Thursday, December 30, 2021

Bookish Thoughts: Autumn by The Sea

 


"I think Maggie would say that's what love does.  It keeps hoping even when the answers don't come easily.  It invites strangers in.  It doesn't give up.  Love keeps searching." - Neil MacKean

Description:

Abandoned as a toddler, Sydney Rose has spent years wondering who she really is, homesick for a life she’s never lived. When a private investigator crashes into her world, she finds herself heading to a tiny seaside town in Maine to meet a woman named Maggie, who’s searching for the granddaughter she lost decades ago.


If not for Maggie, Neil MacKean might still be back in Scotland, bereft and alone. Instead, he has a full life in Muir Harbor with an adopted family he loves and a blueberry farm to run. But the farm is struggling and strange occurrences have him concerned. Worse, Maggie’s once again caught up in the past, convinced she’s finally found her long-lost granddaughter.

Worried for Maggie, Neil is suspicious of the city girl who shows up at the farm. But there’s something about Sydney that tugs on him, drawing out secrets he never meant to share. While Neil grapples with the future of the farm, Sydney wrestles with a past that’s messier than ever. Together, they’re pulled into a mystery complete with a centuries-old legend, unexpected danger . . . and a love as deep and wild as the sea.

About the Author:

Melissa Tagg is the USA Today bestselling, Christy Award-winning author of swoony and hope-filled small-town contemporary romances. She's also a former reporter, current nonprofit marketing strategist, and total Iowa girl. Melissa has taught at multiple national writing conferences, as well as workshops and women's retreats. When she's not happily lost in someone else's book or plugging away her own, she can be found spoiling her nieces and nephews, watching old movies, and daydreaming about her next fictional hero. Connect with Melissa at melissatagg.com. 


My Thoughts:

I don’t typically read much rom-com, but I always make an exception for Melissa Tagg’s books.  When I saw this one would start a new series, I was both intrigued and a little sad - I love the Maple Valley folks.  I knew I could come to love these new people as well, it would just be a change from the familiar.  And come to love them, I did indeed!


As I’ve come to anticipate, this book drew me in right away!  I loved the richness of the setting, the colorful characters, and another quirky town that I got to explore with Sydney.  I’m honestly not sure which of the new characters I loved the best.  Obviously, Sydney and Neil are the leads, but I also couldn’t help but want to hug Maggie.  And I enjoyed the glimpses into the lives of the sisters, Lilian and Indi.  The setting almost seemed a character itself, the beautiful coast of Maine and a blueberry farm.  


Simply due to the plot, there are so many questions that are asked and answered throughout the story.  I so enjoyed how Ms. Tagg chose to reveal some of the answers while also leaving a few to lead into another story.  There is beauty, both in the answered and the unanswered, the asking and the wondering.  I loved how that all played into the mundane and the everyday of the story.  I don’t know if I’m explaining my thoughts well, so you might just have to read the book yourself to understand what I’m hoping to convey in a few sentences, when it took the author a few hundred pages to play it out.   


Overall, I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy rom-coms!  Or even if they’re not your normal fare, you might consider giving it a try.  You may find yourself more than pleasantly surprised.



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