Barefoot On The Beach by Katlyn Duncan

ABOUT THE BOOK

Renee Clarke is perfectly happy just the way she is…

Renee may be thrilled to be planning her sister’s wedding, but after witnessing her mother’s two failed marriages, she has always vowed that she is better off on her own.

But when Renee discovers that Luc Hardy has moved next door, her world is knocked off kilter. Luc was her whirlwind summer romance as a teen and, more importantly, her first love. Now he’s back in West Cove, looking more handsome than ever.

There is no escaping the romance in the air this summer. With the wedding planning in full swing, Renee begins to believe that she might be able to put her childhood reservations about marriage aside.

Yet when her mother arrives, she stirs a torrent of emotions in Renee’s heart. She’s up to her old tricks again–boasting about her latest conquests–reaffirming Renee’s lack of faith in love.

As Renee’s happily-ever-after hangs in the balance, will Luc be able to convince her that true love can last forever?

MY REVIEW

I chose this book because the setting on the beach is one of my favorites and because it is a second-chance-at-love story that is dear to my heart.

Renee is a pushover for her younger half-sister Cait. So when Cait shows up at West Cove a month before her wedding asking Renee to drop everything and help her plan it, Renee can’t refuse her sister’s own happiness. Renee doesn’t believe in marriage due to her mother’s toxic love and selfishness. But she loves Cait and would do anything for her since their mother wouldn’t. However, Renee’s very structured and orderly life has not only been interrupted by Cait and her loud and obnoxious dog, Hunter but by her first love, Luc, who is renting his aunt’s home next door. Luc is in West Cove for the summer and their attraction is still there after all these years. Should she risk reviving their relationship knowing he is leaving in a few months?

Renee is a well-developed character who changes for the better. Her mother’s selfish behavior and bad choices were a regrettable influence on her views of marriage and relationships which kept Renee’s encounters brief and impassive, and with tourists only. Her mother broke her heart too many times to trust in her feelings for anyone until Luc came along again. His presence in Renee’s teen years and now is a calming influence and when she starts to take charge of her life, she finally makes the right choices. Luc is sweet, thoughtful, and knows what he wants in life making a wonderful companion for Renee. As for Cait, she is an unlikeable selfish manipulator like her mother and I couldn’t warm up to her at all. Her fiance has his hands full there. Renee’s best friend, Sadie, is my favorite who had me laughing out loud several times by her not-so-subtle hints to Renee and Luc.

Overall, this story is about family relationships and second chances at love. It’s about putting yourself first, taking chances, and taking life by the horns. If you like feel-good stories with happy endings, give this one a try.

Thank you to Ms. Duncan for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Coming from a small town, Katlyn Duncan always had her head in the clouds. Working as a scientist for most of her adult life, she enjoyed breaking down the hows and whys of life. This translated into her love of stories and getting into the minds of her characters.

When she’s not writing, she’s obsessing over many (many) television series’.

She currently resides in Connecticut with her family. Check out more about her writing and current TV addiction in her newsletter, and on Instagram and Twitter!