Join USA TODAY bestselling author Sheila Roberts for a seaside escape to the beaches of Moonlight Harbor Moira Wellman has always loved makeovers–helping women find their most beautiful selves. Funny how it’s taken her five years with her abusive boyfriend, Lang, to realize she needs a life makeover. When Moira finally gets the courage to leave Lang, the beachside town of Moonlight Harbor is … Harbor is the perfect place to start over.
Soon Moira is right at home, working at Waves Salon, making new friends and helping her clients find new confidence. When she meets a handsome police officer, she’s more than willing to give him a free haircut. Maybe even her heart. But is she really ready for romance after Lang? And what if her new friend is in hot pursuit of that same cop? This is worse than a bad perm.
With all the heart and humor readers have come to expect from a Sheila Roberts novel, Beachside Beginnings is the story of one woman finding the courage to live her best life. And where better to live it than at the beach?
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I seem to be drawn to books about starting over and second (or third) chances this month.
When you have given over control of your life to someone else, repeatedly given them a chance to change until you figure out it is YOU who must take control of your own life.
Fortunately I have not been in a situation such as this to this extreme, but in a way we have all been there. We all give others permission to influence our destinies.
This book introduces us to several strong woment who take back control and start over.
We also discover there is still kindness and generosity in the world.
A beautiful novel that takes worn and dark pieces and weaves them into a beautiful, fresh beginning.
I thoroughly enjoyed this latest visit to Moonlight Harbor! It was wonderful visiting with some of the characters again. Rare is the book that will have me reading late into the night, but this story had me engrossed and I couldn’t put the book down.
I love the characters and that they are all different ages and stages of their lives. I’ll be looking forward to the next book so that I can go back and visit with these old friends.
Highly recommend!!
Loved this book. A great story, will not disappoint.
This is the first book I have read by Sheila Roberts, but it will not be my last. This story follows three women at pivotal points in their lives, all at different stages and with different issues. Moira, who is starting over, trying to rebuild who she is after a destructive relationship. Pearl, who has taken some heart wrenching blows the past few years and whose life has stalled. Annie, whose marriage has deteriorated and is looking for a better way forward for herself and her daughter. These women and the people around them are worth knowing. Sheila Roberts presents their struggles and accomplishments in a realistic way. We feel their uncertainty and pain as well as celebrate their successes. I would give this book to someone dealing with the issues these women are. It is a good look at how things happen and how a sometimes painful break must be made so you can move forward. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I will be looking for the other books in this Moonlight Harbor series and hope to be able to visit with these ladies in future books to see how their new lives are working out. I won this book in a giveaway and chose to write a review.
Another great book by Sheila Roberts that is full of women looking for that right man for the first time–or the second. This book definitely has a couple of possible triggers, mainly abuse and alcoholism.
The main character flees an abusive man and heads to Moonlight Harbor to start over. She’s not looking for a new man, but she finds one anyway. Moira really likes Victor and he seems to like her. Then things get complicated.
There are numerous secondary characters who’s subplots are just as engaging as those of the main characters. Roberts blends then together beautifully and ends up with a fantastic story that leaves you feeling that things will get better and there’s a chance to fulfill your own dreams.
Love the Moonlight Harbor Series and Beachside Beginnings is as good as all the other books in the series. Sheila Roberts tackles the serious subjects of alcoholism and domestic violence yet creates an entertaining storyline that keeps you reading to see what happens next. The story is realistic, inspirational and action packed with strong female characters. And she adds a few hunky heroes as a bonus.
This novel is a wonderful seaside escape. Very much enjoyed this heartwarming, funny story. Highly recommended for fans of Debbie Macomber or Sherryl Woods.
This is my fourth Sheila Roberts read, including the first two books in this series. Somehow I missed the third one from last year!?! Well, no worries. I was once again immediately swept up in this story and not at all surprised that I loved this one just as much if not more so than the previous installments.
Moira is a new resident to Moonlight Harbor and her story is absolutely charming. She is such a fresh addition to this community, and I can’t wait to read more! Desperately seeking a restart from the hardships and abuse that have plagued much of her young life, she could not have picked a better place to be welcomed and reinvent the direction of her life. Moira’s job as a hair dresser who specializes in color was so engaging to read about especially given that most of us can’t get to the salon right now due to these unprecedented times! It was fun, yet oddly strange, to live vicariously through these characters as they received such incredible styling as I’m sure so many of us are looking forward to the day we can get back in our own stylist’s chair!
The author’s masterful writing ability and conversational tone are so effortless and lighthearted that everything from the colorful cast of characters to the picturesque setting seems to come alive right off the page. Everyone is so likeable and relatable that you instantly feel a connection or can identify someone from your own life as well. So many are searching for second chances, and though they stumble along the way, each story is truly heartwarming, inspiring, and moving as readers witness individual happily ever afters.
Despite a few devastating and highly stressful circumstances that these characters find themselves in, there is always a sense of compassion and a message of hope throughout. Moira joins other strong women in this town to cement her leadership role, and it will be a wonderful journey to explore with her in future reads.
We all need an escape and I love my visits to this safe haven, filled with warmth, friendly faces, and small town coziness. Provided recipes are the perfect pairing and bring a taste of the shore to your own home!
Many thanks to Pump Up Your Book Blog Tours and the author for providing me with a free copy of the physical book. This is my honest and thoughtful review.
Loved this book(# 4?) in the Moonlight Bay series but it’s darker than the other books in the series.
A book that will make you smile. Loved it. You can relate to the problems that some of the ladies have in this book. I can’t wait for the next book to see who gets it!!! A must summer read!!!
I love visiting Moonlight Harbor, and this was no exception. This quaint little town has wonderful friendships and always welcoming new people. This is the fourth book in the series but can be read as a stand alone, it was wonderful catching up the previous ladies.
Moria is an abusive relationship and needs a new life makeover, so Moonlight Harbor is the perfect town to settle into. Moria settles in perfect with her new job at Making Waves, loves giving women new hair colors. She makes wonderful new friends and she might even open her heart up again.
Loved watching Moria gain new confidence in herself as making new friends and thriving in the beauty shop. Plenty of heart and humor that will keep you turning the pages.
Since we can’t go to the beach right now (or anywhere else) join me on a virtual vacation to Moonlight Harbor in Washington. Beachside Beginnings is Sheila Roberts latest installment in this fun location. I always anxiously await each new book she writes because they are all so excellent. Besides being a fun read, it also covered a serious topic, physical and emotional abuse by males to females.
I felt for Moira, the main female character but also admired her bravery in what she was able to do in relocating. She aspired to learn new words to expand her vocabulary and express herself more elegantly. I loved what she named her cat and her love for him. But she also made friends and “family” in her new home. Much of the scenes were in a beauty salon because that’s what Moira did for a living, specializing in color. She seemed to know what each person needed to improve their looks. I would love to be able to make an appointment with her and see what she could do for me. Several of the characters you’ll recognize if you’ve ever “visited” Moonlight Harbor. Seeing them continue their lives and progress with their dreams and desires was very fulfilling. A bonus is the recipes in the back that are made in the homes and kitchens of the characters. The spiced apple bread is one that I definitely want to try. Great book by one of my favorite authors!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author but was not required to write a review.
Terrific book. The main character is Moira, a stylist with a knack for finding just the right cut and color for her clients. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have the same knack in her personal life. Though her boyfriend seemed perfect at first, the abuse has worsened over the five years they’ve been together. She could take it herself, but the last straw came when he kicked her cat. With the help of her boss, she found a haven in the tiny town of Moonlight Harbor. Michael sent Moira to his friend Pearl, the owner of Waves Salon. Pearl isn’t too sure she needs another stylist, but she also realizes that if she doesn’t bring in some younger customers, her salon will be toast. Moira is young, hip, and enthusiastic, and Pearl quickly realizes what a treasure Moira is.
I loved watching the people of this small town, especially the women, embrace Moira and help restore the confidence that her life with Lang had ripped from her. Enough of the ladies had experienced troubles of their own that they recognized what she was going through. It isn’t a one-way street, as Moira also helps her new friends on their own journeys. I loved Pearl and Edie, the older ladies who became like grandmothers to Moira. Pearl experienced some heartbreaking losses in her life and has been merely going through the motions of living. Moira is like a breath of fresh air blowing through the salon, reinvigorating Pearl’s joy in what she does. It was fun to see how the salon’s makeover paralleled Pearl’s. Edie is the owner of the local hotel, in her eighties, and with a heart as big as the ocean. I loved seeing her pull Moira into her family’s life, treating her like another niece. I loved the cooking scenes that gave Moira a taste of the life she’d always wanted and another boost of self-confidence.
I also enjoyed seeing the other friendships that Moira built, reminding her of what she’d given up thanks to Lang. She used her talent with color and style to help other women make changes in their lives. I especially enjoyed seeing Annie’s journey, which was somewhat like Moira’s. Just like Moira, Annie is in a toxic relationship. Her husband’s drinking is so out-of-control that she feels she has no choice but to take their daughter and leave him. I loved how her friends gave her the support she needed and the encouragement to follow her dreams. There are many wonderful scenes of the way that the women back each other up with support, advice, or just listening when someone needs to vent.
When Moira arrived in Moonlight Beach, she had every intention of staying away from any romantic entanglements. She doesn’t trust her judgment any longer. But when local cop Victor King stops her for speeding, her heart speeds up too. Victor is terrific. He takes pride in his efforts to care for the people of his town. He is friendly and sweet and adorably tongue-tied around women. I loved watching the relationship between them develop. Victor makes no secret of his interest in Moira, but she is wary. She is interested in him, too, but it is difficult for her to trust her judgment. I liked how she explained her fears to Victor and that he cared enough to be patient while she worked through her fears. They ran into a snag when Moira discovered that her new friend Courtney is also interested in Victor. I ached for him when Moira seemed to pull away for no reason. I also wanted to shake Moira, but I understood her reasons. The resolution of that triangle was emotional and also showed the strength of true friendship. Things finally looked up for Victor and Moira, until her past made an unwelcome appearance. I loved seeing Moira’s new strength and confidence as she confronted Lang and feared for her life at his reaction. I cheered at the unexpected help she received and loved the final resolution. Victor’s big moment at the end was sweet and romantic.
This was the first Moonlight Harbor book that I have read, but it worked well as a stand-alone. That said, I want to go back and read the earlier books to learn the stories of the other residents of the town. I am especially interested in reading more about Jenna and her relationships with Brody and Seth. I’d also like to know more about Hyacinth and the story leading up to her interference in the preacher’s wedding.
In Beachside Beginnings by Sheila Roberts, Moira ran to Moonlight Harbor from her beloved Seattle with her cat Harry Pawter to get away from her abusive boyfriend and didn’t expect to add new life to herself and the town. Moira had lived with an abusive boyfriend for several years but kicking her beloved cat…it was time to leave. Her friend Michael sent her to Pearl in Moonlight Harbor to work at her shop to heal and start over. Little did anyone know that it would be both ways. Finding someone special that treats you special that makes the hurt go away is an added bonus. Until her ex-boyfriend shows up for revenge. Moira has grown stronger and is not allowing her abuser to intimidate her again, but what does it cost her? Will her new man and friends find her in time? This is a story about renewing faith in yourself and allowing to make better choices. There are so many women that stay with abusers because they feel they deserve to be treated that way and that there’s not a way out of the situation. There are other options.