Ashley Howland Scott has no time for romance as she grieves the loss of her husband, cares for her young son, and runs Magnolia Harbor’s only bed and breakfast. Ashley never imagined she’d notice—let alone have feelings for—another man after her husband was killed in Afghanistan five years earlier. But slowly, softly, Rev. Micah St. Pierre has become a friend . . . and now maybe something more. Despite her reluctance, Ashley has to admit that Micah is kind, thoughtful, and handsome to boot. All the more reason to steer clear of him. She can’t risk her heart again.

After becoming the center of Magnolia Harbor’s rumor mill once, Micah St. Pierre has no interest in letting the members of the local quilting club play matchmaker for him. Besides, the only woman he’s interested in is the one he can never have. Micah is not allowed to date a member of his congregation, so there’s no point in sharing his feelings with Ashley, no matter how much he yearns to. But the more time they spend with each other, the more Micah wonders whether Ashley is his match made in heaven.

Titles in the Moonlight Bay series include — The Cottage on Rose Lane —♥— Summer on Moonlight Bay —♥— Return to Magnolia Harbor —♥— A Wedding on Lilac Lane —♥— The Beachside Bed and Breakfast —♥—

NetGalley ARC

Title:  The Beachside Bed and Breakfast
Series:  Moonlight Bay #5
Author:  Hope Ramsay
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  August 23, 2022
Publisher:  Forever
My Rating:  4 stars

The Beachside Bed and Breakfast is the fifth title in the Moonlight Bay series and brings us a poignant story of loss, love, and possibilities if one is willing to risk their heart again.  While Ashley’s and Micah’s story can easily stand on its own, I’d still suggest reading the rest of the series from the beginning, if possible, for you’ll run into couples and citizens from Moonlight Bay throughout this series.  Plus, they’re all really good stories.

Ashley is a widow who inherited the local bed and breakfast from her grandmother.  Five years later, she is still grieving her husband’s death while on active duty, she’s not willing to risk her heart again – and the only man she might be interested in has been a lifesaving friend, even if she does ignore the attraction that often sparks between them.  Her father has come to live with her and her son, meddling in business affairs as only a father can do, and to top it off; her son firmly believes there is the ghost of a pirate wandering the grounds.  Life is complex enough without beginning to fall for her minister… but it just might be so much more rewarding with a loving partner at her side.

By the rules of his church, Micah is forbidden from dating a member of his congregation.  This makes an outdated kind of sense, but when it’s obvious that Ashley and Micah do belong together it doesn’t take long for the matchmakers to get to work.  Friendship has been a precious gift for this couple, taking the risks (and the changes) that a romance would require isn’t an easy decision.  Love wins, but it’s a rocky road to that happy forever ending for this couple.

I always enjoy returning to the Moonlight Bay series.  This small town is filled with interesting residents, many have found their forever love here, and there is always something new happening to get the gossip working overtime and the true helpers busy.  Micah and Ashley work so well together; I definitely wanted them to find a way around rules and hesitation that often blocked their path to happiness.

If you enjoy a well-written romance with touches of reality, a small town’s quirks, and watching a couple fall in love in spite of rules then The Beachside Bed and Breakfast is a perfect fit for you.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

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