Fishpond AU 
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Blue Moon Bay by Lisa Wingate
 
Heather Hampton returns to Moses Lake, Texas, to help facilitate the sale of a family farm as part of a planned industrial plant that will provide the area with much-needed jobs. Heather’s future fiance has brokered the deal, and Heather is in line to do her first large-scale architectural design–if the deal goes through.

But the currents of Moses Lake have a way of taking visitors on unexpected journeys. What was intended to be a quick trip suddenly morphs into Valentine’s week–with Blaine Underhill, the handsome banker who just happens to be opposing Heather’s project. Spending the holiday in an ex-funeral parlor seems like a nightmare, but Heather slowly finds herself being drawn into the area’s history, hope, and heart.

I must say that I should never start a book when I have just moved into a new house! chances are very high that no matter how good the book, I simply will be so tired that I cannot concentrate enough and the book will be put down. Now considering that I generally start and finish a book within 24-36 hours, Blue Moon Bay got the rough end of the deal. This book would have been finished the day after I started reading it if I wasn’t so crazy busy and darned tired from the move.

However I am very glad to say that I did put the book down and stopped reading until I was mentally ready to read again. I did finish it within 24 hours. I spent much of the book as bewildered and frustrated as Heather was about the family secrets being kept from her upon her arrival at Moses Lake. I wanted to march over to her mother and brother and demand to know what they were keeping from Heather. Heather wanted to wring their necks a time or two and I must say that I would have too if I were in her position.

Lisa takes readers on a slow journey to Moses Lake and we get to understand the history of this place and just why Heather dislikes it so much. But does she really? Or is she running from memories and long held prejudices? Things are not as they seem with almost everyone connected with Heather, including her high school crush Blaine Underhill, who appears to also be keeping secrets from her. As she unravels the secrets she discovers that her past and future are not as she envisions.

I have fallen in love with Lisa’s Texas world and can’t help but want to visit this fictional place, filled with odd characters and a long history. I ultimately love small towns and Moses Lake is up there as one of my favourite places. Heather’s journey is not simple, it is at times gut wrenchingly hard and she comes to realize that things are never quite as they seem, in fact they might be better than she first thought.

I hope Lisa returns her reader’s to Moses Lake. I for one will be itching to get back.

PS – I really like Blaine Underhill. Who hasn’t longed for a chance to spend time with the high school crush you admired from a far many years ago?