Helpful Score: 1
I have not read the other 2 books in the series which may be part of my problem with this one. It was 378 pages where not much happened. There was telling rather than showing, especially regarding Samantha's interactions with Ethan's "kids" which was especially frustrating because it was one of the things he so liked about her. She's an actress but we never get to see her act, sing, or say much about her career. I thought the sisters bickering was irritating rather than charming. The leads spent more time fighting their attraction than enjoying it.
Helpful Score: 1
"Sea Glass Island" is #3 in Woods's "Ocean Breeze" series, in which Samantha returns to her family's home in Sand Castle Bay, North Carolina, to attend her two sisters' weddings.
It's a book about the fun and challenges of sisterhood and family, and about new beginnings, as Samantha goes through the pains of giving up her dream of being a New York starlet, to the possibilities of marriage in her hometown to her girlhood crush Ethan, who has his own challenges to overcome after losing a limb in the war in Afghanistan.
Realistic and romantic both, it's a good read both for the characters and how they face the roadblocks in their lives, and for the inviting descriptions of the North Carolina coastline.
"Sea Glass Island" follows "Sand Castle Bay" and "Wind Chime Island," both excellent books that follow the romances of Samantha's two sisters.
It's a book about the fun and challenges of sisterhood and family, and about new beginnings, as Samantha goes through the pains of giving up her dream of being a New York starlet, to the possibilities of marriage in her hometown to her girlhood crush Ethan, who has his own challenges to overcome after losing a limb in the war in Afghanistan.
Realistic and romantic both, it's a good read both for the characters and how they face the roadblocks in their lives, and for the inviting descriptions of the North Carolina coastline.
"Sea Glass Island" follows "Sand Castle Bay" and "Wind Chime Island," both excellent books that follow the romances of Samantha's two sisters.
Leanne D. (eclecticmusicmama) reviewed Sea Glass Island (Ocean Breeze, Bk 3) on + 426 more book reviews
I guess having read the first two books makes all the difference in understanding the relationships in this book.
It's true that these are not action-oriented books; they are fun, summer reads about family and romance. I enjoyed the characters, and the way they adapted to the changes in their lives as they matured.
Good, enjoyable summer reads
It's true that these are not action-oriented books; they are fun, summer reads about family and romance. I enjoyed the characters, and the way they adapted to the changes in their lives as they matured.
Good, enjoyable summer reads
Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Very good conclusion to the series. Samantha is an actress who lives in New York and is headed home for her sister Emily's wedding. In the previous book, Wind Chime Point, her career was slowing down, so her sister Gabi, a PR specialist, helped give it a boost. That boost didn't last, and now Samantha realizes that she's lost the passion that drove her early career. Going home will give her the chance to look at her options and come up with a plan. Getting involved with her teenage crush was not in the plan.
Ethan came home from the war after losing part of his leg and opened a clinic in his hometown. After being dumped by his fiancée because he wasn't "whole," Ethan became jaded and cynical about love. As the best man for Emily and Boone's wedding, he's surrounded by people that do believe. This puts him at a disadvantage when the bride's family seems determined to push him into Samantha's arms.
I liked both Samantha and Ethan. Samantha is independent and focused, even when she's having a career crisis. Her family means everything to her, which shows in her determination to do whatever her sister needs. She is also very observant, a side effect of her work as an actress. Ethan is a good man whose heart was stomped on by his ex. It did a number on his confidence in his appeal to women, and as a result, he built up some pretty solid walls around his heart. The only ones who get through them are the kids he works with. I loved seeing him use his experiences to help children adapt to injuries like his.
I loved watching the development of the relationship between Samantha and Ethan. As maid of honor and best man, they need to be able to work together. Because her family is well aware of that teenage crush, they are determined to push Samantha and Ethan together whenever possible. Though the sparks fly whenever they are together, Ethan is particularly resistant. It doesn't take long for Samantha to be ready to see where those sparks take them. She knows that she is risking heartbreak, but if she can break through his walls, it will be worth it. I loved seeing how well she understood Ethan and his fears and knew when to push and when to back off. Ethan knew he was fighting a losing battle, but his fears went very deep. Just when things looked very promising, they found themselves in the middle of a minor scandal. I wanted to shake Ethan because he used what happened as an excuse to push Samantha away, convincing himself that she would leave anyway. I was also mad at him for failing to support her when she needed him. He did finally redeem himself in a very satisfying manner, but he still let his pride hold him back. I loved Samantha's strength as she stood up for herself and her needs. I liked his big moment at the end as he finally let go of his fears and his pride. The epilogue was a great wrap-up for the book.
A good part of the story was spent on Samantha's career crisis and what she was going to do about it. I loved watching her at the high school and how the drama kids inspired her. I especially liked her connection with Cass. I ached for Samantha when she had to deal with Ethan's attitude and lack of belief in her plans. It was hard to see Samantha's insecurities over her chances to make those plans work, especially when she hit that bump in the road. It was great to see the support she got from her family. When they talked about bringing in guest actors, etc., I immediately thought of Bree from Flowerson Main. It would have been fun to see her provide some advice to Samantha.
Ethan came home from the war after losing part of his leg and opened a clinic in his hometown. After being dumped by his fiancée because he wasn't "whole," Ethan became jaded and cynical about love. As the best man for Emily and Boone's wedding, he's surrounded by people that do believe. This puts him at a disadvantage when the bride's family seems determined to push him into Samantha's arms.
I liked both Samantha and Ethan. Samantha is independent and focused, even when she's having a career crisis. Her family means everything to her, which shows in her determination to do whatever her sister needs. She is also very observant, a side effect of her work as an actress. Ethan is a good man whose heart was stomped on by his ex. It did a number on his confidence in his appeal to women, and as a result, he built up some pretty solid walls around his heart. The only ones who get through them are the kids he works with. I loved seeing him use his experiences to help children adapt to injuries like his.
I loved watching the development of the relationship between Samantha and Ethan. As maid of honor and best man, they need to be able to work together. Because her family is well aware of that teenage crush, they are determined to push Samantha and Ethan together whenever possible. Though the sparks fly whenever they are together, Ethan is particularly resistant. It doesn't take long for Samantha to be ready to see where those sparks take them. She knows that she is risking heartbreak, but if she can break through his walls, it will be worth it. I loved seeing how well she understood Ethan and his fears and knew when to push and when to back off. Ethan knew he was fighting a losing battle, but his fears went very deep. Just when things looked very promising, they found themselves in the middle of a minor scandal. I wanted to shake Ethan because he used what happened as an excuse to push Samantha away, convincing himself that she would leave anyway. I was also mad at him for failing to support her when she needed him. He did finally redeem himself in a very satisfying manner, but he still let his pride hold him back. I loved Samantha's strength as she stood up for herself and her needs. I liked his big moment at the end as he finally let go of his fears and his pride. The epilogue was a great wrap-up for the book.
A good part of the story was spent on Samantha's career crisis and what she was going to do about it. I loved watching her at the high school and how the drama kids inspired her. I especially liked her connection with Cass. I ached for Samantha when she had to deal with Ethan's attitude and lack of belief in her plans. It was hard to see Samantha's insecurities over her chances to make those plans work, especially when she hit that bump in the road. It was great to see the support she got from her family. When they talked about bringing in guest actors, etc., I immediately thought of Bree from Flowerson Main. It would have been fun to see her provide some advice to Samantha.
Good book. Whole Ocean Breeze series kept you wanting to come back for more.
Very good read
Good beach book
