Don’t be surprised to hear that I’m moving to Maine. Once again Donna Kauffman has written a siren song about a small coastal Maine town that has me jonesing not just for a vacation, but a life-changing move. If you’re looking to lose yourself in a romance for a few hours, pick up the third book in Donna Kauffman’s The Bachelors of Blueberry Cove series, Sandpiper Island. The only problem with this book is that after the last page is turned, I don’t want to leave Blueberry Cove. I. Don’t. My one wish is that Sea Glass Sunrise, the first book in Kauffman’s new Brides of Blueberry Cove would be published before June 2015!
Oh, does that sound like I love Sandpiper Island? If that was a resounding yes, you’re right. I’ve been longing for the story of the reclusive Ford Maddox and hoped for some happiness in diner owner Delia O’Reilly’s life.
From hints in the previous two titles, I had guessed that Ford and Delia had a history that might extend a bit beyond friendship. Well, it does. And this is one sexy read.
But this isn’t really a book about hot bedroom scenes (though it does have some), but it’s truly about love in all its many guises. Ford’s love for his sister, his love of the migrating birds, his care for Delia, and love of his hometown of Blueberry Cove. Ford rides to the rescue when Delia’s diner – the town center in many ways – is threatened with closure. But will he be able to save it and does Delia want it saved?
I could not put this book down and found myself in tears several times. Don’t worry, there is also plenty of humor laced through the story, but this is really one of the more serious Kauffman titles. The ghosts that haunt Ford and the fear of love that Delia face seem almost insurmountable. Their relationship with one another is so fragile that at times I found it almost painful – in the way when people share their innermost secrets – painful. Yes, this is a book that grabs your heart and won’t let go.
I don’t want to share any spoilers, but a puffin stole my heart. Plus I found the blueprint for a home of my dreams. I’d love to live in Ford’s self-sustaining treehouse on Sandpiper Island. If you’ve ever dreamed of the perfect place to live, this ranks right up there. Truly magical!
If you haven’t read the other two titles in the Bachelors of Blueberry Cove series, don’t worry. Sandpiper Island is a stand-alone story. But be warned, you’ll be hooked and an will WANT to read Pelican Point and Half Moon Harbor – and you should!
Bachelors of Blueberry Cove is just a wonderful small-town romance series that feels as authentic and unique as the coastal Maine towns that inspired it. That’s one of the main attractions of Maine, the flat-out generosity and authenticity of its full-time residents. Donna Kauffman’s books capture these qualities perfectly.
Donna Kauffman’s Sandpiper Island is a must-read for me and I hope for you too. It’s a romance of the heart and spirit that I’ll be rereading for years-to-come.
From the Publisher
The Bachelors of Blueberry Cove Book 3
Sandpiper Island by Donna Kauffman
Kensington ⎜ 9780758292810 ⎜ $12.60 ⎜ Aug 26, 2014
Ford Maddox was running from his past when he came back to Blueberry Cove, Maine, where he’d tasted both heartache and comfort. With feisty Delia O’Reilly there to cheer him on, he couldn’t have picked a better place to start over–even if he’s determined to do it alone in his island tree house, working to save endangered seabirds…and himself. But when he finds Delia fighting to hold on to her local diner, and all that’s best about their little seaside town, Ford has to lend a hand. Suddenly two fiercely independent people are building something sweeter than they ever imagined. . .together.
