Amy Clipston writes sweet romance with lots of heart, and Second Chance at Sunshine Inn is no exception.

Everleigh Hartnett is a traveling nurse who has just completed her most recent assignment in Texas when she gets word that her godmother Alana has passed. She travels back to her hometown and arrives just in time for the reading of the will, but who is the stranger in the room with the family? Cade Witherspoon is stunned to inherit half of the inn that has been his home and his occupation for the past two years. He's excited for the opportunity, but the new co-owner wants to sell the place out from under him, and the real estate sharks are circling. Prime beach-front property doesn't often go on the market in their area. Can his 50% ownership keep Everleigh from selling the first place he's called home in forever?

As Everleigh and Cade work together to make needed repairs to the Sunshine Inn, they each begin to see the heart behind both Cade's desire to hold on and Everleigh's desire to use the money they would gain to start a non-profit fund in her aunt's memory. While Everleigh grew up with her aunt Alana's influence, Cade had also worked with her long enough to gain an understanding of her heart for all of the guests at the inn. Never did she expect to sell the place to the highest bidder.

Gotta say, I didn't like Everleigh much in this story. She was a little like a steamroller, with a single-minded goal to start the non-profit no matter who she had to flatten to do it. She nearly takes the bait when a developer offers an exorbitant amount for the property and is disappointed when Cade turns them down flat without even considering the offer. When Cade finally agrees to sell but only if the buyer meets three stipulations, she jumps at the challenge, only to - in the end - fall for the inn herself. Cade's hurting heart touched me and I was pulling for him to win all the way.

Readers who enjoy sweet romance with a grumpy hero and a sunshiny girl will enjoy Second Chance at Sunshine Inn. I'm more used to Amy Clipston's Amish romances than her contemporary novels, but her forays into contemporary romance have been sweetly fun. I listened to the audio version of this one and the narrator does a fantastic job.

I liked the premise of this novel - a beachy setting, an inn, and a beloved godmother/friend that meant so much to the two main characters, Everleigh and Cade. I enjoy the grumpy-sunshine trope.

I really liked the beach scene with the two alone as he helped her face a fear. I also appreciated the scene after the situation with the inn. (I am leaving out details to avoid a spoiler.). I enjoyed the set-up and basics of this story but I did have some issues with the details and follow-through in some areas.

— Since the ages of the two main characters are more established, they sometimes had immature behaviours: jumping to conclusions, not talking things out or looking at the whole picture, etc. Sometimes I felt as though we were going in circles.

— I found Cade to be somewhat of a paradox. He could be so mature and thoughtful but he could also be a complete, dismissive hothead. Everleigh was also a little confusing. She enjoyed being around family and was so desperate to work through whatever the rift between her and her sister, Harlowe, was. Yet, she also chose to travel within her job and stay away for long periods of time.

— I found it odd that when Everleigh and Cade found themselves as business partners when complete strangers, yet there was no real talk of the serious business aspects - IMHO. That isn’t what would happen in real life. Considering what Cade went through in his past, it would have been true to his character to dig into the numbers, viability, etc. more than expanding a menu and such. He also could not hardly expect her to be a silent partner, trusting him, after he was betrayed by his former fiancée and her brother with his restaurant partnership of the past.

The narrator is good but some voices are not pleasing to the ear.

This is a nice beach read with a great ending. I just wish the details had been more flushed out. I personally did not feel this was Christian fiction but it is clean fiction.

*** My thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing and Net Galley for an advanced audio copy to listen to. My honest review is voluntary and in my own words.

"Second Chance at Sunshine Inn" is a sweet contemporary romance using a forced proximity trope.

Everleigh and Cade are joint recipients of an inheritance from Everleigh's godmother, the Sunshine Inn.

As a traveling NICU nurse, Everleigh hadn't even known her godmother was sick and had never heard of Cade. It had been two years since she'd last been home, but they'd been in regular contact, so she's surprised when the terms of the will are announced.

Gruff and surly Cade had been working for Everleigh's godmother for a couple of years and had taken care of her in her last days. But he wasn't quick to open up to anyone since his former business and ex-girlfriend had trampled all over his trust and love.

As the two work to figure out the future of the inn, they each have very different ideas of what should be done with it, and both are convinced that what they wanted is what Everleigh's godmother wanted. So, while they are each committed to honoring her memory, they want to do it in completely different ways.

What they didn't realize was that all Everleigh's godmother wanted was for them to get to know one another, since she was convinced they were perfect for each other. But as time goes on, they come to realize that she might just be right. The question is, are they too late?

While I always enjoy Ms. Clipston's writing, I did find Everleigh's sunshiny personality a bit too much at times. It made her more of a caricature than I would have liked. But overall, I really enjoyed the story.

Thank you to Amy Clipston, Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Second Chance at Sunshine Inn was such a heartwarming read! It has everything I love in a small-town romance a beautiful coastal setting, lovable characters, and just the right amount of emotional tension.

Everleigh is a traveling nurse who comes back home for her godmother’s funeral, When she finds out she’s inherited half of a charming seaside inn but with a catch. The other half belongs to Cade, a total stranger who’s grumpy. The two have chemistry and naturally, sparks fly but not in the over-the-top sort of way. Their connection builds slowly, with banter, awkward moments, and lots of emotional growth along the way.

I loved watching Everleigh and Cade challenge each other and start to let their guards down. The story had a few surprises some family secrets, unexpected visitors, and the pressure of what to do with the inn. all of which kept me turning pages. It’s the kind of book that leaves you smiling until it’s over.

If you’re into opposites-attract stories with heart and charm, you’ll love this one. I’ll definitely be checking out more from Amy Clipston!

I love Amy Clipston books and I especially like when I get to listen to them on audio. It feels like I'm transported to where the story is taking place. Highly recommend.

Everleigh Hartnett is a traveling NICU nurse who has a dream of setting up a nonprofit to help families with critically ill children in the hospital called Helping Angels. She is devastated when her favourite aunt, also her godmother, dies, but when she inherits half of her beloved seaside bed-and-breakfast, she dreams of selling the place to fund the nonprofit she and her godmother always envisioned. The problem is that she has to work with the new co-owner, Cade Witherspoon. Cade has worked at the B&B for the last couple of years, and has no plan to sell the place. He was hoping Everleigh would be a silent partner and let him run the place, the way he is sure Alana would have wanted. He finally agrees to try to sell it, but it must be done privately, and she only had until Thanksgiving, then she will take it off the market. In the meantime, they will run the B&B, with Cade begin the cook and handyman. There are also some issues within their family with Everleigh and her sister Harlow, have been at odds all their lives and with Everleigh inheriting the B&B, it becomes worse. She is trying to reconcile with her sister, while all this is happening. Cade has his own baggage to get over, so these two have a lot to deal with, and their feelings that develop between them is another roadblock to moving forward with the B&B.

I enjoyed this story set in a small town, with family and friends, even the guests at the B&B. I liked all the characters, except the real estate agent wanting to buy the place and tear it down for a development, and her secret sidekick. The relationship between Cade and Everleigh developed slowly, from enemies to friends and more. They share secrets and dreams which is a great way to become more than just friends. Both of them loved Alana and thought they were doing what she would have wanted. I enjoyed the family activities and get togethers as well as both of their parents. The conflict between Everleigh and her sister seemed somewhat childish, and one that death often brings out, and I was happy with the way it was finally resolved. With several themes of family drama, reconciliation, dealing with grief, dreams, new beginnings, and romance, there was a lot to like. The story moved a bit too slowly for my liking, and as others have said, there were chunks that could have been cut out and not changed the story much, but I still enjoyed reading and listening to this one. I read more than I listened too, as it was great to read it out by the pool. I do enjoy Amy Clipston's writing and will read more of her books, even if this wasn't one of my favourites.

The story was good, but it seemed like it was dragged out too long. The characters stay to feel an attraction to each other, but they scoured it for long time. It comes diet to the very end before they give in.

Overall, I liked the premise and story of this audiobook, but felt that ultimately it was not very good as it just dragged on too long. I really liked the characters, Everleigh and Cade in this grumpy/sunshine book. However, I felt this book could have been a LOT shorter. It seemed that the misunderstandings kept going on and on. The narrator was very good, I enjoyed her portrayal of both characters.

Second Chance at Sunshine Inn
Amy Clipston
I’ve always heard that opposites attract, Second Chance at Sunshine Inn proves it.
Everleigh Hartnett is a traveling nurse. . She has a happy, cheerful personality. She’s like sunshine. She returns to her hometown for her godmother’s funeral. Everleigh inherits half of her godmother’s beloved bed and breakfast. The other half belongs to Cade Witherspoon, whom she has never met. If you look in the dictionary for a definition of grumpy you would see Cade’s picture. While Everleigh would like to sell the B&B Cade is determined to hang on to it. He doesn’t want a partner; it would suit him well if Everleigh would do nothing, say nothing, just be a silent partner.
Everleigh wants to sell the inn she has plans to use the proceeds for the non-profit endeavor she has plans for. I enjoyed this tale. It was fun watching Cade and Everleigh as they slowly fell in love. Cade doesn’t trust women because of his past.
When Everleigh and Cade truly get to know each other, they discover they have more in common than they realized. The out come of this tale is rather predictable but that did not prevent me from enjoying it. This is a light read one great for laying on the beach.

I received a digital copy of this book for reviewing. My reviews are my unbiased opinions.

This is a classic inheritance story where a guy and a girl get half ownership of an Inn and they have conflicting ideas of what to do with it.

Everleigh is a sweet character and I liked her optimism despite experiencing grief. Because of the premise and the setting, I figured that she would end up keeping the Inn at the end, but I really liked her vision of funding a non-profit with the sale money. Her conflict with Cade over this felt realistic and I was entertained watching it play out. Everleigh's growth over this was well done.

Cade was a grump at first and judgmental. This worried me since I do not enjoy reading enemies to lovers. However, this went down the grump x sunshine route more than enemies. Neither character was disrespectful, they were just assertive in their opinions over the Inn. Cade grew as a character as well, and I thought it was really well done. The way he slowly softened up was so cute to read.

The romance was really satisfying. It is slow burn! I thought the way Amy Clipston described their connection forming was so detailed and authentic. It made me like both characters even more.
There's maybe one kiss. It was the emotional connection that meant more and I loved that!

I loved the setting! I could feel the cozy small town vibes of Sunshine Inn.

Parents in books are usually annoying, and this was no different. The unreasonable actions of Cade's mom drove me nuts but not to the point where I didn't enjoy the story anymore.

What would have brought this up to five star level is adding faith content. This is a clean secular romance. Faith content would have added extra depth to the characters that I think was lacking in their healing process.

The narration was fantastic! The tone of voice helped me distinguish between characters and get immersed in the story.

Definitely recommend! One of this author's best.

Get ready to jump into a novel that feels like the perfect mix between a Netflix and Hallmark movie! Second Chance at Sunshine Inn audiobook is brought to life by the amazing narration of Melissa Moran.

Melissa is able to capture the depth and dynamic layer of emotion in this story and make it pop! Whether it's her soothing, swoony (yet grumpy) man voice of Cade or her bright, spoken with a smile voice for Everleigh, each character sounds just the way the book describes them.

This story is layered with emotions! I love the dynamic between Everleigh and Cade - watching how closed off Cade is at the beginning to witnessing him protecting Everleigh by making sure she knows the truth (IYKYK). Alana (Everleigh's godmother) truly is like a guardian angel looking down on these two. 🥰

This story is more than just a romance between Cade and Everleigh. It is packed with family dynamics that show the power of healing through letting go, and letting "in". As a "planner" myself, I loved watching Everleigh's plans shift and evolve- giving me that reminder that plans are good, but life's surprises can be better.

This book really is the perfect summer release! It's easy to read, ripe with sweetness, and the journey to "the end" is an utter delight.

This was a quick easy little love story. It was a very predictable story and just did not have enough depth for me. Overall pretty good.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook ARC! I really enjoyed this sweet romance. I’m not always big into romance, because the romance can get to be too much and too graphic for my liking. This is the complete opposite, and I appreciated that.

If you are into very slow, Christian romance novels this will be a hit for you. I enjoyed the flow of the story, and understanding each character, and their struggles. It’s nice to read a book without every couple pages being intimate scenes. I do feel like the book (not the romance part) was a little slow in the middle and dragged on a little more than I felt it needed. I still really enjoyed this book, and I plan to read more by this autor. I highly recommend this book. I gave it 4.25⭐️

Second Chance at Sunshine Inn
By: Amy Clipston

- forced proximity
- enemies to lovers
- main characters inherit 50% of a cozy inn

FMC inherits 50% of an inn from a close family friend when she passes, only to find out the other 50% goes to a handsome stranger with his own connection to the inn and previous owner. This book was sweet and had great character growth and connections.

The narrator was great and added personality to the characters!

Content/trigger warnings: loss and grief

Thank you to NetGalley & the author for access to this ARC in return for my honest review!

Second Chance at Sunshine Inn is a heartfelt and uplifting story that beautifully captures the themes of redemption, healing, and unexpected love. Amy Clipston’s storytelling shines as she brings together relatable characters, an inviting small-town setting, and an emotional journey that feels both personal and universal.

The protagonist’s growth throughout the book is inspiring—showing that even after life’s toughest seasons, there’s hope for a fresh start. The relationships, especially the central romance, are tender and realistic, with just the right blend of vulnerability and joy.

Clipston’s descriptive writing makes Sunshine Inn feel like a place you could step into, full of charm, community, and warmth. It’s a feel-good read that also touches on deeper emotional truths, leaving you with a smile and a renewed belief in second chances.

Fans of contemporary romance with a wholesome heart will find this book irresistible. It’s the kind of story you want to curl up with and savor, then recommend to a friend.

Imagine a teenager, who loves the Twilight Saga, decides to write a book about actual adults- 28 and 33- making actual real-life decisions. This is that book. Written with Twilight's same melodrama and theatrics but without the redeeming inclusion of vampires and werewolves. All we've got here are a handyman, a traveling nurse, and some real estate agents. These characters are not believable at all. Even if they had been believable, I wouldn't trust any of them to make a well-reasoned decision to save their lives. Including, as it turns out, the dead godmother. The continual physical descriptions of everyone's hotness is over the top. In addition, toward the end there were repeated mentions of the godmother being their guardian angel. Can you get any less theologically accurate, Thomas Nelson? Zondervan? Drivel like this is borderline irresponsible. My opinion is, perhaps, influenced by the teeny bopper voices in the audio narration by Melissa Moran. Gag me with a spoon. Yes, I went there.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and Netgalley for providing a free audio-arc in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I eagerly anticipated reading this book, believing it would be an ideal beachside read. It was not. The dialogue was simplistic and repetitive, resulting in numerous conversations that failed to advance the plot. Notably, the cat’s departure during one chapter was a fitting. I thought he too, was growing tired of the senseless conversations. Both Everleigh and Cade exhibited immature behavior, making it unlikely that they would establish a successful relationship in real life.
Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing me an audio of this book.

“Let’s take a selfie instead.”
“Why? We’re in a bookstore.”
“Exactly! Bookstores are some of the happiest places on earth.”

“Promise me you’ll find your sunshine. Don’t keep your heart closed forever.”

Reading and listening to an Amy Clipston book is like coming home to a loving hug. The prolific renowned writer brings her usual cozy writing charm to the grumpy sunshine themed Second Chance At The Sunshine Inn.

Everleigh, a traveling NICU nurse comes home to the small town of Coral Cove for her godmother's funeral and reading of her will. She's touched that Alana left her the Sunshine Inn but she's shocked that she has to share it with the Inn's ruggedly handsome handyman, Cade. Wait, did she just describe him as ruggedly handsome?!

Cade is honored that Alana left him the Inn. It's his home. He fixed it up for her. He became its chef. He also cared for Alana until the end. Why is this beautiful traveling nurse wanting to stay with him until they sell it? Wait, did he just call her beautiful...and no way is he selling it!

As these two deny their attraction, fight over the future of the Inn, deal with family issues (Everleigh's fraught relationship with her sister and Cade's mom shocking revelation about her past), they also eat together, share memories of Alana and slowly fall in love despite fighting it every step of the way.

The always delightful voice actress Melissa Moran gives both Everleigh and Cade their vulnerability in this third person love story where two lost souls get a second chance to find each other.

Tropes:
💝Grumpy Sunshine
💝Second Chance
💝Forced Proximity
💝Small Town
💝Clean Closed Door Romance
💝Adorable Pets

Second Chance At The Sunshine Inn is a guaranteed loving hug from a favorite author.

I received free copies of this book/audiobook from TNZ Fiction, Thomas Nelson and Harper Collins Christian via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley, Amy Clipson, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy of this story in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

This cozy second chance romance read was just the thing that this reader needed to pull me out of a funk! This audiobook was easy to follow. The narrator had a soothing voice, with talented range to portray different characters and emotions. I enjoyed listening to this one over reading on page.

Tropes you will find in this story:

- Second Chance Romance
- Sunshine/Grump dynamic
- Forced Proximity
- Jealous/Protective MMC
- Adorable fur-friends

Trigger warning for this one: themes of loss/grief - cancer, deep rooted family drama (teen pregnancy/adoption involving side characters), and previous failed relationships are discussed throughout this book. And while I wish I would have known that going in - I am so glad I kept coming back as I was ready! Having recently lost a loved one topics discussed very early on were triggering for this reader... However, much like our main characters - I found the events unfolding to be heartfelt, the perfect amount of "cheesy. goodness" I desire from reading, and most of all the overall message of hope.

After losing her godmother, Alana - Everleigh and newly introduced stranger Cade find themselves in quite a predicament... They have each inherited 50% of Alana's Sunshine Inn B&B. Each have a vision of what being a new owner of a B&B means to them... along with what to do with this newfound inheritance. Both have a desire to keep a legacy full of dreams alive - and come to a crossroad agreement... sell the Inn within a set amount of time or become permanent business partners.

As deadlines approach... and clouds of despair arise in each of their lives through processing grief, and varying types of loss - this duo may just come to find than there may be more than a second chance at life at the Sunshine Inn. There may be a second chance at love as well.

Second chance at sunshine Inn
Author:Amy Clipston
Narrator :Melissa Moran
3*
Thanks to NetGalley for this copy
This was a slow burn romance between Cade and Everleigh who are brought together when they are left joint ownership of the Inn by Everleigh’s Godmother in her will . There are family issues on both sides that need to be resolved along with decisions about the future of the inn before there is a satisfactory resolution .
A perfectly acceptable story to listen to , nothing at all wrong with it but not very memorable .