I'll be honest - when I first selected this book from Netgalley as a book to potentially reveiw if selected - it was with the intention of discovering a book full of taboo subjects - I mean - YUCK she wants to get with her step son?? I was more than pleased to discover that, it was NOT the case. It's actually a super sweet love story between damaged and hurting characters. Sprinkle a whole host "townies" and they're totally your sprinkles on the cupcake. I do wish a little more time was spent on the father in laws reign of terror - it ended pretty quickly for someone that was trying to do what he was doing. I've already checked out amazon so that I can keep up with my new friends. I was provided a digital copy of A Safe Place to Land by Dee Ernst in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read by Dee and I am looking forward to reading more. This had a really interesting plot and I can honestly say it was completely different from anything I had read previously but in a good weird way. It was well written and I liked the characters I liked that they were not in their 20's it was a super read and well worth a go

This is book that is set in a delightful shore town. I can identify with it completely. Jenna has lived there all her life and commutes over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge 3 days a week to work as a nurse in a big er. She and her ex husband bought a beautiful home and when they divorced she got 1/2 the house and lived there. When her ex dies she surprised to learn he had a son who got the other half of the house. He shows up with his 3 daughters and a load of legal problems. Predictable they fall in love but can they overcome the obvious hurdles. Loved the girls, so cute and adorable. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I read so much that when I read what this book was about I was kind of like yea okay it will either be horrible or i don't know really good. SOO yes it was GREAT. I loved it and its the first., I read it all the way through in one day because i didn't want to stop!

Thank you to NetGallery for the free copy of this book.
What a great summer read this book turned out to be. Just the perfect book to read after two very intense books. Romantic with realistic topics but so very easy and enjoyable to read.
I will definately look for this author again.

4.5 Stars

I read a lot. No, really A LOT. So when I see a synopsis with a plot unlike anything I’ve read before, I get giddy. But also nervous - just because a plot is unique doesn’t mean the story or the writing is going to be good. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case with A Safe Place to Land, as is evidenced by the fact that I started reading while I was cooking dinner, took a reluctant break to eat with my family, and then continued reading until I finished around midnight.

Jenna Ferris is a forty year old emergency room nurse. She had a brief five year marriage that ended amicably fifteen years ago, and after the initial sting of their divorce subsided they became best friends. When she learns about her ex’s death, she’s sad - like you would be when a good friend drops dead from a heart attack. But then on the cusp of her mourning, she finds out Sam had a son she was never told about, and that the son has inherited all of Sam’s belongings - including half of Jenna’s house. Understandably, she isn’t pleased. And when Craig shows up at Jenna’s house, she plans to send him packing. But then he’s got three young girls with him, and he looks exactly like the extremely handsome young version of her ex-husband. She then does what any woman facing such a dilemma would do - calls her friends to meet her at the local bar for advice.

“What am I going to do?” I asked them all.
DeeDee sniffed. “Well, Jenna, you might try to do something with your hair. It’s your best feature, and it’s always tied up in that knot on top of your head.”
Terri folded her hands together. “You cannot be hateful to little girls.”
Stella nodded. “That’s right.”
Karen nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe a haircut? Some layers would do wonders. And you might try a padded bra? If you’re going to be comforting, you should also look soft and roundish, you know?”

Okay, so maybe Jenna’s best friends are less helpful and more hilarious. Same with her sister. This book is filled with humorous, delightful side-characters! Anyway, rather begrudgingly, Jenna accepts that Craig and his girls - Amanda, Maddie and Larissa - are going to be living with her, at least temporarily. Except it turns out Craig is really a nice guy, and his girls are sweet, well behaved, and a hoot.

But the mess Sam created by keeping the two parts of his life separate makes things awkward and fills both Jenna and Craig with a sense of not really knowing the person they loved and thought loved them. That uneasiness spills over into their relationship and creates the most poignant and compelling story I’ve read in months.

Craig, for his part, is also dealing with his own crap-show of a life. His father’s death actually couldn’t have come at a better time, providing him with the opportunity to leave his former life behind. The house he half-owns with his father’s ex-wife turns out to be the safe place his girls are desperately in need of.

There are so many things I loved about A Safe Place to Land, not the least of which being that it was extremely well written, with a generous dose of humor sprinkled throughout a not-so-humorous situation. I love a book that makes me laugh and cry, of which I did both. Craig’s daughters were written exceptionally well, and added so much more depth to this story than would have been there without them. And that is a rare feat.

THIS book is the reason I love reading, why I love NetGalley (discovering new-to-me authors is the best), and why I enjoy writing reviews. I wish I had a mountain top from which I could hollar “READ THIS WONDERFUL, DELIGHTFUL BOOK!” Do it - you’ll be glad you did!

*a HUGE thank you to NetGalley and Dee Ernst for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

My first Dee Ernst book. Not my last!...I love the realistic writing style. I loved the story from start to finnish and read it straight through. I hope there is a second book. I need to know more. I highly suggest everyone purchase this book. Thanks netgalley for providing the book. My opinions are solely my own.

I loved this story, romantic without being pretentious. Very realistic, good writing, loved the characters. Definitely recommend,

This is the first time I have ever read a book by this author. I enjoyed the book for the most part. I liked the fact that it was a romance that involved people who were a bit older but still were full of life and fun. At first I wasn't sure if I was going to like the main character as she seemed kind of stiff and remote but as I got more into the story I ended up liking her character. The one thing I didn't care for personally was that the single women in this book all seemed to focus on getting a man and having sex but that is just my opinion. The women all were successful and had careers but having them so sex starved seem to detract from the story. I really liked the lead male in this story and the fact that he was dealing with being a single father and a recovering alcoholic was handled very well by the author. Overall I would say this book is worth reading and I would recommend it.

A Safe Place to Land is a terrific book that kept me engrossed in the story from beginning to end. I highly recommend this book

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read this advance copy.

This is the first book I've read from author Dee Ernst, and it certainly won't be my last! I read this in one sitting and really enjoyed it. Jenna and Craig prove that the unexpected is not always that. Love can be found in the most awkward situations.

Jenna Ferris mourns her ex-husband Sam with all her heart. She is still unable to visit his flat to clear away his belongings as she feels totally bereft. They had divorced but had stayed good friends-with-benefits for the rest of Sam’s life. More shocks pile in as Jenna learns that Sam has a son from a relationship he had before he had met Jenna. Agreed he didn’t know about it then, but when he had found out about his son Craig, he still hadn’t told her. She can’t believe it, they had shared everything – or so she thought. The first she knew about it was when she found out that Sam had divided his assets between them equally, including their home, where she still lives. What’s more Sam’s son intends to move in as he has nowhere else to live after being evicted from his home with his three daughters, Larissa Maddie and Amanda. Jenna is absolutely horrified, but even more so when they all arrive at her front door after their long trip from Chicago to the eastern shores. Craig is not a child; he’s more her age. Not only that, but he is the image of his father. He is HOT!
Still there is nothing Jenna can do about it, and Craig assures her that he will be moving out as soon as he can secure a job, using his share of the money from the sale of the house. He has been recently widowed and needs to build a new life for his girls. He promises to give Jenna the first option to buy him out and he has no intention of staying in her home-town of Cape Edwards.
So an uneasy companionship begins to grow between them all. Jenna had been unable to have a family with Sam and she finds Craig’s girls totally charming. His young twins are friendly, well mannered and captivating, whilst his firstborn is very nervous and shy. Her frailty melts Jenna’s heart as she makes time for the girl, building a relationship on trust and respect. But the cat is well and truly put amongst the pigeons when a pompous and demanding stranger pays Jenna a visit, explaining that he has tracked down Craig and the girls all the way from Chicago. He is rude, aggressive and intent on making trouble for Craig and his family but Jenna is determined to help Craig. She warns him about his visitor and together they make and implement plans.
‘A Safe Place to Land’ is the heart warming story of Sam’s two families, now unexpectedly merged in the wake of his death. It’s about relationships, taboos, grief, healing and enduring friendships. It is fuelled by misunderstandings, gossip mongering and tender romances. I really enjoyed this second book of Dee Ernst’s that I have read. I loved her setting which I visualised after taking in her gorgeous descriptions, the beautiful storytelling and the wonderful community of vibrant and diverse characters she created to support her story. I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher 235 Alexander Street through my membership of NetGalley. These are my own honest opinions without any outside influences. This is a good, uncomplicated read, just perfect to curl, up with. It is the first in a new series called The Eastern Shore Romances and the ARC also includes an extract from the second novel.

This was an excellent story that kept my total attention. The premise was so usual and yet nowadays it shouldn’t have surprised me but it did.

I was really sad each time I would have to put it down to have to do anything. Jenna Ferris is now a woman of forty who is a registered nurse. Who works in Norfolk but drives over the bridge back and forth, three days a week, to her home on Cape Edwards. You see she lives in a home her and her ex-husband Sam own together on the Chesapeake shore. It’s eight acres that she has now deemed a farm for the tax break so maintain the taxes for her half.

Sounds weird right now this is where you get to do some math. They have been divorced for a little over twenty years now. Your math is correct she was all of eighteen barely. But here is the part I didn’t tell you Sam was forty at the time they married. It was purely a lust filled union because they only made it five of the worst years of her life. He wanted the little wife to give him children which never happened for them and she wanted to go to college which she did.

Along with the partying and late-night studying and what not he didn’t like it. Then one day he took off to N.Y. and divorced her. She is not the age he was when they met.

Now the books open with Jenna meeting up with her lady friends for their standing Saturday morning breakfast at Town Pharmacy. All five are faithful along with her there is Terri, Marie, Karen, and Stella. All older but all fun and wise. She loves and hates and they feel the same about her. True friends and they know it and feel the same way.

On this day they have the news they don’t want to share with her. Sam has dropped dead of a heart attack in the towns tourist staple of their loyal hangout Sam’s bar. She’s blown away. Because although we were not great as a married couple they were wonderful friends and even better in bed. She knew he ruined her for other men hence why she had never remarried. She had had sex she’s not crazy. But he was her first love. Not being able to give him children and going to college did them in.

Five days after his death she went to see Ellis Summer her childhood friend and Sam’s lawyer. She knew he had no family. So, she wanted to know if he had anything she needed to do a funeral. But Ellis dropped a bomb. He tells her he had a son. Who lived in Chicago. That the woman he loved was someone he had madly love in his twenties never told him he had a child, a son. But she was dying so she told him. Now, Jenna was pissed and Ellis was now her target. Since he had been naked with her in second grade she had expected loyalty and she knew she had gotten none.

Days went by and she gets a call at work from Ellis saying could she call a neighbor that her pack of dogs was surrounding Craig Ferris’ car. He and his daughters could get out of his car. She asked why he would. He said he has a key to get in. Now she was doubly pissed at Ellis. He said it is half his and that since his three daughters are so well behaved and looked too tired and sad what did she want him to do?

She said no neighbor was coming. She would be there in thirty minutes. When she gets there the top of her head is ready to pop off. But when she gets out of her car she hears little voices singing through open car window the Frozen Disney song. When she rounds the car, she gets her first glimpse of Craig and she almost faints. He looks just like his dad did when she met Sam. She is ready to be mad at him but he asks, “Will your dog’s eat my girls?”

His concern was for his daughters. Then there was twin daughter coming peeking around his legs asking fifty rapid questions but looking like angels. But the older one about twelve looked so sad and tired. She hears Craig say, “Can we come in and talk? We’re kind of tired.” The wind was knocked out of her sails.”

So, it starts life with this family until he can find a job, sell the bar, find a place to live for him and his girls. Most of that she can buy him out. Everything she thought she knew about Sam had been a lie a real betrayal all these years.

This is told from Jenna’s POV the only thing I wish we could have had a little more of Craig’s POV. How did he feel about his dad’s betrayal about Jenna? Etc.… If I could give this book more I would. I give this book 5++++ stars. Provided by netgalley.com.

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My second book by Dee Ernst. In this title Jenna ex-husband Sam has died and though they were divorce they kept a cordial relationship with each other. Knowing that he has no family she assumed his bar would becomes her and the home she lived in which he owned half after the divorce will know becomes hers. Just as she's wondering what she would do with the bar and if she would give up her nursing career she finds out through Sam's lawyer not only did have a relative but a son she knew nothing about and this son was the sole heir of Sam's bar/restaurant and that automatically he would own Sam's half of her home. Thinking she had time to deal with this blow of news she finds herself staring down at a younger replica of Sam, his son Craig shows up along with his three children to claim his half of the house. What I love about this and Dee's book is how relatable they are though they are romance. It deals with serious affairs of the heart divorce love lust and series issues like addiction. Love the book though Jenna tried not to become attached to Larissa Maddie and Amanda she couldn't help being a comfort and a rock to the girls when they needed and genuine love for their father Craig. Would have loved an epilogue. Review on goodreads and amazon.

A Safe Place to Land is the first book in the Eastern Shore Romance series written by author Dee Ernst. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.