For Fiction Friday I am reviewing Coasts & Coworkers a contemporary Christian fiction set in Georgia releasing today.
Book Description:
Working together was required. Falling in love with her sister’s ex wasn’t.
Natalia O’Brien makes a living writing other people’s stories. But when she’s assigned to write the biographical history of Everwild Island on a tight deadline, she feels completely unqualified.
Accepting help from Noah Lester is the only solution … except he’s her sister’s ex-fiancé.
Noah’s broken engagement to Gianna taught him to keep his distance from complicated situations, and Natalia definitely qualifies. But with a promotion on the line, he accepts the project.
As they dig into Everwild’s past, Natalia begins to challenge the doubts she’s carried for years, and Noah starts to see her for who she really is.
Working together is risky. Falling in love would be even riskier.
Escape to Everwild Island in this clean, faith-filled beach read with workplace romance, complicated family dynamics, and Biblical love.
My Review:
This is the first book I have read by this author on her own, previously I had read a couple of the cozy mysteries she wrote with her sister. I am so glad I got to read this book as I didn’t want to put it down. If not for a little thing called sleep, I would have read it in one night. I did finish it in two nights and was happy with the whole book.
Natalia O’Brien works for a publishing company mainly working on non-fictional books. Her new assignment is to write the history of Everwild Island on a month. Given the choice of two editors, she chooses Noah Lester. Although she would have rather a different option. Noah just happens to be her sister’s ex-fiancé. We learn early on that her sister Gianna is a difficult person who has deeply impacted both characters in a negative way. While I don’t like to use the word narcissist lightly in this case, I believe Gianna fits this description well.
The book is in first person from both Natalia and Noah’s points of view which helps seeing why they feel how they do about situations. We can see how both already have preconceived ideas of the other due to Gianna and how both are struggling to see the reality. I felt being in the first person helps set this book up even better. The island is a character in itself. It’s a place I would love to visit with the quirky locals and the island feel. I also appreciate the growth of both characters as they discern fact from fiction. There is so much more I would like to say and think this would be a wonderful book club read.
I am happy with the ending it was really fitting for the book and can’t wait for the next book in the series. If you enjoy beach reads with real issues with a satisfactory conclusion, give this book a go.