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SEA GLASS WINTER – JoAnn Ross
A Shelter Bay Novel , Book 5
Signet
ISBN: 978-0-451-23893-1
January 2013
Contemporary Romance

Shelter Bay, Oregon, the Present

Once again the small coastal town of Shelter Bay opens its arms to welcome newcomers seeking a haven. Former tech sergeant Dillon Slater still dreams of his dangerous job disabling explosive devices, but he's settling in as physics teacher and basketball coach at the local high school. Single mom Claire Templeton recently moved here from Los Angeles to remove her son Matt from bad influences. Matt, though only fifteen, is something of a phenomenon at basketball. The town booster club is aware of that and don't hesitate to put pressure on Coach Slater to turn their losing team into champions. Matt resents moving from L.A. to this uncool town of losers. (Matt may be a bit sullen as teens are often wont to be, but he's a bright, likable young man.) A meeting of his mom and the coach is in order…

While Claire and Matt get settled in, they meet many of the town's residents. Clair is pleased at the warmth with which she's met. It's not all smooth for Matt being the new kid in school, and some resentment from the team is natural. He does make a new friend on the first day, however…

In SEA GLASS WINTER, Claire, who bore Matt at eighteen after being badly used by a man, lived with her mother until her mother's recent death in Beverly Hills and worked at home designing jewelry. She's currently expanding her repertoire by blowing art glass in the garage of their beach cottage. Dillon went through a Troops to Teacher program and must be one of its greatest successes. No one could help but love him.

The first chapters of the book are split among Dillon's, Claire's and Matt's points of view. Other characters are introduced in each and some will have chapters of their own as their stories are told. Prominent among them is Phoebe Tyler, who landed in town after fleeing an abusive relationship. Then there are ex-SEAL Max Douchett and local sheriff Kara Conway whom we met in book one of the series, THE HOMECOMING. Many of the males featured in the Shelter Bay novels are ex-military men decompressing from their experiences, while the women grow in strength and self confidence. Many other individuals and couples, new and recurring, come to life under Ms. Ross's talented hand.

SEA GLASS WINTER will wrap you in warmth and good feeling. There's enough conflict and romance to keep one turning pages, but the fun is in letting yourself sink into the whole atmosphere of a happy community of good and generous people. I've read many who say this series will make you want to move to Shelter Bay. I can only say ‘ditto.”

Earlier titles in the Shelter Bay series are: ONE SUMMER, ON LAVENDER LANE, and MOONSHELL BEACH.

Jane Bowers

 
   
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