⭐⭐⭐⭐
Slow in unfolding and rich in description of the place, this
book draws you in on the sheer power of the characterisations and the
chemistry.
Emma Volant is a hugely successful, multi-millionaire
author. However, she was married to a fellow writer, who remained unsuccessful.
Emma’s wife couldn’t handle Emma’s successful and carefully decimated Emma
emotionally peaking it with a humiliating, very pubic divorce. Emma buys a
house sight unseen in a small English village, Amberwick, to hide away.
The first person she runs into is Brogan McKay. Brogan’s huge extended family
practically owns and runs all small businesses in Amberwick and Emma and
Brogan keep running into one another and spending time together.
What grabbed us first was Emma’s character. She is a
best-selling author who has had great success. Yet she is socially awkward,
introverted and have serious self-esteem issues. To create a character
juxtaposing the gigantic success and issues of self-worth and making it believable
is quite a feat. Spangler does that beautifully and you really feel for the
fragile, vulnerable Emma at every turn.
Brogan is initially described as, not exactly a womaniser,
but someone whose expertise is short flings with tourists. As the book
progresses, Brogan’s emotional issues as an outcome of never having anyone
truly want her enough to make her something beyond a fling unfold and
you start understanding her hesitations better.
Their growing relationship and simmering chemistry are
beautifully captured and when they finally get together – it is what romance
should be.
The cast of nosy yet helpful secondary characters provide
great support.
We love the little nod in the direction of Nell Stark’s The
Princess Affair – one of our favourite romances.
A shoutout to the author, Rachel Spangler: Please, please,
please write a romance about Lady Victoria…we LOVE her and want her to get a
very, very happily ever after. Please? Pretty please?
⭐⭐⭐⭐
