Barefoot in the Sun by Roxanne St. Claire tells the story of two lovers, Zoe and Oliver, who put aside their differences to find a way forward together.
When Zoe Tamarin faces a difficult situation and has to make a choice, she always opts to run away. She and her great-aunt Pasha have been constantly on the move since Pasha rescued Zoe from an abusive home as a child. They avoid staying in one place for too long to prevent getting too close to others and revealing their past. Currently, Zoe and Pasha are at Barefoot Bay, enjoying a sense of peace until someone from their past shows up and knows of their past.
Oliver Bradbury and his eight-year-old son, Evan, have come to Florida to start anew and bond. He never anticipated reconnecting with the woman who had broken his heart years earlier. Oliver is eager to win Zoe’s heart again, but is he ready to go against everything he believes in? And will it be enough to keep her tethered to him?
I didn’t care for any of the characters in the book; I found them annoying and manipulative, constantly pushing people beyond their limits. Initially, I thought I would enjoy Oliver's character, but I soon felt he cared more about himself and Zoe than about his son. It seemed as if Oliver was struggling to engage with his son, making Evan feel more like a prop than a genuine character. Furthermore, I couldn’t understand why Oliver was infatuated with Zoe when she appeared quite selfish, consistently prioritizing her needs over others.
In addition to the romance, there is a mild murder mystery subplot. I hoped it would keep me engaged since the romance and characters weren’t enough. However, the murder mystery aspect felt clunky and lacked substance. It might have been better to leave it out entirely. If you enjoy over-the-top romance novels with a bit of spice, you might find this novel more appealing than I did.
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