Book Review: Serenity Harbor by RaeAnne Thayne

This is a really lovely reading experience.

Serenity Harbor: A Heartwarming Small Town Romance
(Haven Point)
by RaeAnne Thayne

File Size: 2078 KB
Print Length: 384 pages
Publisher: HQN Books (July 1, 2017)
ASIN: B01MT0PANG
Genre: Small Town Romance
My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0

In the town of Haven Point, love can be just a wish—and one magical kiss—away…
Computer-tech millionaire Bowie Callahan is about the last person that schoolteacher Katrina Bailey wants to work for. As far as she can see, he's arrogant, entitled and not up to the task of caring for his young half brother, Milo. But Kat is, especially if it brings her closer to her goal of adopting an orphaned little girl. And as her kindness and patience work wonders with Milo, she realizes there's more to sexy, wary Bo than she'd ever realized.
Bo never imagined he'd be tasked with caring for a sibling he didn't know existed. Then again, he never pictured himself impulsively kissing vibrant, compassionate Katrina in the moonlight. Now he's ready to make her dream of family come true…and hoping there's room in it for him, too…

Review:
RaeAnne Thayne has a wonderful writing style that creates realistic and likeable characters facing real life challenges. The reading is easy and warm making this move along at a quick pace.

Katrina struggled with illness that made her childhood difficult. She got better in her teenage years and discovered boys about the time they discovered her. She has made some poor choices in men and life since. But her last bad choice brought her to a life changing experience. Katrina discovered a special child in Columbia, Gabriela, whom she is determined to adopt and bring back to America.

Kat has returned from Columbia for three weeks to attend her sister’s wedding. Only Kat’s best friend, Samantha, supports her plan as even her mother doesn’t believe she has changed her flighty ways. Sam points out her latest interest, the newest, handsome bachelor in town, Bowie. Kat has no plans to look at any man while she is focused on adopting Gabi. But Kat realizes that Bowie is struggling with a young boy about to throw a tantrum. Kat manages to distract the boy and learns that Milo is Bo’s autistic, five-year-old half-brother.

Bo has struggled to overcome his own childhood being raised by a young, single mother who could barely care for herself. Now he has accepted guardianship of a half-brother he has just met. Bo knows nothing of handling children and being faced with one who has autism and doesn’t speak has really set his world spinning. Fortunately, Bo made a fortune as a computer tech genius so he can afford good care to help Milo. Since the specialist he has hired as a nanny won’t arrive for three more weeks, Bo offers Kat an outrageous sum to help take care of Milo during that time.

Initially Katrina wants to avoid the all too handsome man but she can really use the money to help with adoption expenses. She agrees to sit for Milo and a day or so later finds herself moving into Bo’s home so she can be there morning and evenings as Bo works late. This puts Bo and Katrina in close proximity trying to resist the chemical attraction that flares along with the growing respect for each other.

Bo has never known stability and love and he doesn’t know how to convince Katrina to stay with Milo … and him. Katrina doesn’t want to be distracted by a temporary fling when she must stay focused on her ‘daughter’. The tension expands as these two dance around their blooming feelings.

I really enjoyed the warmth and charm of this story. I was touched by Bo’s tenderness for Milo and Kat’s caring approach to Milo and Gabi. There is extra conflict added by the expectations and concerns of Kat’s mother, by Sam’s crush on Bowie and by the long-distance adoption efforts. This is part of a wonderful series but can be read as a standalone. It is delightful reading and I recommend it to readers who enjoy small town romance and the special children portrayed in this gem.

I received this through NetGalley for review as part of Little Bird Publicity Tour. This qualifies for my NetGalley Challenge.

AMAZON KINDLE $3.99!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne loves words. Her love affair started as soon as she learned to read, when she used to devour anything she could get her hands on: cereal boxes, encyclopedias, the phone book, you name it! She loves the way words sound, the way they look on the page and the amazing way they can be jumbled together in so many combinations to tell a story.

Her love of reading and writing those words led her to a fifteen-year career in journalism as a newspaper reporter and editor.

Through it all, she dreamed of writing the kind of stories she loved best. She sold her first book in 1995 and since then she’s published more than 40 titles. Her books have won many honors, including three RITA® Award nominations from the Romance Writers of America and a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews.

RaeAnne finds inspiration in the rugged northern Utah mountains where she lives with her hero of a husband and their children. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.raeannethayne.com.