Morgan who designed Randolph Hearst’s Castle in San Simone CA. I doubt she designed anything “small”.
This book is the perfect blend of mystery and romance in a spectacular setting with a tad of historical fiction thrown in. And an added bonus for those who have read her Love, California series, the main character from Sparkle (Book 6 in that series) makes an appearance. It’s okay if you haven’t read the series (although you should for their delightfulness), it isn’t critical to this story.
The characters are believable and fun. Sisters Ivy and Shelly haven’t had much luck with men; Ivy especially is reluctant to get involved again with any man. Her focus is on trying to get this house that has fallen into disrepair into shape to rent out rooms. With limited funds everything is a challenge for her. Ivy and Shelly draw upon their business skills to meet the challenge.
They also have the challenge of trying to be accepted into the small close-knit community of Summer Beach. Ivy’s late husband antagonized everyone when he tried to have the house torn down and replaced by a high-rise building. Her ex especially crossed Bennett Dylan, the mayor of the little town – who just happens to be the guy Ivy had a major crush on the summer before she started college. Bennett is still recovering from the death of his wife so romance is the last thing on his mind.
Thrown into all this is a discovery that brings the FBI to town. Life isn’t boring in this little seaside town.
I love how the women in Jan’s stories are always intelligent and strong business women. At the core of all her books is a strong, close-knit family. The story evoked a wide range of emotions – frustration, anger, fear, jubilation, but most of all love.
December 16, 2022
Seabreeze Inn by Jan Moran
8h 46m narrated by Erin Bennett, 382 pages
Summer Beach #1
Genre: Women's Fiction > Chick Lit; Romance > Contemporary Romance; Mystery, Adventure, Relationships
Featuring: Boston, San Diego County, California, Widower, Sisters, Second Chance Trope, Inheritance Trope, Artists, Family, History, Cocktail Recipes
Rating as a movie: PG-13
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
My thoughts: 📱17% 1:33:28 Ch. 5 - It's a little weird to hear Erin Bennett without Elin Hilderbrand, but the voices are a little different. I'm not loving this romance setup at all; I assume the sister will have her own book, but the story is passable.
📱37% 3:15:50 Ch. 11 - Just as I was warming up to the drama between the 2 lovebirds, they cut it and return to Niceville (not the city the imaginary place).
📱52% 4:34:09 Ch. 16 - Another mythical green-eyed newborn. This story is a bit all over the place.
I was hoping to enjoy this more, but I found it lacking. It teetered between light drama and overly sweet. I wasn't a fan of the give and take; it was hard to bounce between Lifetime and Hallmark. Overall I didn't care for any of the characters enough to get into the story, it was like they were trying to be flawless, it was annoying, every time a character flaw was discovered it was excused and glossed over so they seemed inauthentic. Personally, I like problems to be worked through, solved, and characters to grow, not instant resolution. I have the next book, so I'll continue the series, but if it's more of the same, I'm not sure I'll finish it, at least not anytime soon.
Recommend to others?: Maybe. I can see where this could be very appealing to some readers.
8h 46m narrated by Erin Bennett, 382 pages
Summer Beach #1
Genre: Women's Fiction > Chick Lit; Romance > Contemporary Romance; Mystery, Adventure, Relationships
Featuring: Boston, San Diego County, California, Widower, Sisters, Second Chance Trope, Inheritance Trope, Artists, Family, History, Cocktail Recipes
Rating as a movie: PG-13
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
My thoughts: 📱17% 1:33:28 Ch. 5 - It's a little weird to hear Erin Bennett without Elin Hilderbrand, but the voices are a little different. I'm not loving this romance setup at all; I assume the sister will have her own book, but the story is passable.
📱37% 3:15:50 Ch. 11 - Just as I was warming up to the drama between the 2 lovebirds, they cut it and return to Niceville (not the city the imaginary place).
📱52% 4:34:09 Ch. 16 - Another mythical green-eyed newborn. This story is a bit all over the place.
I was hoping to enjoy this more, but I found it lacking. It teetered between light drama and overly sweet. I wasn't a fan of the give and take; it was hard to bounce between Lifetime and Hallmark. Overall I didn't care for any of the characters enough to get into the story, it was like they were trying to be flawless, it was annoying, every time a character flaw was discovered it was excused and glossed over so they seemed inauthentic. Personally, I like problems to be worked through, solved, and characters to grow, not instant resolution. I have the next book, so I'll continue the series, but if it's more of the same, I'm not sure I'll finish it, at least not anytime soon.
Recommend to others?: Maybe. I can see where this could be very appealing to some readers.
May 11, 2020
"Maybe there's something else in store for you. Another life than the one you'd planned"
When Bay family "issues", force Ivy Bay Marin and her sister Shelly come back the West Coast after decades away, they are planning on finishing the settlement of Ivy's late husband Jeremy's estate with the sale of an abandoned white elephant of a house. Little does anyone know what Summer Beach will do to keep them there. Las Brisas del Mar soon has them in it's spell, bring the past to the present in resplendent style.
How authors like Jan Moran can keep things interesting amazes me! From historic France to America; to Italy; from the world of perfume and chocolate to the California beauty scene, each of Moran's books is captivating, and reflects her love of the written word as well as her insatiable curiosity. I can hardly wait to dive into a second and then third helping of the adventures that await Ivy and ShellyL Highly Recommended. 5/5
When Bay family "issues", force Ivy Bay Marin and her sister Shelly come back the West Coast after decades away, they are planning on finishing the settlement of Ivy's late husband Jeremy's estate with the sale of an abandoned white elephant of a house. Little does anyone know what Summer Beach will do to keep them there. Las Brisas del Mar soon has them in it's spell, bring the past to the present in resplendent style.
How authors like Jan Moran can keep things interesting amazes me! From historic France to America; to Italy; from the world of perfume and chocolate to the California beauty scene, each of Moran's books is captivating, and reflects her love of the written word as well as her insatiable curiosity. I can hardly wait to dive into a second and then third helping of the adventures that await Ivy and ShellyL Highly Recommended. 5/5
February 13, 2023
This is the first in series by this author. I have the first two and loved them both. Ivy Bay finds out her late husband bought a beach house. He had so many secrets which she was unaware of. She planned on selling it, but the house turns out to be something of a saving grace. Ivy and her sister decided to move into the beach house and plan on making it a bed and breakfast. She runs into several road blocks as the home is in a residential area and the mayor is an old high school crush.
Bennett is the mayor and he had problems with her late husband. Turns out Bennett also had a thing for Ivy.
A little romance, a lot of intrigue when things are discovered in the home and the FBI shows up. Loved this book and looking forward to the next one.
Bennett is the mayor and he had problems with her late husband. Turns out Bennett also had a thing for Ivy.
A little romance, a lot of intrigue when things are discovered in the home and the FBI shows up. Loved this book and looking forward to the next one.
September 10, 2023
Are there any two characters more unlikeable than Ivy’s daughters? So self centered. They actually made me dislike the book, despite their insignificant role.
May 11, 2024
Loved this...great characters that had me rooting for them through out, plus some interesting subplots..I'm hooked
.already downloaded #2 in thus series. Jan..it's Liz from RLP..so glad we met at dinner and I discovered your wonderful books...gifts to us all.
.already downloaded #2 in thus series. Jan..it's Liz from RLP..so glad we met at dinner and I discovered your wonderful books...gifts to us all.
October 3, 2024
3.25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
This is a pretty good start to the series. I do kind of wish each book was about a different couple instead of a continuation of everyone’s story. It was good enough to continue on with the next book even though it doesn’t score as good as I would like for my current challenge. If you like clean beachy reads, this is a good one.
This is a pretty good start to the series. I do kind of wish each book was about a different couple instead of a continuation of everyone’s story. It was good enough to continue on with the next book even though it doesn’t score as good as I would like for my current challenge. If you like clean beachy reads, this is a good one.
August 11, 2019
4 1/2 stars
What a delight of a book.
After her husband secretly spends all of their retirement account on a California beachfront mansion that’s seen better days and then dies unexpectedly, Ivy is left without funds. She must sell her house in Boston and the California house, not knowing why her husband had purchased it without her knowledge. When she gets a summons from her mother to come to California for a party, and discovers that the house hasn’t sold, hasn’t even shown, Ivy and her sister, Shelly, decide to say goodbye to the East Coast and turn the house into a vacation beach resort. As they do, we meet their extended family and discover some secrets; although, we never do find out the true purpose behind her husband buying the mansion. All we get on that front are suppositions. Still, it was fun to watch as Ivy comes to terms with her new life and rehabs the stately home on Summer Beach.
I truly enjoyed reading this book. It made me smile and made me feel goodI loved the characters, especially Carlotta, Ivy and Shelly’s mother. She’s a gem, and I’d love to be along for the ride as she and her husband sail around the world.
This is the first book in this series, and I look forward to reading what comes next. It was sweet and showed how a strong woman who doubted herself can come out of her grief and make good things happen. Along the way, she crosses paths with her secret crush form 30 years ago. We get to sit back and watch and see if her youthful passion can cross into her adult life.
A sweet, enjoyable, and clean read.
I received a copy of this book directly from the author. I thank you for her generosity, but it had no impact on this review. All opinions in this review express my true and honest reactions to reading this book.
What a delight of a book.
After her husband secretly spends all of their retirement account on a California beachfront mansion that’s seen better days and then dies unexpectedly, Ivy is left without funds. She must sell her house in Boston and the California house, not knowing why her husband had purchased it without her knowledge. When she gets a summons from her mother to come to California for a party, and discovers that the house hasn’t sold, hasn’t even shown, Ivy and her sister, Shelly, decide to say goodbye to the East Coast and turn the house into a vacation beach resort. As they do, we meet their extended family and discover some secrets; although, we never do find out the true purpose behind her husband buying the mansion. All we get on that front are suppositions. Still, it was fun to watch as Ivy comes to terms with her new life and rehabs the stately home on Summer Beach.
I truly enjoyed reading this book. It made me smile and made me feel goodI loved the characters, especially Carlotta, Ivy and Shelly’s mother. She’s a gem, and I’d love to be along for the ride as she and her husband sail around the world.
This is the first book in this series, and I look forward to reading what comes next. It was sweet and showed how a strong woman who doubted herself can come out of her grief and make good things happen. Along the way, she crosses paths with her secret crush form 30 years ago. We get to sit back and watch and see if her youthful passion can cross into her adult life.
A sweet, enjoyable, and clean read.
I received a copy of this book directly from the author. I thank you for her generosity, but it had no impact on this review. All opinions in this review express my true and honest reactions to reading this book.
June 13, 2021
I'm really not sure why this book received so many positive reviews. While there's absolutely nothing offensive about it, there also is no substance. Boringly predictable. Main character is recently widowed. Her husband evidently was not such a nice guy despite her always thinking they had the perfect relationship...until suddenly she realizes she was never really in love with him. Surprise, surprise. No deep thought goes on here. All of her money had been secretly invested in a marvelous old beachfront estate with all sorts of wonderful goodies hidden in a basement-like room. Really???
Old boyfriend is her real estate agent and ultimately perfect for her. (Did either of them evolve any over the previous 20 years??) Never meet the children, who sound super spoiled and self-centered.
Guess they'll show up in subsequent books. Also, parents are about to embark on a round the world followed by cross country adventure. All of it sounded like a compilation of popular blogs/vlogs. Read it while floating in the pool. Wouldn't have finished it except I was too lazy to get out and find something different.
Old boyfriend is her real estate agent and ultimately perfect for her. (Did either of them evolve any over the previous 20 years??) Never meet the children, who sound super spoiled and self-centered.
Guess they'll show up in subsequent books. Also, parents are about to embark on a round the world followed by cross country adventure. All of it sounded like a compilation of popular blogs/vlogs. Read it while floating in the pool. Wouldn't have finished it except I was too lazy to get out and find something different.
January 14, 2022
In one way this is your typical beachy sweet romance filled where sparks fly between two people who are meant to be but fight the feeling and assume the worst of the other with only hearing part of the story...however, this book is MUCH MORE than that standard trope.
She throws out a lot of interesting curve ball twists and that keep you wanting to turn the pages to see what happens next. Having lived in SoCal for decades, I chuckled when she mentioned the two seasons in California as earthquakes and fires, though she failed to mention the remaining two of floods and riots.
This is an intriguing tale that kept reading me well into the night even battling a cold. It's a story well executed and I look forward to learning more about these characters in the rest of the series.
She throws out a lot of interesting curve ball twists and that keep you wanting to turn the pages to see what happens next. Having lived in SoCal for decades, I chuckled when she mentioned the two seasons in California as earthquakes and fires, though she failed to mention the remaining two of floods and riots.
This is an intriguing tale that kept reading me well into the night even battling a cold. It's a story well executed and I look forward to learning more about these characters in the rest of the series.
May 2, 2023
Ivy is at a crossroads in her life, everything she thought she knew has been called into question. Her husband has passed away, and she finds that he has spent their retirement funds on purchasing a beach home in a small beachside community California. As she and her sister travel to California for a family get together, she has full intent on selling this albatross. But what happens when she falls in love with this old home? As is sometimes the way with old homes, there are hidden mysteries that need to be unraveled. It’s now up to Ivy to decide what is next for her life.
Light, perfect for summer read. Enjoyable characters. A little bit of romance, mystery and a lot of growing up. Solid storyline.
I received an ARC of this book. Opinion is mine alone.
Light, perfect for summer read. Enjoyable characters. A little bit of romance, mystery and a lot of growing up. Solid storyline.
I received an ARC of this book. Opinion is mine alone.
April 25, 2020
Seabreeze Inn
: Jan Moran
Two sisters at a changing point in their lives travel to a Victorian house. The house has a story, the people in town have stories as do the sisters. A bit of adventure, a bit of mystery, and some romance to top it off. This was quite enjoyable. There are supposed to be additional books in this series. I will be looking for the next one.
The narration was well done. The characters were well portrayed by, Erin Bennett.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
: Jan Moran
Two sisters at a changing point in their lives travel to a Victorian house. The house has a story, the people in town have stories as do the sisters. A bit of adventure, a bit of mystery, and some romance to top it off. This was quite enjoyable. There are supposed to be additional books in this series. I will be looking for the next one.
The narration was well done. The characters were well portrayed by, Erin Bennett.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
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May 1, 2023A story about two sisters starting over in a place much closer to their roots. An old home with history and secrets falls into the lap of Ivy after her husband dies. An old crush falls into her life. An opportunity to start her life over again in more ways than one are all there and in a moment of bravery she steps into it. A story about family, love, second chances, dreams, history, art and more. I need to read book two note to see how everything turns out for the sisters and their charming old beach home. I also need to ask Jan if all the stuff about art is true.
July 2, 2021
This is a very typical beach read. It’s perfect for sitting on the beach where you’re easily distracted. Super quick, light hearted, easy, etc. I’d say a weak 4 stars but still entertaining enough for me to keep reading the series.
September 9, 2019
Ivy's story was a great story. It pulled me right in from the first few pages. Such an amazing book. I'm voluntarily leaving my honest review for a free copy of the book.
July 23, 2020
A lighthearted, sweet summer story of sisters, family & a love lost (but found again). Interested to see where the rest of this series takes Ivy... :)
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