REVIEW: Sunset on Moonlight Beach by Sheila Roberts

In Sunset on Moonlight Beach (Moonlight Harbor #5) by Sheila Roberts, When Jenna Jones moved to Moonlight Harbor, newly divorced and with a rather bitter outlook on life, her sweet Aunt Edie and the local residents brought her back around to finding joy again. And that’s exactly what Jenna wants to do: to bring joy to her family and friends’ lives. And possibly settle down with a good man. Therein lies the problem, though. She’s torn between local hotties Brody and Seth. And, truthfully, she’s been in this predicament for some time. Something her loved ones seem to like to remind her of occasionally.

“You saved the Driftwood, rebuilt your life, became a council member. You ought to be able to figure out a way to get one stubborn man who’s in love with you to commit.”
Yes, darn it all, she should.

But as hard as Jenna tries to make a decision, she just can’t seem to find one. It’s when a tragic event rocks the community–especially Jenna and her family’s lives–that she buckles down and takes charge of her future. After a few missteps and some deep, deep soul-searching, she thinks she’s made her choice. In the meantime, Jenna also has to navigate the ins and outs of being a new part of the city council, help her family through all sorts of crises, and keep the Driftwood Inn afloat. With some pertinent advice from her beloved mother–which her own mom ought to try on for size…–Jenna has a ton on her plate. But maybe, just maybe, things are looking up.

‘She remembered her words to her daughter back when Jenna was so determined to never let another man in her life. “Love hasn’t given up on you.” What if it hadn’t given up on her, either?’

Sunset on Moonlight Beach had all of the small-town charm, laughs and sighs–and romance of course!–that always draws me into a Sheila Roberts novel. And boy will readers be wowed with all the joy that was spread amongst the deserving people in this latest installment.

‘She had her family and her friends, the beach, a lovely house. Life was what you made it and she’d continue to make hers as good as she could.’

It’s always nice to lose myself in one of Sheila Roberts’ books. While I was sad that her Icicle Falls series had to end (*sob*) Moonlight Harbor has proven to be just as endearing and to have such diverse characters that I instantly feel at home every time. I will caution that you can probably read these books separately, but because it is a continuing story arc–especially for Jenna with her ongoing family drama and romance woes–it’s probably best to read these in order if possible. Plus, the stories are all so heartwarming that you’ll want to read them all anyway.

Told from multiple POVs, we got to see firsthand the changes that took place in many of the townspeople’s lives. Some events were sad, so have your tissues handy. But overall there was much happiness to be found. And I’m not gonna say who Jenna winds up with or how it all takes place, but fans will be happy to find out that she finally put an end to the Brody vs. Seth debacle!!!! There was admittedly a *lot* of angst on Jenna’s part, making me want to shake her a few times, but the way things worked out at the very, very end was oh so satisfying and had me all misty-eyed. And speaking of the end of the book, there are some fabulous recipes included that tie into several scenes so be sure to look for those.

Sheila Roberts’ storytelling never gets old. With characters you want to befriend in real life and a setting so serene and magical you can’t help get lost in it, Sunset on Moonlight Beach will captivate both romance and women’s fiction fans.

Book Info:

Publication: April 27th 2021 | MIRA | Moonlight Beach #5

From USA TODAY bestselling author Sheila Roberts comes a sweetly poignant new novel in her irresistible Moonlight Harbor series.

Jenna Jones has been standing on the shore of the Sea of Love for too long. Even with two good men interested in her, she’s been afraid to wade in. According to her best friend, Courtney, she should. The water’s fine. Life is great! Practically perfect, if you don’t count Courtney’s problems with her cranky ex-boss. Maybe Courtney’s right. It’s time to dive in.

When tragedy strikes, everything changes and Jenna’s more confused than ever. But this fresh heartache might help her figure out at last who she can turn to when times get tough.

Full of warmth and humor, Sunset on Moonlight Beach proves that every ending can be the beginning of a beautiful new story.