So much excitement when I realised there was a new book set in Starshine Cove. It was like reuniting with old friends and Debbie Johnson writes in such a way that I feel I am there right in the midst of it with everyone. I feel the sun on my face, the wind in my hair and can almost smell that wonderful smell a combination of sun, sea, sand, grass and of course cake!

This instalment in the series centres around the lovely Connie. Connie has been a supporting part in the other books in the series and we know that she is a single mum with three grown-up children, runs the local cafe and has a huge heart. Tragically her husband was killed a number of years ago in a car accident while taking his sister to the hospital to give birth. Since then Connie has been single and concentrating on her children and her business. Now though all of her children have flown the nest and for the first time she realises that she is lonely.

The book begins with a bit of back story about her life before Starshine Cove and how she met Simon (her husband). Back in the day Connie was a phenomenon - she ran her own restaurant in London and was fast on track to become a Celebrity Chef but then she crashed and burned, before being ‘rescued’ by Simon and putting those days behind her.

Now she likes the simple life and those crazy days feel like a lifetime ago. However, when her daughter Sophie inadvertently brings a figure from Connie’s past, she starts to wonder what her future could hold.

Absolutely fantastic book with definite laugh out loud moments. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Book Review: Starting Over in Starshine Cove by Debbie Johnson

If you’re looking for the perfect cozy escape, Starting Over in Starshine Cove is just the book you need. This heartwarming romantic comedy by Debbie Johnson is everything I love in a feel-good read: charm, warmth, laughter, and just the right amount of emotion to keep you hooked from start to finish.

Connie Llewelyn, the main character, is the heart of Starshine Cove. She runs the local café, and everyone in the village seems to know and love her. Having lost her husband five years ago, she’s been raising her children and supporting her extended family, always putting others first. But now that her children are grown and moving on with their lives, Connie starts to wonder about her own future and what she wants for herself.

Enter Zack. A face from Connie’s past, Zack’s sudden return to Starshine Cove stirs up emotions and possibilities she wasn’t expecting. Could there be a second chance for love? Or is she simply too afraid to take the risk? What I really loved about this story was how Johnson explores the idea of self-discovery and embracing change. Connie is such a relatable character—she’s strong, caring, and dedicated, but she’s also someone who needs to learn to put herself first and live for her own happiness. Watching her journey unfold was a truly beautiful experience.

The setting of Starshine Cove is also absolutely magical. Johnson paints such a vivid picture of this idyllic seaside village, and the community feels so welcoming and tight-knit. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, and the support and love from the people around Connie are so touching. It’s easy to imagine yourself sipping coffee at the café, chatting with friends, and watching the waves roll in.

Zack is a wonderful romantic interest as well—he’s caring, thoughtful, and clearly has a soft spot for Connie. Their chemistry is palpable, and the slow-burn romance between them was such a joy to watch develop. I found myself rooting for them the entire time.

What I really appreciated about Starting Over in Starshine Cove is how it doesn’t shy away from the complexities of life. While it’s definitely a light and feel-good read, it also addresses deeper themes like grief, healing, and the courage it takes to move forward after loss. Connie’s growth throughout the book is inspiring, and by the end, I was left with a heart full of hope.

If you’re a fan of second-chance romances, the power of community, and stories that leave you with a smile on your face, then I can’t recommend Starting Over in Starshine Cove enough. It’s the perfect read for when you need a little escape, and I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series!

Rating: 5/5
A heartwarming, uplifting read that made me laugh, cry, and fall in love with Starshine Cove. Absolutely perfect!

When you start to read a book that is set in Starshine Cove, you inwardly feel a big hug surrounding you, as you know that you will so enjoy again the immersion into the wonderful magic of the Cove and its residents.
This time we learn the back story of one of the residents of the cove - Connie - she has been in all the storylines of the previous books. But this does not stop you reading this as a standalone as the author does give you snippets of what has happened in previous storylines. (You will want to read the others!).
It was refreshing for a mature lady to have her story told with thought and passion. Connie had had an exciting twenties and then realised she was on a bit of a roundabout but managed to get off and found solace in Starshine Cove, rebuild her life with family and tragedy. But now her nest is empty she can spend time rebuilding her own life and by chance she thrown back into her history with fun consequences.

A lovely book and series long may it run.

This is a lovely story in a lovely setting. I really enjoyed this story of loss and love and new beginnings. Told with warmth and humour as well as poignancy. I would recommend, many thanks

Connie and Zach have both experienced loss and sorrow. With their children now grown up they both face the prospect of increasing loneliness as they grow older. They dance around each other as they come to terms with their emotions and mutual attraction with some delightfully witty dialogue.

A thoroughly enjoyable, feel good story. The delightful rural setting of Starshine Cove is described in charming detail with a real sense of community. The characters are well developed with a gentle balance of romance and humour.

Oh Starshine Cove how I’ve missed you. I loved visiting again.

I love Connie, we’ve met her many times in previous books but now we get to find out a lot more about her. We meet her before she comes to Starshine and we get a glimpse of her life with her husband Simon and their kids while living life to the fullest at Starshine Cove. And then we are up to present day and Connie is an empty nester.

What are the odds that her first trip to visit her daughter at uni she meets the one other person in her life she’s had feelings for, but it’s also someone from her life pre Starshine. The developing friendship between Connie and Zack was really beautiful. They are each navigating life after loosing a partner and also trying to make sense of their growing feelings for each other.

I really enjoyed reading about a couple finding love again in later life. It was sensitively written and I found the characters relatable and their bravery at taking a chance on love again admirable. I really wish someone from Starshine Cove will take me under their wing.

Debbie Johnson does it again. Her writing is just so familiar. You are literally swept along with the characters of Starshine Cove. I could read her books again and again and again...

This is my second book by Debbie Johnson. I enjoyed my first book of hers, that I didn't even bother reading the book blurb. I just requested it on the spot. I was hit with a lot of emotions in this book, I wish now that I would have read the book blurb, so I was more prepared. But that was on me. I have suffered huge losses in my own life, so I wasn't prepared to get so smacked in the face with it.

Now, this is going to have a few spoilers, I do not normally do that because I hate taking any surprises away from the book but there are a few things about this book that I feel I need to mention. I wish that the beginning wasn't so fast in that we actually got more time to actually feel like we know Simon. It makes the connection a lot better if we can grieve with the main character but in this, even though I felt terrible for her loss, the connection wasn't there for me. It just made my own losses hurt worse.

I'll be honest, I put this book down for a week because I wasn't sure that I actually wanted to finish it. However, I like to give every book/author a chance, so I kept reading. It did help a lot when the story plot moved on towards the next relationship. But then kind of stalled again when you find out the issues that her new love interest has.

Then I feel like after that weird kind of 'stop' that we then speed off into the universe with a very fast and then it's six months later and here we are at this point. It felt very rushed, and I was left feeling like I had missed out on some of the best parts of the new romance. I honestly felt rather cheated.

However, I am glad that I finished it. And I will happily read her other books, but I am not sure that I would return to this series, per say. Honestly, I still feel like I am going around the emotional merry go round and I am not sure that's a feeling that I would willing go back to.

All in all, she's a great writer and I really did enjoy the happy parts.

Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers, and to Debbie Johnson for the ability to read and review this book. All opinions are completely honest and are my own.

Starting Over in Starshine Cove is a sweet escape into a cozy seaside town. Connie is such a relatable character, juggling her family, her past, and the possibility of love again. The small-town charm, close friendships, and a touch of romance make it the perfect feel-good read. This is the second book I’ve read in the series, and now I can’t wait to go back and start from the beginning. If you’re looking for something light and comforting, this one’s a winner!

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this e-book!

Such a lovely story. Connie and Zack are great characters and this is a nice easygoing romance. No spoilers but when Zack disappears I like the fact that Connie went in search of answers and confronted him.

I felt the book ended a bit abruptly and would have liked bit more to the ending. It’s a good read though and I recommend it.

A beautiful happy sad love story . Great to be back in Starshine Cove . Empty nest is so hard. I loved the idea of being able to find new love after losing someone. Very moving. Made me laugh when the girls came back early wet and cold from the festival . A good fell good read. I loved it

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

The 4th book in the Starshine Cove series but could easily be read as a standalone. Starshine Cove sounds like just the best place to be and I enjoyed being back amongst old friends. This time we focus on Connie who is a widow and now the children have flown the nest.

Debbie Johnson doesn't disappoint.

I received a free copy of “Starting Over in Starshine Cove” by Debbie Johnson from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Connie is in her 50s, a widow, a recent empty nester, and cafe owner in a cute little town. Everything is great in life, but then she has a chance encounter with someone from her past and her life is flipped upside down. There is everything in this book from grief, friendship, parenting young adults, and romance. It as a cute story that I enjoyed.

Note - this is the 4th book in the series, but if you haven’t read the previous books, you’ll be okay.

I was so pleased to receive this book from Netgalley for a review. This is the second book in this series I have read and was sad to see it was the last. I liked Connie from the last book I read so was happy to see she was the main character in this one. Starshine cove is the kind of place you want to live,on the coast, a small village and everyone is friendly. Connie runs the local cafe,sadly she lost her husband and soulmate to a car crash a few years ago. She has 3 children who have all left home and she is missing them. Before she came to Starshine cove she lived in London and was a top chef and about to become a TV star but it all got too much for her and she ran away. Sophie,her daughter is studying in London but she is coming home to do work placement in the cafe. Connie goes to London to collect her and her friend Marcy and they end up getting invited out to dinner by Marcy’s Dad. Enter Zack,Marcy’s dad,he lost his wife 10 years ago. It is a shock for Connie as he was the last person she saw before she left London. She had gone to sign a contract for the TV show but walked out. Zack is good looking,just a few years older than Connie and she remembers they had some chemistry and she found him very attractive. Zack takes some holiday and comes to stay in Starshine cove while Marcy is there,hoping to spend some time with her but he ends up spending time with Connie and sparks fly between them but they are afraid to act on them. You must read the book to find out what happens to Connie and Zack,you won’t be disappointed,I did feel the book finished a bit too early though as most do. Great read though.

This was a perfect 'next' in the Starshine Cove series and its protagonist is my favourite character, Connie. The whole series has feel good, community spirit and fresh start vibes and of course knowing Debbie Johnson, full of humourous banter.

Connie is a character that has always made me smile and being the down to earth, mature lady with curves and a sassy mouth makes her excellent! Connie has a tragic back story that was known in other books but this book sees her backstory go even further and tugs at a different kind of feels.

The story goes through themes of starting again, survivors moving on guilt, terminal illness and children first. It is handles in a beautiful heart warming way without dismissing the heaviness and seriousness of them.

As usual I flew through it without putting the book down more than I had to, Debbie Johnson is a must read, favourite author of mine! 4.5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley, and Storm publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own

I love revisiting star shine cove and all the characters every time Debbie releases a new one. Im so glad Connie finally got her happy ever after since she is part of the reason for everyone else's romance!

I've read all this series and really look forward to each book when it comes out. This story is about Connie, who owns and runs the cafe and is the main backbone of Starshine Cove, so it was really lovely to find out more about her story.

Connie used to be a Michelin starred chef when she was younger, but burnt out and unexpectedly ended up in Starshine Cove where she found love, married and had a family. Tragedy followed and she ends up a widow, but she stayed in Starshine Cove. Now she's slowly starting to feel ready to move on, with her childrens persuasion, and ends up getting involved with Zack, her daughter's best friend's widowed dad, who she had also known briefly from her former life and just recently met again.

There are hiccups along the way and not everything is smooth sailing, so while there are some happy moments there are also some sad moments, but this was such a lovely read, Starshine Cove sounds like a really idyllic place to live. I really love this series, long may it continue!

This is book 4 in the popular Starshine Cove series. Usually someone ends up in fictional Starshine Cove accidentally, leaving their unhappy old life behind and becoming an enthusiastic and loved-up member of this unusual and vibrant community with its magical cove. This time this happened in the prologue, with Connie Llewellyn, who was a stressed out London restaurateur, literally being pulled out of a ditch by future husband Simon.

25 years on and three children later, our Connie is a widow with a thriving café and empty nest syndrome. Then daughter Sophie brings friend Marcy along and her father Zack turns out to be someone from her old life that she used to have a crush on.

This is predictable and a short, fast read, but it pulls you in nevertheless. I love the Starshine Cove series and while my menopausal brain couldn't recall all of the community members, we are given enough of a summary to develop a comforting feeling of recognition when talk goes to village GP Ella and her new baby, or the two Bettys. It's just a wonderful, caring posse of people that any community would be proud to have.

Connie's second chances romance with Zack is just lovely, and I am very happy to see main characters who are 55 and 57 years old. There should be more of it! I loved all the food talk and that the young'uns lived in such harmony with their parent folk.

Given the age of the MCs, there is also talk of ailments and health conditions that could put a spanner in the works. However, there is not much dwelling on it. Starshine Cove is a magical, healing place in a picturesque seaside setting, with many friendly, lovable characters that feel like old friends, and is always worth a visit.

While it can be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading the others in order first, because what really makes this book shine is the arc from the first to the fourth (and last?) book that involves absolutely everybody in the community ever mentioned, now giving Connie, who has been present since the start of book one, her time to shine and tell us all to live life to the fullest as none of us can predict the future.

It's a lovely, well-written feel-good story full of warmth and humour that will leave you feeling happy, so the full five stars seem appropriate.

Starting Over In Starshine Cove features Connie Llewellyn, the life force of the thriving seaside community. Connie is no stranger to loss and heartbreak but is currently struggling with the double whammy of menopause and an empty nest. Trying to make sense of her new life, Connie unexpectedly reconnects with an acquaintance from her past and new opportunities unfold - but will she take them?

I really enjoyed this book, I found it very humourous and very relatable (to be fair I am a similar age to Connie) and loved all the 80's/90's references. This is book four in the Starshine Cove series, but as each book focuses on a different character, it's easily read as a standalone. This engaging read is set in a fictional seaside village on the Dorset coast, and packed with fun, realistic characters. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy warm contemporary fiction with a dash of romance and reality.

Thank you Storm Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

An excellent read which brought tears and laughter in equal measure. Connie and Zack were great characters and the community of Starshine Cove were so friendly and supportive of each other. What a great place to live. I thought it was a great read and a real page turner. Connie's cafe seemed to be a great place just to sit with a coffee and watch the world go by.