Sea Glass Summer
by Miranda Liasson
Seashell Harbor - Book 2
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: June 28, 2022
Reviewed by PJ
Kit Blakemore is ready to live again. After her husband died while serving in the military, she was in a haze of grief. Now she wants to reclaim her former self—finish her degree and find a better career to provide for their sweet little boy, Oliver. To do that, she’ll need to sell her late husband’s dilapidated Victorian in Seashell Harbor. But first, Kit intends to give Ollie the kind of unforgettable seaside summer she had growing up, making lifelong memories and friendships.
Of course, nothing goes exactly as she planned. Ollie is struggling with his confidence, and frankly, so is Kit. But everything changes when her husband’s best friend, Alex de la Cruz, returns to town, offering to help her renovate. She doesn’t expect Alex to temporarily move in…or for him to bond with Ollie…or for her numb heart to begin thawing. Slowly he’s helping Kit and Ollie heal, and it scares her to death.
Kit swore she wouldn’t leave herself open to the pain of loss again. But if she’s going to teach her son to be brave and move forward, Kit must first face her own fears.
PJ's Thoughts:
Each time I've picked up a Miranda Liasson book, I've been taken to a community I'd like to visit where I've met people I'd like to befriend. Once again, that's the case with the second book in Liasson's Seashell Harbor series: Sea Glass Summer.
One of the things I'm most enjoying about this series is the three women at its core. Kit, Hadley, and Darla are friendship goals. Childhood friends who have returned to their hometown and solidified their bonds as adults, I love how they support one another, challenge each other, and don't hesitate to tell the hard truths when necessary. Their scenes together are some of my favorites in the series.
Then there's the romance. Liasson aims straight for the heart in this book and does not miss. There's so much depth of emotion, so many layers for both Kit and Alex to navigate. I enjoyed the slow burn of their journey, the time that is taken to steer them gradually through the murky waters of grief, and guilt, to understanding, self-forgiveness, and love. I enjoyed the journey each of them took individually as well as the one they took together. These two are so realistic, so relatable, and very endearing. It wasn't difficult to be come emotionally engaged with them both, to be their sideline cheerleader as their hearts slowly heal and the friendship that grows between them deepens into something more. I shed tears with them, laughed with them, and happily celebrated their hard-won love.
Another highlight for me is Ollie, Kit's young son. Such an adorable character and so very realistic. His evolving relationship with Alex is one of my favorite threads in the book.
If you're a fan of the Seashell Harbor series, you will undoubtedly enjoy catching up with Hadley and Tony (Coming Home to Seashell Harbor) and will mostly likely be as curious as I about where the tenuous relationship between divorced couple, Darla and Nick is headed next. I don't know when their book will be published but I am already eager to read it.
Have you read Miranda Liasson?
Do you have childhood girlfriends with whom you are still close?
What books have you read recently that both touched your heart and tickled your funny bone?
One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, July 2 will receive a print copy of Sea Glass Summer.
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