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Barefoot Bay #4
Barefoot by the Sea
When you think you know your heart's desire . . .
Tessa Galloway is a gifted nurturer-her verdant garden at Barefoot Bay's new resort is living proof. If only the woman who can grow anything could grow what she wants most: a baby. Her friends think the right guy will come along, but Tessa doesn't want to wait. All she needs is the perfect donor to make her dream come true. Then John Brown is hired at the resort. If anyone could make beautiful babies, it's this gorgeous, mysterious man. So why does Tessa suddenly find herself wanting so much more?
Can you give up all your dreams for love?
It's been three long years since John Brown had to leave his old life. Forced into the witness protection program, he's desperate to be reunited with his toddler twins. When he gets that chance, there's a catch-he must prove he's got a steady job and a new wife. Landing a gig as a chef in Barefoot Bay is easy enough. And falling for lovely Tessa is even easier. The hard part? Can he win the heart of a woman who prizes honesty-when the truth may shatter it?
Tessa Galloway is a gifted nurturer-her verdant garden at Barefoot Bay's new resort is living proof. If only the woman who can grow anything could grow what she wants most: a baby. Her friends think the right guy will come along, but Tessa doesn't want to wait. All she needs is the perfect donor to make her dream come true. Then John Brown is hired at the resort. If anyone could make beautiful babies, it's this gorgeous, mysterious man. So why does Tessa suddenly find herself wanting so much more?
Can you give up all your dreams for love?
It's been three long years since John Brown had to leave his old life. Forced into the witness protection program, he's desperate to be reunited with his toddler twins. When he gets that chance, there's a catch-he must prove he's got a steady job and a new wife. Landing a gig as a chef in Barefoot Bay is easy enough. And falling for lovely Tessa is even easier. The hard part? Can he win the heart of a woman who prizes honesty-when the truth may shatter it?
434 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
132 people are currently reading
1465 people want to read
About the author
Roxanne St. Claire
268 books1,834 followersI don’t know about you, but when I check out an author's bio, it’s usually because I’ve read a book I liked and wondered about the person behind it. Let's skip the formal bio and I'll give you the inside scoop on who Roxanne St. Claire really is.
First of all, call me Rocki. Everyone does. Evidently, when my mother brought me home from the hospital I seemed too scrawny and small to pull off “Roxanne” (she’d read Cyrano de Bergerac while pregnant or I would have been Judy) so they called me Rocki.
I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, the youngest of five (overachievers, every one), and fell in love with words and stories the summer I read Gone With The Wind. That year, for my twelfth birthday, my parents gave me a typewriter (with italic font – it was the coolest thing) and from that day on, I’ve had my fingers on a keyboard, pounding out love stories for fun. My AP English teacher taught me the two most important lessons an aspiring author ever needs: 1) verbs are the key to life and 2) a writer should get a real job. After attending UCLA and graduating with a degree in communications, I tried acting and television broadcasting. Oh, they aren’t real jobs? I learned that the hard way. I changed my last name from Zink to St. Claire because a news producer told me Roxanne Zink had too many harsh consonants for a TV personality – apparently Katie Couric didn’t get the memo. I got some fun gigs, and even met Tom Hanks when I did a guest appearance on Bosom Buddies. I liked on camera work, but wasn’t too crazy about starvation, so I moved to Boston and got that “real” job. In fact, I placed my foot on the bottom rung of the corporate ladder and didn’t look down until I’d climbed all the way up to the level of Senior Vice President at the world’s largest public relations firm. On the way up, I met the man of my dreams in an elevator. Two years later – in the same elevator! – he asked me to marry him and I wisely said yes.
I stayed in PR, moved to Miami, had a few babies, lost my home in a hurricane, built another one a few hours north and all along, I kept writing my “stories” for fun. One night, I read a particularly fabulous romance novel that changed my life for good. That night, I decided I wanted to make someone else feel as whole and happy as that author made me feel. (Everyone asks! It was Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.) With two small children and one big “real” job, writing my first novel wasn’t easy, but I did finish a manuscript that managed to get the attention of a literary agent. She told me to do one thing and one thing fast: write another book. (The first one is usually a “learner” book, honestly.) That second manuscript sold to Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books and was released in 2003 as Tropical Getaway. Since then, I’ve written almost thirty more, in multiple genres, and long ago replaced the corporate ladder with the rollercoaster of publishing as a full-time novelist. Finally, writing is my real job.
Today, I live in a small beach community in Florida with my husband and two dogs. Our kids are off to college and law school, which means my nest is empty! I spend my time writing, working with the kids at my church, enjoying my husband's gourmet cooking, and hanging with my many writer friends. Of course, I love to read. I’m still crazy about words and stories and hope to write at least a hundred books in my lifetime. And, yes, verbs are the key to life. My favorites? Love. Work. Believe.
xoxo
Rocki
First of all, call me Rocki. Everyone does. Evidently, when my mother brought me home from the hospital I seemed too scrawny and small to pull off “Roxanne” (she’d read Cyrano de Bergerac while pregnant or I would have been Judy) so they called me Rocki.
I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, the youngest of five (overachievers, every one), and fell in love with words and stories the summer I read Gone With The Wind. That year, for my twelfth birthday, my parents gave me a typewriter (with italic font – it was the coolest thing) and from that day on, I’ve had my fingers on a keyboard, pounding out love stories for fun. My AP English teacher taught me the two most important lessons an aspiring author ever needs: 1) verbs are the key to life and 2) a writer should get a real job. After attending UCLA and graduating with a degree in communications, I tried acting and television broadcasting. Oh, they aren’t real jobs? I learned that the hard way. I changed my last name from Zink to St. Claire because a news producer told me Roxanne Zink had too many harsh consonants for a TV personality – apparently Katie Couric didn’t get the memo. I got some fun gigs, and even met Tom Hanks when I did a guest appearance on Bosom Buddies. I liked on camera work, but wasn’t too crazy about starvation, so I moved to Boston and got that “real” job. In fact, I placed my foot on the bottom rung of the corporate ladder and didn’t look down until I’d climbed all the way up to the level of Senior Vice President at the world’s largest public relations firm. On the way up, I met the man of my dreams in an elevator. Two years later – in the same elevator! – he asked me to marry him and I wisely said yes.
I stayed in PR, moved to Miami, had a few babies, lost my home in a hurricane, built another one a few hours north and all along, I kept writing my “stories” for fun. One night, I read a particularly fabulous romance novel that changed my life for good. That night, I decided I wanted to make someone else feel as whole and happy as that author made me feel. (Everyone asks! It was Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.) With two small children and one big “real” job, writing my first novel wasn’t easy, but I did finish a manuscript that managed to get the attention of a literary agent. She told me to do one thing and one thing fast: write another book. (The first one is usually a “learner” book, honestly.) That second manuscript sold to Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books and was released in 2003 as Tropical Getaway. Since then, I’ve written almost thirty more, in multiple genres, and long ago replaced the corporate ladder with the rollercoaster of publishing as a full-time novelist. Finally, writing is my real job.
Today, I live in a small beach community in Florida with my husband and two dogs. Our kids are off to college and law school, which means my nest is empty! I spend my time writing, working with the kids at my church, enjoying my husband's gourmet cooking, and hanging with my many writer friends. Of course, I love to read. I’m still crazy about words and stories and hope to write at least a hundred books in my lifetime. And, yes, verbs are the key to life. My favorites? Love. Work. Believe.
xoxo
Rocki
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
April 9, 2015
Tessa Galloway just wants a baby and every man who looks like a hookup possibility also looks like a potential sperm donor. When she meets John Brown in a bar, things zing along swimmingly until she asks for a donation. When their encounter crashes, things get even dicier when he shows up as the much needed chef for the resort. But John has a big secret...he's in the UK witness protection program and they've more in common than she knows.
I must admit I wasn't looking forward to Tessa's story and put off reading it until now. Big mistake as it turned out to be one of my favorites of the series. John/Ian is refreshing in that on the surface he seems like he's carefree and a lover. Scratch just a bit below the surface and you discover all his complexities and passions, making him an appealing character. His reasons for being in the program will break your heart and Tessa's history makes her much more sympathetic.
This was a fine ending to a wonderful series. I regret having put off reading this story.
I must admit I wasn't looking forward to Tessa's story and put off reading it until now. Big mistake as it turned out to be one of my favorites of the series. John/Ian is refreshing in that on the surface he seems like he's carefree and a lover. Scratch just a bit below the surface and you discover all his complexities and passions, making him an appealing character. His reasons for being in the program will break your heart and Tessa's history makes her much more sympathetic.
This was a fine ending to a wonderful series. I regret having put off reading this story.
October 29, 2013
Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: D+
It’s hard to get into any romance from the start when you have a heroine, Tessa, who makes it clear that she hates, hates, hates lies and a hero, John, who flat out lies to her from page 1 because he has to. I get John’s reasons, he’ll do anything to get his kids back and that includes keeping his past and true identity quiet, but it just wasn’t a relationship that I found myself invested in from the start because of this huge disconnect.
John is in the UK’s version of the witness protection program and he’s been separated from his twin toddlers for about 3 years, who were sent into foster care in Canada. There’s some law described that says once they turn 4, their own father will have trouble getting them back. Now, maybe this is true and a real life issue but it just seemed so outlandish to me. I had a hard time believing that once the threat to John is over with, whether it’s in one week or three more years, he wouldn’t be able to get his own kids back. I had a hard time with this whole scenario overall, it was hard to believe and like I mentioned maybe it’s reality, but it read a bit crazy to me that this man whose only crime was witnessing the murderer of his wife and brother-in-law would be separated from his twins and possibly not be able to see them again.
Another strike against the story (I feel like such a negative nelly, but these things bothered me!) is the main romance spans about a week. I always have a hard time believing that characters can go from just meeting to love and wanting marriage in about 7 days time. Rarely does this work for me and because of the other issues I had with the relationship, it didn’t work for me here.
I’m a sucker for a hero with kids and the blurb for this one totally hooked me in with that little detail. However, the hero isn’t actually with his kids on page until the very end. I was hoping for some interactions between this single dad and his kids, seeing that happen on page and it was a letdown when I realized that wasn’t going to happen. I only mention it in case someone else reads the blurb and latches on to that detail like I did.
What I did enjoy was the friendship between the four women who all make up the Barefoot series. It didn’t feel as front and center as in books past, but they do have a few scenes together and I always enjoy the girl time scenes. They’re all working hard to prove their resort can be a wedding destination and they need to have a wedding to show an important group of women who can make or break their business by giving them their recommendation. Since they can’t find any couples ready and willing to get marry, they stage a marriage between Tessa and John that starts out being fake but doesn’t stay that way for long. It’s the catalyst for their relationship and ultimately just another deception that their romance is built on.
Unfortunately, I just wasn’t into this story from the start. The romance between Tessa and John did nothing for me. There were too many of my story pet peeves scattered throughout this story that I had a hard time looking past. There is an interesting setup for a spin off series that will follow this book. I’m curious enough to give it a try, but for this last Barefoot book, I was left feeling disappointed.
Blog rating: D+
It’s hard to get into any romance from the start when you have a heroine, Tessa, who makes it clear that she hates, hates, hates lies and a hero, John, who flat out lies to her from page 1 because he has to. I get John’s reasons, he’ll do anything to get his kids back and that includes keeping his past and true identity quiet, but it just wasn’t a relationship that I found myself invested in from the start because of this huge disconnect.
John is in the UK’s version of the witness protection program and he’s been separated from his twin toddlers for about 3 years, who were sent into foster care in Canada. There’s some law described that says once they turn 4, their own father will have trouble getting them back. Now, maybe this is true and a real life issue but it just seemed so outlandish to me. I had a hard time believing that once the threat to John is over with, whether it’s in one week or three more years, he wouldn’t be able to get his own kids back. I had a hard time with this whole scenario overall, it was hard to believe and like I mentioned maybe it’s reality, but it read a bit crazy to me that this man whose only crime was witnessing the murderer of his wife and brother-in-law would be separated from his twins and possibly not be able to see them again.
Another strike against the story (I feel like such a negative nelly, but these things bothered me!) is the main romance spans about a week. I always have a hard time believing that characters can go from just meeting to love and wanting marriage in about 7 days time. Rarely does this work for me and because of the other issues I had with the relationship, it didn’t work for me here.
I’m a sucker for a hero with kids and the blurb for this one totally hooked me in with that little detail. However, the hero isn’t actually with his kids on page until the very end. I was hoping for some interactions between this single dad and his kids, seeing that happen on page and it was a letdown when I realized that wasn’t going to happen. I only mention it in case someone else reads the blurb and latches on to that detail like I did.
What I did enjoy was the friendship between the four women who all make up the Barefoot series. It didn’t feel as front and center as in books past, but they do have a few scenes together and I always enjoy the girl time scenes. They’re all working hard to prove their resort can be a wedding destination and they need to have a wedding to show an important group of women who can make or break their business by giving them their recommendation. Since they can’t find any couples ready and willing to get marry, they stage a marriage between Tessa and John that starts out being fake but doesn’t stay that way for long. It’s the catalyst for their relationship and ultimately just another deception that their romance is built on.
Unfortunately, I just wasn’t into this story from the start. The romance between Tessa and John did nothing for me. There were too many of my story pet peeves scattered throughout this story that I had a hard time looking past. There is an interesting setup for a spin off series that will follow this book. I’m curious enough to give it a try, but for this last Barefoot book, I was left feeling disappointed.
December 4, 2015
4/12 - I liked Tessa and Ian/John. I didn't really like the motivating factor behind Ian/John's appearance in Barefoot Bay. I just couldn't believe that the UK Protected Persons Service would take a victim's children away from him or that they would force him get married in order for them to allow him to be reunited with them. I also thought the idea that they would plant a woman in his path to see if he would stray from the story they had given him was ridiculous, and then to find out that woman was actually on the board in charge of deciding whether or not to give him back his children and now had a vendetta against him because of the actions she entrapped him into performing went well past the extent of my disbelief boundaries. After finding everything to do with the UKPPS completely outrageous I decided to look them up. If you want to do the same they're under Specialist Capabilities on the National Crime Agency UK website. They have a twelve minute video giving a brief explanation of what they do through the stories of two real protected persons. The woman who told her story was not able to see her children for some years, but that was because she didn't have custody of them at the time she was placed into the program. The man who told his story went into the program with his wife and young child. Neither of them left the UK. I don't think moving protected persons out of the country is something they do. If, in an extreme case, they decided moving a witness to the US was warranted I would think that there's enough single fathers of twins for this particular single father of twins to take his twins with him to wherever he ended up. I mean it's a very large world out there, is this NIL gang so large that they have the money and manpower to search the whole world for a specific single father with twins? I got to say I don't think so, so that's another thing that ruined the entire premise of the book for me. Overall, I thought this was a disappointing ending to a fun series. Barefoot in the Sun, the third book in the series was my favourite, this was my least favourite.
October 7, 2013
Reviewing ARC from the author
Release date October 29, 2013
This is the fourth and final book of Roxanne St. Claire’s outstanding Barefoot Bay series. It can be read as a stand alone, but I would strongly recommend reading the first three books to get to know the characters and their backgrounds.
Barefoot by the Sea is Tessa Galloway’s story. Tessa is an organic farmer at the Casa Blanca resort owned by her college friend, Lacey Armstrong Walker. The one thing she desperately wanted in her marriage but never got was a baby. After trying for ten years, her husband had an affair that resulted in a pregnancy and the marriage ended. But Tess never gave up the hope that someday she would be a mother.
Gorgeous, tattooed, long-haired stranger John Brown/Ian Browning shows up at the Toasted Pelican one evening when Tessa is out with her friends Lacey, Zoe and Jocelyn. He’s looking for a one-night stand and soon has his sights set on Tessa. He puts his moves on her and when he finds out what she really wants, he can’t get away fast enough.
Needing a job, John shows up at the Casa Blanca restaurant to apply for the position of chef. To the surprise of both, Tessa is there to do the interview. Lies and secrets are two things Tess hates. And John is filled with both. But is Tess hiding something of her own?
Although their attraction is mutual, nothing about John makes sense and Tess is afraid to let him get too close. But John wants nothing more than to make Tess his wife and the sooner the better. But will his selfish motives destroy any chance at happiness with the woman he is falling in love with?
I like the sub-stories that go on at the same time including Lacey’s seventeen-year-old daughter Ashley, who feels her mom doesn’t have time for her anymore with the new baby as well as trying to make the resort a first-rate wedding destination. I also like that the other characters from the previous books show up on a regular basis (although I would have liked to see more of Will, my personal favorite) to make it feel like one continuing story.
I love the Barefoot Bay series and this book is no exception. It is an emotional roller coaster, to say the least. If you enjoyed the first three books, you can’t miss this one!
Another five-star winner!
Available for pre-order: http://www.amazon.com/Barefoot-Sea-Ba...
Release date October 29, 2013
This is the fourth and final book of Roxanne St. Claire’s outstanding Barefoot Bay series. It can be read as a stand alone, but I would strongly recommend reading the first three books to get to know the characters and their backgrounds.
Barefoot by the Sea is Tessa Galloway’s story. Tessa is an organic farmer at the Casa Blanca resort owned by her college friend, Lacey Armstrong Walker. The one thing she desperately wanted in her marriage but never got was a baby. After trying for ten years, her husband had an affair that resulted in a pregnancy and the marriage ended. But Tess never gave up the hope that someday she would be a mother.
Gorgeous, tattooed, long-haired stranger John Brown/Ian Browning shows up at the Toasted Pelican one evening when Tessa is out with her friends Lacey, Zoe and Jocelyn. He’s looking for a one-night stand and soon has his sights set on Tessa. He puts his moves on her and when he finds out what she really wants, he can’t get away fast enough.
Needing a job, John shows up at the Casa Blanca restaurant to apply for the position of chef. To the surprise of both, Tessa is there to do the interview. Lies and secrets are two things Tess hates. And John is filled with both. But is Tess hiding something of her own?
Although their attraction is mutual, nothing about John makes sense and Tess is afraid to let him get too close. But John wants nothing more than to make Tess his wife and the sooner the better. But will his selfish motives destroy any chance at happiness with the woman he is falling in love with?
I like the sub-stories that go on at the same time including Lacey’s seventeen-year-old daughter Ashley, who feels her mom doesn’t have time for her anymore with the new baby as well as trying to make the resort a first-rate wedding destination. I also like that the other characters from the previous books show up on a regular basis (although I would have liked to see more of Will, my personal favorite) to make it feel like one continuing story.
I love the Barefoot Bay series and this book is no exception. It is an emotional roller coaster, to say the least. If you enjoyed the first three books, you can’t miss this one!
Another five-star winner!
Available for pre-order: http://www.amazon.com/Barefoot-Sea-Ba...
September 8, 2013
Let me start by saying, I LOVE Roxanne St. Claire books, especially her romantic suspense. I was sad when she changed genres, at first, but reading her contemporary series set in Barefoot Bay, made me love her voice and writing style even more. I have read all the books in the series thus far, and I was very excited to receive an Advanced Review Copy (ARC) of Barefoot by the Sea at the RWA Conference in Atlanta, this summer, for an honest review.
I truly enjoyed Tessa Galloway's story. It was a very emotional book, and I connected with the character on many levels. The ability of St. Claire to write such powerful words that resonate within me is a little disturbing because I felt like she was writing about me, in many of the characters in this series, but especially with Tessa. She is what drew me to this book. Like me, Tessa's a woman who hates secrets, and being lied to. It is her gauge for survival, however she is plagued by guilt because she herself has a secret she is yet to share with her friends. Watching her internal struggle with that aspect of herself, was interesting, and a eye-opening for me. And, it was her relationship with Ian/John that enabled her to take a closer look at herself as she tried to resolve that issue. His presence in her life knocked her off her axis, and it was through their interactions, that Tessa learned to let go, and ease up on herself. Ian/John's entrance into her life helped Tessa gain a new perspective, as did her entrance into his. They needed each other to finally allow themselves to be and accept who they were. The love story between Tessa and Ian/John was very moving, and there were many moments when I had to catch myself laughing out loud while reading outside. There were, also, instances when I couldn't control myself from crying, and I tell you, you need to invest in Puffs Plus when you read this book. I loved watching the development of the main characters as well as visiting some of my old friends from the other books in the series. Ian's story ripped my heart to shreds, and knowing his background made watching him and Tessa come together that much more powerful. Though they fought their feelings, tooth and nail, it was inevitable that fate was at play. Zoe's great-aunt Pasha called it when she said one blue moon something will happen, and I'm paraphrasing here. The romance was great, and the sex was hot, especially in those closed, small spaces, that might just be a signature in St. Claire books, no matter the genre. This book is a great read! St. Claire made the story come alive through her use of all the senses, and string of connected words that evoke emotion in me, the reader. The conflicts were quite realistic, and their resolution followed, what I consider, a normal path. At times, reading Ian/John and Tessa's story was frustrating, due to the fact that she fought so hard against what she truly desired, and hid behind what she thought she wanted. If you read the series, you know Tessa's story well, but you didn't need to read the other three books before reading Barefoot by the Sea. The essence of who Tessa was, and her own internal conflicts and her desires were bared to you in the opening scene of the book. It wasn't a secret what she wanted, she just didn't know how she would get it; watching it all unfold was very exciting. Ian/John's struggle with how much to tell her, a woman who hates secrets, as he tried to woo her was quite palpable as well. I felt so sorry for him, and what he had to deny himself. I must admit, at each turn of the page, I fell a little more in love with him. The plot of this book was conflict driven, and the journey to finding resolutions was quite bumpy. One moment, you thought things were going to go one way, and the next, the unexpected happens. I love that; the story wasn't predictable, and each turn of the page propelled me, because I wanted to know what happened next. The reader is really engaged in all aspects of this story, which is a big plus for me. The setting is also one of my favourite parts of this entire series. I'm so in love with Barefoot Bay, and I truly wish there was such a place.
I truly enjoyed Tessa Galloway's story. It was a very emotional book, and I connected with the character on many levels. The ability of St. Claire to write such powerful words that resonate within me is a little disturbing because I felt like she was writing about me, in many of the characters in this series, but especially with Tessa. She is what drew me to this book. Like me, Tessa's a woman who hates secrets, and being lied to. It is her gauge for survival, however she is plagued by guilt because she herself has a secret she is yet to share with her friends. Watching her internal struggle with that aspect of herself, was interesting, and a eye-opening for me. And, it was her relationship with Ian/John that enabled her to take a closer look at herself as she tried to resolve that issue. His presence in her life knocked her off her axis, and it was through their interactions, that Tessa learned to let go, and ease up on herself. Ian/John's entrance into her life helped Tessa gain a new perspective, as did her entrance into his. They needed each other to finally allow themselves to be and accept who they were. The love story between Tessa and Ian/John was very moving, and there were many moments when I had to catch myself laughing out loud while reading outside. There were, also, instances when I couldn't control myself from crying, and I tell you, you need to invest in Puffs Plus when you read this book. I loved watching the development of the main characters as well as visiting some of my old friends from the other books in the series. Ian's story ripped my heart to shreds, and knowing his background made watching him and Tessa come together that much more powerful. Though they fought their feelings, tooth and nail, it was inevitable that fate was at play. Zoe's great-aunt Pasha called it when she said one blue moon something will happen, and I'm paraphrasing here. The romance was great, and the sex was hot, especially in those closed, small spaces, that might just be a signature in St. Claire books, no matter the genre. This book is a great read! St. Claire made the story come alive through her use of all the senses, and string of connected words that evoke emotion in me, the reader. The conflicts were quite realistic, and their resolution followed, what I consider, a normal path. At times, reading Ian/John and Tessa's story was frustrating, due to the fact that she fought so hard against what she truly desired, and hid behind what she thought she wanted. If you read the series, you know Tessa's story well, but you didn't need to read the other three books before reading Barefoot by the Sea. The essence of who Tessa was, and her own internal conflicts and her desires were bared to you in the opening scene of the book. It wasn't a secret what she wanted, she just didn't know how she would get it; watching it all unfold was very exciting. Ian/John's struggle with how much to tell her, a woman who hates secrets, as he tried to woo her was quite palpable as well. I felt so sorry for him, and what he had to deny himself. I must admit, at each turn of the page, I fell a little more in love with him. The plot of this book was conflict driven, and the journey to finding resolutions was quite bumpy. One moment, you thought things were going to go one way, and the next, the unexpected happens. I love that; the story wasn't predictable, and each turn of the page propelled me, because I wanted to know what happened next. The reader is really engaged in all aspects of this story, which is a big plus for me. The setting is also one of my favourite parts of this entire series. I'm so in love with Barefoot Bay, and I truly wish there was such a place.
October 9, 2013
I received an ARC for an honest review...It simply an amazing book...Tess is the nurturer..She wants desperately to have a child. Her family which are her close friends...Lacey, Zoe, Jocelyn...they are her support system. The book is filled with so much love..When Tessa meets John Brown is it fate that has brought them together? The laughter and tears you will experience in this book are all good and happy..it's heartbreaking but you will see something that is so beautiful. When it comes down to it...what Tessa really wants with all he heart. It's much much more. She has a spirit within her...John is just the person who is right by her side. He is the right man for her...he knows she is the right woman for him...He can trust her with his secret. She must promise to him..she can't tell anyone...They set out to fake something but really is not fake for him..it becomes real and she feels it too. Sometimes you just have to go with it..It's hard for her and hard for him but you will love this story...It's worth all the laughter, the tears and heartwarming feelings you will feel when reading this book, trust me...When it grabs you as it did me you will feel it tug at your heart. It touched me in a way I had never felt before...
Roxanne St. Claire has done it again...A winner with this one. You will be taken away to the Sea by Barefoot of course...Sweet and Happy...
Roxanne St. Claire has done it again...A winner with this one. You will be taken away to the Sea by Barefoot of course...Sweet and Happy...
October 16, 2013
Can I give this book 6 stars???
Nothing I can write will prepare you for you this story but will try. This story will have you experiencing every emotion imaginable & some that you didn’t think you would ever experience in a book.
This is the 4th of the Barefoot Bay series, Tessa Galloway’s story. Tessa despises secrets, although she has one, she longs for a family but will settle for a baby of her own. Tessa reads people very well & knows from the beginning that John is not telling her the truth; but this doesn’t keep her from responding to the chemistry the two of them share.
John Brown has a secret that could get him killed. He wants his children back and will do anything to make that happen, even dupe a woman into marrying him. John transforms from an angry, smooth talking womanizer to a romantic, loving man before your eyes.
Roxanne St Claire is able to capture the longing that these characters share. You will be able to identify with each character’s plight and your heart will ache for their respective situations. Be prepared not to put this down until you have it finished!
Nothing I can write will prepare you for you this story but will try. This story will have you experiencing every emotion imaginable & some that you didn’t think you would ever experience in a book.
This is the 4th of the Barefoot Bay series, Tessa Galloway’s story. Tessa despises secrets, although she has one, she longs for a family but will settle for a baby of her own. Tessa reads people very well & knows from the beginning that John is not telling her the truth; but this doesn’t keep her from responding to the chemistry the two of them share.
John Brown has a secret that could get him killed. He wants his children back and will do anything to make that happen, even dupe a woman into marrying him. John transforms from an angry, smooth talking womanizer to a romantic, loving man before your eyes.
Roxanne St Claire is able to capture the longing that these characters share. You will be able to identify with each character’s plight and your heart will ache for their respective situations. Be prepared not to put this down until you have it finished!
June 20, 2020
Roxanne St. Claire has done it again. In this fourth book of the Barefoot Bay series she beautifully tells us the story of Tessa and um...John. This book is full of humor, angst, mystery, & love. You won't want to put it down and I have the no sleep headache to prove it! It is a wonderful story and I highly recommended it as well as the other Barefoot Bay books to everyone!
http://www.amazon.com/Barefoot-Sea-Ba...
http://www.amazon.com/Barefoot-Sea-Ba...
August 7, 2013
I received an ARC of this book at RWA. This is my favorite of the Barefoot Bay series. John/Ian is the kind of hero I like - torn by conflicting demands, trying to do what's right and making a mess of it. Besides, who doesn't love a big, gorgeous guy who can cook? He and Tessa are a great couple and provide a satisfying wrap to the series. The book also introduces the main characters for the next series, Barefoot Brides, which looks to be a lot of fun. Keep 'em coming, Rocki!
September 30, 2013
Barefoot by the Sea is the fourth in the Barefoot Bay series by one of my very favorite authors, Roxanne St. Claire. I love her romantic suspense books and when she released this series of contemporary romance, I was thrilled.
She proved she is equally capable and comfortable writing an exciting, sexy contemporary romance as she is the romantic suspense genre. I think this is evident from her RITA nomination for the first in the series, Barefoot in the Sand. I’m not the only one who loves this series.
This story really tugs at my heartstrings. John and Tessa, each with their own agenda and past to overcome, are well developed characters. St. Claire is a great storyteller and she has a talent for characterization.
Tip: You certainly do not have to read these books in sequence, BUT, if you are like me you will probably want to. Tessa is first introduced in the first book and she is a secondary character in the next two books also. After reading the first three stories I am totally hooked. It’s not an easy thing to keep characters, well, in character, through several books. St Claire does just that--Encouraging her readers to become invested in the four friends.
Book Description from Amazon:
When you think you know your heart's desire . . .
Tessa Galloway is a gifted nurturer-her verdant garden at Barefoot Bay's new resort is living proof. If only the woman who can grow anything could grow what she wants most: a baby. Her friends think the right guy will come along, but Tessa doesn't want to wait. All she needs is the perfect donor to make her dream come true. Then John Brown is hired at the resort. If anyone could make beautiful babies, it's this gorgeous, mysterious man. So why does Tessa suddenly find herself wanting so much more?
Can you give up all your dreams for love?
It's been three long years since John Brown had to leave his old life. Forced into the witness protection program, he's desperate to be reunited with his toddler twins. When he gets that chance, there's a catch-he must prove he's got a steady job and a new wife. Landing a gig as a chef in Barefoot Bay is easy enough. And falling for lovely Tessa is even easier. The hard part? Can he win the heart of a woman who prizes honesty-when the truth may shatter it?
What I really liked:
Her hero, John/Ian is a Thor-like hunk of sexiness, with a scary tattoo inked on his neck (and other places), long hair, and a motorcycle beneath his strong thighs -- he has bad boy written all over him…or does he? There is so much more to this man.
I like that the hero and heroine do not declare their undying love after they have sex one time. How refreshing. How many books have you read that the characters profess their love in only a matter of a few pages after the sex scene? This was much more realistic in my mind.
I love St. Claire’s writing. I earmarked a couple passages that I thought were poetic.
“She told her story slowly, as if she were in her garden and could pick only the best words.”
AND
“She squeezed the shell so hard she thought she heard it crack. But it didn’t. The seashell was stronger than that. Only her heart was broken.”
She proved she is equally capable and comfortable writing an exciting, sexy contemporary romance as she is the romantic suspense genre. I think this is evident from her RITA nomination for the first in the series, Barefoot in the Sand. I’m not the only one who loves this series.
This story really tugs at my heartstrings. John and Tessa, each with their own agenda and past to overcome, are well developed characters. St. Claire is a great storyteller and she has a talent for characterization.
Tip: You certainly do not have to read these books in sequence, BUT, if you are like me you will probably want to. Tessa is first introduced in the first book and she is a secondary character in the next two books also. After reading the first three stories I am totally hooked. It’s not an easy thing to keep characters, well, in character, through several books. St Claire does just that--Encouraging her readers to become invested in the four friends.
Book Description from Amazon:
When you think you know your heart's desire . . .
Tessa Galloway is a gifted nurturer-her verdant garden at Barefoot Bay's new resort is living proof. If only the woman who can grow anything could grow what she wants most: a baby. Her friends think the right guy will come along, but Tessa doesn't want to wait. All she needs is the perfect donor to make her dream come true. Then John Brown is hired at the resort. If anyone could make beautiful babies, it's this gorgeous, mysterious man. So why does Tessa suddenly find herself wanting so much more?
Can you give up all your dreams for love?
It's been three long years since John Brown had to leave his old life. Forced into the witness protection program, he's desperate to be reunited with his toddler twins. When he gets that chance, there's a catch-he must prove he's got a steady job and a new wife. Landing a gig as a chef in Barefoot Bay is easy enough. And falling for lovely Tessa is even easier. The hard part? Can he win the heart of a woman who prizes honesty-when the truth may shatter it?
What I really liked:
Her hero, John/Ian is a Thor-like hunk of sexiness, with a scary tattoo inked on his neck (and other places), long hair, and a motorcycle beneath his strong thighs -- he has bad boy written all over him…or does he? There is so much more to this man.
I like that the hero and heroine do not declare their undying love after they have sex one time. How refreshing. How many books have you read that the characters profess their love in only a matter of a few pages after the sex scene? This was much more realistic in my mind.
I love St. Claire’s writing. I earmarked a couple passages that I thought were poetic.
“She told her story slowly, as if she were in her garden and could pick only the best words.”
AND
“She squeezed the shell so hard she thought she heard it crack. But it didn’t. The seashell was stronger than that. Only her heart was broken.”
February 25, 2017
4.5 stars
I've been waiting for Tessa's book since I devoured through the first three novels of the series over the summer. I guess the common theme through the entire series was secrets. Each book had them and finding out what each of them are makes you understand the characters more and why they hold these secrets.
Tessa Galloway always wanted a baby. Her marriage to a cheating husband ended after several years of futily trying to have that baby. Now single, while working with her three best friends to get their business off the ground, Tessa is looking for a sperm donor. Her expectations are high, and it's everything she saw in the man who walked into the pub one night.
John Brown aka Ian Browning only wants his children back. Living a life on the run and under the witness protection of the government isn't what Ian wants. Ever since he discovered his wife's body, murdered by members of a gang, he has drifted in and out of different cities and countries, trying to get custody of his children. He can't have any of that until he can prove that his life has stability. But how can a man with no home base, no job, and no wife be stable? He sets out to get each one and what better way than finding a job and a wife in the same place, with the same woman he set eyes on in the pub.
Tessa is good at reading people, specifically when they have something to hide. She's also good at hiding her own secret, one that even her three closest friends doesn't know about. She's straightforward about what she wants with John Brown even though that scared him off the first night they met. Now that he's back, courting her, Tessa thinks something must be up. There were tiny slip ups Ian made, but nothing that Tessa can put her finger on. Not only is her personal life unpredictable, but so is the future of the resort as members of a wedding consultant business arrive unexpectedly wanting to see a wedding happen on Barefoot Bay.
Seeing this opportunity basically dropped into his lap, Ian jumped at the chance and proposed (in a way) to get Tessa to marry him so he can have that "stability" the government was looking for and it's a chance to showcase the resort to gain more business. Two birds, one stone, right?
I haven't read a lot of 'marriage of convenience' storylines but this one worked for me. The romance seems to move a bit fast but there was a deadline hanging over both their heads. The pressure to succeed was paramount. You can tell that they care for each other within that short span of time. They each couldn't have one thing without giving up the other, so the internal fight Tessa and Ian had with themselves was believable, and so was their decisions.
The only thing I wanted more of was the interactions with the toddlers. I'm a sucker for babies and the little snippet we got was sooooooo utterly adorable I wanted to continue reading every scene with the twins in it. And I can't forget Elijah, especially when he smiled that first baby toothy grin.
This was a very nice ending to a great series. I'm glad it's not the end exactly as Roxanne St. Claire plans to write more books for Barefoot Bay with a different theme.
Steam: 2
I've been waiting for Tessa's book since I devoured through the first three novels of the series over the summer. I guess the common theme through the entire series was secrets. Each book had them and finding out what each of them are makes you understand the characters more and why they hold these secrets.
Tessa Galloway always wanted a baby. Her marriage to a cheating husband ended after several years of futily trying to have that baby. Now single, while working with her three best friends to get their business off the ground, Tessa is looking for a sperm donor. Her expectations are high, and it's everything she saw in the man who walked into the pub one night.
John Brown aka Ian Browning only wants his children back. Living a life on the run and under the witness protection of the government isn't what Ian wants. Ever since he discovered his wife's body, murdered by members of a gang, he has drifted in and out of different cities and countries, trying to get custody of his children. He can't have any of that until he can prove that his life has stability. But how can a man with no home base, no job, and no wife be stable? He sets out to get each one and what better way than finding a job and a wife in the same place, with the same woman he set eyes on in the pub.
Tessa is good at reading people, specifically when they have something to hide. She's also good at hiding her own secret, one that even her three closest friends doesn't know about. She's straightforward about what she wants with John Brown even though that scared him off the first night they met. Now that he's back, courting her, Tessa thinks something must be up. There were tiny slip ups Ian made, but nothing that Tessa can put her finger on. Not only is her personal life unpredictable, but so is the future of the resort as members of a wedding consultant business arrive unexpectedly wanting to see a wedding happen on Barefoot Bay.
Seeing this opportunity basically dropped into his lap, Ian jumped at the chance and proposed (in a way) to get Tessa to marry him so he can have that "stability" the government was looking for and it's a chance to showcase the resort to gain more business. Two birds, one stone, right?
I haven't read a lot of 'marriage of convenience' storylines but this one worked for me. The romance seems to move a bit fast but there was a deadline hanging over both their heads. The pressure to succeed was paramount. You can tell that they care for each other within that short span of time. They each couldn't have one thing without giving up the other, so the internal fight Tessa and Ian had with themselves was believable, and so was their decisions.
The only thing I wanted more of was the interactions with the toddlers. I'm a sucker for babies and the little snippet we got was sooooooo utterly adorable I wanted to continue reading every scene with the twins in it. And I can't forget Elijah, especially when he smiled that first baby toothy grin.
This was a very nice ending to a great series. I'm glad it's not the end exactly as Roxanne St. Claire plans to write more books for Barefoot Bay with a different theme.
Steam: 2
September 4, 2013
Barefoot By The Sea
Bring your sunscreen...This one's a scorcher!
Oh Finally.... YES! The fourth book in the Barefoot Bay series totally grabs you from the very first, deliciously sinful scene with "sex-on-two-legs" John Brown! And of course, our favorite quad of BFF's from the Barefoot Bay series - Lacey, Jocelyn, Zoe and the STAR of SEA, whose story I've so eagerly awaited - Tessa Galloway! Well, you will NOT be disappointed because this, in my opinion, is the BEST in the series!
But don't let John's outwardly "stunning" package fool you ;) The author, St. Claire, builds powerfully real, complex characters, quickly but methodically. In SEA, she works her magic yet again as she pens one of her most honorable, secretly anguished, yet confidently passionate (in every way) heroes to date, while he effortlessly steals into your heart. In SEA, he's desperately seeking to find a way to drown out the painfully dark memories of his past that he must keep deeply hidden while waiting to be reunited with his two small children taken from him in a plan to keep them protected from harm after having been forced into the witness protection program. The only obstacle, land a stable job and get married.
The all-natural, perfectly lovely Tessa, lives and breathes her organic farming and the entire process of life and nature. She cherishes spending time with her best friends who have become her family, helping to create their dream of Casa Blanca. Forever unsuccessful in her attempts to conceive a child with her former cheating, "now" ex-husband, Tessa has been relentlessly seeking alternate ways to have a baby on her own. She also despises secrets and seems to have an internal radar for when someone is hiding the truth. This makes for a slightly confusing but nevertheless dynamic and intensely passionate match between our two main characters. One that keeps you enthralled page after heart-pounding page.
St. Claire's finest of the series! I couldn't wait to get to the ending! Finished this in one sitting :) However, I highly recommend you start at the beginning of the Barefoot Bay series with Barefoot In The Sand, then Barefoot In The Rain, and Barefoot In The Sun. But even with that said, this book could easily stand on its own. On the other hand, the pure enjoyment of pulling in such rich, diverse characters from the first three books and getting to know Tessa from these books as well, brings the world of Barefoot Bay alive in a way not nearly as profound without having read the complete set. Each one is so very compelling in their own way. I love this series! *Can't wait for the spin-off!
*At the end of the book, there's an exciting sneak peek at a spin-off from the Barefoot Bay series to an upcoming ("yet to be revealed") tantalizing new novel!!!
(I was honored to receive an ARC from the author)
Bring your sunscreen...This one's a scorcher!
Oh Finally.... YES! The fourth book in the Barefoot Bay series totally grabs you from the very first, deliciously sinful scene with "sex-on-two-legs" John Brown! And of course, our favorite quad of BFF's from the Barefoot Bay series - Lacey, Jocelyn, Zoe and the STAR of SEA, whose story I've so eagerly awaited - Tessa Galloway! Well, you will NOT be disappointed because this, in my opinion, is the BEST in the series!
But don't let John's outwardly "stunning" package fool you ;) The author, St. Claire, builds powerfully real, complex characters, quickly but methodically. In SEA, she works her magic yet again as she pens one of her most honorable, secretly anguished, yet confidently passionate (in every way) heroes to date, while he effortlessly steals into your heart. In SEA, he's desperately seeking to find a way to drown out the painfully dark memories of his past that he must keep deeply hidden while waiting to be reunited with his two small children taken from him in a plan to keep them protected from harm after having been forced into the witness protection program. The only obstacle, land a stable job and get married.
The all-natural, perfectly lovely Tessa, lives and breathes her organic farming and the entire process of life and nature. She cherishes spending time with her best friends who have become her family, helping to create their dream of Casa Blanca. Forever unsuccessful in her attempts to conceive a child with her former cheating, "now" ex-husband, Tessa has been relentlessly seeking alternate ways to have a baby on her own. She also despises secrets and seems to have an internal radar for when someone is hiding the truth. This makes for a slightly confusing but nevertheless dynamic and intensely passionate match between our two main characters. One that keeps you enthralled page after heart-pounding page.
St. Claire's finest of the series! I couldn't wait to get to the ending! Finished this in one sitting :) However, I highly recommend you start at the beginning of the Barefoot Bay series with Barefoot In The Sand, then Barefoot In The Rain, and Barefoot In The Sun. But even with that said, this book could easily stand on its own. On the other hand, the pure enjoyment of pulling in such rich, diverse characters from the first three books and getting to know Tessa from these books as well, brings the world of Barefoot Bay alive in a way not nearly as profound without having read the complete set. Each one is so very compelling in their own way. I love this series! *Can't wait for the spin-off!
*At the end of the book, there's an exciting sneak peek at a spin-off from the Barefoot Bay series to an upcoming ("yet to be revealed") tantalizing new novel!!!
(I was honored to receive an ARC from the author)
November 2, 2013
My Thoughts
Loved it
Tessa has a serious case of Baby Lust so much so, that she is asking random, albeit handsome, strangers in bars about their DNA. When said handsome stranger is falling in lust with her, she starts asking about his medical history, which of course, is a known lust-killer. The handsome stranger turns out to be a chef with a PAST. John Brown, aka Ian Browning, aka handsome stranger, applies for a job at the Casa Blanca resort where Tess is in charge of the gardens. With the "help" of her friends and co-owners, Tess must face her PAST and in turn John must face his.
There is a serious chemistry between the two and as you get to know John/Ian, he begins to grow on you. His sordid past is not that sordid and I developed a strong sympathy for him. I mean what isn't there to love about him. He knows his way around a kitchen and loves kids. I did wonder if he was just too perfect on the inside and was afraid that Tess would never know about it since he was forced to keep that a secret. But there is a twist in the plot and what seems impossible becomes just what Tessa wants but now for all the wrong reasons. Vague? I know -- go read the book. Sigh.
The friendship between Tess and her girls is full of laughs. You really want to meet these girls and hang out with them. There is also an undercurrent of tension there as well, since the four have combined to create a resort worthy of four star destination weddings. Between that and the back story of John, the balance between light-hearted fun and serious consequences is well done. I have read the whole series and each book does stand alone, but it is better to read them in order. This is just a wonderful romance that will take you away. If you enjoy Jill Shalvis or Robyn Carr.
Loved it
Tessa has a serious case of Baby Lust so much so, that she is asking random, albeit handsome, strangers in bars about their DNA. When said handsome stranger is falling in lust with her, she starts asking about his medical history, which of course, is a known lust-killer. The handsome stranger turns out to be a chef with a PAST. John Brown, aka Ian Browning, aka handsome stranger, applies for a job at the Casa Blanca resort where Tess is in charge of the gardens. With the "help" of her friends and co-owners, Tess must face her PAST and in turn John must face his.
There is a serious chemistry between the two and as you get to know John/Ian, he begins to grow on you. His sordid past is not that sordid and I developed a strong sympathy for him. I mean what isn't there to love about him. He knows his way around a kitchen and loves kids. I did wonder if he was just too perfect on the inside and was afraid that Tess would never know about it since he was forced to keep that a secret. But there is a twist in the plot and what seems impossible becomes just what Tessa wants but now for all the wrong reasons. Vague? I know -- go read the book. Sigh.
The friendship between Tess and her girls is full of laughs. You really want to meet these girls and hang out with them. There is also an undercurrent of tension there as well, since the four have combined to create a resort worthy of four star destination weddings. Between that and the back story of John, the balance between light-hearted fun and serious consequences is well done. I have read the whole series and each book does stand alone, but it is better to read them in order. This is just a wonderful romance that will take you away. If you enjoy Jill Shalvis or Robyn Carr.
September 8, 2013
Let's start out by saying I am a HUGE fan of the Barefoot Bay series, but this book just blew everything else out of the water! I loved the first three stories in this series and wasn't sure how Tessa's story was going to go. The other books didn't give much about Tessa except for the fact that she was divorced, really wanted a baby and hated lies.
The first 75 % of this book revolves around Tessa and John/Ian's story. You learn what makes them tick and why they are like they are. As they slowly start to trust each other and reveal more of their pasts you start to fall in love with each of them even more. They are two people with very painful pasts and they each just want their own version of a happy ever after.
By the last 25 % of the book they both realize that the happy every after they thought they wanted wasn't actually what they really wanted. Be prepared to go through very strong emotions in the last few chapters of this book, but it was all worth it in the end.
Another winner from Roxanne St. Claire! Oh, and there is a sneak peek to the next Barefoot Bay book and let's just say I will be reading it! ;)
The first 75 % of this book revolves around Tessa and John/Ian's story. You learn what makes them tick and why they are like they are. As they slowly start to trust each other and reveal more of their pasts you start to fall in love with each of them even more. They are two people with very painful pasts and they each just want their own version of a happy ever after.
By the last 25 % of the book they both realize that the happy every after they thought they wanted wasn't actually what they really wanted. Be prepared to go through very strong emotions in the last few chapters of this book, but it was all worth it in the end.
Another winner from Roxanne St. Claire! Oh, and there is a sneak peek to the next Barefoot Bay book and let's just say I will be reading it! ;)
October 22, 2013
To my delight I received an ARC of Barefoot by the Sea in order to give an honest review. No problem!
As with all the other books in the Barefoot Series...I loved it!
Ms. St. Claire has built a world you can fall into and want to stay. The characters are so richly developed and this particular story of Tessa and John was so emotional it actually took me to tears.
I loved John from first appearance in a bar. He was developed into a beautiful, sad, determined and believable man.
Tessa's story is as rich, emotional and complex as I could want.
Together they have a problematic but steamy relationship that I couldn't imagine how it was going to end.
I really like the way Ms. St. Claire takes Lacey, Jocelyn, Zoe and Tessa and weaves them into each book, it makes the series what it is..friends, family and love.
http://www.amazon.com/Barefoot-Sea-Ba...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/baref...
As with all the other books in the Barefoot Series...I loved it!
Ms. St. Claire has built a world you can fall into and want to stay. The characters are so richly developed and this particular story of Tessa and John was so emotional it actually took me to tears.
I loved John from first appearance in a bar. He was developed into a beautiful, sad, determined and believable man.
Tessa's story is as rich, emotional and complex as I could want.
Together they have a problematic but steamy relationship that I couldn't imagine how it was going to end.
I really like the way Ms. St. Claire takes Lacey, Jocelyn, Zoe and Tessa and weaves them into each book, it makes the series what it is..friends, family and love.
http://www.amazon.com/Barefoot-Sea-Ba...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/baref...
August 5, 2013
I received an ARC copy of this book. This is the first of the "Barefoot" series I read. I enjoyed the story and it was a relief to the angst I usually read. You can definitely read one without having read the others. Nice story of love a second time around.
August 7, 2022
i would give it a 4.5 stars. it picked up much more in the second half, but the passion was definitely there. it had a similar story to the first book, but was definitely better and more emotional. it was a sweet ending to the series and i loved it. if you’re looking for a comfort series with the best friend group, summer romances, an island resort, and just good vibes, read this.
August 3, 2018
Ein würdiger Abschluss für diese Serie. Doch würde mich interessieren wie es mit den anderen weitergeht. Muss ich die ebooks lesen mit den sondergeschichten :) 4 Sterne
October 27, 2013
My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2013/10...
Tessa Galloway has a job she loves and a family-by-choice anyone would envy, but her life isn’t complete. Though she can make flowers bloom in the most difficult of circumstances, Tess can’t seem to grow the one thing she wants most in the world: a baby. Her friends are convinced she’ll find the right guy to make her dreams come true, but Tess believes they’re wrong. Until John Brown is hired as the new chef for the resort Tess and her friends run. John’s utterly irresistible and seems to be falling as hard for Tess as she is for him, but she can’t seem to shake the feeling that something about the man is too good to be true.
Ian Browning is a man with many secrets. Over three years ago, his life was shattered and he was forced into a witness protection program. Now living in the US and going by the name of John Brown, Ian is determined to do anything to be reunited with his children, who are in a different program in Canada. Thanks to a heavy amount of red tape, Ian’s window of opportunity for getting his kids back is closing fast. He needs to prove that he’s a model citizen, complete with a steady job and a wife. The first is easy, but the second leaves him conflicted. He knows Tessa’s deepest desire and he also knows he can’t possibly fulfill it. Nevertheless, he pursues her, all-too-aware that she’ll hate him forever when she learns of his deception. The more time he spends around Tessa, the more in love with her Ian is. But how can he be the man she needs without sacrificing his children?
Barefoot by the Sea is the beach read you’ll want to have with you all year long! The final installment of the Barefoot Bay quartet features secrets and heartbreak that can only be overcome by determination, love, and hope.
I loved this book, plain and simple. Tess is a heroine who spoke to me. She’s hardworking, loyal, and caring, but not perfect. She tends to be too focused when she sets her mind on something, and not seeing the bigger picture hampers her in some ways. She almost defines herself by her inability to have a child, and what made Barefoot by the Sea special was watching her come into her own over the course of the story.
Ian is definitely Tess’s catalyst for change, and man, oh man, does Roxanne St. Claire deliver when it comes to Ian. Much like Tess, I hate secrets and they’re normally a big red flag for me in books. However, Ian’s the exception that proves the rule. How can you hold his actions against him when the entire reason for his deception is rooted in a tragedy he had no part in creating? Ian’s a father willing to sacrifice everything to be reunited with his kids and his love and devotion to his children would alone be enough to make him a great hero in my eyes. Add in his culinary skills, innate sexiness, and obvious love for Tess and I’m a goner.
Neither Ian nor Tess live the lives they’d originally mapped out for themselves, but watching them find love and happiness in the lives they do lead was absolutely wonderful. Their romance was by turns sensual and touching and I was so drawn to them as a pair that I couldn’t put Barefoot by the Sea down.
Barefoot by the Sea is the fourth book in the Barefoot Bay quartet but it can be read as a standalone. Tess’s best friends, Lacey, Jocelyn, and Zoe (the heroines of Barefoot in the Sand, Barefoot in the Rain, and Barefoot in the Sun) all play strong supporting roles, as does Lacey’s daughter, Ashley. Tess’s relationships with these women is every bit as important to the story as her burgeoning romance with Ian is. And speaking of developing romances, fans of the series will undoubtedly be pleased to learn that Barefoot by the Sea provides a lead-in to Ms. St. Claire’s next series, the Barefoot Brides. Here’s hoping that Tess, Lacey, Jocelyn, Zoe, and their loved ones show up in the Barefoot Brides books.
Barefoot by the Sea is a compelling, emotional read that will grab you by the heart and not let go. I absolutely loved Ian and Tess, and their story is a shining example of Roxanne St. Claire’s talent as an author. I can’t wait to re-read Barefoot by the Sea over and over and over again.
Tessa Galloway has a job she loves and a family-by-choice anyone would envy, but her life isn’t complete. Though she can make flowers bloom in the most difficult of circumstances, Tess can’t seem to grow the one thing she wants most in the world: a baby. Her friends are convinced she’ll find the right guy to make her dreams come true, but Tess believes they’re wrong. Until John Brown is hired as the new chef for the resort Tess and her friends run. John’s utterly irresistible and seems to be falling as hard for Tess as she is for him, but she can’t seem to shake the feeling that something about the man is too good to be true.
Ian Browning is a man with many secrets. Over three years ago, his life was shattered and he was forced into a witness protection program. Now living in the US and going by the name of John Brown, Ian is determined to do anything to be reunited with his children, who are in a different program in Canada. Thanks to a heavy amount of red tape, Ian’s window of opportunity for getting his kids back is closing fast. He needs to prove that he’s a model citizen, complete with a steady job and a wife. The first is easy, but the second leaves him conflicted. He knows Tessa’s deepest desire and he also knows he can’t possibly fulfill it. Nevertheless, he pursues her, all-too-aware that she’ll hate him forever when she learns of his deception. The more time he spends around Tessa, the more in love with her Ian is. But how can he be the man she needs without sacrificing his children?
Barefoot by the Sea is the beach read you’ll want to have with you all year long! The final installment of the Barefoot Bay quartet features secrets and heartbreak that can only be overcome by determination, love, and hope.
I loved this book, plain and simple. Tess is a heroine who spoke to me. She’s hardworking, loyal, and caring, but not perfect. She tends to be too focused when she sets her mind on something, and not seeing the bigger picture hampers her in some ways. She almost defines herself by her inability to have a child, and what made Barefoot by the Sea special was watching her come into her own over the course of the story.
Ian is definitely Tess’s catalyst for change, and man, oh man, does Roxanne St. Claire deliver when it comes to Ian. Much like Tess, I hate secrets and they’re normally a big red flag for me in books. However, Ian’s the exception that proves the rule. How can you hold his actions against him when the entire reason for his deception is rooted in a tragedy he had no part in creating? Ian’s a father willing to sacrifice everything to be reunited with his kids and his love and devotion to his children would alone be enough to make him a great hero in my eyes. Add in his culinary skills, innate sexiness, and obvious love for Tess and I’m a goner.
Neither Ian nor Tess live the lives they’d originally mapped out for themselves, but watching them find love and happiness in the lives they do lead was absolutely wonderful. Their romance was by turns sensual and touching and I was so drawn to them as a pair that I couldn’t put Barefoot by the Sea down.
Barefoot by the Sea is the fourth book in the Barefoot Bay quartet but it can be read as a standalone. Tess’s best friends, Lacey, Jocelyn, and Zoe (the heroines of Barefoot in the Sand, Barefoot in the Rain, and Barefoot in the Sun) all play strong supporting roles, as does Lacey’s daughter, Ashley. Tess’s relationships with these women is every bit as important to the story as her burgeoning romance with Ian is. And speaking of developing romances, fans of the series will undoubtedly be pleased to learn that Barefoot by the Sea provides a lead-in to Ms. St. Claire’s next series, the Barefoot Brides. Here’s hoping that Tess, Lacey, Jocelyn, Zoe, and their loved ones show up in the Barefoot Brides books.
Barefoot by the Sea is a compelling, emotional read that will grab you by the heart and not let go. I absolutely loved Ian and Tess, and their story is a shining example of Roxanne St. Claire’s talent as an author. I can’t wait to re-read Barefoot by the Sea over and over and over again.
October 27, 2013
These books get better and better!
Release date 10/29/13 Forever Hachette Book Group
I was lucky enough to be given an ARC from the author at RWA this summer (Thanks Rocki!!!). I'm a huge fan of Roxanne St. Claire and with great restraint, made myself wait until closer to the release date to read this book.
I'm a huge fan of the Barefoot Bay series and was excited for Tessa to finally get her happily ever after. I've said over and over again how much the friendship between Tessa, Zoe, Lacey, and Jocelyn is one of my favorite things about this series. I see my friends and myself as I read each of these books, even though there are 7 of us. However, much like Tessa and her friends, my friends and I give each other a hard time, joke and laugh like crazy, and most of all are always there for one another.
Tessa need she her friends now more than ever, since she has decided to go it alone to have a baby. I almost fell off my sofa laughing as the friends sat around a table in a bar giving names to sperm. Of course, this would be when the perfect man happens to walk into Tessa's life. John Brown/Ian Browning really is perfect for Tessa; except for one tiny flaw...he is in the witness protection program and can't be truthful about anything. Oh how I fell for John/Ian just like Tessa. Even knowing he was keeping secrets from her, she couldn't seem to keep her hands off him if they were in the same area together. The biggest secret John/Ian is keeping is the fact that he has toddler twins. So not only is he the perfect man for Tessa, but he comes with children, which are her biggest dream ever.
It totally killed me that John/Ian couldn't be truthful with Tessa about everything, even as I knew they were both falling in love with each other. When they are picked to be the test wedding at the resort, I was hoping it would be forever for them both. Tessa continued to fight her feelings for John/Ian because she knew he was keeping something from her and John/Ian seemed to be fighting his feelings just as hard. I won't lie and say this book didn't make me cry, because it did...several times in fact. However, I tend to cry when reading many of Rocki's books, so I pretty much know to keep tissues handy. I also tend to laugh, and I did so many times with this book.
I'm sure I've said this about other books in the Barefoot Bay series, but Barefoot by the Sea is my favorite in the series so far. Really of the 4 books out now, it is so my favorite book. Rocki pulled all the emotions out of me with this book and I loved every single minute of it. As soon as I finished reading it, I wanted to re-read it right away. I’ll also say this book can be read as a stand alone, even though it is the 4th book in the series. I do however suggest reading the other books in the series first. I'm pretty excited this book isn't the end of our time in Barefoot Bay. We will again get to be with the Barefoot Bay characters starting next year with the Barefoot Bride books. Woohoo!!!
Release date 10/29/13 Forever Hachette Book Group
I was lucky enough to be given an ARC from the author at RWA this summer (Thanks Rocki!!!). I'm a huge fan of Roxanne St. Claire and with great restraint, made myself wait until closer to the release date to read this book.
I'm a huge fan of the Barefoot Bay series and was excited for Tessa to finally get her happily ever after. I've said over and over again how much the friendship between Tessa, Zoe, Lacey, and Jocelyn is one of my favorite things about this series. I see my friends and myself as I read each of these books, even though there are 7 of us. However, much like Tessa and her friends, my friends and I give each other a hard time, joke and laugh like crazy, and most of all are always there for one another.
Tessa need she her friends now more than ever, since she has decided to go it alone to have a baby. I almost fell off my sofa laughing as the friends sat around a table in a bar giving names to sperm. Of course, this would be when the perfect man happens to walk into Tessa's life. John Brown/Ian Browning really is perfect for Tessa; except for one tiny flaw...he is in the witness protection program and can't be truthful about anything. Oh how I fell for John/Ian just like Tessa. Even knowing he was keeping secrets from her, she couldn't seem to keep her hands off him if they were in the same area together. The biggest secret John/Ian is keeping is the fact that he has toddler twins. So not only is he the perfect man for Tessa, but he comes with children, which are her biggest dream ever.
It totally killed me that John/Ian couldn't be truthful with Tessa about everything, even as I knew they were both falling in love with each other. When they are picked to be the test wedding at the resort, I was hoping it would be forever for them both. Tessa continued to fight her feelings for John/Ian because she knew he was keeping something from her and John/Ian seemed to be fighting his feelings just as hard. I won't lie and say this book didn't make me cry, because it did...several times in fact. However, I tend to cry when reading many of Rocki's books, so I pretty much know to keep tissues handy. I also tend to laugh, and I did so many times with this book.
I'm sure I've said this about other books in the Barefoot Bay series, but Barefoot by the Sea is my favorite in the series so far. Really of the 4 books out now, it is so my favorite book. Rocki pulled all the emotions out of me with this book and I loved every single minute of it. As soon as I finished reading it, I wanted to re-read it right away. I’ll also say this book can be read as a stand alone, even though it is the 4th book in the series. I do however suggest reading the other books in the series first. I'm pretty excited this book isn't the end of our time in Barefoot Bay. We will again get to be with the Barefoot Bay characters starting next year with the Barefoot Bride books. Woohoo!!!
October 26, 2013
I fell in love with the characters in this book especially the four women who run the Casa Blanca resort in Barefoot Bay. Each of these lovely women have found their happy ending except for Tessa, who is the gardener for the beautiful resort. She has decided after heartbreak and betrayal, all she wants is to have a baby and is desperately looking for a donor to help those dreams come true. In walks John Brown, a sexy man that immediately attracts Tessa’s attention but has secrets of his own. He is on the run from his past and looking for a place to call home until he can retrieve his children from protective custody. When the two meet, sparks fly but they soon find very quickly that they both want two very different things in life. But John has to build a life in Barefoot Bay if he wants any chance of being reunited with his children and being around Tessa makes him want more out of life than just barely surviving.
Tessa was such a great character in this book. She wanted to have a child after suffering from heartbreak and was already in the process of making that happen. She was looking for a donor and to her surprise, the perfect man walked into her life and wanted to work as the new chef at Casa Blanca. She hated secrets because they only led to pain and John was holding quite a few secrets from Tessa because he didn’t want to fall in love with her and then end up leaving her.
John had been through so much after losing his wife and having his children go into protective custody. He wanted to start a new life but meeting Tessa wasn’t something that he planned on. She was everything that he wanted but he was afraid to love again especially if he had to leave to get his children and never return. I was irritated with him toward the middle of this book because he should have told Tessa about his previous life instead of creating more lies that were bound to be discovered. Especially when it came to telling her his real name was Ian. He redeemed himself by the end of the book but there was a point there that I wanted to smack him for Tessa’s sake.
Barefoot by the Sea was a wonderful novel that had me wanting to visit the beautiful Barefoot Bay and spending time with Ms. St. Claire’s characters. I loved Tessa’s and Ian’s story and I can’t wait to read the rest in the series especially the new spinoff series involving the new wedding planners.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Tessa was such a great character in this book. She wanted to have a child after suffering from heartbreak and was already in the process of making that happen. She was looking for a donor and to her surprise, the perfect man walked into her life and wanted to work as the new chef at Casa Blanca. She hated secrets because they only led to pain and John was holding quite a few secrets from Tessa because he didn’t want to fall in love with her and then end up leaving her.
John had been through so much after losing his wife and having his children go into protective custody. He wanted to start a new life but meeting Tessa wasn’t something that he planned on. She was everything that he wanted but he was afraid to love again especially if he had to leave to get his children and never return. I was irritated with him toward the middle of this book because he should have told Tessa about his previous life instead of creating more lies that were bound to be discovered. Especially when it came to telling her his real name was Ian. He redeemed himself by the end of the book but there was a point there that I wanted to smack him for Tessa’s sake.
Barefoot by the Sea was a wonderful novel that had me wanting to visit the beautiful Barefoot Bay and spending time with Ms. St. Claire’s characters. I loved Tessa’s and Ian’s story and I can’t wait to read the rest in the series especially the new spinoff series involving the new wedding planners.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2013
Received the book from the author
Review can be found here and courtesy of Romance Junkies:
http://romancejunkiesreviews.com/artm...
Tessa Galloway oversees the beautiful gardens at her friend’s beachside resort Casa Blanca. Since her divorce, she moved on site and aided Lacey’s dream to build a unique and beautiful resort. She bravely weathered each one of her three college dorm sisters/friends finding love, marrying, and in two’s case becoming pregnant. Years of trying, and failing, to conceive cost Tessa her marriage. She is done waiting and taking steps to get that one precious thing she wants most: a baby.
Ian Browning, also known as John Brown, is in the British version of the witness protective program. His entire existence is built on a series of lies, something that Tessa abhors. He continues to live this lie only to protect his two small children, waiting agonizingly until the day he can have them back. Tessa was the only person at Casa Blanca who guessed there was something he was hiding, that there was more to Ian/John then what he told everyone. Ian/John finds his heart engaged when it was in his best interest not too.
This story did not disappoint me. I enjoyed the first three books in the Barefoot series, so I was anticipating how Roxanne was going to execute Tessa’s story. It evoked all kinds of emotions in me: heartache for both Tessa and John/Ian’s past, laughter. From page seven and onward, Roxi made me cackle with laughter. She tied up the story so emotionally that I literally sighed in happiness once I reached the final page.
BAREFOOT BY THE SEA is a evocative, heart-rending story of finding love again and gaining one’s wishes. The book reinstalled belief in the power of honest-to-goodness friendship, making me wish to have people like Tessa did in my life. BAREFOOT BY THE SEA was a wonderful conclusion to the series and a sort of introduction for the spinoff she is currently working on again. The knowledge that this is not the last we will hear from the four friends at Barefoot Bay. That we will see them again in the spin-off she is currently working on.
October 23, 2013
Reviewed by Kim
for Read Your Writes Book Reviews
I will admit, I didn't want to read this book. I mean Roxanne always makes me cry. I so do not like crying while reading books, thus I was afraid. Yeah, my crying fear was justified, I cried. But what I didn’t expect was to start the book off laughing.
Tessa Galloway has watched her three best friends find love and happiness and turn into baby making machines. Tessa desperately wants to have a baby of her own. But she doesn’t necessarily want the man with it. I mean she can’t just say to a guy, “Hey, smokin’-hot bad ass sex god with the long hair and deadly tattoos, can you fill ’er up with some of your potent liquid gold?” Only, she just did.
John Brown aka Ian Browning. Has spent the last three years of his life in pure hell and misery. After seeing the man who murdered his wife sent to prison, Ian/John and his toddler twins, Shiloh and Sam, have been put into the UK Protected Persons Service program and separated. But time is running out on them being able to be reunited as a family.
There’s no denying that John and Tessa have chemistry with one another. The only question is whether or not their chemistry is good enough to turn into true love and survive the lies they are both telling each other and the world.
Barefoot by the Sea will take you on a journey of two people finding each other, just when they need someone the most. You will get to experience two people finally finding the one person they feel safe enough with to share their biggest secrets. You will laugh, cry, and realize that sometimes risking a broken heart is better than keeping it safe.
My only criticism of this book is the Epilogue. While I usually like them in books, I felt here it killed the loving high I had with the book. But maybe, it was just the delivery of it.
Rating 4.5 Stars
Source: Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley
for Read Your Writes Book Reviews
I will admit, I didn't want to read this book. I mean Roxanne always makes me cry. I so do not like crying while reading books, thus I was afraid. Yeah, my crying fear was justified, I cried. But what I didn’t expect was to start the book off laughing.
Tessa Galloway has watched her three best friends find love and happiness and turn into baby making machines. Tessa desperately wants to have a baby of her own. But she doesn’t necessarily want the man with it. I mean she can’t just say to a guy, “Hey, smokin’-hot bad ass sex god with the long hair and deadly tattoos, can you fill ’er up with some of your potent liquid gold?” Only, she just did.
John Brown aka Ian Browning. Has spent the last three years of his life in pure hell and misery. After seeing the man who murdered his wife sent to prison, Ian/John and his toddler twins, Shiloh and Sam, have been put into the UK Protected Persons Service program and separated. But time is running out on them being able to be reunited as a family.
There’s no denying that John and Tessa have chemistry with one another. The only question is whether or not their chemistry is good enough to turn into true love and survive the lies they are both telling each other and the world.
Barefoot by the Sea will take you on a journey of two people finding each other, just when they need someone the most. You will get to experience two people finally finding the one person they feel safe enough with to share their biggest secrets. You will laugh, cry, and realize that sometimes risking a broken heart is better than keeping it safe.
My only criticism of this book is the Epilogue. While I usually like them in books, I felt here it killed the loving high I had with the book. But maybe, it was just the delivery of it.
Rating 4.5 Stars
Source: Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley
October 7, 2013
Barefoot by the Sea by Roxanne St Claire
Powerful emotions. Deep longings from Tessa Galloway but she is not sure John Brown is for real. Something just isn't right and warning bells keep going off in her head. 4th in the Barefoot series but able to stand alone. For the first half of the book, I just wanted John to tell her the truth. I understood why he couldn't though so it was a frustrating lack of communication between them. And since we knew how much she dislikes secrets, the anxiety levels just kept going up.
Tessa works at Casa Blanca as an organic farmer. She loves to make things grow. What she really wants, longs for, is a baby.
John is currently in the witness protection program and will do anything to get his children back. But he can't tell Tessa the who he really is. He can "Live" and keep his past history a secret. Or hazard "to die" by telling Tessa the truth.
Things get interesting when John's timeline to get his children is pushed up and a coveted destination wedding recommendation is sought by the resort. Suddenly a wedding is being planned by two people that still have a lot of questions for each other.
In the end, it's HEA. Ahhh. Utter contentment. That's what I felt after turning the last page. What a great romantic read. Mmmm, satisfying.
Powerful emotions. Deep longings from Tessa Galloway but she is not sure John Brown is for real. Something just isn't right and warning bells keep going off in her head. 4th in the Barefoot series but able to stand alone. For the first half of the book, I just wanted John to tell her the truth. I understood why he couldn't though so it was a frustrating lack of communication between them. And since we knew how much she dislikes secrets, the anxiety levels just kept going up.
Tessa works at Casa Blanca as an organic farmer. She loves to make things grow. What she really wants, longs for, is a baby.
John is currently in the witness protection program and will do anything to get his children back. But he can't tell Tessa the who he really is. He can "Live" and keep his past history a secret. Or hazard "to die" by telling Tessa the truth.
Things get interesting when John's timeline to get his children is pushed up and a coveted destination wedding recommendation is sought by the resort. Suddenly a wedding is being planned by two people that still have a lot of questions for each other.
In the end, it's HEA. Ahhh. Utter contentment. That's what I felt after turning the last page. What a great romantic read. Mmmm, satisfying.
October 29, 2013
I was given an ARC of this book at RWA conference, and I was thrilled to get it into my hands. I love the Barefoot Bay Series and this novel does not disappoint and was well worth the wait.
Roxanne St. Claire has been one of my all time favorite authors for years. So when I learned about the Barefoot Bay Series I couldn't wait to read them and now book four is out. Tessa and Ian (John Brown) have such a chemistry I found myself unable to put the book down. I love when i can throw myself into a book and get lost in the story for a few hours.
What I love most is the diversity of each of the books in the series. How each woman faces a different challenge in their life and how they overcome their struggles.
Tessa longs to have a child and longs for the happiness her friends have found. Ian is a wounded man longing for the things he's lost and finds comfort in the gentle loving arms of Tessa.
A must read with a box ok Kleenex near by!
Roxanne St. Claire has been one of my all time favorite authors for years. So when I learned about the Barefoot Bay Series I couldn't wait to read them and now book four is out. Tessa and Ian (John Brown) have such a chemistry I found myself unable to put the book down. I love when i can throw myself into a book and get lost in the story for a few hours.
What I love most is the diversity of each of the books in the series. How each woman faces a different challenge in their life and how they overcome their struggles.
Tessa longs to have a child and longs for the happiness her friends have found. Ian is a wounded man longing for the things he's lost and finds comfort in the gentle loving arms of Tessa.
A must read with a box ok Kleenex near by!
November 9, 2013
I have like all of Roxanne St. Claire's books in the past. I really liked the first three of the Barefoot books but I had a real hard time getting into this book. I was not a fan of Tessa. I felt she was too rigid in her "secrets" problem and was only willing to see things in black and white when the world is really shades of gray. I liked John and understood where he was coming from but, like some others, thought a week or two was a little fast for the whole relationship to get that far. I would have liked to see a bit more with the twins, too. I have a couple quibbles there as I don't believe children who are 3-1/2 are toddlers any longer plus in the epilog/blog at the end, they were referred to as almost 5 but the timeframe didn't seem to be more than a year later. I will be looking forward to revisiting Casa Blanca with the Barefoot Brides next year.
November 17, 2013
I really enjoyed all books in this series, but this one actually made me cry. It was SOOO Good. There was so much depth in the characters that you feel you know them personally.
This books has it all. The great characters, the fabulous male lead, the amazing chemistry, a plot to keep you hooked, the simple and complicated things in life, the laughs and cries, but most importantly a believable HEA. I Loved it.
This books has it all. The great characters, the fabulous male lead, the amazing chemistry, a plot to keep you hooked, the simple and complicated things in life, the laughs and cries, but most importantly a believable HEA. I Loved it.
November 12, 2013
I received an ARC from the author for an honest review. First of all, I have to say I love Roxanne St. Claire. Her Bullet Catcher series introduced me to her and I've been a fan ever since. This book did not disappoint! In fact, I couldn't put it down. Finished it in an all-day marathon of reading. If you've never read Roxanne, give this one a try. It has something for everyone!
November 3, 2013
This is a rip-at-your-heart, tear-jerking romance and I loved it. I keep going back and re-reading parts because I'm haunted by the emotional connection between Tessa and Ian. This is officially one of my all-time favorite romances. Loved it, loved it, loved it.
Can you tell I loved it? Sorry. I'm a little overcome. Bravo, Rocki!
Can you tell I loved it? Sorry. I'm a little overcome. Bravo, Rocki!
April 6, 2019
To be totally honest with you for pretty much the first half of Barefoot by the Sea I was gritting my teeth feeling uncomfortable with every word I read. Early on I was ready to give this book a 2 star rating. Which left me also feeling upset because over the course of reading the first three books in Roxanne St. Claire’s Barefoot Bay series I’d truly come to love the series and the four female characters (Lacey, Jocelyn, Zoe and Tessa) whose stories were the focus of those books. Now that the other three BFFs since being college roommates have found their happily ever afters this the last book in the original series focuses on Tessa, earth mother, nurturer, lover of truth and all things organic and healthy, despiser of lies and secrets. And there in lay my problem with this story. I know the author was going for irony when she wrote this story where Tessa would fall in love with a man whose entire story, nearly his every conversation with her was predicated upon a lie. It literally pained me to see sweet Tessa so deceived and manipulated regardless of Ian’s/John’s motivations even though I knew in the back of my mind that in the end they’d find true love and happiness. Beyond that issue, IMHO the storyline behind why Ian had to lie to Tessa was unbelievable, even for a genre that regularly asks readers to suspend their sense of logic and reality and believe in some dubious plot lines to aid the fantasy the author is weaving. Because after, all contemporary romance is at its heart a beautiful fantasy. A fairy tale where in the end two perfectly wonderful and beautiful people overcome obstacles to find their happily ever after. Seriously, St. Claire asks us to believe that Ian’s ability to regain custody of his children (twins) whom he gave up for their own safety when he had to go into the British version of Witness Protection after his wife and brother-in-law were murdered by a gang member of a vicious, homicidal London gang (N1L) required him to jump through hoops that even included being married, and it had to be done before the children’s fourth birthday, was a lot to ask. Ian had been an upstanding citizen whose only crime was to testify against the man who murdered his wife and brother-in-law. It is just totally incomprehensible to me that some bureaucrats of a government agency could deny him custody of his children.
Thankfully when Ian finally revealed the truth to Tessa I felt like I could breathe again and enjoy as the story continued to unfold. Just as in the first three books the other BFFs made regular appearances in this story, which is big part of the reason I loved this series so much. The girls are always there for each other whether it’s helping Lacey build her business rom the ground up or lending a shoulder to cry on or dishing out some tough love with a gentle hand.
In this story we find the newly opened Casa Blanca Resort is struggling to attract customers so our Fearsome Foursome must convince the board of the Bridal Planners Assoc. to make the resort a top destination wedding location. There was a second sort of coming of age story line involving Lacey’s just turned 17-year-old daughter Ashley. With Lacey so involved in getting the resort’s finances into the black and caring for her newborn son Elijah, Ashley who was an only child and the center of her mother’s world for the first fourteen years of her life is feeling forgotten and neglected. She’s also fallen in love with one of the kitchen staff at the resort Marcus, who is a few years too old for her. Zoe is now around five months pregnant, deliriously in love and content, but not planning on wedding Oliver until after the baby is born. Joss and Will are married but haven’t begun a family yet. As the story opens we find our heroine Tessa, still desperate to have a child of her own,convinced she’s infertile, searching for the perfect sperm donor to combine with her eggs in the womb of a surrogate mother. Enter our hero John Brown, (Ian Browning) with a face and body that can make a woman forget her name and melt her panties right off. Oh, and he just happens to be a world class chef which is exactly what Casa Blanca needs to make them the perfect luxury resort/wedding destination.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the final chapter (keep your kleenex handy),I have mixed feelings regarding the epilogue that closes out the story of our four heroines. Yes, we got a brief peek at Zoe’s baby (surprise) and unconventional wedding (touching), how Tessa and Ian and the twins were getting along (famously of course) and a bit about Lacey, Clay, Ashley, Elijah and Joss and Will and even Guy. But I wasn’t totally down with the way Roxanne went about it using the voice of a heretofore unseen new character. And to be quite honest while it paid homage to the characters of the first four books giving us a sense of closure, it also felt equally like an advertisement for future books in the series under the subtitle Barefoot Brides.
Over all I’m going to give this book 4 stars which is pretty high praise from me. But St. Claire really had to work for it win me over in the final half of the story.
Thankfully when Ian finally revealed the truth to Tessa I felt like I could breathe again and enjoy as the story continued to unfold. Just as in the first three books the other BFFs made regular appearances in this story, which is big part of the reason I loved this series so much. The girls are always there for each other whether it’s helping Lacey build her business rom the ground up or lending a shoulder to cry on or dishing out some tough love with a gentle hand.
In this story we find the newly opened Casa Blanca Resort is struggling to attract customers so our Fearsome Foursome must convince the board of the Bridal Planners Assoc. to make the resort a top destination wedding location. There was a second sort of coming of age story line involving Lacey’s just turned 17-year-old daughter Ashley. With Lacey so involved in getting the resort’s finances into the black and caring for her newborn son Elijah, Ashley who was an only child and the center of her mother’s world for the first fourteen years of her life is feeling forgotten and neglected. She’s also fallen in love with one of the kitchen staff at the resort Marcus, who is a few years too old for her. Zoe is now around five months pregnant, deliriously in love and content, but not planning on wedding Oliver until after the baby is born. Joss and Will are married but haven’t begun a family yet. As the story opens we find our heroine Tessa, still desperate to have a child of her own,convinced she’s infertile, searching for the perfect sperm donor to combine with her eggs in the womb of a surrogate mother. Enter our hero John Brown, (Ian Browning) with a face and body that can make a woman forget her name and melt her panties right off. Oh, and he just happens to be a world class chef which is exactly what Casa Blanca needs to make them the perfect luxury resort/wedding destination.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the final chapter (keep your kleenex handy),I have mixed feelings regarding the epilogue that closes out the story of our four heroines. Yes, we got a brief peek at Zoe’s baby (surprise) and unconventional wedding (touching), how Tessa and Ian and the twins were getting along (famously of course) and a bit about Lacey, Clay, Ashley, Elijah and Joss and Will and even Guy. But I wasn’t totally down with the way Roxanne went about it using the voice of a heretofore unseen new character. And to be quite honest while it paid homage to the characters of the first four books giving us a sense of closure, it also felt equally like an advertisement for future books in the series under the subtitle Barefoot Brides.
Over all I’m going to give this book 4 stars which is pretty high praise from me. But St. Claire really had to work for it win me over in the final half of the story.
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