Cottage by the Sea

Author: Debbie Macomber
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Random Publishing House, 2019
Pages: 448
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: Annie Marlow has been through the worst. Rocked by tragedy, she heads to the one place that makes her happy: Oceanside in the Pacific Northwest, the destination of many family vacations when Annie was a teenager.

Once there, Annie begins to restore her broken spirit, thanks in part to the folks she meets: a local painter, Keaton, whose large frame is equal to his big heart - and who helps Annie fix up her rental cottage by the sea; Mellie, the reclusive, prickly landlord Annie is determined to befriend; and Britt, a teenager with a terrible secret. But it is Keaton to whom Annie feels the most drawn. His quiet, peaceful nature offers her both comfort and reprieve from her grief, and the two begin to grow closer.

Then events threaten to undo the idyll Annie has come to enjoy. And when the opportunity of a lifetime lands in her lap, she is torn between the excitement of a new journey towards success and the safe and secure arms of the haven - and the man - she's come to call home.

In this heartwarming tale, Annie finds that the surest way to fix what is damaged within is to help others rise about their pain and find a way to heal.

Review: I struggled with this book. While it is "typical" Macomber in many ways, I had a hard time buying Seth Keaton as a leading man. I found Keaton and Annie's relationship to be implausible, and the pace that it moved, even more unlikely.

Cottage by the Sea is a good book, but not even close to being Macomber's best.