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| Rosemary Cottage |
Thomas Nelson Publishing, July 2013
~5 Stars*****
Reviewed by Diana Flowers
Seaside Suspense!
In Rosemary
Cottage, Colleen Coble has
weaved a heart pounding, suspense-filled novel in the lovely, seaside setting
of Hope Beach, North Carolina. Hope Beach is a vacationer's paradise; with its
white sandy beaches, roar of the surf, and quaint seaside restaurants serving
up shrimp and lobster bisque—but underneath the guise of warmth and beauty lie
deadly secrets, deceit, and heartbreak.
Amy Lang decides to return to Rosemary Cottage
on Hope Island; a place where she and her recently deceased brother, Ben,
shared so many happy memories of laughter filled, annual vacations…to heal, to
find answers, to begin life anew. Amy doesn't believe that Ben died in an
accidental drowning, and with the help of handsome, Curtis Ireland, a member of
the Coast Guard search and rescue team, she searches for clues surrounding his
death.
Curtis recently lost his sister, Gina, in an
accident as well and has custody of her sweet little daughter, Raine. As he and
Amy begin to investigate, clues are unearthed linking the ‘accidental’ deaths
of Ben and Gina to murder, and unsettling questions of Raine's parentage arise.
As danger begins to envelope them so does romance…a love that cannot ever
be, for Amy harbors secrets herself. Who would want to kidnap little
Raine and why?...and will Amy open herself up to healing?…and to love?
Colleen Coble is a master storyteller, whose
heartwarming, heart pounding, suspense filled who-dun-it kept me up well into the
night! Although this is a sequel to Tidewater Inn, it can easily be read as
a stand alone. I quickly fell in love with all of the characters and their
problems became mine as I lost myself in this fascinating story with a warm,
seaside setting. With as many twists and turns as a roller coaster ride,
my heart literally raced as the climactic conclusion unfolded! Nicely
done, Colleen Coble!
A special thanks
to Net Galley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for providing me with a copy of this
book in exchange for my honest opinion.
*****************************
GIVEAWAY:
Colleen is graciously offering a copy of one of her new releases (reader's
choice) in choice of format! International—ebook only! Answer the question to be entered in the contest.
QUESTION: What
is your favorite natural setting for a book and why? Ex. beach, jungle, etc.
I like the mountains or lakes in the pictures. Also, old time scenes. Please enter my name for this book. Love the cover and title. Think I would really enjoy it. MAXIE mac262(at)me(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI agree, MAXIE! This cover really drew me in! I love Colleen's contemporary suspense and that is saying alot coming from this historical fiction lover!
DeleteI love the beach for book settings because reading a "beach" book is almost like taking a mini-vacation. I loved Tidewater Inn and I'd love to read this one. lynsow (at) yahoo (dot) com.
ReplyDeleteI loved my suspense filled vacays with both of those great books, LYNETTE! You will love this one--perhaps even more than TI...if that is possible. I think I did!
DeleteI love the mountains as a setting....caves, peaks, trails...anything could happen!! kindergartenstoryteller (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteLove the mountains, too, STORYTELLER! Anything can AND does happen with these marvelous authors! :)
DeleteGreat review Diana, I love Colleen's books and this one sounds wonderful! I'm not stuck on one location for a book setting, but if it's a suspense there's nothing like a dark creepy forest for the heroine to have to walk through. lol
ReplyDeleteThanks, TERESA! I had a dream last night I was writing a suspense book about a stalker---but my dream didn't last beyond a thunderstorm and all the electricity off in the house. Not too original.... lol
DeleteIt depends on the season. In the summer I love to read books that take place near the ocean and beaches because that's where I would like to spend my summer.
ReplyDeleteIn the winter a cozy cabin in the pines with water nearby, a lake or pond. A place of peace and solitude.
PENBO, both of those settings sound wonderful and you described them very well! :)
DeletePENBO, please leave an email addy so we can contact you should you win! :)
DeleteI love the beach and also the mountains...both so romantic...This book sounds wonderful. Would love to read this one..
ReplyDeletegoangaz@aol.com
JOAN, great to see you here again! Did you have a nice b'day? This is a great book and am so hoping you will get a chance to read it asap! Love ya!
DeleteLove the cover of your book and all inviting beach houses for covers of books! The book itself sounds like a very good read! Dianne Walker Shuping via FB
ReplyDeleteHi, DIANNE! I so miss those days on the ballfield with our boys, don't you? :( This book is a page turner and I believe you will love the descriptive setting in it!
DeleteDianne, can you please leave your email add in case you win? (at) and (dot) will prevent spam. :)
DeleteI love the beaches thayts my favorit setting in a story, a beach untouched by humans for years found by a couple by accident, would be great in a story, and i would love to win this book
ReplyDeleteShirley jcisforme@aol.com
Sounds like a great idea for a story, SHIRLEY! Good luck to you!!
DeleteI love stories centered in the west with the prairie and the mountains in the background. Anything to do with a ranch and horses, of course with some romance involved somewhere too. I've read your Lonestar series and loved them. Would love to win this book. llbarna@windstream.net
ReplyDeleteI love COLLEEN'S Lonestar series! Ranches are one of my faves for a book setting as well! Thank you for sharing, LLBARNA!
Deletemy favorite setting in a story is mountains. I love the beauty of the hills, tree and flowers all around.
ReplyDeleteANONYMOUS, please come back and leave an email addy. Sounds lovely!
DeleteI'm from NC. I like the beach, so that's why this book looks like a perfect read for me. Hope to win! Love your books!
ReplyDeletesusanlulu@yahoo.com
SUSAN, this one is right up your alley then. Maybe literally. haha
DeleteI like it on an old fashioned porch or in a flower garden. Sharma Darby rdarby@roadrunner.com
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing, SHARMA!!
DeleteMountains with lots of trees and nature involved seem to be something I am enjoying reading about lately.
ReplyDeleteBrittany
kbmceuen(at)yahoo(dot)com
Sounds wonderful to me, BRITTANY!
ReplyDeletehey Diana. Love your review. I also enjoyed this book. :) Colleen is a great writer.
ReplyDeleteThanks, MB, my dear cohort! Yes, she certainly is!
DeleteLove the review Diana. Book sounds great. Now I need to read it. I love a beach setting. So calm and relaxing.
ReplyDeleteBlessings
joeym11@frontier.com
I felt like I had been on a nice vacay while reading this one, DIANA! You'll love it--guaranteed! :)
DeleteThis was a hard question to answer as I enjoy most any setting for a book - including a big city. Perhaps my favorite is by a lake - the restful water the sounds of the birds and the lapping of the waves along the shoreline. This setting evokes precious memories of childhood.
ReplyDeleteHow very descriptive, JANETTE! One can sure tell we are readers, can't they? ;)
DeleteI've never considered this question before! I just enjoy a good Christian Romance, Really enjoy Historical, but I like Contemporary as well! I also like some good Suspense! :D I have read one series by Colleen, it was the Lonestar series! And they were Awesome! Really looking forward to reading more by her! Thanks for this Awesome Giveaway! My choice of format is Paperback!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE historical fiction, too, ABIGAIL! But COLLEEN'S contemporaries are amongst my faves! Love this Hope Beach series!
DeleteABIGAIL, please do be sure and return with an email addy in case you win the drawing! Thanks! :)
DeleteI accidentally forgot to leave my email address with my comment - oops. My email is jmsoffes73@gmail.com. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteGotcha, JANETTE! Thank you for coming back!
DeleteJust reading this review made my heart race and I could almost feel the salt air and hear the roar of the sea! I love reading books especially about the beaches of North Carolina! I would so love to have this book,and TI on Kindle! Dianna, you do such a great job with your reviews and especially this one! I cannot wait to read it!
ReplyDeletethatoldgal@gmail.com
Thank you, BARB! You will love this one...kinda near your old stomping grounds. ;) That's the way I felt when I was reading this...very heart racing, but oh, so much more!
DeleteI wonder if this will come out on audiobook? If Colleen comes by maybe she can tell us! Great review, Diana! Blessings!
ReplyDeleteThanks, CARRIE! Yes, it is out on audiobook!
DeleteThis one truly made my boat float (pardon the pun) and that's saying alot for me b/c you know historical fiction has wrapped itself around my heart. And Colleen writes some great historicals as well, one of which our Aussie contributor, NOELA, will be reviewing Thurs!
jungle...so many exotic twists and turns can happen.
ReplyDeleteABreading4ufn [at] gmail [dot] com
I was waiting for someone to mention that one, APPLEBLOSSOM! I love jungle settings as well, especially in Brazil or Africa!
DeleteOh, I love Colleen's books; don't think I have missed reading any so far! I am so anxious to read this one; thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteI love to read so much that any setting is fine with me!
Jackie Smith
jackie.smith[at]dishmail[dot]net
JACKIE, here's hoping for a win for you, lady!! Colleen's books are so descriptive that the reader feels like they are right there...so get ready for a beach trip! B/C even if your name isn't drawn, you have to order this one since you have read the rest! lol
ReplyDeleteDiana, great review and thank you! Now my "blood is boiling" to find out the answers to these mysteries. This would be my first book (prefer an actual book as I don't have an e-reader) if I win which I do hope to do. I love new authors ! I love suspense too! Thanks for this contest and for this chance to win.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite place would be the ocean because I love it so....the sandy beaches and the waves rolling in and the tides. A good place for mysteries to take place! The sound of the ocean is also so soothing and relaxing. Fingers crossed!
Mary Lou K flowersmarylou85@gmail.com
MARY LOU, it sounds like you need a first time win! Let's both keep our fingers crossed! Colleen is a multi-published author who has written so many wonderful books...many settings at the ocean, others elsewhere---but all wonderful! Be sure to look her books up at Amazon.com. There are bunches! :)
DeleteI love rural settings the most--farms, ranches, even beach houses! Looking forward to reading this book!
ReplyDeleteRUTH, so nice to see you here at OWG! Rural sounds good to me and I'm sure Colleen has written a book for just about every setting you have mentioned! lol
DeleteI love Colleen's writing and would enjoy the book in any setting as it is how the story is developed with the characters and the storyline melds together. The setting and story have got to be working together. I must say though your cover looks amazing and certainly drew my attention.
ReplyDeleteI would love this book as an ebook :-)
I forgot my email addy.. it is hmorellbailley@gmail.com
I love that cover, too, HELEN! Thank you for sharing, and in this novel the story and setting certainly do work together!! Blessings~
DeleteI think the mountains.
ReplyDeletewfnren(at)aol(dot)com
Love the mountains, too, WENDY! Thanks for dropping by OWG!! :)
DeleteGreat review!! The book sounds wonderful and I love the colors and the cover. I have a few favorite places. I like the western and ranch setting, small town and the beach. The reason I was raised in the country with horses and when we went to town, it was a small town. My first time at the beach was great. I enjoyed just sitting and hearing the waves. It was soothing. Thank you for entering me in your giveaway.
ReplyDeleteBarbara Thompson
barbmaci61(at)yahoo(dot)com
You are sure to love this small town beach setting then, BARBARA! Thank you for sharing with us!!
DeleteI really love beaches, but I live in the dessert so I think that has something to do with why I love to read about beaches! :) Forests are good also. Something about the trees and descriptions of the wood, I find it lovely. :D
ReplyDelete~Amada
amada_chavez{AT}yahoo{DOT}com
I used to live in the deserts of AZ, AMADA, so I know where you are coming from. The first time I saw the ocean I was dumbstruck. I still am...it is so overwhelmingly awesome! I also love the woods of SC after living in cactus land for all those years growing up. Lol
DeleteROSEMARY COTTAGE looks and sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteHaving just re-read WUTHERING HEIGHTS, I'm rather taken with misty, wind-swept moors right now.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Ooh, I love that answer, MARY! Some very mysterious and literary novels have been set in the misty moors. :)
DeleteMy favorite setting is deep in the wilderness, within close proximity of a lake, stream or river.
ReplyDeletecindialtman(at)gmail(dot)com
Love it, CINDI!! I have read some very good books with that setting!
DeleteLooking forward to getting into this book DIANA! :) Awesome review btw my friend!!
ReplyDeleteYou know, I haven't read too many novels with the setting in the jungle so I think that'd be interesting. I DO the love the wild west settings too.. :) Honestly though... give me a fantastic story, charismatic characters, and a breath-taking romance, and it could be on the mooon for all I care, lol! ;)
haha I'm with ya, gf! I love jungle settings in Brazil and Africa and we should have one of those coming up real soon! ;)
DeleteSetting is not terribly important to me. However, I usually find that I would love to visit the area being written about....lol. Would love to win and read this book.
ReplyDeleteBetti
bettimace(at)gmail(dot)com
You and me both, BETTI! I'll have to just imagine with most of them, tho! lol Good luck in the contest!
DeleteSince I live in Florida my favorite place to read would be the beach.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway.
Janet E.
von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com
What a nice place to live, JANET! Hoping for a win for you!
DeleteI enjoy reading books that take place in locations where I have been, which leaves it pretty open. LOL But I also LOVE the beach--especially the Oregon coastline, where there are large rocks for the waves to crash against, which is one of my favorite things to do--go to the beach & watch & listen to the waves. Only 10 days left until we leave for our anniversary trip to Aruba & I'm really looking forward to enjoying the beach for a entire week! a great book would be a great addition to our tip! ;-)
ReplyDeleteVicki
vmarney(at)hotmail(dot)com
This would be a great book to read in Aruba, VICKI! What a cool trip! Yes, I think YOU need to start writing Christian fiction -- you wouldn't even have to take any research trips to write them. Or just write one with the setting wherever you are at the time. ;)
DeleteGive me the beach anytime!
ReplyDeletepattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com
That seems to be everone's favorite so far, PATTY! Thanks for coming by OWG! :)
DeleteThe prairie - like in Kansas.
ReplyDeleteMartha
josieringer(at)gmail(dot)com
MARTHA, I'll bet you were A Little House on the Prairie lover. I have watched and rewatched every episode of that show. lol The prairie is a great place for a setting!
DeleteI tend to like old-fashioned settings, and mountains/woods. Not much of a beach person - but a good story makes it all okay! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd Colleen's story makes it wonderful, TIFFANY! Thank you for sharing on OWG today!!
DeleteBy the way, TIFFANY, I had a little look see at your website and it's wonderful! I'll have to stop by there when I have more time. Also love the name of it very much! :)
DeleteI love the beach setting for a story because it's my favorite place to be. :)
ReplyDeleteMIPPY, this one sounds right up your alley then! Or should I say say shore? ;)
DeletePlease come back by and leave your email addy, MIPPY, for contact purposes should you be our winner. To prevent spam use {at} and {dot}. Thanks! :)
DeleteI don't have a preference, but the cover really needs to match the storyline inside the book. I had to choose anonymous, as the other choices listed on "comment as" didn't work for me.
ReplyDeletepatglans@msn.com
PAT, you are fine...we have you entered~! And I agree with you about the covers matching the storyline. I have seen a few that didn't and it's kinda disconcerting, but most publishing companies do such a great job nowadays on the covers. Most of them are gorgeous!
DeleteI love to read about mountain settings. Even though I live in a beach town, my dad always took us camping and backpacking, and there is a peaceful feeling I get there that's different from anywhere else :)
ReplyDeletecolorvibrant[at]gmail[dot]com
HEIDI, welcome to OWG! Reading your comment and your lovely name took my mind way back to the wonderful story, Heidi, who spent time in the mountains with her grandpa. I have never been camping...afraid of snakes, bears, you name it! lol No, really none of the men in my life were ever interested in camping.
DeleteI'm so glad all of you are excited! Setting is super important to me. I pick that before I even start thinking of the plot. Rosemary Cottage has an interesting way it came into being. Thomas Nelson picked the titles for the series before I ever started writing. I knew Hope Beach would be in the Outer Banks but that's all I knew. I noodled on the title Rosemary Cottage and ran across the quote by Shakespeare, "rosemary for remembrance." I knew the time had finally come to explore my grief when my brother Randy died. That was the springboard into the idea for Rosemary Cottage. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great review, Diane! Odd that I posted earlier yesterday but it never showed up. I must not have logged in right. You rock!
I don't know what causes that occasionally, COLLEEN. It'll show up and then poof--it's gone! But you are so welcome for the review and I'm very eager to read the next one in this series.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about the loss of your brother. Thank you for sharing how you got the idea for Rosemary Cottage. The love you felt for your brother and your grief over his death surely shines through in the heroine of this book. What a great tribute to him.
~Blessings to you~
Hallo, Hallo, Ms. Flowers!
ReplyDeleteI read Ms. Coble's comment before I read over the review, and I must say, I agreed with you on the loving tribute she gave to her brother by placing his memory in the story. Writing is such a cathartic release. I am always amazed by how a story can stitch together for an author when the titles are not their own -- I give such a tremendous tip of the hat to them, because for myself personally, I usually either lead with a title OR as the story starts to unfold in the opening sequences, the title emerges and the rest of it flows from there. I first learnt of this by Ms. Debbie MacComber, as she clued me in to what an author has creative control over and what they do not.
For me, I like to get wrapped up in any setting that is fully vivid and alive on the page,... without any second-guessing about the gaps your mind might try to place inside the in-between bits! Sometimes if the setting is powerful enough, such as in "The Golem and the Jinni" I feel nearly pulled under and into the realism of that time and place. This is the latest book that hinged to my sense of 'place', whereupon no matter how oft I find myself in New York City at the turn of the century {late 19th}, it starts to feel familiar. Sometimes I find that the most exotic setting to transport yourself in a book is one that you know as well as though you have lived there -- each writer uses a different palette of words to paint the city alive for you! For me, New York City, Boston, the mountains, small towne USA {including the Wild West or Pioneer days}, coastal inlets, and London ring off the most when I think of where I traverse through stories. If I had to ask for a place, it would be somewhere near the Pacific Rim; India even, because authors do not always place their stories outside the tride and true locales.
Rosemary's Cottage is the type of story and setting that washes over you at a time when you need a refreshing glint of a change, where you could use a dose of hope and goodwill in your life, and take an emotional journey with the lead characters and watch how with faith and determination just about anything is possible as long as you remain positive and hopeful. I like sinking into these kinds of stories, in the same way I appreciate the ambient flow of Heartsongs. {ie: Heartsong Presents}
{postscript: Oy vie. I always appear to forget my email! {inkand-bookaways(at)usa(dot)net. Thank you for always offering the loveliest of bookaways and giveaways! And, for bringing authors to stop by and interact with their readers, both regular and new! I haven't yet read a book by Ms. Coble, but I have read about her and have had her books recommended to me! It's one of those things where your heart wants to read more than time allows! Laughs. And, I am over the moon happy about Mr. Pura's book inbound to me!! Thanks again! :)
JORIE, I always enjoy your thought provoking posts so much! And please don't make me feel any older than I am...call me Diana! lol Are you writing a book? If not you should be! I hope you are able to get a copy of this book asap as it has already made the USA Today bestseller's list! I'm sure you will enjoy M. Pura's book immensely and congrats on winning it!
DeleteYour quite welcome, Ms. Diana!
DeleteI'll have to warm up to dropping the "Ms.", as I guess I am of the left-over age where if we didn't know someone well enough, we always said Mr., Mrs., and Miss out of respect. I meant no offense, nor to make you feel old!! I always call everyone Miss if their a lady and for gents, always a Mr! :) Again, I was raised in the South and its complete second nature! :) I gave up hiding the fact I'm a writer, as it apparently slips through no matter how hard I try to mask it whilst online, and yes, I've been writing more than one book for quite a long while now. I started my first book 20 years ago, actually! :)
Yes, the Mrs and ma'am are surely a southern thing! I'm not trying to be nosy (it just comes naturally -- haha), but have any books of yours been published? Do you write fiction or non-fiction? I would love to read one! Thank you for sharing---you are always such a delight!!
DeleteI definitely have to go with beach. I wish I lived on the water. This sounds like a really exciting one. I didn't realize that it would be based on the cover and title; just goes to show why you shouldn't judge based on that! shopgirl152nykiki(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteHi, VERONICA! Seems like the beach won out here, with the mountains running a close second! This one is very exciting, and I don't know if you read Colleen Coble's comment above about what gave her the inspiration for this story, but it's very interesting.
DeleteGood afternoon, Ms. Diana,
ReplyDeleteSorry it took me a bit to return to see your lovely reply,... I'd love to answer your question, so if you could email me privately I'd be happy to fill you in! I looked for your email but nothing was attached to your profile? I look forward to speaking with you soon!
Congrats to Amada Chavez who won her choice of either Rosemary Cottage or Safe In His Arms--choice of format!
ReplyDelete