Review - - A New Year in the Keys

A New Year in the Keys

by Hope Holloway

Coconut Key - Book 8

Publisher: Hope Holloway

Release Date: December 27, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

For Beck and her mother, Lovely, the serene island life they’ve carefully built is about to be upended. Plans for a quiet holiday with no guests at their popular Coquina House Bed & Breakfast are disrupted when they agree to host a trio of last-minute guests. These unexpected arrivals stir up more than just the peaceful waters of Coconut Key, leading to revelations that will transform the family forever.

At seventy-five, Lovely is thriving—healthy, happy, and finally spending her life with Beck, the daughter she never had a chance to raise. But when a figure from the past steps into her home—and heart—in a way she never dreamed possible, Lovely faces the daunting task of reimagining her entire life.

Meanwhile, Beck is standing at her own crossroads. Her newfound love, Oliver, is torn between his native Australia and their idyllic life in Coconut Key. When an opportunity arises that could give Oliver everything he wants, Beck must make a difficult choice: pursue her own dreams of happiness or sacrifice everything for the man she loves.

As a new year dawns on Coconut Key, there's a wedding on the horizon and babies on the way, so celebration should be in the air. But will the changes, choices, and challenges ahead bring an end to this family’s hard-won happiness?

PJ's Thoughts:

My heart. This book. I thought we were finished with this series but Hope Holloway had one more wonderful story in her pocket and it just may be my favorite of all the books she's written.

I have so much love for these characters, for this family. I sighed, I cried, I cheered. I don't think it's possible for Hope Holloway to write a book that does not touch me emotionally but even among the many heart-tugging stories from her various book series, A New Year in the Keys stands out. It celebrates life, love, and multiple generations of family. It's achingly romantic. And, I have no doubt, to the delight of hordes of readers (like me) who rarely see themselves depicted in this manner, it features soul-stirring romance for a vibrant character in her seventies. 

It is never too late to fall in love just as it's never too late to fall in love with Hope Holloway's beautiful stories.

I strongly recommend reading the books in this series in order. They are: 

A Secret in the Keys

A Reunion in the Keys

A Season in the Keys

A Haven in the Keys

A Return to the Keys

A Wedding in the Keys

A Promise in the Keys

A New Year in the Keys