Love Finds You in Treasure Island Florida

by Debby Mayne

Amanda Burns owns a bicycle shop in Treasure Island, Florida but she almost never has time to enjoy the charming town or its beautiful beaches. When shes not caring for her emotionally demanding sister, shes busy waiting on customers. But theres one customer she never minds seeing. Each year, the handsome Jerry Simpson returns to the shop to rent a bicycle for two.
When Amanda discovers the story behind
the tandem bicycle that Jerry takes his aging parents to the island for their anniversary each year she finds herself drawn to the man who selflessly gives of his time for the people he loves. Jerrys sense of responsibility to his parents has prevented him from even thinking about
love. Will he and Amanda find the treasure they both deserve even if neither of them is looking for it?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Romance, Christian, Christian Romance, Fiction, Romantic, Contemporary Romance

313 pages, Paperback

First published May 28, 2009

About the author

Debby Mayne has published more than 30 books and novellas, 400 print short stories and articles, more than 1,000 web articles, and a slew of devotions for women. She has also worked as managing editor of a national health magazine, product information writer for HSN, a creative writing instructor for Long Ridge Writers Group, and a copy editor and proofreader for several book publishers. For the past eight years, she has judged the Writers Digest Annual Competition, Short-Short Contest, and Self-Published Book Competition. Three of Debby’s books have been top ten favorites by the Heartsong Presents book club. Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida received 4-1/2 stars from Romantic Times Magazine, and was named a Top Pick for the month of July 2009.

Reviews

[Victoria (hotcocoaandbooks) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amanda owns a bicycle shop in Treasure Island, FL. She didn't have the best life growing up, but along the way she found a way to make it through with God's help. She has been dealing with her much younger sister Lacy who is a school teacher who acts like a child herself.

An older couple dealing with some health issues go on vacation with their son Jerry. Jerry works from home and constantly orders a Tandem bike from Amanda's shop. He has been wanting to ask her out but hasn't known how to at all. Dealing with his parents is a struggle at times, but a blessing too.

While this was a nice Christian love story, there are unanswered questions I have about the plot and the characters that were never worked out or explained, leaving it a bit too open. The book kinda went in circles for a while and then rushed to an ending.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Treasure Island, FL/2008

This is about a man taking care of his ailing parents and a woman taking care of her younger sister. Amanda and Jerry were okay. I didn't think they had chemistry. They seemed better suited to friendship than romance. Both should have handled things with their families differently and much sooner than they did. It sounded like a nice place, but I'm not sure how accurate the description of the town was.

[Debra Ullrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Debby Mayne is a gifted and talented writer who has the ability to bring a setting to life. Her characters are people you want to spend time with and stay with you long after you’ve finished the book. Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida, is such a fun read that I finished it in two sittings and enjoyed every minute of it, laughing and grinning so much that I was certain my face resembled the Joker’s.

What can I say? I love this story! Why? Because….

Jerry Simpson is a real sweetheart, and his parents are a riot. However, will his devotion to his parent’s keep him from a relationship with Amanda? Will Jerry allow an incident to keep him from Amanda forever? And just who is this Matthew fellow to Amanda? Is she in love with him?

When love strolls into Amanda Burns’ bicycle shop in the form of Jerry Simpson, will she watch it stroll right out again even though she’s deeply attracted to him? Something holds Amanda back from giving her heart to him, or to any other man. Can she let whatever is holding her back go before it’s too late?

Mr. Simpson, Jerry’s father, is obsessed with searching for treasure. Will he ever find it? And if so, will it be everything he ever imagined?

Mrs. Simpson, Jerry’s mother, goes into the matchmaking business, and her scheming antics are hilarious. She’s bound and determined to see two people she loves get hitched. Just how far will she go in accomplishing this task? And what risks are involved?

Lacy, Amanda’s sister has her own romance going on. Does her spoiled ways and selfishness destroy any chances of a long-lasting relationship?

Timmy is a troubled child. When he meets a certain person, something happens? What? And is this person a good influence for Timmy or a bad one?

You can find the answers to these questions in, Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida. This story is a super fun, relaxing, giggle a minute read.

[Denise Ballentine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I confess I only read this because it takes place in Treasure Island, Florida, a place dear to my heart. I live nearby and found the most interesting thing about this rather simplistic tepid romance story were the references to places familiar to me. Unfortunately there weren't many of those. (Let me say that GiGi's Pizza IS a real place and they do make great pizza.) I know that some really like this sort of thing, and I have read some Christian light fiction that I actually enjoyed, but this was just too mild and bland for me. The writing was passable but kind of boring. The tension here was almost non-existent, because I already figured out that every situation would have a happy ending for all the characters. No surprises, no twists, everything pat.It barely eked out two stars from me.

[Christie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring. I tried, really tried, to finish this book, but I just couldn't. I picked it up because I grew up in Florida and thought I would enjoy the setting, but it was, like many things in Florida, agonizingly slow. It contained so many tedious details that bogged the story down. (We don't really need to know that she cleaned the kitchen for thirty minutes and then went to bed.) The "action" in the story wasn't even exciting and the characters were one-dimensional and annoying. Even the cover was deceptive, as the girl on the front appears to be in her 20's and the main character is almost 40. I can't recommend this book.

[Paulette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this book at the library and it caught my eye since I used to spend time in Treasure Island Florida (when I lived just a little closer!) It mentioned a few familiar spots.

Cute little romance. Would have been the perfect "floating in the pool read" but enjoyed it even though it was pretty cold here in FL yesterday!

[Heidi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Between the horrible writing with phrases like, "His heart sang!" and the inane characters I quit reading this book after about 30 pages.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story about how love comes when u least expect it.

[Casey]

I won't be rating this book as I didn't finish it. The secondary characters argumentive and lazy nature towards each other was very wearing and the plot wasn't moving very quickly.

[Teresa Short · Rating 4 out of 5]

The relationship between the sisters and the image of Amanda on the cover made the story less believable.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I came close to not finishing this book, so many of the characters were unlikeable. The two main characters, Amanda and Jerry had no chemistry, and I kept hoping she'd come to her senses and notice Matthew, who she has known and cared for (platonically) for years, and who is a good guy who cares for her. Amanda's sister is a spoiled, selfish, one dimensional character, who is infatuated and plans to marry a young widower with a small son, whom they both ignore. I just wanted to shake them. Amanda repeatedly bails them out, taking care of Timmy at the last minute or hours longer than she agreed to, when the time would be better spent with the three of them getting to know each other and forming a new family. I could go on and on, but I won't. As a rule, I enjoy this series when I just want a quick read, this was definitely my least favorite of the series.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story. I live in this area and enjoyed the local flavor. The plot was good. Jerry's parents were a hoot. But I felt the middle dragged and the end was rushed. I appreciated the faith content and that the main characters' Christianity was important to their decisions. Overall, a fun beach read.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to say that I didn't quite like this book. I thought the main characters were quick to blame (even only in their thoughts) their circumstances on the actions and circumstances of others, and not take responsibility for how their own actions might have affected said circumstances.
Bumping up a half star for the adorableness between Timmy and 'Gramps'.
2.5 stars

[Rose Hale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered this sweet set of series sometime last year. I have yet to read one I don't like. If you are going on vacation this year, this would be a great book to pack.

[Tiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit Hallmarky and predictable, but a good vacation read.

[Jessica K Atkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story

[Doreen Nicolet]

Didn't like.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book.

[M · Rating 1 out of 5]

My least favorite book of the Love Finds You in series.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Horrible, terrible plot, terrible writing

[PottWab Regional Library]

SM

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

so slow

[Karen Thaler · Rating 4 out of 5]

# 9 in series. Easy reading but good story line,

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

These are books my mom sends me and I read them as they are quick reads. They are not my usual choice in books but it's nice to read something quick and mindless every once in awhile (plus an upcoming move has me trying to clear out extra things!)

Anyway, this was not one of my favorites. There was an unnecessary tension scattered throughout the book that never really got explained, lots of people avoiding things that could have easily been handled with a little communication, and an overly dependent sister relationship that was also unnecessary. It also came to a close in less than a page. Not the best of this series that I've read so far.

[Maggie Boyd · Rating 1 out of 5]

Amanda Burns has built a life for herself in spite of her less than easy childhood. The bike shop she owns is a success, she has gotten her sister through college, helped her get a job as a kindergarten teacher and is providing the girl with a place to stay till she gets on her feet. Caring for others and caring for her business are the only things she does besides attend church.

Jerry Simpson is an annual customer at the shop, always renting a tandem bike for his vacation but never coming to the store with another person. When Amanda sees an elderly couple riding around town on the bike she understands - he is there with his parents! But this year, his parents and Jerry seem to be having a very strange vacation - and they drag Amanda in as well. Can Jerry and Amanda's relationship outlast the vacay?

This book had sooo much wrong with it. Let's start with the endless calling of Jerry and Amanda boy and girl when he is 45 and she 40. The ages would have been great - we definitely could use some middle age romance novels - but they were treated and spoken of like teens a lot of time and that completely drove me crazy. You don't get to be a 40 yr. old business owner and be okay with being treated like a girl (imo).

The characters were ridiculous. Amanda's sister was a complete brat and Amanda an enabler in the worst possible way. Jerry was a self-righteous putz. Amanda a doormat. The endless "love your parents" blather was irritating and insulting. The story lacked depth - Jerry's two siblings are mean to mom and dad and their attitude seems to stem from the fact that when they were growing up they got clothes from garage sales while the much younger Jerry got new ones. (Uhm, people used to make more as they got older, so yeah, totally likely.) We did no exploration of even this family dynamic - it was thrown out, judged and dismissed.

The romance was almost non-existent. I get that for some couples a low key love story is what they want but the telling of the tale failed to capture even that.

On a note for the publisher more than the author, the cover had serious issues. One of the big scenes in the book is an accident where someone is hurt because of not wearing a bike helmet. Helmets were pushed throughout the tale. And yet the (very young) girl pictured on the cover is sans helmet.

[Cecelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jerry is on vacation in Treasure Island Florida with his elderly parents. He's been attracted to pretty Amanda for the last few years. He comes each year with his parents for vacation - he rents a tandem for the older couple from Amanda's bike shop.

Amanda is attracted to Jerry too, and when he comes in this year to rent the tandem, they end up doing a lot more than just saying "hello" to each other.

However, Amanda is a mother-figure to her irresponsible younger sister Lacey. Plus, she doesn't consider herself a good candidate as a girlfriend since she's had a troubled past with her mom. She's also never gotten over being stood up at the altar by her ex-fiancé.

Jerry has his own set of problems. He's only in the beach town of treasure island because he's vacationing with his folks. After awhile, he'll be returning with his parents back to Atlanta. His folks are getting older and they have health problems, too. If Jerry doesn't take care of his parents then, who will? How can he even consider a relationship when he has so many responsibilities?

This book was a light, gentle, heartwarming read. It'd be a nice book to take with you to the beach.

[Loraine · Rating 2 out of 5]

SUMMARY: Each year, Jerry Simpson returns to Amanda's shop on Treasure Island to rent a bicycle for two--even though he's not married. Will she finally discvoer the handsome stranger's secret? Will Amanda and Jerry find the treasure they both deserve?

REVIEW: I felt that this was one of the less developed books of the LFY series. The characters were rather one dimensional and the plot line was not as interesting as most of the others. I did like Jerry's parents but found his mother and father somewhat annoying as their actions stayed consistent throughout the entire book. The same could be said about Amanda's sister although she did show some development and change towards the end of the story. Amanda herself also seemed to not develop as much as I would have liked to see. The setting was nice and I enjoyed reading about the laid back lifestyle on Treasure Island. Seems like it would be a nice place to visit.

FAVORITE QUOTES: "Sometimes it's the people you love who hurt you the most."

[Sandy Duke · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love this series. They are all fun, easy reads. This was, also, however I found that I was more interested in some of the minor characters and their subplots than I was in the main characters and their blooming relationship. There seemed to be an overall underlying theme of children's relationships with their parents: caring for aging parents, dealing with immature, irresponsible parents, and a young child coping with a grieving, overworked single parent. All of these are great topics to delve into, but in this case they seemed to distract from the main plot because they were all more interesting than the slow-moving and yet predictable relationship between the two main characters.

Overall, still an OK, easy read with a predictable happy ending.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was great, but ended too abruptly for me. I really wanted both of them to come to terms with their "familial" issues. I think that Jerry was starting to see the error of his ways in terms to his parents, but there were still HUGE unresolved issues with his siblings that I think would affect his repationship with Amanda. And Amanda and Lacy still have SERIOUS issues. The love story between Jerry and Amanda was more fragile, and I would have like to see more romance before the ending. I still really liked this book though. I thought both characters were amazing, and all the supporting characters really took the book from mediocre to wonderful.

[⚜️XAR the Bookwyrm · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read this book the first time, I thought it was a very touching story. On this re-read, I found a good bit of it annoying. Everytime Lacy spoke, I wanted to throw the book across the room because she was such a brat, so very un-Christian. I was also very annoyed with Timmy's father, because he couldn't see exactly what he was doing to his son. Amanda's mother got on my nerves as well. If you ignore all the annoyances, the book was actually fairly good. I liked the romance between Jerry and Amanda and how it kinda snuck up on both of them out of casual encounters. All in all, it is a story I might consider picking up at a less than $3 cost, but not before that.