Liz Johnson: On Love's Gentle Shore

By Kelly Bridgewater

Fifteen years after she left Prince Edward Island, Natalie O'Ryan had no plans to return. But when her fiancé, music producer Russell Jacobs, books their wedding in her hometown and schedules a summer at Rose's Red Door Inn, she sets out to put the finishing touches on the perfect wedding. But she can't possibly prepare for a run-in with Justin Kane--the best friend she left behind all those years ago after promising to stay.

Justin's never forgotten Natalie or the music career he always dreamed of pursuing. He'd been prepared to follow her off the island until his dad died and he was left to run the family dairy farm. He's done the best he can with the life that was thrust upon him--but with Natalie back in the picture, he begins to realize just how much joy he's been missing.

After Natalie's reception venue falls through, she must scramble to find an alternative, and the only option seems to be a barn on Justin's property. As they work together to get the dilapidated building ready for the party, Natalie and Justin discover the groundwork for forgiveness--and that there may be more than an old friendship between them.

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

I read Liz Johnson's first Prince Edward Island Dreams' book, The Red Door Inn, and really didn't like the novel, but I have been given a second chance to read Johnson's writing with On Love's Gentle Shore. I have to admit I enjoyed this book a lot more than the first one. With vibrant characters and a wonderful plot idea, it was not hard to get lost in the story.

Johnson's writing is spot on. With a romance, there is a lot of internal dialogue and emotions traveling through the pages. The feelings jumped from Natalie's and Justin's perspective right into my imagination. I had no problem understanding Natalie's problems. Johnson did a good job at creating a setting that has continued throughout the series. The setting seemed peaceful and relaxful to enjoy a vacation from the hustle and bustle of normal life.

I enjoyed getting to know Natalie. I understand and empathized with her issues from her past. It must be horrible to have to deal with her parents. No wander she wanted to run away and never come back. But Natalie survived, even if she was living a lie to her fiancé Russell. I enjoyed watching her change and become a better person in the end of the novel. As for Justin, he was the best friend who became the love interest. I enjoyed seeing him show how much he loved Natalie and wouldn't let go over her. What a hero.

On Love's Gentle Shore is a unique yet predictable novel that I didn't mind spending a couple of hours with. The plot is basically Natalie planning her wedding in a town she ran away from when she was younger.

I believe fans of contemporary romance will enjoy this novel and should pick it up right away. Novels like Becky Wade, Irene Hannon, Johnnie Alexander, and Melody Carlson will enjoy sweet romance.

I received a complimentary copy of On Love's Gentle Shore by Liz Johnson from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Liz Johnson: The Red Door Inn

By Kelly Bridgewater

Description (From Amazon):

Marie Carrington is running from a host of bad memories. Broke and desperate, she's hoping to find safety and sanctuary on Prince Edward Island, where she reluctantly agrees to help decorate a renovated bed-and-breakfast before it opens for prime tourist season.

Seth Sloane didn't move three thousand miles to work on his uncle's B&B so he could babysit a woman with a taste for expensive antiques and a bewildering habit of jumping every time he brushes past her. He came to help restore the old Victorian--and to forget about the fiancée who broke his heart.

The only thing Marie and Seth agree on is that getting the Red Door Inn ready to open in just three months will take everything they've got. Can these two wounded souls find hope, healing, and perhaps a bit of romance on this beautiful island?

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

I’m not a big fan of contemporary romance novels. There are a few authors that I do read like Melissa Tagg, Susan May Warren, Beth K. Vogt, and Becky Wade, but other than that, I really don’t lean don’t this genre. Too boring. No action. After reading Liz Johnson’s The Red Door Inn, I, personally, will stick with her suspense novels. They are more to my taste. 

The characters, Seth and Marie, both have issues from their past that they have to work through, so they have a hard time trusting someone else, which is typical of a contemporary romance novel. Two characters that disagree from the beginning but learn to grown and put their differences aside. A complete predictable and unoriginal novel. Marie kept having these panic attacks that Johnson kept alluding to, but she never came right out and explained why Marie kept fainting all the time. Seth, however, mentioned that his banking account was wiped out by a past girlfriend, so he has a hard time wanting to jump into trusting another woman.

As for the plot, it dragged.There were a couple chapters of watching Marie, Seth, and Jack, the elder man who owns the Red Door Inn paint a number of rooms in the old Victorian. I really had a hard time staying focused on the story. Even though most fans of contemporary romance might find this story interesting and well written, the plot really didn't do anything for this major fan of suspense novels.

While the plot and characters did nothing for me, Johnson’s writing is great. I really felt like I was there. She showed the setting and never made me doubt once that I was roaming an island out in the Atlantic Ocean. Johnson creates a good balance between the dialogue and prose. I really enjoyed her writing style, even though I knew exactly how the story would end. 

Not to my taste, Liz Johnson’s The Red Door Inn is a typical contemporary romance novel set in St. Edward. Fans of  Melissa Tagg, Becky Wade, Beth K. Vogt and other contemporary romance writers will enjoy this novel and enjoy being taken away on the story where two unlikely people find love in each other after not trusting someone for a long time. 

I received a complimentary copy of The Red Door Inn from Revell Publishing and the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Purchase The Red Door Inn