Series: Moonlight Harbor (Book 1)
Moira Wellman has always loved makeovers -- helping women
find their most beautiful selves. Funny how it's taken her five years with her
abusive boyfriend, Lang, to realize she needs a life makeover. When Moira
finally gets the courage to leave Lang, the beachside town of Moonlight Harbor
is the perfect place to start over.
Soon Moira is right at home, working at Waves Salon,
making new friends and helping her clients find new confidence. When she meets
a handsome police officer, she's more than willing to give him a free haircut.
Maybe even her heart. But is she really ready for romance after Lang? And what
if her new friend is in hot pursuit of that same cop? This is worse than a bad
perm.
Terrific book. The main character is Moira, a stylist with
a knack for finding just the right cut and color for her clients. Unfortunately,
she doesn't have the same knack in her personal life. Though her boyfriend
seemed perfect at first, the abuse has worsened over the five years they've
been together. She could take it herself, but the last straw came when he
kicked her cat. With the help of her boss, she found a haven in the tiny town
of Moonlight Harbor. Michael sent Moira to his friend Pearl, the owner of Waves
Salon. Pearl isn't too sure she needs another stylist, but she also realizes
that if she doesn't bring in some younger customers, her salon will be toast.
Moira is young, hip, and enthusiastic, and Pearl quickly realizes what a
treasure Moira is.
I loved watching the people of this small town,
especially the women, embrace Moira and help restore the confidence that her
life with Lang had ripped from her. Enough of the ladies had experienced
troubles of their own that they recognized what she was going through. It isn't
a one-way street, as Moira also helps her new friends on their own journeys. I loved
Pearl and Edie, the older ladies who became like grandmothers to Moira. Pearl experienced
some heartbreaking losses in her life and has been merely going through the
motions of living. Moira is like a breath of fresh air blowing through the
salon, reinvigorating Pearl's joy in what she does. It was fun to see how the
salon's makeover paralleled Pearl's. Edie is the owner of the local hotel, in
her eighties, and with a heart as big as the ocean. I loved seeing her pull
Moira into her family's life, treating her like another niece. I loved the cooking
scenes that gave Moira a taste of the life she'd always wanted and another
boost of self-confidence.
I also enjoyed seeing the other friendships that Moira
built, reminding her of what she'd given up thanks to Lang. She used her talent
with color and style to help other women make changes in their lives. I
especially enjoyed seeing Annie's journey, which was somewhat like Moira's. Just
like Moira, Annie is in a toxic relationship. Her husband's drinking is so out-of-control
that she feels she has no choice but to take their daughter and leave him. I
loved how her friends gave her the support she needed and the encouragement to
follow her dreams. There are many wonderful scenes of the way that the women
back each other up with support, advice, or just listening when someone needs
to vent.
When Moira arrived in Moonlight Beach, she had every
intention of staying away from any romantic entanglements. She doesn't trust
her judgment any longer. But when local cop Victor King stops her for speeding,
her heart speeds up too. Victor is terrific. He takes pride in his efforts to
care for the people of his town. He is friendly and sweet and adorably
tongue-tied around women. I loved watching the relationship between them
develop. Victor makes no secret of his interest in Moira, but she is wary. She
is interested in him, too, but it is difficult for her to trust her judgment. I
liked how she explained her fears to Victor and that he cared enough to be
patient while she worked through her fears. They ran into a snag when Moira
discovered that her new friend Courtney is also interested in Victor. I ached
for him when Moira seemed to pull away for no reason. I also wanted to shake
Moira, but I understood her reasons. The resolution of that triangle was
emotional and also showed the strength of true friendship. Things finally
looked up for Victor and Moira, until her past made an unwelcome appearance. I
loved seeing Moira's new strength and confidence as she confronted Lang and feared
for her life at his reaction. I cheered at the unexpected help she received and
loved the final resolution. Victor's big moment at the end was sweet and
romantic.
This was the first Moonlight Harbor book that I have
read, but it worked well as a stand-alone. That said, I want to go back and
read the earlier books to learn the stories of the other residents of the town.
I am especially interested in reading more about Jenna and her relationships
with Brody and Seth. I'd also like to know more about Hyacinth and the story
leading up to her interference in the preacher's wedding.
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