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Shelter Bay #5
Sea Glass Winter
He was used to getting what he wanted. And what he wanted was her.
As an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist, Dillon Slater had one of the most dangerous jobs in the military. Now, he’s enjoying the pace of life in Shelter Bay, where he teaches high school physics. He still gets to blow things up, but as the school basketball coach he also gets to impart leadership skills. His latest fifteen-year-old Matt Templeton—and Matt’s irresistible mother…
Claire Templeton moved her troubled teenage son to the small town of Shelter Bay to escape the bad influences at his school in L.A. But when his attitude earns her a visit from the handsome basketball coach, she wonders if this role model might be too much of a temptation—for her. Because though she isn’t looking for a relationship, she can’t seem to resist Dillon’s playful charm. But what she doesn’t realize is that Dillon isn’t playing games—he’s playing for keeps…
As an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist, Dillon Slater had one of the most dangerous jobs in the military. Now, he’s enjoying the pace of life in Shelter Bay, where he teaches high school physics. He still gets to blow things up, but as the school basketball coach he also gets to impart leadership skills. His latest fifteen-year-old Matt Templeton—and Matt’s irresistible mother…
Claire Templeton moved her troubled teenage son to the small town of Shelter Bay to escape the bad influences at his school in L.A. But when his attitude earns her a visit from the handsome basketball coach, she wonders if this role model might be too much of a temptation—for her. Because though she isn’t looking for a relationship, she can’t seem to resist Dillon’s playful charm. But what she doesn’t realize is that Dillon isn’t playing games—he’s playing for keeps…
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 31, 2012
118 people are currently reading
693 people want to read
About the author
JoAnn Ross
238 books798 followersNew York Times bestselling author JoAnn Ross has written over a hundred novels for a bunch of publishers. Two of her titles have been excerpted in Cosmo and her books have also been published by the Doubleday, Rhapsody, Literary Guild, and Mystery Guild book clubs.
A member of the Romance Writers of America's Honor Roll of best-selling authors, she's won several awards, including Romantic Times's Career Achievement Awards in both category and contemporary single title.
Currently writing a new Honeymoon Harbor series for HQN set on the Washington peninsula, that will launch in April, 2018, JoAnn lives with her husband (her high school sweetheart, who proposed at the sea wall where her Shelter Bay books are set), in the Pacific Northwest.
A member of the Romance Writers of America's Honor Roll of best-selling authors, she's won several awards, including Romantic Times's Career Achievement Awards in both category and contemporary single title.
Currently writing a new Honeymoon Harbor series for HQN set on the Washington peninsula, that will launch in April, 2018, JoAnn lives with her husband (her high school sweetheart, who proposed at the sea wall where her Shelter Bay books are set), in the Pacific Northwest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
February 19, 2013
He was used to getting what he wanted. And what he wanted was her.
Sea Glass Winter is the fifth book in JoAnn Ross’s Shelter Bay series. It’s a sweet, sexy, heartwarming story, one I truly enjoyed!
From the cover: As an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist, Dillon Slater had one of the most dangerous jobs in the military. Now, he’s enjoying the pace of life in Shelter Bay, where he teaches high school physics. He still gets to blow things up, but as the school basketball coach he also gets to impart leadership skills. His latest minefield: fifteen-year-old Matt Templeton—and Matt’s irresistible mother…I’ve read several of Ms. Ross’s earlier books but hadn’t yet ventured into this series. Reading this book without having first read the others wasn’t much of a problem… although, we do revisit the characters from the first four books and there’s a lot going on with them, so given the choice, I’d read these in order.
Claire Templeton moved herself and her troubled teenage son to the small town of Shelter Bay. Oregon, to escape the bad influences at his school in L.A. But when his attitude earns her a visit from the handsome basketball coach, she wonders if this role model might be too much of a temptation—for her. Because though she isn’t looking for a relationship, she can’t seem to resist Dillon’s playful charm. But what she doesn’t realize is that Dillon isn’t playing games—he’s playing for keeps…
This story is similar in ways to other contemporary romances I’ve read in that the characters are often, for one reason or another, single parents. In this case, the child is fifteen year old Matt, nicknamed “the phenom” for his crazy basketball skills. At the rate he’s going, he’s guaranteed to be picked up by a major college or university – if not straight into the NBA. We spend a lot of time with he and his teammates, and much of that time is watching him grow from the spoiled “star” he was at Beverly Hills High, to a young man who understands that, as clichéd as it sounds, “there really is no “I” in team.”
I enjoyed Claire and Dillon… especially Dillon. As far as I was concerned, Claire was taking way too long to get with the program and just give in to her lust for him. There were a couple times when I imagined him just throwing in the towel, walking away and saving himself the frustration, but in the end, when it all worked out, it was great!
As I said, we see a lot of the earlier characters, and knowing where their stories have taken them (now) makes me want to go back and read their books, too. That said, flipping back and forth between so many side-stories... well, I'd have preferred to spend more time getting to know Claire and Dillon... but maybe that's because I didn't have the investment in the earlier couples that I would have, had I read the books in order.
The bottom line: I really enjoyed this story. The relationship between Claire and Dillon wasn’t all angsty or dramatic. It was peaceful, it flowed… it felt real. The storyline itself was also nice. No one getting blown up, no terrorists threatening to take over the world… just a pleasant, feel good, small-town-life story, and sometimes that’s exactly what I'm looking for.
This book was reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine
January 2, 2013
I loved this book just as much as I have loved the others in this series. The main focus of the book is the developing relationship between Claire and Dillon. Dillon left the military and took part in the Troops to Teachers program which landed him in Shelter Bay where he is the physics teacher and basketball coach. Thanks to his time in the military he is big on teamwork and is very good at getting the kids in his classes and on his team to cooperate. He knows about Matt's problems when he transfers to Shelter Bay and seems to have a handle on how to deal with him. Dillon is immediately attracted to Claire but realizes that he will have his work cut out for him to convince her to give him a chance. One thing EOD taught him was patience and he is determined to win her over. I really loved the way that he understood her concerns and also her art. Claire had moved to Shelter Bay to get Matt away from the temptations of LA. She was trying hard to deal with his bad attitude over the move and was glad that Matt had basketball to help ease the transition. She didn't expect to be attracted to his basketball coach and wasn't happy about it. She has no interest in a relationship as she focuses on Matt and his issues and on her art. But Dillon is persistent and as she finds herself more and more in his company she sees what a great guy he is. She is amazed at how completely he understands her feelings about her glass art. His attention to Matt and the effect he has on Matt's attitude creates even more feelings for him. I loved the slow, easy developing of their feelings. The passion was still there but it wasn't an overwhelming heat that ignored everything else. I loved the proposal at the end - it was great. Matt's character was accurately portrayed as a teenage boy dealing with his own issues. I liked his admitting of his own mistakes and the way he worked to live up to Dillon's expectations. He appears to have done some real maturing by the end of the book. I really enjoyed seeing the other characters from previous books. Their presence and stories were seamlessly included, not forced like some others seem to be.
January 8, 2013
I am not a big fan of this series, usually I am a fan of small town books but this book in particular seemed to focus on all the characters from the other books than the people who were supposed to be the hero and heroine. And I have read enough books about single mom's moving from the city with a troubled teenaged son in tow. Hell, the son got more page time than the hero. And this theme has been kind of done in this series as well. Heroine's mom dies, son becomes troubled. Hero was a bomb diffusion expert turned teacher. The book seemed disjointed and at first nothing seemed to happen on the romantic front and when it does, it moves too fast. At one point the heroine thinks hero is younger than me, than this disappears. We never learn much about the hero at all. All in all the book left me disappointed.
July 20, 2014
My major complaint is that we kept getting chapters on previous characters. I'm fine with getting updates or information on how the couples from previous books are doing, but I don't care enough to be taken out of the story completely and sent to another person's life. Especially when it's just an excuse to inject drama that wasn't happening in the current couple's relationship. Not much is going on with Claire and Dillon, so let's have Pheobe go through some lawsuit stuff and get engaged and we'll have Kara give birth while her husband and son are stuck in a snowstorm... I don't even know who these people are!
This is the 5th book in the series and I think we got pages of updates on all five couples. Imagine how much of the story will be dedicated to previous characters when you get further into the series.
As for the romance, it was fairly bland. No external conflict and only a little internal conflict on Claire's part. I was honestly more interested in whether her son Matt was going to hook up with the nerdy girl or the basketball groupie.
Thinking back on the story, I can't really tell you what happened. It was all very forgettable aside from the fact that JoAnn Ross cannot write teenagers consistently. She had two teenagers talking like wisened adults, one teenager talking like a seasoned prostitute, and only a couple were written like actual teenagers. And these kids cursed a lot in front of adults. When I was 15, I was not allowed to curse in front of my elders. It just felt wrong. Kids wouldn't talk like that without repercussions.
I was looking for a light-and-fluffy romance, which I got... but meh, it wasn't very satisfying.
This is the 5th book in the series and I think we got pages of updates on all five couples. Imagine how much of the story will be dedicated to previous characters when you get further into the series.
As for the romance, it was fairly bland. No external conflict and only a little internal conflict on Claire's part. I was honestly more interested in whether her son Matt was going to hook up with the nerdy girl or the basketball groupie.
Thinking back on the story, I can't really tell you what happened. It was all very forgettable aside from the fact that JoAnn Ross cannot write teenagers consistently. She had two teenagers talking like wisened adults, one teenager talking like a seasoned prostitute, and only a couple were written like actual teenagers. And these kids cursed a lot in front of adults. When I was 15, I was not allowed to curse in front of my elders. It just felt wrong. Kids wouldn't talk like that without repercussions.
I was looking for a light-and-fluffy romance, which I got... but meh, it wasn't very satisfying.
January 8, 2013
I must confess that I bought this because I mistakenly thought it was the sequel to Carolina Home by Virginia Kantra. Sea Glass Winter is, in fact, an entirely separate series, set in an entirely different part of the country, and written by an entirely different author.
It took me longer than I'd care to admit to pick up on this.
However, despite not having read any of Ross's previous Shelter Bay books, I enjoyed this one. I'm home sick today and this was the perfect book to be read while you are lying miserable in bed. It also had some of my favorite romance elements: glass-blowing artist heroine, sports-involved hero, and budding romance between two teenage supporting characters. And cute lil' doggies.
Not having read the previous books didn't hamper me in anyway and I'd be open to going back at some point to read some of the older titles in the series. I'm definitely going to keep an eye out for the next book. For real, this time.
It took me longer than I'd care to admit to pick up on this.
However, despite not having read any of Ross's previous Shelter Bay books, I enjoyed this one. I'm home sick today and this was the perfect book to be read while you are lying miserable in bed. It also had some of my favorite romance elements: glass-blowing artist heroine, sports-involved hero, and budding romance between two teenage supporting characters. And cute lil' doggies.
Not having read the previous books didn't hamper me in anyway and I'd be open to going back at some point to read some of the older titles in the series. I'm definitely going to keep an eye out for the next book. For real, this time.
December 30, 2014
Like many of the other shelter bay books, a lot of time is spent on previous characters and catching up with life in the town and not as much on the hero and heroine. Fun, but would have liked more time spent on the main couple. I also had some difficulty believing in their romance because I did not feel they were on the page enough. Many of the plots seem to jump around and there are events that take place without enough connection. I think this book would have been served well by having one or two less plot lines being juggled about.
June 14, 2018
A quick easy read. It is the story of Dillon Slater and Claire Templeton who live in Shelter Bay. It is the story of their relationship plus the story of Dillon building a championship basketball team that includes Claire's son, Matt. It is very much a feel good story.
January 7, 2013
Northwest author shows us what small town living is like in coastal Washington state.
Dillon Slater was a Tech sergeant who has spent time in Afghanistan defusing IED’s. After his tour, he signed up with the Troops to Teachers program and recently started a job teaching high school physics and coaching the boys basketball team in the idyllic town of Shelter Bay, Washington.
Claire Templeton is a jewelry designer who lived in Beverly Hills until recently, and is now a citizen of Shelter Bay. After her mother died her 15 year old son seemed to go through a troubled stage, so she picked up and they moved north.
Claire’s son Matt was recently a star basketball player for his high school and is not happy with the move. He knows that the Shelter Bay team has had a losing season for many years. Matt may not be happy he is here, however the town is ecstatic, as they know all about the phenon who is moving to town.
As Claire and Matt settle into small town living, Dillon makes his presence known to both Claire and Matt; he is attracted to Claire and wants Matt to succeed. He also is very interested in the team and wants them to work together whether they win or lose, much to the dismay of the citizen’s who want to win.
As the season progresses they have some success and some failures which results in the team doing exactly what Dillon wants, they start to mesh. Dillon and Claire also grow closer, even though she fights her attraction; Dillon is a determined man who always gets what he wants.
This is an engaging fun light romance centering on small town living where people often help fight your battles and share your successes. This is the 5th in a series and can be read as a stand-alone however since it is a small town, characters from other books reappear and share their continuing lives.
Dillon Slater was a Tech sergeant who has spent time in Afghanistan defusing IED’s. After his tour, he signed up with the Troops to Teachers program and recently started a job teaching high school physics and coaching the boys basketball team in the idyllic town of Shelter Bay, Washington.
Claire Templeton is a jewelry designer who lived in Beverly Hills until recently, and is now a citizen of Shelter Bay. After her mother died her 15 year old son seemed to go through a troubled stage, so she picked up and they moved north.
Claire’s son Matt was recently a star basketball player for his high school and is not happy with the move. He knows that the Shelter Bay team has had a losing season for many years. Matt may not be happy he is here, however the town is ecstatic, as they know all about the phenon who is moving to town.
As Claire and Matt settle into small town living, Dillon makes his presence known to both Claire and Matt; he is attracted to Claire and wants Matt to succeed. He also is very interested in the team and wants them to work together whether they win or lose, much to the dismay of the citizen’s who want to win.
As the season progresses they have some success and some failures which results in the team doing exactly what Dillon wants, they start to mesh. Dillon and Claire also grow closer, even though she fights her attraction; Dillon is a determined man who always gets what he wants.
This is an engaging fun light romance centering on small town living where people often help fight your battles and share your successes. This is the 5th in a series and can be read as a stand-alone however since it is a small town, characters from other books reappear and share their continuing lives.
August 3, 2015
26/11 - After reading the first couple of chapters (especially the bit about the sullen teenager, Matt and his mum Claire) I realised that I'd already read Sea Glass Winter, a few months ago. There is no record that I've read this, no review, no rating, not even a borrowing record at the library, but I'm positive that I remember the annoyingly morose basketball star Matt - that's all I remember about the plot at the moment, but I'm sure it will come back to me as I read. The reason that I didn't rate or review Sea Glass Winter, I think, is because I DNF it due to some of the problems I've mentioned in my reviews of Ross' other books - not enough time spent on the 'main' character's story and weak sex scenes. Since the last time I read this (which must have been this year because Sea Glass Winter wasn't published till December 31st last year) I have metaphorically moved Shelter Bay novels into a romance subcategory of their own called Cosy Romances. So, I am no longer placing unrealistic expectations on the story to satisfy any of my romance cravings, except for the atmosphere of a small town where everyone knows you and you have windswept beach expanses every where you go. Without these unrealistic expectations Ross' Shelter Bay novels can bloom in their own right, not as romances, but as cosy romances which are to be read (in my opinion) for their small towny, seasidey, living in a cottagey atmosphere. Looking forward to finishing Sea Glass Winter this time around. To be continued...
28/11 - Okay, finished it with no hesitation this time. It was an easy read, just as I've come to expect from Shelter Bay. I enjoyed the side story of Claire's son Matt and his romance with the 'smart girl' Aimee. I hope we follow them in further books in the series - I want to see him have a HEA, even at such a young age.
28/11 - Okay, finished it with no hesitation this time. It was an easy read, just as I've come to expect from Shelter Bay. I enjoyed the side story of Claire's son Matt and his romance with the 'smart girl' Aimee. I hope we follow them in further books in the series - I want to see him have a HEA, even at such a young age.
January 17, 2013
I really enjoy JoAnn Ross' Shelter Bay series, and was so delighted to find this latest installment - Sea Glass Winter.
With the story of the struggling high school basketball team (a sport I actually understand!) in the background, I really enjoyed the romance between glass artist/jewelry designer Claire and the high school basketball/former soldier Dillon. Plus JoAnn catches her readers up on the lives of the residents of Shelter Bay, who weave in and out of each other's lives like the good friends they all are.
I was also fascinated by the blown glass work that JoAnn describes throughout the book. Through her highly descriptive words, I almost felt like I was right there with Claire as she created her works of art.
If you like heartwarming contemporary romances, and especially serial romances, I highly suggest JoAnn Ross' Shelter Bay series, and Sea Glass Winter. You'll be so glad you dropped in for a visit!
With the story of the struggling high school basketball team (a sport I actually understand!) in the background, I really enjoyed the romance between glass artist/jewelry designer Claire and the high school basketball/former soldier Dillon. Plus JoAnn catches her readers up on the lives of the residents of Shelter Bay, who weave in and out of each other's lives like the good friends they all are.
I was also fascinated by the blown glass work that JoAnn describes throughout the book. Through her highly descriptive words, I almost felt like I was right there with Claire as she created her works of art.
If you like heartwarming contemporary romances, and especially serial romances, I highly suggest JoAnn Ross' Shelter Bay series, and Sea Glass Winter. You'll be so glad you dropped in for a visit!
February 8, 2013
Shelter Bay is a lot like Virgin River. A small town where everyone knows everyone else's business and a lot of love is going around. Glass blower Claire Templeton moves her high school sophomore son from the stars of Hollywood to the backwaters of Oregon after her mother dies and Matt starts to get involved in the wrong crowd. He's a basketball phenom but that won't matter if he's busted for pot possession. Meanwhile Dillon Slater is part of the Vets for Teaching program. He was in Afghanistan diffusing IEDs. Now he teaches physics and coaches basketball. He's good for the team, good for Matt and frankly, good for Claire. She doesn't have any track record with men, but Dillon is so solid it makes her want more. It's a sweet and deeply loving story that will have me looking both forward to the next books and backwards for the backlist. These are the kind of books that cheer you up on a bad day and make you believe that forever love is possible.
February 23, 2015
Shelter Bay #5
Claire's mother died and her life and her son's life changed. She decided to move them from Beverly Hills to Shelter Bay, which she had fallen in love with on trips there to sell her jewelry. Her son Matt is a basketball star. But the coach, Dillon Slater, needs to teach him how to work with a team. Claire is infatuated with Dillon right away. Dillon is completely taken by Claire the first time he sees her.
Kara and her friends bring meals to Claire and welcome her to town. Kara invites her and Matt to Thanksgiving dinner. Claire says yes but doesn't know that Dillon had Kara ask her. Dillon wants her and Claire wants him but she is afraid that their relationship will cause problems for Matt and his playing basketball at school. Will Claire let herself love?
I loved this one. I love how Dillon went after what he wanted.
Claire's mother died and her life and her son's life changed. She decided to move them from Beverly Hills to Shelter Bay, which she had fallen in love with on trips there to sell her jewelry. Her son Matt is a basketball star. But the coach, Dillon Slater, needs to teach him how to work with a team. Claire is infatuated with Dillon right away. Dillon is completely taken by Claire the first time he sees her.
Kara and her friends bring meals to Claire and welcome her to town. Kara invites her and Matt to Thanksgiving dinner. Claire says yes but doesn't know that Dillon had Kara ask her. Dillon wants her and Claire wants him but she is afraid that their relationship will cause problems for Matt and his playing basketball at school. Will Claire let herself love?
I loved this one. I love how Dillon went after what he wanted.
November 18, 2015
A great book! This series gets better with every book.
July 17, 2025
After being injured as a explosive ordnance disposal expert, Dillon Slater is now the basketball coach at Shelter Bay High School, which has not had a winning season for a long while. Also new in town, from Beverly Hills, California, is Clare Templeton, and her basketball phenom Matt, who as a sophomore is not grade eligible for the varsity. Plus, there is his very bad attitude about the move to a podunk town. But on first sight, Dillon falls for Clare, who is more leary of any involvement. Especially with the basketball coach her son will be playing for. Other storylines that continue, and are resolved, are Phoebe and Ethan, with Phoebe's in-laws trying to obtain custody of her unborn child, her baby's birth, and Kara and Sax's baby's birth, both in the middle of an unforecasted ice/snow/sleet storm!
July 19, 2020
This isn't the first book in a series I've read that includes multiple character's stories. However the other author that does this finds a way to satisfactorily wrap up each story enough to not leave a frustrating cliffhanger while not completely ending it. The two books I've read so far leaves a lot of loose threads. Unfortunately, I'm not invested enough in the characters to want to buy the whole series. But I am annoyed about the cliffhanger, such as Matt and Angie making up. Plus we STILL weren't told exactly how Pheobe's husband died. I guess we're supposed to assume he drowned from that terribly described scene in the previous book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2019
I really like JoAnn Ross but this book had one thing that really bothered me!! For 4 books Sax’s grandparents have been Adele and Bernard and in this book all the sudden Bernard’s name is Leon!!!
WTHeck!!!! Are there no editors to catch these things?? It makes it hard to truly enjoy the story when you have to stop and figure out who the heck this person is!!!
WTHeck!!!! Are there no editors to catch these things?? It makes it hard to truly enjoy the story when you have to stop and figure out who the heck this person is!!!
January 4, 2020
When Claire's Mom passed away, left just her and Matt (15 year old son). She moved from busy LA to Shelter Bay, Matt didn't like the move at all. Small town now, and sure didn't want to play for a small town basketball team.
Lots of colorful characters in the story and Shelter Bay might not be so bad after all. Enjoyed the story very much.
Lots of colorful characters in the story and Shelter Bay might not be so bad after all. Enjoyed the story very much.
September 1, 2018
An easy, breezy read. The fifth in the Shelter Bay series by JoAnn Ross. Several new additions to join the regulars in Shelter Bay, Oregon.
January 24, 2019
Nice light reading.
May 27, 2020
very nice book, somewhat predictable, but always uplifting and light and easy to read.
Read
July 3, 2020Very good book. A real page Turner. Recommended!
May 17, 2021
Shelter Bay series book.
Determination plus challenge.
Print owned book.
Determination plus challenge.
Print owned book.
April 1, 2023
Cute beach/rainy day read. Reminded me of Chesapeake shores series
August 3, 2023
refreshing book i love the build up and the tension !
Read
March 17, 2025February 2013
June 9, 2015
Sea Glass Winter (Shelter Bay #5) by JoAnn Ross is a feel good, small town romance. Everything about this book from the setting, to the characters, including the romance, is near perfect. This almost reads like a screenplay for a TV series because there’s a little bit of everything for most readers. The main story has a PG-13 sensuality rating featuring a single mother heroine, Claire (she had Matt at 18, and his father was never in the picture), who leaves the big city of Los Angeles, CA for the small town life of Shelter Bay because of her 15 year old son, Matt, a basketball phenomenon. Claire makes glass art (her main income), and after her mother passed away, she moved because she was afraid Matt was getting involved in some bad things, such as drugs (pot was found in his locker), and his grades were dropping. Matt is obsessed with basketball and has a chance at getting a big scholarship for college, and possibly play for the NBA. Matt is less than pleased by the move, but he doesn’t have any other choice.
Dillon is the new high school coach for Shelter Bay. The basketball team needs some major work because they are always on the losing side of the season. Dillon hears about Matt, who might be the team’s savior, or so the gossip mill in Shelter Bay. Dillon won’t play favorites with Matt. He wants to see how the kid plays first. When he finally meets Matt, he thinks Matt is okay and not as stuck up as he was expecting. He’s very impressed by Claire. The attraction between them is instantaneous, but both are cautious (more so from Claire). Dillon wants to get to know Claire better, which means dating her, although she’s afraid it will look bad on Dillon because of Matt. Dillon doesn’t care what the town may think. He does things his own way, and he’s well respected regardless. Dillon does respect Claire’s opinion but he eventually breaks her down. These two do some courting, and it’s very cute.
Matt is trying to get used to his new home and school. He’s a little bitter at starting all over, and not having everyone fall all over him like at his old school. He does make friends with one of his team mates, and has the start of a romance with Aimee, a nerdy type of girl who shows him around school. These two hit it off right from the start, but Matt wants a social life and to be part of the cool kids group, so he treats Aimee with indifference. She catches on right away, but doesn’t let Matt walk all over her. When Matt realized he’s being a jerk, it might be too late for him and Aimee. Something happens toward the end that makes Matt see the light about Aimee, so to speak. Their romance is left unresolved, and hopefully these two will make another appearance in future novels in this series. JoAnn has a nice voice for teen characters, and I’d love to see what she could do with a YA centric story based on Matt and Aimee.
Couples and characters from the past books in this series appear, and also are welcome. It may help to read the other books so you know who is who and what is happening in their lives after their HEA has ended. Sea Glass Winter is truly a cozy type of contemporary romance with nice people who you want to revisit time and again. Perfect read for teens, and adults who like character driven stories with the emphasis on getting to know one another, like Dillon and Claire where hopping into bed and getting naked isn’t the first priority.
March 18, 2013
Sea Glass Winter, Shelter Bay #4, by JoAnn Ross
Grade: C
“Not only does she play with fire and danger; the lady knows her chemistry. I don’t suppose you’d agree to marrying me and having my children?”
When Claire Templeton found out she was pregnant by a married man at eighteen her mother was there for her and helped raise her son Max. With her mother passing away and Max getting into trouble at school Claire decides to move from the craziness of Beverly Hills to a quiet life in Shelter Bay, Oregon. Max is anything but happy about the move or the fact that the Shelter Bay Dolphins basketball team hasn’t had a winning record in twelve years. Being the basketball phenomenon that he is, Max is recruited by Coach and physics teacher Dillon Slater and after meeting Claire Dillon has more things on his mind than basketball.
Dillon Slater spent the last years in war zones all over the world dismantling bombs and other explosive devices before coming to Shelter Bay through the Troops to Teachers program. Dillon has a ton of pressure on him to turn around the Dolphins basketball team and everyone in town thinks Max Templeton is the answer to their prayers. Dillon knows Max is a great player but he has a bad attitude and the closer he works with Max the more he sees his mother Claire. Claire sparks something in Dillon no other woman has and even though she thinks it’s a bad idea to date due to Dillon being her son’s coach Dillon refuses to let her go without a fight.
This is a very cute book and the first that I have read in the series. Parts of it can be read as a stand alone but I highly recommend reading the series in order to know who everyone is and what’s going on. I liked the relationship between Claire and Dillon and I really liked the relationship between Dillon and Max. I think Max was really suffering from losing his grandmother and from never have a father figure in his life. I think that Dillon filled those voids and helped Max out of his funk.
I do wish that more time was spent with Dillon and Claire building their relationship and showing how they fell in love. I felt that a lot of the book focused on couples from previous books or on Max and Amiee a girl from school. Half of this book felt like a grown up adult romance and a second part felt like a high school YA book which I disliked a lot. I also disliked that we spent a lot of time with Max and Aimee and we never get to see what happens between them. I really hope this is dealt with in future books.
My biggest problem with the book as a whole is that every single person gets a point of view. All the characters from previous books got pages and pages of POV and I think that Claire and Dillon suffered from this. I understand that readers want to know what happens to characters but this was too much for me and took time away from getting to know, like and care about Claire and Dillon.
All in all this is a cute book but as I’ve mentioned it does have some flaws. I do want to continue on with the series and I’m hoping that in Castaway Cove we get to spend more time with the hero and heroine then we did in Sea Glass Winter. I’m also hoping for less POVs from everyone in Shelter Bay but I may just have to deal with that.
Grade: C
“Not only does she play with fire and danger; the lady knows her chemistry. I don’t suppose you’d agree to marrying me and having my children?”
When Claire Templeton found out she was pregnant by a married man at eighteen her mother was there for her and helped raise her son Max. With her mother passing away and Max getting into trouble at school Claire decides to move from the craziness of Beverly Hills to a quiet life in Shelter Bay, Oregon. Max is anything but happy about the move or the fact that the Shelter Bay Dolphins basketball team hasn’t had a winning record in twelve years. Being the basketball phenomenon that he is, Max is recruited by Coach and physics teacher Dillon Slater and after meeting Claire Dillon has more things on his mind than basketball.
Dillon Slater spent the last years in war zones all over the world dismantling bombs and other explosive devices before coming to Shelter Bay through the Troops to Teachers program. Dillon has a ton of pressure on him to turn around the Dolphins basketball team and everyone in town thinks Max Templeton is the answer to their prayers. Dillon knows Max is a great player but he has a bad attitude and the closer he works with Max the more he sees his mother Claire. Claire sparks something in Dillon no other woman has and even though she thinks it’s a bad idea to date due to Dillon being her son’s coach Dillon refuses to let her go without a fight.
This is a very cute book and the first that I have read in the series. Parts of it can be read as a stand alone but I highly recommend reading the series in order to know who everyone is and what’s going on. I liked the relationship between Claire and Dillon and I really liked the relationship between Dillon and Max. I think Max was really suffering from losing his grandmother and from never have a father figure in his life. I think that Dillon filled those voids and helped Max out of his funk.
I do wish that more time was spent with Dillon and Claire building their relationship and showing how they fell in love. I felt that a lot of the book focused on couples from previous books or on Max and Amiee a girl from school. Half of this book felt like a grown up adult romance and a second part felt like a high school YA book which I disliked a lot. I also disliked that we spent a lot of time with Max and Aimee and we never get to see what happens between them. I really hope this is dealt with in future books.
My biggest problem with the book as a whole is that every single person gets a point of view. All the characters from previous books got pages and pages of POV and I think that Claire and Dillon suffered from this. I understand that readers want to know what happens to characters but this was too much for me and took time away from getting to know, like and care about Claire and Dillon.
All in all this is a cute book but as I’ve mentioned it does have some flaws. I do want to continue on with the series and I’m hoping that in Castaway Cove we get to spend more time with the hero and heroine then we did in Sea Glass Winter. I’m also hoping for less POVs from everyone in Shelter Bay but I may just have to deal with that.
June 21, 2017
Author: JoAnn Ross
First published: 2012
Length: 388 pages, 4659 kindle locations
Setting: Contemporary. Shelter Bay.
Sex: Explicit. Infrequent.
Hero: IED disposal expert now basketball coach.
Heroine: Single mother, jewellery designer.
Trigger: Spousal abuse. Spousal rape.
Includes: Steam Clam Recipe
Includes: excerpt from Castaway Cove
Easy to read. Nothing overly special but a good example of it’s type - Returning Soldier Finds Love in SmallTown. And an abused single mum finds love story.
References other characters in the series - Kara’s pregnant, Phoebe and Ethan are dating - which is one of those lovely immersive qualities of small town romance series.
Enjoyable.
Shelter Bay:
Book 1 The Homecoming - Sax Douchett and Kara Conway
Book 2 One Summer - Gabriel St. James and Charity Tiernan
Book 3 On Lavender Lane - Lucas Chaffee and Madeline Durand
Book 4 Moonshell Beach - J.T. Douchett and Mary Joyce
Book 5 Sea Glass Winter - Dillon Slater and Claire Templeton
Book 6 Castaway Cove - Mac Culhane and Annie Shepherd
Book 7 Christmas in Shelter Bay - Cole Douchett and Kelli Carpenter
Book 8 You Again - Meghann Quinn and Adam Wayne
Book 9 Beyond the Sea - Conn Brennan and Sedona Sullivan
Book 10 Sunset Point - Tess Lombardi and Nate Breslin
References:
Author's website: http://www.joannross.com
Author on w’pedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JoAnn_Ross
(ISBN 9781101590232)
-CR-
First published: 2012
Length: 388 pages, 4659 kindle locations
Setting: Contemporary. Shelter Bay.
Sex: Explicit. Infrequent.
Hero: IED disposal expert now basketball coach.
Heroine: Single mother, jewellery designer.
Trigger: Spousal abuse. Spousal rape.
Includes: Steam Clam Recipe
Includes: excerpt from Castaway Cove
Easy to read. Nothing overly special but a good example of it’s type - Returning Soldier Finds Love in SmallTown. And an abused single mum finds love story.
References other characters in the series - Kara’s pregnant, Phoebe and Ethan are dating - which is one of those lovely immersive qualities of small town romance series.
Enjoyable.
Shelter Bay:
Book 1 The Homecoming - Sax Douchett and Kara Conway
Book 2 One Summer - Gabriel St. James and Charity Tiernan
Book 3 On Lavender Lane - Lucas Chaffee and Madeline Durand
Book 4 Moonshell Beach - J.T. Douchett and Mary Joyce
Book 5 Sea Glass Winter - Dillon Slater and Claire Templeton
Book 6 Castaway Cove - Mac Culhane and Annie Shepherd
Book 7 Christmas in Shelter Bay - Cole Douchett and Kelli Carpenter
Book 8 You Again - Meghann Quinn and Adam Wayne
Book 9 Beyond the Sea - Conn Brennan and Sedona Sullivan
Book 10 Sunset Point - Tess Lombardi and Nate Breslin
References:
Author's website: http://www.joannross.com
Author on w’pedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JoAnn_Ross
(ISBN 9781101590232)
-CR-
March 29, 2013
Excerpted from a review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
Sea Glass Winter is only the third Shelter Bay novel I’ve read (the first was On Lavender Lane, which I read out of order), and I’m now on the lookout for the other books. Ross writes with practiced ease, and her characters are generally sympathetic. The attraction between Claire and Dillon is evident from the beginning. Thankfully, Ross doesn’t resort to unbelievable complications or ridiculous misunderstandings to keep the couple apart and the romantic tension building. Instead, Claire is, for entirely understandable reasons, reluctant to get involved. Dillon, on the other hand, is singlemindedly determined. In fact, he’s a little too determined in the face of Claire’s repeated stated reluctance. Although I never believed he would force himself on her – that would be completely out of character, and he is a principled and honorable man – I did find his refusal to take “no” for an answer vaguely troubling, an unsettling reminder of the myth that women secretly want what they say they don’t. However, Ross paints Dillon’s persistence in a positive light, and he never treats Claire with anything less than respect and admiration.
That one qualm aside, the novel is both entertaining and satisfying. A parallel storyline focuses on Claire’s son Matt, his adjustment to their new small-town life, and the high school basketball team which Dillon coaches. I enjoyed Matt and look forward to seeing what comes of his friendship with his science lab partner. Another subplot follows the developing relationship of a widowed farmer and a young woman who fled an abusive husband. There are scenes involving other characters as well, particularly Sax and a very pregnant Kara, and Shelter Bay’s veterinarian and her foster children. It’s lovely to revisit these familiar characters, but don’t worry. If you’re new to the series, you will be able to jump in at this point without difficulty – though you may find yourself, like me, eager to read the books you’ve missed! If you’re a fan of Robyn Carr, Sherryl Woods, or Susan Wiggs, I urge you to give JoAnn Ross’s Shelter Bay novels a try.
Rating: 3 ½ stars (I wish Goodreads let us give half-stars!)
Recommended if you like: Robyn Carr, Sherryl Woods, Susan Wiggs
FCC disclosure: I borrowed this from the public library.
You can read more of my reviews at The Bookwyrm’s Hoard.
Sea Glass Winter is only the third Shelter Bay novel I’ve read (the first was On Lavender Lane, which I read out of order), and I’m now on the lookout for the other books. Ross writes with practiced ease, and her characters are generally sympathetic. The attraction between Claire and Dillon is evident from the beginning. Thankfully, Ross doesn’t resort to unbelievable complications or ridiculous misunderstandings to keep the couple apart and the romantic tension building. Instead, Claire is, for entirely understandable reasons, reluctant to get involved. Dillon, on the other hand, is singlemindedly determined. In fact, he’s a little too determined in the face of Claire’s repeated stated reluctance. Although I never believed he would force himself on her – that would be completely out of character, and he is a principled and honorable man – I did find his refusal to take “no” for an answer vaguely troubling, an unsettling reminder of the myth that women secretly want what they say they don’t. However, Ross paints Dillon’s persistence in a positive light, and he never treats Claire with anything less than respect and admiration.
That one qualm aside, the novel is both entertaining and satisfying. A parallel storyline focuses on Claire’s son Matt, his adjustment to their new small-town life, and the high school basketball team which Dillon coaches. I enjoyed Matt and look forward to seeing what comes of his friendship with his science lab partner. Another subplot follows the developing relationship of a widowed farmer and a young woman who fled an abusive husband. There are scenes involving other characters as well, particularly Sax and a very pregnant Kara, and Shelter Bay’s veterinarian and her foster children. It’s lovely to revisit these familiar characters, but don’t worry. If you’re new to the series, you will be able to jump in at this point without difficulty – though you may find yourself, like me, eager to read the books you’ve missed! If you’re a fan of Robyn Carr, Sherryl Woods, or Susan Wiggs, I urge you to give JoAnn Ross’s Shelter Bay novels a try.
Rating: 3 ½ stars (I wish Goodreads let us give half-stars!)
Recommended if you like: Robyn Carr, Sherryl Woods, Susan Wiggs
FCC disclosure: I borrowed this from the public library.
You can read more of my reviews at The Bookwyrm’s Hoard.
August 12, 2013
Title: Sea Glass Winter
Series: Shelter Bay
Author: JoAnn Ross
Genre: Contemporary
He was used to getting what he wanted. And what he wanted was her.
As an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist, Dillon Slater had one of the most dangerous jobs in the military. Now, he’s enjoying the pace of life in Shelter Bay, where he teaches high school physics. He still gets to blow things up, but as the school basketball coach he also gets to impart leadership skills. His latest minefield: fifteen-year-old Matt Templeton—and Matt’s irresistible mother…
Claire Templeton moved her troubled teenage son to the small town of Shelter Bay to escape the bad influences at his school in L.A. But when his attitude earns her a visit from the handsome basketball coach, she wonders if this role model might be too much of a temptation—for her. Because though she isn’t looking for a relationship, she can’t seem to resist Dillon’s playful charm. But what she doesn’t realize is that Dillon isn’t playing games—he’s playing for keeps…
JoAnn Ross's Shelter Bay is fast becoming one of my favorite series. One of the things I really enjoy about this series is that while each book has a central story and couple we get to catch up with the other couples in town who we've already met.
Claire and Dillon come from different worlds. Dillon comes from a large family, while Claire is an only child. Claire has lived a relatively easy life with the exception of having a child at 18, and raising him on her own. Dillon dismantled bombs (think the Hurt Locker) and is now a teacher. The one thing they do have in common is they both want to help her son Matt.
I loved the story between these two and how Claire was all about making sure that Matt came first. I also loved Dillon's tenacity in having a relationship with Claire and Matt.
There was only one thing I wanted to see that I didn't and that was the resolution to a couple of things regarding Matt I'm hoping that they'll be resolved in a future book, much like Phoebe and Ethan's story took place over several books.
This is a nice sweet romance, and everything I expect from JoAnn and her stories.
Grade B+
Review by: Heather
http://www.thebookreadinggals.com
Series: Shelter Bay
Author: JoAnn Ross
Genre: Contemporary
He was used to getting what he wanted. And what he wanted was her.
As an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist, Dillon Slater had one of the most dangerous jobs in the military. Now, he’s enjoying the pace of life in Shelter Bay, where he teaches high school physics. He still gets to blow things up, but as the school basketball coach he also gets to impart leadership skills. His latest minefield: fifteen-year-old Matt Templeton—and Matt’s irresistible mother…
Claire Templeton moved her troubled teenage son to the small town of Shelter Bay to escape the bad influences at his school in L.A. But when his attitude earns her a visit from the handsome basketball coach, she wonders if this role model might be too much of a temptation—for her. Because though she isn’t looking for a relationship, she can’t seem to resist Dillon’s playful charm. But what she doesn’t realize is that Dillon isn’t playing games—he’s playing for keeps…
JoAnn Ross's Shelter Bay is fast becoming one of my favorite series. One of the things I really enjoy about this series is that while each book has a central story and couple we get to catch up with the other couples in town who we've already met.
Claire and Dillon come from different worlds. Dillon comes from a large family, while Claire is an only child. Claire has lived a relatively easy life with the exception of having a child at 18, and raising him on her own. Dillon dismantled bombs (think the Hurt Locker) and is now a teacher. The one thing they do have in common is they both want to help her son Matt.
I loved the story between these two and how Claire was all about making sure that Matt came first. I also loved Dillon's tenacity in having a relationship with Claire and Matt.
There was only one thing I wanted to see that I didn't and that was the resolution to a couple of things regarding Matt I'm hoping that they'll be resolved in a future book, much like Phoebe and Ethan's story took place over several books.
This is a nice sweet romance, and everything I expect from JoAnn and her stories.
Grade B+
Review by: Heather
http://www.thebookreadinggals.com
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