From the bestselling author of Lulu's Café and Under the Magnolias comes an "intriguing romance set amid the gales of a hurricane" ( Publishers Weekly , starred review).
Free-spirited Opal Gilbert seems to have everything she needs to live a happy life in Sunset Cove, refurbishing vintage furniture to sell at her funky ocean-side boutique, Bless This Mess. Then Lincoln Cole, a new-to-town Marine nursing deep wounds and harboring hurts he can't seem to shake, wanders into her shop. Opal knows a person in need when she sees one and offers Lincoln a job in her workshop. The brooding man has no interest in Opal's offer, however. Thanks, but no thanks.
But then a hurricane strikes the coastal South Carolina town, damaging Bless This Mess. Feeling guilty for how he treated Opal, Lincoln decides to help her repair the store. And soon it becomes clear Opal wants to restore her business and also help Lincoln find restoration. As much as Lincoln tries to keep her at arm's length, Opal's well-meaning meddling begins to heal his wounds . . . and capture his heart almost before he realizes it.
- Contemporary Southern romance with a grumpy/sunshine trope, perfect for fans of Denise Hunter and Rachel Hanna
- Book 1 in the Carolina Coast series