Blue Moon Bay Paperback – February 1, 2012

I absolutely love Lisa Wingate’s novels! I started with Tending Roses and have read and enjoyed each and every one of her books.I enjoy Lisa’s writing style, character development, unique story lines and the fact that there is always personal growth, reconciliation and redemption in her novels. Lisa always finds an interesting premise, location or historical reference that leads me to do further research on the topic presented. I also like that her books are written in series which gives me an opportunity to get to know the characters better as the story lines develop and to see how they are progressing or what they are up to once they aren’t the focal point of the current story.While I don’t always like the personalities of the characters (I’m sure that’s Lisa’s intent) at the onset, I do grow to love them and understand and appreciate their individual challenges and personalities as the story unfolds. I have sometimes felt uncomfortable as I was being taught lessons I needed to learn about how others might be challenged or struggling in their lives and the scenarios are realistic enough that you can certainly apply them to real life situations. At the end of the book, I am always loath to leave them and feel as if they are real people that I’ve grown to know and care about.I have been inspired by Lisa’s wisdom, challenged to become a better person, laughed, cried and fallen in love with the people and localities she writes about.I feel I am a better person for having read these books and always appreciate the measure of grace she brings to her writing. Each book leaves a great impression on me and my heart is full for a long time after the last page is turned.It is important to me that Lisa somehow manages to do all of this without feeling the need to use graphic language or sex scenes as I do not find that these add anything to a story.Don’t think that her books aren’t entertaining! Lisa adds wit to go along with the wisdom! There is always a little bit of romance, too!I hope you will take the time to pick up one of Lisa’s books. You won’t be disappointed.

"Blue Moon Bay" is another by Lisa Wingate. It takes place in Moses Lake, Texas, the same place as "Larkspur Cove" took place but the characters and story are unrelated. I'm only suspecting that perhaps a third book might bring some from the first and second books together; at least I'm hoping so.We all have some of our own baggage, some more than others, but Heather Hampton had at least 3 suitcases full. Because of losing her dad while still being very angry with him, hating her mother, feeling that her brother was always the one her mother catered to and enabling him in every foolish thing he did, Heather left home right after high school swearing never to return to Moses Lake. Her job was a high paying, prestigious job that occupied her mind and time to a point of preventing her from actually 'living'. When a project came up which would net her a great promotion and plenty more $$$ she was gung-ho for it, despite the fact that it meant her company would be pushing for the sale of her family's property and farmland in generations for years. Getting down to the last few days for the contract to be signed, her mother and brother still not having signed the papers, she decides to return to Moses Lake to push the sale and find out what's going on.Several interesting things happen along the way, including forgetting her purse on a bus leaving her w/out credit cards, license, money and above all her precious cell phone. Of course, this lead to having to say longer in Moses Lake but no matter what prodding she did, no matter what questions she asked, everyone was evasive. She becomes even more disgusted with her mom and brother but eventually Ruth, a woman who was the only stable person in young Heather's life, always full of wisdom, gained Heather's attention and so the story unfolds. Of course, there is a man (from high school days) who has captured her interest but she cannot even seem to trust him. Note that despite the feelings of doubt about her brother, Clay, Heather truly does love him greatly.Learning late that she herself has been wrong in many instances, over-judgmental, accusatory, untrusting and downright nasty at times, she finally learns the truth as to why her brother and mom had returned to Moses Lake and what was really going on - finally glad to learn her brother was not using anything she suspected, but was engaged in bringing down criminals who had badly contaminated not only her family's farmland but others; causing cancer etc. Her beloved Ruth is one of those dying of cancer.A great story by a great author. I have never been disappointed by a Lisa Wingate book and think you might enjoy her too.Happy Reading,G.

Loved. This was my 2nd Lisa Wingate book, and will not be my last! This is the story of Heather Hampton, an architect who lived in Moses Lake years ago and has no desire to return. Moses Lake was the place where her father died, and Heather still doesn't believe it was an accident. So surprise surprise, Heather ends up returning to complete the details on the family farm. She has an interesting family and I don't know if it's just me, but I can't believe how cold her mother is! She also has a brother and "the uncs," and a boy she went to high school with who still lives there....lots of great characters, some humor, romance and even a mystery! Loved it, you should read it!

I just love this series! Blue Moon Bay is the second of Lisa Wingate's books set around Moses Lake in Texas. Although characters from the first book are mentioned in this one, this is an entirely separate story and there is no need to have read the first book in order to enjoy this one. Heather is an architect climbing the greasy pole to success in Seattle and her promotion depends on bringing her current clients' contract to completion. Her own family are involved in the deal and she must return to Moses Lake, the scene of a family tragedy.There, she is drawn deeper into an old mystery and forced to re-evaluate her life.Once again, Lisa Wingate creates vivid and compelling characters and a great sense of place. Humour, tragedy, romance and adventure all have their place in this absorbing mystery. I felt I knew and loved the community around Moses Lake and began to understand what it must be like to live in a remote part of Texas and to share the traditional values of the people. The author does not fudge the difficult questions about life and as her characters faced their challenges and problems, I was provoked to think and evaluate life, too. There are life lessons in this book that I hope to remember forever. This is a Christian book, but is in no way preachy or pious. Its values are just very solid.Lisa Wingate is an exceptionally good writer and this book is well above the average romantic mystery. Some books are to be read once and discarded, while others should be kept and read and re-read. This is one of the latter. I plan to read all this author's books.

A really nice read, so nice I read it twice. I love Lisa's humor, characterizations and excellent story telling. Only confusing thing was the cover, as the story is set in the winter, why has it got a summer picture of on the cover? I will read Firefly Island next.

Good read will read the series.

I enjoyed reading it...