Escape to the shores of Sand Dollar Cove, a quaint beach
town on the North Carolina coast. When Elli Eversol returns to Sand Dollar Cove
to rebuild her grandparents shops on the old fishing pier following last fall’s
hurricane, she’s faced with bigger problems. For one, the pier has taken a much
more serious hit by a recent Nor’easter. Secondly, the boy who broke her heart,
Holden Moore, is back in town too and tempting her, only her heart is telling
her he’s still not one to be trusted. So she keeps her focus on her family and
the Buy-A-Board campaign project so she can put those funds to good use and
spare her heart.
When Brody Rankin answered the online request to help
router names into boards purchased in a campaign to save the shops on the pier
in Sand Dollar Cove, he’d really just been trying to do a good deed and get a
closer look at the sleepy little town where his mega-company is planning to
build an east coast warehouse. Will this well-known playboy be able to resist a
woman who loves the ocean as much as he does, or will he leave Sand Dollar Cove
behind?
Terrific small-town story full of friends, family, and
love. Elli spent her growing-up summers in Sand Dollar Cove with her
grandparents and always saw herself eventually living there. But life
intervened, and she has spent the last several years inland, building her real
estate business. She returns to the cove to rebuild the shops and pier that
were damaged in the latest hurricane, only to find that things have changed
more than she expected. Her grandmother is feeling her age, the damage to the
pier is worse than she realized, and an old boyfriend is back in town.
I liked the interplay of the various relationships. Elli
and her grandmother were great. They have such a wonderful relationship. Nana
may have slowed down some, but she is still full of life and enjoys taking care
of people. I loved her practical outlook on life and how she uses it to help
Elli over some rough patches. Elli's friendship with Pam is longstanding, and
it was fun to see their "girl times" together. Elli also knows she
can count on Pam when she needs her, such as the prep for the town council
meeting.
Holden's appearance took Elli by surprise. She hadn't
seen him since the summer before college when he broke her heart. He makes it
plain that he'd like to get together with her again, but she's wary. There's
still some attraction, but she's not sure about trusting him with her heart
again. I admit that he bugged me, at times seeming almost stalkerish. But it
was his actions at the town council meeting that showed his true colors.
I loved Brody. Elli found him when she looked for someone
to help with the Buy-a-Board inscriptions. I really liked the way that he connected
so quickly with Nana. They were so cute together, especially when he cooked for
her. Brody is very laid-back and easy to get along with. He and Elli connect
over their love of the beach and the woodworking he does for her. When things
at the pier don't go well, Brody is the one who talks her back from the edge of
despair and helps her look at things a different way. Unfortunately, there was
a crucial bit of information that he didn't share with her that nearly ruined
everything. I loved seeing him show a little bit of a vulnerable side as he
made it right. His big moment at the end was great.
I liked the small-town setting. The hurricane's damage
affected everyone in some way, and all hoped for something that would fix
things before tourist season started. The way that the town council tried to
put one over on the townspeople was maddening, and I laughed at the looks on
their faces when so many people showed up for it. Even better was the plan that
Brody helped Elli develop. It was so heartwarming to see the community pull
together to make it happen. I also loved how welcoming they are to newcomers
like Brody and Ed. Ed turned out to be an unexpected surprise who provided an
interesting twist. I'd love to see him get a story of his own.
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