This was a wonderful heartfelt contemporary romance. I adore this author and look forward to reading the rest of this continuing series.

Coming Home to Seashell Harbor is a second chance romance with a touch of enemies-to-lovers (competitors to lovers is slightly more accurate) flavor. It sets up Ms Liasson's newest series nicely--by the end of the book, readers can be relatively certain of the couples for the next two books and undoubtedly hoping for more (sign me up for book 2, and please tell me Cam's sister will get a book!)

Coming Home to Seashell Harbor has a really solid start--Ms Liasson draws readers in right away with all of the drama and excitement around Hadley's homecoming to--you guessed it!--Seashell Harbor. We are introduced to her family and friends, the first of a plethora of canine characters, and of course her old high school flame and current competitor for the building her grandmother's business in in, Tony Cammareri, AKA Cam. Cam is also recently returned to Seashell Harbor after a career-ending injury on the football field and is desperate to figure out his next steps, which he is hoping will include the same building Hadley is desperate to keep in her family's possession. Their competition will soon involve the entire town, and things will become further complicated when Hadley and Cam discover that those feelings they used to have might not be as in the past as they thought they were...

Though the story is rather predictable at times, the characters are likeable, the setting is fabulous, and the HEA is very sweet. Is it too early to start counting the days until summer 2022? ;)

Rating: 4 stars/ B

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book

Coming Home to Seashell Harbor is a cheery small town romance .
Hadley returns to her hometown after breaking up with her boyfriend so she can help her Grandmother out with her animal boarding business . When she gets there she realizes her Grandma is contemplating selling to the guy who broke her heart in high school.
Cam is trying to figure out what to do with his life after an injury ends his football career and decides to open a restaurant . The only thing that stands in his way is his high school girlfriend who has also returned to town .
This is a heartwarming story about second chances and family . Thank you Netgalley and publisher for a copy for my honest opinion.

A friendly competition over Seashell Harbor's downtown becomes a battle of the heart in this sweet second chance romance from award-winning author Miranda Liasson.

After making a name for herself as publicity whiz to the stars, Hadley Wells needs a little image control of her own. Her high-profile breakup from a beloved Hollywood actor has left her the center of national media attention, so she makes a strategic retreat to her hometown of Seashell Harbor. But Seashell Harbor has troubles of its own: her grandma is selling her beloved Pooch Palace and worse, to Hadley's ex-boyfriend.

Tony Cammareri was the most famous tight end in the NFL, until a career-ending injury put him in early retirement. Without football, Cam feels like he has nothing, but he's hoping that opening a chain of sports bars will give him a new direction in life. When Hadley goes on the offense after hearing his plans, her grandma agrees to give them both a fair shot at the deed to Pooch Palace -- and Cam isn't giving up his perfect location without a fight. Only as their competition intensifies, old feelings come rushing back. All's fair in love and war, but with both of their dreams on the line, it's their hearts they stand to lose.

Coming Home to Seashell Harbor by Miranda Liasson is the first book in the new contemporary romance Seashell Harbor series. As with a lot of romance series the common theme in the Seashell Harbor series is the setting so the main characters will change from book to book. Since there are new characters in each all of the books can be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so.

Coming Home to Seashell Harbor is a second chance romance with Hadley Wells returning to her home town of Seashell Harbor after a very public break up. When Hadley returns she finds that her grandmother is thinking of selling her business, the Pooch Palace and unfortunately for Hadley the interested buyer is the first man to break her heart, Tony Cammareri, who wants to open a restaurant in the building where the Pooch Palace is located.

One of my favorite tropes in romance is a second chance story where characters already have a background to build upon so it wasn’t surprising to find myself easily caught up in Coming Home to Seashell Harbor. I’m also a huge animal lover so having the story revolve around some cute critters also quickly won me over. With likable characters, a lovely setting and a fun plot I was a fan of this opener to the Seashell Harbor series and will definitely want to come back for more in book two.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Favorite Quote:

… he started the car with a little jolt. “Hold on to your sunbonnet, sugar.” “Call me sugar again and you’re going to be wearing it yourself.”

My Review:

This was a refreshing and enjoyable second chance romance with relatively low angst, adorable animal rescue, endearing characters, and a realistic level of conflict. Just what I needed to unwind and relax my shoulders down from my ears after reading several intense thrillers in a row. The writing style was engaging, insightfully observant, thoughtfully detailed with vibrant and amusing descriptors, and remarkably easy to follow despite being the first in a series and introducing a community of new characters. The pace was pleasantly smooth and steady with an excellent flow into each segue. Miranda Liasson is an agile and deft storyteller and I effortlessly slip right into her breezy tales of romantic women’s fiction. She holds a steadfast entry on my favorites list.

I always love this type of book. It gives me the love and romance I need of a typical Hallmark movie. Super enjoyable and great characters!

Such a sweet story of the reunion of high school sweethearts, Cam and Hadley. Both thought they knew what happened back then. But did they? Loved it.

Hadley Wells should be happy. Happy that she is returning to her hometown of Seashell Harbor but when she comes back she realizes Grandma is selling her beloved Pooch Palace. She has so many great memories of the good old days when she used to work there and play with the dogs. Now it's just all going to the dogs or so it seems because Grandma is selling to Hadley's first love, ex-footballer Cam Cammareri. She would rather avoid him but it's kind of impossible now that he's running Grandma's business, she feels betrayed that she is siding with the "enemy".
I loved the rescue dogs in the story, animals always liven up a story and make it better.
As they work together those old feelings come rushing back again in this second chance romance. Fun read!

Pub Date 04 May 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

3.75 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
My favorite "small town" romance author.
and I found...
"Coming Home to Seashell Harbor" to be a wildly entertaining second chance romance.
It was a fun romance that also made for a perfect escape read .
Who doesn't love......enemies to lovers...and the plus factor here is..... cuddly animals (namely dogs)!!
Bring it on ...book 2 of the series.

Such a amazing book by Miranda. from ex lovers to new adventures and finding new love. You will laugh, cry and your heart will be full by all the small town family.

I really enjoyed this book. Miranda Liasson has begun to become one of my To Go Authors. The more I read her the more I love her. This book is one of the reasons why.

Coming Home to Seashell Harbor is the first book in a new series by Miranda Liasson and I enjoyed it, but I didn’t love it. The hero and heroine were high school sweethearts until he decided to break up with her before she could break up with him, now years later his pro football career was ended early due to an injury and her life is tabloid fodder when she is dumped by her A-lister Hollywood boyfriend for someone else. They both return home at the same time and end up in a competition over the building her grandmother’s pet boarding business is in.



I had a hard time connecting with both of these characters, they were perfectly fine but I honestly felt like we never really got to know them. Tony (Cam) Cammareri came home to get away from the media and try and figure out his next step which he believes is opening a sports bar type establishment in his home town. Hadley Wells has worked saving the reputations of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars but the uproar over her relationship going south sends her packing back to Seashell Harbor where she plans to rest and help her grandmother with her pet boarding business. Both characters just felt a bit flat; Hadley had big dreams as a teenager to save the world, help animals but ended up in a very different career yet she never talked about that change. Cam wanted out of town and knew football was his answer but he has a wonderful family so why was he so anxious to leave? I guess I just felt disconnected from these characters. The other issue was I didn’t feel the heat between them at all, I felt their friendship even at the start when they were in “competition” for Hadley’s grandmother’s building, but no sizzle and this has nothing to do with the behind closed door sex scenes, I read a lot of books like that and sometimes the heat between the characters is so hot that the imagination of what goes on behind those doors is smokin’!



The town, it’s residents, Tony’s family, Hadley’s friends were all interesting and I felt the series was set up well. I actually am looking forward to reading more in this series, but the romance between these two just felt off. I feel bad, I’ve enjoyed Ms. Liasson’s work in the past but this couple didn’t resonate with me even if the rest of the story did.

I read the first book and the last book in the Angel Falls series last year around the holidays and never managed to get the second book read. I hope to get to it in the second half of this year because I actually have a review draft for the whole series that has been SITTING THERE since December of 2019.

Regardless, I was excited for a new book by Liasson - this one is set in Seashell Harbor, which appears to be on the Jersey shore. The setup for this one was extremely fun. It's a second chance romance between two high school sweethearts that return home for the summer. Cam (or Tony) made it big in the NFL as a tight end and had his career come screeching to a halt when he had too many knee injuries to play through. Hadley went out to LA to be a publicist for celebrities and endured a very public breakup when her actor boyfriend left her for a costar. I loved that this was not only a second chance at love for a high school couple, but they both went on to be pretty famous! Coming back to a small, beachside hometown is always something that will appeal to me in books too.

There was a lot of tension between the exes because Hadley's grandmother, after suffering a fall and needing to take time off from Pooch Palace (a dog boarding company), is contemplating retirement. Hadley wants to keep the business alive and stop her grandmother from retiring, while Cam is hoping to buy the building and turn it into a restaurant. The first half of the book involves some classic banter over the business and whose idea will be best for the town. Tension rises until the two can no longer deny their rekindled attraction for one another.

I really enjoyed both characters (and many others in the town - more on that in a second). It was a classic small town romance with all of my favorite tropes, so I really couldn't go wrong! Add in a bunch of dogs and tasty-sounding Italian food, and I was even happier.

One of my favorite things about beginning new companion series is figuring out who will be involved in the next books in the series. It was very clear from this one who would be featured in books two and three. Kit and Darla, Hadley's best friends who are both local to Seashell Harbor, have some inklings of romance in this book that will definitely be fun to read about! I saw my suspicions confirmed at the end of COMING HOME because it indicates who will be the MC for the Summer 2022 book. Definitely bummed I have to wait that long, but I'm sure a review copy will be available for me to hop on! I'm not sure if this will be another trilogy but I would love to see Tony's sister, Lucy, as a leading lady in a fourth book. Just an idea ;)

Overall, this is a promising start to another fun and beachy companion series. It definitely made me want to head down to Point Pleasant Beach for a weekend getaway. I'm excited to see Hadley and Tony in future books too.

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Coming Home to Seashell Harbor by Miranda Liasson is filled with the heartbreak of first love and the promise of second chances. Hadley Wells comes home for an extended vacation after a very public breakup. She expects to be able to lick her wounds in the comforts of home, but finds it won’t be so easy with her ex also back home.

I like Hadley. She’s been living what she believed to be the perfect life in Hollywood, working for a PR agency and using the skills she learned in college to help others. But after finding her boyfriend in a compromising position with another woman, Hadley’s life flip upside down. Returning home is the only option available to her, but even home isn’t what she remembers. Her grandmother has had an accident, leaving her in rehab for the months that Hadley will be home with no one to run her pet rescue. Hadley takes it upon herself to run her grandmother’s business, a business she grew up working in and always dreamed of coming home to run. However nothing goes as planned, especially when the man that broke her heart comes waltzing in.

Tony Cammareri has also come home after suffering a career ending injury in the NFL. With no career prospects in sight, Cam is struggling. My heart hurt for him. This is a man who had everything and now finds his life empty. He has no purpose, and he’s searching. His agent helps him land on opening a restaurant. Cam has always been interested in food and serving people, it reminds him of his life at home with his family. However their visions of the restaurant are completely different, and with Hadley back in town, Cam’s attention is divided. I really like Cam. Despite his treatment of Hadley in the past, he’s a good guy, one that it was easy to root for.

Now for the conflict. In addition to overcoming Cam’s dismal break up of their high school relationship, Cam and Hadley are at odds. Cam has made a deal with Hadley’s grandmother to buy the rescue and plans to turn it into his restaurant. Hadley is determined to revive the place and believes that Cam is taking advantage of her grandmother. This puts them at opposite sides of the same fight. Both want what is best for their hometown, and both think they are right. Now they are forced to work together. I loved the tension this creates, but I love even more how their relationship slowly rekindles.

Overall, I really enjoyed Coming Home to Seashell Harbor. Second chance stories are some of my favorite stories, and this one ranks near the top. Hadley and Cam are easy to root for, but the town is my favorite thing about the book. There are so many characters, but they all felt real and relatable. I wanted to live within the pages of this town. If you are a fan of second chances and small town romances, I highly recommend this one.

When it comes to feel good small town romance, one of my favorite authors is Miranda Liasson. If you haven’t read any of her books, you are truly missing out. I was so excited when I heard she had a new book, Coming Home to Seashell Harbor, part of her new Seashell Harbor series. This new small town romance brings the charm we’ve grown to love.

From the start, I adored Hadley. Her character reminded me of the relationship that I had with my grandmother, which touched my heart from the beginning. She is one of the characters that you find yourself connecting right away with. She is a rockstar PR gal who decided to come home after a breakup that left her feeling unsure about herself and life. What better way to heal than to help her grandmother with her business after an accident has her sidelined for a little bit. Upon arrival, she finds out that her grandmother’s business has been facing financial difficulties and has been in talks about being sold. To her surprise, the last person on earth that she ever thought would be the contender was the guy who broke her heart, Tony Cammareri (Cam).

Tony (Cam) isn’t the person who broke up with her all those years ago. There’s a lot that has changed about him but that is to be seen. After a career ending injury, all he wants to do is mend the broken pieces of his life and build something for himself that will bring happiness to his life. With his goal of bringing a successful restaurant to the town, there is no place better than where Pooch Palace is. There is only one problem, Hadley.

When her grandmother proposes a proposition, they both find themselves on different paths of where the future lies. Cam knows that Hadley still feels pain from the past but he is determined to show her that he wants to change all of that. In an attempt to show the grandmother which business would be best, their loyalties are tested and they find themselves confronting their past, present, and future in more than just business.

Coming Home to Seashell Shore embodied the cliche, home is where the heart is. What a beautiful start to this series, bringing these two characters that needed mending and a new start. Some moments will make you laugh, cry and just make your heart smile. Not only the two of them but the supporting characters brought into their lives collectively complement each other to make the book beautiful. The friendships and the familial love between characters are just as wonderful.

Overall, this was a wonderful start to the Seashell Harbor series. I’m excited and can’t wait to dive into the next book. If you are looking for a sweet small town, second chance book, I’d recommend checking this one out.

Miranda has done it again! Coming Home to Seashell Harbor is a wonderful story about coming back home, realizing where you really belong and love. Hadley and Cam have a past (all the way from the summer after their senior year of high school) that leaves hurt and bitter feelings between them. Hadley's plan is to return home for the summer to recover from a humiliating break up while Cam is returning home after a career ending sports injury blazing a new path. Now, that they are both back home, they have to deal with their past, the present, and their future plans. Seashell Harbor is a place of hope and reinvention. You will enjoy every moment with the characters. Now, we just have to wait for the next book in the series!

Coming Home to Seashell Harbor by Miranda Liasson is for fans of Susan Wiggs and Susan Mallery. It has the same heart felt connection as those writers' books. The second chance theme lured me deep into this read. I was addicted. It is clean, wholesome, and entertaining. These characters featured had their own personal problems. That and their past romantic connection has them reeling all kinds of emotions. I loved how much Tony and Hadley grew from the beginning. By the end of the book, they were more confident and settled into who and where they were meant to be. This contemporary romance slash women's fiction novel had enough spark, humor, and banters to keep me reading. I really liked the the protagonists, the rivalry, and the dialogue. Miranda Liasson created a sweet yet charming tale. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future. Overall, this was the perfect summer read.

This was a DNF for me. The writing style just wasn't for me to be honest. The plot seemed interesting but I just couldn't really get past the writing style to enjoy it. Right off the bat I felt like I was missing something almost?


Thank you for the opportunity to review.

3.5 Stars

I love a good second chance romance, and this one was written by a great storyteller.

After a public breakup, Hadley returns home to Seashell Harbor, the small town where her family lives. Her first love, Cam, has also returned home after a career-ending injury.

As they compete to revitalize her grandmother's building, will the old feelings rekindle? Why does Hadley hate sticky notes? You need to read this heartwarming story to find out! As Grandma runs the Pooch Palace, plenty of cute dog appearances.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.