REVIEW: Christmas on the Coast by Lee Tobin McClain

Christmas on the Coast by Lee Tobin McClain is the third book in The Off Season series but I feel like I didn’t miss anything by reading it as a stand-alone. This was a new author for me, and I really enjoyed reading the book. It was beautifully written, very emotional, and grabbed my attention from the beginning. I was actually surprised once I finished the book because I was so captivated that it felt like I had just begun. The characters were so charming and really touched my heart. They each had their own struggles and painful pasts.

Amber Rowe had lost her mother to cancer and was a two-time cancer survivor herself. She loved to travel and wanted to travel to South Asia and write a book on how people with cancer managed when they did not have access to Western medicines. She was disappointed when her physician recommended she not travel but she quickly got caught up in a project for her friend Mary. Working with Paul on the project meant she couldn’t avoid him and Davey, his son. She came to care for them but knew the secret she was keeping for Wendy and her risk of reoccurring cancer would destroy any chance they had of a relationship.

Widowed and former police officer Paul Thompson had moved him and his son, Davey, to the small town of Pleasant Shores to stay at the Healing Heroes cottage. After experiencing a gunman while on the job at a school, he needed help overcoming his PTSD. He was alarmed when he woke up and discovered Davey wasn’t at home and finding Davey at Amber’s house was a surprise. They had met years before when she had interviewed his wife, Wendy before she died of cancer. He was afraid to allow himself or Davey to become attached to Amber because they had already gone through so much dealing with cancer and the loss of Wendy. He didn’t want to risk going through that again and wanted to protect his son from it.

This was such a heartbreaking story and I found myself cheering for Amber and Paul’s future. The side characters and their emotional struggles added depth and intrigue to the story. The characters were believable and easy to connect with. Their hurts, fears, and joy were expressed vividly in the story. The author included a preview of the next book and it sounds like another heart-warming story.
 

Book Info:

Publication: October 13th 2020 | Harlequin Books | The Off Season #3

There’s no better place to spend Christmas than on the Chesapeake Bay, where it’s always the perfect season to start over.

Former police officer Paul Thompson has come to the little town of Pleasant Shores to heal his PTSD. The prescription involves volunteering, therapy and, most of all, a stable routine for his young son. Falling for Amber Rowe, however, would make that stability impossible. Even though she immediately bonds with little Davey, Amber’s future is filled with uncertainty, and Paul can’t bear to see his son love and lose someone else.

Amber got to know Paul’s late wife while writing a book about cancer. In doing so, she learned a secret that could tear Paul’s world apart. Keeping her distance is the best way to avoid unwittingly causing turmoil for a man she’s come to care about more than she ever intended. But as Christmas draws near and their joint volunteer project develops, so does the depth of their feelings. And soon, Amber will have to choose between keeping a promise and committing to a risky love…