When race car driver Wolfe Conrad returns to his hometown of Huckleberry Bay, Oregon to participate in a charity race, he expects it to be a quick visit. Unfortunately, an accident on the track puts a premature end to his racing career, so he decides to stay in town and open a high-end garage specializing in vintage car restoration and repair. He moves into his late parents' house on Lighthouse Way and quickly reconnects with childhood friend and neighbor Luna Winchester, who took over for her parents as the lighthouse keeper when they retired to Florida. Now that they're both adults, Wolfe can't help seeing Luna as the attractive woman she's become; is it possible that they were always meant to be more than just friends?
I really enjoyed this story's quirky small town vibe as well as a lot of the background elements of the plot, especially Luna's quest to uncover the details of her ancestor Rose's tragic love affair. I also liked Wolfe and Luna as a couple, but something about the pacing of their relationship development felt off to me. It's tough to explain, but I think it was the fact that it felt so much like insta-love, which IMO is an odd combination with the friends-to-lovers trope. Granted, they were apart for a number of years, but they acted like they just saw each other yesterday when Wolfe came back to town. There was never really any acknowledgement of the many ways in which they each must have grown and changed in the time they were apart.
Further, I was somewhat annoyed with the way a few plot threads were just dropped at the end of the book, such as the investigation into the arson at Wolfe and Zeke's garage. I hope that will be addressed in the next book. The epilogue that wasn't really an epilogue, but rather a flashback setting up book 2, was also annoying. That said, the setup for book 2 (and beyond) is intriguing, and I liked the secondary characters enough to want to read their stories.
Despite my frustrations, I enjoyed "Lighthouse Way" and would recommend it for all contemporary/small town romance fans. I look forward to the next book in the series.
*Review copy provided by the author via Valentine PR. All opinions expressed are my own.
About "Lighthouse Way"
Luna Winchester's life is firmly entrenched in the coastal town of Huckleberry Bay, Oregon. A fourth-generation lightkeeper, Luna is carrying on the Winchester tradition by tending to the lighthouse. Plus, she's decided to renovate a long-abandoned building on the property and make it a B&B, Luna's Light. Surrounded by family and her two childhood best friends, her life is full.
Wolfe Conrad is in hiding, and he's come to Huckleberry Bay to heal. A career-ending accident on the track nearly took his life, and now he seeks refuge to try and build a new one. The quaint town's slow pace rattles the man whose first love is fast cars--and then there's the beautiful innkeeper, who rattles him in different ways.
Falling in love with Luna definitely isn't part of Wolfe's plan. Local legends that tell of unrequited love and despair? Unbelievable. But stranger things have happened, like two strangers falling in love...
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