After a very hard marriage to an emotionally abusive man which ended 16 yrs prior, Lucy reconnects with old friends at a wedding. This and the town of Starshine Cove help her and her teen move forward in life. Part of a series but fine on its own. Triggers warning for those who have dealt with abusive relationships.

This was, as expected, another warm and uplifting read set in the wonderful location of Starshine Cove, this time featuring Lucy who still bears the scars of her marriage ten years later. This does touch on the very difficult subject of coercive control but without digging too deeply and it’s very well balanced by the overall positivity of the book. This shows a thoughtful representation of the effect of a toxic relationship and how challenging moving on can be and the importance of trust. This is beautifully balanced out with a very happy continuation of Ella’s story alongside catching up with all the other wonderful residents. I really enjoyed the depth of this story but also the accompanying escapism that each Starshine Cove book offers and I really hope there’s more to come. 9/10

I wasn’t expecting to love this as much as I did! While this is book #3 in a series, it reads well as a stand alone in my opinion. This is my first book by Debbie Johnson, and it won’t be my last. Huge thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the advanced copy. These thoughts and opinions are my own. Publication date April 24, 2024.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for this ARC**

This book read like a cozy Hallmark channel movie, without the cheesiness. I loved all the characters and the town. It made me laugh, cry, and everything in between. This is my first book in the series however I don’t think you need to read them in order to read this one.

What an absolutely beautiful book! From start to finish it was just a real joy to read. Loved the characters and I became very fond of them. Stunning location that you will just want to move to. The Perfect Summer Read!

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for this review copy of Finding hope in Starshine cove. As soon as I saw a new Debbie Johnson story was available, I dropped everything else I had been reading to start this new book. And again, Ms Johnson did nog disappoint.

We are back in Dorset, in the magical little town called Starshine Cove. Ella, who we met in a previous story, is getting married and her best friends are flying in from all over. Lucy and her teenage daughter Rose are coming from Ireland, where they have lived a very secluded life for the past ten years.
Lucy is still recovering from an abusive marriage when she meets all the lovely people from Starshine Cove, including the handsome brother of the groom.

Debbie Johnson’s writing is so comforting. Her stories are sweet, her characters believable but what I love most is that she describes tough situations in a way that touches my heart. When a character in this story was having a panic attack, I felt my own heart racing. I have shed tears when Lucy described what she had gone through and I am sorry to have raced through this book in a weekend.

I absolutely, 100% recommend this book to everyone!

I really liked how abusive relationships, motherhood/daughterhood, and rekindling friendships were talked about. It was real, it was relatable, and it felt genuine. I really believed the friendships and felt the characters were fleshed out. However, as for the actual romance, it felt quite rushed and like it didn't take up the percentage of the story I expected. I also felt like most of the chapters were too long and should have been broken up into two or just cut down. I feel like this would be the perfect read for any mother who has been through an abusive relationship and is on their own healing journey.

I almost immediately fell in love with both Starshine Cove and its quirky characters. The journey the main characters went on was well written and left me wanting more! You'll laugh, you'll cry, you may even get mad and disappointed. But you will not be disappointed to read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

TWs: domestic, emotional/psychological abuse

This is my first Starshine Cove book. The town is charming and seems idyllic. The way Starshine Cove is described makes me want to go visit there. I think this book was more about self-discovery, healing, and friendships with a dash of romance. I originally thought that it was kind of slow-moving for the first few chapters, but after a bit, I realized that it was important to read more of Lucy's backstory and know more about her friendships to understand her character. Even though it's been many years since her divorce from her abusive ex-husband, Lucy is still struggling and healing from what she experienced. Lucy's close friends and Josh all help her face her trauma and move forward. It was great to see how Lucy began to see herself as someone deserving of happiness and to develop the confidence to live her life for herself, and I think that believing in your own self-worth is something we all can take away from this book.

I was definitely worried about her relationship with Josh (he's the best!) in the context of everything that was going on in Lucy's life, but I was ultimately happy with how it all worked out in the end. This was a quick, heartwarming read about a group of friends who are really just going through hardships in their lives with the steadiness and constancy of their friendship to lean on.

This was a nice change of pace from all of the murder mysteries I have been reading lately. I’m glad that Lucy finally found her voice. I just wish that I had been able to see Lyssa’s brothers take care of Robert. Starshine Cove seems like a wonderful place.

This is the third book in this fabulous series but could be read as a standalone although for maximum enjoyment I would recommend reading them all in order.

This instalment focuses on the stories of Lucy and Josh as well as allowing the reader to catch up with the other inhabitants of the beautiful setting of star shine cove.

This is so much more than a romance series and covers a lot of life issues that readers can relate to which are all explored in a sensitive and compassionate way.

I hope there is going to be more books in this series so we can keep track of how the characters lives are going and with everything that happens in star shine cove a place that is sprinkled with magic and everything seems a little brighter with the help of friends and community spirit.

Oh wow this book has had me crying and smiling.
I'm so happy Lucy got happy in the end.
It also shows people you can get strong again.
Lucy is an amazing character and I hope we get to read more from her.
I hope there's more books in this series as it's a brilliant one.

This is my 2nd Starshine Cove novel by the author, and I've really enjoyed them. There's a truly warm, inviting vibe to the stories, and the characters are human and likable (for the most part!). My only complaint would be that this one ended pretty quickly and suddenly. I hope the characters pop up in the next installment -- I will absolutely be a reader.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

This is a sweet, heartwarming, touching and fun story. 10 years after her divorce from an emotionally abusive man, Lucy is still afraid of anyone controlling her. But, she's built a safe life for herself and her daughter and reunited with old friends. Lucy and her daughter attend the wedding of one of those old friends in Starshine Cove, where she finds an outpouring of love, support, kindness and a sense of belonging, along with a little romance.
A delightful, easy read that makes me want to move to Starshine Cove!
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another great visit to sunshine cove. Catching up with old friends a wedding a house move and great story about how abuse in a marriage can be in so many forms.
As usual well written and looking forward to another instalment soon.

What a sweet story about love, friendships, and finding family.
I loved how Starshine Cove accepted Lucy into their community without question.
Lucy has a condition called PTSD
I learned much about this subject while reading this book.
By the way, I'm happy to be back in Starshine Cove. This community made me feel welcome as well.
I'm giving this one 5 stars for keeping me engaged the whole way through.
I highly recommend a box of tissues but I promise that there are some funny scenes too.
Rose is a delightful character as well. She's the one who made me smile.
Lots of wonderful new characters that we'll get to meet too.
My thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wonderful feel good story. I love reading these as a palate cleanser after something crazy. Thank you

Book Reveiw: Finding Hope in Starshine Cove
Stars: 4 X 5
Author: Debbie Johnson
Publisher: Storm Publishing

Lucy has been dealing with the after effects of an abusive relationship from 16 years ago. One could say that she has PTSD. He ex Robert is an MD and is remarried with two small children. Lucy’s friend Ella is getting married at Starshine Cove. She brings her 16 year old daughter Rose with her for the wedding. Many of Lucy’s old University friends are also attending the wedding. Lucy ends up seeing Josh at the wedding as he is the brother of Ella’s fiancé’s brother. Lucy at Josh recently had a chance encounter at the airport and Lucy pretended to be someone else. Josh is rather upset with her as he doesn’t like people who lie and lets it be known and tells her that they can just get through the wedding. As the wedding festivities go on, Josh and Lucy get to know each other and Lucy continues to have issue with her PTSD and she finally lets her girlfriend know what has happened in the past. Lucy and Josh become closer and then Lucy’s ex shows up and confronts her. He is looking for his wife and children as she has packed up her belongings and left him. Lucy’s friends rally around her as she finally stand up to her ex Robert. The wedding is a success. Lucy and Josh now have to decide what to do with their relationship. The one thing that is apparent is Lucy is doing better now as is Rose. Lucy was once a veterinarian and she has now decided to go back to school, take courses she need to become a practicing veterinarian again. As for Josh and Lucy, you will need to read the book to see how that chapter ends. Thanks Debbie Johnson for a wonderful story.

This book was a lovely, heartwarming English small village story! I loved the found family aspect for Lucy and Rose, and how the people of Starshine Cove were remarkably friendly and welcoming to everyone that came their way! I loved Lucy’s character as she was compassionate and thoughtful, she strived to put Rose first and be a good mum whilst also trying to protect herself and cover up the feelings left behind by her ex-husband. I liked that even though he’d cheated and left her for the woman he ended up married to, Lucy still went out of her way to help Lyssa even though she was the other woman.

I absolutely fell in love with Josh, he was just lovely! He was so understanding and patient with Lucy and even though they got off to a rocky start their banter and chemistry was fun to read!

Overall. I really enjoyed this book, it was beautifully written and I want to live in Starshine Cove!

There's something magical about Starshine Cove, a tiny town in Cornwall. It's impossible to find on a map, but it's filled with residents who support each other and welcome with open arms anyone lucky enough to find the town. In the third in the Starshine Cove series, Finding Hope in Starshine Cove, it's single mom Lucy who travels from her current home in rural Ireland to the Dorset village, along with her 16-year-old daughter, Rose. She's there to reunite with physician Ella and two of her other university friends on the occasion of Ella's wedding. But wouldn't you know it--Josh, a man with whom Lucy had a flirtatious encounter at an airport (under an assumed name and persona), is the groom's brother.

This is not primarily a love story, although Lucy and Josh warm to each other as the story progresses. It's really more about domestic psychological abuse from Lucy's ex-husband Robert. Lucy left Robert 10 years ago with young Rose after Robert had stripped her of all confidence in herself and isolated her from her family and friends. It was only when he started an affair with Lyssa that Lucy was able to flee, but Rose still visits her father in London periodically. Now it seems that Lyssa, Robert's second wife, is suffering the same abuse and trying to find a way out of the situation for herself and their three children.

The author excels in her descriptions at both ends of the spectrum-- evocative, beautifully depicted details about Starshine Cove and its inhabitants on one hand and, on the other, the harsh realities of how psychological abuse from a spouse can ruin someone's life. Lucy's daughter Rose is the standout character for me. She is a delightful mixture of teenaged angst and mature emotional intelligence, and her take on her mother's self-limited life is enlightening. There are characters from the previous two books that appear, but it's not necessary to have read those books to appreciate and understand this one. Best of all, readers of the series will realize that there will always be a happy ending, even if it's not the one we expect.

My thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.