I honestly did not know what to expect going in, but I'm a huge fan of a couple of the author's other series and I don't think you can go wrong with Brenda Jackson. I'll say other than having cursing a storm at the end of the book, it was actually very enjoyable to read, with very little angst and a lot of drama, which was quite appropriate given the subject matter.

Vashti Alcindor planned to never return to Catalina Cove with good reason, but the issues surrounding her inheritance of her aunt's B&B mean she has to break that promise to herself but the potential reward at the end is too good to pass up. Getting a speeding ticket was certainly not in the plan but how else could she have met the town's sexy new sheriff?

Sawyer Grisham gave up a flourishing career in the city for chance to bring his daughter up in a small town where they could heal after losing his wife to cancer and he is certain he would never care for another woman like he did his wife, but fate has a way of throwing a wrench in plans.

With Vashti determined that she was done with men for good and Sawyer wanting to explore his feelings for her, it seemed they were at an impasse. Fate again steps in when Vashti discovers that her parents lied to her twenty years ago and her past and her future are tied to Catalina Cove, in more ways than one.

I enjoyed the slow pace of the story and the fact that the author did not just limit us readers to Vashti and Sawyer's lives, but gave us insights into the lives of the secondary characters, along with creating an extended family of people brought together by fate for good. While Vashti had expected a huge sum of money, what she got was infinitely more valuable.

About the cursing at the end? I'm not a fan of keeping toxic people in my life and it rubbed me the wrong way that Vashti sought to make up with her parents after the decades of massive lies and deceit from them, and even when they had a chance to some clean and own up, they refused to take it. Besides that, this was a really great start to this series and I'm really looking forward to the next book.

What a wonderful way to start a new series. I enjoy learning about the small town and the people that make up the town. I also enjoy the twist in the story and also the that everyone was not paired in this story. I wish their was a rating for hot and sexy because I would give this book 10 out of 10.

Love in Catalina Cove is a well written romance. I enjoyed the plot, Louisiana setting and the author’s writing. This is a an easy book to lose yourself in. I highly recommend this book to romance readers. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my digital arc this is my unbiased review.

My Thoughts...

This is a likeable story about a woman who overcomes a difficult past. Instead of continuing to run from her pain, she returns to Catalina Cove to face all of the people who had betrayed her, only to find freedom in her new home.

I really liked Vashti, her story, and her strength, but I never fully connected with her. I say that, but I can’t pinpoint a reason. Other reviewers are not having this problem, so it may have been my mood. For the sake of an honest review, I am mentioning it, but I’m not sure how much it should impact your decision to read this book. I would love to hear what others thought about Vashti.

There were times where the plot meandered a bit, and the ending felt a little rushed. However, overall this was so much fun to read. Almost like a soap opera, in a very good way. Genuine escapism, filled with irresistible love and unimaginable pain. Can I also mention, I can’t wait to read the next books? Brenda Jackson did a brilliant job of setting up the series and getting me invested in all of the characters, not just Vashti and Sawyer. Drama is coming…

My favorite part of a romance is the love story, but vying for my affection is always any renovation or makeover. My imagination just runs wild with possibilities while trying to follow the descriptions in the book, but sometimes I get carried away…

After reading quite a few thrillers recently this book was a lovely change of pace. This was a love story set in Catalina Cove, Louisiana. Vashti has returned to her hometown for the first time since leaving as soon as she finished high school. She has returned fourteen years later only to sell her aunt’s inn after her death. Vashti doesn’t have fond memories of her home town after encountering scrutiny and scorn because of her teenage pregnancy. Upon her return she very quickly meets Sawyer, the sheriff in town, and they immediately have a connection. This is a love story with some mystery and twists involved. Most of the twists you see coming but this is still a very enjoyable read. The writing describing the town, the inn, and the beach transports you there. The characters are well written and interesting. There is going to be a sequel following other characters in Catalina Cove and I’ll be eagerly looking forward to that.

Welcome to Catalina Cove, a small town located on the bayou of Louisiana. This is the setting that the prolific author, Brenda Jackson has chosen for this new series. The story features Vashti Alcindor and Sheriff Sawyer Grisham. Get ready for a contemporary romance story that captures the steamy, sultry southern small town lifestyle, and has more twists and turns than a gigantic roller coaster.
I enjoyed this story. It’s packed with a perfect mix of romance, promise, tension, and drama. Moreover, I look forward to reading more stories from Catalina Cove. In the meantime, I recommend LOVE IN CATALINA COVE for your reading pleasure.

A fantastic love story between Sawyer and Vashti. Love all the twist and turns that keeps you reading. I also love all the the other characters and can’t wait to read their story’s.

Love in Catalina Cove is the first book in the Catalina Cove series by Brenda Jackson. It is a great first read, and I can't wait for the next book in this series.

Vashti Alcindor lived on Catalina Cove, however was moved away when she was 16, because she was pregnant. Her parents would not listen to her but she kept her baby until after she gave birth and was told she had a baby boy that was born sick and died 6 hours later. The whole town wondered who Vashti had been going around with but she told no one!

The only people on her side was her Aunt and the island midwife, and they told her parents that Vashti could have stayed at the Inn owned and operated by her Aunt, and the midwife was extremely upset at the way Vashti's parents acted.

After graduating high school she went to college for Hotel management and was so good she had the same job for 10 years.

Vashti's aunt has died and so Vashi must go back to Catalina Cove to deal with the Bed and Breakfast Inn her Aunt left her. On the way from the airport, the new sheriff, Sawyer Grisham, pulls her over for speeding, which surprises her but she has a strange feeling about this man Sheriff Sawyer Grisham, and she can't help but notice how good looking he is!

The story goes on from here and the plot is twisted time and time again so something that was thought dead long ago has come back up to Vashti and it also affects the Sheriff as well!

Take this journey to Catalina Cove, it's filled with lust, love, great characters and a secret that will send you reeling!

I gave his book 5 stars! It is the perfect beach read, or anywhere, and I think it would make a good book club choice!

Vashti Alcindor inherits her aunt’s B&B in Catalina Cove, where she grew up, and where she ran away from over a decade ago. She wants to sell the business and put her hometown behind her for good. Enter the sexy, widowed sheriff. Then secrets come flying out of the past, changing Vashti in ways she would never have expected. The secrets are not so surprising, and some are a bit too coincidental, but in the end, a good story is hidden among the unnecessary repetition by multiple characters of Vashtis’ background and overly emoted revelations. A good beach read, a nice weekend romance read, Catalina Cove also shares a bit of Creole history, as it’s set on the coast of Louisiana, with a creole main character. I was graciously given an early copy by Harlequin through NetGalley.

My review will post on my blog October 22, when I will share also on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads, and B&N on launch date.

Slow moving. The last quarter of the book was surprising but ultimately I think it would’ve made a great short story.

Love in Catalina Cove is a heartfelt story of second chances and overcoming troubled pasts. Brenda Jackson's Catalina Cove series features a wonderful cast of characters and an interesting look on the history of New Orleans and Creole culture.

Let’s take a visit to Catalina Cove, Louisiana, a fictional seaside town an hour away from New Orleans, and apparently the blueberry capital of the USA.

This is where Brenda Jackson’s latest novel takes place, out on October 30th. When I requested a copy of this novel, the description wasn’t available so I turned the pages not knowing what to expect, which initially attracted me to the book.

Vashti Alcindor reluctantly returns to her hometown of Catalina Cove after the death of her aunt. She’s hoping to sell her aunt’s bed and breakfast but must return home to convince the townspeople it would be a good decision. On her way, she is pulled over by Sawyer Grisham; the town’s newish sheriff and recent widower. There is an attraction there but their romance is quite the slow burn. Amidst the budding romance are secrets; his, hers, and the towns’.

The main mystery in this novel turns out to be the details surrounding Vashti’s pregnancy. She thinks she knows everything but returning home gives her quite the surprise as she begins to uncover a web of deceit that leaves her wondering who she can trust, and whose version of the truth she should believe.

There are quite a few plot twists in this novel that, honestly, I saw coming. The writing was on the wall pretty early on in the novel and I was simply waiting for the drama to be amped up a notch. I was more invested in the secrets than the couple though as Vashti and Sawyer were quite the slow burn. While I don’t mind a slow burn if there’s enough chemistry and angst involved in the novel to keep me interested, these two were lacking a little bit in the chemistry department for me.



Love in Catalina Cove is a small town romance about deceitful family members, loss, and finding your way to love again. I must say that this novel set the stage for its secondary characters quite well and I’m interested to see where their stories will lead them.

Love in Catalina Cove by Brenda Jackson is your typical chick lit book as the story revolves around a girl with a past returning to her hometown where the handsome sheriff makes her return memorable. As they say the rest is the story.

Love in Catalina Cove is a good, light read.

Recommend.

Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.

Love in Catalina Cove is the first book in Brenda Jackson's new Catalina Cove series. When Vashti Alcindor became pregnant at 16, she was ostracized by the community in Catalina Cove, LA and her parents. She left the community to attend school in New York, vowing never to return to the small, close-knit community. 16 years later, she's happily situated in New York with an executive job with one of the top hotel chains. After the death of her aunt, she inherits her inn, Shelby by the Sea, and must return home to deal with its sale. While on her way to Catalina Cove, she meets the town's handsome sheriff, Sawyer Grisham, and experiences an undeniable attraction. Fans of romance and Brenda Jackson will definitely love this book. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

It's been a long time since I read a Brenda Jackson! When i saw this one I knew I wanted to grab it. It was a GREAT beach read and really roped me in, specifically with the twists and secrets revealed at the end of the story. The middle was... slightly soft to be but I skipped around until the story picked up again.

Love in Cataline Cove is a lovely book filled with fantastic characters. I myself want to visit Catalina Cove! I think many romance readers and those who love Brenda Jackson's previous books are going to fall head over heels for this one. It's a book that touches your heart and leaves an impression in your mind.

I absolutely loved loved this first story of the Catalina Cove series. There were times where I laughed and cried as I got to know the characters. I do admit that there were some story elements that really surprised and that some might see as far-fetched but I enjoyed it up until the ending. I can't wait to read the next book by Brenda Jackson. She doesn't disappoint. Thank you, NetGalley.

For those who have read and loved Brenda Jackson's books this new series will not disappoint. Audiences will understand Vashti's lost and her renewal. Readers will want more from Catalina Cove.