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Love by Design #1
Return to Pelican Inn
Her design scheme didn't include him!
Struggling interior designer Rosa Franco and her twin brother, Cy, are bent on transforming the timeworn Pelican Inn into the jewel of the California coast, even if it kills them. And it will kill Rosa if they fail. Their business, and her future, depend on winning the Great Escapes Magazine design contest that lured them back to the town where some of her best--and worst--memories were forged. Memories like those of Pike Matthews, the innkeeper's nephew, her high school heartthrob turned humiliator, now infiltrating himself into every aspect of the project. Is he purposely frustrating her efforts? Behind that killer smile is he carrying a grudge...or a torch?
Struggling interior designer Rosa Franco and her twin brother, Cy, are bent on transforming the timeworn Pelican Inn into the jewel of the California coast, even if it kills them. And it will kill Rosa if they fail. Their business, and her future, depend on winning the Great Escapes Magazine design contest that lured them back to the town where some of her best--and worst--memories were forged. Memories like those of Pike Matthews, the innkeeper's nephew, her high school heartthrob turned humiliator, now infiltrating himself into every aspect of the project. Is he purposely frustrating her efforts? Behind that killer smile is he carrying a grudge...or a torch?
- GenresHarlequin Heartwarming
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
4 people are currently reading
322 people want to read
About the author
Dana Mentink
204 books2,222 followersUSA TODAY bestseller Dana Mentink enjoys writing in many different capacities. She currently writes for Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense and Poisoned Pen Press.
Dana is the recipient of a Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, two ACFW Carol Awards as well as a Holt Medallion.
Dana loves feedback from her readers. Contact her via her website at www.danamentink.com. and be sure to follow her on Bookbub!
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/dana-...
Dana is the recipient of a Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, two ACFW Carol Awards as well as a Holt Medallion.
Dana loves feedback from her readers. Contact her via her website at www.danamentink.com. and be sure to follow her on Bookbub!
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/dana-...
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 21, 2014
I hadn’t read any of the stories from Harlequin’s Heartwarming line before. These are sweet, clean stories. They are not faith-based, but are a good choice for those looking for a wholesome romance.
I really enjoyed Return to Pelican Inn. It is full of a variety of interesting characters and storylines both past and present that kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next. There are quite a few humorous touches that I enjoyed, including Baggy the dog…at least they are pretty sure he is a dog! Anyway, these light moments were nice and added to the story rather than detracting from it.
I liked the main characters, Rosa and Pike. There were many things for them to work through from both of their pasts, and plenty of new issues to deal with in the present. The tension between these two is great! I also loved discovering information about the inn as Rosa and her crew of family and friends worked to restore it in an attempt to win a design contest.
I really enjoyed this author’s writing style and felt that the story flowed well. Although the characters dealt with some painful issues and some hard realities had to be faced, the story was uplifting and enjoyable to read. I look forward to reading more from this author and more from the Heartwarming line.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review, which I have given.
You can read this review on my blog at:
http://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.co...
I really enjoyed Return to Pelican Inn. It is full of a variety of interesting characters and storylines both past and present that kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next. There are quite a few humorous touches that I enjoyed, including Baggy the dog…at least they are pretty sure he is a dog! Anyway, these light moments were nice and added to the story rather than detracting from it.
I liked the main characters, Rosa and Pike. There were many things for them to work through from both of their pasts, and plenty of new issues to deal with in the present. The tension between these two is great! I also loved discovering information about the inn as Rosa and her crew of family and friends worked to restore it in an attempt to win a design contest.
I really enjoyed this author’s writing style and felt that the story flowed well. Although the characters dealt with some painful issues and some hard realities had to be faced, the story was uplifting and enjoyable to read. I look forward to reading more from this author and more from the Heartwarming line.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review, which I have given.
You can read this review on my blog at:
http://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.co...
September 16, 2015
This is not one I would pick up just to read for myself, but I did enjoy it. The resolution was sort of abrupt but as nice little beachy romances go, this was a good one. I would like to check out a cozy mystery by this author. That's a little more in my wheelhouse and this one even felt like it would have made a great cozy.
April 10, 2021
Too quirky and angsty for me.
There were some good parts .. but it dragged on too long until the HEA ending.
There were some good parts .. but it dragged on too long until the HEA ending.
July 14, 2014
Return To Pelican Inn ( Love by design )
By: Dana Mentink
This is a humorous romance story and I love it . Dana Mentink has did an excellent job of penning this story and her characters. There is some mystery through out the story which keeps you guessing what will happen next. When I started reading Return To Pelican Inn I did not want to put it down till the last word. Rosa and Cy Franco are twins and they own and run the Dollar and Sense Design. Rosa feels like she was deserted as a child. Her mother died and their father left them with a lady who was not any kin . Bitsy owns The Pelican Inn in a coastal town Tumbledown. Rosa and Cy got a chance to enter The Great Escape Magazine contest. They will get to restore The Pelican Inn to some degree. This contest is their future and it means everything to them. There is some mysterious things that have meaning to The Pelican Inn's heritage has come up missing from the town. There is one man Pike Mathews who is a lawyer and also Bitsy's nephew who want to sell The Inn. Pike is also Rosa's old boyfriend from high school. Some of the characters I wanted to laugh at and some i felt really sorry for. You will get to meet some really fun characters. This is a story of love and forgiveness. Will Rosa and Cy restore The Pelican Inn and what about the contest, will they win or does it get sold. Don't forget about Rosa and Pike. Can they work in the same town after all these years?
Don't forget to get you a copy and find the answers to all these questions. You will not be disappointed.
I was given a copy of this book to read for my honest review, and I have given it.
By: Dana Mentink
This is a humorous romance story and I love it . Dana Mentink has did an excellent job of penning this story and her characters. There is some mystery through out the story which keeps you guessing what will happen next. When I started reading Return To Pelican Inn I did not want to put it down till the last word. Rosa and Cy Franco are twins and they own and run the Dollar and Sense Design. Rosa feels like she was deserted as a child. Her mother died and their father left them with a lady who was not any kin . Bitsy owns The Pelican Inn in a coastal town Tumbledown. Rosa and Cy got a chance to enter The Great Escape Magazine contest. They will get to restore The Pelican Inn to some degree. This contest is their future and it means everything to them. There is some mysterious things that have meaning to The Pelican Inn's heritage has come up missing from the town. There is one man Pike Mathews who is a lawyer and also Bitsy's nephew who want to sell The Inn. Pike is also Rosa's old boyfriend from high school. Some of the characters I wanted to laugh at and some i felt really sorry for. You will get to meet some really fun characters. This is a story of love and forgiveness. Will Rosa and Cy restore The Pelican Inn and what about the contest, will they win or does it get sold. Don't forget about Rosa and Pike. Can they work in the same town after all these years?
Don't forget to get you a copy and find the answers to all these questions. You will not be disappointed.
I was given a copy of this book to read for my honest review, and I have given it.
July 13, 2014
Some says you can never go home so all kind of situations occur
when Rosa & Cy Franco “ Return to Pelican Inn” where they
were raised. The person who raised them ( Bitsy) was no
relation. Bitsy was a loving character who made the reader feel
right at home in her Pelican Inn.
The author weaves the past with the present without difficulty
for the reader to follow. The plot involves a mixture of
mysterious items of history that disappeared, revamping an
aging inn with many complications, a contest, romance, humor,
an unusual dog, a squirrel, family and personal values.
The characters are all unique in their own ways. There is
undeniable chemistry between both the young and old. All the
characters learn how it is necessary to accept themselves in
order to forgive both self and others. It was full of stunning
surprises!!
It is a fast moving book that I read in one day.
The received this book from the author. My opinion is my own.
when Rosa & Cy Franco “ Return to Pelican Inn” where they
were raised. The person who raised them ( Bitsy) was no
relation. Bitsy was a loving character who made the reader feel
right at home in her Pelican Inn.
The author weaves the past with the present without difficulty
for the reader to follow. The plot involves a mixture of
mysterious items of history that disappeared, revamping an
aging inn with many complications, a contest, romance, humor,
an unusual dog, a squirrel, family and personal values.
The characters are all unique in their own ways. There is
undeniable chemistry between both the young and old. All the
characters learn how it is necessary to accept themselves in
order to forgive both self and others. It was full of stunning
surprises!!
It is a fast moving book that I read in one day.
The received this book from the author. My opinion is my own.
July 14, 2014
Return to Pelican Inn Dana Mentinks' book, "Return to Pelican Inn" was captivating. From the moment I started to read it, I didn't want to put it down. The characters in the book were like people I had known for a lifetime, people like family and friends. She made them seem so real, and made you care about them. She shows you their good times and bad, their good points and flaws. I wanted them to succeed in what they were doing and find the happiness they were looking for. I highly recommend this book.
July 13, 2014
Harlequin Heartwarming indeed – I second that!
I haven’t read a Harlequin romance since high school but if Ms. Mentink’s style is any indication, I’ve been missing out. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Rosa and her brother Cy return to Pelican Inn as contestants in a decorator’s contest. They have hopes of reviving their flagging interior design business and also of helping their elderly adopted aunt. No sooner does Rosa arrive than former high school boyfriend – a romance that went terribly wrong – Pike – now a successful, handsome lawyer – slides off the roof right at her feet. The sparks are set to fly.
So many things work in this book. The characters, their problems and the various ways they cope are believable without ever crossing the line to melodrama. The setting of Tumbledown fits right in with what a reader imagines a quirky town on the coast of California might be like – complete with a coffee shop that specializes in blueberry scones, a hardware store that always has everything one might need and an annual boat festival that floods the town with visitors. The history of the Pelican Inn and the man who built it is woven through the story with a light touch that never weighs down the narrative. Likewise can be said about the interior decorating details – enough to paint the picture is all that is required.
Mentink has created something rare in the fact that this book is so much more than boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back or vice versa. The secondary characters that surround Rosa and Pike make the story, right down to the odd looking dog named Baggy who is often mistaken for an oversized mole. More than a few older people who are attempting to deal with some very real older people issues are deftly handled and I suspect many readers will wipe a tear or two away when they reach the conclusion of Return to Pelican Inn.
Bravo to Dana Mentink for bringing the cast of characters at Pelican Inn to life. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The next time I’m in the mood for some heartwarming romance, I know whose books I’m going to look for.
I haven’t read a Harlequin romance since high school but if Ms. Mentink’s style is any indication, I’ve been missing out. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Rosa and her brother Cy return to Pelican Inn as contestants in a decorator’s contest. They have hopes of reviving their flagging interior design business and also of helping their elderly adopted aunt. No sooner does Rosa arrive than former high school boyfriend – a romance that went terribly wrong – Pike – now a successful, handsome lawyer – slides off the roof right at her feet. The sparks are set to fly.
So many things work in this book. The characters, their problems and the various ways they cope are believable without ever crossing the line to melodrama. The setting of Tumbledown fits right in with what a reader imagines a quirky town on the coast of California might be like – complete with a coffee shop that specializes in blueberry scones, a hardware store that always has everything one might need and an annual boat festival that floods the town with visitors. The history of the Pelican Inn and the man who built it is woven through the story with a light touch that never weighs down the narrative. Likewise can be said about the interior decorating details – enough to paint the picture is all that is required.
Mentink has created something rare in the fact that this book is so much more than boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back or vice versa. The secondary characters that surround Rosa and Pike make the story, right down to the odd looking dog named Baggy who is often mistaken for an oversized mole. More than a few older people who are attempting to deal with some very real older people issues are deftly handled and I suspect many readers will wipe a tear or two away when they reach the conclusion of Return to Pelican Inn.
Bravo to Dana Mentink for bringing the cast of characters at Pelican Inn to life. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The next time I’m in the mood for some heartwarming romance, I know whose books I’m going to look for.
July 27, 2014
Return to pelican Inn
Rosa and brother Cy have a design business called dollar and sense, they enter a contest for the best design. They are going to redesign the pelican inn, that is where they grew up at during the last part of their childhood. A guy from Rosa part is there named Pike, who is the nephew of Bitsy who owns the Inn. Manny their father shows up being gone for a long time. His trailer burns down where he has been living at so now he is going to stay at the inn. While preparing for the contest they ran into a lot of issues and discovers.
Rosa and brother Cy have a design business called dollar and sense, they enter a contest for the best design. They are going to redesign the pelican inn, that is where they grew up at during the last part of their childhood. A guy from Rosa part is there named Pike, who is the nephew of Bitsy who owns the Inn. Manny their father shows up being gone for a long time. His trailer burns down where he has been living at so now he is going to stay at the inn. While preparing for the contest they ran into a lot of issues and discovers.
July 22, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. It was full of quirky characters, an adorable dog and a quaint, cozy setting. The couple - Rosa and Pike - were appealing and the book had plenty of action and romantic tension. I've always enjoyed Dana Mentink's romantic suspense novels but I really liked her foray into romantic comedy. An enchanting read. I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Truly 5 stars worth of love and laughs.
August 13, 2014
I have actually never read a Harlequin Romance book. However, I very much enjoyed reading this one. It is a great summer read and how I would have loved to brought it to the ocean on a vacation and read it in the sunshine with a light breeze of wind would have brought me exactly to the Pelican Inn. It brings perfect doses of mystery and romance. I look forward to reading Dana Mentink's next novel !
August 20, 2014
After reading a substantial portion of this book (just over 41%), I'm still ambivalent about it. So for now, I'm setting this one aside and declaring it a "did not finish" book. I can't really explain what isn't drawing me in, but feel free to check out other reviews if this seems like a book you'd be interested in. [DNF]
July 21, 2014
A fun and satisfying book full of imperfectly lovable characters. Sometimes I wanted to knock some sense into them, but most of the time I wanted to hug them. A great story full of community, family, and home.
April 15, 2021
The FL’s attitude and her way of thinking really turned me off. I know the author was using it as flaw but it really gritted on me. In fact, all the secret keeping in the book was really annoying. Lastly, near the end of the book the ML’s aunt marries the FL’s father. I was flabbergasted by the decision due to the fact that FL’s father had dementia, which was getting dangerously bad. I understand the reason the author put it in the book (she wanted make a romantic gesture out of it) but it was ridiculous.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2015
I really enjoyed Dana Mentink's Return to Pelican Inn. I was pleasantly surprised by all of the intriguing twists and turns that the story took. It kept the pages turning. Rosa and her twin brother Cy, owners of the fledgling Dollars and Sense Design, are entered in a contest to re-decorate The Pelican Inn on a modest budget, a place that holds bittersweet memories for them. If they win, it would mean a ton of publicity and will probably be their final chance at salvaging Dollars and Sense. As they embark on this seemingly impossible task it becomes evident that perhaps they've taken on more than they've bargained for. Within the walls of The Pelican Inn lies more than drafty windows and rotted wood; more like hidden secrets and buried treasures waiting to be revealed. Will Rosa and Cy rise to the occasion, restore a beloved Inn and rescue their failing business? Or will they conclude that they've bitten off more than they can chew, surrender the business and move on with their lives? This was a HEA if ever I've read one!! Another great read from the Harlequin Heartwarming line. There were secrets and a bit of mystery, along with sweet, tender romance. If you like a great wholesome story, solid characters and plot twists that you don't see coming, you'll enjoy Return to Pelican Inn.
August 26, 2015
Rosa Franco has reluctantly returned to her “teenhood” town of Tumbledown to reunite with Bisty, her honorary “aunt” who took in her twin brother, Cy and herself when they had no one else to turn to. The reunion is a bonus coupled with a contest that Cy has entered for the interior design company that he and Rosa run together. Rosa and Cy will be redecorating The Pelican Inn, where Bitsy lives and where Rosa spent most of her girlhood. But for all its quirky charm, returning home isn’t all sweet memories and lovely beachside days. Tumbledown and The Pelican also come with their fair share of heartache in the form of Pike Matthews, the man who humiliated Rosa in high school and her very own father, the man who abandoned Cy and Rosa when things got too tough.
I absolutely loved this book and savored each chapter as I watched the characters grow. As much as I loved the human elements, my favorite character is Baggy the dog. This is a really adorable read and true to its name – it very much warmed my heart! I really love this new Heartwarming line, it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for – a romance that doesn’t have any sex scenes, just the emotional connection that we romantics love! I plan to re-read this book the next time I’m vacationing in a small beach town. What a perfect beach read! Or an anywhere-read, for that matter. ☺
I absolutely loved this book and savored each chapter as I watched the characters grow. As much as I loved the human elements, my favorite character is Baggy the dog. This is a really adorable read and true to its name – it very much warmed my heart! I really love this new Heartwarming line, it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for – a romance that doesn’t have any sex scenes, just the emotional connection that we romantics love! I plan to re-read this book the next time I’m vacationing in a small beach town. What a perfect beach read! Or an anywhere-read, for that matter. ☺
September 20, 2014
I really enjoyed this romance novel.
What I loved most about this book was the characters. They were approachable and human and REAL. From the kind hearted brother Cy to the complicated love interest Pike to the misshapen rescue dog Baggy to the secretive Aunt Bitsy, all the main characters are drawn with depth, such that I could imagine them living in my town. And they don’t stay frozen in time – you see them change and progress through the story, just as real people develop and change.
The main character is a decorator, and I find the decorating angle an interesting one. Let me say right off, I don’t watch decorating shows or buy decorating magazines. My house has pretty much the exact same colours and paint as the day we moved in 7 years ago. Yet somehow the details of the new decoration of the heritage inn helped me visualize the setting clearly. I have a picture in my mind of this inn, with it’s colourfully reconstructed stain glass window, nail-framed mirror, airy blue and white kitchen, and white painted chicken coops.
I give this novel 2 thumbs up … and am secretly hoping for more adventures of Baggy the dog!
What I loved most about this book was the characters. They were approachable and human and REAL. From the kind hearted brother Cy to the complicated love interest Pike to the misshapen rescue dog Baggy to the secretive Aunt Bitsy, all the main characters are drawn with depth, such that I could imagine them living in my town. And they don’t stay frozen in time – you see them change and progress through the story, just as real people develop and change.
The main character is a decorator, and I find the decorating angle an interesting one. Let me say right off, I don’t watch decorating shows or buy decorating magazines. My house has pretty much the exact same colours and paint as the day we moved in 7 years ago. Yet somehow the details of the new decoration of the heritage inn helped me visualize the setting clearly. I have a picture in my mind of this inn, with it’s colourfully reconstructed stain glass window, nail-framed mirror, airy blue and white kitchen, and white painted chicken coops.
I give this novel 2 thumbs up … and am secretly hoping for more adventures of Baggy the dog!
August 4, 2015
This is such an awesome series!
Romance… Intrigue… Danger… Laughter…
Dana Mentink takes her readers on an adventure they won’t soon forget.
Oh boy, does it start out with a bang! Just when Rosa has designed the perfect library, she loses the job. Of course, that’s the way things have turned out for her since high school. Why would she expect things to get better?
After she’s convinced to return to Pelican Inn; after entering the “Great Escapes” magazine contest, she runs headlong into several people she’d rather have never seen again. But fate is working overtime for Rosa…
I can’t say too much or reveal any spoilers, so let me just assure you right now — this is a fantastic story! A story you’ll fall into — and you’ll want to stay.
What happens with Rosa? and Cy? and Pike?
Don’t wait another minute… get a copy and find out for yourself. But hurry, because tomorrow, I’ll be reviewing the second book in this series… Sailing In Style!
September 6, 2014
I have read many of Dana Mentink's books and enjoyed them all. This one was different in that it really wasn't faith based but still very clean and good reading. Returning home is not always easy but Rosa and Cy needed to return to the Inn to help Bitsy and to try to save their business. Dana does an excellent job of portraying the different relationships Rosa has and how she has to cope with each one and face her feelings for her father, mother and Pike. Her special bond with her brother and the lady who raised them is evident as the story progresses. And of course there are some funny moments especially with Baggy, the creature they call a "dog" but that looks like anything but a dog. This is a book well worth reading. Thanks, Dana for another good one!
December 2, 2014
(4.5 / 5)
Return to Pelican Inn is a sweet story about coming home, going for your dreams (even if they may seem to be out of reach), and unraveling mysteries.
Siblings Rosa and Cy Franco return to a coastal California town and reconnect with friends and family in a chance to shine via a design contest.
The past is dredged up with buried secrets unearthed.
The main questions the characters are left with (to me) are whether this is a good or bad thing and whether or not this will help Rosa and Pike resolve their issues or make things even worse.
Nice, well, heartwarming read.
Return to Pelican Inn is a sweet story about coming home, going for your dreams (even if they may seem to be out of reach), and unraveling mysteries.
Siblings Rosa and Cy Franco return to a coastal California town and reconnect with friends and family in a chance to shine via a design contest.
The past is dredged up with buried secrets unearthed.
The main questions the characters are left with (to me) are whether this is a good or bad thing and whether or not this will help Rosa and Pike resolve their issues or make things even worse.
Nice, well, heartwarming read.
July 13, 2015
This story had it all. Great characters, romance, and a bit of mystery.
I loved the characters. They each had their own little quirks, and I really like how Rosa tried so hard to not like Pike.
It was a great story and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Love by Design series.
I received a copy of this book from the author.
I loved the characters. They each had their own little quirks, and I really like how Rosa tried so hard to not like Pike.
It was a great story and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Love by Design series.
I received a copy of this book from the author.
Read
January 12, 2016Miniseries: Love by Design
April 12, 2015
Quick read but packed full of story! A little mystery and a little romance and a little humor! Pike annoyed me for most of the story I admit. But the ending was perfect! I loved it!
April 20, 2015
Fabulous. Highly recommend! I wish it was still available in paperback so I could share it with friends who don't read ebooks.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews