Review: A modern-day fairy tale
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 3, 2014
In high school, Zeke Nicholas was known as “Ezekiel the Geekiel” while the girl of his dreams had the much more flattering moniker “Mandy the Magnificent.” It’s been over a decade since high school, but when Zeke – now a handsome billionaire – sees Mandy again, his old crush comes flaring back to life.Amanda Lockhart doesn’t feel so magnificent anymore. In fact, she’s downright worn out. After a disastrous marriage left her deep in debt and wary of men, all she’s focused on is working hard to get by. She’s a maid at Casa Blanca, Barefoot Bay’s premier resort, and when she runs into Zeke, her life is turned upside down once more. Amanda no longer believes in fairy tales, but this nerdy Price Charming makes her feel like Cinderella. Only this Cinderella has a secret…one that could cost her everything – including Zeke.Get swept away by Roxanne St. Claire’s modern-day fairy tale, Secrets on the Sand. Amanda had it all in high school, but since then she’s had more than her fair share of hard knocks. She’s been hurt in more ways than one and I understood and appreciated why she guards herself so closely. It’s not easy for Zeke to break down the walls Amanda erects, but the genius billionaire doesn’t give up. I was utterly charmed by Zeke. He’s a geek with polish, and that’s one of my favorite kinds of heroes. He and Amanda have great chemistry, which makes their story an enticing read. Though Secrets on the Sand begins with Zeke trying to make his high school fantasy come true, their relationship turns into something real that readers can root for.Secrets on the Sand is a story that will make you smile, particularly if you’re already a fan of Ms. St. Claire’s Barefoot Bay quartet. Though Secrets on the Sand is the first book in the Billionaires of Barefoot Bay series, some of the beloved Barefoot Bay protagonists show up in this novella (Lacey, of Barefoot in the Sand, plays a particularly important supporting role). But while I liked the callbacks to the Barefoot Bay quartet, I’m more excited about what Ms. St. Claire has in store for Zeke’s friends and future Billionaires of Barefoot Bay heroes, Becker and Nate.Zeke and Mandy made me fall in love with Barefoot Bay all over again. I finished Secrets on the Sand a well-satisfied reader, and I can’t wait to dive into the next Billionaires of Barefoot Bay tale, Seduction on the Sand.KimberlyReview courtesy of Wit and Sin