Three women–two sisters and their aunt–and the cliff house on the northern California coast that served as a beacon to them all… After the death of their mother, sisters Daisy and Beatriz Davenport found a home with their aunt Stella in the beautiful and welcoming town of Cape Sanctuary. They never knew all the dreams that Stella sacrificed to ensure they had everything they’d ever need. … ever need. Now, with Daisy and Bea grown, it’s time for Stella to reveal the secret she’s been keeping from them–a secret that will change their family forever.
Bea thought she’d sown all her wild oats when she got pregnant far too young. The marriage that followed was rocky and not destined to last, but it gave Bea her wonderful, mature, now eleven-year-old daughter, Marisol. But just as she’s beginning to pursue a new love with an old friend, Bea’s ex-husband resurfaces and turns their lives completely upside down.
Then there’s Daisy–sensible, rational, financially prudent Daisy. She’s never taken a risk in her life–until she meets a man who makes her question everything she thought she knew about life, love and the power of taking chances.
In this heartwarming story, Stella, Bea and Daisy will discover that the path to true happiness is filled with twists and turns, but love always leads them back home.
Don’t miss Thayne’s next release, The Path to Sunshine Cove: three love stories in one with the emotional pull of Debbie Macomber, Barbara Delinsky and Susan Wiggs!
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Wow, there was so much going on in this story, I don’t really know how the author was able to make it all work! Most would do the 3 different books but nope, Ms Thayne jumped in and went for it! I loved the ladies. Stella, Daisy, and Bea. They were so deep, so many layers to them. I highly recommend this read!
After their mother dies, half sisters Daisy and Beatriz are raised by their aunt Stella (their mother’s sister) who puts her life on hold to raise her sister’s children. Now, the two girls are grown with their own lives to pursue. Told in four (4) POVs: Daisy, Beatriz, Stella, and Gabe; The Cliff House tackles several subjects – fostering children, divorce, death, late in life pregnancies, second chances.
Daisy is rational, sensible, and hasn’t taken one risk in her life. That is until she meets Gabe. He makes her question everything, and he himself has questions such as her reluctance to share the identity of a talented artist by “Marguerite”.
Beatriz is a single, divorced mother. Her ex-husband, one of Stella’s former “fosters”, is a famous musician who is recovering from a stalker’s attack there in Cape Sanctuary. While the marriage was short lived, Bea is thankful for her 11 year old daughter, Marisol. However, Cruz’ return makes Bea’s quest to move on with her life harder. She’s also finding herself thinking more and more about Shane who has been her best friend since childhood.
Stella, now 40, is pregnant. But, she isn’t upset about it. She’s thankful and had been waiting for a long time for the news. She is rocked when a former love, Ed (now a widower), shows up in town with his daughter. Ed is an OB-GYN going into practice with Stella’s doctor.
Gabe is an Academy Award nominated documentary film-maker who happened to save Cruz’ life and enters Daisy’s life as he is recuperating at Cruz’ house there in Cape Sanctuary.
Thayne focuses on three (3) romances at a time:
* Bea/Shane/Cruz
* Daisy/Gabe
* Stella/Ed
The premise of this book sounded riveting and I couldn’t wait to read it. And, as much as I TRIED to LOVE it … I couldn’t. It didn’t work.
I don’t know if it was the four person POV formula, the multiple romances, or the characters – or all of it – it just didn’t work for me.
Stella’s story was so beautiful I felt she really deserved her own stand alone book. Her reason for pushing Ed away all those years ago was genuine and showed selflessness at an age where most people would be selfish. She was just 10 years older than Daisy, and was caring for her nieces at a time when she should’ve been living her life. I felt as though Ed could’ve been more sympathetic towards her regarding “why” she did what she did. I was glad that her story had a happier ending and would’ve liked to have seen that stretched out a bit more.
I felt sorry for Bea with regard to the Shane and Cruz mess. I felt she was quite strong with Cruz and setting boundaries, yet she seemed weak in trying to tell Shane what she was feeling. I was proud of her daughter Marisol for being assertive with her father with regard to the Father/Daughter Pinewood Derby. For being 11, she seemed like the most mature of the characters.
Daisy was a bit too cold and distant for me. The author established a good reason, but while that aloofness worked with strangers, the attitude with her own sister and aunt was off-putting. After a while the sympathy wore off and she wore my nerves down. After a while I wanted to skip her chapters completely.
All in all, this wasn’t the WORST book I’ve read. It wasn’t the best either. I am glad that I was able to get it from the library though. For me it was a one and done kind of read.
Fans of the author might enjoy this, though some may not.
This is my first time reading anything by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author has done a wonderful job describing the location that it literally seemed to jump of the page. The story is about three very strong, caring women and all the heartbreak, loss, tough choices they had to make and endure along with the happy times and love that they shared and experienced. It’s a wonderfully woven tale about life and family.
I have recently become a fan of RaeAnne Thayne and began binge reading her older books. I was excited to read her newest full length novel and she did not disappoint.
3.5 stars
I’m designating this book as Chick Lit as well as contemporary romance. This story is about the women, and to a certain extent their relationship with one another, as much as it’s a romance for any one of them.
Stella raised her nieces Daisy and Bea when their mother died although she wasn’t much more than a child herself. The three of them always support each other and have had many ups and downs. Since the first few years after Stella got them out of foster care and took them in, most of their times have been up. It seems these three women have it all together and are all happy and content with their lives. As we all know, things aren’t always as they seem.
I don’t mean that in any ominous way. This is truly three stories in one so I’m going to try to break it down here for you…
After the girls grew up, Stella realized she could help so many more children and started taking in foster children. She’s also a middle school teacher. But Stella has always yearned for a baby so decided to take that upon herself to do with the help of her doctor. After all, she’s still only 40 and has a lot of love to give. Imagine her surprise when her college boyfriend, the love of her life she walked away from to raise her nieces, shows up in town. The story of Stella and Ed, as well as Ed’s young daughter, is very sweet. I don’t feel their relationship gets a very deep dive, but it’s enough for me to be rooting for them. Stella goes through a lot in this story and the author handles it well.
Daisy is the oldest and has always viewed herself as the protector of her little sister, even now as adults. She likes order and rules and has always kept herself a little removed from those around her. Even those she loves the most. Daisy and Bea ended up in separate foster situations until their aunt found out and got custody and the experience really changed Daisy. While her sister had a good experience, Daisy did not. Due to her protective nature, there’s a lot of hidden secrets that Daisy holds. Because of her nature, she feels these secrets are important so as not to burden anyone else. Above all other things, Daisy is a caretaker. When Daisy accidentally ends up fostering a little dog and meeting a kind and gorgeous man, her regulated and orderly life takes a turn. I feel Daisy’s story is the deepest one told in this book. I love her and Gabe separately and together. They help each other to grow as adults and to see the world through a wider lens. Most of my butterflies while reading this story were due to this couple.
To be honest, I wasn’t usually thrilled with Bea. She is pretty oblivious and doesn’t make the greatest of decisions. She seems to be a wonderful mom and a caring person. Yet, for all of the thoughts of others of her being vibrant and fun-loving, she seemed a bit suggestible. In her mind she had a lot of set ideas and thoughts, but somewhere between her brain and her mouth those ideas would get muddled. Then she’d wonder why nobody was “listening” to her. They actually WERE listening to her…she wasn’t clearly or concisely saying what she meant. I had high hopes for the romance that was obvious brewing between Bea and Shane, but we didn’t get as much of them as I had hoped. (I’m a sucker for friends to lovers!) I’m happy with the outcome, but wish there would have been more of these two together.
All in all, an extremely enjoyable story that I would certainly recommend to fans of stories about family and women and love.
This review can also be found at https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.com/2019/06/12/the-cliff-house/
Recipe for a successful novel – Take one teacher, one financial advisor, and one artist. Stir in one doctor, one documentary filmmaker, and one rock star. Add a generous dash of majestic scenery, and toss well.
This romantic escape set in the cliffs high above the ocean in a quaint Northern California town is a winner. It is a multigenerational introspection of the women in one family – and of their uncompromising support of each other and of their Open Hearts foundation, created to help foster children and the families that open their hearts and homes to take them in.
I became very invested in these realistic characters – attributes, flaws, and all, and came away hoping that there might be a sequel in the works before too long.
Daisy, Bea, and Stella. I love you all. A stunning example of women overcoming and doing the absolute best for themselves and each other. I feel as if this is going to a perfect addition to any springtime/summer reading list. Especially if there is a book club involved. Each woman has her own story. Each is unique and captivating and each is part and sum of the whole.
I truly enjoyed The Cliff House. Laughter, tears, understanding, and growth. What I call book perfection.
RaeAnne has done it again she wrote a book the when I started it I couldn’t put it down. Open hearts is just what the foster care system needs and she show how in a women did take foster care kids into her home until there was home for them that was forever homes.
She started with her nieces and just continued. This was a hard book to put down and it had me me tears and it had me laughing in some place. The twist and turns keep you interested. Another awesome fabulous book.
It was exceptional.
This is the first RaeAnne Thayne book I haven’t loved! I applaud her trying something different by basically weaving three stories into one, but it didn’t work for me. I wanted more on each couple and I especially missed the male perspective in two of the storylines. While this was a disappointment I can’t wait for Thayne’s next book. I’m still a big fan, not just of this one book.
The Cliff House was a little different from this author’s usual style, but I still enjoyed it. The story centers around an aunt and her two nieces and the issues they must face to find love and happiness. Definitely worth reading.
I am avid reader of RaeAnne Thayne and Contemporary Romance so when I got the opportunity to read this book I jumped at the chance.
I think that RaeAnne did a great job of developing all of the characters. She had a great mix of female and male characters in this story whose personalities really made this story what it was.
In addition to the characters I really enjoyed the storyline and how it was different from what she normally writes. It really grabbed me the reader from the very first page to the very end, I couldn’t put it down.
One thing that stood out to me in this book after reading it was that a sisters bond no matter what happens and you go through in life it is strong and you can always rely on them.
I might be biased but I think that this is one of her best books yet. I think this book has drama, family, comedy, heartache and romance all wrapped into one. I can’t wait to see what book she comes out with next.
A heartfelt story rich with family connections, community appeal and happily ever afters! RaeAnne Thayne has a powerful voice that always manages to bring each small town she crafts to life in our minds. Her characters in this particular coastal town are an aunt and the grown nieces she raised all looking for that special person to share their lives with while life continues to revolve around them. The story line is full of warmth, love and a fair amount of strife before they find their ways through to the happiness they all deserve. When three couples are fighting for the limelight, I always wish we could have delved a little deeper into each one in the end, but I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each of them on their way to their future lives!
Stella Davenport turned her life upside down without hesitation to take in her orphaned nieces years ago. She left behind the future she had planned out, and though she mourned for the past, she assumed she had made the right decisions at the time. Now the time has come for her to make a decision that will affect her future greatly. She had dreams she gave up, but there are still some she can make come true and she’s determined to do so!
Daisy McClure was always the structured niece, and she continues to live a life barren of spontaneity even now, but she has a side of herself that she keeps hidden from even her closest family. Meeting an intriguing man might lead to the discovery she never expected, but it also leads her to see that there’s a life out there she’s been afraid to lead. He’s a wayward soul, she’s planted in structure … can they make their worlds coincide or is it only meant to be a fleeting love?
Beatriz Romero was the wild child niece, leaving home and becoming a young mother way earlier than her aunt would have liked. Now back in town with her way too grown up daughter, she’s beginning to see sides of her life that she once took for granted … like the best friend who is starting to feel like so much more! When her ex shows up in town for an extended visit, will it put the breaks on the relationship that might have been turning into all she ever wanted?
Whenever RaeAnne Thayne has a new book coming out I know that I will soon be reading a book about family dynamics, love, and finding a way in life. The Cliff House is the story of three female family members who come together under the not so best of circumstances. As they grow up they start to find their way in lives but still come back together to support each other in their times of needs.
Each woman has their own story which gets told in their own chapters. This could almost be 3 separate stories although their stories intertwine perfectly. Each woman has a story to tell, love to find, and the support of each other. They must overcome their own fears, their own hang-ups, and open their hearts again. I enjoyed getting to know these women and the men who were loving, protecting, supporting, and challenging them.
I recommend picking up your own copy ASAP. Meet the women who call Cliff House home and learn their stories.
Every time I open a new RaeAnne Thayne novel I put a box of tissues right next to me because I know she is going hit me right in the feels. THE CLIFF HOUSE was no exception. The story follows three women, two sisters (Daisy and Beatriz) and their aunt (Stella) who saved them from foster care and raised them.
I’m not sure how Ms. Thayne strikes the perfect balance of family drama, multiple romances, and personal discovery. She packs so much story into a relatively short amount of pages, and I am in awe. I fell in love with the small coastal town she created and the intricate, yet delicate dramas she weaved.
If you were a fan of Sarah Morgan’s THE CHRISTMAS SISTERS, you’re going to like this book. The camaraderie, the family tensions, the found family, it’s similar while still feeling fresh and new. All three women had secrets and watching them learn to trust and love in their own ways was beautiful and had me reaching for those tissues more than once.
The only thing that kept this book from being a full five stars was the number of times I wanted to smack a few of the characters. I appreciated it at the beginning of the story, but I was frustrated by the end when the same problems kept cropping up, especially with Daisy. I was hoping for a better payoff with her character than I got.
Overall, this was a lovely story with sweet romances and fantastic writing, everything you expect in a RaeAnne Thayne novel.
**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**
I feel honored to have read the stories of Stella, Bea and Daisy. I almost put the book down when Stella was being unreasonable with the dr.
This story has many ups and downs, twists and losses. I love how the characters became entwined, and I think that the ending was perfection.
I will definitely be rereading this story, just in case I missed something in my race to see how the characters ended up.
What a beautiful story about life, love, family and second chances.
In the Cliff House we get a chance to see the stories of 3 different woman.
We have Stella – the aunt, who raised her 2 nieces after her older sister passed away. She gave up a lot to raise the girls, and the one thing she regretted giving up the most, just moved to Cape Sanctuary where she lives. Now, she’s getting a second chance to finally have everything she’s ever wanted.
I really liked Stella. She was a young girl who had her whole life ahead of her, but the minute she found out her nieces were alone and without family, she did what she needed to do.
Next we have Beatriz. Bea is an artist, like her mother was. She has a wonderful daughter, and an ex-husband who’s a famous musician.
Bea has just started to realize that she’s completely in love with her best friend, when her ex comes back into town; an ex-husband who’s decided that he wants her as his wife again. Bea has a choice to make. Will she choose to reconcile with her ex or will she find the courage to finally tell her best friend she loves and wants him.
Last but not least is Daisy. From a very young age, Daisy has been the little adult who tried to make sure her sister never truly knew how tough things were for them. After their mother died, Bea and her were separated and things happened to her that changed her. Now as an adult, she’s closed herself off from everything. She’s never taken a risk, she’s 30 going on 70. Then she meets Gabe and he’s all about taking risks, open and so full of life. She will have to decide if she wants to hide forever or take a chance and finally have the life she’s always wanted; a life she deserves to have.
I enjoyed this story so much. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, the writing. The only thing I could have used more of was the ending. I wasn’t ready for the story to be over. Maybe the author will write another book in Cape Sanctuary and we’ll get to see these 3 ladies again.
Great story and I fell in love with the characters. None of them have had an easy life and have struggled with life in general. Stella, Daisy and Bea are all very different but they all are searching for love in different ways. Stella gave up so much to raise Daisy and Bea. Now she is going to do the one thing that she always wanted to do, but she has a big surprise coming. Daisy has played it safe since she was in a foster home. She is so sensible, but she has a side that she doesn’t show to anyone. Until a stranger stares at her in the grocery store. Bea was always the wild child. She married a musician when she was 17 and had her daughter. Now she is a single mother of an 11 year old and is in love with her best friend. She is afraid to tell him because she thinks it may spoil everything. But then her ex wants her back. What to do?
Wow! As beautiful as this cover is, the story inside is even more breathtaking!
This amazing story is full of family, friendship, love, second chances and growth! Author RaeAnne Thayne does a beautiful job at captivating her readers from the first page. She draws you into the lives of Stella, Daisy and Bea and leaves you hanging on her every word as she walks you through their very different lives. I did not want to out the book down and I did not want it to end!
Such an amazing read!
I was given an Advanced Readers Copy and this is my honest opinion of this wonderful story.
Enter the beautiful town of Cape Sanctuary, where Daisy and her sister Beatriz had been raised by their their Aunt Stella. At the store to buy a cake for their aunts birthday, Daisy wonders why a man was staring at her. Then he asks if they’ve met. Assuring the stranger they haven’t she hurry’s away. Aunt Stella had been a foster care parent and now she has a big secret. How will her nieces react? Beas ex husband, Cruz, has asked Daisy, a financial advisor, over to discuss his. But wait, the stranger is there. His name is Gabriel, who had recently saved Cruz’s life Gabe is recovering from the injury he received while saving Cruz. He can’t stop thinking about that Daisy Daisy has a secret and private haven. Hearing a noise, she finds Gabe at the door holding a muddy dog he found and was trying to find the owner. He notices paint under her nails and asks if she’s an artist, making her uncomfortable. No she says, the painter is Marguerite and I handle business transactions for her. Daisy has a secret, about Marguerite, or she did until now. Will Bea and Cruz reunite? Will Stella tell her secret? Who is Marguerite? And most of all….Gabe….and Daisy……will they ….. or won’t they?