Published by Harlequin ISBN 9781488055874
Hardcover, $26.99, 384 pages
RaeAnne Thayne's newest novel, The Sea Glass Cottage, shares the stories of three generations of women. Juliet is a 53 year-old widow who runs the family garden center in Cape Sanctuary. She lost her husband nearly 20 years ago, and then lost her eldest daughter Natalie to a drug overdose shortly after.
Juliet was left to raise Natalie's baby daughter Caitlin. Now 15 years old, Caitlin feels like Juliet is more her mother than grandmother. When Juliet has a serious fall from a ladder, her daughter Olivia has to leave her own life and job behind in Seattle to help her estranged mother and run the garden center.
Olivia has always felt that her mother paid more attention to the troubled Natalie and raising Caitlin, and running the garden center to give her much attention. Coming back home is difficult, made more so by Caitlin's inexplicable hostile attitude towards her.
Caitlin found her mother and Olivia's teenage journals and is determined to discover the name of her father. She believes it to be one of three men, all who live in town. With the help of her best friend Jake, she sets to work to find her father.
Jake's father Henry owns a landscaping design business, and he and Juliet are close friends. Henry would like to be more than friends, and takes every opportunity to help Juliet in her time of need. Juliet has romantic feelings for Henry too, but she is hiding a secret from everyone that she believes makes it impossible to have a deeper relationship with him.
Olivia is feeling overwhelmed trying to run the garden center, care for her mom, and keep up with her clients from her job back home. She reconnects with her best friend Melody, whose husband deserted her and their three young sons, and Melody's older brother Cooper, the town's handsome fire chief.
Oftentimes in books with two or three main protagonists, one story line is stronger than the others. RaeAnne Thayne manages to write each woman's story to be of equal interest. As someone close to Juliet's age, I related to her storyline. She wants to be strong for everyone in her family, and when she lost her husband and daughter, she rose to the task, even if Olivia felt hurt at the time.
Olivia has unresolved feelings about her mother, sister and father, feelings she must now come home and face. She steps up to the task of running the garden center, and her mother gives her the courage to look at the kind of life she really wants.
Caitlin is a stong-willed teenager, who fiercely loves her grandmother, but wants answers about her mother's life. She is a well-rounded character, and anyone who has been around teenage girls can appreciate her.
We were introduced to many wonderful people in the town of Cape Sanctuary, and I hope that Thayne continues their stories in future books. The Sea Glass Cottage is a perfect read to escape from the craziness out there right now. Lose yourself in this lovely story in this lovely town. I recommend it.
Thanks to Harlequin for including me on RaeAnne Thyane's tour.
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