relzreviewz.com The Shell Collector by Nancy Naigle

Synopsis:~

Two years after her husband’s death, Amanda Whittier has two children to raise alone, an abandoned dream of starting a business, and a fixer-upper cottage by the sea. She has no room in her life for anything else and little interest in moving on after losing the man she loved.

Paul Grant is a relative newcomer to the area, and his work with former military dogs needing rehabilitation has been good for the town. Though he loved once before, he’s convinced he’s not suited for romance and is determined to find meaning—alone—through his work and role in the community.

Widowed Maeve Lindsay was born and raised on Whelk’s Island. Spirited, kind, and a little mischievous, she pours her life into the town. But she carries a secret that shapes her every move.

Together, these three souls find encouragement in the most mysterious places and discover a love that’s bigger than their pain, healing their wounded hearts in ways none of them could have hoped for or expected.

Necee’s take:~

“Live. Love. Laugh. And keep that sand under your feet.”

The Shell Collector is such a beautiful story that it will stay in my heart for years to come. It makes me want to move to a beach immediately, wiggle my toes in the sand, and collect seashells. Most especially I’d love to be a part of this seaside community. Poignant, beautiful, and heartwarming, Naigle builds story that will stay with you. She inspires you to live in the moment and yet to build new hopes and carry out your dreams.

“Honey, unfortunately no life is free of sadness, be it from pain, loss, illness, or…well, you get the idea. It’s all a necessary part of a life well lived.”

Another beauty of this novel is learning to overcome grief in a healthy way and helping others do the same. It’s about how much God is with us in the midst of it all even when we don’t feel Him. This novel will stay with me as a story filled with hope in the midst of pain. The characters are engaging and will make you want to move to a small beach town. When an unexpected friend shows up, the past meets the present in a second chance relationship that brings about hope. The friendships and romance are a treasure to unveil and so inspiring. I loved every moment and hope you will too.

“When the tide goes out, we get to appreciate the treasures it reveals. And when it comes in, new life is washed ashore. There’s beauty in both.”

Anybody else want to move to a small beach town? If not where would you want to live?

I was given a copy of this book by the author. All opinions are my own and are given honestly.

USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle whips up small-town love stories with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. She began her contemporary romance series, Adams Grove, while juggling a successful career in finance and life on a seventy-six-acre goat farm. Now happily retired, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing, cooking, and the occasional spa day with friends. Several of Nancy’s novels have been adapted to the television screen, airing on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.