Review: Blue Moon Bay by Lisa Wingate

Every Once in a Blue Moon Your Heart Waits at a Crossroads...

For Seattle architect Heather Hampton, a trip back to tiny Moses Lake, Texas, is hardly in the plan. Yet because a promotion hinges on the sale of the family farmland, Heather heads to the last place she ever wanted to go. She's determined to return home, signed contract in hand, the next day.

But the currents of Moses Lake take visitors on unexpected journeys. As Heather's stay lengthens, she discovers a family steeped in secrets and an unexpected connection to local banker Blaine Underhill, despite his opposition to Heather's project. With each new revelation and question, Heather can't help but wonder if the handsome banker--and the family she has come to know again--are crooks or crusaders. Somehow she must find out the truth before she loses everything she has worked for and everything she's found on the shores of Moses Lake.

My thoughts:

The dark events of Heather's past constantly haunt her. Immersing herself in work, she's done her best to forget and lock the memories away, but in the process she's also shut herself off from those who love her. When a sudden trip to Texas takes her back into the heart of her darkest nightmares, all she wants is to get business taken care of and get back to her work in Seattle asap. But the lake in Texas has a way of obscuring her plans...

I initially found Heather's character a bit hard to like and sympathize with...she is a complete work-a-holic, with everything in her life revolving around her career ambitions. Her clueless self-absorption is a bit irritating, however it does come off as realistic, so in actuality I think the irritating things about her are exactly the things that give authenticity to her character. It definitely makes the change that much more noticeable when she eventually starts to get her priorities straightened out.

Lisa Wingate is certainly a master storyteller; I was shocked at the intense turn the story took as the end drew near. I don't want to give any spoilers, but suffice it to say that I never imagined such an explosive turn of events would come from this plot. All through out the book I was waffling between 3 and 4 stars, but the dramatic ending sealed it for me at a solid 4 stars.

Blue Moon Bay is second in the Moses Lake series, however it works fine as a stand alone, too. I do recommend that you read the first book (Larkspur Cove) simply because it's a great read, however it's certainly not mandatory to have read it before you start Blue Moon Bay.

My Rating: 4 stars
(I received this book courtesy of the publisher, Bethany House, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, a positive review was not required.)