Can he love her… And keep her safe? No one in Turtleback Beach knows that veterinarian Grayson Zale is in the witness protection program–not even the woman who left him at the altar. When a joint inheritance brings Mandi Rivers back to their small seaside town, Gray can’t deny that their connection is as strong as ever. But his mysterious past remains between them; can he reveal the truth … reveal the truth without endangering Mandi–and their future?
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MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Moving back to Turtleback Beach, North Carolina, Mandy is fighting her attraction to once loved Grayson Zale. The more they are together the more the attraction is pretty clear. This is a fun story to follow. The character are real and enjoyable, for the most part. I love that there was a mysterious side to this story as well, throwing a nice twist to the story and made it more enjoyable for me. I love a good mystery! Overall I enjoyed this book except for one thing that I had a difficult time with. And maybe a ***Spoiler***. There was a twist that I didn’t care for, and that was a alternative lifestyle the author throws in as an unexpected surprise, with no warning, which there should have been. Everyone has a right to their opinions, and I totally respect that, but readers have a right to a WARNING when something like this is included in a book. And for this reason, it saddens me that I will not be reading anything else from Rula Sinara, because the previous books I have read from her have been great reads.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Almost a Bridge is the first book in the new Turtleback Beach series and the first book I have read from this author. I really enjoyed getting to know all the locals of Turtleback Beach. The book had a great plot and was fast-paced. It had the “can’t put down” combination with wonderful characters that made me fall in love with it.
Turtleback Beach was a small town with a lot of warm, caring people that helped each other out like they were family. Mandi Rivers had returned to Turtleback Beach when her grandmother, who was known as Nana to everyone, passed. She had left town several years ago when she deserted her fiancé at their wedding, but she knew she would have to face him. Grayson Zale past was a secret and he had to keep it that way. He was the local veterinarian and his feelings for Mandi had never gone away. He knew the death of Nana would be devastating for Mandi and the entire town. Neither of them expected Nana to bequest the two of them with her house on the beach. Can they find their way to having a second chance at love?
I received an ARC and am voluntarily writing a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Almost a Bride is a sweet second chance romance. Things move relatively slowly for much of the book–the hero/heroine POV only occasionally interrupted by that of the antagonist, which was a bit jarring–until the last 15% or so, when things suddenly shifted into extremely high gear. At that point the book veered toward a romantic suspense (it definitely isn’t a true RS, but Gray *is* in the witness protection program, so use your imagination here… 😉 ) and suddenly everything shifted into high gear.
From that point everything happened really fast, which stretched the veneer of realism a bit (add in the supposed redemption of the antagonist, which all but gave me whiplash) but it all led to what readers were hoping for all along–Gray and Mandi getting back together at last (spoiler alert?) and their future being more settled than either of them had hoped for up to that point–and the epilogue was OMG wonderful, and I put the book down with a smile on my face.
Plus it introduced us to a lovely fictional seaside town *and* confirmed that I really, really want to watch baby turtles hatch (safely and respectfully, of course) some day, so–win-win! Bring on book two… 🙂
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Almost a Bride by Rula Sinara is a sweet romantic book about trying to bring two people that are in love together.
Will Mandi ever trust Gray without him not telling her about his past?
Grayson Zale
Grayson Zale is the primary male love interest, and he is the local veterinarian. He is all about saving the marine wildlife that visits Turtleback Beach. He is into saving the sea turtles, well except for the healthy preditors. Gray is also trying to keep his heart from being hurt by Mandi again. These two have a lot of issues to work out, and the best way to do that is by trying to make Nana’s house beautiful again. Along with discussing a big secret that Gray has been keeping for the past five years.
What I like about Gray is that he is a great character. He is already trying his hardest to keep moving forward, but his past is continually affecting his present. Another thing that I like about him is that he knows that even if he can’t have the girl if he wants to keep her safe.
Mandi Rivers
Mandi Rivers is the main female love interest, and she is originally from Turtkleback but left for her master’s degree in advertising. She is overall a perplexed person, especially after she comes back home for her grandmother’s funeral and stays long enough to get her house on the market. She is confused because she doesn’t want to be like her dad but inadvertently let herself become him in ways that Mandi didn’t see until she was old enough to understand.
Mandi loves Gray and wants to make it work, but she can’t deal with Gray lying to her all the time. What I like about her is that she is a sweet person once she is in her hometown again. Another thing that I like about her is that when Mandi is with Gray, he brings out the best in her. The one thing that I don’t like is that even though she is twenty-five, she allows her father to tell her what to do.
Five Stars
Almost a Bride by Rula Sinara is a fantastic book that had me on the edge of my seat reading through the entire story. I had to know what happened next and if Mandi would ever find the truth about Gray. Granted, I won’t spoil anything, but it’s a great read. I am giving it five stars and recommending it to anyone that loves sweet romances. Not only does it have a cute vet but a guy that loves sea turtles!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Prism Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Almost a Bride by Rula Sinara.
Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
Who doesn’t love a second chance romance? Rula Sinara introduces readers to the cozy Outer Banks town of Turtleback Beach and many of its residents (two legged and four legged) in Almost a Bride.
As Mandi is set on returning to a brand new job in New York, Gray is determined to convince her to stay. But the reason she left is still a problem as he cannot disclose his past. And Mandi’s dad doesn’t make the task any easier.
While this is a fairly mellow paced book for the most part, there’s some nice action near the end that sped things up.
I will definitely return to Turtleback as I’d like to hang out with some more of the residents as they fall in love. And the animals add a nice touch too.
Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
“…he held her face in his hands, then kissed her like there was no tomorrow, but with the promise of forever.”
I love Rula Sinara’s books so I’ve been excited about her new Turtleback Beach series since I first heard about it. Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to read book 1 until now, but I can assure you it was well worth the wait!
Second chance romances always have a swoonilicious amount of barely-suppressed feelings and emotional-tension-heavy sparks, and Almost a Bride is no exception. Gray and Mandi were nearly married until she grew fed up with the way he held back about his past (a hazard of his being in witness protection, which he also can’t tell her about). I rooted for Gray from the beginning – he’s a great character, with just enough brooding to make him interesting but a tender side especially where animals and Mandi are concerned. Mandi is also very likable but has some baggage to deal with and she really won’t be able to move on until Gray opens up to her … which of course he can’t do yet.
The setting of Turtleback Beach is endearing and quaint, with a vivid mix of characters and picturesque beaches, but it’s the animals in Almost a Bride who steal the show! Between Gray’s loyal rescue dog and the kittens that Mandi rescues, there are plenty of opportunities for cuteness in that department. And watching Gray and Mandi interact with the pets is sure to put a smile on your face. Not to mention the nests of turtles that Gray watches over.
Bottom Line: Almost a Bride is sweet, swoony, and touching. The second chance at love for Gray and Mandi is not easily won, but readers will be cheering for them every step of the way. And while Mandi’s grandmother may no longer be alive, she’s still very much a part of the story – in some unique ways that added more layers and dimension to the plot. A delicious romance with a dash of suspense – I’m already looking forward to my next visit to Turtleback Beach!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)