3 out of 4 stars
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If you're a woman looking for a short, feel-good read, put "Seaside Haven" by Sandra Burch on your to-read shelf! You'll quickly get swept away by the handsome but troubled hero, Phoenix Chamberlain. When a car accident leaves him permanently disabled, the former playboy and socialite returns to his roots by moving back to the resort he inherited from his grandfather. Immediately, he clashes with Sierra, the divorcee resort manager with whom he ends up sharing a living space. Tensions run high in such close quarters, and Sierra often finds herself standing her ground against the foul moods of her live-in invalid. As the story progresses, the two learn not only to live with each other but to grow from their personal adversities...and perhaps build a relationship as well.
While there is not a great deal of depth to this story--no all-encompassing moral, no hidden meaning--the story does extol the virtue of hard work in the face of trouble. As Phoenix struggles with his disability, Sierra calls him out on his pity party, exhorting him to make a change in his attitude. I appreciate the overriding theme that we can overcome difficult situations, even those that leave a permanent mark on us. My one concern, though, is that some of the comments Sierra makes to Phoenix seem to belittle his depression, as if it's just a sour mood that he can choose to release. I understand that within the scope of this book there isn't time or reason to delve into the ramifications of depression, but it's a sensitive subject that even romance authors need to treat with tact.
As far as romance writers are concerned, Sandra Burch stands out from the crowd due to her writing style. She has won awards for her poetry, and that talent shines in her prose as well. The very first paragraph draws you in with its figurative language. Ms. Burch expertly uses the background of a stormy day at sea to introduce the central conflict: the personality conflict between Phoenix and Sierra. The reader meets both characters before the first chapter is over, and the tension (both angry and sexual) between them is clear. You can't help but begin the next chapter, eager to see where their relationship will take them.
Sexuality tends to be a major league player in most romance novels and novellas, so when the author mentioned Phoenix's sexual desire for Sierra, I was concerned that I would run into erotic scenes or sexual innuendos. That, however, was not the case, and as the story progressed, I was able to accept Phoenix's mindset because the author had built him up as a recovering womanizer. Ms. Burch smoothly flipped between Phoenix's and Sierra's thought processes, too--another facet of her writing that impressed me--so the sexual thoughts didn't become overwhelming or cloying. In the end, there was no explicit sexual content, but there was enough suggestion through Phoenix's perspective that I wouldn't be comfortable recommending this book to my female junior high students.
Though I think this book is slightly too adult for young teenagers, I believe women of many ages--from new adult to mature adult--can find something to love about this book. Though it lacks depth in how it addresses the trials and psychological mindsets of the main characters, this cozy novella makes for a warm, fuzzy read. For that reason, I rate "Seaside Haven" 3 out of 4 stars, and I look forward to snuggling up to the next installment in the The Seaside Series.
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Seaside Haven
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