Jenna Fossey’s life is about to change. An unexpected inheritance and the chance to meet relatives she never knew existed has her heading to the charming little town of Magnolia Harbor. But as soon as she arrives, long-buried family secrets lead to even more questions, and the only person who can help her find the answers is her sexy-as-sin sailing instructor. Nothing makes Jude St. Pierre … Nothing makes Jude St. Pierre feel more alive than racing on the open sea – at least, not until Jenna comes strolling down his dock asking for sailing lessons. But it feels wrong to be attracted to her – especially when he learns why she came to town. Jude knows she deserves the truth but can he help her discover it without losing her and the family he’s come to think of as his own?
Includes the bonus story “A Wedding on Lavender Hill” by Annie Rains!
When an event planner is asked to create the perfect wedding in just three days, she must turn to the last person she wants to ask for help – the infuriating owner of the house on the hilltop.
Last Chance captures the essence of Southern charm and quirkiness. I’m totally captivated!
Hope Ramsay is one of my favorite small-town romance authors. She always creates a great story, setting, and characters that make each read sweet and inviting. The Cottage on Rose Lane did not disappoint. It was charming and romantic with a splash of mystery.
The story follows Jenna Fossey who is dealing with loss and family troubles. She has now become the heir to her grandfather’s estate, a man she has never met. With all this newly found money comes new drama. There are many people who begin to dislike her without even meeting her.
So, she decides to go to the town where her father died to get a new perspective. She wants to understand more about her family and why she was left to be the heir. Her father loved sailing, so she seeks out sailing lessons from a man that captivated her attention as soon as she laid eyes on him. His name is Jude St. Pierre.
Jude is a standoffish, silent type. He loves his family and friends with all of his heart. But when it comes to meeting new people he is always hesitant. When he meets Jenna, he is taken aback. She isn’t like any other woman he has met before. He is rude to her, but instantly knows he has to be different with her.
There are many secrets in this friendship/relationship. Jenna is hiding her true identity and Jude has answers to questions he didn’t even know were being asked.
A beautiful relationship blossom in the midst of all the drama, but can they move past the lies?
I give The Cottage on Rose Lane 4 stars. It was charming and a breath of fresh air. I loved the mystery and secrets because it made me flip the pages and want to know what would happen next. I couldn’t put this down and finished in one sitting. I am excited for more in this series!!
*received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.*The Cottage on Rose Lane Hope Ramsay
Terrific story of love and family and finding ways to deal with the past. Jenna recently inherited a great deal of money from a grandfather she never knew existed. She was raised by a single mother, and never knew her father. The inheritance upended Jenna’s world, so she took a year to travel the world and decide what to do with her life. In her travels, she learned a lot about Eastern religions and adopted many of those traditions. Once back from her travels she decided to travel to Magnolia Harbor to find out about her father and connect with the only relatives she had left. Nervous about their reaction, Jenna arrived under an assumed name. Shortly after she arrived, Jenna learned that her father was an avid sailor who died while out sailing on his boat. She decided that learning to sail would be a good way to connect with him. A chance encounter had her hiring Jude to be her instructor.
Jude is a many with a lot of things on his plate. He and his father run Barrier Island Charters together, but Jude does most of the work. His father is an alcoholic who is also very set in his ways, making it difficult for Jude to grow the business the way he wants to. Jude was also involved in trying to preserve his Gullah heritage on the island. He was fighting to get land and cabins added to the historic register. He also wanted to prevent a large resort developer from buying the land and destroying the habitat. He also watched over some of his elderly relatives. Jenna’s appearance made him suspicious, believing her to be a corporate spy for the resort developer. Her determination to hire him to teach her to sail, since he isn’t a sailing instructor, just added to that suspicion.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Jenna and Jude. She was attracted and drawn to him before she met him, just from watching him race his sailboat. I loved her vision of him as a pirate, especially once I learned of his ancestry. Jude was just as attracted to her, but determined to resist. Besides his conviction that she was a spy, she also ran up against his issues about women tourists and relationships with locals. Though his head told him to stay away, his heart kept pulling him closer. I loved seeing them together. Even though they were opposites in so many ways, they still managed to connect on others. I loved watching Jude introduce her to his Gullah heritage and her fascination and appreciation of what she learned. I appreciated the fact that Jenna confided the truth to Jude early on so that their relationship wasn’t built on lies. The relationship built slowly, with caution on both sides because of their fears. Added to that were their different races and economic statuses, creating some real challenges to a future together. I ached for them both when Jenna’s attempts to do something good ran up against Jude’s pride, and her confession to her aunt and uncle created some painful questions about the truth. I loved Jude’s big moment at the end as he let go of his fears and went after the woman he loved. The epilogue was a fantastic look at the difference investing in love can make.
I loved seeing how so many threads were woven together to create such an amazing story. There are family relationships that need to be mended. Jenna wants to connect with her aunt and uncle, but there are things about her father’s death that needed to be cleared up before that could happen. Jude had a difficult relationship with his father, his brother Colton was less than understanding or helpful, and he has been angry at his brother Micah for deserting them. Micah wanted to make amends to all of them, having missed them in his years away. I loved how Micah was there for Jude when he really needed him. There were some racial and cultural tensions also. Jude’s determination to preserve the Gullah traditions and lands weren’t truly understood by those he tried to convince. Jude also had trouble believing that his race didn’t matter to Jenna. Micah faced his memories of being the only black boy at the white church when he was younger, and now being the spiritual leader of that same church. Finally, there were those who fought for a better life against somewhat overwhelming odds. Jude had great plans for the business, but couldn’t overcome his father’s old-fashioned way of doing things. Ashley wanted to stay in her home and raise her son there, but the problems mounted at an alarming rate. Her pride and independence won’t allow her to accept any help that even hints at charity. Through it all, love and patience ended up forming a community stronger than ever. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Every time I get my hands on Hope Ramsay’s books they never disappoint. I always love the small town feel of her books and the fun places she take you. In this book you’re in the south and the characters are on an adventure to find something in themself in hopes for a better future. I loved Jackie, he did appear much in the book but he played a huge part. I really enjoyed following the journey of Jenna she has this huge heart and I just loved her selflessness yet she had this fight in her that nothing would stop her. I found Jude annoying a little bit however it fit in the end. This book really was a fun read and you really can’t go wrong I am hoping to read more about Ashley’s story. Grab this book you won’t regret it. I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley. I was under no obligation to post a review and have given my honest opinion
I loved so many things about this book! Hope Ramsay took on a challenge in writing a book about a biracial couple. The character of Jenna is looking for a connection to her past after discovering that a grandfather she knew nothing about named her as his heir on his passing. Jude is fighting to preserve the past and the continuation of his Gullah heritage. The two have an immediate connection despite the wide differences in their backgrounds.
Jenna tries so hard to do good with the money she has inherited, but it always seems to backfire and cause more pain and mess things up more. Jude is a very prideful man and certainly doesn’t want Jenna’s interference in his business. If the world can accept them together, can Jude be strong enough to accept Jenna and all that comes with her–especially love?
This book was even more special in that Ms. Ramsay was writing their love story and their love for sailing while listening to her terminally ill husband reminisce about their own stories of love and their love for sailing. My heart goes out to her, but I do thank her for writing this special book.
I was given a copy of this book via Netgalley. All thoughts are my own.
Moonlight Bay #1, I was not expecting to love this as much as I did. I didn’t know what to expect but what I found was a young woman trying to find herself after a life altering inheritance and a young man trying to save his family’s history and culture. I also found a town on the coast where the locals are treated like family and everyone else is a tourist. It’s deeper that I would have expected the emotions run hot you’re not just dealing with Jude and Jenny’s emotions with each other but with their relationship with the other townspeople and family.
Jenny Fosse is alone in the world she never knew her father and her mother lost her battle with cancer a few years earlier. Out of the blue she receives notice that she is the sole heir of a multi billionaire legacy from the grandfather she never knew she had. But soon after she lost her dream job and with no idea what to do she went on a journey of self discovery all over Asia and India. After a year and she still didn’t know what to do the lawyer she inherited suggest trying to connect to her great-uncle and aunt her only living relatives and find out more about her father but the bad blood between the brothers leaves Jenny with no clue how to go forward so she first decides to test the waters first go in incognito and see how she will be received.
Jude St. Pierre is on a mission to save his ancestral lands and the slowly disappearing culture with it. With this battle he’s fighting land developers who want to turn into a resort and half the townspeople who don’t see the cultural importance. He’s also fighting his drunk father who is slowly ruining their fishing charter business who won’t let Jude expand or even get a bank loan to help with some costs. When Jude meets Jenny it’s an instant attraction, but he’s to scared of making the same mistake his father did with his mother that Jude is hesitant to get involved with her especially since he thinks she’s working with the land developers and is a corporate spy. Jenny wants sailing lessons, she learned her father loved to sail and feels like it will bring her closer to him and she is willing to pay for them. Jude needs the money or otherwise he’d say, no, and despite being ten times harder on her than he needs to be she still wants to learn from him. The longer Jenny stays in town the more she falls in love with it, the more she wants to help them especially Jude. But Jenny is lying about who she is and why she’s there and she knows it’s only a matter of time before they find out.
Overall, it was a very emotional story and the characters are so well written you get emotionally attached to the whole town. I can’t wait for the next one.
Oh, my heart, what a wonderful, touching, small-town Southern romance! Ms. Ramsay certainly knows my home state and the Low Country nuances and brings them to life beautifully in this poignant, evocative romance. A place where old money talks, tradition is honored and cultures passed down for generations are in danger of dying out, but hearts are big, neighbors lend a hand and love thrives.
Jenna Fossey suddenly finds herself the only heir to the Bauman millions, but money doesn’t matter when she’s all alone in the world. She heads to Magnolia Harbor to learn more about the father she never knew. Knowing about the bad blood between her grandfather and her great-uncle, she withholds her identity as she learns about the community and becomes a part of it. She feels a connection with fishing charter captain, Jude St. Pierre, and she asks him to give her sailing lessons so she can sail to the place where her father died. But Jude has his own challenges with stilted family relationships and his family’s land being threatened, so he does his best not to get involved with a tourist who will be leaving soon.
Everything about this book is phenomenal. Ramsay has a way of tucking these characters away in your heart before you even realize it’s happening, and there is no choice but to eagerly devour her words to find out what happens. With family relationships that need mending, racial and cultural considerations, members of the community in dire straits, and old prejudices and fundamental beliefs being challenged, this story is vivid, rich and complex, and all the more stunning because of it. You’ll fall in love with not only the characters, but the vivid, quaint, charming backdrop of a truly special place. The Cottage on Rose Lane is such a treasure, so make sure you don’t miss this exquisite, evocative read!
Jenna Fossey’s life is in chaos. Everything she knew has been challenged. Now she is in Magnolia Harbor looking for answers. She has been traveling the world over, studying different kinds of religion. Now she needs to call upon them to keep her centered. Jude St. Pierre is a local charter boat captain. From the moment they meet, each are drawn to the other. He doesn’t trust her. He thinks she is there for another reason. When all is revealed to him, he can’t help but think that karma is playing a trick. And when all is revealed to other people, all is lost. Or is? I just loved how this book took you on a journey of discovery.
Well written characters and story.
I enjoyed every second of this story. Really looking forward to the next installment.
A fun book of love. Well developed characters and I learned from the background story which caused me to do further research
I absolutely fell in love with this book. I love how the past and the present always seem to intersect but we just don’t want to admit it. Hope did a fantastic job with this book and I can’t wait to read her next book!
An intriguing story! With the kick off of a sweet romantic series, we head down south to a coastal town filled with locals and their way of life. There’s a nice tutorial of sailing throughout the story as the characters bond on the water and set out to find the answers she’s come looking for about her father. There’s a good set up for future books in the series by the time the story ends. Enjoyed it!
When Jenna Fossey discovers unknown details about the father she never knew, she travels to Magnolia Harbor, South Carolina to learn more about he man who died before she was born. An inheritance from a grandfather she didn’t know about led to her discovery of a branch of family she didn’t know existed. Alone now that her mother recently passed, she is hungry for a connection with more family … but are they interested in meeting her?
Jude St. Pierre is not expecting the beauty who approaches him about sailing lessons, but he decides to humor her with a couple of jaunts out onto the water to see what she’s doing in town, and if it has anything to do with the suspicious timing just as he’s trying to get some of the old family homesteads declared historical and rescued from destruction. He’s hesitant to trust her, but when he learns the secret of why she’s truly there, he hopes she will find the answers she’s hoping for before too much heartbreak can hit her.
The Cottage on Rose Lane by Hope Ramsay is one of those books that sneaks up on you. The story is intricate and complex and before you know it you’ve spent half a day sailing in the South Carolina Low Country with Jenna and Jude. While there is romance, there is also a man and a woman trying to figure out who they are and what matters in life. I alternately laughed and cried while reading. Jude has two brothers, so I hope there is more to come.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.
Jude is a tawny-eyed sailing instructor who is trying to protect his ancestors’ land and Gullah culture from developers who want a piece of South Carolina’s coastal property. Jenna is a newly rich, trust fund girl who is visiting Magnolia Harbor in an attempt to connect with her late father and his family. She seeks out Jude’s sailing expertise to learn the past time her father loved…the very sport that took his life. When Jenna keeps her identity hidden to ensure authentic interactions with the townspeople, Jude suspects she is a corporate spy for the developers. Suspicion turns to a slow-building romance, and as trust is formed and family secrets are shared, Jenna fears that revealing her identity to the town this late in the game will ruin everything.
This was my first reading experience with the author Hope Ramsay and I so enjoyed it. I loved that the Gullah heritage was incorporated so readers may gain perspective on how harmful land development can be to history and culture. People and even the plant life on their land can so easily be written right out of history. Additionally, Jenna’s quest to find herself recently led her on a journey through the Eastern philosophies which were heavily threaded throughout this story and were also a welcomed element in my opinion. Diverse and multi-cultural, with plenty of family issues, sailing, small-town gossip, and sweet tea, The Cottage on Rose Lane has emotion, substance, and a lot of heart. Check it out.
I received this as an advanced reader ebook from the publisher. Hope Ramsay is one of my favorite authors and her books never fail to entertain. The Cottage on Rose Lane is the first in a new series (Moonlight Bay #1) and will be released Dec 4, 2018.
Jenna Fossey has inherited a ton of money from a grandfather she never knew. She sets out for Magnolia Harbor to try to learn more about a father she also never knew. Jenna tries her best to fit in with the locals before letting them know who she really is. She tries to help several of the community members and her efforts backfire. Things only get worse when Jenna finally decides to come clean and own up to who she is and the family she came to learn more about. This should be a great series. The characters are well defined and very easy to love.