I tend to stay away from books that are labeled “romance” as this one was in several other reviews. But, because the writer is the amazing JoJo Moyes, I had to add it to my list of books read. An older publication, this story centers mostly around Liza, along with daughter Hannah and aunt Kathleen as well as many other supporting characters. Living on the coast of Australia and running an inn as well as conducting whale watching tours, Liza lives a content life although there’s an air of tragedy around her. When a development company begins to make plans to build a modern, massive resort community in their little corner of paradise, Liza’s peace of mind is threatened. The love interest comes in the form of Mike, one of the major planners of the resort. Loads of drama follows along with several nice little twists that keep the story going. I’m not going to lie, this one wasn’t nearly as good as other books by Moyes that I’ve read. It doesn’t quite reach the level of Me Before You or The Girl You Left Behind. But it’s important to remember that this one has been on the shelves for many years. It’s not really fair to compare novels written so many years apart. Part of being an author is experiencing that growth that comes naturally over time. Being a huge fan of JoJo Moyes, I’m really glad I took the time to read this one.

~Thalia

Buy it Now: Silver Bay: A Novel