In one evening, Indi’s world falls apart. Enter the shy professor her family mistakes for her fiancé…make that ex-fiance.
Professor Philip West never wanted to return to Maine…or his grandfather’s miserable old house. But after his mother’s death, he’s now the guardian of a teenage half sister he barely knows — one who doesn’t want anything to do with him. He longs to help her heal, but he’s exhausted and numb, desperate for relief of his own. Maybe that’s why he’s so easily distracted when he happens upon the little shop with a name on its storefront window that sounds familiar, a hint of a mystery nudging him inside.
More than a decade has passed since Indi Muir made the heartbreaking decision she’s never recovered from — though she’s certainly tried. She has a full life running her shop and creating the artsy pieces that fill its shelves. If she can just stay busy, she’ll keep her hurt and regret at bay… until her past and present collide, shattering her carefully built walls. Things only get worse when danger comes calling at her childhood home.
The one bright spot amid Indi’s turmoil is the shy stranger who wandered into her shops months ago and his moody but lovable sister. As she confronts her past and the mysterious threat facing her family, she’s intent on helping Philip too, if they can overcome old secrets and wounds, outrun rising peril…and take a chance on love.
Breathtaking romance, a captivating mystery, and an enchanting wintry seaside…return to Muir Harbor in bestselling author Melissa Tagg’s latest.
My Review:
published in 2023
“You are not a mess. God sees the beauty you already are. He’s not in a hurry and you don’t have to be either.”
What a stunningly beautiful and incredibly moving story! Written in a way that pulled at all my emotions — I cried, I laughed, I swooned. Intricate details woven into a tapestry of…well…wonder! And it comes from more than just our hero and heroine’s stories. It’s in the family relationships — raw and real and imperfectly wonderful. And the way a myriad of story threads pull together, building in intensity until they are all expertly intertwined by the end. I’m truly gobsmacked at the impact ‘A Seaside Wonder’ had on me.
So rich in inspirational wisdom. Honestly, I filled a little notebook with faith quotes and tabbed so many pages…I’m not one to annotate fiction books but this one might be the exception. The kind of book that transforms the reader as much as the characters. So many profound insights! Like:
“I just wonder if instead of asking God to take the pain away, we invite Him into it.”
and…
“She’s put her trust in a God who…who maybe doesn’t make every crack disappear, but who holds all her broken pieces tenderly.”
I could go on and on and on…but you just need to read this book for yourself. Guaranteed to hold a cherished place of honour on any library shelf.
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
US – paperback or ebook – winner’s choice
Canada – paperback, ebook or audio — winner’s choice
International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account
If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Seaside Wonder, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday October 24 2026.
I’ve read most of Melissa Tagg’s books (minus a couple of her older ones) & loved them all! Her Christmas novellas were especially good as well. I wish she’d start writing again! Not an entry just putting my 2 cents worth in. Happy Reading, Kav!
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I need to check her backlist to make sure I’ve read all her books…I think I have, well, I’m reading Wedding at Sea right now. It has Avery intriguing beginning. I think this is my favourite series by her. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Diane. Happy Reading!
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Reading about the Muir Harbor series has me wanting to do a reread. Melissa does fall and Christmas books especially well and the covers in this series were fantastic. I agree this story was full to the brim with fantastic quotes, here’s 2 I noted in my review-
*This was the love that had been waiting for her all along. A gift from God who’d never once left her side. Who not only cleaned up all her messes, but who walked with her through them.”
*”…she was learning…How to trust the heart of God who stayed even when her own heart drifted, knowing He’d always find a way to draw her back.”
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Those are fantastic quotes! This whole book is an inspirational quote wonder! Now that both you and Diane mentioned her Christmas books, I checked on Good Reads and it looks like I have missed a number of her books – 11! And a bunch of them are Christmas. I wonder if some of them were only published in ebook format and maybe that’s why? I’ll have to do a thorough check and then play catch up! Happy Reading, Tracey! (and thanks for the bookish homework!)
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Thank you, Kav and Tracey, for your book quotes. I would like to be placed for the winning of this story! Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House lanehillhouse(at)gmail(dot)com
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It’s soooooooo good, Kathleen! Good luck!
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Ooh!
manderley23 at gmail dot com
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Good luck, Kimmy!
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Can you believe that I’ve never read a Melissa Tagg book (at least I don’t think I have) 😯 Time to remedy that, lol!
teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com
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I just discovered I seem to have a lot of catching up to do. Good luck, Trixi!
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What a beautiful cover! And reading your review I can tell the story is as well. I will definitely have tissues and supplies on hand for what sounds like a can’t put down book. Thank you so very much for the amazing chance to win a copy!
2clowns at arkansas dot net
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The cover art is amazing – and all three books in the series match beautifully. So pretty! And different from the norm. Good luck, Kay!
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Ooh yay! Count me in! Thank you Kav!
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Counted! Good luck, Rebecca!
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I haven’t read many of Melissa’s books, but I’m pretty sure I have the first in this series on my bookshelf!
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Then you’ll be ready for this one! Good luck, Patty!
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Love all of Melissa Tagg’s books. I may have to do some rereading soon!
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She’s a great author to reread. Are in for the giveaway, Sandy, or do you have this one on your keeper shelf already?
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I do have this one on my keeper shelf. Thanks!
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I love this review. Sounds like an inspiring read. leliamae54(at)aol(dot)com
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It’s amazing! Good luck, Lucy!
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The quote you posted at the start of the review is so noteworthy. A very good reminder that God’s timing is definitely not always how and when we want things done. God sees our future we need to trust Him daily. Would love to read this book. Thanks for the opportunity to win it as well.
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And there are so many inspirational quotes throughout the whole story — seamlessly woven in, by the way, it doesn’t come across preachy at all. Good luck, Becky!
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I read and really enjoyed this series a while back. I haven’t seen much mention of Melissa Tagg lately. Is she still writing? (No entry)
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I haven’t found anything published by her since this series ended in 2023 and that’s her last blog update too. Oh, but on instagram she says she’w working on a book, sounds like maybe this one took a bit longer but she’s finished the first draft so it looks like we’ll be seeing another book by Melissa Tagg in our reading futures. Yay!
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Please count me in…. Thanks for a chance to win!
angieadams306 (AT) gmail (DOT) com
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Counted. Good luck, Angie!
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