Saturday, November 20, 2021

AUTUMN BY THE SEA by Melissa Tagg, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney


"I'll sum this up as succinctly as I can. I work for a woman named Margaret Muir. . .  And I think you might be her granddaughter."

Really? Really. And so on that assumption of "might be", Sydney Rose travels from Chicago, Illinois to the tiny town of Muir Harbor, Maine purely out of curiosity and maybe just a wee bit of wanting a dream to come true, to know that she belongs, and to know that she actually has a family out there somewhere . "At least I did the right thing. Leaving you . . . at least I did that." Had that dying declaration been from someone who was not even her mother?

"Change is coming, Neil MacKean."

How could Maggie have known? When "another-maybe-granddaughter" arrives at Muir Farm, Neil and his two sisters can barely hide their skepticism under politeness; they've seen Maggie get her hopes up one too many times. Curiously, everything about the lovely redhead seems to fit, at least there's that. However, as Neil spends more time with the obviously displaced young woman, he begins to get the sense that maybe Sydney Rose has to come to Muir Harbor to fill in the lonely places of more hearts than just their beloved matriarch. They certainly got off to a rousing start. . . poorly functioning door knob, man in the shower, woman talking to herself . . .
This story has elements of everything that a reader could wish for in a story; beautiful setting, brushstrokes of intrigue, smoldering emotional connections . . . some loose ends that can barely wait until the series continues, and of course . . . that same powder room with the closed door!
* 3.5 stars. I purchased a copy of this book and was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

SEE WINNIE'S REVIEW

SEE NICOLE'S REVIEW

ABOUT THE BOOK:
A captivating new seaside romance brimming with mystery from USA Today bestselling, Christy Award-winning author Melissa Tagg

Abandoned as a toddler, Sydney Rose has spent years wondering who she really is, homesick for a life she's never lived. When a private investigator crashes into her world, she finds herself heading to a tiny seaside town in Maine to meet a woman named Maggie, who's searching for the granddaughter she lost decades ago.

If not for Maggie, Neil MacKean might still be back in Scotland, bereft and alone. Instead, he has a full life in Muir Harbor with an adopted family he loves and a blueberry farm to run. But the farm is struggling and strange occurrences have him concerned. Worse, Maggie's once again caught up in the past, convinced she's finally found her long-lost granddaughter.

Worried for Maggie, Neil is suspicious of the city girl who shows up at the farm. But there's something about Sydney that tugs on him, drawing out secrets he never meant to share. While Neil grapples with the future of the farm, Sydney wrestles with a past that's messier than ever. Together, they're pulled into a mystery complete with a centuries-old legend, unexpected danger . . . and a love as deep and wild as the sea. 

Larkspur Press, Sept 2020
Available in digital ebook and paperback:

 

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