You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
Not bad but also nothing to write home about. I can't quite put into words why I wasn't a huge fan. The story was sweet, Eloise looses her gran and meets a grumpy lawyer, Jake, next door who's handling her affairs. But it all felt a bit shallow. I wanted them to have a deeper love but maybe it was more let me write out my feelings and less let me show you how I really feel. I also get Eloise was young but some of the scenarios she was put into were just unbelievable and cliche. Having said all that, I still finished reading it and I am curious about that other two sisters.
This was pretty good. I've rated it 4 stars but I could probably also make an argument for 3. However it was a fun, engaging read so maybe I'll stick with 4.
I'll start off with a mini-rant/gripe that I'm really waiting impatiently for the trope in the place of a plot trend to die a quick death. I'm sure there's a target audience but I've never felt the pull to read a book simply because it's pitched as grumpy/sunshine, because I ask, 'but what is the plot'? I mention this because I've had this on my kindle unlimited for ages and the trope forward pitches is one of the reasons it took me so long to get around to reading this.
That aside, this was a pretty innocuous read. Not quite the right word, but I'm struggling to find a descriptor for books that don't blow me away but do the job they set out to do, but are not dull either. SO whatever that word is, is how I felt about this read.
Eloise and her sister inherit their grandmother's estate, and one of the requirements is that they have to renovate the bed and breakfast, with one of them occupying it until the project is completed. As the recent fresh college grad, Eloise (Lo) is relegated by her sisters to oversee the project and deal with Jake the lawyer who lives next door.
Off the bat, the writing was great and really easy to fall into (a win for me these days). The characterisations were also done pretty well, and you immediately got a decent sense of Lo and Jake as characters. I also thought their chemistry was done well and was easy to buy into, and that some of the built-in conflicts of their relationship was decently well done e.g. the reasonable age gap etc.
I also liked the family dynamics that was woven through the story. Lo's distance from her sisters, Jake's attachment to Lo's grandmother and his own issues with his parents. I thought it was developed really well as a complement to the romance thread of the story - it never felt bogged down, but it didn't feel superfluous to the story either.
My main gripe, and the reason this was never getting 5 stars from me, was the reliance on miscommunication as a plot device. I've long since stopped making allowances for this device in books. I've just read too many good books that are able to develop compelling conflicts that move the story alone without using wilful miscommunication. Those books have well convinced me that is miscommunication is the tool being brought out then the story never had any legs to begin with.
After Jake and Eloise decide to make a go of things, their relationship is paralysed by a lack of communication. Jake doesn't know if Eloise intends to stay in Oakley and he refuses to ask her about what her plans are. Eloise wants to stay with Jake but refuses to communicate that she's willing to stay on the island with him. Yes, an argument could be made that Eloise is 21 years old and therefore may lack the maturity in this relationship to initiate this conversation. But I still say how is reading chapters and chapters of two people not communicating about their central conflict engaging?
Imagine this story in which Jake says to Eloise, 'I know we've not been together long, but I see a future with you, what are your plans'. The conflict could then be Eloise being genuinely conflicted. She may say yes I want to stay but I also acknowledge that I'm just starting out and I don't necessarily want to give up all these other dreams that I have. The conflict can progress with Jake maybe then pushing Eloise to go after her academic career and saying she needs space. So the story itself doesn't change but it's grounded in something that's not miscommunication. I realise that it is true to life that it takes courage and bravery to have those hard conversations, but in an already predictable story, the miscommunication trope was just that extra cherry on top of being every story you've ever read. I would have loved to have seen the story subvert this expectation but having them talk even a little bit more.
Overall, even aside from the wilful communication, their relationship proper in general lacked meaningful conversation which also detracted from the story.
So it's only because this was overall an engaging read that this gets 4, instead of 3 stars.
I'll start off with a mini-rant/gripe that I'm really waiting impatiently for the trope in the place of a plot trend to die a quick death. I'm sure there's a target audience but I've never felt the pull to read a book simply because it's pitched as grumpy/sunshine, because I ask, 'but what is the plot'? I mention this because I've had this on my kindle unlimited for ages and the trope forward pitches is one of the reasons it took me so long to get around to reading this.
That aside, this was a pretty innocuous read. Not quite the right word, but I'm struggling to find a descriptor for books that don't blow me away but do the job they set out to do, but are not dull either. SO whatever that word is, is how I felt about this read.
Eloise and her sister inherit their grandmother's estate, and one of the requirements is that they have to renovate the bed and breakfast, with one of them occupying it until the project is completed. As the recent fresh college grad, Eloise (Lo) is relegated by her sisters to oversee the project and deal with Jake the lawyer who lives next door.
Off the bat, the writing was great and really easy to fall into (a win for me these days). The characterisations were also done pretty well, and you immediately got a decent sense of Lo and Jake as characters. I also thought their chemistry was done well and was easy to buy into, and that some of the built-in conflicts of their relationship was decently well done e.g. the reasonable age gap etc.
I also liked the family dynamics that was woven through the story. Lo's distance from her sisters, Jake's attachment to Lo's grandmother and his own issues with his parents. I thought it was developed really well as a complement to the romance thread of the story - it never felt bogged down, but it didn't feel superfluous to the story either.
My main gripe, and the reason this was never getting 5 stars from me, was the reliance on miscommunication as a plot device. I've long since stopped making allowances for this device in books. I've just read too many good books that are able to develop compelling conflicts that move the story alone without using wilful miscommunication. Those books have well convinced me that is miscommunication is the tool being brought out then the story never had any legs to begin with.
After Jake and Eloise decide to make a go of things, their relationship is paralysed by a lack of communication. Jake doesn't know if Eloise intends to stay in Oakley and he refuses to ask her about what her plans are. Eloise wants to stay with Jake but refuses to communicate that she's willing to stay on the island with him. Yes, an argument could be made that Eloise is 21 years old and therefore may lack the maturity in this relationship to initiate this conversation. But I still say how is reading chapters and chapters of two people not communicating about their central conflict engaging?
Imagine this story in which Jake says to Eloise, 'I know we've not been together long, but I see a future with you, what are your plans'. The conflict could then be Eloise being genuinely conflicted. She may say yes I want to stay but I also acknowledge that I'm just starting out and I don't necessarily want to give up all these other dreams that I have. The conflict can progress with Jake maybe then pushing Eloise to go after her academic career and saying she needs space. So the story itself doesn't change but it's grounded in something that's not miscommunication. I realise that it is true to life that it takes courage and bravery to have those hard conversations, but in an already predictable story, the miscommunication trope was just that extra cherry on top of being every story you've ever read. I would have loved to have seen the story subvert this expectation but having them talk even a little bit more.
Overall, even aside from the wilful communication, their relationship proper in general lacked meaningful conversation which also detracted from the story.
So it's only because this was overall an engaging read that this gets 4, instead of 3 stars.
This was a wonderful read and I can’t believe I have to wait another YEAR to read other Oakley stories!
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
4.5 Stars
All I can say is this book was a great fit for me and my moody mood. Lo is impressionable and young but eager to prove herself to her sisters and the grumpy (and older -gasp!) attorney next door. Jake can't help but think his former friend is matchmaking from the grave but Lo has the world at her fingertips and he refuses to hold her back.
It's the perfect blend of sweet and sassy. Jenny + Emma = some sort of witchy magic.
Thanks to the authors for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.
All I can say is this book was a great fit for me and my moody mood. Lo is impressionable and young but eager to prove herself to her sisters and the grumpy (and older -gasp!) attorney next door. Jake can't help but think his former friend is matchmaking from the grave but Lo has the world at her fingertips and he refuses to hold her back.
It's the perfect blend of sweet and sassy. Jenny + Emma = some sort of witchy magic.
Thanks to the authors for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.
This was fun and stupid and just made me smile :)
This a fun island romance with a difference. Eloise arrives on the island to settle her grandmother’s estate and instantly has a connection with her lawyer Jake. Being older, he’s not sure it’s fair to hold Lo down, and he feels she should explore all her options regarding her career. There’s some good laughs as well as great secondary characters that will be in later books. Definitely worth the read.
Fun, funny, sweet, charming! Eloise and Jake. Loved the love letters. Liam was too cute and helpful. 11 year age gap but it worked. Small town vibes with great side characters.
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes