There's something comfortable and familiar about Hope Harbor and its residents that welcomes readers, new and old, into her stories. This was my third foray into the lives of Hope Harbor's residents and I was thrilled to be reintroduced to some of my old favourites while following along with some more serious discussions Hannon presents through the lives of Holly, Steven, and those closest to them.
As someone previously introduced to this town I was thrilled to see Hannon has maintained the continuity and charm I hoped for in this novel. I loved finding Charley and his seagulls at the taco stand, reading about Eleanor's fudge cake, and seeing familiar names like the clergy on the streets. It adds so much to the book's small town feel when these little things naturally flow into the story. Hannon's a master at making Hope Harbor feel like a character all of its own.
As a disabled person, I also appreciate Holly's character as a story lead and Hannon's willingness to show Holly as multidimensional, independent, while still being aware of where accommodation was needed within the needs of her disability. It's rare to see the disabled character in a lead plot instead of the plucky encouragement (a stereotype that gets old). It also provided a reasonable foundation for Holly's beliefs on sanctity of life to contrast with Steven's own past.
Aside from the obvious central attraction between Holly and Steven, Hannon spends much of the book exploring issues of sanctity of life through various issues including: abortion, assisted suicide, warfare, etc. This does give the book a more political feel then previous novels in the series. Some of the plots also touch on depression and finding meaning in life again adding an unexpected heaviness. That said, while it was a lot to put into a single novel I didn't find it overwhelming as everything still felt like it tied into those overarching themes of life and meaning. It also felt very true to small town, everything looking great on the outside but people working through a plethora of life altering situations behind closed doors. I think, to a degree, seeing those struggles have endeared Hope's Harbour to me even more.
While this isn't the light summer romance I was expecting, this may be the Hope Harbour outing that I find myself returning too.
4 out of 5 stars.
I received a copy of this book as part of the #revellreadsbooktour in exchange for my honest opinion.
