REVIEW: The Beach Reads Bookshop by Lee Tobin McClain

The Beach Reads Bookshop by Lee Tobin McClain is the third and final book in the Hometown Brothers series. It is based on three troubled teenage boys who were fostered by Betty and Wayne at their farmhouse on the shoreline of Teaberry Island on Chesapeake Bay. The island provided them with a place to heal and become part of a family. As the boys grew up, they left the island to find their futures. Yet life has a way of bringing you back to your roots and now their lives are bringing them back to the island. This is the story of the last one to return, Luis Dominguez.

“This place fixed us where we were broken.”

After graduating, Luis Dominguez left Teaberry Island to follow his dreams. Now he was a wealthy successful businessman and owned Dominguez Enterprises. Nothing could slow him down or affect his dedication to work, not even his health. Relationships? No thanks, he kept everyone at a distance and didn’t form attachments. Since he had never had plans to settle down, he was blindsided upon learning he had a daughter. He was sure he would fail at fatherhood, so he plans to take Willow to Teaberry Island to live with his family. Leaving the island became harder after he became attached to Willow and Deena. Can Teaberry Island heal broken and empty hearts?

“The past had lessons to teach but was a bad place to life.”

Deena Clark became the guardian of Willow after her roommate died. She loved Willow and didn’t want to give her up, but she needed help financially to take proper care of Willow. She contacted Luis, Willow’s father, hoping for some help but never thought of giving up Willow or moving. She loved her life in D.C. and didn’t want to move but after visiting Teaberry Island, Deena realized that living on the island would benefit Willow. She came to love the island, its people, and running the bookstore. But her past had left her with trust issues especially trusting men. She thought leaving the island and Willow now would lessen her future pain when things didn’t work out. Can she overcome her fears enough to trust?
This was a beautiful and heartwarming story to end the series with. The small town of Teaberry Island was charming, and the close-knit community provided comfort and encouragement to one another. The romance between Deena and Luis was the main storyline but there was a subplot wound into the background. I loved how the author used several points of view in the story because I love getting to see the sub-characters thoughts and emotions. This inspiring story had my emotions wavering throughout, but the ending left me with all the fell goods and smiling. It is the perfect book for a trip or to take along to the beach.

Book Info:

Publication: April 25, 2023 | HQN Books | Hometown Brothers #3

Running a bookstore on a quaint Chesapeake island is exactly the life Deena Clark would have chosen for herself–but helping billionaire businessman Luis Dominguez figure out fatherhood is part of the package. Can bonding over books and one little girl help them open their hearts to each other?