Coming Home to Seashell Harbor
by Miranda Liasson
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: May 4, 2021
Reviewed by PJ
Hadley Wells swapped her dreams of saving the planet for the glamour of Hollywood. But when a very public breakup reveals cracks in her not-so-perfect life, she returns to her hometown to reassess what it is she truly wants. Unfortunately, Seashell Harbor has some trouble of its own—including the first man to ever break her heart.
A serious injury forced footballer Tony Cammareri into early retirement—now he’s determined to reboot his life with a splashy new restaurant venture. He knows better than to expect a happy reunion with Hadley, but he’s determined to make up for the way things ended between them. Yet when Tony and Hadley end up vying for control of the town’s future, they find themselves once again on opposing sides.
As their rivalry intensifies, they must decide what’s worth fighting for—and what it truly means to be happy.
PJ's Thoughts:
Miranda Liasson is an auto-buy author for me. Her well-developed characters always feel like friends and her stories are filled with humor and heart. Add an abundance of less-than-perfect rescue dogs (you know I adore them), a matchmaking grandmother, delicious family recipes (I cannot resist Italian food), life-long girlfriends, and a second chance with a first love, and I am sold on Liasson's newest, Coming Home to Seashell Harbor. Did I mention the trope? Young sweethearts to enemies to friends to lovers? Yes, please!
As someone who grew up in a small town, left after graduation, and didn't return for several years, I know both how hard it is to come back home and also how easy it can be to fall into the patterns of one's youth when you do. Hadley and Tony (a/k/a Cam) are both at crossroads in their lives. Returning to Seashell Harbor at the same time puts them at odds while at the same time reminding them of the closeness they once shared, in a high school relationship that did not end well. And one that, much to their surprise, neither has quite put behind them. I think Liasson does a great job of showing the push and pull between them as they each grapple with where they go from here, both individually and as a couple. I found their relationship - and the obstacles they face, both emotional and professional - to be very realistic and relatable. I was invested in these two from the get-go and remained so throughout their journey.
Liasson has assembled a wonderful secondary cast of characters who add depth, complexity, rich emotion, and humor to the story, as well as glimpses into future romantic journeys in this series. There are already several I'm eager to learn more about. I love the friendship among Hadley and her two best childhood friends. Their banter, honesty with, and unwavering support of one another speaks to a lifelong foundation of friendship and trust. Cam and his siblings, raised by a single father, have an interesting dynamic that I really enjoyed, especially the evolving relationship between Cam and his dad. I'm hoping to see more of all of them in future books. Then there's the relationship between Hadley and her gran, which spoke to me on so many levels and reminded me of the one I shared with my own grandmother. So many feels in this story.
If you're looking for an engaging, feel-good, contemporary romance for your summer reading, take a trip to the beach with Miranda Liasson's Coming Home to Seashell Harbor.
Have you read Miranda Liasson yet?
What constitutes a "beach read" for you?
I cannot say no to Italian food. What type of food has your taste buds happy dancing?
One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, May 16 will receive a signed, print copy of Coming Home to Seashell Harbor.
*Must be 18
*U.S. only
