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Catherine and Amanda

Nora Roberts

384 pages

A breezy, banter-filled coastal romance where fierce family loyalty collides with unexpected, undeniable attraction.

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What it feels like

Reading this classic romance feels like stepping onto a breezy Maine porch surrounded by the chaotic warmth of a fiercely loyal family. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging clip, driven by crackling dialogue and the delicious tension of opposites clashing before they inevitably attract. There is a deeply nostalgic, cozy atmosphere that permeates the pages, grounding the swoon-worthy romance in a tangible sense of home and heritage. The prose is accessible and inviting, balancing witty, combative banter with tender moments of vulnerability and a lingering thread of cozy mystery. It is an incredibly comforting read, perfect for those who delight in strong sisterly bonds, stubborn protagonists letting down their walls, and the timeless appeal of love conquering stubborn pride.

Mood
  • cozy
  • breezy
  • nostalgic
  • sun-warmed
Tone
  • playful
  • earnest
  • wry
  • romantic
Pace
brisk
Themes
sisterly bonds · preserving family legacy · opposites attract · reluctant vulnerability · home and belonging
The writing
Accessible and dialogue-heavy, the prose crackles with witty banter while painting a warm, inviting picture of coastal Maine.
The arc
The journey moves from defensive hostility and protective anxiety to passionate surrender and secure, loving partnership.
Who it's for
Romance readers who crave strong sisterly dynamics, classic enemies-to-lovers banter, and a touch of cozy mystery woven into their love stories.
Content notes
  • mild outdated gender dynamics
  • past family grief

About the book

All hard-driving executive Trenton St. James III had on his mind was business-making the final arrangements to buy a run-down old mansion on the coast of Maine. He wasn't expecting any complications. And he definitely wasn't expecting anything like Catherine "C. C." Calhoun.

This feisty, independent-minded young woman bristled at the very thought of her family's most highly prized possession ending up as part of some faceless hotel chain. And she seemed to bristle at the very sight of Trenton St. James, too. But all that was going to have to change, because Trent not only wanted her home, he wanted her, too. And he wasn't a man who took no for an answer.

Amanda Calhoun had always been the sensible one, forever struggling to keep her, well...eccentric family out of trouble. And the instant she laid eyes on architect Sloan O'Riley, she knew he was trouble. So this arrogant, insufferable Harvard-educated cowboy thought he was going to turn her family's beloved - and slightly decrepit - home into a hotel, did he? Well, she'd just see about that...

Sloan seemed a little too interested in Calhoun family history - their famous missing emeralds, for instance. He also seemed a little too interested in Amanda. The hotel was shaping up nicely under his oh-so-skilled hands. But it was becoming clear that Amanda was what he most wanted to get those hands on...

The Calhoun Women -- four fascinating sisters, four fabulous stories.

Description from Open Library.

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