What New Beginnings Are Made Of

Star Gazer Inn of Corpus Christi Bay #1

by Debra Clopton

New beginnings take courage…
She’s a fifty-five-year-old widow feeling like she’s lost herself.
On a whim of her aching heart, Alice McIntyre buys the Star Gazer Inn and is looking for a fresh start…something to put a spark back into her life.

But first she has to tell her four sons, who have problems of their own but have smothered her with their protective instincts. She’s lived on the huge South Texas ranch just outside of Corpus Christi since their father carried her over the threshold. She’s raised them on the massive McIntyre Ranch—one of the largest, wealthiest in Texas. It’s been her home and theirs. Will they understand that it’s time for her to leave? Time for her to move on?

Jackson McIntyre is shocked by his mother’s announcement. Guilt-ridden in the aftermath of his father’s accident, Jackson is determined to do whatever it takes to help his mother find her way to move forward. But this new idea of hers has him reeling.

Nina lives next door to the inn and is living a quiet life, keeping a low profile. She has her reasons. Will the opening of the inn and her new neighbors, especially the oldest son of the new innkeeper, tempt her to step back into the light and out of the shadows of her past?

Lisa, Alice’s best friend and recent divorcee, has been traveling the world since the breakup that left her shaken and feeling just as lost as Alice. A brilliant cook with a flair for entertaining, she loves Alice’s idea and joins her to open the inn. But Lisa has her own secrets.

Can these two friends, and their new neighbor Nina, find fresh starts as they ready the Star Gazer Inn for its new beginning?

Will Nina find the courage to take one more chance on love with her new friend’s son?

Three women find friendship and courage on the shores of Corpus Christi Bay. Come visit the Star Gazer Inn, with a side trip to the McIntyre Ranch, as Alice finds her way between two worlds.

This new series follows Alice, her sons, and her friends—and new loves—on the South Texas coast with its sparkling topaz water.

You’ll want to dip your toes in and stay awhile.

Heartfelt women's fiction: faith, family, love.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Ebooks, Christian Fiction, Amazon, Christian Romance

301 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 27, 2020

About the author

International Bestselling Author and Kindle All Star who has sold over 3 million books worldwide and been translated into 3 languages.
Debra Clopton writes wholesome contemporary women's fiction, romance, and contemporary western romances set in Texas and on the beaches of Florida. Her awards include: The Book Sellers Best, Romantic Times Magazine's Book of the Year the Readers Choice Award, and many more. She's also a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Finalist, and a triple finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award.

A sixth generation Texan, Debra lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband Chuck. She loves to travel and spend time with her family. She has written for Harlequin and Harper Collins Christian and now with DCP Publishing. She is thrilled to write for DCP Publishing and see her books being sold worldwide. On any day she usually has books on the Top 100 list and ranks on 80 to a 100 retailer Bestseller list in the USA and around the world.
She loves helping people smile with her fun, fast paced stories.

Visit Debra's website at http://www.debraclopton.com
Check out her Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/debra.clopton.5
Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/debraclopton
Contact her at Debraclopton@yamil.com
Sign up for Debra's newsletter and contests at http://debraclopton.com/contest

COMING AUG 27 AND winter 2020 heartwarming women's fiction

1 WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF
2 WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF
3 WHAT HOPES ARE MADE OF


SUNSET BAY ROMANCE 2019
1 LONGING FOR FOREVER
2 LONGING FOR A HERO
3 LONGING FOR LOVE
4 LONGING FOR EVER AFTER
5 LONGING FOR YOU
6 LONGING FOR US

Ransom Creek 2018
1 HER COWBOY HERO
2 THE COWBOY'S BRIDE FOR HIRE
3 Cooper: CHARMED BY THE COWBOY
4 Shane: THE COWBOY'S JUNK-STORE PRINCES
5 Vance: HER SECOND CHANCE COWBOY
6 Drake: THE COWBOY AND MAISY LOVE
7 Brice: NOT QUITE LOOKING FOR A FAMILY

WINDSWEPT BAY SERIES 2017 & 2018
1 FROM THIS MOMENT ON (FREE)
2 SOMEWHERE WITH YOU
3 WITH THIS KISS short story
4 FOREVER AND FOR ALWAYS
5 HOLDING OUT FOR LOVE
6 WITH THIS RING (FREE)
7 WITH THIS PROMISE
8 WITH THIS PLEDGE
9 WITH THIS WISH
10 WITH THIS FOREVER
11 WITH THIS VOW

2017
She has released 13 books in Enhanced Editions with extra audio clips and photos inside of her Texas Matchmakers series set in her world of Mule Hollow. These Christian Romances will soothe your heart and tickle your soul.
(Previous titles listed)
1 Dream With Me Cowboy (The Trouble with Lacy Brown)
2 Be My Love Cowboy (And Baby Makes Five)
3 This Hearts Yours Cowboy (No Place Like Home)
4 Hold Me Cowboy (Dream a Little Dream)
5 Be Mine Cowboy (Meeting Her Match)
6 Marry Me Cowboy (Operation: Married by Christmas)
7 Cherish Me Cowboy (Next Door Daddy)
8 Surprise Me Cowboy (Her Baby Dreams)
9 Serenade Me Cowboy (The Cowboy Takes a Bride)
10 Return To Me Cowboy (Texas Ranger Dad)
11 Love Me Cowboy (A Mule Hollow Match)
12 Ride With Me Cowboy (His Cowgirl Bride)
13 Dance With Me Cowboy (A Mother for Mule Hollow)
The Turner Creek Ranch (Men of Mule Hollow) 1 1 TREASURE ME COWBOY (Lone Star Cinderella)
2 RESCUE ME COWBOY (Her Forever Cowboy)
3 COMPLETE ME COWBOY (Cowboy For Keeps)
4 SWEET TALK ME (Yultide Cowboy)

What readers are saying:
Debra always delivers...
Couldn't put it down!
Debra gives readers what they want.
I've read every book Debra Clopton has written and as usual I couldn't put this one down!


Follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/#!/debraclopton

Reviews

[Linda Langford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely contemporary story. Sweet, light romance. Likable characters. Gentlemen, and Ladies. No bad language that I remember. Beach setting. I loved the plot, and watching the characters grow. There was a touch of mystery, also. I highly recommend this novel.

[Sherri Witkowski · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this would be an interesting read since I'm originally from Texas and thought the Corpus Christi setting would be entertaining. Was I wrong! Not only is the story DOA, I couldn't have cared less about the characters and their really boring lives and interactions. There is nothing going on! So rich Alice buys an Inn. Nina has a mysterious past. That's about all that is of interest. The dialogue between characters is stilted. How many times did I read, "she giggled," "she blushed," "she looked at him through her eyelashes." Seriously? This is an insult to most intelligent women these days. Plus, the fact that the main character's son is 35, handsome and very wealthy and never had a serious girlfriend and hasn't been married at least once, stretches credibility. Common. This is Texas where the slogan is "Texans can get hitched and unhitched faster than a team of mules." Less than half-way through, I started skipping long, boring conversations between characters and eventually just clicked through to the end so I could write this review. What a waste of time. I will look for other books with better and more intriguing stories and characters. I won't be reading anymore of Debra Clopton's work.

[Chelsea Skinner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful, refreshing read from Debra Clopton! We have two interwoven storylines.

Widowed Alice McIntyre decides to purchase the Stargazer Inn, the very same place she and her late husband first met. She sets out to renovate it, giving her something to focus on instead of the grief consuming her from losing her husband. When she moves into the inn to start the work, she meets the girl next door, Nina. Alice loves Nina's paintings and the two women form a strong friendship.

Needing a chef for the inn, Alice calls up her friend Lisa, asking if she would consider being the chef at the inn. As good friends do, Lisa jumped on the chance to do something she is passionate about.

When Alice meets Seth, the fifty-nine year old contractor who is helping her renovate, Alice wonders if maybe the way to heal is to start moving forward.

Jackson McIntyre is tired of running his father's business constantly. Taking a break from paperwork, he goes to visit his mom at the inn, running into the beautiful Nina. Sparks fly and we all can see for miles that the fireworks are just starting.

I really enjoyed reading about all of these characters, and Clopton wrote the chapters so well it doesn't feel jarring when we move from one group of people to the other. I like the different thoughts and views we get from the storylines, and they even converge in a place or two.

I highly recommend this for those who like Christian Cowboy Romances

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

What New Beginnings Are Made Of is the first story in the Star Gazer Inn of Corpus Christi Bay series, and it is an emotional tale on so many levels also spanning several Romance genres, so don’t think of this one as just “Women’s Fiction” – it’s so much more.

It’s been 18 months or so since Alice’s beloved husband passed away. Although she has her four adult sons to give her comfort, they also are grieving. The ranch that she and William built is thriving, successful, and now in the hands of her eldest son. While she loves the ranch it’s also a source of pain as there are memories around every corner of happier times. She’s made a decision, one that her sons may or may not truly understand – but it is what is right for her at this time in her life. A new beginning, entirely on her own. She has a future to chart and it begins at the inn where she and her husband met and fell in love… Star Gazer Inn.

As Alice begins the process of renovating, decorating, tending to the inn before its opening she’ll meet a younger woman who lives in a cottage nearby. Nina keeps to herself for the most part, and she has good reasons for that. Yet friendship is building between the women of two different generations for what is age but a number.

Soon another friend, Lisa, has decided to stop running from pain by traveling the world and come to the inn as the main chef and to be with her friend on this new adventure.

Three women, different generations, yet each has so much to offer in friendship to the others – and each still has a very full life ahead of them, as they all are about to discover.

I was captivated by What New Beginnings Are Made Of from the opening page until the final word… only to now begin the wait for the second title in this series. To say that I loved these women, their stories, and the men who will perhaps be a part of their futures is an understatement.

I adored Jackson, Alice’s son. He’s going through some guilt over his father’s death, but he couldn’t have saved him. He’s settling into his new role at the ranch and worrying about his mom so far away, yet in reality, she’s close. He didn’t expect the attraction to his mother’s new neighbor, Nina. And they are about to enter into an adventure in rebuilding a life that took unexpected turns, and taking a risk on a happy future for them both… one day.

I also loved Seth and the future possibilities he holds for Alice. This is one impressive handyman, and I’m enjoying what is developing between Alice and Seth.

In all, I was blown away by this story that touches on so many issues, one that offers hope for the future, takes a risk on emotions that might hurt, and gives a second chance for love to develop in time. If you love a really good, emotional, funny, exasperating, family story then you’ll want to pick up What New Beginnings Are Made Of.

I own a Kindle edition of What New Beginnings Are Made Of.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great start to a new series! This book introduces a cast of characters who all need some kind of new beginning.

Whether it was grief over losing the love of her life, like Alice had, or betrayal from an unfaithful spouse, such as Lisa experienced, my heart hurt for they pain they were walking through. And I rejoiced for them as they began to feel the uplifting effects of pouring themselves into the Star Gazer Inn.

Nina, Jackson, and Seth were also great characters who brought their own hurts, fears, and hopes to the novel. I really enjoyed watching the gentle beginnings of friendship and love that built within these pages and am so looking forward to reading more books in this series as they release.

(4.5 stars)

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy Read for the Heart

A good therapy story and an easy read book for anyone dealing with loss and change. It was good for my heart and soul.

[DonnaJo Pallini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet quick read. Very predictable. Good if you want something light and easy.

[Patricia Dorwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable

Ho-hum. Every character in this book is clear as a pane of glass. Widow, handsome contractor, hiding artist, handsome fabulously wealthy rancher, villain caught easily. One dumped friend, three more sons also wealthy beyond imaging blah, blah, blah! Doubt very seriously whether I will open another book from this author. Absolutely no depth.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet romance story about second chances. Clean read.

[Gladys Heaton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Left you hanging

Story and characters are good but resolutions are only hinted at. Lots of sub-plots that she will hope to use in future books. Others may read them but I won’t. I want solid endings not just ride along on characters’ emotional journeys.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What New Beginnings are Made Of by Debra Clopton
Star Gazer Inn of Corpus Christi Bay Series Book One
Jackson McIntyre is the oldest of four boys...now men. After a year and a half, he's still struggling with his dad's tragic death. Blaming himself for not being able to save him. And now...Mom bought an inn that she wants to fix up and open. She'll be moving out of the house as well. Too many changes for a man with the burden of being the head of the family.

Nina Hanson has been hiding from the world for three years now. She lives quietly in a lovely little cottage on the bay. Finally, Nina feels comfortable enough to take the step of getting a companion, a dog. And, she's going to have a new neighbor too. Nina had no idea how much her life was going to change.

Alice McIntyre found peace in the memories on the beach. Being near the inn that she first met her beloved William, and that very inn is now for sale. Hello, new life.

I just loved this story. Incredible characters that were easy to fall in love with. I'm looking forward to the rest of this series. There's more than one story going on. Not only Jackson and Nina but also Alice's life and her friend Lisa's. The reader also gets a little glimpse into the other brothers' lives, too.
https://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com...

[Judy Lowrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Are all this author’s books written this poorly?

This is the first book by this author I’ve read. The story lines were predictable, yet it seemed the author was still concerned that the reader would forget them, so she rambled on and on. I found myself having to reread sentences or passages to really understand what I’d read — grammar was off; thoughts were tangled. I actually laughed out loud many times because what I’d read made no sense! Why was Nina’s story not more fully developed? What evidence had been found to indicate Joe’s intentions? How was he able to find Nina so quickly? Why was he driven to find her in the first place? He’d already cleaned out her banking accounts. If only the book’s beginning had been carried on to the end — I would want to read more!

[Sherry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I must have had higher expectations for this book because all these high reviews are very confusing to me! The author repeated herself all through the story to the point of annoyance. I continually just wanted to fast forward because of that. The story was very predictable and in my opinion very boring. There could have been so many interesting plots and twists that never were considered, why? This was just a plain. sugary, predictable story and I really wish I hadn't of bothered. And, I have no intention of reading any other books from this author. The author sells a lot of "cowboy romance" books. She goes for quantity instead of quality apparently.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of those feel good stories. Decent story and characters but it has its faults.

Grammar and pace. There were a lot of you are’s and “had’s that didn’t need to be there. The secrets took forever to unfold and most were cleared up in the last pages. It was stated matter of factly and so unsatisfying. We found him and caught him. That’s it. There were some loosed ends I’m sure she’ll address in future books but sadly, my interest stops here. From her plots to her execution, I can’t get over how awkward this was written which is a shame because if had so much potential.

[Alayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have been a good story, as the characters were interesting and it was a pleasant plot. However, the author constantly repeated herself. I only need to read things once, but every emotion was explained a dozen times which made it very tedious. I was tending to skip once I got more than halfway through because I'd read it already! The book could have been half its length if all the repetition was removed.

[Janice Dick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a lovely little romance, made particularly interesting because it involved two romances in different seasons of life. Lots of instances of family caring for one another, as well as finding trust to reveal secrets from the past that prevented peace. Good characters and beautiful settings.

The reason I only gave this read three stars is that it desperately needed one more edit. For an author who is critically acclaimed, I was surprised her book came out with so many little mistakes.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving, being loved, being hurt, but being resilient

I enjoyed this book cover to cover and I wanted it to go on and on. It showed what a good love can be and also a bad love can be...How to know the difference, building friendships, changing goals or making new ones. Cooking, enjoying company, friends, making new friends, just living and looking forward to new adventures!

[Tammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Recently there was a big giveaway for a bunch of clean romance novels through Feel Good Fiction, author Alana Johnson's website. I downloaded all of them with the intention of sifting through them later to pick out the ones that caught my interest. It was paired with a series of three live videos that the authors participated in, introducing themselves and talking about their books on Alana Johnson's Youtube channel. I watched these videos before I picked out what books I wanted to read, and the author of this book was one that stood out to me. I enjoyed her story of how this book came to be and how some of it mirrored her real life story. It seemed she had put her heart into this book and it made me want to read it, so I added it to my pick it for me list this month, and it ended up being the book my friend Jenny picked for me to read.

The story started out with us meeting Alice, a recent widow. One thing I think the author did really well was relate to us how much grief Alice felt, and how hard is was to move forward in her life without her husband. This really resonated with me because my dad passed away about three years ago, leaving my mom, and I saw her grief. It was a daily thing for over a year. It's still there, and always will be, but it did get easier. At the beginning of this book Alice has taken a big step towards moving forward by doing something unexpected.

I found it interesting the way the author showed that this was a part of Alice that was always there. She had just left this thing behind when she got married and moved and wasn't able to pursue it until now. It's mentioned that her husband was a bigger than life personality who seemed to know what he liked and it reminded me of another widow I know who was married to a man similar to that. They always had the things he picked out and did the things he wanted to do. In this book Alice seemed happy to be swept up into her husband's life and doesn't seem to resent that at all because she wanted it, but I wonder if maybe a part of her got left out somewhere, that shouldn't have been.

Alice's four sons, especially Jackson, play a part in this book. At first I found myself annoyed with them over their overprotective natures, but they loosened up pretty quickly and I warmed up to them. I get why they were overprotective of their mom. She had lost her husband and was vulnerable emotionally, so I couldn't really hold it against them. I liked that Alice was going to do what she wanted to do despite what her sons thought. Out of the four sons, I ended up liking Jackson the most, but he's the one we get to know the most in this book. It will be interesting to get to know the others more in the rest of the series.

Going into this I was expecting the main romance to be about Alice, but her romance was actually a slower burn on the side that looks like it will be an ongoing thread in the series. I didn't mind this since she just lost her husband less than two years ago. I also really liked getting to know Seth and am looking forward to reading more about him. The main romance ends up being between two other people, and for the most part I liked it, especially the slow build up of trust that happened with that story line.

Overall, this was a good book with characters that were easy to like, and I enjoyed the beach setting. Out of all the characters, I liked Alice, Lisa, and Nina the most. I enjoyed the friendship the three of them shared. I would have loved to have gotten more details of their time spent together as friends chatting, shopping, and helping each other through the difficulties in their lives. More heartwarming interactions and deep conversation would have made this even better. I feel like that was mostly told and not actually shown as much as it could have been, and the characters could have been fleshed out a bit more. I hope that happens in the other books.

In some ways this book reminded me a bit of Cedar Cove by Debbie Macomber, with the multiple points of view in the small town, and the open ended stories for some of the characters, only this was better written. That being said, there were still some awkwardly worded sentences in this book, characters that could have been more fleshed out, and most everything was too predictable but I'm interested in continuing this series. I was looking for an easy quick escape type read and this did fit that description. I really want to know how things end up for Lisa and how the slow burn romance develops for Alice.


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[Valri Western · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the fresh beginning of a new series and anything by Debra Clopton is a must for me but this is a little different book for her and I, for one, am totally hooked and can't wait for the next two books! This is about so many different things but at the heart, starting over after loss and finding your way. It's about friendships that see you through, whether they are old or new. It's also about love - husbands, sons, friends, and new love on the horizon. Every page fascinated me and I couldn't get enough! It mostly centered around Alice, a fairly new widow in her late 50's, still trying to come to grips with losing the love of her life but feeling smothered living on the large ranch they shared with their 4 adult sons. She longs to break free and buy the coastal inn that is in need of repair and begin a new life there so she does! It's not far from the ranch so she still sees her sons but it's a world away from her old life. As she repairs the inn, she meets Nina, a young neighbor with whom she bonds and then also an old friend, Lisa, comes to help her as she signs on to be her chef. The dynamics of the women is fantastic and Alice's sons are so fun! Her oldest, Jackson, takes a shine to Nina and love blossoms. Then, there is the construction worker, Seth who might be falling for Alice! I found this book to be so enthralling and loved the feelings it invoked! Can't wait to see how the ladies and the sons and Seth continue on! Fantastic story!

[Yvonne Cruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed the books by this author but I have to say, I think this one is her best one to date. Rarely do you find a story that grabs you from the first page to the last and this is one of those treasures.
New beginnings are in store for two widows , a divorcee and four brothers.
We first meet Alice, a woman who lost her husband, a wealthy rancher, and after 18 months is still struggling with his death. She needs a change and decides to make it by purchasing the Star Gazer Inn. The place where she met her husband and fell in love .
Her young neighbor, Nina, has her secrets and reasons for isolating herself the past three years. But the moment these two women meet , a bound is made . And let’s not forget Alice’s very good friend Lisa, who joins them at the Inn.
In the meantime Alice’s four sons are introduces, and we get to spend time with Jackson. He’s the oldest, feeling guilty for his father’s death, all the pressures of his new position in the ranch and in life and finding an unexpected attraction to the mysterious neighbor.
It’s a story about family, trust, new beginnings in life and the possibility of opening one’s heart a second time around.
Kudos to this talented storyteller for giving us a story about hope and love at any age.
If I could, I would give this one a 10 stars rating.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

[Jan Niblock · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a heartwarming story about how heart ache and moving forward.

Alice is one very strong woman who was becoming a shadow of herself after losing her husband to a freak accident. Once she decided that she was going to buy the inn, remodel it and open it back up for business, her sons were shocked but supported her. Jackson, her oldest, took matters into his own hands to make sure that she would be okay. What she didn’t see coming was another new beginning for her.

Nina lived next to the inn and was basically a hermit. She kept herself hidden from the world for three years even though she was a marvelous artist. Once you learn about her past, you understand why. No spoilers, you will have to read to find out. Will she let Jackson into her heart? Will she decide that she should come out of hiding?

Lisa is one of those women who had a louse of a husband who left her for a young gold digger. She is now back home and agreed to be Alice’s chef for the Inn. She is a mystery to the reader and hope that in future books, her life story will come out.

This series is going to be a great series to read. It is real and has places where you want to laugh and other places that make you cry. You find yourself wanting to know more about each of these characters and Alice’s other sons, she had 4 of them.

[Tatetwo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh....well, where to start? Loose ends galore in this one - I really don't like cliffhangers and with soooooo many characters and subplots, I found myself skimming through from about the middle to the end only to be disappointed.

Every person has their own story to tell - this is true - but does every person in this story HAVE to be part of a tragic past? I get that secrets/past lives are necessary but with one awful secret after another being exposed, this book almost read like manual of character development rather than something smooth, flowing and, most importantly, "fun." Not much fun going on in this one what with buttons being pushed, hermit-like attitudes, insecure males questioning themselves, stalkers, abusive relationship and just one more thing right after another. The long insights into the individual psyches had me struggling to keep my eyes open. Enter character - define character - give character something to concentrate on - character meets several other characters - several other characters have their story to tell (or not) - main character gets lost in the whole group therapy outline.

This story needs to lighten the hell up because the overall concept is actually pretty great.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It takes an extremely talented author to make a book with two widows and a divorcee (because of her husband's infidelity) leave you feeling uplifted and happy after reading it. Debra Clopton does that excellently in What New Beginnings Are Made Of. Now, this book evokes a lot of different emotions, which only happens when the reader becomes invested in the characters. I loved the friendship between Lisa and Alice and also with Nina even though she was much younger. I enjoyed the close relationships that existed between the McIntyre brothers.
The romances were so sweet! Both Seth and Jackson were so kind and patient with Alice and Nina respectively. Both couples end up in a happy for now status. I hope we get to read more about them in future books. I definitely plan on reading more of this series and other works by Debra Clopton. I recommend this book to clean/wholesome romance readers and to those who love cowboy romances.
I received a complimentary copy. I chose to write a review and share my opinion of this well-written book.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice McIntyre

This book is the first in the Star Gazer Inn of Corpus Christi Bay series and is a story of Alice McIntyre as she navigates her grief from the loss of her husband William 2 years earlier. Alice is trying to move forward and secretly purchases the Star Gazer Inn where she met her William as a young woman. As Alice works to bring life back to the Inn she hires an old friend who is also hurting, Lisa, as her Chef, and makes friends with the young Artist, Nina, next door. She also introduces her oldest son, Jackson, to Nina in hopes that they will find love together. There a lot of emotions in play for all the women but they support, trust and help each other. Alice also starts to wonder if she will ever want to love or remarry when she meets Seth her handsome Contractor who is working at the Inn. I really liked this book, it was a fast good read. I liked all the characters and their development as the book progresses. All the ladies show courage as they navigate their lives. I would definitely read more books by this author and read more books in this series.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

free ebook

she was a widow, her husband that she married at 19 and had 4 sons with died moving cattle across the river

she was very rich and had a huge ranch in tx
she loved the inn where she worked as a waitress when she met her husband and it was for sale so she bought it and is renovating it to re open as a inn

her neighbor is a young widow, her abusive husband threatened her and when he left as the police were coming he crashed and died. after she went out with another man who used her she didnt want to date anymore

but she met the neighbors eldest son and they hit it off

the widow at the inn hired her divorced friend to be the chef and the man doing the renovations is widower and likes her but knows shes not ready after 2 yrs

the cowboy found the x close to her house and he was arrested

the mom went on a boat with the construction worker and he understands just friends

the cowboy and neighbor are in love

this is a series that continues, i would read more

[Elaine Applebury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahh! Debra Clopton how I’ve missed you! “What New Beginnings are Made of,” is the first book in A Star Gazer Inn of Corpus Christi Bay Novel series.

Alice McIntyre is a recent widow in her fifties, needing a change. She and her beloved William had over 35 years and four sons together on their ranch. Everywhere she looks are memories, but she is needing to move forward. Alice finds the Star Gazer Inn, where she and William first met, is for sale. It needs a little TLC and she is excited to be the one to buy and provide it. Oldest son, Jackson, has some moving forward to do as well. He feels responsible for his mother, and guilty over his father’s death. Nina, the artist and new neighbor to Alice, becomes a good friend, but what is she hiding?

Clopton introduces several characters and new scenarios for future storylines. This
is a heartwarming story with believable characters. Can’t wait for the second installment!

[Elaine Coghlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What New Beginnings Are Made Of bk 1 ~ A Star Gazer Inn of Corpus Christi Bay. by Debra Clopton.
I love Debra's books and am slowing collecting them all. So this new series comes along and of course, I am going to start from the beginning. Not something I usually do 😄

Debra continues to write exceptional stories that bring all the characters to life. I was hooked from the very first page. I felt that I was in Star Gazer Island also there with them 😀

What New Beginnings Are Made of... Follow Alice a widow, her next-door neighbour Nina, also a widow, her friend Lisa, a divorcee, Seth the contractor, who is also a widower and her four sons, Jackson, Dallas, Tucker and Riley. Who all happen to be cowboys😘

This is truly amazing, a great start to a new series. I can not wait for the next two if this book is anything to go by they will be fabulous.
I highly recommend this book.

So thank you, Debra, for bringing these wonderful characters to life, so that we can take ourselves off to the wonderful world of Star Gazer Island Corpus Christi Bay Texas.

[Laura R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great start to this series that has multiple storylines going on - the start of a new chapter in Alice's life, her rekindling of her friendship with Lisa, new friendships with Nina and Seth, and the possible romance between Nina and Jackson. And there's also some dogs that play a part in the story.

It never ceases to amaze me when an author is able to write a story that touches on some sad topics but you get to the end of the book and feel uplifted and eager for next book to see what will happen. You will feel as if you are a part of this new community and these are your friends.

[Joan Arning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice McIntyre is a fifty-five year old widow with four cowboy sons and plenty of money! You'll laugh at her sons' shock when Alice buys a closed down inn on the coast without their knowledge! Alice has fun decorating the inn nothing like the ranch which also amazes her sons! Alice decides her new neighbor would be perfect for her oldest son, Jackson, and does a little matchmaking! Oh, but what about the handsome widower contractor she hires to help update the inn!! What New Beginnings Are Made Of is a delightful read that I recommend to others who enjoy contemporary romance. I received a complimentary e-book from the author. This is my honest opinion.