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beastreader's review against another edition
3.0
In the beginning I was not sure about this book. It took me a while to find my groove with the story and the characters. Yet, after getting about a third of the way into the story, I did find my footing. I liked the location. Chrissie is the main focal character. I could understand her reluctance to Jared in the beginning and not wanting to start a relationship. Although, once things progressed from friends to more; I felt some spice.
Dune Drive can be read as a stand alone novel. This is a charming, sweet read. The characters are nice as is the storyline. As I got to know everyone, I would be friends with them. This book would be good as a beach read.
Dune Drive can be read as a stand alone novel. This is a charming, sweet read. The characters are nice as is the storyline. As I got to know everyone, I would be friends with them. This book would be good as a beach read.
kdurham2's review against another edition
4.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
The twelfth book in a series and I started the series with this one. The thing about romance series is that you can start anywhere because each book in the series centers around a different character in the "universe" or one that recently moved to town. I tend to like to start at the beginning even in these series, but I decided to risk it all and start on this one. I could tell while reading this book that there was backstory for some of the extra characters that I was missing, but I didn't feel as though it took away from the story of the two main characters.
The twelfth book in a series and I started the series with this one. The thing about romance series is that you can start anywhere because each book in the series centers around a different character in the "universe" or one that recently moved to town. I tend to like to start at the beginning even in these series, but I decided to risk it all and start on this one. I could tell while reading this book that there was backstory for some of the extra characters that I was missing, but I didn't feel as though it took away from the story of the two main characters.
cassies_books_reviews's review against another edition
5.0
First I want to thank netgalley and the publisher for and advanced copy for my kindle. I loved this book! I fell in love with each character and the small town of Chesapeake! The story starts with Chrissie. Chrissie leaves her abusive husband by sneaking away because she’s afraid he will kill her. She runs back home to Chesapeake to her aunt who is 101 years old and runs the small town store. Chrissie is working on healing herself and gaining her confidence back when she meets a diver named Jarod who she becomes fast friends with but not wanting anything more while Jarod is afraid of love as well. This was a perfect beach read and you can just picture the small town and each character.
courtofbingereading's review against another edition
4.0
**Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review**
*3.5 stars*
Do you want to know what reading Dune Drive felt like? It's that indescribable homey feeling you only get when you curl up on the couch with a blanket and watch a Hallmark movie. You're at peace, content, happy, and carefree. That is what reading this book felt like.
Dune Drive is the twelfth novel in the Chesapeake Diaries. That being said, you don't need to have read any of the other books in order to enjoy this book--this is the first book I've read in this series. This story is about a young woman named Chrissie who goes back to her ancestral home on Cannonball Island. While Chrissie wasn't raised on the island, she spent nearly every summer there growing up and the island always felt like her true home. However, the reason for Chrissie's homecoming is not a pleasant one. She has finally escaped from her abusive boyfriend, Doug. Once she arrives on the island, she embarks on a journey to rediscover who she is after losing her identity in an abusive relationship.
Almost a year later, Chrissie meets Jared Chandler. The two become fast friends, but could there be more? Chrissie isn't sure if she is ready for a new relationship, while Jared on the other hand, has never allowed himself to be in a serious relationship. Jared's mother abandoned his family when he was quite young which caused him to protect his heart. These two definitely have their guards up, but when the right person comes along your defenses are often proven to be worthless.
I really enjoyed this story. I think Mariah Stewart handled the topic of an abusive relationship well. My favorite aspect of this book was that Stewart gave Chrissie time to herself before throwing her in another relationship. Typically, authors push their heroines into a new relationship as soon as they escape from their abusive partner. By Stewart not doing this she has created a more organic, believable story for her readers. The progression between Chrissie and Jared's relationship is natural and authentic.
Of course, the setting of Cannonball Island is perfect for this story. It's a quaint, picturesque town on the bay--what more could I ask for? All of the townspeople are friendly which only enhances the classic small-town vibe of the island. I mean who wouldn't want to live somewhere like that? As I mentioned earlier, this could be a Hallmark movie.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It was an endearing story of finding love--but more importantly yourself. Chrissie's journey is heartwarming and uplifting. I admire her courage and strength; she was a great main character. Full of romance, friendship, and family Dune Drive is certainly the perfect summer read.
Bookstagram | Twitter
*3.5 stars*
Do you want to know what reading Dune Drive felt like? It's that indescribable homey feeling you only get when you curl up on the couch with a blanket and watch a Hallmark movie. You're at peace, content, happy, and carefree. That is what reading this book felt like.
Dune Drive is the twelfth novel in the Chesapeake Diaries. That being said, you don't need to have read any of the other books in order to enjoy this book--this is the first book I've read in this series. This story is about a young woman named Chrissie who goes back to her ancestral home on Cannonball Island. While Chrissie wasn't raised on the island, she spent nearly every summer there growing up and the island always felt like her true home. However, the reason for Chrissie's homecoming is not a pleasant one. She has finally escaped from her abusive boyfriend, Doug. Once she arrives on the island, she embarks on a journey to rediscover who she is after losing her identity in an abusive relationship.
Almost a year later, Chrissie meets Jared Chandler. The two become fast friends, but could there be more? Chrissie isn't sure if she is ready for a new relationship, while Jared on the other hand, has never allowed himself to be in a serious relationship. Jared's mother abandoned his family when he was quite young which caused him to protect his heart. These two definitely have their guards up, but when the right person comes along your defenses are often proven to be worthless.
I really enjoyed this story. I think Mariah Stewart handled the topic of an abusive relationship well. My favorite aspect of this book was that Stewart gave Chrissie time to herself before throwing her in another relationship. Typically, authors push their heroines into a new relationship as soon as they escape from their abusive partner. By Stewart not doing this she has created a more organic, believable story for her readers. The progression between Chrissie and Jared's relationship is natural and authentic.
Of course, the setting of Cannonball Island is perfect for this story. It's a quaint, picturesque town on the bay--what more could I ask for? All of the townspeople are friendly which only enhances the classic small-town vibe of the island. I mean who wouldn't want to live somewhere like that? As I mentioned earlier, this could be a Hallmark movie.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It was an endearing story of finding love--but more importantly yourself. Chrissie's journey is heartwarming and uplifting. I admire her courage and strength; she was a great main character. Full of romance, friendship, and family Dune Drive is certainly the perfect summer read.
Bookstagram | Twitter
attytheresa's review against another edition
3.0
We meet Chrissy not long after she's left an abusive relationship, escaping to her Great-Grandmother's home and general store on an island in the Chesapeake Bay. A gifted cook, Chrissy eventually gets a cook's position at a local cafe, starts socializing and develops a friendship with ship salvager and playboy Jared. This is a relaxed read, filled with likeable characters on emotional journeys, a few bumps in the road, lots of great food discussions (and some recipes!), and a good ending. While intimacy occurs between our leads, these books are about emotional journeys in a great setting, not about steamy sex. It's also part of a long established series but you don't need ot have read any others to enjoy this.
I actually give this 3.5 stars - and fully intend to try out the rhubarb upside-down cake recipe. Rhubarb season is just around the corner!
I actually give this 3.5 stars - and fully intend to try out the rhubarb upside-down cake recipe. Rhubarb season is just around the corner!
mishale1's review against another edition
3.0
Chrissy left an abusive relationship and moved back home with her great grandmother Ruby.
Ruby is an absolute character. She has a bit of a sixth sense and she always knows what’s right for Chrissy.
Chrissy gets a great job cooking at a restaurant in town and meets a new friend Jared. She tries to keep him at a distance because she’s been through so much that she doesn’t trust herself anymore.
Likable characters. I didn’t realize this was a series until after I got the early edition from NetGalley. You can tell that the family history is built up in the previous books, so it can get confusing here. If you’ve read the other books, you’d likely rate this higher.
Ruby is an absolute character. She has a bit of a sixth sense and she always knows what’s right for Chrissy.
Chrissy gets a great job cooking at a restaurant in town and meets a new friend Jared. She tries to keep him at a distance because she’s been through so much that she doesn’t trust herself anymore.
Likable characters. I didn’t realize this was a series until after I got the early edition from NetGalley. You can tell that the family history is built up in the previous books, so it can get confusing here. If you’ve read the other books, you’d likely rate this higher.
allingoodtime's review against another edition
4.0
This series has definitely had its ups and downs with me. But as I mentioned in my review of The Chesapeake Bride, I’m a big fan of the Cannonball Island stories and Ruby. The heroine of this story, Chrissy, is Ruby’s great (great?) granddaughter. The hero, Jared, is a salvage diver who works with Owen, Chrissy’s cousin who was the focus of The Chesapeake Bride. Needless to say, I really enjoyed this story.
There are parts to Chrissy’s story that just had me in tears. I’m not giving anything away to say she was in an abusive relationship…that’s established from the beginning. It’s not the abuse that tore at my heart, but more the aftermath. Things I hadn’t ever really thought of. As much as I am aware of the long-lasting psychological effects of being in such a situation, the scope of how that can play out when looking for a job or making friends hadn’t occurred to me. Mariah Stewart really handled Chrissy’s situation beautifully and taught me a thing or two in the process.
The relationship between Jared and Chrissy starts very slowly. In fact, the two of them don’t so much as hold hands for quite a while and insist they are “good friends” when anyone mistakes their relationship for anything more. It’s actually very sweet and romantic although neither of them means for it to be sweet or romantic. Their bond happens so organically and their feelings grow in such a natural way, it’s almost a surprise when you realize how enmeshed they are with each other.
As the reader, you know certain things are going to play out. I don’t believe the author means for it to be a surprise and she surely drops hints constantly throughout the story. As always, that is fine with me when the author makes it a point of ensuring the trip is a joy to take. And here, it really was.
I’m a huge fan of this author’s The Hudson Sisters series and my curiosity was piqued when Devlin’s Light was mentioned. Now I’m going to have to hunt down the books in her Enright series since they tie to both The Hudson Sisters and The Chesapeake Diaries. I’d love to go back and find out more about some of the characters I’ve met in all the books that I didn’t realize had their own stories.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/30/dune-drive-book-review/
There are parts to Chrissy’s story that just had me in tears. I’m not giving anything away to say she was in an abusive relationship…that’s established from the beginning. It’s not the abuse that tore at my heart, but more the aftermath. Things I hadn’t ever really thought of. As much as I am aware of the long-lasting psychological effects of being in such a situation, the scope of how that can play out when looking for a job or making friends hadn’t occurred to me. Mariah Stewart really handled Chrissy’s situation beautifully and taught me a thing or two in the process.
The relationship between Jared and Chrissy starts very slowly. In fact, the two of them don’t so much as hold hands for quite a while and insist they are “good friends” when anyone mistakes their relationship for anything more. It’s actually very sweet and romantic although neither of them means for it to be sweet or romantic. Their bond happens so organically and their feelings grow in such a natural way, it’s almost a surprise when you realize how enmeshed they are with each other.
As the reader, you know certain things are going to play out. I don’t believe the author means for it to be a surprise and she surely drops hints constantly throughout the story. As always, that is fine with me when the author makes it a point of ensuring the trip is a joy to take. And here, it really was.
I’m a huge fan of this author’s The Hudson Sisters series and my curiosity was piqued when Devlin’s Light was mentioned. Now I’m going to have to hunt down the books in her Enright series since they tie to both The Hudson Sisters and The Chesapeake Diaries. I’d love to go back and find out more about some of the characters I’ve met in all the books that I didn’t realize had their own stories.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/30/dune-drive-book-review/
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