Blackberry Beach
by Irene Hannon
Book 7 in the Hope Harbor series
Rating: 4/5

Irene Hannon delivers another great story set in the beautiful and charming Hope Harbor. I'm a huge fan of this series (still holding out for Charley's story - "Any day is a perfect day for a Charley's fish taco"), and wish they'd included a blackberry truffle recipe or at least a place to order them from. LOL.

Returning to the town of Hope Harbor, Katherine Parker is looking to rest and hide away from the scrutiny and false accusations of the paparazzi of Hollywood. But trying to fly under the radar is hard when the owner of the local coffee shop, The Perfect Blend, Zach Garrett, has his eye on you. When they discover that they are neighbors living by Blackberry Beach, a friendship begins and secrets are shared. Can Zach find a way to mend the rift between his dad and himself? Can Katherine decide what's holding her back from taking on a lead role in major blockbuster film? Can two very different people find a way to heal from their past and be together?

Not only did I feel invested in Zach and Katherine's relationship, but I found myself rooting for Zach's aunt and his barista to fall in love. It's always fun having another relationship in the mix to bring more perspective, and I especially enjoyed Zach's aunt's character who always put her career first. Giving her a chance at love was special and beautiful.

"Life is too short to build walls that cut you off from the people you love."

Highly recommend this book if you enjoy Christian contemporary fiction with romance, humor and delicious food.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

Thank you to @netgalley and @revellbooks for a copy of Blackberry Beach in exchange for an honest review.

This is book 7 in the Hope Harbor (Oregon) series but if this is your first trip to Hope Harbor this book could be a stand alone story!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Katherine Parker is on the cusp of becoming a huge, household name in Hollywood. But after a misunderstanding that results in a tragedy, she flees to Hope Harbor to examine if Hollywood life is worth it. Trying to fly under the radar, Katherine still attracts the attention of Zach Garrett, the local barista with a history and life changing story of his own. When they find out they are neighbors, they grow closer and weather the punches that life throws their way.

I love the Oregon coast setting and the quaint town! And I was rooting for both Zach and Katherine the whole time. It’s the perfect cozy story for a spring day! 💜😎

Blackberry Beach is available now!

This book would be a great beach or weekend read! I highly recommend this book (and series). I have loved this series and of course the character Charlie in all of the books! The setting of the book is Hope Harbor, but specifically Blackberry Beach. Katherine is trying to stay secluded in Blackberry Beach to avoid anyone figuring out where she is located. Her goal is to figure out some things with her life and what direction she wants to go in the future. One day she goes to a coffee shop which is owned by Zach. After a personal loss, Zach’s goal was to live life to its fullest doing what he loved. When Katherine comes into his shop, he is intrigued by her and wants to get to know her. Zach also has issues that he is dealing with. I loved this book’s characters including the secondary characters. I know you will not be disappointed if you take a chance on this book or series! Ms. Hannon is one of my favorite authors and I recommend her books!
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, I have purchased her books before.

I enjoyed this book!

While I did find the plot point with Katherine a little unbelievable, I liked all the characters, and thought the author did a good job of weaving their story lines together. And although some of it was extremely predictable (I knew who the 'parents' of Hope House were going to be WAY before the reveal), it was enjoyable anyway to read how it all came about.

I thought the relationship between Zach and his dad was realistically portrayed. What father/son pair hasn't had their share of misunderstandings from unrealistic expectations? One thing I do wish had been better explained was the actual relationship between Zach and his brother Josh. After reading this book I learned it is part of a series, so perhaps Zach's whole story is explained in a previous book.

I also wish we knew more about Charley, the kind taco truck owner with an uncanny spiritual sense. He shows up at the right time, gives the right advice even though he hasn't been invited into anyone's drama, and then leaves quietly to let them sort things out on their own. I think everyone needs a Charley.

Near the end of the story it became more and more cheesy with the developing romance, but overall it was well written, and I would definitely read more books by this author. The faith element isn't 'in your face', and at some points I wondered if either of the main characters had an active faith.

But this is a clean read, and enjoyable. I would recommend it.

Title: Blackberry Beach
Author: Irene Hannon

Ch: 28 plus epilogue

Pg: 352

Series: Hope Harbor Book 7

Genre: Christian Contemporary

Rating: 4 stars


Publisher: Revell



Though Blackberry Beach by Irene Hannon is the 7th book in the Hope Harbor series it can be read as a standalone. Though I haven't read any of Irene's contemporaries but I've loved every one of the suspense novels she's written. And Blackberry Beach was no exception. To me it was the perfect spring read, especially after all the heavy WWII fiction I had been reading.



I loved both the heroine Katherine Parker and the hero Zach Garrett both of whom are hiding a past as well as hurts. Both end up in Hope Harbor for different reasons, but it might just be what both of them need. The secondary characters didn't take away from the story they only added to it and gave it more depth.



As a reader I loved the fictional small coastal town in Oregon, and who wouldn't love a beach with blackberry bushes. This sweet read was filled with the prefect balance, of faith, friendship and romance and I look forward to reading other books in the series.







I received a complimentary copy from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Irene Hannon has once again crafted a beautiful story set in heartwarming Hope Harbor.

I've become quite a fan of this series, I must say, and Hannon has not disappointed me with this latest installment. Both Zach and Katherine are fleshed out so much they almost feel like real people. I smiled when they smiled. Laughed when they laughed. I especially enjoyed the maturity of these characters, which I've come to think of as Hannon's hallmark. I'm not fond of characters who play games and go through a neverending back and forth. So the frank discussions endeared me to the characters even more.

But even the subplot characters had me cheering. Not only because Hannon always has great subplots but also because the subplot provides another romance. And it's a sweet one at that.

I must take a moment, though, to mention the town. Hope Harbor isn't just a setting. Hannon has made it into a character in its own right. From philosophizing Charley and his delicious fish tacos to seagulls Floyd and Gladys, Hannon has made this town come alive.

I have to say, I love her romantic suspense novels, but Irene Hannon can always write an amazing contemporary romance. I highly recommend it!

(Review goes live on the blog April 23 at 12 pm.)

Classic Irene Hannon. Another satisfying story from this very popular series. Beautifully written with surprise visits from characters from previous novels that will make you smile. Pamper yourself and savor this novel. You will not be disappointed.

It was great to revisit Hope Harbor, Oregon! I'd love to try Charlie's fish tacos! Zach Garrett, owner of the local coffee shop, The Perfect Blend, is a wonderful male protagonist who has given up a demanding lucrative career for a slower life in Hope Harbor. I admired actress Katherine Parker who is hiding out on the coast while making career decisions and indulging in her hobby of making gourmet chocolates. Zach's aunt, Stephanie, was a surprise visitor who made the decision to rise in her career rather than having a husband and family. Stephanie is now retired and finds unexpected romance in Hope Harbor. I enjoyed how everyone worked on renovating a house for Hope House, a home for foster sibling groups. You will enjoy Blackberry Beach by Irene Hannon if you enjoy clean women's fiction. I received a complimentary e-book through NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

This was a lovely book! I learned after reading it, that it was a series. I now must read all the previous books as I thoroughly enjoyed this read!

Kat has escaped from LA to the beautiful sleepy town of Hope Harbor to "hideout" and re-evaluate what she wants in life, she's recently had scandal and tragedy in her life, this is part of the reason she left LA, to stop being hounded by the paparazzi.

What she didn't expect was to catch the eye of the charming coffee shop owner who also happens to be her neighbor. From the moment Kat walked into his shop, large sunglasses masking most of her face Zach is smitten.

He would like to get to know her better, in the process they both find out that they have more in common than they initially thought. Both have baggage and abrupt life changes....well Kat is considering one. She's found another form of work that makes her happy while in Hope Harbor, and really feels she may want that change in her life.

Zach would love for Kat to stay, but this is a big decision she needs to weigh out herself.

Thank you to Netgalley, Fleming H. Revell publishing and the author Irene Hannon for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to take another trip to Oregon in the seventh Hope Harbor book.
The beachy descriptions sound so relaxing and the call of the seagulls make me want to visit the town for some delightful relaxation time. While there I'll definitely need to pay a visit to the coffee shop Zach Garrett runs. Suffering from a traumatic loss he is comfortable running his coffee shop and trying to put the past behind him. One thing he is not looking for is a romance but he is intrigued by his reclusive beach neighbor.
Katherine Parker is a woman that should be happy, she has all she could possibly need fame,fortune an offer to star in an upcoming movie with a popular movie star. She should be thrilled with how life is progressing but she feels something is missing.
I enjoyed seeing how Zach persisted in getting Kat to open up while drawing her into a friendship . I think she needed someone like this to draw her out.
I enjoyed revisiting the characters I've read about in previous books especially friendly guy Charley the taco stand guy. I think he'd be am interesting character to talk to.
Can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading the entire fun series.

Pub Date 06 Apr 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own

Blackberry Beach, by Irene Hannon, will introduce you to Zach Garrett. Zach is the owner of the Perfect Blend coffee shop and this location allows him to keep an eye out on what is happening in Hope Harbor, Oregon. Currently, he has his eye on a mysterious woman who keeps showing up at his door. This woman seems afraid of something; however, Zach has no clue what it could be!

After the chaos she left behind, Katherine Parker is simply looking for calm. You wonder if she will find it in Hope Harbor. Zach has a secret himself that he is keeping under wraps. In the past two years, Zach has built a new life for himself and has no desire to return to his old world!

This is an interesting tale, as you explore the lives of Zach and Katherine and get a glimpse of the peace they are both seeking!

Her lifelong dream is in sight, but does a new--and better--future await in Hope Harbor?

Katherine Parker is on the cusp of having everything she ever wanted--fame, money, and acclaim. So why isn't she happy? In search of answers, she comes incognito to Hope Harbor on the Oregon coast for some R&R. Maybe in her secluded rental house overlooking the serene Pacific she'll be able to calm the storm inside.

Coffee shop owner Zach Garrett has found his niche after a traumatic loss--and he has no plans to change the life he's created. Nor does he want to get involved with his reticent new neighbor, whose past is shrouded in mystery. But when Katherine and Zach are recruited to help rehab a home for foster children, sparks fly. As their lives begin to intersect, might they find more common ground than they expected . . . and discover that, with love, all things are possible?



My Thoughts: This was a story about finding your dreams and going after them. It is a story about families coming together and rebuilding relationships. This was a well-written story that was interesting to read. Readers will enjoy the beach setting and the characters. Can Zach and Kat find love through everything they have been through?



I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Another delightful story from the charming seaside town of Hope Harbor! While traveling may be difficult right now, you can still escape to the Oregon coast in these pages. In this book we meet Zach, who opened a coffee shop in Hope Harbor to build a slower-paced life, and Kat, an actress struggling with the direction of her career. Although Kat is reluctant to open up at first, Zach is persistent at drawing her into a friendship and into the Hope Harbor community.

In Irene Hannon's signature style, this is a character-driven, emotionally rich story. It incorporates several themes, including forgiveness, purpose, and second chances. While it can definitely be read as a stand-alone novel, returning readers will enjoy catching up with series regulars, including Charley, Reverend Baker and Father Murphy, and of course the seagull couple Floyd and Gladys!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Revell!

My thoughts: I enjoyed reading this latest contemporary romance by acclaimed author Irene hannon. It is also a family drama. The romance is slow and easy but it is filled with familiar characters that we know and love. Warning for more conservative readers, there are some soft swear words and mention of champagne. All in all, I greatly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. It stands alone, but fans will want to read all the rest of the books in the series. I was given a copy free, and all opinions are my own.

I always look forward to going back to Hope Harbor. It's a place where you can get back your focus on what's important in your life. Charley, the local fish taco maker, always has words of wisdom to share to help you gain a fresh perspective and to remind you to look below the surface of another's actions or demeanor. I hope there's a book about him one day.

I enjoyed the story about Kat and Zach but I felt the secondary characters stole the show. Stephanie and Frank were delightful. I had such a strong sense of who they were. It was fun seeing how God surprised them.

I would highly recommend this book and this whole series. I'd also recommend you have a nice box of chocolates on hand as you read.
This book will make you hungry for them. Thank you to Revell for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is the first book that I have read in this series. It was difficult for me to connect with this story. Maybe I would have enjoyed the book better if I had previously read the other books in the series. The beginning was too slow but the second half of the story did get better.

Welcome back to Hope Harbor-where hearts heal and love blooms. Blackberry Beach is the seventh installment from well-known author Irene Hannon. Each book is set in Hope Harbor and can easily be read as a stand-alone novel. The stories are centered in Hope Harbor with a returning cast of characters: Charley and his taco truck, Gladys and Floyd, Reverand Baker, and Father Murphy.

Katherine is ready for a break and time to think after a scandal rocks her world. She settles on Blackberry Beach in Hope Harbor for some R&R and uninterrupted time to think. Unfortunately her agent Simon did not get the memo and is constantly contacting Katherine. Katherine is afraid to venture too far from her retreat for fear of being recognized. However, once she meets Zach at Perfect Blend and then runs into him on the beach, she is pulled a little further from the shell she has placed around herself. "Sometimes the simplest gestures of kindness can touch a heart in unseen ways."

Zach has had his own issues to deal with, including a distant, unbending father. When his Aunt Stephanie comes to visit she brings news that could alter his relationship with his dad. When Aunt Stephanie meets Frank her short-term visit suddenly seems long-term and she immediately engages in the Hope Harbor project with Zack.

Irene Hannon is one of those rare authors that write suspense and contemporary fiction equally well. Her talent shows with her engaging characters, interesting dialogue, picturesque setting, and situations that are real and relatable. I love the Hope Harbor project in this story. Here lately more stories are featuring foster care situations, bringing greater awareness to this problem that plagues our country.

There are many great quotes in this book that will stick with the reader long after the last page. I would highly recommend this book to fans of clean Christian fiction. I would also recommend this book to fans of Denise Hunter, Karen Kingsbury, Pepper Basham, Nicole Deese, Erin Bartels, Kim Vogel Sawyer, and Tracie Peterson.

Thank you to Revell and Net Galley for the opportunity to read Blackberry Beach. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a Clean Romance Christian Fiction, and this is the 7th book in the Hope Harbor series. I have not read the other six books in this series. It took me about 50% to get into this book. I think it also took 50% of this book to care about the characters. I feel the characters could have developed faster in this book, and I found that the first have of this book was very slow moving. I did enjoy the last half of this book. I think overall this is a short moving friendship with a little romance. I just like a little faster moving book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Fleming H. Revell Company) or author (Irene Hannon) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

I love reading Irene Hannon books! I have found myself looking forward to each trip to Hope Harbor. It's amazing how we get pulled into these locations and compare them to either our hometowns, places that we have visited, or places that we hope to find ourselves someday! Katherine and Zack remind me a lot of a couple of Karen Kingsbury's characters. While I was reading, I kept thinking wow they need to get together and create a joint book with these characters. It seems they would get along well and could guide Kat and Zack in how to deal with the public and paparazzi. I highly recommend the Hope Harbor series and look forward to the next installment!

*Warnings*
#1 This is a long review, so pull up a chair and grab a bowl of popcorn. You’ll be here awhile. #2 When I read a review, I want substantial information. So I will not skimp on the details. Which may mean some spoilers, so watch out. #3—additional warning reserved only for this review—Here we go…again...I’m trying out yet another method. Let me know what you think: unconstrained stream-of-consciousness; numbered pros and cons; detailed review minus any fangirling whatsoever (I think I wrote, like, one of those before); or whatever this turns out to be. The feedback is appreciated.


Stars: 3 ½

Synopsis: Katherine Parker has abandoned her career to find solace in Hope Harbor after a tragic accident. Zach Garrett did the same several years ago, and now he’s at home in Hope Harbor as the owner of The Perfect Blend. Will the two neighbors be able to forge a friendship, or will Katherine’s secrets keep them apart?

Favorite Quote: “He didn’t pray for himself, Zach. He prayed for you.”


So, I think it’s become pretty obvious now that I have a love/hate relationship with contemporary fiction.

I avoid it, and yet, at the same time, I crave it. Make sense? Yeah, I don’t get it either. So, because of my strange relationship with contemporary fiction, I am always wary whenever I begin a modern-day story.

It wasn’t any different with Blackberry Beach.

Maybe I’m not the best advisor, since this particular style of contemporary isn’t necessarily my forte (I’m more of a Tammy L. Gray, Sarah Monzon, or Julie Lessman girl), but it’s always good to get a second opinion.

Blackberry Beach has great potential, but the escapist theme and slow progression kept it from making a lasting impression. The characters—Kat and Zach—had great character arcs and visible, although extremely slow, development. I liked seeing the definite change and their thought processes as they made huge decisions; however, I do think that took way too long (Kat, for instance, didn’t make her final decision until within the last five chapters), and I was lacking some of the emotional and spiritual struggle I was hoping to see.

Speaking of, though there was mention of prayer, church, God, and the two clergymen in Hope Harbor, I found the spiritual aspects lacking. For one, Kat has apparently been a Christian for some time, but she never made much mention of it or turned to God until it was nearly too late. In the meantime, Zach has given up on a relationship with God, and we barely see him mending fences with his Heavenly Father, which was upsetting. Blackberry Beach is definitely more of an “inspirational” read, but it’s not one to inspire readers to look to God in trials.

Blackberry Beach is the last book in the Hope Harbor series, and I’ve never read the previous books. I would wager that’s why I felt like there was something lacking the setting, as if Hope Harbor had been thoroughly developed and elaborated on in the earlier books and Hannon just skipped over that this time. Regardless, Blackberry Beach could definitely be read as a standalone. Nothing else seemed missing at all.

Unless we’re talking about the vibrancy of the period itself, which did seem lacking. When I read contemporary novel, I expect to read it just like I do a historical novel—I expect to see authenticity and to learn. So, yes, a few name brands thrown in, name drops, pop culture references—all of them make for a realistic and authentic experience that invests me into the story. It may not make the story timeless, but it helps me better envision the story. Blackberry Beach was lacking that vision.

And can I just say that Zach, although a well-developed character (by means which I will elaborate on in a moment), seemed very unguyish? (Which was not a word until now.) Maybe it’s because he’s an Atlantian-turned-Oreganian, but I did find both him and Frank very unrealistic in their voices (both in their monologue and dialogue).

I love it when an author has a strong voice and balanced writing—but at times the author’s voice overrides their characters’. Such happened in Blackberry Beach, where I wasn’t able to differentiate Zach from his aunt or Frank from Kat. I would’ve liked to have seen a more masculine presentation, I guess. One book that pulled that off was Becky Wade’s True to You. Y’all, John’s POV sounded convincingly male and fit his personality—something for which I commended Wade in my review.

Unfortunately, Hannon doesn’t have that talent, so while the characters all looked good on paper, they didn’t sound good on paper—make sense? Their development and character from others’ POVs was strong and for the most part convincing, but once we entered their minds, I lost all sense of stability and realism.

That made it very difficult to connect with the characters. I had a hard time investing emotion into the story—and maybe that’s the point. Maybe this story was intended to whisk me away from life and empty my head and heart of all trouble. For some people, that may be why they read. But I read not only to escape but also to feel. To create lifelong friends, fangirl and ship my favorite characters, cry for the protagonist, ache for the villain, and even yell “Idiot!” at my Kindle a couple times. That’s how books like A Voice in the Wind, A Passion Redeemed, and Unblemished burrowed their way into my heart.

However, there is yet good to this book.

Despite how uninterested I was in the characters or story, I still kept coming back! Perhaps it was for the hope that it would get better, the desire to know what decision Kat came to (and, earlier on, what her past was), or simply because Irene Hannon does have well-balanced, maybe even captivating, prose.

She did a very good job of capturing the inner thoughts of the characters within the narrative, which left little need for italicized internal monologue. I appreciate that, even if she didn’t capture the male characters very well. The balance between thoughts, description, and action was very well done—however, I would’ve liked a little more emotion and less dialogue.

All that being said, I think Hannon probably makes a better suspense writer than romance. I can definitely see her writing style, developmental skills, and languid pacing giving a suspense novel more depth—but I’ll have to read one to find out!

I felt a thirst to finish the story, and I truly am glad I did. Now I know that this isn’t my preferred genre or contemporary style. I think this book would cater to a lot of readers—particularly the ones who like slow plots, clean reads, and not a lot of emotional investment! I’m just not one of them.


Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.