Spring at Blueberry Bay by Holly Martin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Funny and sweet romance. This put a big ginormous smile on my face and made a cold and miserable day so much brighter.

When I spied this on Netgalley I couldn’t resist requesting as it sounded like just the type of book I was in need of. Having read some heavy and kind of depressing books I was looking for something light, fluffy and romantic to get me out of a slump so this seemed like the perfect choice. From the very pretty cover to the enticing blurb this was definitely a story that appealed and it didn’t let me down.

Blurb (from GoodReads)

Welcome to beautiful Hope Island where the sea sparkles, the daffodils are blooming and a blossoming romance is just around the corner…

Bella has always had a sunny outlook and caring nature, despite recently falling on hard times. When she finds a handsome homeless man on her doorstep, her kind heart tells her she must help him. So, she invites Isaac into her cottage and into her life in ways she could never have imagined…

But Isaac is not what he seems. He’s keeping a huge secret from Bella, yet he never expected to fall for this open, generous and charming woman.

Bella can’t ignore the chemistry between her and Isaac, but she’s had her trust badly broken in her past. Will she run when she learns the truth about Isaac, or will he be the one man who can help Bella believe in love again?

Thoughts

This was my first book by this author and for the most part I did really like her writing style. It makes for some nice and easy reading that you can just relax into. Main characters Bella and Isaac are very likeable and there’s a great mix of quirky secondary characters. I loved the setting of Hope Island and the real sense of community you got. It’s one of those places where everyone knows everyone else and nothing is a secret but I do love the idea of neighbours looking out for each other.

The story itself was a little bit different from the norm and the romance, while being a little bit quick, was believable and there was a definite spark at times. What I loved the most however was the humor and wit. There were a few occasions when I found myself laughing out loud at either a scene or some dialogue.

I did have a few little niggles which is why I gave it four rather than five stars. I’m a big supporter of the show don’t tell rule of writing and I felt that at times it wandered a little bit too far into the tell side. I would have preferred a more gradual reveal of information rather than being told everything up front. I also felt at times the dialogue was a little on the clunky side. It’s possibly me being very repressed but I don’t know anyone who talks about their emotions and feelings the way the characters do at times.

These are however pretty minor niggles and for the most part I found this a very difficult book to put down. It’s definitely one I’d recommend if you’re looking for something light, funny and romantic.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC. As always all thoughts are my own.