Jeannie Moon’s new Compass Cove series is set in a small town on the north shore of Long Island with a rich history. Then Came You is a sweet and charming story filled with engaging characters, a picturesque backdrop, and most of all two people finding their true north despite the obstacles in their way.

All of her life Mia De Angelis has been trying to live up to other people’s expectations, but moving to Compass Cove to live with her grandmother has changed her outlook on life, given her more self confidence, put the distance between her and her mother to give her more perspective, and put her in a position to raise her nephew, Ben, the way she sees fit. She won’t deny the transition has been difficult for Ben and his disappearance while on the college campus where she is a librarian had her frantic, but meeting Coach Adam Miller who finds him changes all of their lives.

Raising her sister’s son after her suicide was never a question for Mia even if she gave up her dreams and her life for Ben. Becoming a mother at 21 wasn’t ideal, but Ben is her world and her life is richer because he is in it. All of her life Mia never measured up to her mother’s standard and her criticism only got worse following her sister’s suicide and her father’s death, now away from that negativity Mia is learning to love herself and her life even though those insecurities creep in all the time.

Adam has mostly lived a charm life, his family and wealth and influence in Compass Cove and his athletic ability got him into the NFL until a car accident ended his career early. Coming back to Compass Cove to heal was the right thing to do and now as head football coach at Jennings College, Adam is enjoying being out of the spotlight and focusing on getting his team in to shape and reconnecting with his family and the friends who had his back when his life went south.

I loved the contrast between Mia and Adam in that Mia has never had the opportunity to really experience life and Adam most likely experienced too much life. They are very different in that respect and while there is attraction between them from the start Adam is not the type of man Mia is interested in getting to know better especially since she knows she is nothing like the women in his past. Adam had to really work to be a part of Mia’s life and he screwed up more than once because honestly, he’d never really had to work for anything before in his life, but he wanted more with Mia and he intended to do everything he could to make it work. I admired Mia not only for taking on the responsibility of raising her nephew at age 21 and giving up her dreams, but also because she demanded that Adam treats her right. She liked Adam, she enjoyed his attention and the way he made her feel, but she refused to be treated with anything less than respect by anyone. This relationship took time, there were some missteps along the way, there were tears, there was happiness, there were deep discussions, but I think that’s what made this book work so well because it was very much like real life.

An engaging and completely satisfying romance, I loved Jeannie Moon’s Then Came You and am looking forward to what happens next in this series.

I enjoyed this feel-good romance on so many levels - Jeannie Moon's characters are realistic and down-to-earth, the storyline is emotional and heartwarming. I felt an affinity to Mia's nephew Ben as right off the bat he reminded me of my own son who's a similar age. I loved the grandmothers and hope to see them as a common thread in future books in the series. All in all a good read.

Great book! Compass Cove is amazing. Adam is the college football coach. Mia is the new librarian at the college. Mia's nephew Ben is an amazing boy who just wants to play football. Mia wants to give her nephew a wonderful life in Compass Cove Mia is not looking for a boyfriend or anything - she just wants Ben to be loved and play a safe sport. This book is full of feelings, it addresses bullying. It has love and folk lore. I completely enjoyed reading this book. Received an ARC from Tule Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

Sorry I was not able to read you book but it went to archive before I could get to it. Sorry once again.

Loved, loved, loved this book! The dynamics of the family keeps this book so interesting. As you peel away the layers of each of the characters and the role of Mia Angelis’ family or Adam Miller’s family it gives you pause.

You see that you have Mia’s mother who I thought of a dragon lady. She was never happy with anything, Mia. Maybe her, her being away from her. Yet, even then she bitched it wasn’t the right town, with the right people. She wasn’t happy with her weight because she was soft and curvy. Oh! Yes, let’s not forget she hates her breast being so large too. Nice mom, right?!

Yet, this wonderful mom who always compared her to the sainted sister who committed suicide isn’t raising the chosen daughter’s child, Mia is. When her parents were in a car accident killing her father, and injuring her mother who helped, Mia. All while raising said nephew and going to college and then grad school. But when her mom retires she bails and moves away leaving Mia alone and no family.

So, she moves to be near her Nana in Compass Cove where she used to spend a month each summer. She loved it. She wanted ten-year-old Ben to experience the small town feel and community friendship she felt. Since Jennings College Library needed someone, she moved in with Nana in her large home.

Ben found the transition hard at first, he needed an outlet. But she had always been raised with no team sports. So, this one wish, her sister had for Ben, none for him either. But he craved them all sports with a ball and he was good.

So, after her second time in the principles office, he blew up. Running off to be found on the football field by coach Adam Miller, an ex-NFL player. Due to an accident, his career ended. He was now out of the game and was the head coach at Jennings college.

When the two meet there are sparks and so Adam surprises himself offering to take the two of them bike shopping and out to lunch. He sees Ben struggling and how he has so much energy to get out that he is acting out. Being he is such a big kid that other kids will goat him. He really wants to help. Being close to Mia is a huge plus.

See how these two works through some very interesting situations. The ex-girlfriend situation is one I give props for. I give this: 5++++ stars. Provided by netgalley.com. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com.

This book was charming. Wonderful characters, wonderful story. Hopefully I can catch the next round in Compass Cove!

Then Came You
by Jeannie Moon
Mia DeAngelis knew it was time to make a change. Wanting to provide a better life for herself and her ten-year-old nephew, Ben, she took a chance and moved to the small town of Compass Cove. Now, the college librarian is adapting to a new job, a new town, and living with her feisty seventy-eight-year-old grandmother. Mia is determined to make it all work, hoping the coastal hamlet gives both her and Ben the sense of community, family and belonging they both want so much.
Adam Miller, a retired NFL quarterback, has come back to Compass Cove to start over after an injury puts an end to his high-octane life. Settling into the small town routine proves to be a challenge, but his job coaching at Jennings College gives him a sense of purpose, while keeping him connected to the game he loves.
There couldn't be two people more different, yet the minute they meet, friends and family have no doubt they belong together. Now if Mia and Adam can only get out or their own way and embrace a little home town magic, they can find the happy ever after they both crave...
Moon always does a fantastic job with her characters and the dynamics between them. With Then Came You it isn’t just the love story between Mia and Adam that caught my attention but the connection to their friends and family.
Mia and Ben are so sweet together and you can just feel the love she has for him as a son. She’s also got a wonderful grandmother who offers the support she needs to start building a great life in Compass Cover. What she doesn’t have is a great mother. And that negative relationship has done so much to color the way she sees herself that it causes a lot of the strain between her and Adam.
Not that Adam doesn’t screw up. He’s never had to really work at his relationships before Mia and he stumbles pretty much right out of the starting block. While he also has a wonderful, supportive family he has spent quite a few years being toadied to as a star athlete. The kind of people he “dated” didn’t require a lot of care and it shows. But luckily he’s got a mother and a grandmother who isn’t going to let him get away with it. He eventually gets his head on straight and is able to win Mia back (although she doesn’t make it easy for him).
Then Came You delivers on the feels and growth and humor and charm! Moon is a must read in contemporary romances for me.

This was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it. I will be reading more books by her.

Then Came You is a sweet, heartwarming and charming romance. Mia has come back to Compass Cove with her nephew in tow. She wants to give him a good life and Compass Cove is just the place to do that. With her job as a librarian already locked in, all she has to do is just live, and allow Ben to become the boy he's meant to be. But when Ben stumbles into Adam Miller, the town's college football coach, she has no idea he'll upend her and Ben's lives, in the best possible ways.

I adored all three of the leads in Then Came You. Make no mistake that Ben is most definitely a lead, along with Mia and Adam. He's the catalyst for their meeting, and for their relationship's ups and downs. It's because of him that both Mia and Adam come to terms with themselves, how they need to change, who they really are, and who they used to be. I love the old adage of the playboy (and Adam most definitely used to be a playboy), the womanizing, arrogant playboy, being brought to his knees by one special woman. Yes, it's a cliché that she's a frumpy (not really) librarian and he's a jock, but in Jeannie Moon's deft hands, this trope is wonderfully executed and neither Mia nor Adam is shallow or cookie cutter or cardboard. Instead, both leads are well drawn, realistic, engaging characters. And Ben?! I love that kid! He reminds me of my own nephew when he was that age.

If you like your romances with well developed, realistic characters and charming, heartwarming moments, look no further than Then Came You.

I was hooked on following this series from the magical, a bit mystical introduction of the history of Compass Cove and one loving, deceased husband pointing the way for love to find his wife once again. It’s that kind of legend that makes small towns so special, and will grab my attention from the very start.

Mia and Adam have returned to Compass Cove for very different reasons, yet they both end up at the local college. Mia is the guardian for her young nephew, Ben, and believes that the best place to raise him is in her home town with its slower pace, neighbors who know and actually care about each other (even if some are particularly noisy) in a caring community of family and friends. She wasn’t looking for romance, she had her hands full – but then she hadn’t counted on one handsome football coach either.

Adam had to face the end of his football career due to an accident. Returning home to Compass Cove simply made sense. He no longer wanted the living on the edge lifestyle he once had, the college offered him work in the field he loves and it was past time to simply slow his life down a bit. A romance with the college librarian wasn’t on his radar, but then falling in love rarely is.

I had such fun with Then Came You. Mia and Adam are not without their faults which only made their story that more realistic. Adam definitely has to do some learning about life outside of his star quarterback role – there were moments when he was totally clueless about why his actions or comments were just too much. Mia has a lot of responsibilities, yes, but she also needs to learn how to let go and simply enjoy the moment. Ben will help her with that, as any young boy is a constant source of mischief, laughter and a few tears. Their story is full of lively, interesting secondary characters, some who will have their own tales told one day. The world building is light as in not overpowering, we learn about the town through dialogue and interesting narrative. I always appreciate slowly learning abut a community without an information dump.

Then Came You did what a first story in a series is supposed to do… get my attention and leave me wanting to know more about everyone I’ve met. I would recommend this one to any Romance reader – and I’m definitely looking forward to returning to Compass Cove for the next story.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Jeanne Moon has started a new series with a winner. Mia shows great strength of character in the way she takes in her nephew after his mother's death. She talked to him about bullying, trust and all the things parents need to teach their children. The supporting characters are well developed and brought in perfectly. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

I cried. This story is so beautiful! I think Then Came You is possibly Jeannie Moon’s best book yet. She clearly knows Long Island and she did a wonderful job of creating a warm, inviting community at Compass Cove. It’s the sort of place I’d love to live. The people in this story are so real. I felt for Mia with her insecurities about her weight and her looks and I admired her for her strength and the way she cared for Ben, her dead sister’s son. I loved Adam too. His sense of rightness, his values and the way he took Ben under his wing showed what a fine man he was. The story itself just flowed. There were moments of joy, moments of heartbreak and moments that just made me feel good about people in general. Technically this story is practically perfect too. Beautifully paced it just told itself to me. I hope there’ll be more from Compass Cove because this story is too good to stand alone.

Then Came You by Jeannie Moon
Compass Cove #1

Great beginning to a small town romance series! Can’t wait for book two!

Mia has been the only true parent to her nephew, Ben, for years. She changed her career goals, gave up her envisioned future and eventually moved to Compass Cover believing that the smaller community would provide the right atmosphere for Ben to thrive in. She works on the college campus as a librarian, lives in her grandmother’s home, has and makes friends and truly comes into her own as the story unfolds. She is no pushover, wants what is best for her nephew and hopes to find true love…what the magical compass of the community refers to as one’s “true north”.

Coach Miller, Adam, retired from professional football after a bad accident that sidelined him. His life in the NFL was one of hedonism and left him rather blasé and at times clueless when relating to others. His family has always been there for him – even when he sometimes wonders if he has deserved them to be. His personal growth is gradual and at times painful. He has some moments where family or friends have to shake him into awareness that his actions might not have been the right ones in dealing with Mia.

Ben, after a fight with his aunt, runs off from the campus library and ends up on the football field. Adam has him call Mia and, expecting a dowdy stereotypical librarian, waits to pass Ben off when she arrives in his office. Mia is not as he expected, there is immediate chemistry and dating soon ensues. Adam, of course, manages to screw up but his charm and smile are not enough to easily get back into Mia’s good graces and that is surprising for him.

This is a story of family, community, truths revealed, finding one’s true worth and purpose and also is a charming romance. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end and look forward to finding out which of the wonderful characters introduced in book one will star in book two.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tule Publishing and Barclay Publicity for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

This is truly a cute romantic story to cuddle up with this fall.  I love when a guy gets so do for a woman that he will do anything to get her. Adam is so willing to be what Mia needs and what Ben needs too.  He is everything.  Compass Cove is another of the many literary town I want to go on my imaginary RV trip to one day.

4 stars

Then Came You by Jeannie Moon is a very enjoyable, sweet romantic read and a great start to the Compass Cove series.

The storyline was entertaining, it was well written and was easy to follow.
I loved watching Mia and Adam come together, they were likable, endearing and relatable characters that I easily connected with.
These two had a strong connection and totally belonged together.

Then Came You by Jeannie Moon is a beautifully written contemporary romance and the perfect weekend read.
I highly recommend it and can't wait for the next book in the Compass Cove Series.

Here is another author I enjoy reading her books – Jeannie Moon!

Another writer/author with immense talent and creativity, penning charming romances that go straight to the hearts of the readers, her latest release, “Then Came You” is no less deserving of the readers’ praise.

Moving to the tiny town of Compass Cove, Mia DeAngelis hopes to give her nephew Ben a new lease of life, nourishing his passion for sports and a life far away from the judgmental people of the big city. Working at the college library and living with her grandmother, gives Mia a sense of control and a bond with her grandmother to treasure and a sense of belonging in the tiny close-knit community.

Ben’s passion for sports brings her in close proximity to the college football coach Adam Miller. An injury forced Adam to retire from NFL, and relocate to Compass Cove, to recuperate and start fresh as a coach for the local college. Neither he nor Mia ever had love on their agenda, but Adam wants to explore the attraction that flares between them, and his love for the game and her nephew tempts him for a life that he never dreamed of having.

I loved the way Jeannie Moon developed the relationship between Adam and Mia. With so many insecurities and fears dogging their feet, they still find the courage to explore the possibility of a future, the trust that evolved between them was so well penned with various situations and so is the progression of the their love.

“Then Came You” is an incredibly beautiful romance to read and enjoy.

Received an ARC from Tule Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

Both Mia DeAngelis and Adam Miller have recently returned to Compass Cove on Long Island. Her grandparents lived there and she spent most summers with them growing up. Now that she's the sole guardian for her 13-year old nephew Ben, Mia wants the quality of life she experienced in this small town and accepts a position as a librarian for the local college. Adam was an NFL star quarterback until a car accident ended his career and had him reexamine his shallow-minded lifestyle. He's the coach for the college football team and is learning how to live a better life and have more meaningful relationships.

I found the premise for this story intriguing, drawn by the stereotypical contrasts between Mia and Adam (staid librarian and arrogant jock). Both lived up to those stereotypes at times but thankfully had deeper dimensions. I liked both of them though Adam had the steeper climb as he had become so accustomed to insensitivity he could be genuinely clueless in some instances. Mia was trying to be less risk averse, living a fuller life for herself and allowing Ben to just be a boy. There are some serious conflicts presented that threaten their relationship and, more importantly, Mia's self perceptions.

Adam and Mia's flaws made this such an enjoyable read. They were admirable people at heart but needed to grow. Their relationship was a slow build (thankfully), allowing both time to get to know each other, stumble and then recover like mature adults. I loved Ben who was a catalyst for change in the two, along with a host of supportive characters who will likely make for promising future stories. I like the town, the setting and strong sense of community that was well established here. I'm very much looking forward to continuing this series.

Mia DeAngelis's life took a turn when her sister died leavingthe responsibility of raising her nephew to her. She has devoted her life to being a good mother to Ben, and she hopes the move to Compass Cove will be good for him. Not only will they have the support of her Grandmother, the town offers them both a connection and a place for Ben to grow: a nice neighborhood with a place to ride a bike and friends close by, everything she has dreamed of for him.
Former NFL Star Adam Miller's life to a dramatic turn forcing him to return home to Compass Cove and reevaluate his life. He has a job as a College Coach and is determined to prove he is not the same man he was and is deserving of the town's support.
When Adam meets Ben, he is impressed, and floored when he meets Ben's Aunt. Adam has to break through Mia's preconceived notions about team sports and allow Ben a chance to participate in something he clearly excels at. He also quickly realizes that he needs to prove himself worthy of a place in Mia and Ben's lives.
I love Mia. Despite her insecurities stemming from her past, she is determined to change her life and actually have one, which means putting herself out there. She makes friends and, has the guts to tell Adam she deserves better when he screws up. I also love that she puts Ben first and builds a friendship with Adam.
Adam is still shaking off his previous life, and sometimes forgets that things that used to work, aren't acceptable with someone like Mia. It is so much fun watching both his Grandmother and Mother remind him that he is a better person is than his behavior portrays and to stop living down to his previous reputation.
With a beautiful small town, an interesting, well-developed, cast of family and friends, Mia and Adam have a whole town waiting for them to figure things out. The family relationships make this so much of a deeper story than just a basic romance.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I enjoyed it very much!

Then Came You is a wonderful start to a new series. I was hooked from the start. Mia DeAngelis and Adam Miller were total opposites, but perfect for each other in so many ways.

Mia is the new librarian at Jennings College. She had spent her summers in Compass Cove with her grandmother and was happy to finally be back. It would be the perfect place to raise her nephew.

Adam, former professional football player, now coach at the college, was used to a life in the fast lane and even faster women. When he met Mia, she was nothing like the women he was usually attracted to. Plus she had a kid. But he was drawn to her like no one else he had ever met.

This story was full of memorable and emotional scenes. Because it's a romance, you know Mia and Adam would have their happily ever after. But some parts had me wondering how they would work through the situations they found themselves in. I can't wait to read more in this series and hope we can see more of Mia, Adam and Ben in future books. I also enjoyed learning the back story about the town and the legend of the compass.