The Cliff House By RaeAnne Thayne

Debra

After the death of their mother, Beatriz (Bea) and Daisy spent some time in foster care before being raised by their Aunt Stella. Raising her two nieces at a young age, inspired Stella to go on and be a foster parent and start an organization to raise money for children and families in the foster care system.

Each woman has her own issues in this book. Stella walked away from the man she loved to raise her nieces. She has a fulfilling job as a teacher but wants more. She has a secret and it's a big one. Bea became a young wife and mother. She is divorced after a rocky marriage, but her ex-husband is back and wants to reunite. But Bea doesn't want to reunite as she has her heart set on another man. Daisy is an accountant who is guarded and likes to play by the rules. She also has a secret. But when she meets a man by chance, she realizes that maybe taking a chance or two would be good for her.

There are three romances going on in this book and I was invested in each of them. Typically, with more than one romance, I prefer one over the other but not in this book. I was rooting for all of them. I found their stories to be heartwarming and sweet. The romances and feelings felt real and believable. This was a sweet and rewarding story. Of course, it was a little predictable but the journey to get there was an enjoyable one. I was also happy that nothing in this book felt rushed. My biggest complaint with romance books is that the entire book is filled with longing, angst, witty dialogue, etc. to have the book end abruptly when the couple in question declares their love and they run off to happily ever land. Thankfully, this book, as I mentioned, did not feel rushed. Plus, there was an epilogue when made me a very happy reader.

I also enjoyed the themes in this book - family, relationships, best friends, trust, starting over, motherhood, creativity and hope. I also like how the women are dedicated to the foster care system and giving back. For me this was a feel-good book that did touch on some difficult subjects as well.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Katie B

3.5 stars

Enjoyed this one but I think certain storylines were not developed to their max potential because the story bounced around too much between different characters. This is one of the few times I will say the author easily could have added some more pages to the story as a few of the endings felt a bit rushed.

Sisters Daisy and Beatriz Davenport were raised by their aunt Stella after their mother died. Daisy and Bea are all grown up now and live in the picturesque town of Cape Sanctuary.

Bea divorced her famous rockstar husband a few years back and is busy raising their young daughter. She wouldn't mind pursuing a relationship with an old friend, but her ex is back in town and that might put a wrench in her plans.

Stella has a pretty big secret but she's not quite ready to break the news to her nieces. Daisy is the practical and sensible one and when a handsome stranger enters her life, she doesn't know what hit her. Oh, and she might have a secret or two of her own.

This story follows the three women and that handsome stranger as they are faced with some tough decisions when it comes to matters of the heart.

This was my first time reading a book by the author and I enjoyed it enough to want to seek out her other books. Sure the story was fairly predictable but isn't that what most readers want when they pick up a romance novel? I liked how this was 3 love stories instead of only one but I do think the story bouncing around between 4 characters was too much and hurt the story a bit. Even though I liked Gabe, it might have helped to eliminate his perspective and just focus on the women. I thought Bea got the short end of the stick when it came to development as even though the author obviously laid some of the groundwork for the eventual conclusion, it still felt very rushed in the end.

I liked how foster care was a subject near and dear to Stella and both of her nieces as well. It was nice to see how the women each gave back to their community. Even though I got frustrated at times with the characters, there's no doubt I wanted them to find happiness in the end.

This might not be an absolute must read romance but it still is a solid read if you enjoy the genre.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader

My first book by Thayne and I LOVED it.
I love the family and the positive vide through out the whole book. It was riveting from beginning to end. I love a happy ending and the numerus love stories were wonderful. I was intoxicated the whole time I was reading The Cliff House.
Now some one please tell me what I should read next by Thayne. Stand alone please!

Heather K (dentist in my spare time)

*3.5 stars*

The Cliff House was my first book by
RaeAnne Thayne, and I would read another book from her any day of the week. The way she wove together three separate romances was very well done.

There is a lot of family drama and angst in the story, but I didn't feel overwhelmed by it all. I'm actually very surprised at how I was able to focus on the love stories with all of the side plots happening, but somehow I was. Part of me wishes the story had one fewer romance so we could have delved even deeper with the other two, and part of me admires the hell out of
RaeAnne Thayne for trying something so ambitious.

I liked the small-town romance vibes, and I liked the writing style, though I wish the author had her character's communicate more. A lack of basic communication in romance is always something that irks me, and parts of this story edged towards melodrama and relying on misunderstandings.

Though the story felt a little busy, I enjoyed reading it a great deal. I fell in love with the characters and the scenic seaside town, and I can't wait to read another
RaeAnne Thayne book in the future.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

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Dorine

THE CLIFF HOUSE by RaeAnne Thayne has everything fans will love, with enough surprises to give you more than one book boyfriend to sigh over.

Daisy Davenport McClure and her sister Bea’s childhood had a positive outcome because of their Aunt Stella. She took them in when their mother died of a drug overdose. The trauma before and after their mother’s death affected their entire lives, even though Stella’s love softened the memories.

When Bea’s famous rocker ex-husband is attacked by a crazy fan, he descends upon Cape Sanctuary with his entourage, much to Bea’s annoyance. Oh, she’d love for Cruz to spend time with their daughter, Marisol, but can she avoid him for the month or more he plans to stay? And what about her best friend, Shane, who’s living in her guest house? Is he really just a friend?

Daisy is also overwhelmed since Cruz brought the man who saved his life to Cape Sanctuary with him. Apparently, the gorgeous man who tried to talk to her in the toothpaste aisle at the grocery needs to heal his injury. Gorgeous men don’t try to talk to plain Daisy, ever. Now he’s everywhere she looks, and he seems to know her like no one else can, or should. Will his questions make her run and hide, or will she finally confide in him?

Stella Davenport receives the best 40th birthday present, ever, and she plans to keep this news secret for a while longer – not everyone will be as excited as she is about it. They’d be happy for her, of course, but this news will cause a few ripples among those who love her and will think her insane. And then there’s that college boyfriend she hasn’t seen for twenty years that shows up on her doorstep.

I’ve been a longtime fan of RaeAnne Thayne’s romances, but she surprised me with this book. The style is different. I wasn’t sure I’d like so many point-of-views, but it became addictive. There were a few repetitive moments but not enough to bump me out of the story. I imagine trying to keep repetitiveness down to a minimum is the hardest thing to do as a writer when creating a story with so many characters.

Even though you could consider this a small-town romance, the influx of famous people all in one novel made it glitzy and a bit eccentric and a lot different from Thayne’s previous novels. There’s a rock star and his entourage, several artists, including a documentary filmmaker and photographer, as well as one artist whose real identity is secret, plus a lot of foster children that Stella cared for over the years, and several adorable animals and children to tug at your heart. A bevy of interesting, fun, heart-wrenching, and heartwarming moments await you in one delicious novel.

Those who know me well and love me anyway know that I cannot resist books with artists in them. Add in a photographer and a rock star, and I can’t believe my luck. This novel had many of my favorite themes, including a lost dog who melted my heart. Needless to say, I enjoyed this story very much.

The characters were entertaining, and there were multiple black moments to worry over before the happily-ever-afters. Yes – you read that right, there are several love stories to fret over. I noticed some inconsistencies that could be trimmed up, but I was reading an early advanced copy, so those probably have been fine-tuned before publication. I know this going in when I read an ARC, so even though they may make me bump a bit when I come across them, I don’t lower my rating for things that could easily be remedied when published. I only mention them now as they were the only things that slowed my reading. That’s rare for me.

That means this novel style worked for me and kept me interested. This is the type of book that gets better the more pages you turn. The beginning is entertaining, but with multiple characters it took a bit to keep it all straight in my head. Once I got over that hurdle, I read faster and faster the further I got. I became invested in their lives and hopeful for their future.

Of course, each character has something to overcome to get to their happily-ever-after, and I wasn’t always sure they’d figure it out. That left me unsure enough to wonder if they’d get their act together in time for a happy ending, or whether we’d be left hanging for a sequel. I’m happy to say that the end was wonderful and more than I expected. That doesn’t mean it was easy getting there and that everyone behaved in a way I expected. What would be the fun in that?

RaeAnne Thayne has surpassed her previous success by creating a novel that readers will gobble right up. It’s fun. It’s angsty. And it’s unexpected. Just what the romance doctor ordered. Fans will love it.

A Recommended Read!

Reviewed by Dorine, courtesy of
RomanceJunkies.com. Digital copy provided by the publisher for an honest review.

Amy

A few years ago I became a huge fan of Thayne’s contemporary romance series, Haven Point, so when I saw she was releasing a new book with more of a women’s fiction feel I was SO interested. There is still some of her trademark sweet romance here, but it definitely explores the dynamics of the women in the Davenport family while the romance plays a much smaller role giving it a more mature vibe.

This is told via multiple viewpoints, you hear from Stella, Daisy, Bea and even Gabe, who is Daisy’s love interest. I liked hearing a males POV, I’ve not read any in Thayne’s other books and she did a great job bringing a man to life. While the relationships between the women were at the forefront of the story, each of them were also involved romantically and it was nice to see a bunch of different relationships at various stages grow and develop instead of just focusing on one. All of the characters were authentic and relatable in some way and had really interesting histories and careers, they were an intriguing bunch and really well developed.

There were some secrets sprinkled around throughout the storyline that added a fun layer and also kept me on my toes in a light mystery sort of way. From the gorgeous cover to the sweet epilogue, I was enthralled with every single page of this one. Fans of Thayne will be pleased and if you enjoy books by authors like Sarah Morgan and Jenny Hale check this one out!

The Cliff House in three words: Captivating, Endearing and Uplifting.

The Lit Bitch

RaeAnne Thayne is a newer to me author. I have only just started reading her books this year but so far I have loved them! She is such a strong and seasoned writer and that experience shows in her stories.

When this one came up for review, I was on board not only because I have enjoyed her books, but I was also looking for something a little lighter to break things up.

Lately I have been reading a lot of thrillers and more heavy duty novels, and not that she writes fluff (far from it) but there is something so satisfying about a book with a happy ending!

While this book was a little heavier than I might have liked, that didn’t stop me from enjoying it to its fullest and I was thrilled with the way the book ended—-no spoilers just know that even if this book is a little emotional at times, it was worth the read!

I loved how the story of three women and their journeys were realized. As a younger reader (late teens and early twenties) I often by passed women’s fiction or books like this, mostly because I didn’t feel like I could relate to the characters. Now as an adult in my late thirties, I can totally relate to many of these characters and their journey’s and can appreciate it more than I ever could as a younger woman.

What I loved about this book was not just the journey for each of the characters but the theme of love in this book. Not just romantic love, but the power of love in general whether it be romantic love, familial love, or self love. I felt encouraged and happy about this book even if at times my heart broke for some of the characters.

This was a lovely book and one that I really enjoyed the more that I read it. It would be a perfect beach/vacation read or just something to read on a lazy summer day. Thayne is a fabulous writer and you can’t go wrong with any of her novels!

See my full review here

Siobhan

I have read and enjoyed a few RaeAnne Thayne books and was eager to dive into The Cliff House when I heard there was a new standalone for me to jump into. Although I have given this one a three-star rating, know I had a big debate with this one. A part of me wanted to round my three-point-five-star rating up, and I almost did, but the part of me that compared it to my other RaeAnne Thayne reads had me rounding down.

I did have a lot of fun with this one – as always, RaeAnne Thayne sucked me in deep and I was happy to devour the book in a single sitting – but it is not my favourite read from the author. It dealt with plenty of topics, it had some great characters, but I feel as though some of the things were never dealt with as deeply as they could have been. In some ways, I believe I would have enjoyed this one more as three individual books, allowing us to go even deeper into each of the characters stories.

As it was, The Cliff House was an addictive read with plenty packed into it. We have wonderful characters and individual stories that tie together so well. We get to see so much throughout, experience many facets of life, and everything that happens leaves you unable to put the book down. It’s a story that dealt with a lot more than I expected, one that packs a punch on many fronts.

If you’re a fan of any RaeAnne Thayne series, I certainly recommend giving this standalone a read.

Mayda

This is a story of an aunt, the two sisters she raises, and the men who love them. Stella is just a college student when she learns her sister had died a year ago, leaving her two daughters in foster care. Stella immediately changes her life and leaves the man she loves so he can continue on his career path unencumbered by a ready-made family. Now it is years later, the sisters are grown, and Ed finds his way back to the town where Stella lives. In the meantime, Bea, a kind of wild child, has married her equally wild and up-and-coming rock star boyfriend, one of Stella’s former foster kids. They have a child, and then divorce. Daisy, the other sister, is an upright financial advisor, but one with a secret. When ex-husband Cruz is nearly killed, he and the man who almost died saving his life end up back in the same town where Stella and her nieces still live. Throw in another love interest for Bea and a couple more young daughters, and you have an interesting cast of characters. Somehow, the author ties them all together and makes it work for an entertaining romantic read. The characters are likable, the plot enticing, and the romance sweet, and it has the added bonus of a storyline about foster care. Enjoyable and well-written.

Simply Love Book Reviews

3.5 stars

Stella, Bea, and Daisy are all fierce females bound to stay together, stay close and protect what they’ve fought so hard to get. Stella has a heart of gold, she lives through the lives she touches everyday and is an amazing advocate for foster care. She never second guessed her decision to push her life on the back burner to help her nieces, shes longed for the love from her past, until he showed up on her door step. Ed, a doctor returning to the area with a daughter in tow, reaches out to Stella and the sparks fly.

Bea, the ex-wife of a famous musician. Raising their daughter and sorting out some conflicting emotions make Bea’s attempt at moving on harder than she thought. An attack on his life sends Cruz home to try and reconnect with Bea only to find her heart belongs to another. Finding the courage to take her friendship with Shane to the next level will make things more complicated than she imagined with her former husband back in town.

Daisy is very reserved and closed off from most people, a quiet supporter of her families causes. Daisy is holding on to a big secret, playing her cards close to her chest she learns how to breakdown her own walls and reach out to allow love in. Gabe is an adventure lover, never staying in one place for long, earns his living making documentaries. Watching them both heal and figure out how to make each other tick, makes their relationship my favorite.

The Cliff House is a sweet romance that pulls a reader in and allows them to become part of story. The character are complex and very down to earth, they could easily be approachable. The emotions were fairly steady throughout the novel, not a lot of up and down but a consistent pull towards love, hope, healing and satisfaction. Each couples relationship builds is sweet and has its own unique way of standing out and shining on its own. If readers are looking for a slow sweet romance, 2nd chance romances check out The Cliff House.

Tanja ~ KT Book Reviews

Daisy, Bea, and Stella. I love you all.A stunning example of women overcoming and doing the absolute best for themselves and each other. I feel as if this is going to a perfect addition to any springtime/summer reading list. Especially if there is a book club involved. Each woman has her own story. Each is unique and captivating and each are part and sum of the whole.

I truly enjoyed The Cliff House. Laughter, tears, understanding and growth. What I call book perfection.

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Chris Conley

RaeAnne Thayne creates complicated, multi-faceted characters in the most wonderful way. Each time I meet folks she creates I want to know more and more about them and find out what happens next. This is a lovely book.

Heather

RaeAnne Thayne's latest novel is a terrific novel of three women and their journey to find love. Bea and Daisy were taken in by their aunt, Stella, after their mother's death. But in the year before they went to live to Stella, both girls were forever changed by the foster care system. That year away from family changed the lives of all three women in fact and maybe just maybe, twenty years later some of those scars will heal as each finds love and acceptance.
While each of these women do find romance, this book is more about their emotional journey with themselves and one another, making this book fall more into the category of women's fiction that strictly romance. A wonderful read, that had me hooked from page one.

Mary

Review copy from HQN, NetGalley, Little Bird Publicity in exchange for my honest review.

RaeAnne Thayne’s new stand-alone novel is about three women on the precipice of change. The events that transpired years earlier will determine their futures unless and until they find the courage to go after the future they desire.

When sisters Daisy and Beatriz were young girls, orphaned after their mother overdosed, they were taken in and cared for by their young aunt, Stella. Stella hadn’t even graduated from college at this point. Daisy and Beatriz were 11 and 9 years old. They all grew up together while their new family unit became strong.

Beatriz became a wife and mother while still in her teens. Her marriage may not have succeeded but she now had a lovely and smart daughter as well as an ex-husband who maintained a presence in his daughter’s life. Lately he seems interested in rekindling their relationship. She’s been there, done that and doesn’t want to move backward. She’d like to explore her feelings for her best friend since fifth grade!

As the novel opens Daisy meets a stranger in the toothpaste aisle of the grocery store and he’s convinced they’ve met before. She’s certain they haven’t. She’d remember meeting him. Daisy is the serious sister and has always taken on responsibility well beyond her years. That habit has proven hard to break – much to her detriment. It’s made her closed-off to expressing her emotions and that has made her life quite lackluster until her unexpected second meeting with ‘the stranger’. Will she open herself up to the possibility of experiencing more in her life?

Stella receives news on her 40th birthday that, while not a surprise, will definitely be life-changing. She also finds out that the only man she ever loved has moved to her town. Their lives become entwined from day one and give her hope for what she once thought an impossibility – a second chance.

I loved every minute I spent with the women in the gorgeous coastal setting of Cape Sanctuary, California. It’s a story of learning to trust and being open to new and second chances. Recommended to fans of Women’s Fiction and RaeAnne Thayne.

Gail

I received an ARC for my honest review and I received no compensation for my review.
A heartwarming story of family life and finding your one true love. I love on RaeAnne Thayne draws you into the story like you are one of the characters. This story is more complicated than her other stories. A great story!

Laura • lauralovestoread

“𝙸𝚝 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚟𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝. 𝙽𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑. 𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚢, 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗. 𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚎𝚛, 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚞𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍. 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘 𝚎𝚡𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚢.”

The Cliff House by RaeAnne Thayne was a beautiful story of three different women. Sisters Beatriz and Daisy, and their Aunt Stella, who is more like a young Mother to them after losing their own troubled Mom to a drug addiction many years before.

This was my first book by RaeAnne Thayne but I will be back for more! I loved how she told the three stories of these women and how their struggles and heartaches wove together so beautifully. I felt for each of these women as they experienced love and were held back by their different fears. The Cliff House was both a place of love and refuge to this family and I loved seeing their story unfold.

Living in Cape Sanctuary, the sisters never knew all the dreams that their Aunt Stella had sacrificed to ensure they had everything they’d ever need. Now as grown women themselves, it’s time for Stella to reveal the secret she’s been hiding that will change their family forever.

Terri Wino

3-1/2 stars rounded up to 4.

I enjoyed this story about sisters Daisy and Bea and their Aunt Stella. Each had their own storyline that was interesting on its own. This is actually why I knocked off 1/2 a star in my rating -- having three main stories in one book sort of kept me from connecting with the characters as much as I usually do with a RaeAnne Thayne book. I almost wish The Cliff House would have been broken up into three separate short books to really appreciate these ladies.

That aside, I really liked all of the characters in this book. The fellas in this book didn't feel like they were just there in the background; they each had an important role in these ladies' lives.

While this was far from my favorite book by this author, it was enjoyable, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to someone looking for a "beach read" with a little more depth.

booksofallkinds

*I voluntarily reviewed this book via Netgalley

I absolutely adored THE CLIFF HOUSE by RaeAnne Thayne and it has quickly become my favourite book from this author so far.

When Daisy and Bea's flighty mother died suddenly when they were children, they were separated and spent a year in the system before their young aunt, Stella, heard what happened and saved them. Now they are all grown women with their own lives, careers, and families in the stunning town of Cape Sanctuary but as always life has its problems. Daisy has a busy career but she doesn't trust herself to fall in love and is even hiding a huge part of herself from her sister and aunt whom she adores. Bea has a successful career as an artist and adores being a mother to her daughter. She has even started to realise that her long-term best friend may just be the man of her dreams when her charismatic ex-husband arrives back to town determined to win her back. And then there is Stella. A woman who gave up everything to raise her nieces, and who has since dedicated so much of her life to teaching and helping those in foster care who needed her. Now she is ready to do something just for her but she is unsure how her family will react. And when the man she pushed away all those years ago turns up on her doorstep, it may just change everything.

Compelling from the very beginning, THE CLIFF HOUSE by RaeAnne Thayne oozes warmth and connection and I never wanted this story to end. There is drama, secrets, romance, and heartbreak all threaded through this engaging story but it is the strength, courage, and love that these three women embody that really makes this story special. I loved all of the characters but my heart had a special place for Daisy who had built such a wall around herself to hide behind and it was great watching her trust herself again.

THE CLIFF HOUSE by RaeAnne Thayne is an exceptionally good story about sisterhood, strength, and love and I highly recommend it.

Kathryn

The Cliff House is a really wonderful read - I think my favorite from this author. It abounds with love and family and care for the wider community.

Stella is a middle school teacher, a "mother" to her two nieces and a beloved foster mother to many another child. But... she is only forty and she hankers for her own child.Her two nieces are now grown women, a credit to her and themselves - yet some things are not yet sorted.

Bea is a great mother to Mari, born of a marriage to a rock star, that has long since ended and she is so ready to move on. Daisy is a talented financial advisor and accountant, but a little tight and buttoned up. She carries some secrets though.

The story explores the issues of the importance of foster care, and for each of the women a second chance at becoming firstly more themselves and secondly a relationship for each of them that promises to be very fulfilling.

It was a story I just kept reading, there is an adorable dog or two, women who care about each other and men who each have their strengths and abilities to be there for the women they have come to love. A secret here and there, past mistake, some tension and loss, and some big hearted giving.This stand alone book is RaeAnne Thayne's first ever book in hardcover and it is certainly worthy of it.

Melanie

What a great ready by RaeAnne Thayne! I was not sure what to expect from this book, but I got so much more than I ever thought could be in one books! We not only get one, but three love stories that we get to see unfold as we follow Stella, Daisy and Bea in this lovely read. I love how RaeAnne Thayne makes you feel like you fit right in with the everyday lives of the characters. I fell in love with all the characters in their own special way.

When Stella was in her early twenties, she took custody of her nieces Daisy and Beatriz that had become orphaned because of their mother's overdose. Neither Daisy nor Bea's father wanted to have anything to do with them so they had gone to the foster system. Not only had the girls been thrown in foster care, but they had been split up. Thank goodness for their Aunt Stella that was able to take them in.

We found out that when Stella took the girls in, she gave up a relationship that she truly wanted to work, but thought that it would be better to not drag him into having to be a father figure to the girls. Stella has always wondered what could have been with their relationship. One day when Stella is expecting for someone else to be at her door, she is faced with Ed, her long lost love, at the door. What is he doing back in town? Did he know where she lived all along? There are plenty of questions running through Stella mind when she see's Ed.

Daisy Davenport McClure is the older of the girls and has always felt it her responsibility to take care of her younger sister Bea. Daisy has a secret that she has kept from her family for a while now. Will she ever be able to come clean about her big secret? Daisy is a very quiet and reserved person. When Daisy meets the man who is responsible for saving her ex-brother-in-laws life, she knows that there is something about him, but will Daisy let herself get involved with someone she doesn't really know?

Beatriz (Bea) Romero is the youngest of the sisters and has always had a wild side to her. When she was seventeen, she married Cruz Romero and ran off with him to build a life with him and accomplish their dreams. Well, Bea gets pregnant and has their daughter Mari. When things began to fall apart for her and Cruz, Bea knew what she had to do and that was be a good mom for Mari. Cruz had moved back into town for a month or so and has decided that he wants to make amends with Bea. Bea knows that this is not a good idea and the only reason she will even consider it is for Mari. In the meantime, Shane, Bea's longtime best friend is living in her pool house and he and Cruz tend to not get along all that well. What in the world is Bea going to do?

Stella finds herself pregnant at the age of forty from a sperm donor and IVF. While everything is going on with her organization, Open Hearts, will she be able to hold everything together? This is such a great story because we get to follow these three women in their journey to find love. There is a lot of self realization that goes on in this story. I thought that everything flowed really well in the story line. I enjoyed this read so so much! Thanks to RaeAnne Thayne for sure a great read. I can't wait for more form her in the near future!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy!

Joleen

Ms. Thayne is a new-to-me author with delightful style. Wonderful characters with the sort of depth only a good author could portray.

There were three main characters, all women: a forty-year-old middle school English teacher and her two thirty-something nieces. The women's names are Stella, Daisy and Beatriz respectively.

Years before, Stella pretty much put her life on hold to take in her teenage nieces when her sister died. But the year they were in foster-care, before she found out about their mother's death and her ability to take them in, a bad group home had changed the normally up-beat Daisy.

As the story begins, the girls are full grown, one having been married to and later divorced from a rock star, and the other a closet famous artist. Now, all three are at a point in their lives when something big was about to happen to each.

This wasn't Christian fiction, although some people might call it clean. There was language, sexual situations spoken of, but not shown , lots of sexual tension, but again nothing leading to anything being shown. When one character was grateful, it was to God, Buddah, a cosmic being, or whatever, making the person to whom they were thankful vague. Made me sad.

Ah well, I liked this author's writing style a lot, albeit quite secular. I don't believe I will continue reading her books, though.

Lorrie

I managed to make it all the way through this book, but more than once I teetered on the edge of DNFing it. The primary reason for this was because this book tried to do too much, and failed at all of them as a result.

There were too many characters vying for the coveted hero and heroine roles. Not one, not two, but THREE separate storylines all competed for the reader's attention, and ALL of them suffered for it. There was no development. There was no working through issues, because there was no time for any issues of consequence to occur. We were rushing from one character to the next and barely scraping the surface of what COULD have been three decent stories.

I also really, REALLY hated the fact that EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER came from some MAJOR dysfunctional past. EVERY ONE. Not just a little messed up pasts, but HUGE things. About halfway through I was just thinking PLEASE, make someone normal.

I also didn't appreciate all the coercion that happened, not to mention characters sharing very major life event secrets that were not theirs to share.

I think this book could have been 3 very good normal-length Harlequin romances, where we get to stop and smell the roses with each couple. Unfortunately, the need to smush them all together into one volume, and then throw every single dysfunctional past cliche into the mix ruined it for me.

Cathy

Really enjoyed this book! I loved the 3 romances. I wasn’t as enthralled with Daisy. She got on my nerves. But loved the others much! Sweet ending :) this is the second book of hers I read and I really appreciate how her books are clean.

Evelyn

Reviewed for
www.buriedunderromance.com
THE CLIFF HOUSE by RaeAnne Thayne has everything: Second chance at love, friends to lovers, a new romance, family and a little French bulldog who will steal your heart. While reading, I found myself experiencing a whole range of emotions: Interest, confusion, frustration, happiness, heart-break, gladness, sadness. You name it. From smiles to tears and back to smiles.

Daisy and Bea were teenagers when their mother died of a drug overdose. The time they spent separated in foster care left them with problems that their aunt Stella, who was barely 10 years older than the girls, had to help them deal with. The story picks up 20 years later with Stella continuing to open her home to foster children. Bea is a vibrant, successful artist with a daughter and a famous rock star for an ex-husband. Daisy is an accountant who is very private and seemingly lacks emotion. Several men are around to complicate their lives: An ex-husband and a man who saved his life, a handsome athlete and high school coach that they’ve all known since high school, and the town’s new doctor. They eventually sort it all out into three fascinating romances.

The strength of this novel is in the three main female characters, none of which is stronger or more important than the others. Their well-written stories are woven together seamlessly. While it is predictable that HEAs will be involved, it is not predictable how and when they will get there.

I have read many books by RaeAnne Thayne, and I have always come to expect an expertly told story that assumes the intelligence of the reader. I have also come to expect a wonderful romance without having to resort to numerous sex-scenes. THE CLIFF HOUSE does not disappoint on either front. It earns five stars from me.

I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book and the views expressed are my honest opinions.

Asheley T.

3.5/5

This is a solid women's fiction story. I've only read RaeAnne Thayne's romances before this one, and I adore them so much. The Cliff house was also good but I wish I had more from pretty much every character. There are multiple POV's, particularly Aunt Stella and her two nieces Bea and Daisy, and each one of these characters had a romance story. They were all good, but I wouldn't have minded a deeper dive into these relationships.

Audiobook Notes: I added the audiobook via purchase from Libro.fm and sadly, I would not recommend this audio to others. The beginning half was okay. Unfortunately, during the second half, the narrator's inhalation sounds were just too noticeable and loud for me, and far too distracting.

Title: The Cliff House by RaeAnne Thayne
Narrated by: Jorjeana Marie
Length: 10 hours, 41 minutes, Unabridged
Published by: Harlequin Audio

I received a digital advanced copy of this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I paired reading my digital copy with an audiobook copy from Libro.fm that I purchased myself, with my own money. Receipt of this book from the publisher did not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, Harlequin Books!

Mrs Mommy Booknerd http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com

#FirstLine ~ A man was staring at her in the oral care aisle.

I love books that follow multiple characters because you get to really explore numerous lives concurrency. The Cliff House provided the reader a story filled with characters that have to travel their own path to find what happiness really means to them. They are forced to confront their past to be able to fully live their futures free of those past burdens. Each of the characters in this book had their own struggles and realized that the path with the twist and turns is the one that lead them to where they needed to end up. You will find yourself delighted by the ending of this heartwarming story.

Stephenee

I recently found author RaeAnne Thayne and I am so glad that I did. Her books are real, her locations are fun and the reader is instantly drawn to the characters and their locations. The books have a great plot, are fast moving, keep the readers attention and make the reader feel like they are a part of the story.

This book gives us a vacation while we are sitting in our living rooms. I highly recommend this book and this author! A must read -

Dee

Two-haiku review:

Aunt raised two nieces
Each of three has own issues
Can each find true love?

Enjoyable read
Resolution seemed easy
But loved HEA

Jayme

I feel honored to have read the stories of Stella, Bea and Daisy. I almost put the book down when Stella was being unreasonable with the dr.
This story has many ups and downs, twists and losses. I love how the characters became entwined, and I think that the ending was perfection.
I will definitely be rereading this story, just in case I missed something in my race to see how the characters ended up.

Title	:	The Cliff House
Author	:	RaeAnne Thayne
Rating	:
ISBN	:	-
Language	:	English
Format Type	:	Kindle Edition
Number of Pages	:	384
Publication	:	First published March 26, 2019

The Cliff House Reviews

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