The story of Jessie’s Point is something I think most people are familiar with: how to forgive and grieve, how to find your footing and roots in difficult situations, and how friendships can shape who you are as a person.
We are introduced to Casey, a twenty-something, successful woman, who one day gets a call from one of her best friends, from back at home: her dad is sick. She throws herself into problem-solving mode, hops on the first plane and suspends her life in order to help out her only living relative – even though he doesn’t really wants to do anything with her or her helping hand.
I struggled to understand what motivated Tim, Casey’s dad, to live his life like this, but then it’s dawned upon me, that I have first hand experience with someone, who just kind of devotes her life to grief, being numb to the joy and happenings around her. And I also realised, that it must be painstakingly difficult to face this state of affairs as a child, even as a young adult, feeling like you’ve been abandoned by your mother – by death – and by your father – by grief and depression – at the same time.
I appreciated that the complicated relationship between Casey and her dad wasn’t an easy road to take down Forgiveness Lane, it wasn’t direct or completely satisfactory, as it isn’t in most situations in real life.
Casey was a firecracker, emphatetic main character, with many a flaws and qualities of a great human being. She felt things deeply, even if she was sometimes too unsure, undecided about the happenings around her. Nate was the quiet, stoic and charismatic, and completely sweet. I would've liked a bit more of them, I think they kind of got lost in the shuffle.
I completely adored the tight-knit frienship group / sisterhood that Casey and the girls had, it made me kind of impatient, hurrying to devour their story’s too. And, Gage and Hayes sound right up my alley, when it comes to book boyfriends.
Tess’s writing style is captivating, and as with her other book, Public Trust, I was easily submerged into the storyline. However, as much as I liked the multiple POVs in Public Trust, here, I thought they were complicating matters a bit too much. I didn’t really liked Berty’s POV, and would’ve preferred to hear about Mary and Hayes’s romance from their own book, especially because they get to have their story written.
I have to say, I don’t know who does the cover arts – I have to check – but congrats to you, you manage to use the popular illustations in your favour and have a fresh and unique take on them!

My new favorite book by Tess!! I loved this one so much, and I I so glad this will be a series! I fell in love with this town and the people in it!

This is such a sweet romance novel that explores love through family, friends and romantic partners. This story was told from multiple POVs, and I absolutely loved that! You were able to see from the mind of some of the minor characters.

This was written so well and was funny, sweet, and heartbreaking. I recommend not reading this in public because I was hiding my tears on an airplane 3/4ths of the way through this book! This was a super quick read, and I cannot wait for Spring Tide: Dungeness Hollow Part 2!!

Thank you Tess for my early copy!!

If you haven't read any of Tess's other books I highly recommend those as well! The Fire Drill and Public Trust are out now!!

I loved it! This story is full of heart and characters that you empathize with, root for, and want to be friends with. I absolutely LOVED the relationship between Casey and her “sister” friends and I would like to know more about Meg (hint, hint Tess). I definitely went thru a roller coaster of emotions from laughing out loud to swooning and to even shedding a few tears. Of course, the best part was Casey and Nate’s journey. Tess Shepherd did a fantastic job and I can’t wait for the sequel!

TW: cancer, death, & abandonment

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars

Another fantastic book by this author, hard to believe Jessie’s Point is her third book. Her cover choices always pull me in, but her words and the way she tugs at my emotions will keep me reading. Her gift to keep her writing fresh with each story has me a reader forever.

I read this book in one afternoon. I love small towns and the relationships they create: Casey and her sisters by choice, Her father, Nate, and her neighbors in town. As with her previous books her characters have depth and pull you in. Her visuals created make you part of the experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Author for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

Jessie's point is the perfect place to live. I do not understand why somebody would left. And I get the answer. But hopefully that channge. And all get to its place. I love the friendship between the girls and also boys. And story that ends positive for everybody. Ok still open possibilities for others caracters and I will read the sequels for sure. The perfect Sunday's read.

I got the free copy by netgalley.com

When Casey Carpenter hears her father, Tim, is ill and dying, she returns home to the small Pacific Northwest town of Dungeness Hollow. Her relationship with her dad has been strained ever since Casey's mother passed away twenty years ago, and now their relationship is under more stress as he intends to sell the marina that was her childhood home. Nate Kipling is a local contractor helping Tim fix up the marina. What starts as an antagonistic relationship between Nate and Casey blossoms into an attraction and partnership to bring the marina back to life. And suddenly Casey's got a lot to hold onto in Dungeness Hollow.

What a beautiful story! I cried and sobbed, I laughed, I swooned, I went through a full roller coaster of emotions with these characters and a day after finishing this I already missed them. I loved all the complex relationships in this book, between Casey and her lifelong "sister" friends Mary-Ann and Meg, her dad, Nate, and the town. There are so many layers to each relationship and unweaving those really pulls you into the story. The storyline is captivating and I easily read this in 2 or 3 sittings. I know this part of the world, the Olympic Peninsula, really, really well and Tess did a fantastic job describing it - I could see it, hear it, smell it - it smells so briny by the way! Her little details were perfect. This is mainly Casey’s story but there are multiple third person POVs which I enjoyed to get all the perspectives and it sets up well for the sequel. I can't wait to read the next in this series and head back to Dungeness Hollow!

Thank you to Tess Shepherd and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for honest review. A wonderful story. It took me though different emotions and hard to put down. Lovely story that keeps you interested till the end.