C, A to Z Challenge: COTTAGE BY THE SEA.

Cottage by the Sea by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the third book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!

After a horrible tragedy alters her life forever, Annie Marlow picks up and moves to Oceanside, a beach town in the Pacific Northwest. It's where her family vacationed once a year--a place that contains her happiest memories. Staying in the same cottage her family once rented, Annie tries to heal. She meets Keaton, a large and often silent man, who helps Annie fix up her cottage; Mellie, her abrasive and reclusive landlord; and Britt, a troubled teenager. Annie feels like she belongs in this town, but when she's offered the chance of a lifetime for her career, she must make a decision with life-altering consequences.

"All he could say was that deep down in a part of him that he couldn't explain, he believed Annie Marlow needed to be in Oceanside. It was where she was meant to be."

Well, this was a lovely little romance that took me by surprise, but in a good way. It's sweet and touching, and I found myself completely enamored by the characters, especially Annie and Keaton. Oh who am I kidding? And Mellie and Keaton's best friend Preston and Britt and her mother and... you get the picture.

I chose this book because I miss the beach terribly, and Macomber did a great job of portraying this little seaside town and its fiercely protective townspeople. Could I see most of the plot coming a mile away? Sure. Did I care? Not at all. There's lots of depth here, between Annie's grief; Keaton's stoicism, which can be attributed to his own difficult past; Britt and her family, who are struggling in their own way; and Mellie, who has traveled her own troubled road. But there's plenty of heartwarming moments, and I won't lie, I might have shed a tear or two along the way.

Overall, this is a book about love, family (wherever you may find it) and healing. It's a quick read, but a very sweet one. 4 stars.

You can read more about the #atozchallenge here.

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