Get ready for an emotional read cause it’s going to be a twist ride. RaeAnne Thayne has delivered a family drama book that will keep you on edge.Each woman in The Sea Glass Cottage has stories. Each complicated between each other. But what they don’t know is they have each other if they only open up. That’s much of the challenge. There are deep secrets between each other that it is going to take some time to move past it and heal.I feel like I should have liked this book more. But something was missing. Don’t know what but something. There was too much hurt within each other that it felt rush toward the end. They all needed time to heal and figure out why they each other.

The Sea Glass Cottage. By RaeAnne Thayne. 2020. HQN Books (ARC eBook).

Olivia Harper returns to Cape Sanctuary and Sea Glass Cottage to help run her mother Juliet’s business after Juliet is injured in an accident. Since the death of Olivia’s older sister, Natalie, to drug addiction, Olivia and Juliet’s relationship has been rather estranged, but accepted by the two of them. With her recent return however, Olivia is confused by the resentment directed at her by her teenage niece, and Natalie’s daughter, Caitlin. Add to the mix numerous secrets and the return of Natalie’s childhood best friend and new Fire Captain, Cooper Vance; and Olivia discovers that she’s not the only one that has been trapped all these years by the past.

This heartwarming mulitgenerational story explores a family coming together to heal old wounds and embrace new relationships. Read The Sea Glass Cottage for a gentle summer escape.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I loved all the main characters and supporting characters in this story, though I found their actions to be frustrating sometimes. This book was hard to put down and I really enjoyed it.

Olivia is at a point in her life that she is beginning to think that what she had planned for her life is not going to happen if it hasn't happened by now. When Olivia finds out that her mom, Juliet, has had an accident she knows that it is time to take a step back and go to help her mom.

When Olivia drives back into Cape Sanctuary, all those old feelings come flooding back to her. Olivia's sister, Natalie, was a wild teen and had made some unwise choices when she was going through her wild years. Those choices ended with Natalie dying at an early age and her daughter being raised by Juliet.

Olivia has a strained relationship with her mom and her niece. Olivia still blames her mom for enabling her sister to get her drugs that she wanted. The drugs are what led to her overdose and ultimately her death. Even with all these differences, Olivia knows that she has to go back and help her mom and Caitlin.

Olivia gets to reunite with her old friend, reveal some secrets that have been bothering her mom, her niece and herself. When you have time to sit around and talk, you get a chance to figure things out. I thought that this story line was great and it made me feel good that these three women were able to heal old wounds and become a family again. You always need family around.

I can promise you that you will be turning the pages of this read as quickly as you can to find out what is going to happen with Olivia. Very well written!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of this book. Great read!

RATING: 3 STARS
2020; HQN/HarperCollins

The story is as sweet as the cover of The Sea Glass Cottage. The cover designer did an amazing job, as I wanted to climb right into Cape Sanctuary. As far as I can tell this is a standalone novel, and does tie up all loose ends. Although, it could be a duology with Cooper's sister's story (I think her name is Melody, or maybe...Melanie). Olivia works a busy day job, and on the side is building up her own social media firm in Seattle. When her mother has a fall and will need some help, Olivia rushes home to be there for her and her teenage niece. As Olivia goes to visit her best friend Melody/Melanie, she finds out Mel's brother, Cooper is now living in Cape Sanctuary. She has always had a crush on Cooper who was also her late older sister's best friend. Her mother Juliet, has her own romance blooming with a younger man, who was her late best friend's husband, Henry (and his son is best friends with Juliet's granddaughter, Caitlin). Juliet has MS and does not want to cause Henry further pain. Caitlin is trying to discover who her father is via an ancestry site. I liked the story but felt like the characters weren't that dynamic. They were like a generic bunch from a small-town romances. It is perfect for working from home background story as it is the comfort read you expect. I would definitely read more by the author.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss/NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

Olivia returns to Cape Sanctuary to care for her mother after an accident. They aren't the closest mother daughter but she feels obligated. Also at the house is her dead sister's teen daughter Caitlin who came to live with her grandmother when her mother overdosed on drugs. Now the three of them need to come to an understanding to help each other. Caitlin is on a quest to find her father and Olivia tries to help heal the family wounds. I am a big RaeAnne Thayne fan. This wasn't one of my favorite books but she always writes a good story with real characters. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Sea Glass Cottage is another wonderful contemporary romance from RaeAnne Thayne. This story covers the lives of three generations of ladies changing the point of view between them to tell the full tale.

Olivia Harper is at a point in her life that it’s becoming obvious the hopeful future she thought she would have isn’t coming about. When Olivia finds out that her mother, Juliet, has been seriously injured in a car accident she takes the opportunity to take a step back from her own life and head to beautiful Cape Sanctuary on the Northern California coast to help out.

Coming back to Cape Sanctuary brings back all the memories of the past that Olivia had left behind, especially those of her older sister, Natalie, Natalie had been a wild and rebellious teen which did not lead to a wonderful outcome with Natalie passing away at a young age leaving behind a daughter who Juliet is now raising.

The Sea Glass Cottage was a real page turner from beginning to end as you dive into the lives of the three ladies in this story. Olivia, Juliet and Caitlin find themselves confronting the secrets of the past and forging their new future together which made for an engaging read from start to finish. RaeAnne Thayne again showed wonderful writing that I’ve come to expect which made me fall in love with the Harper family and their cottage in Cape Sanctuary.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Thayne delivers a complex layered plot that involves three generations of a family. Her characters find that you can only keep secrets for so long.

This story by RaeAnne Thayne, The Sea Glass Cottage, is complex. It features strong women. The tale felt more like a woman's fiction read versus contemporary romance book. There was a lot of internal stuff going with each of the female characters. Children coming back home to help their injured mom. Each woman has some issues to work through as well as learning to rely on each other for help. Family was a huge theme in this novel. The secrets each lady protagonist kept was interesting once it was out in the open. They journey of moving forward, coping, and healing was beautifully done. RaeAnne Thayne made this family of women feel real. It was easy to relate to them and their issues. Regrets and mistakes of these women were shown as stepping stones to get to where they needed to be. Overall, The Sea Glass Cottage was a great read.

3.5/5

This is the story of three generations of women in the same family that have not been close at all over the past few years, but are thrown back together when the family matriarch Juliet has extensive injuries on the job. Juliet has been raising her teenage granddaughter Caitlin since Caitlin's mother died. But when Juliet's activities are restricted so she can heal after her accident and surgery, Juliet's other daughter Olivia comes back home from Seattle to manage the family business and to help out at the house. Naturally there is tension and the butting of heads, especially where Caitlin is concerned, and it takes some work to get the family close again.

The setting is Cape Sanctuary, which happens to be the same area where The Cliff House is set. I didn't realize these two books take place in the same world when I started the book, so it was a cool thing to figure out as I was reading. I completely understand Olivia's reluctance to move back in with her mother temporarily, because it is sometimes really hard to go back home when you've been gone for a long time. In this case, there are a lot of memories in Cape Sanctuary that are painful for Olivia, and I just really was able to connect with her feeling so out of place and uncomfortable there in the beginning.

All three of the women have their own issues, and I found these issues to be plausible even within the confines of one family. At times, it sort of seemed like there was just a lot of drama within this family, but Ms. Thayne always does a good job of addressing things and wrapping things up by the end of the story. I admit that I felt sad a little when thoughts and conversations turned to Caitlin's (deceased) mother; it is so hard to live with grief and sadness after losing someone, even if they've been gone for many years, and the circumstances of this tragedy broke my heart. Still, I always find that Ms. Thayne's stories are hopeful and positive, and I do love reading them.

I love the idea that forgiveness is the great healer of people and families.

RaeAnne Thayne once again delivers a heartwarming family story .
Olivia returns to her hometown to help when her mother falls and breaks her hip . While trying to help her mother while she heals she also has to help at her mother’s garden shop , which she knows nothing about. Her niece , Caitlyn takes a DNA test while Olivia is there helping to try to find out who her father is . Olivia finds herself falling for her high school crush even though she has no plans to stay . Juliet , Olivia’s mother has been hiding her MS from her family and her long time friend and doesn’t feel that she should burden any of them with it on top of her recent injury.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc for my honest opinion .

Special thanks to Harlequin for providing our copy of The Sea Glass Cottage by RaeAnne Thayne in exchange for an honest & fair review.

Raeanne just weaves these tales that are so enjoyable, hopeful but also realistic. Truthfully, this is one of my favorite reads this year.

I started this book weeks ago. I love RaeAnne Thayne & her Haven Point series is so enjoyable on audio. Anyways, I was a bit of the way through this book when (content warning) someone has MS.

My mom was diagnosed with MS almost 30 years ago & honestly, I never like reading books with MS involved. On to the dreaded nightstand, it went.

This week, I swear The Sea Glass Cottage by RaeAnne Thayne was begging me to read it. I obliged & finished it and loved it. Thankfully, the MS aspect was rather small. RaeAnne writes this aspect well & in a realistic matter which I greatly appreciate.

THE VERDICT

I am Really Into This book! All the characters are developed & likable. I love the small-town feel & “coming home” aspect. And obviously, I love all the hidden secrets.

While I figured the secrets out pretty early on, I don’t even care. It’s the fact that Raeanne takes you on this path & you trust that she will make it worth the read. JUST SO GOOD.

It’s hard to categorize this book, it’s part mystery, part romance and a whole lot of drama. I devoured it in one day, I couldn’t put it down. There were so many sub stories and events happening that each chapter just had to be read right away. Having said that, it wasn’t confusing at all, it is so well written that the narrative flows from one arc to another with ease and perfect synchronicity.

This book was full of strong female characters, yet they do have baggage and secrets. Olivia is a smart young entrepreneur who has her own social media company as well as working for a company keeping their technology safe and up to date. When she is needed by her family, she drops everything and goes home to help. She does not hesitate to jump in and help her mom, even though it is not her forte. She is a kind and loving person who wants to heal the rift between her mother and herself as well as find out why her niece suddenly has anger towards her. Juliet is loved by all. She is independent and does not ask anyone for help. It is very difficult for her to be laid up and have to rely on others. She has a huge secret that she is keeping from everyone, that is the cause of some bad decisions on her part, but she thinks it is for the right reasons. Then there is Caitlin. She is only 15, but she has a lot of teenage angst. Her mother died of an overdose when she was a baby, so was raised by her grandmother, never knowing who her father was. She has read both her mother’s and Aunt Olivia’s diaries and they are leading her to make decisions and take paths that may or may not be in her best interest. If these woman can finally share their secrets and work through the barriers, their lives will change forever. Throw in some male interests, some friends and neighbours and this reader wants to travel to Cape Sanctuary and meet all these wonderful people.

This was a well-written, real-life story. I loved watching these three women come to grips with all the past and present secrets. As forgiveness and acceptance moves into their hearts, their relationships grow and love moves in. Once they are able to move beyond the hurts and secrets, they are also able to make room for others, which is when the romance finally blossoms. A beautiful touching story that I do not hesitate to recommend. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

I enjoyed getting to know Olivia, Caitlin, and Juliet. The story had a good flow, and I appreciated getting the different POVs.

Family-centric, I found this to be more women's fiction than romance - romance was present but didn't seem to be the premise despite being touted under the romance category. I was not surprised as I am not a stranger to Thayne's work but thought it worth mentioning for anyone looking for pure romance. It's there, it's just a bit secondary to the greater tale, in my opinion, although very sweetly done!

This storyline was appealing with a large emphasis on healing. The overall storyline arc has obvious elements that will not surprise the reader in the least and it was a bit slow to start - not boring, but we were over 60% through before we got to the "good stuff." Slow-paced but not yawn-inducing - a meander or stroll, not a full out run - and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that for a relaxing, uplifting read.

It was enjoyable and easy-paced although the ending felt a little cramped. Overall, I loved the book - it evoked emotion and held my interest. Ultimately, it's a definitively sweet, feel-good work of fiction.

My thanks to the publisher for the complimentary copy via NetGalley. Thoughts expressed are my own.

4 1/2 STARS!

RaeAnne Thayne never fails to satisfy! With a treasured voice made for detailing heart-wrenching family drama in such a poetic way, she takes us on an emotional journey of strength, healing and forgiveness with her latest THE SEA GLASS COTTAGE and it does not disappoint!

From the start the reader is taken into the heart of three characters ... a grown daughter returning home to help her mother through an injury, an aging mother who doesn't like for one second that her body is betraying her and taking her away from her daily life and a moody teenager who's trying to find answers to the mysteries of her past. Each character has a side to their story and we get a feel for what's going on quickly and are soon hooked.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a story that connects with an imperfect family as they travel the roads of life. It's emotional, it's sweet and it's oh so satisfying!

Favorite Quotes:

… she had seemed jumpier than a bag full of frogs.

Don’t make any jokes, but I really did fall and couldn’t get back up.

We’re all afraid, Olivia… You can’t make it through life without it. The trick is figuring out that the thing you need is just on the other side of that fear. The only way you can reach it is by going right through the center of it.


My Review:

While the premise of the story was interesting and topical, I struggled with this book and not that the writing wasn’t up to par, as the author’s writing style was easy to follow. My issue is more to do with my personal preference as high angst and constant discord just isn’t my jam, and this tale was heavily loaded with both internal and interpersonal conflicts as well as annoyingly stubborn characters. The storylines were relevant and relatable yet developed ever so slowly with considerable repetition and retreading of the five characters’ inner turmoil and protracted grief, which had me tapping my little foot while waiting for the tale to progress and the storylines to advance. It was at the 90% mark when all systems finally hit their boiling point and - Whoa Nelly! The secrets were uncovered and feelings were revealed at a rather furious and frantic rate as I thankfully hurdled toward that highly prized HEA conclusion.

The story focuses on three women in a family. First, there is Olivia who has moved away from her hometown, hasn't really kept in touch, but also hasn't found happiness as she hoped. One day, she gets a call that her mom has had an accident which causes her to pack her things and head back home. Juliet is her headstrong mother who is now injured and having to lean on others. She's independent as her husband died when her girls were teenagers, and her way of coping has always been to go at it alone. Then, there is Caitlin. Caitlin was the daughter of Juliet's sister/Olivia's daughter, Natalie. Natalie died of a drug overdose when Caitlin was a baby. Olivia then took Caitlin in and raised her.

Returning home isn't a seamless process as strained relationships and unresolved emotions abound with past happenings and the ongoing dynamics of the three women. The story is narrated by these women in alternating chapters. With each chapter, you are able to see what each of these women is carrying, including secrets she is holding onto from the other two women. The story is further complicated by the men in the town as seems to happen. One of these men is Cooper Vance, the fire chief and best friend of Olivia's deceased sister. There is also Caitlin's best friend who is helping her find the truth about her birth father. And then, there's Henry, the widow of Juliet's best friend who does what he can to help Juliet out - even when she doesn't want it. Y'all, each of these women has some secrets related to these men to themselves and to each other. The plot is very much driven by these secrets, the women navigating being back together, and just figuring out all that life has put on their plate.

For me, I really dug the simple beauty of this read. The stories flowed easily, and I was quickly invested in the story of each woman - and also hoping they'd reconcile and learn to trust one another again. The drama was high in this one, but so was the love and the want to rebuild relationships. Sometimes you just want a book that makes the you feel those feels and keeps the promise of starting over at its core. This was exactly was this was, and right now, y'all, that's also just what I needed.

4.5 stars

The Sea Glass Cottage is a feel-good family novel by RaeAnne Thayne.
There's a whole lot going on throughout the book. Three main characters, Juliet, her daughter Liv, and granddaughter Caitlin. Juliet has been raising Caitlin since Caitlin's mom overdosed, and Liv is back in town just for a short while.

In addition to the three women, there are plenty of other characters and multiple narratives explored throughout. There are plenty of secrets and mysteries to be explored.

I definitely enjoy the multiple story arcs, as well as the character development. The heart of the story is about family. The three generations of women are well represented, each with their own issues and ways of handling said issues.

The writing is wonderful, expertly weaving the multiple characters and story lines without ever confusing or overwhelming the reader. The author handles each aspect with care and in a very realistic manner.

Overall, The Sea Glass Cottage is a wonderful novel. This RaeAnne Thayne tale is the perfect book when you're looking for a heart-felt family read mixed with romance.