Serendipity House [Kindle Edition]

Joyce DeBacco (Author)

Book Description

Sylvie was a pleaser. She did as her mother pleased, and she did as her fiancé pleased. Then she did as she pleased. Determined to take back her life, she heads to the hills instead of the altar on the day she's to wed. Coming across a quaint, country inn with an intriguing name, she impulsively checks into the Pocono Mountains resort. Peopled with an odd assortment of characters, the inn has clearly seen better days; even the regulars have a bit of wear on them. When Alex arrives and is strangely comfortable vacationing among the geriatric set, Sylvie tries to ignore him.

But Alex will not be ignored, pushing her buttons until she admits, if only to herself, that she's falling for him. Not until she's hired to manage the inn does she learn he's not the businessman he pretends to be, but a streetwise PI hired by her ex to find her. Adding insult to injury, he buys the inn and asks for her help in restoring it to its former glory, not an easy task with someone sabotaging their efforts.

Forced to work together, both learn about relationships, expectations, and acceptance among family members as well as strangers who become like family.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"At heart, this was a romance, yet the story never descends into the sappy dialogue and thought processes of a swooning nymphette." Lynn O'Dell of Red Adept Reviews chose Serendipity House as the Best Indie Romance of 2011.

"I am absolutely amazed and blown away by Joyce DeBacco's work. Her characters really gripped me and the plot line sucked me in instantly." Molly E. of Readers Favorite.

"Serendipity House is an interesting story; I also enjoyed the cast of characters that make up the 'family' she finds at the quaint old inn." Stevie B. of Manic Readers.

"a wonderful job of dealing with such deep emotional issues as mother-daughter conflicts. Meg Kinsella of The Romance Studio.

"Joyce DeBacco writes a compelling novel that is sure to warm your heart. With complex characters and an intriguing story line, the book is difficult to put down." Emily L. of Single Titles.

"Serendipity House is a light, fun romance. Ms. DeBacco certainly sets the scene of the Poconos in all its beauty through the seasons." Bonnie-Lass of Coffeetime Romance.

"If you enjoy a family-oriented style of romance that proceeds at a leisurely pace and that is populated with characters who seem like people you might know, then Serendipity House should probably be on your reading list." Bobby of Bookwenches.

"Conflict, goal, and motivation! Ms DeBacco's understanding of human nature creates a heartwarming story that, for me, is a 'keeper'." Fennel of The Long and Short of It.

Product Details

• File Size: 501 KB
• Print Length: 188 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005N1OT1W
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #294,692 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A very enjoyable read! April 4, 2010

By D. Lockwood

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Very well written, this was more than a romance, more than a mystery. The book centers on the lives of several characters and it was very easy to get caught up in it all. I'm hoping for another book by this author.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Enjoyable April 6, 2010

By Grannie Bunnie

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

As the first reader said, not quite a mystery or a romance but a little of both with true life thrown in. By the time I was finished I cared about these characters and wanted to know more. Thanks for a quick, satisfying and enjoyable read. Looking forward to more.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An engaging summer read June 17, 2012

By Mary Metcalfe

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This was my first full-length novel read on my Kindle and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The cast of characters in this book are composites of people we all know, including Sylvie's self-possessed whiny mother. Watching the interplay between mother and daughter as Sylvie evolves her personality was the highlight of the book. Alex's development was also fun to watch. By the end, I was fully engaged with all the characters and cared about them. Well-written, sharp dialogue and intriguing internal monologue combined with doses of suspense, mystery and romance. A very satisfying read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging. June 20, 2011

By Linda K. Rudd

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Good Read. I liked the touch of the mystery. Kept me engaged and reading on. As others are saying, I cared about all the characters. Over all I enjoyed it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful March 31, 2011

By DebaDeb

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I absolutely loved this book. The author promoted Serendipity House on a thread I started on the Amazon discussion boards. Since she was kind enough to tell me of her book, I downloaded a sample. Before I knew it, I was sitting on the porch at Serendipity house, listening to the regulars playing their board games, and walking down to the lake. When the sample was finished, I found myself rushing around my house finding the strongest signal so I could purchase the book.
This book is a romance but not a romance, it's a mystery, but not a mystery...It's so enjoyable, you finding yourself wishing it didn't end.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet romance with realistic characters February 5, 2011

By C. Watkins

Format:Kindle Edition

Sylvie has always been a pleaser, doing exactly what was expected of her. On the day she is to be wed, she finally makes a decision for herself, one that leads her to Serendipity House and changes the course of her future.

This novel is packed full of lovable, realistic characters and a wonderful, if rocky, romance. Despite its length (the equivalent of about 180 pages) it covers over two years, but the author does this well. She focuses on the events fully, then expresses the passage of time in a way that flows and feels natural.

I love a good romance, and this was a great romance, with a bit of mystery, suspense and enough strife to make me really feel for the characters without seeming contrived. I look forward to reading more from this author.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Heart Warming Story February 5, 2011

By Rainey

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Nice heart warming story. Romance with a little mystery. Enjoyable. I don't think the cover does the story justice though.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable read June 27, 2010

By Steph H.

Format:Kindle Edition

I quite enjoyed this book. The quirky supporting characters were a delight and the inn is somewhere I wish I could go for a little R&R for a few weeks...or months. It's a romance overall, but there's more to it than that. Some light mystery, some grit-your-teeth family dynamics, a bit of old-flame interference -- it all combines for a good read. Well worth my time, and yours.

More About the Author

After reading women's fiction for many years, I finally decided to take the plunge and write my own stories. One of my books, Serendipity House, was named best indie romance for 2011 by Lynn of Red Adept Reviews. As the mother of four grown daughters, I'm familiar with the problems women face finding love, raising children, and stepping back when necessary. That's why family dynamics play a large part in all my books. Sibling rivalry, drug abuse among teens, and problems with spouses figure prominently in all my stories. Of course, there's always a touching love story threaded through the pages. Who doesn't love a good love story? I can be found most days secluded in my office creating new worlds and people to populate them. When I'm not taxing my brain with plot, structure, and grammar, I like to sew, particularly quilts. When I really want to rest my brain cells, I sprawl out in front of the TV and usually fall asleep. Please visit my website, http://www.joycedebacco.com for more information about my books.