May 20, 2025 – My Sanctuary

What Not To Do On Vacation By Rachel Magee

Savannah is on a mission to reconnect the Prestly sisters the best way she knows how: reliving their carefree childhood summers at the beach. She’s booked the same beach house, convinced her sisters to take the month off, and even made a bucket list to fit in all their favorite coastal fun. It’s going to be perfect . . . or else. (And if planning this trip has anything to do with a certain secret she’s hiding . . . well, let’s not dwell on that.) Sun, sand, and some sisterly bonding–what could possibly go wrong?

Enter Bianca, the baby of the family, with a huge announcement: she’s getting married! And her sisters’ reactions are . . . not exactly what she hoped for. But Bianca is on a mission to prove that she’s not the mess they think she is. Her grand plan? To find love for Cora, her perpetually single sister, on the same dating app where she found her fiancé. The stakes? A bet that if Cora can’t find her ‘One’ on the app, Bianca will call off her engagement. A challenge Bianca is all too ready to tackle head-on, even if it means a little conniving. Cora’s about to get swept off her feet, whether she likes it or not!

Meanwhile, Cora is rolling her eyes so hard they might get stuck. Love is a fairy tale for other people, not her. As she’s filling out her dating profile, she thinks–nope, she knows–it’ll be easy to show her sisters just how absurd this whole love thing is. So what if this Jax guy Cora just matched with is Hemsworth-brother hot? And, if his messages could be believed, maybe even slightly charming? None of this is real, anyway–love just doesn’t come easily Cora. And she’s getting ready to prove it. She’s got this under control.

Lessons In Heartbreak By Karla Sorensen

A playboy football player. A shy librarian. When old friends reunite, opposites attract in a witty and lighthearted romance about taking chances and falling in love against the odds.

It’s an unwritten rule somewhere: small-town librarians shall not commit spontaneous acts, for fear of mortal embarrassment. I’d certainly just proved it true, though hiring an escort was perfectly logical. How else should I overcome my fear of intimacy without risking heartbreak?

Unfortunately, what came next wasn’t so logical.

Instead of a dating coach, Griffin King showed up. Yes, that Griffin King: my childhood neighbor and now, to my dismay, an obscenely handsome pro football player. He’s not actually an escort, but how was I supposed to know that?

Avoiding him after the mix-up is impossible. The man is everywhere—put in time-out by his agent after a PR snafu. Griffin might be an outrageous flirt determined to torment me until I snap, but he’s also the perfect man to help me.

The lessons aren’t what I thought they’d be. Neither is Griffin. Every time we touch, every time he shows me a different side to myself—and to him—I can’t help but wonder if we’re about to break another rule: the playboy and the good girl aren’t supposed to fall in love.

Hope Barlowe is a vow away from a lakeside wedding to her high school sweetheart. Next, check off her follow-up dreams: two kids, a dog, a home, and a happy ever after. But suddenly, ever after seems like a very long time. Instead of saying I do, Hope thinks I can’t and bolts for the woods—right into the unpredictable life of a handsome tattooed hiker.

Days into a three-week getaway, struggling musician Ben Taylor is in search of inspiration. He never thought he’d find a bride stumbling through the bramble. Right away her sweet baby blues, confounding dilemma, and spirited independence strike a chord. Ben has found his muse, and he’s falling fast. Hope is finding something just as important—herself.

Soon enough Hope and Ben have all of Maple Creek talking—and divided. Where do they go from here? If Hope has learned anything, it’s that happiness is more than a checklist, and dreams can change in a heartbeat.

About The Author

My Review

After bolting from her wedding mid-vow, Hope finds herself swept away by a stranger named Ben. What begins as an impulsive escape becomes a journey of self-discovery, and along the way, Hope not only unearths a fresh sense of identity but also discovers the potential for an unexpected love. Ben is a supportive and understanding presence, offering her both a new perspective and the space to question a life she had always assumed was set in stone. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and the humorous exchanges add a charming lightness to the initial chapters. Their budding relationship is compelling, with alternating POVs giving insight into both Hope’s internal struggle to find herself and Ben’s unwavering support as she embarks on this uncertain path.

However, despite the promising start, the story lost some of its appeal for me as it went on. While the meet-cute and emotional connection between Hope and Ben were engaging at first, the narrative began to feel repetitive around the midpoint. Hope’s character became frustratingly self-centered, as her search for clarity seemed to spiral into needless drama. The third-act breakup, in particular, felt formulaic, involving an overused trope where a misunderstanding leads Hope to shut down any chance of communication. This lack of maturity in handling conflict dampened my investment in her journey by the end.

Despite these issues, I’m still curious about where the series will go, especially since Hope’s sister, Joy, showed promise as an interesting character. Her presence hints at a storyline with a different energy, and I’ll be interested to see how her story unfolds in the next book.

My Rating