Back to You

Sunset Beach Stories, Book 2

By: Annie Carr, Sharon Hamilton

Narrated by: JD Hart

Sometimes love is sweeter the second time around.

Tested by the years of career ups and downs in New York, attempting to salvage a loveless marriage for the sake of his daughters, science fiction best-selling author Frank Borges always wonders what happened to the girl he left behind when he vacationed in Sunset Beach, Florida in order to write his next novel.

Carmen remembers the troubled man who poured over his writing like a fiend from the black lagoon. His struggle with alcoholism and neglect is a difficult enemy to overcome, yet she tries, as she begins to fall hard for this older man—who could never be hers to keep—to help bring the spark and magic back to his world. He’d been held in the vicious grips of debilitating writers’ block, but Carmen’s healing touch peels the negative layers away and uplifts him, restoring him to the power he once felt—the power he once had with his words.

But fate plays a cruel trick on them both when he is forced to return to New York to harvest the success and fame he’s garnished at Carmen’s hand.

What has made him stronger, invincible, also splits them apart.

He often wonders what ever happened to her—until he learns she has returned to where they began. Does he deserve a second chance at love?

©2023 Sharon Hamilton (P)2023 Sharon Hamilton

Second chance romance with addiction

I picked this one because I really enjoy stories where authors are characters and I love a romance set at the beach particularly in the summer. While there were aspects of this book I liked, overall it wasn't for me. I did like the beach setting and it was interesting to read a romance with older characters. However, I didn't really end up liking Frank or Carmen. Frank struggled with alcoholism and despite having money, a family and a successful career felt very sorry for himself. He also seemed depressed and got very little support from the people in his lives. His agent and publisher pushed him not to get treatment and compared alcohol detox treatment to a spa even though his drinking was effecting his writing. The book never really touched on this being problematic or damaging. There was a lot of just be a man kind of language as well. Carmen on the other hand seemed to spend her life being pushed around and allowing other people to tell her what to do. Finally, the book ended abruptly. I would have liked to know more about Carmen's bookshop, Carmen and Frank's relationship and Franks book. I was disturbed in general by how this book talked about suicide. Frank seems suicidal at times and it is never addressed. Also a side character attempts suicide to get her husband back and the doctors encourage the husband to stay which would definitely not happen unless they are bad doctors. Another pet peeve of mine is when a romance sends the message that finding the right person cures mental health problems. That is not the case, while this book didn't completely go down that road it definitely was pretty close to that message.

I listened to the audiobook version of Back to You. Overall it was fine but there were a few weird things. Frank spoke with a pretty unusual cadence. It didn't bother me but it might some people. Also phone calls sounded pretty weird and the voice used for the one black character in the book seemed like a bit of a stereotype. I would honestly recommend going with the book if you are going to read this one.

I received a free copy of this book via Annie Carr's Sweet Romance & Women's Fiction Review Team and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Second Chance

A little slow in holding my attention, but once hooked it was great. Sweet story of second chance love with a HEA ending. Clean story. Appreciate the look into the lives of those “who have it all” , they may not really have it. We all have our demons and trials. This was book 2, I want to go back and review book 1. Stories can be enjoyed separately. The story line is interesting. I feel characters need more depth, and the ending was rushed. Burning question, and I would love to know the answers, whatever happened with the squatters? It went from “will be expensive legal fees” to resolved…. Narration was good. I received a free copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I love a HEA

I really loved the first book in the series and I was looking forward to this 2nd book.
A sweet 2nd chance romance with a HEA, my fave ending :)
I had a bit of a challenge connecting to the main characters at first. The more I listened, the more I grew to understand them and like them. Quite a twist in the secret revealed almost at the end. I am happy they both got their HEA, she definitely deserved it. - 4 stars

Listening to JD Hart is no chore for sure, I love listening to the voices he gives the characters and their emotions in each situation. - 5 stars

Sweet Second Chance to Love Later in Life Romance!

This is the second book in the Sunset Beach Series. Carmen and Frank's second chance at love later in life is beautifully written, and engaging. They are both interesting character. The storyline, told from past to present, is slow paced, filled with secrets, and romance. JD Hart did a great job bringing this story to life. I received a free copy of this book via Annie Carr's Sweet Romance & Women's Fiction Review Team and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Back to You!

This is such a good and sweet second chance romance. The story is about Carmen and Frank who met twenty years earlier in while both were in Florida. He was a writer from New York and was getting a divorce from his wife. She was from California and returned there. She eventually met someone and married him but they had no children. Now she has returned to that special place in Florida. Frank has not had it easy and is struggling with alcohol. He is being sent to Florida for some creative time. Carmen and Frank come face to face. This is a good story. The narrator did a good job bringing the characters and story to life.

Narration and Story Were Not For Me.

I truly had to take a step back and think about the review for this audio book before I wrote it. I wanted to like it, but I did not. This book was not for me in any way.

I did not enjoy the narration. It made me feel as if the book was just being read to me instead of imparting any type of emotion. Then I had to wonder where the narrator came up with the voice for the original bookstore owner. It was not a good choice.

The first few chapters were painful. It was a struggle for me to get through them. I wanted to give up after chapter 3, but I kept pushing through hoping it would become more engaging.

I felt completely disconnected from both Frank and Carmen. I am not sure if it was the monotony of the narration, or the continuous introspection both characters seemed to embrace. I could not come up with enough of anything to care about either one. There was nothing in this book that made me feel happy, lighthearted, or give me any sense of romance.

They held secrets from each other. Ok, I thought that once revealed, I would finally feel something. I found nothing in this book to be sweet or romantic. I thought it was depressing. Even when they reconnected, it still seemed painful and depressing to me. I felt like Frank substituted one addiction for a dependence on Carmen. It seemed like holding Frank up fed a need in Carmen.

It was like they each did some damage in their previous relationship and they needed to move on. 20 years later, I had to wonder how genuine their feelings were after spending very little time together.

But, it seems as though with secrets revealed and addictions addressed, they got their HEA. I read some of the reviews AFTER I finished the book and it looked like people saw something I did not see and felt something I did not feel. Also, what happened to the squatters? Who were they? Did I miss something there?

Therefore, my suggestion would be that you read or listen and judge for yourself.

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed this audiobook received via Booksprout.

to you

I love listening to JD Hart

Frank meets Carmen in Florida, while he trying to keep his marriage from falling apart. They fall in love. Frank’s wife wants to try and keep there marriage. Carmen devastated but moves on and gets married. Twenty years later and Carmen’s husband has died and she decides to go back to Florida and that is when Carmen and Frank meet again. This is a story of second chances of happiness, and over coming pain.