REVIEW: Return to Silver Bay by Lara Van Hulzen

 
In Return to Silver Bay by Lara Van Hulzen, Maggie Mitchell is home to bury her father and hopefully put her past to rest once and for all. But it seems things are never simple when she discovers documents that hint the people that raised her aren’t her biological parents. Wanting to learn the truth about her past, she decides to stay, even though Silver Bay brings up a lot of bad memories for her. However, it also has some good ones too – her high school sweetheart, Josh — who isn’t about to let her get away from him a second time.

Josh smiled at Maggie. “It looks like we have some matchmakers on our hands.”
“Something like that, yeah.”
“Maggie…” His tone was serious. “I do want you to know that I wasn’t sure if you’d be here today or not. I accepted the invitation to have a nice time with friends and I hoped it would include you.”

What a wonderful second chance romance this story was, encompassing a heroine whose life takes a turn for the better, and a hero determined to show the woman that he’s always loved that they belong together. The heroine reuniting with her high school sweetheart, and then finding the letters about her birth made this story’s plot fast-paced, as I wanted to know whether Maggie would renew her relationship with Josh, or whether she would leave town without giving them a chance. However, I was also curious about what more she would discover about the letters. Was she really adopted? And if yes, were her birth parents still alive? Did she have any brothers and sisters?

As for the dialogue, I enjoyed it from start to finish, as Maggie’s life is turned upside down and she discovers the reason why the man that raised her didn’t seem to care for her like a parent should. There were a few light-hearted moments between Josh and Maggie that I really liked, because those moments felt like – as if – they were walking down memory lane. He’s determined to convince Maggie to stay, to fight for the forever after they were denied years ago. However, the dialogue was also intense due to Maggie’s back story. Can she overcome her reasons for believing that she’s not good enough for Josh before it’s too late?

I really liked both the main characters as well as the secondary ones. Maggie’s past has affected her badly, and it’s making her confused as to what to do about her feelings for Josh. Should she push him away because she believes she’s not good enough for him? Or should she trust him to always be there for her? The heroine is also kind and caring, and I really enjoyed how she befriended the town eccentric. It was good for her just as much as it was for the elderly lady that everyone around town avoided. Then there’s the heroine’s strong connection with a couple of people that she meets, which I was intrigued by. Why does she feel such a strong connection to these people?

Find anything interesting?” he teased.
“Actually, yes,” she countered. He put down the now empty pot and turned to face her directly.
“Really? What exactly is that?”
“Well, I didn’t know that a hard-working, classy guy, such as yourself—“ he bowed his appreciation – “would actually own a lazy man’s recliner.”
This sent him into a fit of laughter. “I didn’t realize that having a comfortable chair was the equivalent of being lazy.”

While Josh, he’s smart, hard-working, confident and determined to win Maggie back because she’s the only woman he’s ever loved and will ever love. He’s also kind and caring the way he helps Maggie deal with the news about her birth mother once she learns the truth. She needs a shoulder to cry on and he proves he’ll drop anything he’s doing to be there for her.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, even if it was a Christian Romance; a sub-genre of romance that I haven’t read a lot of. Ms. Van Hulzen wrapped this story up nicely, even if what happened to the hero made me want to cry. However, in saying that, the ride Josh and Maggie take illustrates that facing one’s fears can be the best experience of that person’s life. I would recommend Return to Silver Bay, if you enjoy the second chance romance trope.

Book Info:

 March 1st, 2016 | Tule Publishing |

Maggie wants to bury her past and move on.
Josh has other plans, and moving on without her isn’t one of them.

Maggie Mitchell returns to her hometown of Silver Bay expecting to bury her father, her past, and move on. But when Josh Harden, her high school sweetheart, shows up, her world gets turned around.

Drawn to Josh, but afraid of their history, Maggie’s head tells her she can handle things alone, but her heart says otherwise.

Recognizing a second chance when he sees one, Josh is determined to win Maggie’s heart once more and show her that she can trust love and begin again.