Book Review - Driftwood Bay (Hope Harbor, #5) by Irene Hannon

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Jeanette Mason moves to a small seaside town named Hope Harbor in hopes to live an isolated life. Jeanette is afraid of letting people in after a tragedy causes her to lose people she loved. She decides to avoid emotional attachments and focus on her lavender farm and tea room. However, Jeanette's life gets upends again when her new neighbor moves in. Dr. Logan West becomes an unexpected guardian of his niece after his mother's death. Logan gets a dog in hopes to help bond with Molly but, the dog is intent on damaging Jeanette's lavender beds. Jeanette and Logan find themselves gravitating towards each other when a refugee family from Syria moves to their town. Will Logan and Jeanette be able to open their heart to each other?

I thought the novel was an enjoyable read but, I had a hard time connecting with Jeanette. She closes herself off and didn't want to make the effort of connecting but, was annoyed that other people didn't make the effort. She felt that her neighbor should have connected with her first and made the effort. She wanted and made Logan make the first move and didn't respond well to his suggestive behaviors but, she would get sad when he didn't invite her to the beach. I found this incredibly annoying. At times, I felt like the Molly character talked to Jeanette as if she was an adult and not a five-year-old. Her conversations with Jeanette towards the end of the book didn't feel like something a child would say to an adult. Perhaps, this is how a child speaks once they go through grief but, it felt weird to me. I enjoyed reading about the Shabos' family, Logan trying to bond with Molly, Jeanette trying to find her way, and Molly and Elisa's budding friendship. I look forward to reading the other books in the series.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - The Elusive Miss Ellison (Regency Brides: A Legacy of Grace, #1) by Carolyn Miller

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The ailing owner of Hampton Hall has passed away but when the new young Earl takes over, all the villagers are excited. Except, for the reverend's daughter, Lavinia Ellison. She believes in taking care of the poor and the sick while the Earl of Hawkesbury is the exact opposite. He refuses to take his responsibilities seriously instead pushes it off to an incompetent assistant along with nodding off in church.  When Nicholas Stamford arrived at Gloucestershire, his main goal was taking care of his obligations and not to get invested in the country bumpkins. However, when he meets Lavinia, he is starts to realize he cares but in his heart he is overrun by guilt. Can Lavinia and Nicholas put aside their past to find happiness? Will Nicholas be able to find redemption and Lavinia be able to forgive?

The novel which takes place in 19th century England was an interesting read. While I enjoyed the writer's writing, I found the story to be quite frustrating and boring. For a woman, who people claim to be a "superior woman", she acts rather dumb and when she doesn't get her way; a spoiled child.  The plot seemed repetitive and seemed like the two main characters kept putting their ego over their hearts.