Hope Harbor by Irene Hannon

This is one of those books that, when you get to the end, you wish it were hundreds of pages longer so you could continue reading about the changing lives in Hope Harbor.

I really liked this book. I liked Michael, a high profile CEO of a nonprofit Chicago organization who comes to Hope Harbor on the Oregon coast to think about his life, to heal his parched and dying soul. He is still not over his wife's death. This seaside town had been her childhood favorite. I like Tracy, the cranberry farmer who lost her husband and now thinks she is not good at all for any man, certainly not for marriage. I like her hard working attitude, trying to keep the business going in bad economic times.

I like Charley, maker of fish tacos he sells out of his stand. An artist of note, he has his taco stand because he likes to minister to people and share the wisdom he gets from above. I like Anna, the elderly woman with deep hurt who, to her own surprise, offers to let Michael stay in her addition. I like how Michael's presence brings just enough light into Anna's darkness that she becomes ripe for forgiveness and reconciliation. I like the pastor and the priest, their efforts to help others, their weekly golf and their repartee. I like the young pregnant teen, devastated by the alienation from her parents and taken in by Anna at Michael's suggestion.

I really enjoyed reading this book, seeing how God worked in the lives of hurting people to bring them to a place of being alive with love. Hannon has crafted the story line very well. I was amazed at how it all worked together for good for the characters.

I highly recommend this novel. Just be sure to have a box of tissues nearby as you get close to the end. You'll need them.

Irene Hannon has written more than forty-five contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels. She is a two time winner of the RITA Award, has received the National Readers' Choice award, three HOLT medallions, a Daphne du Maurier award, a Retailers' Choice award, a Booksellers' Best award, and has been a two time Christy Award finalist. She has a BA in psychology and an MA is journalism. She and her husband live in Missouri. To find out more visit www.irenehannon.com.

Revell, 352 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.