Review: Driftwood Cove by Debbie Mason

I received this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Driftwood Cove by Debbie Mason
Series: Harmony Harbor #5
Published by Forever on 2018-02-20
Length: 448 pages
Reviewing eARC from Netgalley
Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2018 New Release Challenge

TWO STORIES IN ONE: AN ALL-NEW DEBBIE MASON NOVEL PLUS A FAIRYTALE BRIDE NOVELLA BY USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR HOPE RAMSAY

"Heartfelt and delightful!" -RaeAnne Thayne, New York Times bestselling author

USA Today bestselling author Debbie Mason welcomes readers to Harmony Harbor, a charming New England town that's full of heart!

True love deserves a second chance....FBI agent Michael Gallagher never dreamed that his job would bring him back to his hometown of Harmony Harbor. Or that one of his best leads would be the woman he once loved. Hell, the woman he still loves. He regrets the way they ended, and he'd do anything to make things right with her now. But first he needs to regain her trust...

Shay Angel wants to leave the past behind her. And that includes Michael Gallagher, the only man she ever let close enough to break her heart. But she needs his help to find her uncle and clear his name. She won't hesitate to risk everything to save her family, but will she dare to risk her heart all over again?

Bonus story "A Fairytale Bride" by Hope Ramsay!When a handsome stranger wanders into her bookstore one day, Melissa Portman begins to wonder if she's finally found her own happily-ever-after.

I really enjoyed Driftwood Cove by Debbie Mason! The last book in the Harmony Harbor kind of fell flat for me so I was hesitant picking this one up. But there was no reason to be. I loved every minute of this book and devoured it in almost one sitting (I fell asleep with two chapters left….granted it was 3am). For those of you new to the series, each book follows a different couple and is told in dual POV. It can be read as a standalone, but just know that other characters from previous books do show up in each one.

Driftwood Cove follows the story of Shay Angel and Michael Gallagher who have their own novella earlier in the series called Christmas with an Angel. I was so excited to return to their story. Shay is an ex-con who went to jail after stealing her boyfriend’s car. She served her time and now she’s out. Michael was her boyfriend and if truth be told he’s never gotten over Shay.

I like Shay. Her character is very believable as someone who has had a hard life. She struggles to trust, but she is fiercely loyal to those she does. She keeps everything close to the chest, never revealing much about herself to anyone. It endeared her to me as I read. When she’s narrating you realize just how much she hides her true feelings and thoughts from the world. It’s heart-breaking.

Michael is the golden boy who was groomed to be governor like his dad before him, but it isn’t the life he wants. Instead he leaves his job as a DA for the FBI. He is outgoing, loyal to a fault, and very kind. I love his relationship with his dog Atticus. And he endears himself to me in his pursuit of Shay. It’s swoon worthy material for sure 😉

Now for the plot which is where I was a little underwhelmed. Shay’s uncle is a reformed convict (though I’m not sure if he’s ever actually been convicted) and the owner of a local pirate-themed bar. He goes missing in connection to a murder case Michael is working. Now this wouldn’t cause confusion except it pits Shay and Michael on opposite sides of the law. Shay feels she has to work to find her uncle without Michael’s help because as an ex-con she knows how these people think. Michael just wants to show Shay she can trust him. I hated this back and forth between the two.

Overall I enjoyed this book but I didn’t love it. It isn’t the typical, small town romance I’ve come to expect from Debbie Mason. However it still had it’s good spots, like the two main characters and Atticus 😀 I highly recommend this book for those that enjoy contemporary romance set in small towns.

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