“Thayne is a master at creating richly dimensional and kind characters from different generations who find themselves facing difficult challenges.”–Booklist With the emotional pull of Debbie Macomber, Barbara Delinsky and Susan Wiggs, RaeAnne Thayne brings readers an uplifting, brand new story told with her trademark charm and heart. She knows what’s best for everyone but herself… … for everyone but herself…
With a past like hers, Jessica Clayton feels safer in a life spent on the road. She’s made a career out of helping others downsize–because she’s learned the hard way that the less “stuff,” the better, a policy she applies equally to her relationships. But a new client is taking Jess back to Cape Sanctuary, a town she once called home…and that her little sister, Rachel, still does. The years apart haven’t made a dent in the guilt Jess still carries after a handgun took the lives of both their parents and changed everything between them.
While Jess couldn’t wait to put the miles between her and Cape Sanctuary, Rachel put down roots, content for the world–and her sister–to think she has a picture-perfect life. But with the demands of her youngest child’s disability, Rachel’s marriage has begun to fray at the seams. She needs her sister now more than ever, yet she’s learned from painful experience that Jessica doesn’t do family, and she shouldn’t count on her now.
Against her judgment, Jess finds herself becoming attached–to her sister and her family, even to her client’s interfering son, Nate–and it’s time to put everything on the line. Does she continue running from her painful past, or stay put and make room for the love and joy that come along with it?
For more RaeAnne Thayne, don’t miss Summer at the Cape! A poignant and uplifting novel about forgiveness, family and all the complications–and joy–that come with it. Order your copy today!
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Jess has taken a job in Cape Sanctuary. She hopes to renew her relationship with her sister. Jess finds her sister is struggling with her life and family. She also discovers it is very hard to forgive the past and move forward. But with the help of Nate, Jess might discover more than she expected.
I love new beach reads! It’s my favorite time of the book publishing year! And this year is shaping up fantastically!
This is a wonderful story. Jess is one of my favorite characters in this novel. She has a unique job with a unique living situation. Jess cleans out clutter and she travels in her refurbished airstream trailer to do it. But, she comes with a good bit of baggage. And when she sees her sister, Rachel, again it all starts to come to the surface.
Need a good, heartwarming, family twist with a love story thrown in…this is it! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve read by RaeAnne Thayer and The Path to Sunshine Cove didn’t disappoint. This is the story centered around Jess Clayton and Nate Whitaker. When they first meet, they don’t get off to a great start because his mom, Eleanor, failed to tell him she’d hired Jess to downsize her home. Nate, Eleanor, and Nate’s daughter, Sophie, are still grieving for Jack, his father. Jess also took the job because her sister Rachel and her husband and kids live nearby in Cape Sanctuary. She’s hoping to mend their relationship, but things don’t look promising when she pays them a visit. Grab your copy and get to know these wonderful characters and fall in love with this book like I did.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley and this is my voluntary and honest review.
The Path to Sunshine Cove by RaeAnne Thayne is the 2nd book in her Cape Sanctuary series. Jessica Clayton, our heroine, is on her way to do a job in Cape Sanctuary, and also looking forward to see her sister and her children. Jess partners with another woman, who run a successful business, Transitions, which helps people declutter/downsize their homes. Jess’s new client is Eleanor Whitaker, who lost her husband about 6 months ago, and hired Jess to help her clean up everything in her house.
We learn a bit more about Jess and her younger sister, Rachel, as they lost both parents by gunshots. They became separated, as Rachel was sent to live with a wonderful family, and Jess was sent to a foster care home; when she was old enough to get Rachel to live with her, she is upset that her sister wanted to stay with the family she had. Jess then joined the Military, and now with her friend, together they built this business as partners. Over the years, she sees Rachel very little, as she is married with children, and looks forward to see them all again.
Jess parks her trailer by Eleanor’s place, and gets off on the wrong foot, when she is approached by an arrogant man. Turns out he is Eleanor’s son, Nate, and he was not happy about her parking where she was, and more so since he did not know his mother hired someone. In a short time, Nate will apologize and find himself attracted to Jess, who plans to be in town only for two weeks. Jess also finds Nate to be hot, but is determined to not get involved, since all she cares about is her work and no relationships.
Jess begins to see that Rachel seems to be falling apart, which is putting a strain on her marriage. Rachel’s young son has autism, and Jess pushes her and her husband to take him to be tested, and she would watch over the two nieces. This also gives Jess a chance to spend some fun time with them, as well as with Nate and his daughter, Sophie. We could tell that Nate has fallen hard for Jess, and even Sophie loves her. Will Jess allow herself to open her heart and let love in?
I loved the time Jess spent with Eleanor to help her declutter all the old stuff in her home, as well as her deceased husband’s belongings; which turns out to be an amazing business concept. I got a kick out of the Airstream Trailer that everyone loved. Over time, it was wonderful to see the sisters relationship change into an inseparable bond, which was very emotional. Will Jess continue to run from a permanent relationship or will she stay?
The Path to Sunshine Cove was a heartwarming, poignant story that was very well written by RaeAnne Thayne. Cape Sanctuary was a beautiful setting for this story, and makes me want to go there. I really enjoyed this story, and suggest you read The Path to Sunshine Cove. If you have not read RaeAnne Thayne, you need to start.
Has RaeAnne Thayne ever wrote a book I don’t like? The answer to that is No. Every story is satisfying with characters you can’t help but love. The Path to Sunshine Cove is no different.
This may be the second book in this series, but you do not have to read the first book to enjoy this one. The story is told in 3 different POVs (which I love) and gives you much more insight into who they really are deep down. Besides with all the drama going on, you really need it. Jess, Rachel and Nate are all wonderful, yet compicated characters.
This story had a bit more angst and drama than I like, but it was still a fantastic read.
Sometimes it can be hard to write a review about a book that has so much to talk about, yet if you say too much, you will spoil it for the reader. In this case, I will say two things. 1 – If you’re already a RaeAnne Thayne fan, you’ll love it and 2 – that as long as you don’t mind some angsty drama, you’re all good.
*ARC provided by publisher for an honest review*
OMG! I finished this book last night but was unable to put my thoughts into words and I’m not sure I can now. This is the most life-altering book I’ve ever read. Thayne’s use of actions and words to describe forgiveness and love was outstanding. We, as humans, hold grudges and blame others for way too long. This book will show you how freeing forgiveness can be.
This is an absorbing character study of two sisters who grow up in a dysfunctional family. The author illustrates how much family life affects children’s ability to live a normal life when they grow up.
Jess Clayton owns a business in which people hire her to clean out their houses and help them get rid of clutter that has accumulated over the years. Her job takes her all over the country while living out of her Airstream. Thus, enables her to remain uninvolved with anyone. Jess has no plans to marry because she doesn’t want to depend on anyone but herself.
Eleanor Whitaker hires Jess to clean out her home in Sunshine Cove six months after husband dies. Whitaker House has been in her husband’s family for generations and contains items that date back many years.
Jess chooses this particular job because her sister, Rachel, lives in the area. She has not seen or spoken to Rachel in years even though they used to be very close.
Rachel is married to her high school sweetheart and has three children under the age of five. She is a perfectionist who writes blogs on how to be a perfect wife and mother. Unfortunately, Silas, her youngest child, is autistic. He constantly disrupts her perfect life with his messiness and his temper tantrums. Cody, her husband, is a wonderful man who, even though he works long hours, is always willing to help Rachel with Silas and the other children. Unfortunately, Rachel refuses his help because she feels it is important to remain independent from her husband. This causes great stress between Rachel and Cody.
Rachel and Jess were very close when they were young and living in their dysfunctional family. When their parents die, Rachel is adopted, and Jess remains in foster care. Jess joins the Army when she graduates from high school, and Rachel gets married. Due to a major disagreement, the sisters rarely talk to or see each other.
Jess’s reason for taking this job in Sunshine Cove is because she hopes to reconnect with the sister she has always loved. She also wants to get to know Rachel’s family.
In this story Jess makes a connection with Eleanor and her granddaughter. She also discovers love with Eleanor’s son.
So I have read several Rayanne Thayne Books, this one is my Favorite.
This Story is about two Sisters.
Jess and Rachel..
Growing up with parents, that weren’t really there.
But soon. There Life Ending Violently… leaving Jess and Rachel… Behind. There’s a story there. That’s sad for these girls..
Jess joined up to the military as soon as she was of age, not have much going on in her life no family around.. after the military….
Its The work she Does that counts the most, Her Job. helping the elderly, clear out the clutter of their homes. Getting ready for that last transition. Near the End.
Rachel is Jess little sister of 2 years.. after the loss of there parents, Rachel seems to get wonderful foster parents.
Life is good.
Life living in Cape Sanctuary.
Nate now he’s Not sure what
Jess is Doing Parking her Airstream on his mom land..
Nate was one of my favorite characters in this Book..
This is book 3 in the “Cape Sanctuary” series and the first one I’ve read! I do not feel like I was missing anything or feel lost at all. This was a really enjoyable book about sisters, love, and family bonds. It gave me all the feels…very emotional….happy and sad tears! Jess was separated from her sister in her teens, and raised In foster care. She is now a professional organizer, where she helps people reorganize their homes. She gets a job for 2 weeks in Sunshine Cove, which is very close to where her sister Rachel lives. Rachel has a son who is struggling with her son’s autism diagnosis. The 2 sisters want to be close again, and this may just be the time. Jess also has a love interest in her clients son Nate. He’s a single father to a 13 year old girl.
I loved the ocean setting of Sunshine Cove and I really enjoyed the characters as well. I loved seeing them all grow through their troubles with each other. I love family drama, which I’ve mentioned before and this was right up my alley! I definitely recommend you check out this one! And now I will be reading the first 2 in the series!
The Path to Sunshine Cove by RaeAnne Thayne is such a heartbreaker of a book. Now don’t think this is a book about doom and gloom, because why would the cover be so beautiful if it were? No, this novel is heartbreakingly beautiful in the best way. The romance was quick but adorable, the characters were relatable and real, and I had tears in my eyes both in happiness and in sadness multiple times. I loved how witty it was, but it also tackles some incredibly hard subjects, and they were done in a very caring and complete way. I loved the mystery surrounding Jess and her sister’s past, and I never in a million years would have figured out how that would end. It was really interesting to see how the sister’s relationship progresses throughout the novel, and even though there is romance at its core, this is definitely a book about family and sisters as well.
I mistakenly thought The Sea Glass Cottage was book 1 to the Cape Sanctuary series with this being book 2 (thanks Goodreads), but this is actually book 3 with The Sea Glass Cottage being book 2. However, I was not lost while reading this, and all books are perfect as standalones. That being said, I will definitely be reading the real book 1 now, The Cliff House. I fell even deeper in love with Thayne’s writing while reading The Path to Sunshine Cove, and it was such a quick and emotional read. There was not a character to be found that I didn’t like, and I found myself not wanting to put it down. Highly recommend it to romance and women’s fiction fans alike.
Thank you to the publisher, Get Red PR, and Let’s Talk Books Promo for my free copy. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
Another heartfelt story from RaeAnne Thayne. She takes such care with her characters and really, from my experiences in real life, got so many things right. It’s so appreciated when an author does their homework.
The friendship that develops between Jessica and Nate is really sweet, while also somehow holding onto a ton of heat. Because of their situations and the short amount of time Jess will be in town, neither of them feels they should act on their attraction. So, all those pent up emotions really have no outlet. As the reader, I could feel their frustration while understanding their decisions.
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of romance. That is my go-to genre. I was surprised to find myself almost more drawn to Rachel’s parts in this story. The haggard mom who only wants to give her kids and husband everything while slowly deteriorating. Not wanting to ask for help but drowning. Rachel and her thoughts and feelings regarding things happening around her are so well written. I ached for her and wanted to force her to open up her eyes to all that she could have instead of looking at what wasn’t right.
There are some definite time/continuity issues in this story. They don’t impact the story in any way other than throwing off the flow when they happen. And, as I’ve said before, I’m a stickler for those things so tend to notice things like this when maybe they are barely a blip to other people.
This is really a beautiful story about so many different relationships, yet it never feels crowded.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
This was my introductory book to this author and I must say that I loved the book and will most definitely look for more from her to add to my bookshelves. The heart of this book is the emotion that is written into every page…love, loss, insecurity, family, and health issues. Jessica Clayton is a happy wanderer, going from place to place helping others downsize and never looking to settle down herself. When she gets a job at Whitaker House in Cape Sanctuary, her former hometown and where her sister still lives, Jess is a little leery of spending time with Rachel or forming attachments with anyone actually. The story of how Jess manages to let go of her carefully controlled life and allow others in was charming and absolutely delightful. The characterization was just as expected, with people who seemed real enough to just walk off the page. I especially liked Eleanor Whitaker, the widow who hired Jess to come help her clean out her house. Eleanor is honest and kind and loving, just the kind of woman who makes people feel welcome. Her son Nate was prickly at first but warmed up to Jess as he saw how much she was helping his mom and how she bridged the gap between him and his teen-aged daughter. I enjoyed the sub-plot of Rachel and her marriage to Cody, with the romance going out the window as the two of them dealt with a toddler on the spectrum. With empathy and heartfelt compassion, the author presented the tale of broken relationships repaired with hard work and a desire to be someone’s all, no matter what the challenges. This book can certainly be read as a standalone and I highly recommend it to those who enjoy contemporary romance.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
The Path to Sunshine Cove by RaeAnne Thayne, book two in her Cape Sanctuary series, grabbed me and held me hostage until I turned the last page, finishing the story, leaving me wanting more. This heartwarming, emotional story takes us on a journey into the lives of one sister allowing the hurt and guilt of her past to control her life, another sister trying to live with the stress of life demands, while trying to be the perfect wife and mom.
With her troubled past, Jessica Clayton feels safer living life on the road. She’s created a life of helping others downsize, after learning the hard way that the less “stuff” the better; also applying it to her relationships. A new client has Jess returning to Cape Sanctuary, a town that was once home and where her little sister, Rachel, still lives. Jess and Rachel were best friends until that fatal night when they lost their parents; separating the girls, forcing them to live in different foster homes, changing everything between them. Aging out of the system, Jess couldn’t wait to leave Cape Sanctuary while Rachel found a loving family to live with and a man to love and create a future with. Rachel lets everyone believe she has the picture-perfect life, but the demands of her autistic son has Rachel stressed thin; causing her marriage to unravel at the seams. Rachel badly needs her sister, now more than ever; but has learned from painful experience that Jess doesn’t do family and doesn’t believe she can rely on her now. Despite believing she shouldn’t get involved, Jess finds herself becoming attached, not just to her sister and her family, but also her client’s interfering, available, and handsome son, Nate. All of these connections force Jess to open up and put everything on the line; time for her to make some life-changing decisions. Jess has to decide if she can continue to run from her painful past or stay in Cape Sanctuary, making room for the love of her sister and Nate.
Ms. Thayne wrote a story that reaches the soul; the soul of her characters as well the soul of her readers. This wonderful and amazing story was emotional, moving, tear inducing, filled with wonderful dialogue, and endearing characters that is must read. I highly recommend The Path to Sunshine Cove to other readers.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
The Path to Sunshine Cove, the second book in the Cape Sanctuary series, is no less delightful than The Sea Glass Cottage. Once again, the story is multigenerational and explores the ties that bind family members. Even the ones that divide. Centered on sisters Jess Clayton and Rachel McBride, and upon the Whitakers, recently widowed Eleanor, her son Nate, and his daughter Sophie. The dynamics between family members, on the whole, are simply complicated. But they are driven by the love they have for each other.
The story kicks off with Jess’ return to Cape Sanctuary to work with Eleanor Whitaker to help her declutter her house, the same one Nate and his daughter live next to and one they frequent daily. Things start out a bit rough, but Nate moves past his suspicious nature and comes to accept, and feel something more for Jess. Jess had accepted the job knowing it would give her a chance to spend time with her sister, who is the one person who seems so put together but is clearly feeling overwhelmed by her role as a mother, a wife, and her enviable position as an Instagram influencer.
I really enjoyed all of the characters and found myself very invested in the story, their decisions, and the effects on each other. The discord between the sisters is palpable as they both made assumptions about each other and their pasts. They need a reboot and to embrace a friendship they haven’t had a chance to build, with Jess always on the move. Meanwhile Eleanor is working through her grief, failing health, and desperately wants for her son to find happiness and love again. It’s a bit of a battle, but he works hard to win Jess over, which does much to improve the relationship he has with Sophie.
Thayne delivers a very heartwarming novel, with characters that made me so happy to get to know. I happily recommend this wonderfully tender family centric story. 5 Stars!
Jess loves her vagabond life, traveling from job to job in her Airstream trailer. Then, while visiting her sister’s family, Jess meets Nate and starts imagining a different future. Can she find the courage to commit to love?
I fell in love with all the characters in this book. There’s such a strong sense of family, of well-meaning people struggling with the challenges of life. It’s smart, heartwarming, romantic women’s fiction,
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
This was such a beautiful story. RaeAnne captures the beauty of this small town perfectly. As Florida girl stories that take place on the coast of a beautiful beach have my heart.
RaeAnne did a beautiful job with the characters of this book. I loved how she wrote about the two sisters. They were polar opposites and yet they completed each other.
We have Rachel a mother trying to live the perfect life she puts on Instagram. However, it’s tough because life isn’t perfect. Neither are people so when Rachel’s picture-perfect life starts to crumble she is lost.
Then there is Jess Rachel’s sister. She is an independent woman who has closed herself off to love and connection. She is terrified of becoming like their mother. So she goes to the extreme by not allowing anyone in.
Then you have Nate a single dad trying to raise a teenage daughter and care for his aging mother. He is a good guy much like Rachel’s husband Cody.
When the sister reunite they not only have to heal the wounds of the past and the damage their parents did to them. They also must learn that life is messy, imperfect, and wonderful. Together they begin to heal the wounds of the past and find happiness in the life they have created. They also find that love doesn’t have to perfect it just needs to be unconditional.
This was a beautiful story of love, sisterhood, healing, and finding happiness in an imperfect world. I fell madly in love with this book.
Over the past few years I’ve become of fan of RaeAnne Thayne’s novels, and I usually love them, but as this novel opened, I feared that I wouldn’t love this one for several reasons, which I’ll get to, but true to form for Ms. Thayne, despite my initial trepidation, I ended up loving it, and it’s get 5 stars from this reader.
One true thing about RaeAnne Thayne’s novels is their sense of place, and that was the case with Cape Sanctuary, and within it, Sunshine Cove, the setting of this novel. A lovely, small, northern California, coastal town. It’s where we meet our heroine, Jess Clayton, who is just arriving in town, with her Airstream trailer in tow. She is one half of the successful and growing business known as Transitions, an expert in helping people downsize their homes, rid them of the accumulated clutter of years, and help them decide what to save, keep, sell or donate, and it’s a job she loves, but it’s also one that prevents her from dating or forming lasting relationships, and oddly enough, she’s okay with that.
Her new client is 70-year-old Eleanor Whitaker, whose family has occupied Whitaker House in Sunshine Cove for generations. Her beloved husband, Jack, passed away 6 months earlier, and she doesn’t want to leave generations of clutter for her adult son, Nathanial (Nate), a widower, who also lives on the property in a smaller version of Whitaker House, along with his 13-year-old daughter, Sophie. It’s Nate, the hero, who first greets Jess, and although he is every easy on the eyes, he’s also surly, nasty and not at all welcoming to Jess, and that’s because his mother never bothered to tell him about hiring Jess, and although Eleanor finally arrives home with Sophie, and explains her plan to her son, he is still leery of Jess and her intentions, but settle in, that’s going to change in a major way.
Adding to the uncomfortable opening, we learn that one of the main reasons Jess took on this particular job is that her sister, Rachel, also lives in Cape Sanctuary, along with her husband and three children, the youngest of whom has recently been diagnosed as on the autism spectrum. Both sisters had a rough and tragic upbringing, some of it spent as wards of the state, some in foster homes, Rachel eventually being adopted, and Jess aging out of the system, and as a result they have grown apart, and both carry plenty of emotional baggage behind them.
At first I had a hard time deciding whether or not I liked any of the characters as they were introduced. Jess was almost too closed-up and independent, Nate was nasty and overbearing, his teenage daughter was rude to him, and Rachel was harried, overwhelmed, snarky to both her husband and Jess, and I really wondered if I was going to get through this angst-laden novel and it’s initially unlikeable characters at all, but true to form, Ms. Thayne worked her literary magic, and I ended up entirely loving this novel and it’s complex and troubled characters.
If you’re looking for angst and drama, this novel has it in spades–sister drama, spouse drama, child drama, sibling drama, parent drama, health drama, marriage drama, alienation, and grief, yet out of all the pain, misunderstandings, troubled history, remorse, regret and pain, Ms. Thayne has woven a story that will grab you by the heartstrings and not let go. This is perhaps her most intensely personal novel to date, the one with the most complex and well-developed characters, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions stated are my own.
This was a beautiful story with a setting that I thoroughly enjoyed! Oh my, I want to visit Sunshine Cove now! The ocean views, and the people that live there sound amazing! This is book 2 in the series “Cape Sanctuary”, but if you haven’t read book one, do not worry! I think you’ll be completely fine, this can be read as a stand-alone.
The characters are wonderful and easy to connect with. They feel so real, they could be your actual friends. Jess and Rachel are sisters separated from each other in their teenage years. Sunshine Cove provides an opportunity for the two of them to reconnect, and it’s an absolutely lovely story!
The story provides a balm for your heart bringing sisters back together, and giving you some sweet beachy romance as well. It’s got a great story of family relationships, and overall, it was just wonderful!
Readers that enjoy stories of family and reconnection will enjoy this one! This is the perfect story to read, well, really anytime, but sitting in a beach chair listening to the ocean waves would be absolutely ideal! Now I just need an ocean!
I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.
Jess is a person who doesn’t like to stay in one spot too long. Nathaniel didn’t think he was looking for love.
Love this story of redemption, love, and life.
I am a big fan of Thayne’s! When I sit down to open her books, I know that I will be taken to the heart of a fabulously written novel. One that will completely pull me into it, making me a part of the amazing, page turning novel. Reading this one did that and more! I loved every minute of this roller coaster ride!
Sisters Jess and Rachel are beautifully chiseled. They pull on your heartstrings with their ups & downs of their sisterhood. And, Nate! Let’s not leave him out. I absolutely fell hard for him! I loved his character so much. Their story lines blend beautifully together and really captured my soul. These characters bring the emotions and keeps the pages turning late into the night.
Once again, Thayne has taken family relationships, trials, self discovery, attraction and mending the broken pieces that life throws at you and created a movie-esque story. Each character found a place in my heart to stay! This 4 star story is one you want to pre-order today. It will take you on one wild roller coaster ride!
Well done, Thayne! Well done! I absolutely can not wait for another incredibly written novel.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Author/Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Thayne has crafted a delightful yet compassionate story full of family trials and tribulations, small town character, and sweet love, all tied up in a bow. She gets under your skin with her emotional storytelling that cracks your heart just a bit. Such a great find in this story! Definitely reading her again!