The Stone Family Inn

South Port Beach #1

by Taylor Hart

After the death of their mother, six siblings are upset the beach house in South Port, was left solely to their oldest brother, Trey Stone. He never wanted it and he has no family anyway. The decision to sell it quickly incites a family feud and all of the siblings can’t help but get involved.

As each sibling finds their way home to South Port and the Stone Family Inn, they will deal with past hurts, let forgiveness into their hearts, and have a second chance at love.

Trey Stone’s only goal was to get it sold and get back to doing what he’s always done; being a Navy SEAL.

Ava Jamison hasn’t been back to South Port since her father passed, but her recent divorce and wanting stability for her sixteen-year-old son, has given her a longing for home. She’s prepared to buy the old Stone Mansion and she delights in turning it into an Inn where other families can have the same good memories she’s always had.

When Trey puts a stop to the sell of the beach house and demands to know why she’s divorced, it starts a fire burning deep within her she hasn’t felt for a long, long time. Hopefully the man will get out of her way before she does something really, really stupid like kiss him. Whoops, too late.

Eventually Trey concedes to a partnership of sorts and they find themselves working side by side to restore his family home.

When all of Trey and Ava’s old beach friends start popping up in town, Trey discovers South Port just might be his home after all. And it doesn’t hurt that he might have a shot with the woman he’s never stopped loving.

As these six siblings find a way back to each other, they must learn to let go of what doesn’t matter and cling to the things their parents always wanted for them--family, love, and fun memories on the beach.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

278 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 26, 2021

About the author

★ USA TODAY BESTSELLER, AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR, and TOP KINDLE ALL STAR! ★

Taylor Hart writes inspirational and Christian romance and is a best-selling author of over eighty-five books with fans in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and all over the world.

A note from the author:

Thanks for visiting my Goodreads page.

I wanted to tell something meaningful about myself, but let's start with the important stuff--I love swoon-worthy heroes. The kind of heroes that are strong and would take a bullet for you, but also want to open your door and listen to you pour out your heart.

What else? I grew up moving. If you’ve read my books, you won’t be surprised by this. I have a lot of moving themes through my books centered around characters experiencing pain from someone moving.

It was hard. But, I believe there’s always a seed of good that comes out of everything hard, so I think the best thing that came from it was that I learned to love books.

And I had to learn a lot of mad skills on friend making. It gave me a love of people…good people, compassionate people. Interesting people of all kinds.

What else about me? I am a mother and wife! I have four amazing boys that are like little ninjas running around. I love them so much and I’m so grateful for my amazing husband who doesn’t get intimidated by all the billionaire men in my life.

I have a fierce love of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for Him and for the healing and forgiveness I’ve gotten to experience in my life. This is a theme in many of my books.

I love being an American. I am so proud of the men and women that support and preserve our freedom. This is another theme you will find in my books.

I am so grateful for my fans and for the support and love you all show me! Don’t stop reading!

Hugs-

Taylor

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stone Family Inn is book one by Taylor Hart in the South Port Beach Series. Trey Stone was shocked when he discovered his mother left him the family beach house in South Port. However, his five siblings were not happy for him. They all expect that their mother will leave the beach house to everyone. Trey Stone did not want the house, so he sold it. Ava Jamison recently divorced and wants a change of scene, so she considered purchasing the Stone Beach House to change into an Inn. On arrival in South Port, Trey Stone had decided to stop the sale. Will Ava Jamison get what she wants: the Stone Family Beach House for her family Inn? The readers of The Stone Family Inn will continue to follow Trey and Ava to discover what happens.

The Stone Family Inn is the first book I read by Taylor Hart. I enjoyed how she portrays the issues around inheritance and how families handle the problems. The Stone Family Inn is a lovely romance that I engaged with from the first page. I love Taylor Hart's portrayal of her characters and their interaction with each other throughout this book. The Stone Family Inn is well-written and researched. I like Taylor Hart's description of the settings that complemented the book's plot.

I recommend this book.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It ain’t literature but it’s a light beach read….. He’s a Navy Seal and it is mentioned 42 times per page. They are attracted to each other and it’s mentioned 42 times per page.

And yes, I’ll probably read the sequels when I go to the beach, thanks for asking.

[Piper · Rating 3 out of 5]

POV: Dual.
Descriptive Sex: No.
OW/OM: Yes. Ex-husband tries to reconcile, FMC pushes hero towards an OW.
Separation: Yes, in the past. Not in the present time but have been apart for 14/15 years before now reuniting.
★★★

This is a rather lukewarm second chance romance. I enjoyed the later interactions between Ava and Trey (because I can't resist a protective alpha), but Trey took some warming up to... and even then it's only lukewarm.

I felt slighted by Trey when he immediately declared he wouldn't sell to Ava. Then even more so when he constantly forced her hand in situations (revealing the reasons for her divorce, eating together, etc.). This is the beginning of their interactions and I felt like Ava left her gaslighting ex-husband just to reunite with a gatekeeping ex-boyfriend.

Then there's Charles, the ex-husband, and his rushed conclusion. Hart threw in information about him and threatening nudes that was just left in the air. There wasn't even an explanation as to what Charles threatened, and what happened. Obviously one can assume it was not pleasant and Ava is "traumatized" by it. But then he arrives in town, and we're supposed to accept that Charles suddenly turned a new leaf? Especially when he has been harassing her up until his arrival? Not likely.

I will say the best part was the mystery behind the gold hidden on the land. If the synopses for the rest of the series is any indication, this was just the introduction of the mystery and will be the main arc of the series. I liked this aspect enough to give the next book a try.

[Wren Woodland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to the series. I've read several books in the series but I hadn't read the beginning book. Let me put it right out there, Taylor Hart never disappoints, great storyline, a littler intrigue and suspense, great friend group, amazing male lead and an intrepid heroine who speaks her mind and can make a strong man weak at his knees. The Stones spent every summer at the beach house ( more like a mansion), and had a large friend group, now they are adults with life experiences and many broken hearts due to divorce and death. The biggest broken heart and relationship gone wrong is Trey Stone, the oldest of the family and Ava the girl he had always loved but left behind to fulfill his father's path (who had died in a military operation when he was a teen). She went on to marry his good friend but that went sour when she discovered a long term affair, leaving her a single mom with a teenage son. When he inherited the family bach house, he just wanted to sell it, but when she turned up to buy it, he had second thoughts. Maybe it was time to be done as Bravo 1 on his Seal team and see if he could unfreeze her heart. Clean, fun with a touch of suspense.

[Maria Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

So for more than the first half of this book I hated Trey. I felt like he was using his position as the landowner to manipulate Ava into what he wanted, repeatedly. I disliked him so much that I wanted Ava to walk away from the deal without looking back. I knew it wouldn't happen but I really wanted it to. But I kept reading even though I wanted to slam the book closed on Trey. Difficult to do since it I have an ebook copy and not an actual book. :) Good thing I kept reading because I started to like their relationship a little more as the book went on and by the end of the book I was curious to read the rest of the series especially because I liked both of the characters that the next book is about.

I felt bad for Ava but she must have been doing something right because her son was sure even keeled about life even calmly telling his dad what was best for his mother.

I did like how Trey related to Ava's son from the beginning. It was obvious that they would have a good relationship.

I loved the idea of this group of kids being there for each other and then even though they all go their separate ways as adults they are still there for each other as they are all drawn back to the beach town.

The house on the cover of the book really makes me want to go rent a beach house. So beautiful. Overall, I'd give the first half of the book 3 stars and the rest 4 stars.

Sex: kissing, admiration of bodies
Language: no
Violence: yes
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book gives you a vacation from the stresses in life. A REALLY good book has characters that pull you into their story. A GREAT book not only has strong main characters that pull you into their story, but secondary characters that leave you dying to know their stories! Trey and Ava had me rooting for their romance, gasping with their... (no spoilers!) ummm... MYSTERY while their friends and family were tugging at my heart as I fell just as much in love with each of them. The South Port Beach Romances are a FABULOUS new series that I honestly don’t know how I will survive the anticipation for each new book. Patience has never been my strong suit - especially when we are talking about awesome books - and I’m DYING for Trey’s twin sister Kensi’s story!

[Lori R · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story of intrigue, love, and suspense. Trey was a sexy Navy SEAL, who had been in love with Ava since they were kids. He would not marry her because of his being a SEAL and because his dad had lost his life doing his job for his country too.

Ava was a strong heroine recently divorced with a fifteen year old son named Micah. I liked how Ava and Trey ended up back in each other's lives and I also liked the mystery surrounding the intruder in the family inn. The chemistry between them was undeniable.

This was a great story and I look forward to reading the next book about Kenzi Stone. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

[Tiffany Hannick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was a sweet second chance romance. Trey and Ava where in love when they where teenagers but life took them apart for a while. Trey is a tough as nails Navy Seal who inherited the family home when his mother died. He ended up back at the house getting it ready to sale when he saw Ava again. She is a sweet and loving single mom who had moved back home after getting a divorce. They have a ton of chemistry and their banter is fun and light most of the time. There is also some a lot of drama of someone breaking into the house and other things. The story will definitely keep you on your toes and draw you into the town with Trey and Ava.

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story! It’s about second chances, family and a town that meant something to everyone. South Port was for visitors as well as the many people who made up the community. There’s art, boutiques, food and homes along the beach where you can rest, relax and meet friends. Perfect! I loved it and so did Amy Jamison and her son Micah. The Stone family was now on its third generation living in their large home and then, Mom died. What will happen to the place? Who will now live there? And, will the old Stone Mansion be there for the next generation? The story-line is wonderful and I’m on to the next book

[Sheila Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Taylor Hart's books and this one is no exception. She writes strong characters, interesting plots and satisfying HEA endings. This novel features Trey, the oldest sibling in the Stone family and a Navy SEAL, and Ava, an old girlfriend who returns to South Port as a newly divorced mother of a teenager. While I would classify this book as a romance book, there is also a mysterious element introduced. Who breaks into the inn during its remodeling and what are they searching for? Unfortunately, the answer to those questions was easily determined long before the big reveal. Overall, I rate this 4 stars.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the idea of this series. The intro to the family and South Port definitely peaked my interest to keep reading the series.

I'm so glad Trey and Ava got a second chance at romance. They've both been through a lot, but deserve a HEA. I enjoyed their easy friendship when they could put the past behind them. They were really sweet and good together. My only complaint is I felt the mystery/suspense was unrealistic. I felt a SEAL would have handled things very differently and neutralized the problem sooner. Other than that, I enjoyed the story and am looking forward to the rest of the series.

[Shauna Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great start to a wonderful series
I didn’t want to put it down. The Stone family children were shocked when their mother left the family beach home to the oldest son Trey. When Trey decides to sell the home, he’s shocked to find that Ava, a past girlfriend, is the buyer. Finding that Ava is single, he decides to withdraw the house from the market in hopes that he can build a relationship with the girl he has always loved. When they form a partnership, things start going wrong with break ins at the house. Soon the attacks escalate in danger. A wonderful read blending struggles, dreams, broken hearts, romance, and danger.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book about the Stone Family. They are left in shock when the family house in South Port is left to only one sibling in their parents will rather than all of them.
Trey is ready to leave South Port and never look back as everything reminds him of his teenage love Ava. When life unexpectedly gives them a second chance at love, Trey is determined to make it work. I loved reading how Ava helps Trey find happiness again and their love story that really never ended.

* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a excellent last name for this family of military men and overachievers, Stone. Trey is the oldest of the six Stone siblings and a Navy Seal. Their mother’s will isn’t quite what they expected, Trey is left the family beach house. Ava is the girl he left behind 16 years earlier. Boy, are the sparks still flying. Taylor Hart gives us a story with conflict, danger, romance and characters you want to know better. I’m eagerly waiting for Book 2.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great second chance romance with Trey and Ava who were in love when they were young but both when in different directions but now that she is divorced and back in town she runs into Trey and the old feelings are there. This has some twists in the story that is both intriguing and fun enough that it will keep you reading. Well written story and loved all the characters.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can they overcome past decisions

Ava and Trey have a lot to deal with and overcome. I liked that as things changed and she got to know Trey better, she was willing to change her attitude. I like that Trey didn’t let his long held beliefs rule his decision making. I grew to love these characters and can hardly wait for the next book. I loved the drama and suspense in the book.

[Shelley Wahls · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book wonderful start to a new series. Trey and Ava were high school sweet hearts and life tore them apart, well really it was Trey’s choice. Finding then selves meeting again add in a house Reno and a treasure map, Ms. Hart wove a wonderful tail and I for one can’t wait for the next installment!!!

[Lucia Valenzuela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a great book. I couldn’t put it down. Trey and Ava are amazing characters. And of course they have things in their past to overcome. Can’t wait to read the rest of this series and discover what happens to the rest of the Stone siblings.
I received a free copy of this book and this is my voluntary, honest review.

[Julie G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

Yay! A new series with an excellent beginning. I’m excited to read the next installments. This story started well and kept my attention which can be a challenge with a lot of kids.😁. It successfully set up the future stories while also telling the story of Trey and Ava. So good.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to the Stone family

A solid intro to a new family series, I enjoyed meeting Trey and Ava as well as all the folks in town. The house and the beach also felt like they were characters is the story, as well. As always, Ms Hart wires interesting people and places them in stories that are hard to put down. 👍🏼👍🏼

[Vicki R. Merwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so totally enjoyed this Romance Novel that I had a hard time putting it down!

When people grow up in a small town, it is rare the whole town doesn't know what is going on about most of the Families who live there... just because people throw up and move out of town does not mean they are not the same people with many of the same thoughts and feelings if they move back....

[Priscilla A Finkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Lot of Love and Action!

This is a love story with a lot of matchmaking and some mystery and intrigue thrown in. if you love reading books in a series where the next book highlights one of the primary characters from the previous book,, I highly recommend reading this series! Thank you Taylor

[Linda Vermillion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

I love series. This is the first book in a series of nine. I love happy endings. This has all the normal romance trappings. Years after breaking up they meet and rediscover all they loved about each other. But there must be problems and even some mystery before they can be together. Can't wait for the next book.

[Boyd Petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

We could see what is going to happen, but the journey was very satisfying

The story of how Trey and Ava get back together as friends after 16-years is a fun one. It’s about good friends, family, and a journey that two people must take to reconnect and learn to love again. I loved this book.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! Navy Seal, second chances, mystery, suspense, and hilarious spots. Great characters. I love the set up for the rest of the series! I'm so excited to read about the rest of the Stone family and their exploits.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, this book has a little bit of everything that I enjoy in a book. A second chance at love & a mystery. Quite the start to a new series you should love as I do. I received an ARC. This is my unbiased review.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the way Trey and Ava's friendship and banter happened even after years. The memories made me recall my teenage years. Tender love story as they both let each other back in to their hearts. Loved it! Can't wait for Kensi's book.

[Jeni Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

This was such a great story set on the beach. I loved reading about Trey and Ava. Their life and love story wasn’t easy. But they worked through it. And there was just enough suspense to keep you reading and engaged.

[Connie Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

What a great story! The tension between Ava and Trey really was palpable right off the page. Characters and storyline are all up and beyond excellence. Another wonderful story from Taylor Hart!

[Karen Brasher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excitement abounds

Great beginning to a new Taylor Hart series. The Stone family and South Port beach crew are a wonderful group of characters. Cannot wait for the next installment.