This was such a nice read, a story of second chances at love. Love the dual POV and the MMC was swoon worthy. I did find it the MMC a little too good to be true at times but it was also nice to read a romance that wasn't filled with toxic behavior. There was some intense moments where I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see what happened and it was different to read a romance story of a widow. Overall I did enjoy this read and enjoyed a happy story for a change!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

What a great romcom!! This is a first for me by this author but will not be my last. It was such a cute story! The writing style is great and I loved the characters chemistry.

This was a sweet single mom/widow romance; Izzy is a great character. However I didn't find there to be much chemistry between the characters and the writing itself was just so slow I was bored. Sorry but this book just didn't fully land for me. The plot was good though.

I really liked the description of this book- young widow with two kids moves to start over in a small town and catches feelings for her brothers best friend. So many tropes I love: small town, second chance, brothers best friend...I was disappointed in the execution of this book. As a mom I can't imagine allowing a man I barely knew to take control of my time and my kids the way Izzy let Zander do! Surprising her and the kids with an overnight?!? What? There was good raw material here, interesting characters, and exploration of grief, but this book didn't land for me at all. It would benefit from some editing and dialogue being punched up. Probably better for fans of Lifetime romance movies. Thanks to Net Galley and Jensen Rose Long for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Coast is Clear by Jensen Rose Long
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Izzy is a widow with two young sons. They moved to Breakaway Shores, a small town on the Oregon coast. Izzy's brother, Luke is a realtor and he is helping her find the family a new home. They find the perfect house but the owner is a retired football player who is also friends with Luke. Sparks fly between Izzy and Zander. Izzy is scared of opening up to him and still grieving the loss of her husband. He slowly breaks down her walls but he is supposed to move after summer. Is this just a temporary thing or will the relationship last?

Zander is so wonderful!! He is so good to Izzy. He takes things slow and at a speed that she is comfortable with. He is super thoughtful, kind, and goes out of his way to show appreciation. I really enjoyed this story and appreciated the representation of finding love after a great loss. It was a little bit of a slow burn, but due to the MFC journey I think it was a necessary build.

Read this book if you like:
💕Little bit of a Slow burn
💕 Single mom
💕 Retired Football player
💕 Brother's best friend

Thank you to Net Galley and Victory Editing for the ARC book!

I want to thank NetGalley and Victory Editing Co-op for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was disappointed to be honest.. the lack of chemistry I felt was so sad.. the 2 main characters for me were kind of boring and every time they were together I felt absolutely nothing.. I’m hoping the next book will be better!

Review Posted to GoodReads. Review Posted 9/12/24. Link for review attached below. Thank you so much for the awesome read! It was truly enjoyable!

The Coast is Clear is a cute, heartwarming story of finding love after the loss of a spouse. This was a cute, quick read with adorable mcs. Izzy and Zander just fit so well together (and who doesn't love a couple who can communicate?)

Unfortunately it felt like there were a lot of sub plots that just weren't finished. I would have loved to see more about Izzy's book and a resolution between her and her mil.

I can't wait to see what comes next in Breakaway Shores (and hope to see more about Luke)

~Dual-POV, Second-chance romance, Single-mom, and more!~

The Coast is Clear by Jensen Rose Long follows Izzy, a 26-year-old widow with two young boys. Izzy is ready for a new start and to live close to her brother, Luke. So, she plans a summer trip to Breakaway Shores to go house-hunting and allow her boys to soak up the sun and play in the sand. With the help of Luke, who is a real estate agent, she finds the perfect house before it even hits the market. The handsome owner of Izzy and her boy's dream house, Zander, is also Luke's best friend. Zander is a retired football player who is in need of a change, which is why he decided to sell his house in the first place. He doesn't know where he will go or what he will do, but he knows something in his life needs to change. So when Izzy and her boys come to town and sparks fly between the two, Zander finds out what he's been missing. But is Izzy ready to take another chance on love after the death of her late husband? And is Zander prepared for all the big changes coming his way?

4| This was a quick and heartwarming read. I loved the town of Breakaway Shores and the descriptions of the scenery that came along with it. I wish I had gotten to see more of the shops and people. I enjoyed the characters in this book. Izzy is an extremely likable character; she is always looking out for her boy's best interests and creating a safe and stable life for them. The topic of Izzy's grief was handled beautifully. I think it was really important that she was at a point where she knew Jack would be happy for her instead of feeling like she was betraying him in moving on. I loved how Izzy always reminded the boy of their father and was always willing to talk about him despite her own feelings. The issue was well written and did a fantastic job showing how complex grief is and how it can impact people differently. I wish we had gotten to see more of Luke; at one point, it seemed like there were some developments in his love life, and then it was never mentioned again. I feel like there was a lot of him initially and almost none in the end. I wish it were a bit more consistent. His character was interesting, and I enjoyed how different sides of him were shown through the two POVs. A friend's description versus a sister's is bound to be different, and it was nice to see both. The dual POV in this book was lovely and added a lot to the story. Without it, I think there would have been some blanks in the character's feelings and insecurities.

My main issue with this book was how some aspects felt unfinished. For example, we never heard what happened with Izzy's book, which felt like an oversight. I also wish I got to see more of a wrap-up with her in-laws because it felt like something else was going on. I think more of an explanation of how Izzy's relationship with her mother developed, whether it be negative or positive, would have added a lot, especially with all the hurtful things that were said. One aspect I was desperate to hear more about was Dee. It was odd she wasn't mentioned, especially in the epilogue. I would have liked to see more moments with Izzy and her. Even mentioning how she was doing would have been good, but no mention of her at all felt strange. I loved how Dee and Zander interacted and wanted more of that. The ending seemed to happen quite fast. I would have liked a little more explanation of Zander's decision at the end and how his day-to-day life changed because of it. A more expanded ending would have solved many of these issues for me.

Overall, this was a sweet and heartfelt book about grieving, healing, and moving on. I loved how loss was handled in this book and the insights it gave to how people deal with death differently. Zander's character was amazing; because of his past experiences, he deeply understood Izzy's feelings, which is exactly what she needed. He was kind and patient with the boys and always willing and happy to help. Izzy is strong and passionate about her family and doing the best she can. The characters in this book were great, and I loved the scenery. While there were some heavy topics talked about, it still managed to be a heartwarming read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can not wait to see what else this author writes!

Beautiful love story about a woman who lost everything. I loved the setting of the Oregon Coast which is so atmospheric. Definitely add this to your list!

Sometimes you find a book that pulls you in instantly, the characters are endearing, and you’re immediately hooked. This is that book. Read it! Enjoy it!

Read for….
-single mom
-adorable kiddos
-retired football player
-brother’s best friend
-happy endings