HALF MOON HARBOR is Book two in Donna Kauffman's Bachelors of Blueberry Cove series. Having never read the previous book in this series, I was still able to enjoy this book without being confused. Grace Maddox is a newcomer to Blueberry Cove, Maine but Brodie Monaghan's family has been building ships in the area for over a hundred years and more. Being new to this series helped me associate with Grace as a newcomer.

Brodie is an easy character to like. He has a lot of Irish charm and knows how to use it -- a fact that Grace is very much aware of and is amused by. He's extremely hard-working and trying to hold onto his family's shipbuilding business and legacy. It only adds to his appeal that he is also a nice guy getting over an unrequited love. I like that when Grace showed up at his boathouse, telling him something he didn't want to hear that he handled himself well rather than act petulant.

I liked that Brodie and Grace never have an antagonistic relationship, in spite of having very different ideas about the same piece of property. I also loved how honest with each other they are when it comes to their feelings. The chemistry between them is electric and makes for a lot of sexy scenes.

One of the things I love about HALF MOON HARBOR is the assortment of complex and interesting characters. Donna Kauffman does a great job of avoiding having characters act in a predictable way. In addition to the yummy hero, I liked Grace a lot too. She has a lot of inner strength. Growing up, she didn't have the tight-knit, big family that Brodie did. All she had was her older brother, Ford, until he left her for the military. She obviously has feelings of abandonment, but rather than wallow in self-pity, she carves out a successful legal career and then makes plans to put her dream of owning an inn and reconnecting with her brother a reality. Graces strikes me as being very real and a strong woman. I loved the addition of her dog Whomper and her very good friend and celebrated architect, Langston deVry. I'd enjoy seeing both in future books. Cami Weathersby made a fabulous "bad guy" and I loved how that situation got resolved.

HALF MOON HARBOR is exactly the kind of character-driven, sexy, well-written story that I live for. I very much look forward to the next book in this wonderful series!

Book Summary

Bold, brash, Irish—Brodie Monaghan's been breaking hearts ever since he arrived in Maine to rebuild the family business. Still, there's one woman he just can't wow.

Grace Maddox claims she's now part owner of Monaghan Shipbuilders, and she has her own dreams for the weathered dockside buildings.

Tiny Blueberry Cove has a way of welcoming strangers with wide open arms, but is the sleepy coastal village ready for the fireworks these two spark?