Where Hope & Dreams Live On

Sandcastle Inn by Irene Hannon is the most delightful Christian contemporary novel that I absolutely adored. It is the tenth book in the Hope Harbor series but can be read as a stand-alone.

Hope Harbor is a positively idyllic setting. The scenery and the residents all come alive under Irene Hannon’s descriptive pen. A warm welcome reaches from the pages of the book to envelop the reader.

This is a place of refuge for the hurting and the lost. The community offers hope for the hurting and provides a new direction for the lost. “If someone in Hope Harbor is in need, everyone rallies.” This applies to strangers too, who are quickly taken into the bosom of the community. Hope Harbor is a place where there are some very huge hearts who not only notice others but they care. “Hope Harbor is a wonderful refuge for those seeking healing and peace.” The natural beauty and the openness of the locals ensures that those who enter as strangers, soon become friends who have new prospects ahead.

There is much love within the novel. We see the fallout from fractured family relationships. “Part of loving is giving the other person what they need, not what you thing they need.” We need to be careful that we don’t dictate to others but we give them space to grow.

Characters are carrying grief, guilt and burdens that were never meant for them. “God doesn’t hold our mistakes against us… So why should we hold them against ourselves?” We are often our own worst critics. We need to extend grace to ourselves.

Grief can be crushing. “No one ever told me grief felt so like fear.” It can be hard to live again. “When you lose … the centre of your world, it’s easier to bury the pain than deal with it.” Burying our feelings is akin to punishing ourselves daily. “He didn’t deserve another chance at happiness.” Everyone deserves a second chance, especially the face in the mirror. Grief will never go away but we need to learn how to face life and to love again. “It’s okay to start looking to the future instead of dwelling in the shadows of the past.”

We see the importance of letting go and letting God. “Say a prayer for me … and put everything in God’s hands.” At times the best thing we can do is to place our lives and our situations into the hands of God.

Within the tale there is an old hotel which is brought back to life but even better than before. This reminds the reader that God wants to renovate our lives and for our endings to be even better than our beginnings.

All the characters were wonderfully drawn. They were easy to empathise with and relate to.

I absolutely adored Sandcastle Inn and am sorry that it is ended. It was wonderfully warm and welcoming. I look forward to more visits to Hope Harbor.

I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

JULIA WILSON