Seaside Letters

Sabrina Kincaid detachedly serves Tucker McCabe breakfast daily at the Cobblestone Café in Nantucket, but the two spend evenings at a local online venue, connecting through aliases of "Sweetpea" and "Harbormaster." Whereas real-life interactions have been cold and impersonal, communicating anonymously has allowed the two to become close. But neither has revealed who they really are, so once Tucker tries to find the person behind Sweetpea, their relationships --- both online and face-to-face --- take one wicked turn after another. Tucker had tried to ask Sabrina to meet at the café several times before, but his attempts were met coolly and uncertainly, so it's ironic that the two have spent their evenings together online anonymously for the past year. They've become as close as a couple can be who haven't actually met, but how can you truly be close when you don't know who the person is? That's the kicker and the thing that Tucker would like to change. He finally wants to meet Sweetpea, so he attempts to generate contact by sending her a picture of himself and asking her to do the same. Unfortunately, that's when his attempts fail as Sabrina recognizes their relationship can never be. Harbormaster is, of course, the Tucker she knows from the café, and though Sabrina wants to be with him, he'll always be off limits. In order to throw him off, Sabrina sends him a picture of her cousin, Arielle. If Sabrina can get Tucker's mind off this little fling, everything will be just fine. But what she doesn't know is, for Tucker, the relationship between Sweetpea and Harbormaster is no mere fling and not simply based on idle communication. He's fallen hard for her, and he's sure that Sweetpea is the one he wants. Tucker tells his family about her and decides that he's going to find her whether she wants to be found or not. He learns through the grapevine that Sabrina also works as a research assistant, so he asks her to help locate Sweetpea through clues from their letters. It is a real job that Tucker is offering Sabrina, and she decides she has no choice but to take it or risk losing the relationship --- or, worse, having someone else actually find Sweetpea. The notion of facing Tucker as Sweetpea scares Sabrina enough to consent, even knowing that she'll have to spend time with him every day. Keeping her feelings secret is difficult, even more so because Sabrina is constantly misinterpreting signals from Tucker. Every day, Tucker's hand seems to brush across hers, and he stays very close to her. It's an intoxicating thing for a mere mortal to have to resist. Being near Tucker is killing her, and Sabrina is terrified that she won't be able to hide it. She reminds herself that Tucker's interest is in Sweetpea, not her, and that she just needs to get the job done and he'll give up. But Tucker doesn't make it easy for Sabrina, and while attempting to resist a man who is irresistible, she must hide a number of things that Tucker knows about Sweetpea. Since

While the sea laps to shore along Nantucket Island's coastline, two people search for love through a maze of betrayal, mystery and brokenness. Grab your coffee, pull up a chair and settle in to a heaping serving of romance as you consume the pages of "Seaside Letters." But beware. This poignant story will have you searching for more of Denise Hunter's books!

My Synopsis: Sabrina Kincaid is a waitress at Cobblestone Cafe, and a part-time research assistant for Renny, a local mystery writer. She's been through some very tragic experiences in her short life. They have caused her to become a timid person, who lacks self-confidence, and feels like she is unlovable because of them. Tucker McCabe is the owner of Cap'n Tucker's Water Taxi, and is head over heels in love with "Sweetpea" ~ his best friend online ~ who has stolen his heart. He wants to find her, so he can really get to know her in a face-to-face relationship. He decides to hire Sabrina to help him with his search. Sabrina is reluctant to lend a hand...especially since she is, in fact, "Sweetpea"...and she has serious romantic feelings for him! She's not sure she can be around him for extended periods of time, without him discovering her secret. My Review: I really enjoyed Tucker and Sabrina's unique love story ~ it's a refreshing change from the typical Christian Fiction romances that are currently available. The fact that Tucker and Sabrina have an online relationship that's more open and honest than their in-person relationship was an interesting concept. Sabrina feels more comfortable talking to Tucker via email, where she's able to share some of her past heartbreaking experiences. Tucker is ready to take the relationship to the next level and meet in person, but Sabrina is scared to death of him finding out that she's really "Sweetpea", and that she could lose the most important person in her life. I'm a member of Thomas Nelson's Book Review Blogger program. To read more of my reviews, [...]

As a waitress by day, Sabrina Kincade serves Tucker McCabe coffee, all the while keeping a huge secret from him. By night, she corresponds with Tucker in an e-mail relationship under the name "Sweetpea" to ensure her anonymity. When Tucker hires her to help him discover the identity of his mysterious on-line friend, she finds herself in over her head. She works to keep the secret and tries to stop him from discovering who he's really looking for--her. In the meantime, she battles with her past and falls even harder for him than she ever thought possible. She doesn't want to reveal her true identity but not doing so could keep her from the most meaningful relationship she's ever had. Seaside Letters starts by gripping your mind with a fun story full of twists, then follows through by securing your heart. I especially enjoyed the depth and relatable nature of the characters. I was drawn into their lives and found myself rooting for them to find happiness.