Book Review for THE CLIFF HOUSE by RaeAnne Thayne

6/3/2019

Three women—two sisters and their aunt—and the cliff house on the northern California coast that served as a beacon to them all…

After the death of their mother, sisters Daisy and Beatriz Davenport found a home with their aunt Stella in the beautiful and welcoming town of Cape Sanctuary. They never knew all the dreams that Stella sacrificed to ensure they had everything they’d ever need. Now, with Daisy and Bea grown, it’s time for Stella to reveal the secret she’s been keeping from them—a secret that will change their family forever.

Bea thought she’d sown all her wild oats when she got pregnant far too young. The marriage that followed was rocky and not destined to last, but it gave Bea her wonderful, mature, now eleven-year-old daughter, Marisol. But just as she’s beginning to pursue a new love with an old friend, Bea’s ex-husband resurfaces and turns their lives completely upside down.

Then there’s Daisy—sensible, rational, financially prudent Daisy. She’s never taken a risk in her life—until she meets a man who makes her question everything she thought she knew about life, love and the power of taking chances.

In this heartwarming story, Stella, Bea and Daisy will discover that the path to true happiness is filled with twists and turns, but love always leads them back home.

A story of family, sisterhood, and connection deeper than time and distance, a tale of love, hope, and trust, a journey to learn to dare to take the leap of love, jump into the unknown, and trust the soulmate will be there to catch you just when you need it.
There's a lot of living and loving in this story of three women living in a small California coastal town. Ms. Thayne tells stories that go directly to the hearts of the readers. She draws characters that are easy to connect with, to learn to love and care for, to cheer them to live their best life. I loved the message of hope that was the silver lining of the tale, how the ladies used creativity to express themselves, and how dedicated and giving they were regarding the turbulent world of foster care and parenting.
Each of the women was on the threshold of a new chapter in their lives, that included finding the soulmate. There's the second chance with the first love from college days, there's the best friend to lovers romance, and there's the practical sister falling completely and unpractically in love with a man visiting the town. Each romance is sweet, with a touch of angst and turbulence. As it often is the case, in my opinion, with simultaneous romances in one book, and multiple points of views to the tale, none of the couples gets the depth and growth, or the potential development that could have been there. Also, with Bea, her best friend and his girlfriend, and her ex, there's the third - and fourth - person drama in romance that is in general, not for me.
Yet even with these two strikes to my personal wishes or taste in the romance genre, this story had me from the first chapter, it pulled me in and brought all the feels to the surface. There were joy and cheer, passion to life and adoration of the loved ones. I sighed, I teared up, I felt the tension, I felt the loss, the sorrow, the sadness, and also the elation and delight, and most of all the hope, the wish, and trust for the fulfilling future.
An uplifting and inspiring novel that celebrates women, life, love, and family.
A true treasure to read
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

#1 Publishers Weekly, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne finds inspiration in the beautiful northern Utah mountains where she lives with her family. Her books have won numerous honors, including seven RITA Award nominations from Romance Writers of America and a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews magazine.