REVIEW: The Cafe at Beach End by RaeAnne Thayne

The Cafe at Beach End by RaeAnne Thayne find Meredith Collins returning the beach town of Cape Sanctuary, where she had spent her childhood summers with her cousin and grandmother, with very little to her name. She inherited a cottage, which was in terrible shape, and almost half of the local café. The other half was left to her cousin, Tori, who has grown to resent Meredith over the years.

I’ll start by saying there are some topics covered in the book that may be triggers for some people. View Spoiler »These include references to domestic violence and mentions of miscarriages and stillbirths. There’s also a couple of examples of the aftermath of domestic violence (such as bruises on one of the secondary characters that is in an abusive relationship). If these bother you, you may want to skip this one. « Hide Spoiler

That being said, this is a story is about complex relationships. Tori and Meredith used to be close, until Meredith married her con-artist ex. Tori assumes the worst of Meredith and won’t entertain the possibility that she wasn’t involved with whatever her ex had done. I found Tori to be very judgmental; instead of talking with Meredith to get the truth, she makes incorrect assumptions. She has no idea of all the pain Meredith had endured in her marriage, and she doesn’t take the time to get to know. Tori wasn’t a very likeable character for most of the book.

Next, we have the budding relationship between Liam and Meredith. I liked them both together, and that Meredith felt safe enough with him to confide in him. I felt slightly bad for Liam, because he was keeping a secret from her and he clearly felt guilty about it, once he realized that Meredith wasn’t who he thought she was, and once he learns just how bad her marriage had been.

Then there’s Tori and Sam. Tori is a widow, and Sam is her late husband’s brother. Both are busy struggling parents, trying to make sure their daughters stay on the right path. They’re both interested in each other, but Tori struggles with the fact that Sam was her late husband’s brother. She’s also overly concerned about what other people would think about that, while Sam couldn’t care less what anyone else thinks. While I wasn’t thrilled with Tori’s behavior towards Meredith, I thought she was a good mother that was trying her best with her daughter, and I was rooting for her and Sam.

This wasn’t the light, straightforward romance I had been expecting. It’s filled with complex relationships and characters struggling with difficult issues and trying to overcome the odds. Despite my issues with Tori, I found myself drawn into the story and wanting to see how everything worked out for everyone. I would recommend it for readers who enjoy small-town romances and stories about second chances and redemption.

Book Info:

Publication: June 13, 2023 | Canary Street Press |

When Meredith Collins was a child, the little beach town of Cape Sanctuary lived up to its name. Spending summers there with her grandmother, Meredith finally felt safe and loved.

Now she’s returning in disgrace. Her late ex-husband swindled investors out of millions of dollars and made Meredith a figure of scorn—though she knew nothing about his scheme. But she still has the beach cottage she inherited from her grandmother and half ownership of the local café. It’s a place to work and earn a little money. That’s if her cousin, Tori, will let her through the door. Once, Tori and Meredith were as close as sisters—until Meredith chose her neglectful parents’ expectations over their bond. Now widowed with a teenage daughter, Tori isn’t setting out a welcome mat for the woman who let her down so badly.

While Meredith tries to make a fresh start, she is drawn to a mysterious writer renting the cottage next door. Liam Byrne’s kindness is a balm, though she worries he might not be so friendly if he knew who she was. But Liam has his own secret and a mission that will help Meredith confront her past—and maybe, claim a surprising future…