I enjoyed this book - it was my first by Kristin Harper and it was a pleasant read. It is the story of heartbreak, forgiveness, loneliness, depression, courage and new beginnings.

Emily has had one heck of a year - her parents and her only brother died in a solo helicopter crash; her fiancee left her shortly before the wedding and she discovered an unbelievable secret about her parents. She is a college professor during the school year, but she decided to take the summer off to move back east to her newly inherited beach cottage near Boston. During this summer, she wants to relax, rejuvenate and recover from all her sorrows - but there are memories at every step - both with some familiar people and some new people that provide more hurtful feelings.

Although I liked this book, I found the tone to be very dark. Emily just can't seem to get out of her depressed state. I kept rooting for her, but it seemed like she would take a step forward and then another step back. That's frustrating to read, but I'm sure it's frustrating to experience in real life as well. I won't tell you if she turns the corner finally, but I will say that the book is worth reading.

I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated above are mine without biases.

ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

I great summer read with little angst, great plot, and strong characters. Definitely recommend!

How long are you allowed to grief for? Well, that depends from one person to another of course and it should be allowed for as long as that persons needs to come to terms. 

Not everybody handles devastating events the same way. Some love to be surrounded by others in order to share memories. Others prefer to spend time alone to reminisce and it's not always easy for partners to know what they do best.

This book is a beautiful summer read filled with sad memories but no matter how much you hurt there is a speck of gold at the end of the rainbow if you let it in.

It's great to see how Emily changes during those few months on Dune Island. She's lost her whole family and it turned her into a wreck, but little by little she starts to heal.

Once again we see that people often jump to conclusions without hearing the other person out. Emotions more than once rule one's world. 4 stars.

Thank you, Kristin Harper and Bookouture

With a cover like that I'm sure you'd expect a feel-good beach read, and that's what you would get. Of four main characters, three have suffered recent losses and are trying to heal and move on with life. Emily is dealing with two losses and

A family secret is part of the story, but frankly, I guessed it as soon as it was introduced. It took a while for the characters to all learn it and I enjoyed watching them put the pieces together.

The villains in the story are nice and easy to hate without every getting too threatening. One does throw a real monkey wrench into Emily's new relationship and shows her the need for forgiveness and mercy.

This is a clean romance that doesn't move beyond kissing.

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. Grade: B

To be published 8/26/20

This is the first book in the Series and a debut author! My love of reading goes back to my Grandmother and my Mother. Both would have absolutely loved this book. The imagery created from Ms. Harper's words is amazing. After several losses, including her art, Emily needs to heal and goes to the island where her family has a cabin. As a distraction, she has taken the project to paint murals in the new children’s wing of the hospital. While finding herself, a few secrets are exposed, creating a theme of forgiveness. Excited to see the next book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Bookouture for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A lovely read for fans of Susan Mallery and Kristan Higgins this book is full of emotion and heart. I loved the setting and the romance of it all, along with the relationships that were built. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion. I look forward to more by this author!

Emily returns to Hope Haven, her childhood summer retreat, when her adult life brings her deep despair. When she is asked to design and paint murals for a hospital after a family and personal tragedy, it is just what she needs to take a break from the real world.

Harpers' book is a real treat during such a heavy time. Although there were a couple of scenes that I thought were unrealistic adult behavior, overall I found this book refreshing and the characters likable. Summer at Hope Haven took me to the beach at a time when I was physically unable to go Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A new author & a bestseller I feel! I loved this book from page one and ended up staying up til the wee hours to finish it! In this book, Emily has undergone the worst of tragedies when she loses her entire family. On top of that while going through the whole grieving process, she has just broken up with her fiancee. She is in need of a change of scenery so she heads to her family's cottage for a change of scenery and to continue processing her grief. A good friend of the family & her brother's best friend, Wilson & his wife, Collette live there also. These two really help Emily through her grief and in the process, Wilson also helps Emily uncover some family secrets which sort of leave her reeling at first. A friend of WIlson's, Luke, is a pediatrician that Emily meets and he eventually becomes her love interest. The plot of this book was great and I would love to read more books by Ms. Harper. She has a great way of drawing the reader into the storyline. Also I kind of guessed the relationship between the characters, it was interesting to learn how it all transpired & to sew how their friendships also developed throughout the story!

Thank you to the publisher, Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of the book.

A beautiful cover and a debut novel for Kristin Harper. This gorgeous novel deals with tragedy and how someone learns to deal with having their whole family wiped out in a tragic accident. However, not only does Emily have to deal with this unspeakable tragedy but also the ending of her engagement. Throughout the novel the focus is on her transformation from broken shell to a woman with hope for the future. The journey features heartbreak, secrets, betrayal but also love, forgiveness and trust. An amazingly emotional and accomplished novel for a debut work. The location is magical and I can't wait to meet some of these characters again in the next book. Perhaps a story for the widow Sara?

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. I love Kristin Harper's writing and this book was an amazing read! The words that fill these pages are carefully selected and create such vivid imagery of not only the beautiful town and beaches of Dune Island, but of the love and friendship of it's people.

From the beginning I found myself immersed in the drama that had become Emily's life. The pain, sorrow, utter grief and despair was evident in Harper's writing and felt familiar to me. The relationship Emily had with Wilson would seem simple and fed from a childhood of memories , but EH gave this one depth and complexity that made for an amazing read as it unfolded.

Lucas was a kind, sweet and compassionate pediatrician and was a hard one to figure out. I enjoyed this feature and it had me guessing what was to come with him and Emily the entire time. I would have loved even a small glimpse into his mind if for nothing else but to get someone else's take on Emily.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book- it was intriguing, heartfelt and romantic. I can't wait to see what follows in this series!

When Emily’s fiancé walks out on her while she’s still grieving the loss of her family in a terrible accident, she escapes back to Hope Haven on the remote Dune Island, where her family vacationed every summer. Emily hopes that fixing up the house will also mend her broken heart, but the cottage holds more than just bittersweet childhood memories. Emptying her father’s antique writing desk, Emily finds a letter that reveals a devastating secret about her parents.

WOW this book is so full of life!
I really really enjoyed this book.
Like it was just so good.
The storyline, The plot, The ending....... just amazing.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Summer At Hope Haven' by Kristin Harper.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

This is Kristin Harper's first book and the first in the 'Dune Island' series.

I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful cover and intriguing blurb. I also wanted to try something different from my typical genre of crime. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 15 chapters which are of medium length.

This book is a slow burner but the perfect beach read. It is beautifully written with such realistic descriptions it made me feel like I was right next to Emily the whole time while still yearning the beach. I'd liken it to a roller-coaster where you have the slow uphill ride and at about 50% you have hit the peak and it's twists, turns and speeds up from there. The plot is filled with love, friendship, loss, secrets, romance, sand, art and seals!!!

The characters are solid and very believable. I can't say I was surprised by the revelations but that didn't stop it being an enjoyable read. I absolulety love how Emily's character developed and grew throughout the story, Wilson's bond to Emily, Collette's colourful personality and Lucas's charm and sexiness. I am looking forward to reading more about Dune Island in Kristin Harper's next novels.

Overall a perfectly romantic beach read that ticks all the boxes.

Genres covered include Romance and Holiday fiction.

I would recommend this book to fans of the above but also for fans of Nicholas Sparks, being a huge fan of his I believe other fans may also enjoy this.

276 pages.

This book is 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 4 /5 (I enjoyed it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Stuck at home due to Covid situation? Then this book will make you yearn for beach and that sand under your feet.
Such an emotional book about family, loss and love. Will touch a chord in everyone's heart.
This is a first book I'm reading by this author and I was not disappointed.

This was a quick easy read and while it was predictable, it was still a good book to read. Good story about working through grief and finding yourself.

3.5 stars

Big thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Impressed by the fluid story telling capabilities of this author, and will definitely look forward to reading more from this series in the future. I really liked the amiable cast of secondary characters, as well as the family ties that are represented throughout. I never grew to be a huge Emily fan though... and can’t put my finger on exactly why.

Anywho, still a great summer read while on vacation.

Summer at Hope Haven is the first in a new series that will capture your heart. Secrets will be uncovered and the healing process will start. Emily has to learn to trust again.. She will also find herself start to heal as her painting developes.

Perfect beach read.
Emily lost her family almost a year ago to a tragic accident and has been unable to move past the grief and depression that has consumed her ever since. With time on her hands, she decides to spend the summer at her family's beach house and do some volunteer paintings for the local children's hospital. While there, she uncovers a few family secrets, and meets Luke, a doctor at the hospital. But can a summer in the sun be enough to heal her broken heart enough to give love a chance?
This was a feel good story, simple easy read. It got a little repetitive for me in the middle, but overall a great read. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I liked this book. I'm currently sweltering in 90 degree weather and reading this made me yearn for the coast.

I was interested from the first page but towards the middle I feel like the author lost her way a bit and the story bogged down. I feel like most of the action happens in the last 25% of the book. The characters tendency to stop listening and storm off got a bit old after awhile since it happened repeatedly. But all in all, I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Emily hopes this summer at Dune Island provides a safe haven. Losing her family in a tragic accident, she retreats to their ancestral beach house in need for a quiet spot to reflect. Emily volunteers to paint murals at the local hospital when school breaks for the summer. Mustering up the courage to move on, she hopes the island restores her creativity and passion for life.

Little did she know that Dr. Luke would enter her world to provide medical care and a chance for happiness. After her fiancé's betrayal, a new relationship leaves her treading water. Will this #SummeratHopeHaven be the balm needed to move forward?

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early read in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed Harper's novel and sympathized with Emily's predicament. While struggling to overcoming obstacles, she persevered. I admired her strength and fortitude to embrace the future.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. This is Kristen Harper's first book and in my opinion, it is a best seller. She reached inside of me and tugged at my heartstrings, she had me jumping up and down at the moment I thought Emily was going to give up but instead realized if she could do what just happened she could do anything. I could feel the spark that finally ignited and although it wasn't smooth sailing after that because like life there is always someone wanting to tear you down., it was enough of a spark to give her the strength she needed to carry on. But there was also a part where someone you don't even realize can see you, not only in who you, I want to say pretend to be because when you aren't quite where you want to be I think you pretend until you are there, but the turmoil, the strength, the struggles, everything that is going on inside of you all rolled up in a huge storm, the author captured and brought it to life. Like the ocean, this book will bring you to the crashing waves, the receding waves but before you are ready, it will come crashing back with more power. I can't wait to read the next book she writes because when I compare a book to the powerful ocean, it is a great book. Definitely put this on your going to-read list.