Irene Hannon: Sea Rose Lane

By Kelly Bridgewater

After a devastating layoff, attorney Eric Nash heads back to the town where he grew up--only to discover that his childhood home is being transformed into a bed & breakfast. Instead of plotting his next career move in peace, he's constantly distracted by noise, chaos--and BJ Stevens, the attractive but prickly blonde architect and construction chief who's invaded the house with her motley crew.

As for BJ, her client's son might be handsome, but after a disastrous romance, dating isn't high on her agenda. Yet when they join forces to create a program for Hope Harbor seniors, might they also find healing, hope, and a new beginning themselves?

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My Thoughts:

Returning to Hope Harbor, Irene Hannon instantly transported me back to a familiar coastal town with a nice taco stand right on the beach. Returning characters made me smile, and I enjoyed seeing their continued lives in Sea Rose Lane. As for BJ and Eric, I enjoyed watching them leave the rat race and learn to appreciate what really makes them happy in a much slower pace of life.

The romance between BJ and Eric was slow in coming, but true to the contemporary romance nature, they do have a predictable ending. My favorite part was where Hannon dangled the happily-ever-after in front of BJ and Eric, but then ripped the carpet right out from under them. I enjoyed watching them grow and mature from their past hurts until they learned to allow the other one into their life. The spiritual side of learning to let go of the past and accept God's love and forgiveness is evident throughout the story in BJ and Eric's lives.

The story is completely predictable and non-original. It reminds me of every other type of romance novel that is published today. A couple meets, argues, and then starts to feel emotions toward the other person. Hannon knows what her audience wants in a contemporary romance, and she delivers the formulaic story.

Setting is important to me when reading a novel. I have to feel like I'm there in the place and in the moment. I have to know what season it is and what my surroundings look like, so I can imagine my characters roaming through the story. Hannon does a good job at bringing to her story's setting to life. It shows that her visits to a small coastal town has paid off.

Sea Rose Lane is a sweet, enduring show of how love can heal hurts from the past. This book is a good summer read, so be prepared to sit under a shade tree with a cup of lemonade and lose yourself for a couple of hours. I think fans of Becky Wade, Melissa Tagg, Beth K.Vogt, and Susan May Warren will happily spend a couple of hours with BJ and Eric.

I received a complimentary copy of Sea Rose Lane from Revell Publishing and the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

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Since romances are predictable by nature, what keeps you returning to them over and over again? Or do you choose not to read them? Why not?