I enjoyed this story of love and forgiveness that begins in Atlanta but mostly takes place in the small South Carolina town of Happy Harbor. The main character, Josie, has had a tough childhood and adult life growing up with a mostly absent alcoholic single mother. Josie was raised by her grandmother and is now a single mother herself. I honestly didn’t like this character for most of the book because she was so difficult with others. Overall the characters were so good and had lots of depth. The one of the main themes of the story is that people can change and thankfully so did Josie!

Josie life is falling apart and the question is, can she mend it? Fired from her job and no career insight, dumped by her cheating fiance and her teenage daughter Kendra is rebellious and disrespectful. Josie's childhood memories of an alcoholic mother, Diane, haunt her. Its a lot to deal with let alone turn around.
The main setting is Happy Harbor, a close knit town where everything is cringe worthy amazing. I couldn't help but want to live there!

I found the storyline predictable. The dilemmas throughout were not thrilling, causing the plot to be a little weak. There was just enough in the story to keep me turning the pages. The main characters all have their charms and I did want to see where they ended up with their trials and tribulations.

Thankyou to #Netgalley, publisher and #RachelHannah for the free copy of #HappyHarbor in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Happy Harbor. I really enjoyed Josie’s story. She comes home after her grandmothers death and is faced with many obstacles. In order to be happy, she has to learn to trust again and make a life for her and her daughter. This story is very heartfelt and I would recommend.

Rachel Hanna is one of my favorite authors which was why I wanted to read this book. This was a very different style book for her. The main character, Josie is fired from her job, gets dumped by her fiance and her teenage daughter gets expelled from school all in the same week. Then her Grandmother who raised her when her alcoholic mother left, dies and leaves Josie her historic home and restaurant in the small town of Happy Harbor. Josie is reluctant to move back to Happy Harbor since she has bad childhood memories of the town. Josie's abandonment issues makes it had to trust anyone and and has caused her to be a tough unlikable person. Given limited options, Josie moves back to Happy Harbor to try to start a new life for her troubled daughter. Her now sober mother is back in the picture. Josie doesn't trust that she has changed. Josie meets her Grandmothers guest cottage tenant and sparks begin to fly. I enjoyed reading this book even though at first didn't like the main character. But, as Josie begins to change and soften, she becomes more likable.

I recently read "Happy Harbor" by Rachel Hanna. Although the characters and storyline were enjoyable for the most part, I found some aspects of the plot to be a little far-fetched. Specifically, I felt that Josie's quick forgiveness of her mother Diane seemed unrealistic, given how her childhood was affected by her mother's alcoholic behaviour.

Josie Campbell had a seemingly perfect life in Atlanta until in two days she was fired from her job, and dumped by her fiancé, her daughter was expelled from her private school and then suffered the loss of her beloved Nana. She was hesitant to return to the town where she had grown up, Happy Harbor, as it brought back painful memories. However, her Nana willed her restaurant and historic home, hoping that Josie could learn to work with others and reunite with her mother, Diane. One of the characters I enjoyed reading about was Josie's daughter, Kendra, who underwent significant personal growth throughout the book.

Despite the enjoyable storyline, I did find Josie's indecisiveness and self-centred behaviour to be a bit tiring. However, the small-town atmosphere of Happy Harbor was a delightful aspect of the book, and I wished that there was more emphasis on the restaurant and its employees in the second half of the story. Overall, I found "Happy Harbor" to be an enjoyable read that had its moments of brilliance, but also some areas that could have been improved.

I love Rachael Hanna but I had a hard time getting into this book. It did not capture my interest the way her books normally do. I did keep reading the book and finished it.

Josie returns home after her Grandmother dies, she tries to live out the requirements of her grandmothers will. any book by this author is really good.

Loved the book! Broken relationships can drive us away from home and we all need a Nana the know where we really belong. Time can truly heal all wounds and opening ourself to second chances can bring the happiness we want but cannot find. Thank you Ms Hanna for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this new release by Rachel Hanna. I have read most of her book series and thoroughly enjoy her relatable and realistic themes. "Happy Harbor" is her newest book that offers a deeper dive into the human element and how life events deeply affect who we are. "No one really changes" is a main theme in this story for the main character, relative to herself and also how she views others. People and life events have wounded her and given her a hard shell which is reflected in all aspects of her life. As the story plays out, you see and feel her outside of her comfort zone where she starts re-evaluating her life and feelings. Other characters teach her by example and by believing in her that transformations can and do actually happen. Surprises from the past and present intertwine with the theme to make this story well-balanced, satisfying, and leaving the reader feeling connected to the characters and wanting to know more about their lives and futures together in the endearing town of Happy Harbor. I highly recommend this story and hope it will become a series. It would translate well into a Hallmark movie or television series.

This is a wonderful small town book. Josie was an interesting main character. She’s prickly, judgmental and not a very happy person. Her life implodes in the first few chapters. The small town of Happy Harbor is just what her and her daughter needs. It was great watching Josie transform. She didn’t completely become a different person. She still had her moments, which made the book believable. I highly recommend this book.

I love the books from this author. She has a wonderful style of writing about small town living and the communities around them. Her characters are always real with their own life baggage and this one was so good. When her beloved grandmother dies she return home with her daughter to attempt to live out the conditions of her will. She is now working with her estranged mother in her grandmothers cafe. The way this lady transforms is believable and such a great story. Thank you #NetGalley and #Blackstone for the ARC.

Rachel Hanna's novels are always enjoyable and this is no exception.

Josie Campbell, single mother to Kendra, left her small hometown and the accompanying memories for the big city and bigger career aspirations in Atlanta. Vowing to provide a different life for her rebellious teen daughter, Josie tries to distance herself from her childhood tainted by her alcoholic mother.

Event after event lead Josie and Kendra back to Happy Harbor, and it's time to face the past after Josie's beloved Nana passes away and she's left to carry on the legacy of the local restaurant and historic home complete with organized tours. Josie is left to wonder if people really can change, after a lifetime of believing people don't change. And this story is a reminder to trust the wisdom of our elders; sometimes they really do know best.

Thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing & Rachel Hanna for the ARC.

What a wonderful trip to Happy Harbor. This book is a story of redemption, second chances and helping an outcome from beyond the grave. It was a testament of how you really can come home again! I'm really hoping this is a series because I need more!

Josie Campbell grew up in the small town of Happy Harbor. She had an alcoholic mother who was often absent and spending time in town ding all kinds of stuff. All Josie ever wanted to do was leave, She never wanted to be known as her mother's daughter again. Josie returns home to Happy Harbor as her Grandmother has passed away. She ends up having to run the family restaurant. She is also now staying in the old family home, Josie also brought her daughter Kindra with her who is loving the new life. As Josie begins her healing it is interrupted by her estranged mother showing up. Her mother says she is now sober and wanted a second chance. Josie isn't quite sure about having her mother back in her life and she is not sure if she can forgive her, Even though she has these feelings she does think it might be nice for Kindra to have a grandmother. Will Josie be able to do this for her daughter? Will she get a second chance with her mom and her old friend Walker.?This is a wonderful story of hope, forgiveness and healing!

This is a story about change, forgiveness, fitting in, and trusting others. Rachel Hanna is a go-to author for clean domestic fiction. Happy Harbor is another great work of fiction. The story and characters are relatable. The setting goes from stressful to cozy. Lessons are learned and change is possible. I give this easy read 4 stars and will recommend to others.
Thank you to the publishers for an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Josie thought she had the perfect life until she was fired from her job, dumped by her fiancé, and her grandmother died. She hated returning to her home town where she lived with her grandmother, reliving al the awful moments. Her grandmother had faith in her and left her her restaurant and house believing Josie could learn to work with others and reunite with her mother. I really liked her daughter, Kendra, who realized she needed a new school and place to belong. I did get tired of Josie wanting to make changes when she was clueless about what her grandmother had established. She was so self-centered,

Happy Harbor
by Rachel Hanna
Pub Date: June 11, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
From USA Today bestselling author Rachel Hanna, Happy Harbor is a heartfelt, hometown romance perfect for fans of Debbie Macomber and Susan Mallery. In Rachel Hanna's poignant and heartwarming novel, "Happy Harbor," Josie Campbell, a woman who has spent years distancing herself from her troubled childhood in the small Southern town of Happy Harbor, is forced to confront her past when she returns home following the death of her beloved grandmother.
Readers will find themselves invested in Josie's struggle and rooting for her as she navigates the challenges of her past and embraces the possibility of a brighter future.
4 stars

I enjoyed the small town atmosphere and the mother daughter dynamics of the story. I can always count on Rachel Hanna to come up with an enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read Happy Harbor by Rachel Hanna, an author we can always count on. I enjoyed the small town, and I enjoyed the mother daughter dynamics

I enjoyed the premise of this novel immensely, especially the theme of forgiveness, and how people can change. I thought the main character was a little too one-dimensional, and I took a point off because some of the dialogue was redundant. However, I liked the small town setting and the different relationships between mothers and daughters.