I feel like Miss Tagg could write anything and I would love it but I have to say this book was my favorite of all her other books. Philip was adorable and if I could put myself in any story I think it would be this one. The mystery was the perfect combination to the romance and I think I’m going to read the first book and then this one again because I loved it so much. Ten out of ten and will definitely be recommending it to my friends.

About this book:

“In one evening, Indi's world falls apart. Enter the shy professor her family mistakes for her fiancé...make that ex-fiancé.
Professor Philip West never wanted to return to Maine . . . or his grandfather’s miserable old house. But after his mother’s death, he’s now the guardian of a teenage half sister he barely knows—one who doesn’t want anything to do with him. He longs to help her heal, but he’s exhausted and numb, desperate for relief of his own. Maybe that’s why he’s so easily distracted when he happens upon the little shop with a name on its storefront window that sounds familiar, a hint of a mystery nudging him inside.
More than a decade has passed since Indi Muir made the heartbreaking decision she’s never recovered from—though she’s certainly tried. She has a full life running her shop and creating the artsy pieces that fill its shelves. If she can just stay busy, she’ll keep her hurt and regret at bay. But when her ex-fiancé returns to Muir Harbor, he brings news that shatters her carefully built walls. Things only get worse when lurking danger comes calling at her childhood home.
The one bright spot amid Indi’s turmoil is the shy stranger who wandered into her shop months ago and his moody but lovable sister. As she confronts her past and the mysterious threat facing her family, she’s intent on helping Philip win over his sister. He just might win over Indi, too, if they can overcome old secrets and wounds, outrun rising peril . . . and take a chance on love.”


Series: Book #2 in the “Muir Harbor” series. Review of Book #1 Here!


Spiritual Content- Prayers & Thanking God; Talks about God, prayers, & faiths; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Going to a chapel; A quote from St. Augustine is said; On one Sunday, Indi thinks that she really would rather hide away in her workshop than go to church; Indi feels like God doesn’t see her or answer her prayers anymore, but recalls a time that God answered her prayers when she was a child; Indi & Holland have a discussion about God answering prayers & wondering if He’s just saying ‘no’ (a conclusion to their hurt is not really said at this point, but discussed later separately with other people); Indi was angry at God for asking her to do a hard decision that left her in a hole in her heart *Spoiler* (view spoiler); At one point, Philip wonders why he isn’t hearing God’s voice on a topic; Mentions of God & faiths; Mentions of prayers, praying, & thanking God; Mentions of churches/chapels, church going, services, a sermon, & a pastor; Mentions of miracles; A few mentions of miracles; A couple mentions of a Bible; A couple mentions of a Nativity scene; A couple mentions of someone believing that something wasn’t a coincidence but from the Divine; A couple mentions of blessings; A mention of someone having a come-to-Jesus experience; A mention of someone not knowing another from Adam;
*Note: A mention of Indi saying that she has too many ghosts; A mention of someone looking like they saw a ghost; A mention of feeling bewitched by a town; A mention of a teen saying that goats have demon eyes.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a form of ‘crap’, a ‘geez’, a ‘holy buckets’, a ‘holy crap’, a ‘shut up’, a ‘sure as blazes’, a ‘where in blazes’, two ‘blasted’s, two forms of ‘darn’, two ‘for Pete’s sake’s, two ‘oh my gosh’s, two ‘oh my word’s, three ‘holy cow’s, three ‘heck’s, three forms of ‘idiot’, three ‘sheesh’s, three ‘what the heck’s, five ‘gosh’s, six ‘shoot’s, seven ‘dumb’s, and eleven forms of ‘stupid’; A mention of Philip thinking of a name for someone that he doesn’t usually say out loud; Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Eavesdropping; Being held at gunpoint, Being threatened, Being choked, Fighting, Pain, & Injuries (up to semi-detailed); A close car crash, almost hitting a deer, & landing in a ditch (the people and deer are fine, up to semi-detailed); Philip has a panic attack (semi-detailed); Grieving the loss of family members & what could have been (both Indi, Philip, and side characters); Philip’s mother left him at his grandfather’s house after his father’s death and he’s felt unwanted since then (& struggles with resentment towards her for it); Indi drinks champagne at a wedding; Many mentions of deaths & grieving (a fiancé, fathers, a mother, daughters); Mentions of a car crash, death(s), & a missing toddler (Book #1 covers more about this); Mentions of fights, fighting, injuries, pain, blood/bleeding, & passing out (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of criminals, crimes, intruders, break-ins, stealing, vandalism, arrests, an accidental theft, trespassing, & someone being pushed down the stairs (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a recovering alcoholic & drinking; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of nightmares; Mentions of divorces & how a father hasn’t been in contact with his daughter for twelve years; A few mentions of a man flinging himself off a cliff & being in a coma afterwards; A few mentions of the Vietnam war & a death; A few mentions of a bar; Mentions of a teen into the high school party scene and drinking; A few mentions of teenagers breaking into a rec center; A couple mentions of a train accident & death (barely-above-not-detailed); A couple mentions of a close car crash; A couple mentions of Lil being left on Maggie’s doorstep when she was a toddler; A couple mentions of a woman living her life drinking and depressed; A couple mentions of champagne at a wedding; A couple mentions of rumors; A mention of someone doing a noble thing and not stepping off of a cliff (meaning literally or metaphorical is not said); A mention of jail; A mention of con-artists; A mention of pipe tobacco; A mention of needing to pee;
*Note: Mentions of HGTV & Hallmark; Mentions of brand names & items (Jell-O, Peanut M&Ms, Reddi-wip, 7-Up, Levi’s, iPad, iPhone, Keurig, Tupperware, & Band-Aid); Mentions of websites (Google, Uber, Airbnb, & Spark Notes); Mentions of TV shows, movies, & characters (Jeopardy, Star Wars, Gandalf the Grey, Willy Wonka, Clark-Kent, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Batman, & Robin); Mentions of car brands; A few mentions of the Narnia books; A mention of Disney.


Sexual Content- a chin kiss, five cheek kisses, a forehead kiss, a almost (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed) kiss, a not-detailed kiss, five barely-above-not-detailed kisses, two border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kisses, three semi-detailed kisses, a detailed kiss, and a very detailed kiss (including being pulled into his lap); Remembering a kiss (semi-detailed); Wanting to kiss (up to semi-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Nearness, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to touch & embrace (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes; Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of boyfriends/girlfriends, dates, dating, & exes; A few mentions of a father’s “little sidepiece” (a woman after his divorce); A few mentions of crushes; A few mentions of flirting; A mention of a newly married wife saying she can be very persuasive to her husband in a suggestive tone; A mention of a couple being caught canoodling; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: *Spoiler* [In between her senior year of high school and freshman year of college, Indi got pregnant (with her boyfriend at the time, only details on it was that they had gotten more serious than either of them had been ready for and that she knew that when she slept with him that it was happening too fast but didn’t think about the consequences); He proposed and they were going to figure things out, but Indi called off the engagement and gave the baby up for adoption believing that it was the best thing for the baby, that God wanted her to do it (even though it hurt so much), that she was sacred to be a single mom, and that her and the father weren’t destined to be high school sweethearts; The father of the child resents Indi for this choice and says a couple harsh things, but apologizes later, knowing that he was still too into the party scene and that he willing signed the adoption papers; This is a huge part of the story and Indi trying not to thinking about her daughter, but then also wanting to have a relationship with her; It was an open adoption, though Indi hasn’t been in contact with the family, thinking that it’s better for everyone if she isn’t a part of their lives; Indi says that she wishes someone would have encouraged her that she could have been a good mother, but everyone said that she’d done something good and noble; In the epilogue, Indie gets to meet her daughter for the first time *End of Spoiler* (hide spoiler)]; A handful of mentions of a married couple struggling to get pregnant & their prior miscarriages (*Spoiler*[ They are expecting triplets by the end of the book; a couple mentions of the husband badly wanting to fix it and the wife saying that “he fixed it, all right” and the wife expecting another miscarriage so she didn’t want to tell her husband *End of Spoiler* (hide spoiler)]); A few mentions of some adoptees not wanting to find their biological parents (like Indi being not curious about them at all) and those who want to know about them; A couple mentions of the Santa at the mall kissing the top of kids’ heads being sketchy.

-Indiana Joy “Indi” Muir, age 28
-Philip West, age 34
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 2018-2019 (Prologue in 1969)
396 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars

I can’t say too much because of spoilers, but adoption & biological families were a huge part of that story and since that’s such a near and dear topic to my heart, I loved how the author highlighted how broken and yet how beautiful adoption can be. Those parts really made this story to me—and while it might sound corny, I truly mean it—touched my heart. The faith content wrapped into those elements were so raw and real, but so honestly written.

On a lighter note, I’m not sure what it is about awkward, giraffe-like male leads that I enjoy reading about so much, but Philip matches that description to a ‘T’. I literally laughed at loud at times with him and Indi, they were so cute together and I loved that they were able to talk about deeper, personal topics and react well to the other’s past and feelings. It felt like a healthy relationship, even if a few parts were too kissy for my tastes.

I’m very eager to read the third and final book in this series once it releases next year. I was excited to read Indi’s story after the first book and now I’m even more curious about Lil’s story.





*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher for this honest review.

This book is just SUCH a good read!! Wonderful characters that you just can’t help but delight in. I loved watching Philip and Indi grow over the course of the book. The background characters and families are full of surprises and beautiful, teary-eyed moments mixed with plenty of chuckles. And that mystery lingering in the background…I need book 3!!! Plus, I can’t wait to find out more about Lilian and Wilder. It’s going to be so good.

A sweet read about 2nd chances and family.
Wonderful characters that you will fall in love with.
Phillip was my favorite. He was such a sweet guy that my heart went out to him.
When I first started reading I thought that he would get the short end of the stick but well..... you'll just have to keep reading to see what happened. I believe you'll be as pleased as I was.
There's a touch of mystery in this book too. Just enough to enjoy and keep you guessing. I thought Ms. Tagg has done an wonderful job with that.
I won't say anything more about this story because I don't want to spoil it.
5 stars for a wonderful adventure and a beautiful cover! It was what really drew me to the book..
I highly recommend.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is my first book by Melissa Tagg and I ,am grateful that I was introduced to her writing with a seaside wonder. A Seaside wonder is book 2 in the Muir Harbor series and tells the story of Indi. Indi has a swoon worthy meet-cute with a shy professor in her shop the day her ex breaks her heart. The professor came to town for answers as he is armed with a letter supposed to have been written by his grandfather. A seaside wonder had humor, romance, mystery and a dose of don't put me down. I recommend you read the books in sequence as I believe it will make you appreciate the book more.

I love how Melissa Tagg writes. She always casts sparkle dust on her stories or in this case .’the magic of wonder’.
The cover alone is gorgeous and coveys that too.

The Muir family is a family of all adopted children.
Indi Muir is an artist and business owner who has spent her life trying to remain busy enough not to face her past.
Philip West is a shy professor whose only family is a grandfather and half sister. Communication is all but non existent among them.
They are destined to meet. And it is in a totally unconventional way!

I loved this book, but for me it was not until I read the author’s note that the story became complete. Melissa gives herself in her stories. None more evident than in this one. Thank you for sharing Melissa.

Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book. The opinions are entirely my own.

A Seaside Wonder is the second book in the Muir Harbor series and it carried the same charming warmth and familiarity as the first book did, combining mystery and romance with family and belonging.

When Philip West stumbles into Indi Muir’s antique shop, he does so on whim and from a childhood memory. He doesn’t expect to find himself witnessing Indi’s boyfriend breaking up with her, or hearing her receive a distressing call about her mother’s health. Determined to make up for his awkward start, he volunteers to drive her to the hospital. After that strange and chance evening, he doesn’t expect to see Indi again, but again he is surprised. Having had to return to live with his grandfather and care for his teenage half-sister in the wake of his mother’s death has been hard. When his relationship with his sister worsens, he draws on those memories of belonging he found with Indi and decides to holiday in Muir Harbor. Two weeks to salvage any sort of relationship with Holland and maybe even find some answers to the questions that drove him into Indi’s shop all those weeks ago.

We met the Muir family in book one of this series. I’d recommend reading the books in series order, as the threads of mystery that surround this family continue through the two books.

Indi has always felt like she is the messy sibling, the one who hasn’t got it all together and in this book we readers find out the pieces of her past that make her feel like that. Indi is also generous and warm, so when Philip arrives on her doorstep, she welcomes him and Holland into the family and home (despite the misunderstanding of her family thinking he is her ex). Philip has his own hurts from the past. His mother left him with his grandfather when he was just a child, as she started a new life with a new husband and new child. Now, he is desperate to connect with his half-sister. He is hoping the change of scenery gives them a chance to connect, plus the sense of family and security he finds with the Muir family.

Watching Philip and Indi connect was so heartwarming. They are good at supporting each other right from the first moment they meet and their romance develops out of this understanding and support.

As with the first book, the mystery of Maggie Muir’s granddaughter and the lost Muir family treasure continues. Philip has a few more clues and there are a few tense scenes to raise the suspense.

I can’t wait for book three, which better be an enemies to lovers book. I’ve been shipping Wilder and Lilian right from the start of this series.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Another truly incredible book by Melissa Tagg! I will never be able to truly verbalize just how much I have loved every one of her books. (I have indeed read every book in every series she has written.) My expectations of continued excellence in Melissa Tagg’s gift with the written word has certainly been confirmed in this latest Muir Harbor series.

When I finished the first book of this series, Autumn by the Sea, all I could think of was that I wanted to read more about Neil and Sydney — and, of course, Maggie. Now, after having just finished A Seaside Wonder, my mind and heart are full of Indi and Philip.and Holland— and, of course, Maggie and Ray. Breathtaking romance, and endearing characters… along with a continuing mystery.

Now my heart will also be anxiously awaiting the final book of this series, Wedding at Sea! I have a feeling there will be several mystery solved in that book, along with romance for Lillian and, dare I hope, Wilder, as well?

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley, and the sentiments shared above come fully from my heart.

There are good books and then, there are those books that you cannot stop reading, but at the same time, don't want to end. A Seaside Wonder was one of those books. I grew to love the fictional Muir family in the first book, Autumn by the Sea, but the series got even better with this book. The mystery of the Muir family's story woven throughout both books has only become more intriguing. As one part of Maggie and her family's story gets revealed, new layers are uncovered as well. I can't wait to learn what happened to Cynthia and how the rest of the mystery will unfold.
I enjoyed getting a deeper look into many of the characters in the series. Indi's backstory went deeper than I expected but I loved seeing her learn how God could take the worst of her mistakes and use them for His glory and her good. She learned how to have, as Lilian said, "honest heartache and steadfast hope." In a way, each character learned this lesson, but especially Indi and Philip. They both learned that God doesn't always prevent the hard times, but He promises to walk wtith us through them and to use them for good. I loved the St. Augustine quote that Lilian shared with Indi. "In my deepest wound, I saw your glory and it dazzled me." That quote sums up the lesson that Indi, Philip and in a way, Holland learned in this story.
I loved seeing the relationship between Indi and Philip grow. Their rapport and connection also combined with deep love and commitment to each other in spite of each others faults made their relationship charming and beautiful. Indi learned what lasting love looked like through Philip. The way Philip continued to fight for Holland and committed himself to being there for Indi helped point Indi to how God loved her, and helped open her up to how her family had loved her, as well.
I think the thing I loved most of all, was seeing how in a different way, each character learned that thought they thought God hadn't seen or hadn't fixed what they were going through, He had been there all along, had never given up on them and was orchestrating His good plan through every step of their lives. He was bringing them together and He was bringing them closer to Him. They all learned to trust, as Indi said "the heart of God who stayed even when her own heart drifted, knowing He'd always find a way to draw her back." This is a heartwarming story full of memorable characters and lessons of God's faithfulness.

This is such a heart touching story. It's about family. It's about love and mistakes and assumptions and heartbreak. There is beauty of the soul and anguish in God's love. If God loves me, why does He keep saying no? Does He listen? What's the sense in even praying?

I love the richly developed characters. I could immediately care about Indie and love the awkward professor, Phillip. There is great humor in their meeting and sweet agony as a strange friendship develops. They both know great grief. They both know abandonment and loss.
Secondary characters, Phil's sister Holland, their grandfather, Ray, Indie's family and their friends are each so important to the story and mystery. The author wrote, the characters told the story.
I received the advanced reader's copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley. This is my own personal and unsolicited opinion about it. It's a beautiful story, simple as that. It is the second book in a series of three. I missed out on the first book and must go back to read it. I look forward to the next book.
Recommend for the unique romance, the mystery and great storytelling. If you enjoy Susan May Warren books, you will be happy to read this.

Philip is the best. A total cinnamon roll of a hero, sweet to his core. He was so cute with his stammering and I loved the meet cute with the wardrobe.
I loved revisiting Muir Harbor and seeing Maggie again and watching Lilian and Wilder go at each other. The underlying mystery throughout the series definitely has this reader wanting to know what happens next.

A Seaside Wonder instantly transported me to the breezy shores of a Maine farm. I loved the depth of the characters as they worked through their insecurities and unanswered prayers; it resonated in the best way Christian fiction can—real, but still an escape. The romance was sweet, but the family mystery saga kept me wanting more of the story! I can’t wait for more of this series.

*Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of the book

I'm not going to lie, I can't wait to get my hands on this and read it. I friggin love it! I'm enjoying this second book in a series even more than the previous one. Even though this is the second book in the series and picks up right where book one left off, I still advise reading it in order.

This narrative has so much heart and charm, and I couldn't be happier with it! The narrative of Indi and Philip is presented in A Seaside Wonder. On the worst night of Indi's life, these two cross paths. The bad news kept coming, one after the other.

The meeting of Philip and Indie was perfection! I adored how their relationship developed since they were so understanding of one another's circumstances. It seemed extremely logical. As their lives intertwine, Philip and Indi start to find healing after burying their feelings regarding life altering experiences.

Other characters were also well developed, complicated, and intriguing, not just the two major ones. Readers may relate to all of them since each of them adds depth and meaning without leaving out any of the characters.

The story had a good pace and was interesting from beginning to end. What I truly adore about the author's writing is how magically it makes me feel, if you know what I mean. It almost makes me feel like I'm in an imaginary world.

With a dash of mystery and a dash of faith, a lovely and jumbled-together family is presented in the charming setting of a little Maine town. I couldn't wait for the release of the upcoming series!

I thank to the Larkspur Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to received an advance reader copy in return for my honest review.

*Reviewed on NetGalley, Goodreads & My Blog.

What a beautiful story about love, loss, and the beauty that can be found in a messy complicated life. I fell in love with the Muir family and Muir harbor in book one of this series, and book two did not disappoint. In this book we meet Indi Muir, the artistic and “messy” Muir. I loved learning more about her, and getting to know the family and setting through her eyes. The meet cute between her and Phillip was adorable, and had me falling in love with, and rooting for both of them from the very beginning. While there is so much loss and heartbreak in this story, it manages to stay hopeful and such a positive feel good story. In addition to the love main storyline is a mystery continued from book one. There are still many things left unanswered in this book that make me very excited to read book 3. I cannot wait to read Lilian’s story! Another fabulous book from Melissa Tagg! I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

I have been looking forward to this book since I finished the first in the series. A portion of the beginning of this book was included in the previous book, the meet cute, with not a lot more. So I was left wanting and waiting.

It was worth the wait. Going further and deeper. Fleshing out the "what comes next". Exploring each character on more levels, adding personality. Beyond the main characters it was nice to catch up with some of the previous characters and meet some new ones. As well as whet my appetite for the next book in the series.

I loved diving into the past of both our main characters to look at the way events shaped them as well as the way they handle relationships and other aspects of life. I enjoyed the fact that the book didn't shy away from a couple tricky topics. While the way these were handled is not going to please everyone I'm comfortable with it.

The wait is always worth it for a Melissa Tagg novel! I have be anxiously awaiting this second book in the Muir Harbor series since I read the last page of the first one and I’m so happy to report that it is every bit as beautiful as I knew it would be!
Indi intrigued me from the moment we met her and I loved getting to know her more as we got to get in her head. She had a very vibrant personality that circumstances and regrets had dulled but I loved seeing her start to come to life again.
I absolutely loved Philip! I definitely have a soft spot for the nerdy and slightly awkward heroes and he definitely fit the bill. He was so gentle and unassuming with Indi and was just the steady presence that she needed in her life. And the way he stepped in with his half sister and was willing to do whatever necessary to mend their relationship and help her was entirely endearing. Honestly everything about him was endearing from the way he stuttered when he was uncomfortable to his calling Indi “Farmgirl” I just loved it all!
Holland, Philip’s half sister, had a lot of snark and just enough sweet to make her lovable, which was the perfect mix!
It was really fun to escape back to Muir Harbor and spend more time with all the Muirs! We got some more pieces of the mystery figured out and I can’t wait for book 3 to find out the rest! Also Wilder and Lillian’s story is just going to be the best!

I've been so eager to return to this family in Muir Harbor, Maine. The setting is idyllic and I so enjoyed the first story that I couldn't wait to have more.

Indy is in the spotlight for this story. She's a character that you know has a LOT going on in her mind but she just doesn't let it out. It's like a pressure cooker in there. I loved the first meeting for Philip and Indy. It was humiliating for both them for different reasons but was a bit amusing from a reader's standpoint. I loved how Philip and Indy's relationship progressed and how steady and kind Philip was for Indy. He said the sweetest things. Both characters were easy to invest in emotionally. I felt connected to their struggles and their successes.

There is a bit of mystery swirling around that started in the first book (which I highly recommend you read first, but I don't think you HAVE to) and progresses in this book. It was a good added element that really leveled up the plot. The ending really left me longing for the next book because man, things are really ramping up. I loved family, this series and this book!

Content: possible triggers: adoption, abandonment. Kissing.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

You’ll want to start by reading the first book in the series: Autumn by the Sea. (Which is an excellent book). You could probably follow the story-line starting with the second book, but why miss out?

Melissa Tagg is an engaging writer. She made the story and the characters come alive. Even though the book entered into the pain of the past it never felt overly heavy as Tagg wove threads of hope throughout.

I like mysteries that aren’t related to murder and that was one of the draws of this series for me personally. Who doesn’t like a good treasure hunt, or a mystery of a long lost love, or the search for a missing granddaughter? And even though there were some shifts in this book that took the mystery into slightly darker territory I did still enjoy the twists and turns that it added to the plot.

The book leaves you with more than enough resolution to be satisfied, but leaves the mystery waiting to be solved in some further novel.

Overall, this is a good read about a beautiful and messy cobbled together family with a bit of faith and a hint of mystery set in the delightful context of a small town in Maine. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was stunning. The plot was well-paced and captivating from start to finish. The characters were well-developed; complex, and intriguing. I highly recommend this beautiful telling of the power of love. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Melissa treats us to another special journey with not only Indi and Philip but Maggie, Wilder, Lilian, Holland and more. Her expert writing keeps the reader interested in the main plot with sub plots woven in and I just couldn't put it down. Both Philip and Indi have to work through their own issues but find that having each other is really a great thing. Watching all of these relationships grow is something I love investing my time in. 5 star read and very much looking forward to book 3!!

Thank you to Melissa and Netgalley for offering the arc. I honestly loved it!!