Fiction Review: Sea Glass Cottage by Irene Hannon

Heartwarming. Inspirational. Raw. 

Irene Hannon continues to draw us in with both new and beloved characters making their home in Hope Harbor, a charming coastal community every reader wishes were real. From the generous, guardian-angel-like Charlie, who always seems to be in the right place at the right time with the right thing to say, to two couples struggling with difficult pasts and promising futures, Hannon crafts believable, relatable characters that quickly become her readers' good friends. The only disappointment is that the mystery of who owns the "sea glass cottage" of the title is never revealed, although it's fun to guess.

The minimal plot of "Sea Glass Cottage" follows Christi, a former spoiled rich girl, and Jack, Christi's ex-boyfriend who learns he has a daughter from another relationship. Christi comes to Hope Harbor hoping Jack will loan her money for a friend, only to find a new, providential home and job. The woman who offers her the job has separated from her husband after the death of their son. Her husband's redemption and dedicated efforts to love his wife were the highlight of the book for me. But, really, there's something for everyone to love in this novel. Hannon rarely disappoints, and "Sea Glass Cottage" quickly won me over.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

Fiction Review: The Catch by Lisa Harris

Lisa Harris gives readers another thrilling page turner with "The Catch." This is the third novel in her US Marshals series, and readers may have an easier time feeling attached to marshals Madison and Jonas if they have read the previous two books in the series. However, Harris does a good job of filling any new readers in on details they may have missed. In any case, this isn't really a book you read for the character development. Harris excels in crafting an exciting plot with many unexpected twists and turns, but any faith elements or real character development feels like more of an after thought. Madison and one of the other characters both deal with loss of loved ones, and Madison also finally has a chance to "catch" the person who murdered her husband. Meanwhile, the main story line follows the search for a missing woman with ties to a criminal and a judge. To say any more would be to give away too much, but I can promise you that, out of the three books in this series (and out of the several Harris books I've read), "The Catch" contains probably the most interesting plot in terms of edge-of-your-seat moments. 

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review.