🏡🌊 The Cliff House 🌊 🏡 (2019) - Book Review

MY REVIEW

Hardcover: 384 pages

Publisher: HQN; Original edition (March 26, 2019)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1335004904

ISBN-13: 978-1335004901

“Three women—two sisters and their aunt—and the cliff house on the northern California coast that served as a beacon to them all…

After the death of their mother, sisters Daisy and Beatriz Davenport found a home with their aunt Stella in the beautiful and welcoming town of Cape Sanctuary. They never knew all the dreams that Stella sacrificed to ensure they had everything they’d ever need. Now, with Daisy and Bea grown, it’s time for Stella to reveal the secret she’s been keeping from them—a secret that will change their family forever.

Bea thought she’d sown all her wild oats when she got pregnant far too young. The marriage that followed was rocky and not destined to last, but it gave Bea her wonderful, mature, now eleven-year-old daughter, Marisol. But just as she’s beginning to pursue a new love with an old friend, Bea’s ex-husband resurfaces and turns their lives completely upside down.

Then there’s Daisy—sensible, rational, financially prudent Daisy. She’s never taken a risk in her life—until she meets a man who makes her question everything she thought she knew about life, love and the power of taking chances.

In this heartwarming story, Stella, Bea and Daisy will discover that the path to true happiness is filled with twists and turns, but love always leads them back home.”

After seeing this book on so many social media accounts I follow, and owning books by the author, I thought it would be a great read. What it also had in its favor was that it was published by Harlequin and is a clean, wholesome read. So, I finally got it from the library. 

["The Cliff House" - RaeAnne Thayne]

After their mother dies, half sisters Daisy and Beatriz are raised by their aunt Stella (their mother’s sister) who puts her life on hold to raise her sister’s children. Now, the two girls are grown with their own lives to pursue. Told in four (4) POVs: Daisy, Beatriz, Stella, and Gabe; The Cliff House tackles several subjects - fostering children, divorce, death, late in life pregnancies, second chances.

Daisy is rational, sensible, and hasn’t taken one risk in her life. That is until she meets Gabe. He makes her question everything, and he himself has questions such as her reluctance to share the identity of a talented artist by “Marguerite”.

Beatriz is a single, divorced mother. Her ex-husband, one of Stella’s former “fosters”, is a famous musician who is recovering from a stalker’s attack there in Cape Sanctuary. While the marriage was short lived, Bea is thankful for her 11 year old daughter, Marisol. However, Cruz’ return makes Bea’s quest to move on with her life harder. She’s also finding herself thinking more and more about Shane who has been her best friend since childhood.

Stella, now 40, is pregnant. But, she isn’t upset about it. She’s thankful and had been waiting for a long time for the news. She is rocked when a former love, Ed (now a widower), shows up in town with his daughter. Ed is an OB-GYN going into practice with Stella’s doctor.

Gabe is an Academy Award nominated documentary film-maker who happened to save Cruz’ life and enters Daisy’s life as he is recuperating at Cruz’ house there in Cape Sanctuary.

Thayne focuses on three (3) romances at a time:

* Bea/Shane/Cruz

* Daisy/Gabe

* Stella/Ed

The premise of this book sounded riveting and I couldn’t wait to read it. And, as much as I TRIED to LOVE it … I couldn’t. It didn’t work.

I don’t know if it was the four person POV formula, the multiple romances, or the characters – or all of it – it just didn’t work for me.

Stella’s story was so beautiful I felt she really deserved her own stand alone book. Her reason for pushing Ed away all those years ago was genuine and showed selflessness at an age where most people would be selfish. She was just 10 years older than Daisy, and was caring for her nieces at a time when she should’ve been living her life. I felt as though Ed could’ve been more sympathetic towards her regarding “why” she did what she did. I was glad that her story had a happier ending and would’ve liked to have seen that stretched out a bit more.

I felt sorry for Bea with regard to the Shane and Cruz mess. I felt she was quite strong with Cruz and setting boundaries, yet she seemed weak in trying to tell Shane what she was feeling. I was proud of her daughter Marisol for being assertive with her father with regard to the Father/Daughter Pinewood Derby. For being 11, she seemed like the most mature of the characters.

Daisy was a bit too cold and distant for me. The author established a good reason, but while that aloofness worked with strangers, the attitude with her own sister and aunt was off-putting. After a while the sympathy wore off and she wore my nerves down. After a while I wanted to skip her chapters completely.

All in all, this wasn’t the WORST book I’ve read. It wasn’t the best either. I am glad that I was able to get it from the library though. For me it was a one and done kind of read.

Fans of the author might enjoy this, though some may not. 

3 ⭐⭐⭐ /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

#1 Publishers Weekly, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne finds inspiration in the beautiful northern Utah mountains where she lives with her family. Her books have won numerous honors, including seven RITA Award nominations from Romance Writers of America and a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews magazine. RaeAnne loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.raeannethayne.com.

She can be found on the following social media accounts:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRaeAnneThayne/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raeannethayne/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/raeannethayne

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