Grumpy and Sunshine. Small town romance. This book had a lot of promise but was a big let down. The writing was really repetitive and bland. It was a lot of telling and not a lot of showing. And the whole point of the book didn’t make any sense to me. Everleigh wanted to sell her godmothers B&B… I didn’t buy it. It meant a lot to her growing up and then she just wants to sell it right away… no. I skim read like 50% and I didn’t miss any of the story…

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When Everleigh learns her godmother has died, shocked doesn't even begin to cover her feelings. The fact that Alana had terminal cancer and never told her -a nurse!- cut deep. When she arrives for the reading of the will, she learns that Alana left her half of everything, which includes Sunshine Inn, the bed and breakfast that was Alana's pride and joy. The other half was left to Cade, the man that had been the caretaker of the property and the only person who had known Alana was sick. Certain she was named in the will as a way for Alana to help her start her non profit to help families she encounters during her job as a traveling nurse in the NICU, she tries to convince Cade to sell. They would both walk away with over a million dollars, and she insists this way they can both follow their dreams. Cade disagrees. Alana had made him promise to look after the inn, and that's exactly what he intends to do. He loves working their, and after his disastrous attempt at opening a restaurant with his ex, he is more than willing to do this on his own. Knowing he can't afford to buy out Everleigh, he agrees to sell the inn on a few conditions. One, they won't sell to a developer, only to someone who wants to run the inn as it currently is. Two, he has final veto power on the buyer. Finally, she has to conduct the sale without the use of a realtor by Thanksgiving, which is less than 2 months away. Certain she can get him on her side. Everleigh moves into the inn to help him run it, and finds her dreams becoming more and more unclear the closer she gets to her deadline.
I would love to see this story made into a Hallmark channel movie. It had the classic will they, won't they storyline, with a possible outside romantic connection to add conflict. I really liked the story line, and the characters were people you were cheering for (and sometimes yelling at for their dense moments) that felt very real and worth the read

Amy Clipston has written a great summer read book.
I enjoyed the story as it touched in sibling relationships, trust, family and second chances in life. . I enjoyed the community aspects of this story and the characters. This is the kind of story that end the end just lifts you up.
Thanks for the advanced copy NetGalley and the publisher.

Readers who like cozy stories will enjoy this story. Set in a small town, a bed and breakfast is up for grabs to the highest bidder or is it? Sunny Everleigh has loss her godmother, is odds with her big sister and wants to set up her dream non-profit helping NICU parents. Moody Cade just wants to succeed in running the bed and breakfast after some major life altering events. Fifty percent ownership of the establishment is causing lots of issues in the sweet story. Recommended.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

Amy Clipston did something with this grumpy sunshine romance that had me giddy with joy. The book took me by surprise as it not only touched on second chances but sibling relationships ,family ,trust ,heartbreak and community. It’s the perfect summer read.

This is a warm, emotional romance that blends heartache, healing, and hope in a charming small-town setting. Amy Clipston crafts a slow-burn love story between Everleigh Hartnett, a compassionate traveling nurse, and Cade Witherspoon, the grumpy but endearing co-owner of the Sunshine Inn.

When Everleigh unexpectedly inherits half of the inn after her godmother’s passing, tensions rise as her vision to sell and fund a nonprofit clashes with Cade’s plans to expand the business. Their conflicting goals set the stage for a compelling opposites-attract dynamic, full of tension, stubbornness, and slow-growing affection.

Everleigh’s persistence and heart balance well against Cade’s emotional walls, rooted in past heartbreak. Their evolving relationship feels believable, with well-timed emotional beats and realistic struggles. The story doesn’t just rely on romance — it explores grief, purpose, and the challenges of starting over, making it more layered than a typical love story.

Such a sweet and endearing novel! Perfect for cozy, second-chance, grumpy/sunshine readers! Thank you @tnzfiction for my early reading copy of Amy Clipston’s new novel, SECOND CHANCE AT SUNSHINE INN, out July 8.

The novel starts right away with Everleigh and Cade receiving their inheritance from Everleigh’s godmother to co-own the Sunshine Inn, a beautiful bed and breakfast.

Everleigh of course was her godmother’s favorite and wants to sell the inn so she can open a nonprofit to support families with children in the NICU. She is also grieving the loss of her dear, dear godmother.

Cade has has a rough past and Everleigh’s godmother gave him a new chance to work at her inn, where he enjoys cooking for the guests and repairing around the grounds. He has a kind side that has been trampled by those he thought loved him.

I am ready to pack my back for a long weekend at the Sunshine Inn, these characters are just so warm and loving!

Mentions of cancer, adoption, lost family NICU nursing, severe storms. Reach out if you have any questions!

This book wasn't what I expected but it surprised me in all the good ways! This is a sweet story of two imperfect people who have a past that makes them want to protect their hearts. Their "guardian angel" thrusts them together in a circumstance they could have never foreseen, beginning a journey of healing, love, and growth for them both as individuals and possibly more.

a sunshine filled book even with the grumpy hero!
this was such a warming book. the type you envisage when people do the whole "go to a nook with a nice cuppa and snuggle" line. this sits with those books. and we are all the better for having these books to have those lines for.
i like the premise of the book. i dont think anyone is always pure sunshine, nor all grumpy. but the outer can sometimes become quite dominant in what we show people, for a myriad of reasons. and so that is what we have with our two main character and it fills the book with more heart as we get to know them and perhaps watch them grow both as individuals and via each other.
and we all love a small town romance with the gorgeous addition of an inn and coastal views. yes please sign me up or just invite me to stay.
this book gives us two strangers who find themselves co-owners of an Inn. they both know the owner of course. but were never told this was going to happen to either of them. so when the will is read there is surprises all round.
but they both have different views on what should happen next. Everleigh wants to list the Inn for sale as she could really use the money for her own dreams back home. but Cade wants to run the sunshine Inn all by himself. so what happens when two stubborn souls collide? and how will this work out in the coming days? but time is a funny old thing. and so is good people, who when they to know to each other and start spending time with each other might just see some different sides, some pleasing sides to each other.
its not all plain sailing and communication is once again the doom bringer of all relationships! when will we human learn this?
i wasn't sure where the outcome would be. i had my own business brain on and was trying to figure out a plan for them both though haha. but i was frustrated with how they kept coming to a brick wall with each other over this time and time again. but i get it, giving up on your dreams or plans must be hard for anyone to have to do even characters in books.
plus with a growing attraction to each other this does complicate things when both have hurts they need to heal. this part of the story adds more depth and knowledge to the characters. you get to know them, get to care for them more.
i enjoyed this book a lot. it felt real and even though as i said i wanted to shake the pair. this in itself just shows how realistic it was. black and white is almost never present in matter of money, the heart, or humans. and we felt that for our pair.

2.5 Stars
One Liner: Good premise, but 2D characters and repetitive writing

Everleigh Hartnett is a traveling nurse who inherits her godmother's beloved seaside bed-and-breakfast. She wants to sell the place to fund her nonprofit, something both of them wanted to establish.
However, Cade Witherspoon, the new co-owner of the B&B, has no such intentions. He wants his peaceful life and a new start that the place can provide. As the two clash, they see more than their social personalities.
But with a developer and Cade’s long-lost brother entering the picture, they have some tough decisions to make.
The story comes in Everleigh and Cade’s third-person POVs.

My Thoughts:
This is exactly the kind of book I enjoy reading. A good setting, some drama (but not a lot), and two characters who are opposites of one another. Of course, grumpy vs. sunshine is a popular trope!
Sadly, the lack of character depth and sub-par execution prevent this from being a heartwarming read. I’m surprised since the author has written many books. Maybe this is one of those not-good ones?
The book starts strong (TW: death of loved ones). I could feel the FMC’s grief, her stress, the pressure and uncertainty of the situation, etc. I even like her profession as a traveling nurse specializing in premie babies. Such a wonderful career choice!
However, the FMC soon lost my support, and it went downhill until the end. She is supposed to be sunshine, but I found her annoying, childish, and stupid. Flaws are realistic, but this went beyond that!
The MMC was okay, but, god, he needed therapy yesterday. Writing a grump is not easy, and we see how easily it could go wrong. Still, compared to the FMC, he was 2% better and could whip up delicious food.
TBH, I liked the side characters, like Roger, Quinn, the parents, siblings, etc. The inn sounded like a beautiful place and so did Coral Cove. Small towns are charming for a reason.
The subplots didn’t really do anything when they should have added layers to the characters.
Despite everything, the book could have been better if there was some nuance. I don’t want deep stuff. You can keep it light and still play with emotions.
The cat was good, though!

To summarize, Second Chance at Sunshine Inn is a clean romance with a good premise you can breeze through. However, it didn’t work for me.
Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

A sweet story set in North Carolina. Do opposites attract? We’ll find out in this story. When stubborn meets sunshine the sparks fly. I’ve only read Amy’s Amish stories before, but I loved this one. I was given a complimentary copy of this book and the opinions are my own.

This story took a little bit of time to get into, but once you do. it's quite good. Everleigh was a traveling nurse but had little empathy for Cade and how he felt about selling the inn. She wanted to sell and he did not. Since they were equal partners, it was a standoff. There were some good extra characters in the story and some sleezy ones. It took quite awhile for both of the to admit what they really wanted. On the whole, I enjoyed the story, it was just slow going at first

I lasted all of 3% on this title; the plot triggers were too much: grief over family friend/chosen family, lawyer meetings, nurse in neonatal intensive care unit with preemie babies. Did not finish. So wanted to read an Amy Clipston; now debating whether I will try another title.

Second chance at sunshine by Amy Clipston

I got this audiobook via @netgalley as ARC and heres my thoughts about it, which are all mine. Thank you also @tnzfiction this book!

This book was like warm breeze in lovely summer night. I loved how characters had all their own battles and how they work those things forward. 

If this town would be real, I would really want to visit! It sounded too perfect beach town!

4/5
Publication date July 8th.

Second Chance at Sunshine Inn by Amy Clipston is a nice contemporary romance story. This is a nicely written story that is easy to read and enjoy. Everleigh is a traveling nurse, who has returned home for her godmother’s funeral. She finds out she has inherited her godmother’s inn jointly with the caretaker, Cade. She wants to sell the inn and get back to her life, while he wants to keep the inn and add on to the business. While Everleigh was very important to her godmother, there is a lot that has happened in her godmother’s life that she is not aware of. Yet Cade was there for her godmother in a time that she really needed someone.

This is a nice story that shows how the lack of communication can cause problems for those left behind. I enjoyed reading of the struggles Everleigh and Cade went through while coming to the conclusion of what to do with the Inn. I like how they reach a compromise on how to move forward. I enjoy how despite their differences, they are there for each other and care for each other. I also appreciate the parts of the story of the relationship Everleigh has of her sister and the parts of the story that focus on Cade and his new found relative.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this story; this is my honest review.

Second Chance at Sunshine Inn is a sweet, contemporary coastal town romance. I enjoyed the sunny/sunshine aspect between Everleigh and Cade. There are a lot of emotions and drama packed in, but all for good reasons. Everleigh is a traveling nurse who is summoned home when her dearly beloved godmother unexpectedly dies. Everleigh needs to deal with the grief from Alana passing, but also that Alana was sick and shared her last days with Cade, rather than telling and sharing with Everleigh. Now, she must manage the inn, equally with Cade. This is where the grumpy/sunshine gets interesting. There are multiple sub-stories occurring which heighten all the emotions, but in the end, are part of what helps draw Everleigh and Cade together. I do like when they finally agreed to work together and the creative ideas they came up with. All in all, a sweet romance set at the beach with themes of family, friendships, following your dreams, and being willing to take a chance.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

A sweet romance. Second chance was rather misleading to me as the couple did not know each other prior to this setting. A second chance at life rather than romance. Some misty moments. Several frustrating moments. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Everleigh was devastated when she found out her beloved godmother, Alana, passed away.

She had spent summers there and loved the Bed and Breakfast Alana ran and that she helped with.

When she was called to the attorney's office to hear the reading of the will, she was totally surprised that she was left half of the Bed and Breakfast and more surprised her godmother had left the other half to her handyman, Cade.

Why did Alana do that?

I think Everleigh finds out why as she and Cade grow closer even though she is all sunshine and he is a bunch of worry.

SECOND CHANCE AT SUNSHINE INN is a heartwarming read with great characters you will love and a setting you won't want to leave.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Well written story and you will love the characters. I couldn't put this book down. Highly recommend this book. It was a pleasure in reading this book.

Two polar opposites, one cozy inn, what could possibly go wrong?

When strangers Cade and Everleigh are left a bed and breakfast, they're forced to work together and put their differences aside. However, as their opposing personalities continue to butt heads, they're left wondering why Everleigh's godmother was thinking when she left them both in charge. As Everleigh and Cade get to know each other, their disagreement over the inn becomes something sweeter.

Overall, I thought this book was an okay read. I'm a sucker for forced proximity and grumpy sunshine romances, so I was excited to dive into this one.

Second Chance at Sunshine Inn is a sweet, clean, small town romance with its fair share of drama and family drama. I liked the side characters and what they added to the story. I also really liked the banter between Everleigh and Cade.

However, I did feel like the writing fell flat at times. At times, the characters felt immature and quite frustrating. I felt like when issues came up, they were solved way too easily. Don't get me wrong, I love drama as much as the next person, but in this story, it didn’t always feel realistic.

Overall, this book was a bit of a hit/miss for me. I'll be the first to admit that this book was not my normal cup of tea. It held a lot promise, but at times felt like something was missing. While Second Chance at Sunshine Inn wasn't a complete hit for me, I did find the story to be sweet with delightful moments and I'm happy to have had the opportunity to check this book out.