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jbarr5's review
4.0
Castaway Cove by JoAnn Ross
This book in the series, stand alone as well. is about Mac and how he comes home wounded in the war to a wife and toddler. The day hearrives she hands him the key to the house and leaves with her new boyfriend. I can totally see this really happening and it is a book about how he's strong to learn about his daughter and her needs and take care of himself as well.
He ends up moving back to his father's home in Oregon to also help with the care of his grandfather who's in a nursing home and losing more of his memories.
Annie lives in Oregon where she runs a bookstore and runs into Mac often at the nursing home. Mac runs a call in show on the radio at nights and she has called to talk to him a few times that started their relationship.
Love how her girlfriends give her the push she needs to make some moves on him.
Love the tips of how to care for an elder who's losing their memories. Hot steamy sex scenes enhance this book.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
This book in the series, stand alone as well. is about Mac and how he comes home wounded in the war to a wife and toddler. The day hearrives she hands him the key to the house and leaves with her new boyfriend. I can totally see this really happening and it is a book about how he's strong to learn about his daughter and her needs and take care of himself as well.
He ends up moving back to his father's home in Oregon to also help with the care of his grandfather who's in a nursing home and losing more of his memories.
Annie lives in Oregon where she runs a bookstore and runs into Mac often at the nursing home. Mac runs a call in show on the radio at nights and she has called to talk to him a few times that started their relationship.
Love how her girlfriends give her the push she needs to make some moves on him.
Love the tips of how to care for an elder who's losing their memories. Hot steamy sex scenes enhance this book.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
bookloverchelle's review
4.0
Another great read in the Shelter Bay series from JoAnn Ross. Mac is a single dad fresh home from deployment trying to find some stability for him and his young daughter in Shelter Bay. Annie is recovering from divorce, keeping a low profile, and staying awake at night listening to Mac on the radio. They may have already connected over the radio phone lines, when they finally meet in person neither is quite ready to make the leap in to a relationship. But when two people are meant to be, they just can’t stay away from each other. A sweet story of two people recovering from painful pasts and finding happiness in a future together. Great read!
scoutmomskf's review
5.0
Terrific book. Mac has brought his daughter and returned to Shelter Bay after his divorce in order to have help from his family while raising his daughter. Annie has also come to Shelter Bay after her divorce, looking for a new start. Neither is looking for a new relationship until they connect over a late night call to the radio station.
I loved Mac. He was a terrific father, moving back to Shelter Bay so he could get the family support he needed. He was also wonderfully patient with his grandfather, who has Alzheimer's. I loved the way he showed that family was important to him. He was also a bit insecure about his abilities as a father but determined to do the best he could. I liked the way that he owned up to his part in the failure of his marriage though I'm sure his ex had a share of it too. I loved the way that he felt his job in Afghanistan had been important enough to keep doing it and how he didn't just stay in the relative safety of the base. The description of his personality and actions before the war show that he matured a lot during his time overseas and after he returned. I enjoyed seeing the way he connected with his listeners during the late night show. I loved seeing the way that he and Annie really related to each other during that first phone call. His interest in her was immediate. It was fun seeing how he used different songs to get her to call him again. It was a lot of fun seeing the way he figured out who she was and talked her into going out with him. It didn't take long for him to be interested in seeing where the relationship could go. He didn't get impatient with Annie's reluctance but kept up a gentle, but persistent pursuit. I really liked the way that he was understanding of her fears. I loved the present he gave her when he proposed.
Annie had a rough life growing up. She spent her entire childhood in foster homes, some good and some not so good. All she really wanted was a family of her own. She married a man older than she was that she thought she loved, but it ended with issues they couldn't agree on, especially her desire for children. She moved to Shelter Bay, where she had some happy memories from when she was a child, and opened a scrapbooking store. She quickly settles in, becoming part of the community. She loves volunteering with the senior citizens where she meets Mac's grandfather. She still wishes for a family but is now cautious about dating. One night, feeling particularly lonely, she calls in to Mac's radio show. The instant connection she feels to him spooks her and she doesn't identify herself. She is startled when she sees him in her store and feels an intense attraction to him. She's blown away by the kiss he sneaks and allows herself to be talked into having lunch with him. She's really drawn to him but there are things about her that she thinks will prevent her from having any kind of future with him. She keeps trying to push him away, but he won't go. I loved the way that his patience finally got her to open up with him and see that he really cares for her. I also loved seeing how good she was with Mac's daughter. Her understanding of his grandfather's memory issues and the way she helped him with his scrapbooks was really sweet. I loved the way it was something that his grandfather said to her that convinced her that she could have that happy ending.
I loved the parts that Emma and Charlie had in the book. Emma's attitude was a cute mixture of little girl and teenager. I loved her defense of her grandfather and how she had no problem standing up to the little boy on the playground. I really liked the way she told off her friend at the sleepover, though her actions afterward sure caused a lot of stress on her poor father. Charlie was a real sweetheart of a man. I felt so bad for his frustration in dealing with his Alzheimer's. He was wonderful with Emma and she seemed to be able to break through his memory problems. I really loved the parts where he talked about his wife and the memories he had of the war.
Once again the people of Shelter Bay have a big part in the romance between Mac and Annie. Annie's friends, especially Sedona, are the ones who convinced her to give Mac a chance. I also enjoyed seeing the various couples and catching up on how they are doing. There were also some pretty fun situations involving the interest the entire town took in their romance, including the betting pool on their first date. I really liked Kara's comment to Annie about what his reaction would be to seeing Annie in her red dress - "It's always fun to see a man swallow his tongue."
I loved Mac. He was a terrific father, moving back to Shelter Bay so he could get the family support he needed. He was also wonderfully patient with his grandfather, who has Alzheimer's. I loved the way he showed that family was important to him. He was also a bit insecure about his abilities as a father but determined to do the best he could. I liked the way that he owned up to his part in the failure of his marriage though I'm sure his ex had a share of it too. I loved the way that he felt his job in Afghanistan had been important enough to keep doing it and how he didn't just stay in the relative safety of the base. The description of his personality and actions before the war show that he matured a lot during his time overseas and after he returned. I enjoyed seeing the way he connected with his listeners during the late night show. I loved seeing the way that he and Annie really related to each other during that first phone call. His interest in her was immediate. It was fun seeing how he used different songs to get her to call him again. It was a lot of fun seeing the way he figured out who she was and talked her into going out with him. It didn't take long for him to be interested in seeing where the relationship could go. He didn't get impatient with Annie's reluctance but kept up a gentle, but persistent pursuit. I really liked the way that he was understanding of her fears. I loved the present he gave her when he proposed.
Annie had a rough life growing up. She spent her entire childhood in foster homes, some good and some not so good. All she really wanted was a family of her own. She married a man older than she was that she thought she loved, but it ended with issues they couldn't agree on, especially her desire for children. She moved to Shelter Bay, where she had some happy memories from when she was a child, and opened a scrapbooking store. She quickly settles in, becoming part of the community. She loves volunteering with the senior citizens where she meets Mac's grandfather. She still wishes for a family but is now cautious about dating. One night, feeling particularly lonely, she calls in to Mac's radio show. The instant connection she feels to him spooks her and she doesn't identify herself. She is startled when she sees him in her store and feels an intense attraction to him. She's blown away by the kiss he sneaks and allows herself to be talked into having lunch with him. She's really drawn to him but there are things about her that she thinks will prevent her from having any kind of future with him. She keeps trying to push him away, but he won't go. I loved the way that his patience finally got her to open up with him and see that he really cares for her. I also loved seeing how good she was with Mac's daughter. Her understanding of his grandfather's memory issues and the way she helped him with his scrapbooks was really sweet. I loved the way it was something that his grandfather said to her that convinced her that she could have that happy ending.
I loved the parts that Emma and Charlie had in the book. Emma's attitude was a cute mixture of little girl and teenager. I loved her defense of her grandfather and how she had no problem standing up to the little boy on the playground. I really liked the way she told off her friend at the sleepover, though her actions afterward sure caused a lot of stress on her poor father. Charlie was a real sweetheart of a man. I felt so bad for his frustration in dealing with his Alzheimer's. He was wonderful with Emma and she seemed to be able to break through his memory problems. I really loved the parts where he talked about his wife and the memories he had of the war.
Once again the people of Shelter Bay have a big part in the romance between Mac and Annie. Annie's friends, especially Sedona, are the ones who convinced her to give Mac a chance. I also enjoyed seeing the various couples and catching up on how they are doing. There were also some pretty fun situations involving the interest the entire town took in their romance, including the betting pool on their first date. I really liked Kara's comment to Annie about what his reaction would be to seeing Annie in her red dress - "It's always fun to see a man swallow his tongue."
shannon_cocktailsandbooks's review
4.0
When Mac Culhane is left by his wife following an injury in Afghanistan he moves with his young daughter back to his hometown of Shelter Bay, Oregon. His plan is to provide stability for his child as well as assist his father in caring for his ailing grandfather while working as the local late night radio DJ. Annie Sheperd moved to Shelter Bay following a divorce and runs a successful scrapbooking store while also volunteering her time at the home where Mac’s grandfather lives. While the attraction is there from the moment the two run into each other they both have to decide whether they are willing to risk their hearts again.
I really liked both characters, who showed a vulnerability about them that made them hesitant to put their heart on the line. Annie’s upbringing was one that would cause a lesser person to become bitter, but she maintained a sunny disposition and turned a childhood dream into an adult reality. Mac showed that family meant the world to him, displaying vulnerability when it came to his male role models as well as his daughter. He made no apologizes for the way he lived his life but always strived to improve things for both himself and his daughter. Their road is a rocky one, but it is made all the more interesting by the various people that are rooting for a romantic ending. Set in small town Shelter Bay, everyone is interconnected in some way, and it was interesting to see the array of secondary characters that enhanced the storyline. This small town romance sizzled between the radio king and his scrapbooking queen, and left people wanting more.
Reviewed by Lucy for Cocktails and Books
I really liked both characters, who showed a vulnerability about them that made them hesitant to put their heart on the line. Annie’s upbringing was one that would cause a lesser person to become bitter, but she maintained a sunny disposition and turned a childhood dream into an adult reality. Mac showed that family meant the world to him, displaying vulnerability when it came to his male role models as well as his daughter. He made no apologizes for the way he lived his life but always strived to improve things for both himself and his daughter. Their road is a rocky one, but it is made all the more interesting by the various people that are rooting for a romantic ending. Set in small town Shelter Bay, everyone is interconnected in some way, and it was interesting to see the array of secondary characters that enhanced the storyline. This small town romance sizzled between the radio king and his scrapbooking queen, and left people wanting more.
Reviewed by Lucy for Cocktails and Books
jillmwald's review
2.0
Didn't like this one quite as much as the others, maybe I'm having Shelter Bay overload.
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