White Sand, Blue Sea: A St. Barts Love Story by Anita Hughes - Review

Olivia Miller is standing on the porch of her mother and stepfather's plantation style villa in St. Barts. They have been coming here every April for years but she is always thrilled to see the horseshoe shaped bay of Gustavia and white sand of Gouverneur's Beach. This trip should be particularly exciting because she is celebrating her twenty-fifth birthday and hoping that Finn, her boyfriend of four years, will propose.

The only person who won't be here is her father, Sebastian, whom she hasn’t seen in twenty years. He’s a well-known artist and crisscrosses the globe, painting and living in exotic locations like Kenya and China. When Sebastian unexpectedly walks through the door and floats back into Olivia’s life like a piece of bad driftwood she never knew she wanted, she starts to wonder if her world is too narrow. She questions the dreams and the relationship she’s always thought she wanted. But there seems to be more to the story than an innocent fatherly visit, and Olivia must decide if love is more important than truth.

Set on St. Barts, the jewel of the Caribbean, Anita Hughes's WHITE SAND, BLUE SEA is a heartwarming story about romance and adventure, and most important, about knowing yourself, and what makes you happy.


My Review:

Beautifully descriptive and entertaining. 

Olivia Miller is excited to be celebrating her twenty-fifth birthday with her boyfriend, mother and step-father at their island home on St. Barts.   She is almost positive her boyfriend is going to propose too.  But she still can’t help thinking about her father, Sebastian, who never shows up for her birthdays even though he is sent an invitation every year.  When Sebastian shows up at the door, Olivia is thrilled.  But, she can’t help wondering why he decided to show up this time.  What she finds out is a total surprise. 

The story takes you back and forth, from the present day to the past, as Olivia and her mother remember Sebastian and their life together.  He is a popular artist and they traveled the world together until it was time for Olivia to start school and needed to settle down for a more stable life.   That’s when he left them and never came back. 

I always know when I pick up a book by Anita Hughes, I will be transported to some exotic location and the story will be filled with glamorous people.  The descriptions always feel so real too, whether it’s describing the scenery, people, food or even clothing.  The stories are always interesting and entertaining.  This book is right up there with the rest of them, another new favorite.  


Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.