Sea Glass Winter
Shelter Bay, Book 5
Nal Signet
Contemporary
ISBN 978-0451238931
Reviewed by Nannette

Claire Templeton and her son Matt moved from the bright lights and shining stars of L.A. to the small town of Shelter Bay, Oregon to start over when Matt got into some trouble in school. Matt is a basketball phenom, and the town’s looking forward to him taking their losing team to a championship. Dillon Slater was an ordnance disposal specialist in the military before he became a high school physics teacher and basketball coach in Shelter Bay. Matt’s having trouble adjusting, and Claire is determined to not fall for Dillon, but Dillon has other ideas. He’s used to getting what he wants, and what he wants, is Claire.

I was wary of starting the Shelter Bay series with book five, but I didn’t feel I missed a beat. While the main protagonists are Dillon, Claire, and Matt, secondary characters fill the gaps, and I felt like just the right amount of back-story was given on each to make their stories complete. Joanne Ross provides a lot of fact with this heart-warming, fictional story. I got a few history lessons, learned about glass making, the dangers ordnance disposal specialists face, and indulged in one of my favorite subjects, basketball, to name a few. Sea Glass Winter is a down-to-earth adult romance that also has a teen’s perspective on respect, responsibility, and first love. Matt and Aimee’s story would be a wonderful Shelter Bay novel. They are endearing characters, and I’d love to read about them later on in their lives. (Assuming they end up together!) Sea Glass Winter is a satisfying, heartfelt read.