Amy Maples (Love in Bloom - Seaside Summers Book 4)

What a wonderful love story, very emotional and heartfelt. Once again Melissa Foster does not disappoint. I have read all of her books and have to say that she is one of my favorite authors. Can't wait for the next.

Another winner by Melissa! LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! Everyone should buy this book and prepare to do nothing but become engrossed in it and finish it in one sitting. You will not want to do anything else!

Cute romance, but boring and adolescent is not for me. No excitement or drama whatsoever. I fell asleep at least three times while trying to get through the story. Remind me not to start another book by this author unless I can't sleep. Ho hum.

Have you ever loved someone so much, only to find that they do not feel the same way about you? Amy Maples has loved Tony Black since she was 6 years old, but with the exception of one magical summer, he had never outwardly returned her feelings. Or has he?

Tony Black is a world champion surfer - self confident, cocky, and has the world by the tail. Or is all of that a facade? Tony has always taken care of Amy every summer when they are together, making sure that she makes it home safe each night, carrying her home when she has had too much to drink, holding her hair when she is sick. But he will never allow the feelings that he has for her to come to the surface. He does not believe he is good enough for her. Will Amy and Tony finally be able to talk through their issues to find their happily-ever-after?

Seaside Secrets is such a fun, lighthearted book that will leave you with warm feelings after you finish reading. I love how sweet Amy is, how she truly wants to believe in the best in people always. I love how open to love she is. My heart goes out to Tony - my heart broke when he said he did not think he was a good enough man for Amy. I love the Seaside Summer series - every single book is a wonderful, warm, feel-good romance. While this is book 4 in the series, it can easily be enjoyed as a stand alone. I highly recommend this book, and this series, for those looking for sweet romances that will leave you smiling.

I love this series, and this story was amazing- though very different from the others for me. The whole first half of the book is just gut-wrenching... my heart could hardly take the pain, and I wondered if I'd really be able to keep going and finish!! But I was pulled in so deeply and it's so well-written that I couldn't stop reading, and of course I was rewarded many times along the way right through to the ending... Melissa is an amazing writer.

I really recommend reading the other books in the series before this one. I think the extreme emotional pull had a lot to do with getting to know Tony and Amy (and all their friends!) in all the other books before reading this one. I have to say I was really surprised by what had transpired between them in the past, and there were actually a few times that I couldn't quite believe it all... they were so drawn to one another why hadn't they come back together before 14 years had passed???! But that's exactly what makes it a great story, and one that any Melissa Foster Seaside Series fan will absolutely love. Once again, this was a very satisfying read that left me looking forward to what comes next at Seaside!!

I received an early release copy of this book, but that did not impact my opinion, which is totally and honestly mine... I know I'll read it again, as I've done with all of Melissa's books, and enjoy it even more the second (and more!) time around!

I love this series, and this story was amazing- though very different from the others for me. The whole first half of the book is just gut-wrenching... my heart could hardly take the pain, and I wondered if I'd really be able to keep going and finish!! But I was pulled in so deeply and it's so well-written that I couldn't stop reading, and of course I was rewarded many times along the way right through to the ending... Melissa is an amazing writer.

I really recommend reading the other books in the series before this one. I think the extreme emotional pull had a lot to do with getting to know Tony and Amy (and all their friends!) in all the other books before reading this one. I have to say I was really surprised by what had transpired between them in the past, and there were actually a few times that I couldn't quite believe it all... they were so drawn to one another why hadn't they come back together before 14 years had passed???! But that's exactly what makes it a great story, and one that any Melissa Foster Seaside Series fan will absolutely love. Once again, this was a very satisfying read that left me looking forward to what comes next at Seaside!!

I received an early release copy of this book, but that did not impact my opinion, which is totally and honestly mine... I know I'll read it again, as I've done with all of Melissa's books, and enjoy it even more the second (and more!) time around!

I absolutely loved Seaside Secrets! In this book we get Amy and Tony's story and man what a story! It's an emotional read throughout so be prepared with the tissues. Year after year Amy has tried to get Tony's attention but they only ever remain friends. Amy decides that it is now or never with Tony. They find themselves having to get over what happened to them in the past in order to move forward and start over. They are able to work out what happened in their past and enjoy the love they once shared. It only took them 14 years to come to terms with the past and one they do they start over. What They have is all consuming and passionate. The lighthouse scene brought me to tears. It was a happy and sad moment. I think this book had the best ending ever. The girls all get their guys and are ready for the next step in each of their relationships. Thank you so much Melissa Foster for the great books! I am looking forward to more of the Seaside gang.

The next installment of this series was an emotional read and another great addition to this series. Tony and Amy have had a relationship hinted at throughout this series and it was great to finally get into their story that had more to it than what one originally thought. The pair go through their issues with the past and their heartbreaking loss to finally to forge a future together and a HEA. Amy also works through issues with her father and is over interest in her business plans and success while Tony works through the issues he has with his deceased father and his feelings of inadequacy of his career choices and a relationship with Amy. I still love the return of the characters from the previous books so that as a reader I can keep in touch with them and where they are with their relationships. I also enjoyed the group wedding at the end of the book as well. The story moved along well and the narration from Mr. Harrison was performed well keeping me interested in the story. I would recommend this book to others as I would recommend this series to others as well.

An emotional story and B. J. Harrison narrates the audiobook with that emotion in his voice.
Amy Maples owned a successful consulting company and she spent each summer with her friends at Seaside. She had been in love with Tony Black for as long as she could remember. Tony was a professional surfer and motivational speaker. He had bit back his desire for Amy for years. She was the sweet one of all the girls in her group. She had been offered a job in Australia, but she knew she would not see Tony for a long time if she took it. Tony encouraged her to take the job because he thought he was not good enough for her. They had a secret from their teen years. Would they overcome it?

I really loved that this couple had a past together, but that it was a secret from everyone else. All of Amy's friends thought that she had had a crush on Tony forever, but that they had only ever been friends. Little did they know that Amy had loved him when they were younger and that she still loved him. Tony is determined to keep everything with Amy on a friendship level now. Very determined. What will happen if she puts on a tight, short skirt and f-me high heels, determined to get what she wants? Will their secret eventually pull them closer together or erect a huge barrier between them forever?
This series is so good! I love the antics of all the girls when they get together and I love the closeness they have with each other. Amy and Tony's story was a long time coming, but it was well worth the wait!

Tony and Amy made quite the pair. They loved each other from afar even though their hearts wanted to love more closely. Their pasts were entwined not just by years spent together at the Cape but by a love affair they'd kept secret from friends and family. Maybe their present would be different if their love hadn't been a secret, or if they hadn't been devastated by the loss of their baby. Heartache and their inability to communicate pushed them apart and to where they are today.

I loved the intensity between Tony and Amy. They were "I do love you but..." for most of the story until they sifted through the pieces of their past and put them together. They dealt with more than just the years of being without each other; they addressed the miscarriage. And you know what? I had to give it to Amy for admitting to Tony that she couldn't handle talking about the miscarriage. She had fourteen years of hiding that pain away, of pretending it hadn't happened, but she was honest with him when they faced it together.

There were a lot of emotional moments in this story as secrets from Tony and Amy's pasts came to light. Through each one, they learned to lean on each other, to trust each other again, and to welcome the support and understanding of their friends. It was so cool to watch Tony and Amy come together like they were supposed to. Their past would always be there but there was a future waiting for them to walk into.

At first, I wanted to say that they were only together because Amy was possibly leaving for Australia for her job. The more I read though, the more I realized that wasn't the case at all. Her job was an obstacle they would tackle, and they did it with little fanfare and amazing results, but it wasn't their reason for becoming a couple. Like I said, theirs was a love that was supposed to happen. They were meant to be together. It took a long time to get there but they did.

Part of moving forward means reconciling whatever is behind you. There is pain, tears, anger, sorrow, but there is also freedom. Tony and Amy went through all those things as individuals and as a couple. They said goodbye to a past they'd never forget and hello to the promise of a bright and glorious future together. Ms. Foster gave Tony and Amy an ending that was fourteen years in the making, but the journey she took them on to get there... Man, that made the ending so worth reading.

(Received from Tasty Book Tours for an honest review)

The moment I read a sneak peek for SEASIDE SECRETS, I just knew I needed to read this one ASAP. If the sneak peek had me teary-eyed, what more if I read the whole novel, right?

Melissa Foster laid out all the pain and hurt on the first chapter. I think I couldn't breath for a while there, until the ARC copy of this book came into my email, just in time before I got crazy! Talk about perfect timing. But the email made my day, and reading Tony & Amy (crossing my fingers, *finally*) story and finding out their secrets completed my day. THIS is my favorite in the series, read the the book and find out why.

I have watched this two close 'friends' being sweet on each other, sweet and shy Amy pinning on the hottie surfer, only to be caught off-guard of their past and what happened between the two of them. I didn't realize what they have been through - and how come it all came down to this...

"Everyone has a past. I have mine, you have yours, and we have ours. No matter what it takes, I will prove to you that our past, no matter how hurtful, didn't ruin the future we could have. Only we can either make that happen or run from it. It's our decision this time, Amy. There are no outside influences that can push us one way or the other. There's only you and me and what could be."

Fourteen years ago - they were young, they were head over hills in love, and they were each other's world. What changed? What caused that heartbreak? What caused all that pain?

Amy was thinking about moving on. After all, Tony seemed to have no plans of reciprocating her love, and he seems eager to let her go. When he tells her how he really felt about her, she decided to accept the job offer that was on the table, and get out of Seaside. She needed to finally let go of her love. But letting go, might include the past, and it was something she wasn't ready to visit.

I love Amy, but she's keeping all that hurt and putting it inside a bottle. I was afraid she will burst, and destroy everything surrounding her. She had great friends, and an even greater boyfriend, I had a feeling they'd come running if she only ask for their help, more so their moral support for that time in her life when she needed it the most.

Here they are, given a second chance, starting all over. But first, they need to discuss and let go of the past. Something Amy wasn't a fan of. Would she finally let go of the past to make room for her future? Because Tony is ready, and he was willing to wait until she is.

Seaside Secrets got a heartbreaking beginning and a heartwarming ending. You can't help but get glued to every pages, absorbed in the story of Tony and Amy. Perhaps, just like me, you have been waiting for this book, and finally IT is happening, THEY are happening. It's a story about love, hope and second chances. A story of friendship: sharing, unloading burdens, honesty and trust. Melissa Foster got herself another keeper right here!

"Love is like this amazing, all-consuming force that sneaks up on you and steals all those brain cells that make you think rationally and replaces them with emotions so powerful that you're impotent to change their course."

Welcome to Cape Cod in Seaside Secrets.
Tony Black, hot cocky surfer who enjoys traveling the world likes to settle in at Cape Cod for summers. He can pretty much do and get anything he wants, everything is at his finger tips. What he wants most though is to reclaim the one woman he won't ever forget, Amy Maples. After fourteen years of holding back his feelings for her, he's not so sure he can go another summer without confronting her or the secrets that had torn them apart from one another.

Amy enjoys her summers in Cape Cod each year just as Tony, since she was six she has been madly in love with him. This summer however she's left with a tough choice. She's been offered a job that will take her away for two years but no matter how much she looks forwards to it, there's one problem. She can't seem to get Tony out of her thoughts. Thinking of one last chance with him, Amy tries to make a go of it, but what happened all those years ago still stands between them and could very well end it all.

Seaside Secrets was a great book! Loved how things came together, really I was so surprised to start reading it . What could possibly tear two people who are so obviously in love with each other apart? What would keep them apart for so long? It was heartwarming how they found each other, held a place even after so many years. Will they be able to get everything out in the open and move on? Or will the secrets of their past break them up once and for all? Enjoyable read, surprised me on how it started and grew with each page turn. Another winner from Foster!
*I received the following product(s) to review. I was not required to write a positive review no other monetary compensation was given . Any and all opinions are my own.

SEASIDE SECRETS by Melissa Foster is an interesting Contemporary Romance. #4 in the "Seaside Summers" #4, but can be read as a stand alone, Although, I would suggest reading the others in this series. Part of the "LOVE IN BLOOM" series, as well. Set in Cape Cod, Wellfleet, Massachusetts .

SEASIDE SUMMERS
BOOK 21: Seaside Dreams (Bella)
BOOK 22: Seaside Hearts (Jenna)
BOOK 23: Seaside Sunsets (Jamie)
BOOK 24: Seaside Secrets (Amy)

This is Amy Maples and Tony Black's story. Tony is a surfer, Amy is trying to comes to terms with her life. A lifetime ago, Tony and Amy were an item, can they reclaim their lost love.

This is the story of second chances, lost, grief, coming to terms with one's past, adversity, deceit, finding happiness and oh, yes, hot sex. The sex scenes are hot, erotic, and did I mention sexy.

A well written story, with fantastic characters, sensual interaction between Tony and Amy, with well a well-blended amount of lust, love and life in general. A provocative and romantic tale. If you have never read one of Ms. Foster's tales I would suggest starting from the beginning, Book 21: Seaside Dreams (Bella) and the very beginningSNOW SISTERS
BOOK 1: Sisters in Love, as the characters re-appeal throughout the different stories.

"Seaside Secrets" does have a light-hearted side as well. It is compelling, engaging, with realistic characters, and a well-thought out storyline. A satisfying and enjoyable read. Another hit for Ms. Foster!

*Received for an honest review from the publisher*

Rating: 4

Heat rating: Hot

Reviewed by: AprilR, courtesy of My Book Addiction and More

I received a copy in exchange for a honest review.

Have you ever been a fan of a series with two (or more characters) that you know belong together? As the series progresses, you get small snippets of what their relationship could be like... Then, when it is their time to shine, you are blind sighted with the secret that kept them apart for so many years... Yep! That pretty much sums up my feelings towards the newest book in Melissa Foster's Seaside Summers series, Seaside Secrets. That title, let me tell you, is spot on. Yes! It is another Melissa Foster book and, once again, I loved it. So I am going to continue with my new little tradition of picking one word that I feel best describes the book and my feelings towards it. The word for Seaside Secrets is heartbreaking. The secret that tore apart Amy and Tony at such a young age broke my heart. Poor Amy for having to go through the whole ordeal by herself. It made her such a strong character, though. To stand up to the one man that she loves only to be turned away time and time again, I don't know how she did it. I loved how protective Tony was of Amy throughout the whole series. It pains him to say no to her for so many years, but he knows that it is for the best. When he is able to say yes, he'll do everything he can to keep Amy with him, even if it means following her across the world. Now that she has an amazing opportunity ahead of her, both of them know that it is now or never. It is their last chance to work through their past and forge a new future together. Swoon! I actually can't wait for the next book in the Seaside Summers series just so I can see them together as a background couple. Well, that and the fact that I just want to read another Melissa Foster book.

...and the ending? Perfect!

Amy has loved Tony since they were kids. Amy and Tony spend one magnificient summer together as teens. Until a heartbreaking accident happens. Amy does not share what happened with her dearest friends. She runs off to college and never speaks of it again. Tony and Amy have spend summers together at the Cape. Finally at their friends wedding Amy finally gets up the nerve to make a pass at Tony. Tony and Amy finally accept what happened and Amy finally confides in her dear friends. I adore all the Seaside stories, they are my absolute favorite. Oh and can I say the ending with Theresa......... You must read it to find out. I had listened to the audio version of this story. The narration of BJ Harrison is wonderful.

Tony and Amy have been in love forever, and their friends have been watching the looks they give each other for years. But a major secret has kept them apart for fourteen years. Now Amy has come to her summer haven to sort out her life and figure out if Tony or a major move are the right choice for her.

Even though they are two very broken people, Amy and Tony deserve to be happy and find love. They've let the past stand in their way for far too long, but can they make it through this, or will they live as friends and continue to float along in life?

To be honest, before reading Seaside Secrets I'd only read one other of the Seaside books, so I didn't know much about Tony and Amy's story. Since I've gone back and read the rest of the series I've seen much more of their feelings for each other and watched them love each other from afar. So while this book can easily be read alone, I encourage you to read the rest of the Seaside series (and while you're at it read the whole Love in Bloom series!! You'll enjoy every last one of them).

This is one of my favorite of the Love in Bloom series (although I know I've said that a few times!), and I loved watching Tony and Amy blossom. This was a story I literally couldn't put down, and I had a very exhausted day the following day to prove it. The Seaside cottages have such an amazing group of friends, and they're even more wonderful in relationships!

*I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.