Blue Moon Bay is the second novel is Lisa Wingate’s Shores of Moses Lake series, contemporary fiction set in a small town in Texas. The first was Larkspur Cove (linked to my review).

In Blue Moon Bay, Heather Hampton is an architect working in Seattle. Her father was from Moses Lake, but the family only lived there a short time when Heather was in her teens. She felt like an outcast at school and protested the family’s presence in Moses Lake by dressing somewhat Goth-style. Her mother wasn’t very popular in Moses Lake, either, since she stole away a hometown guy.

When Heather’s father died, Heather, her mother, and brother moved away as soon as they could. Heather never wanted to look back.

Now her firm is about to negotiate a big deal for an industrial plant in Moses Lake, with the sale of the family’s land as part of the deal. Heather’s two older great uncles (called the “Uncs”), have plans to move to live with one of their sons. Heather thinks this is the ideal solution to provide for the family, settle the land, and close the door to Moses Lake forever–as well as look good to her boss.

Everything is set, only awaiting her mother’s signature on the documents.

But her mother doesn’t show up for the appointment.

When Heather calls her mother, she gets vague references about considering another offer, which is total news to Heather. And what’s weirder is that her mom is actually in Moses Lake with Heather’s brother, Clay.

Since Heather can’t get any clear details on the phone, she decides to fly to Moses Lake. After a series of mishaps, she finally gets there. But she still can’t get any answers from anyone. And, mysteriously, Blaine Underwood, the handsome football hero of her high school days, is somehow involved.

I know a story needs conflict to have any kind of plot. But the kind of conflict here frustrated me. It’s supposed to, though–the main character is frustrated as well. Heather is more like her father, and her mother and brother are like each other. Her free-spirited mother gives ambiguous answers, getting Heather nowhere in figuring out what’s going on. The Uncs and Clay and Blaine are not much help, either.

Nevertheless, the story wraps up nicely in the end, including some edge-of-your-seat action. Then the reason for the lack of details becomes clear.

A subplot involves the Uncs’ former housekeeper, Ruth, the one person whom Heather had loved when she lived in Moses Lake. Ruth now has cancer, and Heather visits her several times, learning more of her Mennonite history and how she came to the US from Germany as a child. I had thought this was just an interesting side trail, but it ties into the main plot.

Like the first book in the series, this one opens each chapter with “Wall of Wisdom” quotes left by visitors at the Waterbird Bait and Grocery. Some characters from the first book show up there as well as in the story.

Even though I didn’t enjoy this book quite as much as the first, I did like how it came together in the end.

(Sharing with Bookish Bliss)