Publication Date: April 23rd 2019 by MIRA
Pages: 384
Source: Publisher and Audible Purchase
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible
About the book:
Join
USA TODAY
bestselling author Sheila Roberts for a seaside escape to the beaches of Moonlight Harbor
Celeste
Jones has plans for a perfect summer with her boyfriend (and hopefully
soon-to-be fiancĂ©)—until he dumps her to be with the woman he’s had on
the side for months. Heartbroken and furious, Celeste resolves to move
on. When the going gets tough, the tough…okay, the not-so-tough go to
the beach.
As soon as school lets out for the summer, she waves
goodbye to her first-graders, packs up her bikini and heads for
Moonlight Harbor, where she knows her big sister, Jenna, will receive
her with open arms. Jenna could probably use some help at the Driftwood
Inn, and Celeste is happy to do chores around the place in exchange for a
relaxing summer escape. She just needs something—or someone—to distract her from her troubles.
Finding
The One can be tricky, and Jenna is determined to make sure Celeste
gets it right this time around. Not that Jenna’s an expert. She’s still
trying to sort out her own love life. But if both sisters listen to
their hearts, eventually they’re bound to discover that life—and love—is
good at the beach.
My Thoughts:
Celeste has been burned her boyfriend, a man she thought would
propose only to find he’s been cheating on her.
In response, she ventures out to Moonlight Harbor, the seaside town her
sister has settled into after purchasing an inn. Celeste, a teacher, takes the summer off to help
at the inn while trying to figure out where she’s gone wrong in her love
life. She had sparks and chemistry with
her last beau, but that just ended in heartache so she decides to go for the
safer bet, the town’s pastor, Paul. He’s
good-looking and even if he doesn’t make her heart race, he’s a steady and sure
bet, not someone likely to cheat on her.
Not like Henry, the guest in cabin twelve, an annoying man, poking and
prodding at every turn, but one that heats her up!
The Summer Retreat
was an entertaining read, kind of a Hallmark movie type of romance, where lots
of things go wrong and are a bit whacky. I quickly flipped (listened) through
the pages, but this is one of those stories where I had mixed feelings. I felt bad for Celeste because she was duped
by a cheating loser at the beginning, but I was also annoyed with her. She ignores her instincts that tell her she’s
not a good match for the Pastor Paul but goes along with the “romance” because
he’s the safe bet, a man who’ll never cheat.
I don’t like reading a romance where the heroine is all tied up with one
man while she’s meant to be with another. It was clear to me and should’ve been
clear to Celeste that Pastor Paul wasn’t the guy for her, and yet the situation
plays out for almost the entire book.
I was also irritated with her sister, Jenna, who kept pushing
her toward Paul when Celeste didn’t seem all that hot on him. I have to say Jenna’s romantic situation is
another frustration: a love triangle, that wasn’t resolved in this story. Maybe
it will be in the next book?
It does sound like I didn’t really like the story after
writing all of my complaints, but I did. I’m happy for how things turned out
for Celeste, and I did have some laughs along the way. I switched back and forth from my e-copy to
the audio book and found Ann Gideon’s voice pleasant and upbeat.
3 Suns
