Sophia Rose is here with a fabulous review of The Sandcastle Hurricane by Carolyn Brown. Grab a cup of hot cocoa and read her thoughts on this delightful women’s fiction romance.
by Carolyn Brown
Genres: Women's Fiction
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon *affiliate
Heat Level:
Family, wounded hearts, and a Texas bed-and-breakfast are in need of repair in New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown’s inviting novel about down-home comfort and second chances.
Cousins Tabby and Ellie Mae are due for a change. Running their aunt’s beachfront bed-and-breakfast in Sandcastle, Texas, is just the thing to shake things up…though their lives spin out of control in more ways than one when a hurricane barrels into the coastline. It’s a miracle it didn’t carry them off to Kansas. Not so lucky are the assisted-living center and a small eclectic group of local folks who take shelter with the cousins.
Two estranged sisters, rowdy as a circus, need a referee for a battle that goes back decades. And a pair of veterans, best friends for years, hash out bittersweet old times. There’s also handyman Alex LaSalle and his business partner, Ricky, experts at repairing the hurricane’s damage—and at making Tabby’s and Ellie Mae’s hearts beat a little faster.
As unpredictable, crowded, and stormy as it gets, the Sandcastle B and B is still the perfect harbor for healing past wounds, finding romance, and making up for lost time. Add in Tabby’s homemade pecan pie, and the Texas shore feels like a little slice of paradise.
Sophia Rose’s Review
While reading this was a bit on the nose since I was reading it during hurricane season and a hurricane was indeed pelting Florida as I finished, I found Carolyn Brown’s usual country charm, sweet family and friendship, multi-generational characters, and a dash of romance quite the thing.
The Sandcastle Hurricane begins when Hurricane Delilah slams into the south Texas gulf coast and the little coastal town of Sandcastle. New inn owners, cousins Tabby and Ellie Mae, find themselves hosting four feisty older folks from the senior living center and a local handyman who once swapped kisses as teenagers with Tabby.
Tabby and Ella Mae are inheriting an old family home turned in from the great- aunt who has high-tailed it to Colorado, where there aren’t any hurricanes. Thank you very much. The chance came at a time when both needed a reset on life. Ella Mae’s partner has just past leaving her at a loss and Tabby’s out of a rough marriage. They’re fixing up the inn and hoping to make a success at it, grow closer to each other and get beyond the hurts of the past. Alex, and later his friend Ricky, are a part of that.
But, there are also a few animal strays and four older folks, Vietnam War vet best buds, Frank and Homer and two fierce old gals who can’t get along, Maude and Cleo to make it all interesting when they have to extend their stay at the end while the town rebuilds. Quite the surprise comes about Maude and Cleo, but the stay at the inn for all of them, including the cousins, works its magic on repairing their pasts.
I’ve come to really anticipate and enjoy the down home feel-good style Carolyn Brown writes and makes the reader relax and be part of a nostalgic setting and group of people that come to be ‘found’ family. Comfort reading at its best. I like getting all the point of views in the narration and seeing the women old and young (not to mention the men) find their way and figure out a happier life as a result. Not that there aren’t any conflicts to get past, but the low angst style appeals to me, as do the relaxed small town coastal Texas setting there at The Sandcastle and the environs.
So, a natural disaster brought a new engaging cast of characters, a plot and a setting from a favorite author and I enjoyed it thoroughly. While there is plenty of romance and a bit of snappy dialogue and spice, I would still say this leans more toward women’s fiction and recommend it to both crowds.
The Sandcastle Hurricane by Carolyn Brown delivered romance, snappy dialogue and spice. #WomensFiction #BookReview #SophiaRose Share on XAbout Carolyn Brown
Author Carolyn BrownNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carolyn Brown was born in Texas and raised in southern Oklahoma. These days she and her husband make their home in Davis, Oklahoma, a small town of less than three thousand people where everyone knows everyone, knows what they are doing and with whom, and read the weekly newspaper to see who got caught. A plaque hangs on her office wall that says I know the voices are not real but they have such great ideas. That is her motto and muse as she goes through the days with quirky characters in her head, telling their stories, one by one, and loving her job. She has been married almost half a century to a retired English teacher that she calls Mr. B and he does not read her books before they are published because she cannot afford a divorce. They have three grown children.—and enough grandchildren to keep them busy and young. When Carolyn is not writing she likes to sit in the back yard and watch the two tom cats protect the yard from all kinds of wicked varmints like crickets, other cats, spiders and blue jays.
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About Sophia Rose
Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
MarthaE
This sounds like a nice read. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Sophia Rose
A pleasure to, Martha! 🙂
Katherine
I’ve never read anything by Carolyn Brown but I’ve been wanting to for ages and this sounds like such a fun read! I love books with lots of character dynamics and I can never resist a bed and breakfast.
Sophia Rose
Her books are easy reading and fun with exactly lots of character connections. Hope you get the chance at this one, Katherine. 🙂
Carla
Wonderful review, Sophia Rose. I enjoy Carolyn Brown’s books and this one sounds like another winner. It sounds like a great cast of characters both animal and human.
Sophia Rose
You’ve got a treat in store, Carla. 🙂
Carole @ Carole's Random Life
Another Carolyn Brown book that sounds great and yet I still need to give her work a try!
Sophia Rose
LOL, she writes so many, its hard to keep up. Look forward to seeing what you think when you get the chance, Carole. 🙂
Lover of Romance
Great review you have here! I love seeing you do a Carolyn Brown, she is such a treasure to read. Good to know it leans more women’s fiction as I do want to pick it up.
Sophia Rose
Count on it, Renee! If there is a newer Carolyn Brown, I’m on it. 🙂 Hope you get the chance at it.
Rachel @Waves of Fiction
I was reading this around the hurricane too! Carolyn Brown’s stories always make me smile and laugh. Glad you enjoyed it, too, Sophia!
Sophia Rose
Wasn’t that a weird feeling to watch it on the news and read a fiction with a hurricane?
I agree, Rachel, so much smiling and laughing. 🙂
Nadene
I dislike hurricanes, but that doesn’t stop from reading books about them. This sounds like a great read, will be adding it to my Wishlist.
Sophia Rose
Yeah, I’ll bet being through several like your island has been would make you just fine missing them in real life. Oh good, glad it is going on the wish list, Nadene!
Wendy
Wonderful review, Sophia. I enjoyed this book too, and comforting is a perfect word to describe Carolyn Brown’s books.
Sophia Rose
Exactly, Wendy! They are easy to relax and get cozy with. 🙂