one thing about me is i LOVE a good story of redemption and new beginnings, and this book delivered that and so much more! as soon as i saw the gorgeous cover on this one, i knew i wanted to read it— and i am glad i did!

this story takes place in cape may, NJ. as someone who took many vacations and day trips to the shore growing up, i adored the beachy vibes and setting, and was really able to picture everything. i also loved the characters and all of their growth and healing after going through some incredibly tough times. liam is a KING, and we love a man who goes to therapy! 😂😍 the heavy topics in this book are handled with grace, and sensitive subjects are brought to light in a powerful way. i was rooting for these characters the entire time, and was engaged throughout thanks to the super slow burn between sophie and liam!! the little plot twist at the end also really got me. 🥹 ‘changing tides’ debuts in just a few days, and will make the perfect summer read for beach and/or romance lovers! 🌊🏖️🐚

thank you to NetGalley, Page & Vine books, and the author for providing this ARC for me to read and review!

Thank you to the author and Pages & Vine for the ARC of Changing Tides.

This was a really beautiful story about life after loss. My biggest complaint was the dialogue felt very unnatural at times, and choppy. I am also really over the switching narratives every other chapter. It feels a bit overdone at this point. But I just adored our main character. I was rooting for her the whole time.

This was an emotional rollercoaster, a sweet and heartwarming story with heartache, grief and loss and hope/love . It has everything!
The love story between Sophie and Liam was all I’m asking and need for a novel with this background.


Thanks to NetGalley and Page & Vine for this ARC

A heartfelt and emotional novel that tells the story of Sophie and Liam as they navigate their path to love while confronting their own traumatic circumstances/pasts. Both characters struggle with their personal grief as they develop a romantic connection. They show us there is hope even amidst so much sadness.
The beautiful coastal Cape May setting adds to the story, while Lucy, Ellie and Claire play important roles in the overall plot as well.
The character development and narrative style contribute significantly to the overall impact of the story. I was flooded with emotions throughout this powerful debut novel.
Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity to read this complimentary advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Changing Tides will have you feeling everything all at once and at different points through out the book.

Characters had so much depth to them and i felt like i could relate to them each on different aspects which is something im always looking for as a reader.

The plot overall was incredibly well done and had me wanting to read more even after i finished the story.

I think anyone would love this book and i highly suggest to give it a try!

First I want to say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading a book about adults that I connect with. I love books about couples in their 30-40 age range and how they navigate life.

This story was so good. Two people falling in love and their journey through grief and how to overcome.

So many side characters that I am interested in knowing more about.

My only issue was that I felt like everything moved so slow and then everything moved very fast. So the pacing of the story was a bit off for me. But I really enjoyed it.

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me.
I found it a very easy read, the author's writing is fluid. However, I wasn't emotionally involved in my reading. I felt nothing for the characters and found the themes tackled not deep enough.

Infertility? Being a mother is supposed to be Sophie's dream, and I didn't feel it at all. On the contrary, she feels lost in many aspects of her life and tries to rebuild herself, but this theme quickly falls by the background. I'd have liked to see more of a link between her and Lucy.

Guilt? Liam feels responsible for his high-school sweetheart's accident, but there are no flashbacks showing his love for her. I didn't feel much empathy for him.

⚠️ SPOILERS ⚠️

And then... the epilogue... that's what brought my grade down. There's nothing I HATE more than deciding to write about the subject of infertility. By pointing out that the FMC can't get pregnant naturally and keep the baby, so that once with the new MMC they manage to have a miracle baby naturally. This undermines the whole story of Liam and Sophie, who had found their family balance with Lucy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

This was one of those gut wrenching, heartfelt romance books that everyone needs in their life.
I felt so deeply for Sophie, seeing as I've been in a slightly similar situation, and my god her healing journey was absolutely powerful and it just made me love her so much.
The MCs in this book as a whole just had so many fine layers to them it made me emotional a handful of times with how beautiful they both communicated with one another (and not just because she's a therapist guys lol)

Liam though??? Yall im in love that 40 year old teddy bear like Sophie wasn't kidding when she gave him the nickname 'Hunkle Liam' for a reason 🤣

Overall, I truly enjoyed how this book went. It didn't feel rushed nor did it ever feel like it dragged, if anything I wish I had a few more chapters because it's hard not to love these characters.

This book was fine. I didn’t find it particularly interesting and it was slow paced. It was tedious to read at times because of this. Half way through, there was still minimal build up to the relationship, in my opinion. It was a fine story, a good story, but not one that I would rave about or recommend as a must-read. I would recommend this book if I knew the person wanted to read a story like this one. It was enjoyable, but not the most exciting.

I also didn’t care for the ending. I thought that was out of nowhere. I also didn’t like the epilogue. I feel like the two main things that happened within the last chapter and the epilogue could have happened in a more cohesive way in the epilogue instead.

Overall, it was a fine book, nothing large to complain about and what I think is a matter of personal preference in regard to the glow of the storyline. I am thankful for the opportunity to review the advance reader copy (arc) of this book!

What a lovely debut! This cover caught my eye, and the blurb had me hooked. Liam and Sophie’s story is one of loss, redemption, growth, and finding oneself.

Set in the coastal town of Cape May, NJ, we meet Sophie. She’s spiraling after divorcing her husband of 13 years and returns to the cape, where she spent the summers of her youth. She rents a cottage with a grouchy next-door neighbor named Liam. Liam has never truly gotten over a tragic event in his past, and has now found himself as a single parent to his niece, Lucy, after his sister’s sudden passing.

I enjoy a well-written slow burn, and these two dance around each other for what seems like *ages*, but the payoff is worth it. There is great representation of mental health and how it can affect everyday relationships, especially with loved ones; I loved that both Liam and Sophie attend therapy throughout the story. Their past experiences greatly play into their reluctance to enter into a new relationship, as well as the fact that Liam is now a father. The coastal setting is beautifully laid out with Linny’s descriptive language, and it made me feel nostalgic for a place that I’ve never been.

My only minor complaint is that the ending seemed a little rushed. Overall, I loved the story and look forward to more!

Well written romance has always been a favorite to read, especially written with a realistic understanding of all emotions and people who experience them. "Changing Tides" has it all.

Sophie is a marriage and family therapist and Liam is a small town carpenter. Their romance is fast-paced with mutual sparks from the beginning. Their healing reflects their relationship, with mutual understanding and maturing in dealing with real life situations and growth. Their story sucks you in and you don't put it down until the end.

I give this book 5 stars.

Content warning: struggling with infertility, divorce and PTSD.

Sophie is going through a heartbreaking time in her life, moving on from her marriage while trying to sort out her life and what to do next while visiting Cape May. There, she finds herself continuously in the orbit of Liam, who has his own history and plenty of reasons to stay away from her. Yet neither can keep their distance. Romance ensues!

This was such a beautiful love story, and I can’t wait to see what Linny Mack does next!

🌊Changing Tides🌊
By Linny Mack
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️
Release date: 5/6

This book was absolutely beautiful. I do not think that 5 stars does it justice. This book is one of my absolute favorites!! It will have a special place in my heart forever! 🩵

Tropes:
🐚 starting over in life
🐚 next door neighbors
🐚 friends to lovers
🐚 grumpy x sunshine
🐚 small beach town
🐚 slow burn

Sophie has been married for 13 years to James. They have been struggling with infertility for years and it has taken a toll on their marriage. On her birthday she comes home to find him not only having an affair but comes to find that the mistress is also pregnant with his baby. To pick up the pieces of her life she leaves and goes where she knows she will find peace, Cape May, New Jersey. She spent her childhood summers there until her mother passed away.

Liam is the guardian to his niece, Lucy, after his sister passed away. Haunted by a tragedy from his past that has stayed with him he has a hard time letting people in. He doesn’t want anyone getting close to Lucy and he doesn’t feel ready to be in a relationship so he just kind of keeps to himself. He is a carpenter and lives next door to Ellie.

Sophie moves in with Ellie and just like that she and Liam meet and just cant seem to stay away from each other. Sophie offers to help watch Lucy on days that Liam needs help. From there their friendship grows and they help each other heal.

This story was so beautiful to see. The characters are all a bit older (40s) and it was so nice to see their lives that they have lived up until the point they met. I loved seeing the healing from their past traumas. Not only did they help heal each other but they were so kind to themselves through the process as well. The side characters all feel so lovable and whole, I hope we see more of them in the upcoming book(s?)!! I definitely recommend this book! It does cover some heavier topics but it is dont in such a respectful and kind way that it is so beautiful. Thank you NetGalley and Linny Mack for this arc!!!

This book has so much potential and I definitely think it will be a five star read for someone.
For me the pacing was a little off and I felt like there was just a little umph missing from the story for higher review.
But I enjoyed the story!

A debut novel by Linny Mack, Changing Tides takes place in one of my favorite places, the beautiful shore town of Cape May, New Jersey. Devastated by her husband’s infidelity, Sophie finds refuge in Cape May where she spent her childhood summers with her grandparents. Here she meets Liam who in his own way is trying to find refuge from his troubled past. This is truly a heartwarming story of family and second chance romance. I’m looking forward to reading more from a new favorite author. Many thanks to Page & Vine publishing and Netgalley for this advanced copy. Publication date is May 6th. Add it to your TBR!

Something drew me to this book, even though it’s not my typical genre, and I’m so glad that it found its way into my hands! I read this as an ARC (available 5/6/2025), and here is my in full review with no spoilers:

This novel is a perfect beach read - light enough for a relaxing day but with surprising depth. It had some echoes of a hallmark movie (which isn’t my thing) but it’s interesting plot and authentic characters had me hooked. I finished it in two sittings over 24 hours - the only reason I put it down was that I fell asleep around 2am.

What makes this book a page turner is the unflinching portrayal of profound emotions.
The representation of grief and ptsd is vivid, authentic, and raw. I really loved the depictions of family. The second half of the novel took my breath away a couple of times with deep insight I would have never expected. I kept screenshots of several quotes that I know I want to revisit.

Why Four Stars?
1. Writing Style & Structure: The pacing, coastal setting, and character arcs are expertly crafted. The story unfolds like a friend's heartfelt confession - never trite, always immersive. There are no loose ends, no extraneous characters, or jarring moments disrupting the flow.
2. Characters: Each character, feels distinct and authentic with imperfections and interactions that are relatable. They all have just the right depth for their main, secondary, and background roles in the story.
3. Would I Recommend?: Absolutely! Romance fans will adore this, especially those drawn to reluctant lovers, healing journeys, found family, and traditional values with a touch of spice. Its slow burn, punctuated by a few steamy moment and two “intimate” scenes makes it relatable and a good choice for people that aren’t looking for a lot of spice.
4. Would I Read Again?: I’ll definitely return to this book for its unforgettable quotes, but the story itself isn't my normal diversion from reality. Its emotional weight gave me some insights that will stick, but I'm less likely to reread for the plot alone.

The Missing Star: This is purely personal taste but it didn’t provide the diversion from normal daily life that I most enjoy. While Changing Tides didn't fully sweep me out of my own world the way my 5-star favorites do, it's a gem that I know romance readers will consider as a five-star read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Page & Vine Books for the early copy of Changing Tides!

Linny Mack crafts a heartfelt and engaging story in Changing Tides. The characters are genuine, the plot is well-paced, and the writing is both emotional and uplifting. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey and found myself invested from start to finish.

This is a sweet, heartwarming tale of starting over and discovering who you are after life takes unexpected turns. It definitely has that nostalgic, emotional vibe that fans of Nicholas Sparks novels will appreciate. A beautiful story about hope, healing, and second chances.

If you’re looking for a book that will tug at your heartstrings, leave you smiling, and maybe even make you believe in fresh starts, Changing Tides is the perfect choice. A perfect addition to your TBR. I can’t wait to read more from Linny Mack in the future!

Sophie has been married 13 years and has infertility problems for the last 7, on her birthday she finds out her husband has been having an affair and has gotten her pregnant.

The premise is so great and has all of my favorite things; Small town, single dad, meddling neighbor.

But unfortunately the writing felt choppy. Lots of repetition in the main characters’ inner dialogue, with conflicting thoughts every other sentence.

Changing Tides offers a wonderfully immersive setting that draws you right into the heart of the story. The atmosphere felt like stepping into a cozy Hallmark movie—warm, emotional, and lighthearted all at once. I really enjoyed the overall vibe, but I found myself wishing for a bit more breathing room in the pacing. The relationship between Liam and Sophie had so much potential for a more satisfying slowburn, and it felt like their development was a little rushed. I also could’ve done without Liam’s point of view; his inner thoughts came off as scattered and occasionally cheesy, which took away from the story's charm for me.