Welcome, Alexa Aston, and thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions for us for the release of Second Chance on the Shore, Book One in the Coastal Dreams series.

Can you tell us about what inspired this series?

I’m a native Texan, so I grew up taking family vacations to the Texas Gulf Coast. Then my aunt and uncle retired to Rockport, so we had a ready place to stay right on the water! I hadn’t set any of my small-town Texas romances on the coast and thought it would be a good setting for some romance. I drove down with my best friend and stayed several days since I hadn’t been to the Texas coast in several years. We soaked up the ambience—and Coastal Dreams was a go!

What inspired this book in particular?

I was a teacher for 30 years, so education & educators are near and dear to my heart. This is a story of healing, bringing two teachers who coach basketball and volleyball to the heroine’s hometown. I was able to incorporate a little of my educational background as I built my story around their occupations and previous heartbreak.

What do you enjoy most about writing Contemporary Romance?

Romance is relevant, no more so than today. I love taking people with problems and heartaches that many of us have faced and giving them their HEAs in a contemporary world. I also write Historical Romance, so it’s a nice change to leave the sandbox of the Regency Era and put on my contemporary cap and play in a new world!

What is your favorite aspect of Carson Andrew’s character?

He’s such a great dad. Carson is a widower, having lost his wife under tragic circumstances. He’s been a rock for Lily, his four-year-old daughter, whom he affectionately calls Peanut. Moving to Driftwood Bay is his way of giving both of them a fresh start.

What is your favorite part about Mila Perry’s character?

Mila is competitive and determined, and she brings those qualities to everything she touches. I also like how she brings laughter back into Carson and Lily’s lives.

What is your favorite part about the dynamic between Carson and Mila?

They are so down-to-earth and relaxed in one another’s company. Mila is DONE with dating, while Carson has lost the love of his life, so neither of them have romance on their Bingo cards when they accept jobs in Driftwood Bay. My favorite thing was allowing them  to be vulnerable when they are with one another. They open up—and their hearts begin to heal. Not only do they come to accept their past, they also know it’s time to build a future together as a family of three—and possibly more kids to come!

Can you tell us a bit about your writing space/where you do most of your writing?

That’s a two-fold answer! I start my day with a long walk, and I dictate a chapter as I’m walking. Movement spurs creativity, so being outdoors and moving really helps me capture what I want to put on the page. After I’m home and transcribe that chapter, tweaking as I go, I also write in my office. I have a desk and chair—and NEVER sit at them to write! Instead, I park myself in my La-Z-Boy reclining rocker, laptop in my lap, candle lit, and then I pick up with the next chapter and let the magic unfold.

What are some books you are enjoying reading right now? Do you have any recommendations?

I enjoy reading thrillers, mysteries, and biographies, aside from romance. I’ve recently finished Judge Stone, by James Patterson & Viola Davis, an actress I admire. I also liked The Proving Ground, Michael Connelly’s latest Lincoln Lawyer novel. For biographies, I would recommend Jeremy Renner’s My Next Breath and Christina Applegate’s memoir You With the Sad Eyes.

Want to know more about Second Chance on the Shore?

A broken heart. A second chance. A coastal town where love might be worth the risk.

Carson Andrews is still learning how to breathe again. Two years after his wife’s murder, the single father pours everything he has into raising his spirited four-year-old daughter, Lily. When a new job brings them to Driftwood Bay as the town’s head basketball coach—and soon after, its athletic director—Carson hopes the quiet rhythm of this Texas coastal town will give them both the fresh start they need.

Mila Perry is done with dating. A dedicated high school volleyball coach and the superintendent’s daughter, she’s content focusing on her career and her community. Love feels messy, complicated, and far too easy to lose. She never expects to be drawn to the reserved newcomer—or to the little girl who quickly captures her heart.

As Carson settles into Driftwood Bay, his connection with Mila deepens from friendship into something fragile and profound. Mila brings warmth and laughter back into Carson’s life, forming a bond with Lily that feels both healing and terrifying. But their growing feelings come with real consequences. As athletic director, Carson is responsible for Mila’s evaluations, forcing them to navigate professional boundaries just as their hearts become involved.

When an influential community member questions their relationship, pressure mounts. Fearing the fallout could threaten their careers—and Lily’s sense of security—Mila suggests they step back before everything they’ve built is torn apart.

But some second chances are worth fighting for.

Can Carson and Mila overcome grief, expectations, and fear to create a family of their own—or will the past keep them from the future they both long for?

Meet the men and women of Driftwood Bay, a Texas coastal town where neighbors know your name and couples discover a second chance at life—and love.

Warm, heartfelt, and emotionally grounded, Alexa Aston’s Second Chance on the Shore opens the Coastal Dreams series with a tender story of grief, healing, and the courage it takes to love again. Perfect for readers who cherish small-town settings, found family, and romances that unfold with depth and hope.

Meet Alexa Aston:

Award-winning, internationally bestselling author Alexa Aston lives with her husband in a Dallas suburb, where she eats her fair share of dark chocolate and plots out stories while she walks every morning. She loves reading, watching movies, and attending sporting events when she’s not watching Survivor, The Crown, or The Great British Baking Show.

A former history teacher, Alexa’s historical romances are set during the Regency, Medieval, and American Old West Eras—where she brings to life loveable rogues, dashing knights, and rugged cowboys and lawmen. She also writes contemporary romances which are light and flirty and sometimes contain a bit of suspense.

You can find Alexa on her Website, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and BookBub. If you’d like updates sent right to your inbox, sign up for her newsletter!