Publisher: Pocket Star Books
Reviewed by Maria Lokken
4 stars

This was a very satisfying read, I would go so far as to say it’s a comfort read. Sunset Bay is a romance with a happy ending, some major pitfalls in the middle, and a lot of realism thrown in just to keep you on your toes.

Meagan Green has dreams of being a fashion designer. Unfortunately, her family doesn’t subscribe to those dreams. Her mother, a border line “mommy dearest” case, wants Megan to be practical, her sister will do everything she can to make Megan’s life hell, and her father is adoring, but wants to make sure she gets a degree and becomes an accountant. It’s clear that Megan doesn’t have much in the way of family support.

Megan’s in love with the town’s bad boy Travis, fresh from his stint at juvenile detention. The attraction between them is strong and off they go to Las Vegas, phony ID’s at the ready, for a weekend of getting to know each other better. When Megan’s father finds out – she’s forced to make a choice between Travis and her father. The decision doesn’t go well for the ex-juvenile offender.

Ten years later her dreams of living in NYC with Travis and being a fashion designer are behind her as she prepares for her upcoming wedding to the very handsome cardiologist Adam. She’s working her way to the corner office of her firm and life really couldn’t be any better. That’s when the author throws in a couple of left turns that puts Megan’s life in total chaos. Nothing is what it seems. She can no longer trust her father, her fiancé or her upwardly mobile career. Megan’s got troubles. Before you think that the author piled it on too thick, this is where I believe Ms. Mallery created a total comfort read. Yes, she gives the heroine lots of problems to overcome before she gets her HEA, but they were realistic situations. They were the kind of situations that pose the question; “What if you were in the middle of your life and you suddenly realized, it’s not the life you thought it was or even wanted?” She doesn’t give Megan any quick answers, in fact, she doesn’t even solve all of her problems, but what she does do is give me the romantic happy ending I want, with a few dangling particles allowing me to really jump into the world of Meagan and Travis and be completely satisfied.

The author turns what could have been a predictable plot into a very interesting story containing several layers. Each layer is another relationship that Megan either has to create or destroy. And as in real life, not all relationships are smooth or even worthwhile.

I highly recommend you pick up Sunset Bay when you’re in the mood for a contemporary romance that isn’t predictable and will give you complete satisfaction. I’m looking forward to more of Susan Mallery’s work.