About Returning to Romance:
Title: Returning to Romance
Author: Jennifer Shirk
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 13, 2026
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Series: Sunny Banks
Synopsis:
Saving her family’s beloved seaside resort was never going to be easy—but falling for the man who could ruin everything wasn’t part of the plan.
Kalinda Wingate is pouring her heart into restoring the Sunshine Sisters Resort, determined to protect the legacy her parents left behind. With renovations stretching her budget, guests dwindling, and the future hanging by a thread, one thing could change everything: a glowing review from the elusive travel critic known only as The Secret Sightseer.
When rumors spread that the mysterious reviewer may be headed to town, Kalinda is determined to make every moment perfect. What she doesn’t know is that the critic is already closer than she thinks.
Clarke Cantor only planned to stay long enough for his sister’s wedding. Instead, he finds himself face-to-face with Kalinda—his first love, the woman he never forgot, and the one person who can never discover the secret he’s keeping. As wedding festivities, quirky mishaps, and the charm of their coastal hometown pull them back together, the sparks between them are impossible to ignore.
But with old wounds still lingering and a life-changing secret standing between them, Kalinda and Clarke must decide whether love deserves a second chance—or if some mistakes are too painful to forgive.
A heartwarming small-town romance filled with second chances, hidden identities, family bonds, and all the cozy seaside charm readers love.
Add to your TBR list: Goodreads
Available: Amazon
About Jennifer Shirk:
Jennifer Shirk is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of sweet (and sometimes even funny) romances for Montlake Romance and Entangled Publishing. Her novel, FIANCE BY FATE—a 2015 Readers’ Crown Finalist—became an Amazon #1 best seller for Series Romance. And recently, Wrong Brother, Right Match, WON the Sweet Traditional category of the 2017 Golden Quill Contest and became a #1 Amazon bestseller for Holiday Romance.
She resides in a beach resort in NJ, so when she’s not writing or working on her tan, she’s taking care of her most treasured possessions: her husband, daughter and puppy (Sox).
Check out her website for News and Links: http://www.jennifershirk.com
And don’t forget to join her mailing list for a chance to win monthly giveaways and free ARCs: eepurl.com/Q6TH1
Connect with Jennifer: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads| Amazon | BookBub
🩵Review🩵
Kalinda is determined to ensure the success of the resort not just for financial reasons but emotional reasons as well. When she learns that a secret reviewer is coming to rate their resort she needs to ensure that it goes well as a positive rating could bring in new guests while a negative review could destroy any progress they have made so she doesn’t need the turmoil of the return of the man who left her with a broken heart.
Clarke has come to the resort for his sister’s wedding but that is only one of the reasons. This trip may finally give him the opportunity to try and repair the damage he caused by leaving but there is also the secret between them of another reason that brought him there. Will this be their second chance or will the past and the complications in the present be too much to overcome?
This is a heartwarming story that balances family, romance and love. The story finds a balance between humor, missteps and emotion and has us looking for the next story in this series.
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