Set in Maine, where the spring sun is just thawing out the depths of Blueberry Cove, this tale introduces us to Brodie Monaghan, a boat builder who lives by the wharf in HALF MOON HARBOR. An unexpected visitor one morning turns out to be Grace Maddox and her terrier dog. Grace has just bought one of the old boathouses and intends to convert it to an inn of character. Brodie is unsure of this idea - he likes the historic wharf as it is. Splinters, rotting fish, pesky pelicans and all.

With a name like Brodie I assumed this man had a Scots ancestry but we then get a reference to his Emerald Isle looks. Still, the Irish and Scots intermarry a lot, so maybe that explains the name. This man is a practical, salty type with few refinements which may explain his single status. Grace, an amateur rower, has been an estate attorney so she is well versed in the difficulties and disputes of splitting up family properties. She's a new arrival in town and hadn't realised that Brodie thought he owned all the boathouses - the council had this property for sale to cover back taxes. They both need to check the paperwork as Grace can't risk offending local people from the start.

I enjoyed all the woodworking and harbour details in this romance tale, which really set the scene. The Maine natives are presented as being clannish but not unfriendly. On the other hand, one lady is over-friendly with men outside her marriage, and Brodie has no intention of accepting her advances, which could make life awkward for him. I liked seeing this woman get grease stains on her designer suit at the working boathouse. Brodie thinks that compared to her vision of selling off all the wharf for development, maybe Grace's idea isn't so bad.

The author Donna Kauffman has chosen to make this a book almost entirely consisting of conversations, rather than action. A brief boat trip is mentioned; while the fishermen are catching eels at this time, we don't see anyone enjoying the famous Maine seafood. I did miss this aspect of exploring the locality but I'll probably find it in a cosy mystery instead. Overall I liked the vision and romance in HALF MOON HARBOR which is second in The Batchelors of Blueberry Cove series; the first book is Pelican Point.

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?