#12 SEAVIEW INN

Number of Book #12
Date Began and Finished 2/24- 2/29 2008
Genre - Women's Fiction
Year It Was Published - March 2008
Publisher - Mira
number of Pages 383
Mass Market paperback
Reason for reading: Review for Love Romances
Rating 3.5/5 stars

Blurb or Synopsis: I've been collecting Sherryl Woods' books but this is the first one I've actually read, and I know I'll read more by her.SEAVIEW INN is women's fiction at its best, centering on Hannah Matthews, a single mom who is in remission from breast cancer. Her mother had just died from the same disease, and it's not surprising that Hannah is a little scared about her own life and whether the cancer is going to reappear, just like her mother.

Besides dealing with cancer, Hannah needs to take care of her grandmother, her mother's mother. Grandma Jenny was getting on in years, and Hannah believes that grandma needs to be placed into a home where people can look out for her. In the mean time, they need to sell the old Seaview Inn that has been in the family for generations. Grandma refuses to cooperate, and instead is trying to reopen the inn.

To complicate matters, Luke Stevens is back in town. Luke was at one time Hannah's best friend's boyfriend, but Hannah had always had a big crush on Luke, never letting anyone know because she didn't want to hurt her best friend or embarrass herself. Luke doesn't tell anyone why he's back in town, but he has just returned from Iraq some six months ago or so, and is still dealing with the pain in his leg, as well as a pain in his heart. During his stay in Iraq, his wife decided to start an affair with his business partner and best friend, and now Luke is single and very bitter. He has two children that are being traumatized by their parents divorce, and he wants to make it up to them somehow.

Hannah's college age daughter Kelsey is also having problems. She's announced to Hannah that she is pregnant, but she does not want the baby, nor does she want to marry the father, Jeff. Kelsey returns to Seaview Inn to be with Hannah and Grandma Jenny to sort things out.

With two "strays" living in the Inn with them, Grandma Jenny makes good use of them both and they work on getting the Inn back in shape. Hannah hopes this will help them sell the Inn faster, but Kelsey has other plans - to run the Inn which she will eventually inherit after her Grandma Jenny passes away.

And now, Hannah's old high school crush is back, and while she'd love to start something with Luke, she thinks that her life will be cut short and refuses to make any commitments to him , or anyone else.

SEAVIEW INN moves at a moderate pace, and what I found I liked about the book was it's "comfort" feel. It's not a book with a lot of highs and lows, but it does have a number of serious themes that will hook the reader. I really enjoyed the book, the characters, and the setting, a beach side inn in the Florida Keys. I recommend SEAVIEW INN for all readers who love contemporary women's fiction and want an escape.