Sunday, March 2, 2014

Wind Chime Cafe (Wind Chime #1) by Sophie Moss {Review}

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: Adult
Publication Date: February 7th 2014
Series: Wind Chime #1
Format: Mobi/Kindle
Source: Provided by author for review


When single mother, Annie Malone, purchases a quirky Main Street café on Heron Island, she thinks she's finally turned her dream of opening her own restaurant into a reality. Hearing rumors that a developer is about to build a five-star resort on the sleepy Chesapeake Bay island, she plans to transform the café into a premier upscale bistro. But Navy SEAL, Will Dozier, has no intention of selling his grandparents' property to a developer. Back on Heron Island for the first time in ten years and secretly struggling with PTSD, Will decides that a fling with the new girl is the perfect way to help him "get his head straight." The last thing Will expects is to fall in love...with his hometown and with Annie. But Will's life and career are in San Diego with the SEALs. Can Annie's love and the healing magic of the island be enough to convince him to stay?

My Review:

On the outside Wind Chime Cafe appears to be a harmless romance about a young mother and a Navy SEAL who may or may no fall in love. But let me tell you, don't let that cover lull you into a false sense of security. What I got was a much deeper story that hooked me and wouldn't let me go until I was finished.

Annie Malone is a young mother to 8 year old Taylor who has just moved to Heron Island to start making her dream come true. She's always wanted to run a French bistro catering to the more wealthier tourists so when she heard about the possible Resort being developed on Heron island she snaps the little building right up. She meets Will Dozier one night when he saunters into her building while unpacking boxes and tries to put the moves on her immediately. She let's it slip that she's waiting for the resort to open up that just so happens to be where Will's family home rests. Will refuses to sell to the developers and decides to fix the Inn up himself to find another buyer leaving Annie desperate to keep the bank off her back so she scrambles to open a cafe instead. 

The story was fantastic but I loved the characters involved in the drama. Annie was a resilient and determined woman. She's been through alot after a tragic school shooting left her daughter the only survivor. She wanted to make the best life possible for Taylor not just after the shooting but her whole life really. Annie grew up with a gypsy-esque mother who traveled from place to place never settling down. She didn't want Taylor to see men come in and out of her life so when Will comes into their lives Annie tries her best to deny her attraction. Will was a force of nature. Being a Navy SEAL he's used to going after what he wants and getting it so when Annie denies him countless times he doesn't know what to do with himself. It's not until he learns about what happened to Taylor that he understands because he knows loss. His mother and Sister were killed during 9/11 which drove him to the military to hunt down the people responsible. I loved Will even though he was all about a fling with Annie and then leaving when his time was up on the island. He was sexy yes, but he also had a big heart which was evidenced by his memories of his sister and how gentle and loving he was to Annie's daughter Taylor. I understood Annie not wanting Taylor to get attached to him but he ended up helping out more than hindering and that was a heart warming moment for me. The friendship Will formed with Taylor was almost as endearing as his relationship with Annie and I enjoyed that aspect of the story.

I loved getting to know some of the supporting characters. The author had a way of weaving everyone into the canvas so perfectly I found myself trying to guess who would be the next to get a book and I turned out to be right on the money. The small town feel where everybody knows everyone and looks out for you was something I could relate to having grown up in a small town like Heron Island. The laid back atmosphere really shined through and the author drew me into all the settings surrounding everything. I loved the writing and how the author gave us a peak at a pivotal character as the main story developed between Will and Annie. The drama of the story was juicy in and of itself and a pseudo love triangle began to brew between Annie, Will and Blake the resort developer who plays a bigger role in the story. I was caught off guard by Blake's appearance but ended up loving his role in this.

Wind Chime Cafe was a very sweet and emotionally deep romance that I enjoyed from start to finish. I can't really say there was anything that stood out that I didn't like. It was just a great story throughout and I loved the strong military support message behind it. I'm a big supporter of our nations military so needless to say this book was a win for me. I can't wait to get Colin and Becca's story next. There's just something sexy about a wounded vet with a great smile and a shy school teacher! With this being the first in the series I'm sure the following books will be just as fantastic. This would be great for lovers of hometown romance or anybody who loves a strong and sexy guy and a headstrong determined heroine.


Quotes:

“You can’t say no to a fried egg sandwich from The Tackle Box. I’ll even throw in a bottle of orange juice.” He smiled down at her, trying to put her at ease. “We can call it a date.” “I told you last night. I’m not dating you.” “Why not?” Will feigned a hurt expression. “Don’t I look dateable?” “Yes,” she said. “You look perfectly dateable. For someone else.” “But not you?” “No. Not me.” Mobi/Kindle 7%

These people didn't know the truth. There was nothing special about him, nothing noble. He hunted down terrorists in the worst hellholes in the world to get revenge on the people who’d killed his mother and sister in 9/11. That was it. End of story. Mobi/Kindle 17%

She started to shake her head, and he bent down until his lips were a breath away from hers. “Say yes,” he murmured. “Will—” He touched his mouth to hers. He couldn't help it. He needed to taste her, to feel her soft lips mold with his. It was only supposed to be a persuasion tactic, a little tease to entice her to say yes. But when her palms skimmed up the muscles of his chest and her fingers curled around his shoulders, he felt something inside him shift out of balance. Mobi/Kindle 30%

What would it feel like to be loved so much by someone that he would devote his entire life to going after the people who hurt you? Mobi/Kindle 40%


About The Author:

Sophie Moss is an award-winning author of four full-length romance novels. Known for her captivating Irish fantasy romances and heartwarming contemporary romances with realistic characters and unique island settings, her books have appeared twice in USA Today. As a former journalist, Sophie has been writing professionally for over ten years. She currently lives in San Diego, California, where she’s working on her next novel. When she’s not writing, she’s walking the beach, testing out a new dessert recipe, or fiddling in her garden. Sophie loves to hear from readers. Email her at sophiemosswrites@gmail.com or visit her website at sophiemossauthor.com

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2 comments:

  1. This sounds soooo good! I love when a story is so much more -and better- than you anticipated.
    Great review!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think I would like this one. Maybe I should open a cafe??? Oh wait...we said no military dudes.

    ReplyDelete

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