Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“He guards the island. She protects her heart.”

I think this book will always feel special to me. I read it in the glorious sunshine while we were on our honeymoon and it has completely filled me with love! To me, it felt so much more than a romance, and you’ll see why when you read it. It’s full of fun, a story of friendship and the importance of family and a sense of community, but of course, we see the sweetest romance blossom between two beautiful souls. I’m so happy to be sharing my review for Sand, Sea, & Second Chances!

About the book

As soon as 30-something Kate Fiore steps foot on Gull Island, North Carolina, she knows this summer will be anything but ordinary. Eager for a fresh start after a painful divorce and job loss, she’s ready to embrace the tranquil coastal life and her marketing contract at the aquarium. Paradise found? Not quite. A locked door and a set-in-his-ways islander named Luke McAllister, wary of city newcomers, greet her instead.

Luke is fiercely protective of his family and community, and he’s not about to let some woman who thinks she knows it all disrupt their island life. But when he’s forced to work with Kate on the local fundraiser and sea turtle patrol, their clashing personalities and undeniable chemistry make for some explosive encounters.

As Kate starts to appreciate Luke’s passion for the environment and he lets down his guard, their feelings for each other grow stronger. But just as they find happiness, Kate leaves when her contract ends. Luke fears letting her go may have cost him his one chance at forever.

Can their hearts rekindle across miles and months apart?

The beginning

I instantly fell in love with Catherine’s writing! It’s so descriptive and fun and I couldn’t stop smiling from that first chapter. Kate is introduced to us incredibly well; we get a good grasp of her personality, what she’s been through as well as why she made the trip to North Carolina to rent Mae’s cute little bungalow, but of course, we don’t know all the details just yet. Kate has such a charm about her, something really lovable and something that has you rooting for her right from the start. And can I please mention the setting?! If I close my eyes right now, I am literally on Gull Island. Even though it was a strange, unfamiliar place to Kate right now, I had a feeling she’d soon be calling it home. Aside from Kate, we also meet Luke, and his first encounter with Kate was far from pleasant. I was so looking forward to getting better acquainted with the both of them!

“This wasn’t the woman who once walked through life with a smile like sunshine and confidence to knock on boardrooms. This was the face Gull Island would see, a face sculpted by loss.”

Kate’s pregnant friend and old college roommate, CeCe, and her partner, David, were excellent characters to add to the mix. CeCe brought so much warmth and hope to Kate’s life after the loss of her job and the divorce with her ex, Jon. She was the friend we all need in our lives! I loved how Kate was starting to think positively about her future (despite feeling a little down on the inside) and working on herself rather than jumping into another relationship. She was still heartbroken, but she knew what she had to do to overcome all these hardships. These characters were really well developed in my eyes, and their stories were equally interesting to explore. I loved the uniqueness of certain parts of the book so far, especially the quest to save the sea turtles. Luke’s passion came across so well, and the alternating perspectives from Kate and Luke gave the book so much depth. But with opposing views, would they ever be on the same page?

The middle

I really enjoyed the slow burn of Kate and Luke’s relationship. I wouldn’t call it enemies to lovers, but there were definitely some elements of the trope. I loved their flirty banter over time and it brought such a cute, fun and lovable vibe to the story. I could really feel Kate’s conflicting thoughts about Luke; she welcomed the pleasant, warm feelings she’d developed whenever they were together, but at the same time, she was terrified to let anyone else in after the divorce, wanting to stay away from the unfamiliarity that unnerved her so much. I loved her strength, especially as we learn something so huge that she’d kept to herself for such a long time. Trusting Luke with this after not knowing him for that long was a huge and brave thing. The way the author tackles difficult, saddening subjects was commendable, and she’d done a brilliant job of balancing Kate’s difficulties with hope.

“Luke wondered if he’d find a love as complete as David’s. He had a few close encounters, but no woman made the earth shake for him as CeCe did for his friend. Until Kate took his hand as they left the SCN yesterday. Her hand had been warm. Comforting. Had it been a perfect fit?”

The book explores how Kate copes in crisis, how she’s desperate to let in happiness (in the form of Luke) and how determined and motivated she is to help save the sea turtles and also save the Point from being overrun with condos for tourists. There’s so much packed into this book in such an easy to digest way, and it even covers so many genuinely interesting and important topics of overtourism and marine life. I loved the sincerity of everything and just how much joy it gave me. The plans for Founder’s Day and their fundraising efforts for the aquarium was just wonderful to experience. As with the rest of the book, it was so easy to visualise and I was completely lost in the description; the fun and the vibrancy the author portrays cemented a smile on my face. But in a book like this, when so many things go right, it’s usually a sign things will turn on its head. Could Kate and Luke save the Point and somehow their relationship as her time in Gull Island comes to an end?

The end

The result for the future of the Point filled me with genuine happiness for these characters. The journey they’d been on the get there and how everyone worked together as a small town community was everything to these characters (and me!) But the harsh reality of the end of the summer, and the end of Kate and Luke’s relationship loomed. Could they really call it quits? Would a long distance relationship even work? I could really feel the emotion, the intense sadness Kate and Luke felt when they knew their time together would soon be over. The author has perfected a way to really get into a reader’s mind and to make them share the feelings of these characters. It really was expertly written. I loved how Kate didn’t drop everything straight away to stay in Gull Island with Luke, and she does stick to her guns. The book doesn’t follow the same old blueprint of many other romances which I appreciated. But was there still a chance for her and Luke to be together?

“It was as if she’d finally stepped out of the shadows, blinking in the sunlight, hand in hand with the man who helped her find her way.”

The most unexpected romantic reunion scene between my new favourite couple filled me with hope. It was the ultimate gesture, such a feel-good moment that rounded off the story well, even though there were still many questions about Kate and Luke’s relationship hanging in the air. Scenes with family and friends were so uplifting, and we even get a sneaky Christmas scene (as you may know, I love a good Christmas scene/book!) We get a good amount of closure as the book ended which felt great, and there was still plenty for us to think about that isn’t covered. And the epilogue was completely perfect 😍 The excitement and uncertainty that was to come for Kate felt like the best possible outcome for two brilliant and beautiful characters. And ending the book knowing there’s another book in the series in the works was everything I’d hoped! Gull Island, as well as Kate and Luke, completely had my heart. A huge recommended read from me!

Overall thoughts

Sand, Sea & Second Chances is a vibrant, feel-good story of city girl meets small town boy, and it is truly wonderful. It’s fun, it’s entertaining and it’s THE summer read to put on your TBR! I instantly fell in love with the setting, and the cast of characters brought so much colour to the story. The author’s description was such a highlight for me; her writing is so beautiful and captivating with so much heart. There are some thought-provoking scenes as well as some heartbreaking ones, but the author tackles all these perfectly and with ease. Such a talented writer! I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up any other book this author writes after reading this – another auto-buy author for me! If you’re looking for your next summer read or a new closed-door romance, pick up this, you will adore it just as much as I have!

Huge thanks to Catherine Michaels for writing this book and for bringing me so much enjoyment. You can pre-order Sand, Sea, & Second Chances right now on Amazon ahead of its release on July 17th. Make sure you’re following Catherine on Instagram for more updates!

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