relzreviewz.com Autumn by the Sea by Melissa Tagg

Synopsis:~

Get swept away to the seaside in Maine in this captivating romance brimming with mystery

Abandoned as a toddler, Sydney Rose has spent years wondering who she really is, homesick for a life she’s never lived. When a private investigator crashes into her world, she finds herself heading to a tiny seaside town in Maine to meet a woman named Maggie, who’s searching for the granddaughter she lost decades ago.

If not for Maggie, Neil MacKean might still be back in Scotland, bereft and alone. Instead, he has a full life in Muir Harbor with an adopted family he loves and a blueberry farm to run. But the farm is struggling and strange occurrences have him concerned. Worse, Maggie’s once again caught up in the past, convinced she’s finally found her long-lost granddaughter.

Worried for Maggie, Neil is suspicious of the city girl who shows up at the farm. But there’s something about Sydney that tugs on him, drawing out secrets he never meant to share. While Neil grapples with the future of the farm, Sydney wrestles with a past that’s messier than ever. Together, they’re pulled into a mystery complete with a centuries-old legend, unexpected danger . . . and a love as deep and wild as the sea.

My take:~

Melissa Tagg pens a delightful story of family, loss, mystery, and love in Autumn by the Sea. Kicking off her new Muir Harbor contemporary romance series, this story is sure to have readers familiar with her writing excited about a new community and new characters from this talented writer.

The light mystery added intrigue to the burgeoning romance between Sydney and Neil which developed at a slower pace than Tagg’s previous stories. Tagg’s Maple Valley characters felt like dear friends immediately, but I struggled to find the same affinity with her Muir Harbor inhabitants – they seemed harder to get to know, in deed and motivation – I wanted more.

There is no question Melissa is a skilled writer and her small town romances will keep me coming back time and again. I’m looking forward to reading A Seaside Wonder in early 2022.

With thanks to the author for my review copy. All opinions remain my own.

Melissa Tagg is the Christy and Carol Award-winning author of swoony and hope-filled small-town contemporary romances, including the Maple Valley series, the Walker Family series, the Where Love Begins series, and the Enchanted Christmas Collection. She’s also a former reporter, current nonprofit marketing strategist, and total Iowa girl.

Melissa has taught at multiple national writing conferences, as well as workshops and women’s retreats. When she’s not happily lost in someone else’s book or plugging away her own, she can be found spoiling her nieces and nephews, watching old movies, and daydreaming about her next fictional hero. Connect with Melissa at melissatagg.com.