Blackberry Beach (#07 in Hope Harbor Series)

I'd read the other Hope Harbor novels some time ago, too long ago to remember the characters revisited in Blackberry Beach, other than Charlie, the taco man, of course. Whist this didn't detract from this, the seventh book set in Hope Harbor, I would someday like to read them all in quick succession, so as to appreciate the references to earlier characters. Aside from all that, the book stands alone as a double-header, with two sweet romances to follow through to a delightfully satisfying conclusion. Along the way, huge decisions are made, long-estranged relationships are reconciled, and God is encountered, consulted and glorified. I very much enjoyed the read, and recommend it to others who enjoy contemporary Christian romance. Font size was fairly small.

First thing I want to say is that although this book is the 7th in the Hope Harbor series, you do not need to read all of the others first. All of the other books are on my TBR list but I hadn't read them yet when I read Blackberry Beach. I don't think I missed anything in the story because I haven't read the others. I'm sure reading the other books will give a greater understanding of Hope Harbor and some of the peripheral characters, but I still understood and really enjoyed Blackberry Beach. \\n\\nI have been a fan of Irene Hannon's books ever since I read her first one almost 10 years ago. Although I do enjoy her romantic suspense series more, this contemporary romance is still high on my recommendations list. \\n\\nOne of the things I enjoyed most about this book was how you aren't given the whole story all at once. Each time the characters interact, a little more of the story is revealed. I feel that this is a realistic representation of a relationship. You don't just sit down with someone and hear all the details about their life in one sitting. People aren't always comfortable sharing everything at once and it does take time to trust someone with your story. \\n\\nA fun little Easter egg I noticed in this book was that at one point, Aunt Stephanie was reading the latest Irene Hannon suspense. I thought that it was fun that Irene Hannon decided to put herself and her books into the Hope Harbor world. (On a side note, Irene Hannon also hinted at Hope Harbor being in the…