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Barefoot Bay Series #1
Roxanne St. Claire
Hachette /Forever
May 2012/ ISBN 978-1-455-50821-1
Contemporary Romance
Amazon
Reviewed
by Leslie Halpern
As a hurricane sweeps away her home and possessions, single mother
Lacey Armstrong protects her 14-year-old daughter by huddling under
a mattress in the bathtub. When they emerge from the storm, Lacey
starts to rebuild their life on Florida’s Barefoot Bay. Her
dream to own and operate a Bed & Breakfast begins to take shape
when handsome young architect, Clay Walker, shows up in response
to her messages to his architectural firm. However, the fact that
he is the son of the famous architect, rather than the man himself,
immediately gets things off to a bad start.
Eventually with the emotional and financial support of her three
friends from college, Tessa, Zoe, and Jocelyn (soon to be characters
in their own Barefoot Bay series romances), Lacey agrees to Clay’s
elaborate plans for a Casablanca-inspired resort instead of a simple
B&B. Subplots complicating Lacey’s situation include the
untimely arrival of her child’s father, her daughter’s
rebellious behavior, angry residents plotting against the new construction,
Clay’s ongoing lack of full disclosure, and Lacey’s
propensity to jump to wrong conclusions.
Although the story is easy to follow, the secrets, lies, and mysterious
hints get a little tiresome in this contemporary romance. (These
devises fit so much better in St. Claire’s excellent romantic
suspense series, The Guardian Angelinos.) None of the characters
in Barefoot in the Sand seem to mean what they say or say
what they mean, except sex-obsessed Zoe, who blurts out everything
that crosses her mind. Lacey’s small circle of loyal friends
and hot sexual escapades with a much-younger hunky architect are
certainly idealized situations you might expect to find in a good
romantic novel. However, the ultimate conflict resolution between
Lacey and Clay, Lacey and her mother, and Clay and his father, feel
too convenient to be genuine.
Reviewer's Note: Sexuality, Profanity
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