Return to the beloved beach town of Cliffside Bay, where USA Today bestseller Tess Thompson spins another emotional, intriguing tale about overcoming adversity and finding strength in love in this standalone story about Lisa and Rafael.After years of struggling as a starving actor, Lisa Perry’s dreams are finally coming true. Splitting her time between Los Angeles and Cliffside Bay, the young … young beauty has a successful television miniseries, her first movie role, and quality time with her best friends Maggie and Pepper. Everything is coming up roses until a single tragic moment changes Lisa forever.
Haunted by unshakable memories and near-crippling anxiety, Lisa must face a publicity tour full of crowds and interviews in order to move her budding career forward. And with the help of Rafael Soto, the head of security for Brody and Kara Mullen, she finally begins to relax. Though the pair are as different as night and day, something about her temporary bodyguard soothes the young actress, and soon their relationship turns from professional to passionate.
But what neither anticipates is that despite the obvious threats to a beautiful ingenue, it’s actually her protector who stands in harm’s way. Will Lisa and Rafael be able to face the danger awaiting him together, or are they destined to accept yet another tragedy they can’t stop?
USA Today bestselling author Tess Thompson welcomes you back to Cliffside Bay to explore the rich, heartwarming stories of the characters who brightened the original five novels in the series. Each book in the Cliffside Bay Series is intended to be read and enjoyed as a sweet standalone, but for maximum enjoyment read this binge-worthy series in order.
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Another great read by Tess Thompson. This book tells a story of hope and healing when dealing with PTSD. I loved the weaving in of familiar characters from the Cliffside Bay series as well as the River Valley series.
I was so excited to take a trip back to Cliffside Bay in Missed! I got to meet some new character friends and spend some time with old friends, too! Picking up this novel gave me the feeling of a visit back “home” and how good it feels to connect again. To be with people you enjoy and want to spend time with. To meet new character friends who make up The Wolf Pack. This book is the story of Raphael and his journey with Lisa. I couldn’t wait to read it and it lives up to all I love in a Tess Thompson novel.
Lisa and Raphael have an attraction to each other. “there was a soul connection between them”, but insecurities, personal doubts, past relationship failures and emotional obstructions are hard to get past. These two characters find that they can share their feelings and trust each other to understand and know how it feels when panic and fear sets in. They allow themselves to be vulnerable with each other. Ms. Thompson takes the subject and trauma of PTSD up in this story and how it effects a person’s ability to find a “normal” life style. She asks these characters to find strength after tragedy. Sometimes there are no answers as to why bad things happen. She does this in a very caring and sensitive way.
I love Lisa and Raphael. They bring the best out in each other. They are committed to each other. I love Raphael’s sweet nickname for Lisa near the beginning of the book….Stardust. It’s so cute and special. There are sparks, passion, compassion, devotion and finding “the one” in each other. Ms. Thompson has a way of creating a scene that takes the reader right into it but also lets the reader “fill in” the unwritten parts. There is feeling and emotion in each and every character. Sometimes good and sometimes bad, but the emotion is there for the reader to tap into. It’s an all around experience turning the pages and being with the characters through highs and lows.
One of the things I took away from this book is a powerful message about how life can deal us some hard blows and we might never know why. Evil has no understanding and demons can be dark but faith, hope and love overcomes. Ms. Thompson wrote these passages that spoke to me so very much:
“No matter how hard hatred worked, evil forces had never been able to squelch love.”
“She prayed silently that they could feel their loved ones near them, reassuring them that hope remained. That love won in the end.”
“….how the threads of destiny weaved together in a complicated pattern until finally the woman he was meant to be with would appear. Together, they would make a beautiful tapestry.”
Ms. Thompson creates this tapestry in words and puts her heart and soul into each book she writes and each book she writes touches my heart and soul. I love this book! I love this new group of Cliffside Bay family and I’m so looking forward to continuing on this journey with all of them.
I want to especially thank Ms. Thompson for the honor of reading Missed: Raphael and Lisa. It truly is a fantastic book! It’s a huge five talented, award winning stars for me!
In Missed, Tess Thompson brings her readers back home to Cliffside Bay. We get to visit with some of our beloved friends and are introduced to a new set of Cliffside residents. Our heroine, Lisa, is an up-and-coming actress while Rafael is a true American hero, having served multiple tours of duty. Both have internal wounds from tragedies they have witnessed. Reading this story, I connected to Lisa’s feelings of self-doubt, brought on by her overbearing, hypercritical mother. This is a heartfelt story of love, friendship, family, community and finding inner strength. I am already eagerly anticipating the next Cliffside Bay story!
Welcome to Cliffside Bay. It can either break your heart, uplift your soul or help you find your way home. If your lucky, it can help you do all three. Thompson is back with more heartache and drama in the tiny town were hearts do to heal. Missed is the beginning of a second chance for two broken hearts that have lost their way. Lisa and Rafael find reason in the painful and support in each others arms. I always walk into a Tess Thompson novel, knowing I’ll leave a piece of my heart behind when it’s over.
Another book by Tess Thompson that you do not want to Miss. She brings us the The Wolves in this next series. This story brings an upcoming actress and a broken security guard. Lisa and Rafael met briefly through the Mullens. Lisa suffers a traumatic incident. She isolated herself but now needs to go out in the world to promote her new film. Rafael comes along as her bodyguard, but poses as her boyfriend. He too has suffered PTSD from being in the military and a retired police officer. Together they navigate their way through having a relationship. They both help each other heal along the way.
This story hit on some tough things, mass.shootings and war. It was well done and not dwelled on. Its referenced back in the book here and there but not the focus.
The Last paragraph of the story gave me all the feels. It basically summed up the whole story.
A favorite lines by Stone.. A soul loves a soul.
I’m a very spiritual person. I’m misunderstood. Mostly by women.
BOOK IS WORTH MORE THAN 5 STARS..
I received an ARC for an honest review, so an honest review I’ll give.. The actual storyline between Rafael and Lisa was a love story that everyone looks for… Rafael being described as extremely handsome and loyal and loving and protective of those he loves, mainly his family and friends and not to mention Lisa… his dream girl… he’s an ex policeman and war hero… my kind of guy… Lisa is described as very beautiful and strong, yet broken… she has very dear and close good friends whom she calls family… her support system… a rising movie star, she stays grounded and loyal to her roots and doesn’t let Hollywood glamour and money change her… she feels out of place…. she’s looking for someone to Love her, the real her, the broken her…. beauty and flaws and all and Rafael is just the guy… I loved that aspect of this story.. I could read a story like this forever, however, I didn’t care for how some of the storyline came about… when I read a story, I don’t want to read about todays politics.. it’s everywhere you look as it is… I didn’t care for the incident that happened and how that became the storyline and I was speechless at who was accused of doing it… So disappointing.. I also didn’t care for some other accusation made on a couple of different topics… such a disappointment.. while this might not of bothered others, it did me… Author Thompson has so many wonder other stories she’s written and series that I guarantee you’ll love them…she truly is a talented writer… and worthy of exploring…
Rafael has been attracted to Lisa since the moment he set his eyes on her, however, he wouldn’t dare cross that line. Despite being a Navy Seal and a hero, Rafael doesn’t feel like he’s good enough for the beautiful Lisa…especially with the demons that he fights since returning to civilian life.
Lisa also has feelings for Rafael, but her insecurities run deep. She doesn’t see herself the way that Rafael sees her. Her mother’s constant critiquing of her has left her damaged and always expecting the worst.
Just as her dreams to prove her self-worth to her mother…Lisa’s world comes crashing in when she finds herself a survivor of a mass shooting. She wasn’t injured, but she watched in horror as the woman beside her was shot to death. Now, she must put herself on the red carpet as an up and coming movie star and she’s terrified.
Leave it to Kara to arrange the perfect bodyguard for her….the sparks will fly as Rafael and Lisa discover that they aren’t so different after all.
Fantastic book that makes you feel all the feels and more….
Once again Tess Thompson takes us back to our beloved Cliffside Bay for excitement, romance, and a little mystery. The characters that we have come to love in Cliffside Bay are still around but Missed focuses on a new group of guys and gals in the small seaside town. Missed is about Lisa and Rafael, and I came to love them both as I read. Tess Thompson has the ability to paint with her words and I could see them as clearly as if I was there in the pages of the book. I am looking forward to reading the next books with our new friends, The Wolves!
Just like all of Tess Thompson’s books, Missed is a page turner and a masterpiece. I love The Dogs and their families, and The Wolves are just as amazing. One of my favorite things about these books is that they are never just romance – there is always an element of suspense or drama. Missed was no exception.
I can’t wait to read the next book!
I am addicted to these books. Rafael and Lisa have feelings for each other from the day they met. It takes a mass shooting and some serious PTSD for the to come together. They are the perfect pair once they stop hiding who they really are.
Had the absolute pleasure of reading an ARC of this book today ! Thank you to the author & publisher. Wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about the new characters in this story but I have learned to have complete faith in Tess Thompson that she will create a wonderful book no matter what. This book has it all, a hero Navy Seal, a struggling actress, romance, suspense and a little drama. Put it all together and you have Missed, a beautiful story of Rafael and Lisa ! I love Rafael’s mom. If you are a fan of this series you will thoroughly enjoy the latest installment. If you haven’t read any of these books, start. You can grab the first book and catch up. You will love it. Sweet, funny ad heartwarming. As always you will root for love in this book ! Tess Thompson has another hit on her hands with Missed. #buythebook
We first were introduced to the Dogs who then met and married the women who came to be the Wags. The thing love most about these clean reads is that each couple bring something new to the table. Determined to live up to a promise he sinks all that he has into a safe place to take care of his mother and her lifelong friend. She is realizing her dream of being an actress and being thrown into the lime light after a traumatic experience. They both will have to let go of their past, embrace their futures and let those demons and the darkness go. These two find in each other the strength and support they need to do and be more. With the people in their rapidly filling apartment building being one big family it will be fun watching the Wolves all achieve their happily ever after right along with Rafael and Lisa. Wonderful story which will leave you warm and bubbly as you come to expect from this author as well as a great addition to the standalone reads in this series filled with carry over people.