***I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.***
Family, wounded hearts, and a Texas bed-and-breakfast are in need of repair in New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown's inviting novel about down-home comfort and second chances.
Cousins Tabby and Ellie Mae are due for a change. Running their aunt's beachfront bed-and-breakfast in Sandcastle, Texas, is just the thing to shake things up...though their lives spin out of control in more ways than one when a hurricane barrels into the coastline. It's a miracle it didn't carry them off to Kansas. Not so lucky are the assisted-living center and a small eclectic group of local folks who take shelter with the cousins.
Two estranged sisters, rowdy as a circus, need a referee for a battle that goes back decades. And a pair of veterans, best friends for years, hash out bittersweet old times. There's also handyman Alex LaSalle and his business partner, Ricky, experts at repairing the hurricane's damage--and at making Tabby's and Ellie Mae's hearts beat a little faster.
As unpredictable, crowded, and stormy as it gets, the Sandcastle B and B is still the perfect harbor for healing past wounds, finding romance, and making up for lost time. Add in Tabby's homemade pecan pie, and the Texas shore feels like a little slice of paradise.
The Sandcastle Hurricane by Carolyn Brown is a sweet romance about sisters, a bed and breakfast, and a hurricane. Told with Carolyn Brown’s trademark humor and heart, The Sandcastle Hurricane is a story about love, forgiveness, and second chances.
Story Recap:
Tabbie and Ellie Mae are cousins who have come back to Sandcastle, Texas to run their Aunt’s bed and breakfast after her passing. They visited Sandcastle in the summers but have never lived there full-time.
When a Cat 4 hurricane threatens Sandcastle, Tabbie and Ellie Mae agree to take in a few residents from the local assisted living center, as their B&B has survived many hurricanes before. They take in two sisters who do nothing but bicker with each other and a couple of veterans. They have local handyman Alex and his business partner, Ricky helping out at the house and trapped with them during the hurricane.
My Thoughts:
The Sandcastle Hurricane is exactly what I expect from a Carolyn Brown book. It’s heartwarming, funny, and full of southern charm. I enjoyed Tabbie and Ellie Mae and loved their generous spirits as they took in the residents of the assisted living home.
I especially loved the way all these characters worked together against the hurricane and the aftermath of the storm. The older characters were a hoot, and I loved the way they all worked together on the hurricane aftermath as well as helped each other with their various issues.
The backstory of Ellie Mae and Tabby is heartbreaking. Each of them has suffered loss and is in various stages of grief. But, together, this house full of people forms a family bond and they start to help each other heal.
Recommendation:
I recommend The Sandcastle Hurricane to anyone who enjoys romance and fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
About Carolyn Brown
Carolyn Brown is a New York Times, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and RITA finalist with more than one hundred published books. Her books include romantic women's fiction, historical, contemporary, and cowboys-and-country-music mass market paperbacks. She and her husband live in the small town of Davis, Oklahoma, where everyone knows everyone else, knows what they are doing and when, and reads the local newspaper on Wednesday to see who got caught. They have three grown children and enough grandchildren and great-grandchildren to keep them young. For more information visit www.carolynbrownbooks.com.
It sounds like an emotional read!
A great review!
I love Carolyn Brown’s brand of romance and humor! I just downloaded this from Kindle Unlimited and will listen to it soon. Glad you enjoyed it!
This sounds heartwarming and fun even with storm at center of the story.
The storm was the “thing” that got everyone together, so it was important to the story.
I’ve never read a book by this author, but now I’m curious to try one. Great review!
She writes very “folksy” clean romances, usually set in Texas or Oklahoma. And she’s a very prolific writer!
This is in my queue. I love the way such a variety of people are brought together in this story. Great review, Wendy.
I hope you enjoy it, Linda!
This sounds like a lovely romance with some issues that give it a bit of meat to the story. Excellent review!
Thank you, Tessa!
Excellent review, Wendy! Sounds emotional but good.
Thank you, Jolene!
Sounds like a box of tissues is needed for this one.
Yes. But, it does have a good balance between emotion and humor
I knew you would love this one Wendy! Excellent review!🤗📚🍁💜
It was a lot of fun. Thank you, Susan
I do love a heart-warming but with a bit of humour, great review 💕
It’s a cute book for sure.
I’ve enjoyed some Carolyn Brown books.
They are hit and miss for me, but mostly hit.
Glad you enjoyed this one!
Thank you, Joanna!
Lovely review, Wendy.
Thank you, Cathy!
Sounds emotional but also heartwarming. Lovely review, Wendy 🙂
Yes, it’s very heartwarming
Good review, I like the idea of running a B&B
It was fun! Thank you, Rosie!
Another great review, Wendy! It sounds like an emotional read.
Thank you, Cindy!