Publishers Weekly
06/17/2024
Blumberg (Stirring up Love) makes marine biology sexy in this endearing second-chance romance. Hope Evans has always loved sharks, so much so that she’s devoted her career to researching them. But following a professional setback and a devastating breakup from fellow shark researcher Adrian Hollis, she abandons her work. Three years later, the time may finally be right for her to get back in the water. When a promising summer job opens up, Hope seizes it—then learns that it will have her working closely with Adrian, who’s now a celebrity of the shark conservation world thanks to his popular YouTube channel. Though resentment—and feelings—linger on both sides, the pair vow to keep things professional. But while working together in close quarters on a small boat, this proves easier said than done. Blumberg makes the will-they-won’t-they dance believable and exciting with sexy banter and plenty of humor throughout. Readers will root for this intelligent couple to get their happily ever after. Agent: Rachel Brooks, Bookends Literary. (Aug.)
From the Publisher
PRAISE FOR CHANDRA BLUMBERG
AN AMAZON "BEST OF THE MONTH" ROMANCE PICK!
“Blumberg makes the will-they-won’t-they dance believable and exciting with sexy banter and plenty of humor throughout. Readers will root for this intelligent couple to get their happily ever after.” —Publishers Weekly
“These likable characters have immediate, unignorable chemistry, despite their reservations about each other. This second-chance romance from Blumberg is a slow burn, ratcheting up the sexual tension page by page.” —Library Journal
"Chandra does what she does best in Second Tide's the Charm – delivering witty writing, nuanced characters, heartwarming romance, and maximum nerdiness in this absolute gem of a summer romance. Heroine Hope can't stop talking about sharks, and I can't stop talking about this book!" —Jen Comfort, author of What is Love?
“In the Shark Week of second-chance romances, Chandra Blumberg will have readers hungrily scavenging for every morsel of bait as she tempts with sultry tension and magnetic longing. Adrian looks at Hope like an apex predator, famished and ready to devour its prey.” —Taj McCoy, award-winning author of Zora Books Her Happy Ever After
“This sweet, science-y second-chance romance is the perfect beach read this summer.” —Jennifer Jones, Bookseller at Bookmiser, Inc.
Library Journal
06/01/2024
Three years ago, marine biologist Hope Evans dropped everything, including her boyfriend, to help out her best friend. Now Hope is ready to get back to her first love—shark research. Her ex's cousin has found her the perfect summer job as an assistant aboard a shark-research boat. What Hope doesn't know is that the boat belongs to her ex, Adrian Hollis-Parker. Adrian has become a YouTube star who educates people about the misunderstood shark. He's just as surprised to see Hope as she is to see him; he spent the past three years trying to forget their painful breakup. Seeing her again, he'd prefer to send her packing, but his crew desperately needs another marine biologist to share the workload. Will Hope and Adrian be able to part ways when summer ends, or will the weeks spent in close quarters rekindle their love? These likable characters have immediate, unignorable chemistry, despite their reservations about each other. VERDICT This second-chance romance from Blumberg (Digging Up Love) is a slow burn, ratcheting up the sexual tension page by page.—Heather Miller Cover
Kirkus Reviews
2024-06-15
After five years together and three apart, two marine biologists are unexpectedly reunited by work in South Carolina.
It’s been three years since Hope Evans’ and Adrian Hollis-Parker’s long-distance—yet all-encompassing—relationship fizzled out when Hope decided she needed more time before moving in together. She’s spent that time helping a recently widowed friend with her children and her new recreation business on Lake Michigan, while Adrian accidentally went viral helping a beached shark. He’s parlayed the attention into a thriving social media presence and YouTube channel that’s enabled him to further his research and build the life he thought he always wanted. Shark research—and their feelings for one another—are the most important things to both of them. With encouragement and concern from Zuri, Hope’s friend in Michigan; Adrian’s cousin Marissa; and Gabe, Adrian’s cameraman, Hope and Adrian work through their feelings for one another as they conduct shark research and outreach over the course of the summer. The story is told in alternating points of view, and Hope and Adrian are each consumed by missing the other, wanting to do their best work, and concern about getting their hearts broken again. The emotions that arise when they’re near each other is described in great detail. People looking for a few pages to read before falling asleep every night will appreciate the cyclic nature of the couple’s thoughts.
A slow-moving story in which people trying to do their best find their happy ending.
