Sophie and Liam are both broken people with Sophie moving to Cape May after divorcing her husband for cheating. They find each other (first as neighbours) and develop this relationship like no other. Yes there are plenty of up and downs, cute moments and cold shoulders but it's for the right reasons. Liam is such a gentleman and all he cares about is making sure Sophie is ok when he also needed to focus on himself and letting himself forgive himself that terrible day from all those years ago. But seeing them together is so stinking cute and they really were a perfect pair to help heal each other's trauma and brokenness. The story was beautifully written and has convinced me to find some more romances to get stuck into.
Small warning though, their is one open door scene.
Thankfully it's not too bad but just a little heads up.
All together, this is such a cute romance book and I'm so happy I could give it at read. Highly recommend for anyone wanting a cute romance to wind down to bed with or even just to read wherever.

This is so heartwarming and definitely a comfy beach read. A story set in a beautiful town by the ocean with probably the best place for a romance. Sophie and Liam have been through it, the emotional rollercoaster they took each other on and then took us on was definitely calling for a drink. The slow burn was definitely chef kiss. This would be a movie I watch on my couch with a comfy blanket. Great debut novel.

This story gave me those fussy warm feelings. That one feeling when you are outside and the air just brushes against your skin and hair and slowly dances around. Thats how this book made me feel and I loved every second of it.

With these two individuals who have some traumatic past, each in their own way, they both are healing from the impact.

I believed in these two from the very beginning and you can tell them were for one another by just reading about how they complimented one another in a special way.

I loved their story and even how it ended.

A beautiful story about learning to find love and friendship again.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story but I didn't care much about the writing style.
I simply couldn't put this story down until it was finished.
Wonderful characters with a story that matched the story inside.
The way the author described the community I fell in love with the town and she made feel like I was there.
I didn't want to leave.
5 stars for an excellent read. I highly recommend
.My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive note. All opinions expressed are mine.

Tropes:
☀️single dad
☀️neighbors to lovers
☀️slow burn
☀️second chance romance
☀️unexpected family
☀️grumpy/sunshine

This book is such a heartwarming book about love/loss, overcoming trauma and dealing with heartbreak, and learning to discover yourself again and knowing there is happiness/love after heartbreak.
Linny does a beautiful job talking about sensitive and fragile subjects. I love the new found family that Sophie finds in unexpected areas.
Sophie’s best friend was the best friend that every girl wants, she has your back, always there for your and likes to have a good time, but also gives you the space to figure out your life in your own timeframe with all support.
There was some frustrating moments where lack of communication and lack of talking immediately makes the other person think that everything was over.
But those moments captures how it feels with new relationships and friendships and learning to trust new people with our past struggles.


Thank you to Page and Vines Books and Netgalley for the gifted eARC.
#changingtides #netgalley #pageandvine

I’ve spent every free moment I’ve had with you so maybe I just thought it was obvious but Sophie, I’m totally gone for you." - Liam

Tropes:
🌊 Enemies to friends to lovers
🌊 Twist of fate
🌊 Starting over
🌊 Forced proximity
🌊 Single dad
Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️ /5

"I was given the opportunity to read this book as an ARC and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sophie is starting her life over in Cape May after divorcing her husband of 13 years. This is where she came as a child and loved how she felt here so there was nowhere else she wanted to go when she had to start her life all over again. Here is where she meets Liam who recently got custody of his niece and swears he will never fall in love as he has past trauma that he still hasn't worked through. Together Sophie and Liam save each other.

I did really enjoy this book but to me, the pacing was just a little bit off. The beginning is kind of slow and Liam never really opens up until like the last 20% of the book. They both do grow in this book, it just seemed fast in some areas and slow in others.

"Changing Tides" will be available on May 6th. And I recommend picking this book up if you love books about starting over, finding yourself, and giving into love

“Sophie, clearly we were meant to find each other. My life hasn’t been the same since you walked into it and left a mark on my heart. I know it will never be the same again, it’ll be better than I have ever imagined.” - Liam

Sophie's life quickly spirals when she comes home, on her birthday no less, to find her husband with another woman. While he insists it was a one time thing, she soon realizes that this was a full on affair and the mistress is pregnant. After years of struggling with infertility herself, Sophie needs an escape, so she flees to her childhood beach vacation town of Cape May, NJ. She rents a cottage house from sweet Ellie and that's when she meets the next door neighbor, Liam. Liam is grumpy and cold at first as he is trying to battle his own demons and lick his own wounds from a past he'd rather forget. As they spend more time together they both feel the attraction between them but can they work through their issues or do they have to work on themselves first?

I enjoyed this romance! It had beachy vibes and the power of the ocean and some sand to take away all our problems. The whole book had a calming effect and made you take a deep breath and really savor the moments.

This book worked because it was a slow burn and the two main characters took their time and didn't rush into a new relationship. I liked how they got to know each other gradually and organically. Unfortunately the romance was a little jerky. Just when things get moving and the attraction is starting to bloom, the brakes are put on hard and we are back to square one. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

While I enjoyed the moments between Liam and Sophie, they were sometimes stilled because they were always second guessing themselves or not communicating but I appreciated how they were able to work through their traumas with maturity (aka therapy!) and grace. It's not easy to carry such a heavy load for so long so I was glad Liam was able to find some relief and some hope for a new beginning.

Ellie, owner of the house and guest cottage she is staying at, is like a fairy godmother and matchmaker all in one. She was such a warm and charming character that made you want to sit at her house and enjoy a cup of tea with her.

This was a charming book about finding love again after loss and past trauma and while fairly predictable, it's still worthy to read as an easy book before bed or even better, at the beach!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing Co-op/Page and Vine for sharing this book’s digital advanced review copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this book. Was my first by this author. A fantastic debut and I'm sure I'll continue to read her books. Gave all the emotions

Sofie’s life falls apart on her birthday when she discovers her husband cheating—just as the other woman turns up pregnant. Heartbroken, she escapes to Cape May to heal.

Liam, a local woodworker raising his niece after tragedy, is also carrying emotional scars. When these two wounded souls become neighbors, their slow-burn friendship begins to blossom into something more.

This book has everything:
- Mature, relatable characters
- Emotional depth & healing
- Slow-burn, friends-to-lovers
- Coastal summer setting
- Excellent audio narration

Sweet, heartfelt, and full of hope. I adored Sofie and Liam’s journey and can’t wait for book 2!

Sofie’s life falls apart on her birthday when she discovers her husband cheating—just as the other woman turns up pregnant. Heartbroken, she escapes to Cape May to heal.

Liam, a local woodworker raising his niece after tragedy, is also carrying emotional scars. When these two wounded souls become neighbors, their slow-burn friendship begins to blossom into something more.

This book has everything:
- Mature, relatable characters
- Emotional depth & healing
- Slow-burn, friends-to-lovers
- Coastal summer setting
- Excellent audio narration

Sweet, heartfelt, and full of hope. I adored Sofie and Liam’s journey and can’t wait for book 2!

This was such a cute novel.! As you read you are really rooting for the two main characters. They are both going through some trials and trying to figure out life after big changes. It gave me all the feels and made me feel good. It's a good, feel good novel.

Thanks for the ARC!

4.25 stars

Linny Mack came out with a powerful debut novel! This was a slow burn neighbors to lovers romance with a wonderful grandmother figure to help reign these characters in and give them a bit of grandmotherly advice.

This novel takes you on a journey of self love, self forgiveness, learning your self wroth, and learning to trust others with your heart. I loved the way Linny wove in found family, childhood memories, and a wonderful fun twist at the end.

I highly recommend this book.

Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

This was such a heartwarming debut about finding love again after divorce and loss. Sophie and Liam’s story was really emotional, and I loved that the characters were older—it made it feel more relatable. Watching them fall for each other was so sweet. The ending felt a little rushed, and their back and forth got a bit repetitive, but overall I really enjoyed it.

Content Warning for infertility and fatal car crash.
This book starts with Sophie walking in on her husband of 13 years with another woman. When he tells her his mistress is pregnant, she decides to go Cape May for a fresh start. There she meets Liam who is new caretaker for his niece, Lucy, after his sister passed away. Needless to say, they both have some trauma and baggage to work through.

I feel like the cover matches the vibe of this book really well. Kind of calm and reflective. I loved the setting in the beach town. This is a pretty emotional read. Both characters are at the beginning of their healing process. They have some guilt and shame so they struggle with letting the other in. It was nice to read a book with main characters in or near their 40s and they’re both in therapy! 👏👏
I will say I didn’t super love the epilogue because it was a little too perfect for me but overall this was a sweet read. It felt like a nice book to enjoy during the summer.
Congrats on the author’s debut!

I could not wait to start reading Changing Tides! I grew up spending every summer down at the Jersey shore, and I knew it would be an incredible backdrop to this author’s debut novel and series. It was such a fun and nostalgic read.

At the start of the book, Sophie is at a crossroads. She caught her husband cheating on her, and was dealt an even more devastating blow when she found out that her husband’s new girlfriend is pregnant after years of battling infertility herself. She needs a fresh start in a new place and decides to go back to Cape May where she always felt at home. Sophie rents a room from a sweet and eccentric woman, who currently babysits for her neighbor Liam, who recently gained custody of his baby niece.

Liam and Sophie are both in a really bad place mentally and neither feels open to love. They also don’t hit it off immediately. However, they recognize that they are attracted to each other and eventually grow a close connection that evolves into more. They were so integral to the other’s healing, although each of them recognized that they had to put in the work themselves too. However, I loved how much they supported the other. Both of these characters were also a bit older, which I really liked. They both had a refreshing amount of maturity that we don’t usually see in younger characters.

Changing Tides is the first book in the Cape May series and it was a really solid debut novel. I can’t wait to see what this author decides to write next.
4.5/5

"Sometimes, good things fall apart, so better things can fall together." What a page turner! Such an emotional read! That last chapter and the epilogue had me balling. For a debut book, Linny Mack blew it out the park! I’m ready for more books by her. Liam, a carpenter, is reeling from something that happened in the past. Never able to give himself fully to anyone. It’s very tragic and very understandable how he feels. Wait til you find out what happened! Now, something else has happened and he’s raising his niece, Lucy. Sophie, a marriage and family therapist, is going through her own problems. From her husband cheating on her to his unexpected surprise, it seems Sophie’s once happy life is shattered. Just imagine wanting and trying to have a baby and life doesn’t allow it. Sophie heads to Cape May. Her family took vacations there when she was younger, til they didn’t. Wait til you find out why. It’s definitely sad. Also, keep this in mind something about a necklace and some diamonds will swing back around about a connection no one thought about til going through some mementos later on in the story. I just loved Ellie! She was so welcoming of Sophie. Liam, at first was such a grumpy neighbor. He was so protective of Lucy, but it seemed as time went on, he had no problem leaving her with Sophie. Seeing Lucy with Sophie had my heart. I felt it helped Sophie heal some. As time goes on, it looked like Liam and Sophie could possibly heal each other. Their chemistry was definitely there, but it was like neither could fully go all in. What will happen in the end? Is it meant to be for Sophie and Liam? When life gives you lemons make lemonade. We all deserve happiness no matter what the circumstances. I’m sorry for the long review, but I couldn’t say enough amazing things about this book.

Cape May had always been one of her favorite places since her childhood and now Sophie Bennett hopes it will be her place of healing. As a family therapist, she thought that suffering through infertility, would be the worst that could happen to her. That was before she found out that her husband had been cheating on her. Now she is back in Cape May, hoping to heal and move on with her new life. She has wonderful friends and her new friend Ellie, at the B&B, has made her feel welcome. Ellie’s neighbor, Liam Harper and his young niece, Lucy, soon become part of her daily life. Is it too soon to get involved in a new relationship, especially with a man who is still dealing with his own past memories? Sophie has always been the one to guide her patients through healing, but now it is her turn to seek help with her feelings of abandonment and betrayal. Sophie has always wanted to be a mother, and the time she spends with Lucy makes her realize how much love she has to give to a child. With time and patience, will she have that chance with Liam and Lucy? A heart aching and heartwarming story of second chances. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Changing Tides is a contemporary romance centered around Sophie, a therapist whose seemingly perfect marriage unravels when she discovers her husband cheating on her—on her birthday. Seeking solace, she retreats to the quiet town of Cape May, where she meets a man also grappling with personal tragedy. Their paths cross, and the story unfolds from there.

While the premise had great potential and I was genuinely looking forward to this book, it ultimately fell short for me. For characters portrayed as being in their 40s, both the female and male leads often lacked emotional maturity. The story was filled with misunderstandings between the FMC and MMC, and the recurring lack of communication felt frustrating—especially considering both characters had experienced trauma. One would expect more openness and depth from individuals with such complex emotional histories.

Unfortunately, the characters felt underdeveloped and emotionally stagnant. Much of the book is spent dwelling in internal monologue and sadness, without meaningful plot progression.

One moment that particularly stood out was when the MMC left his sister’s baby alone during a thunderstorm to chase after the FMC—a woman he had only known for a short time. As a parent, this decision felt not only implausible but irresponsible, making it difficult to empathize with him.

Additionally, the romantic scenes felt forced, lacking the emotional buildup or narrative flow needed to make them feel organic. Dialogue throughout the book often came across as unnatural and overly scripted, detracting from the story’s realism. There was little to no character development, and internal reflections became repetitive, circling the same thoughts without significant growth.

I truly wanted to enjoy Changing Tides, especially given how excited I was to read it. Unfortunately, the lack of character depth, repetitive storytelling, and unrealistic behaviour made it difficult to connect with the narrative.

If you are a fan of Susan Mallory you will LOVE this debut novel from Linny Mack!

Thank you to Netgalley, Linny and Page and Vine for the eARC! It was beautiful!

What to Expect:

⭐ Neighbors to lovers Trope
⭐ Close Proximity
⭐ Finding yourself at the beach
⭐ Hallmark with spice!
⭐ Romantic Cape Cod Beach Read
⭐ A story of healing after trauma

TW: Discussions of anxiety + panic attacks by main characters, infidelity, PTSD, Infertility and death of young woman in a car crash and the trauma that comes with these topics.

My Thoughts:
Congratulations to Lenny Mack for her debut novel. It is a beautifully written story of healing and finding love again. It is definitely a quick read but the characters are deeply developed and you will fall in love with them all! You will want to pack your bag and head to the beach to read this one. I fell in love with Sophie. Her journey is full of such heartbreak and loss. It makes you so sad for how hard life is to her on this journey. Even as she connects with Liam and his baby daughter there are moments you really just want someone to hug her. To celebrate life and loss with her. It’s a deep story of healing from trauma, healing from loss and figuring out who you are after you move forward. We find that journey in so many of the sub characters too which is so lovely. Also I really want Ellie to be my Grandma lol she’s spunky and full of life! Even as she is on her own journey! You just want to sit in her kitchen and enjoy a cup of coffee while she shares about life with you!

Synopsis:
After thirteen years of marriage and seven years of infertility with her supposed soulmate, Sophie Bennett’s life is turned upside down. Not only does she discover her husband is having a sordid affair, on her birthday, but his mistress is also pregnant with his baby. Seeking solace, Sophie flees to Cape May, New Jersey, a quiet coastal town where she spent many summers as a child. There she encounters Liam Harper, a brooding carpenter who seems intent to keep everyone at a distance. Despite his best efforts, Sophie recognizes the vulnerability under his prickly exterior, sparking a curiosity about him that she can’t ignore.

Liam Harper is walking around with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Haunted by a tragedy from his past that changed him forever, Liam doesn’t believe he deserves love or happiness. After being unexpectedly awarded permanent custody of his one-year-old niece, Liam’s script flips yet again. He doesn’t know the first thing about parenthood, and his gruff exterior makes it hard for him to ask for help. When the beautiful and heartbroken Sophie becomes his new neighbor, Liam never expects her to be the one to chip away his defenses.

As the two navigate their attraction and work to heal old wounds, emotions run high. If they want to change the tides of their futures, they must decide whether love is worth the risk. Will they walk away forever, or will fate step in and see them through?

Changing Tides was such and easy and heartwarming story that drew me in from the beginning.

Sophie has had it rough, on her birthday she walked into their house to find her husband of thirteen years having an affair. She decided to traveled from Scranton, Pa to Cape May, NJ to find her center again, but when she meets the neighbor to her rental it might not be 100% the center she was expecting. Liam has also had it rough lately when his sister tragically passed away in a helicopter training accident and he has to be strong for his late sister's baby. Luckily Cape May being a small coastal town, the neighbors are kind and caring so Liam and Sophie are able to lean on others around them when it is needed.
The bond between the characters and the talk about taking care of their mental health really struck me, in the best way possible. Loved being able to follow Sophie and Liam through their struggles, journeys and experiences in therapy.

One of my favorite lines: "Do not watch him go, Sophie, I scold myself. And then I watch him go."

What you can expect in this book: Found family, slow burn, mental health representation