Series:
Honeymoon Harbor (Book 5)
Quinn Mannion never believed in destiny until she came to
Honeymoon Harbor. The eldest of five siblings, Quinn has always found success
-- head altar boy, valedictorian of Honeymoon High, big-city lawyer. Until he
gave it all up. Walking away from his lucrative career and returning to
Honeymoon Harbor to reopen the old family pub wasn't as tough as he thought.
Not nearly as tough as meeting the woman who was meant to be his forever. But
loving a married woman is a line Quinn won't cross.
Despite Amanda Barrow's attempts to be friendly yet
reserved, she knows Quinn has noticed a shadow hanging over her. And walls that
don't invite intimacy. And the unexplained bruises. As much as she tries not to
fall so quickly, Quinn's steady nature and loving concern have Amanda burying
memories of her disastrous marriage and feeling hopeful for the future. But
she'll have to let go of the chaos and pain of the past -- and accept a
staggering family secret -- before she and Quinn can get their happy-ever-after.
Terrific story centered around Quinn, the oldest Mannion
sibling. After realizing his big-city lawyer job was no longer fulfilling,
Quinn moved back to Honeymoon Harbor to become a brewer and take over the
family pub. The last thing he expected was to fall in love with a married
woman. As an honorable man, he sticks to being the friend she needs.
As the book opens, Amanda and Quinn continue their
friendship. She is now divorced from her abusive husband, but the effects
linger. Amanda's feelings for Quinn are growing, but is she ready to move
forward?
I loved watching the relationship between Quinn and
Amanda develop. He is so sensitive to everything she went through with her
ex-husband that he has been careful not to push forward with his desires. But
it's been eighteen months since Amanda's divorce, and several friends and
family members have told him it's time to go after what he wants or risk losing
her. I loved when he finally screwed up his courage and invited her to the beer
competition. Seeing Amanda blow him away with her flirtatiousness and
directness about the weekend was even more fun. I loved seeing them open up
about their lives, especially how Amanda told him about her marriage and its
continuing hold on her.
That weekend was fantastic for them as they moved on to a
new stage in their relationship. As they returned to Honeymoon Harbor, I loved their
respect for each other and their lives. With a solid friendship already under
their belts, their growing feelings for each other felt realistic. I also loved
that their relationship is solid enough not to be fazed when Quinn's past comes
knocking on his door. And once Amanda worked past her last bit of past baggage,
the sky was the limit for their relationship. Their visit to the Botanical
Gardens was sweet and romantic and the perfect lead-in for his surprise for
Amanda. I loved the outpouring of emotion that followed and seeing them look
forward to a future together.
A secondary storyline follows a newcomer to Honeymoon
Harbor. Piper is an eighteen-year-old British woman traveling the US during a
gap year before college. She takes a job at Quinn's pub, replacing a former
employee who had moved away. She's an interesting character with big plans for
her future. I loved how she took to life in Honeymoon Harbor and fit in well with
Quinn's family. I loved her family background and the interesting life she'd
led because of it and a maturity that is unusual in someone her age. But she also
has a secret that gets harder to reveal the longer she stays in Honeymoon
Harbor. There's a bit of drama when it finally comes out, but I thought it was
handled very well.
There is plenty of time spent with secondary characters,
mainly members of the Mannion family. I loved catching up with what was going
on with the couples/families from previous books. It is always terrific to see
the family dynamics, from teasing to disagreements, to support in times of
crisis.
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