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kaleys23's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief, Pregnancy, and Child death
amym84's review against another edition
4.0
After she catches her boyfriend of five years cheating, Dr. Nora Walsh is ready to get away, take a break from her life as usual, and start anew. Hence her move from Toronto to the small town of Moonflower Bay. Taking over the medical practice in a small town will allow Nora to gain some perspective, get over her broken heart, and save money so in two years Nora and her sister can buy a house together as they've always planned. Feeling a little apprehensive at first, Nora quickly makes friends among the locals, especially Jake Ramsey.
Jake Ramsey knows what it's like to have a broken heart. He's been carrying one around with him for years and doesn't expect it to heal anytime soon. Instead he's closed himself off, become somewhat of the town hermit. While his friends are there for him, he doesn't open up to anyone, and people have learned to respect this out of Jake now. But, in Nora, Jake finds someone who, for whatever reason, he feels comfortable talking to, whether it's her straight-to-the-point attitude or the way she views the world through a Doctor's lens, he's not sure, but Jake and Nora form an easy, uncomplicated friendship. Even when they add the "....with benefits" to the end of "friends" it's not complicated. That is, until it is. Until the potential for more might mean the potential for healing.
I loved how easily Jake and Nora slip into a friendship. I mean, it's not a surprise where their story is headed (this is a romance after all), but I appreciated that their friendship is solidly built up first. It kind of makes the next move into a romantic entanglement seem inevitable. It's been awhile since I've felt the click between two characters as much as I felt it between Nora and Jake.
I do think that Nora's story gets a bit overshadowed by Jake's overall story. Because Jake is still dealing with the death of his young son. It's heartbreaking to read about, to even think about, but I felt like Jenny Holiday did a wonderful job exploring those feelings, but also showing readers one of many potential healing processes. Mortality is a big theme in Paradise Cove and while that might not sound exactly romantic, it's the juxtaposition of death and life that puts that romance in perspective. On one hand you have people you love that have passed away, and on the other hand you have the potential to have love in your life and be happy. You're not sacrificing their memory by living.
But helping to keep things a bit on the lighter side, you have the same wonderful cast of characters that inhabit Moonflower Bay (dubbed Matchmaker Bay for obvious reasons). I loved getting back into the idyllic small town setting seeing the same secondary characters. It's delightful and quirky and, as I said, helps to balance the more sadder aspects of the story.
A couple things I did notice were, at times, the story moving super quickly time wise. This happens mainly towards the end when plot lines are being tied up, but the narrative would skip ahead a couple of weeks or I think maybe even a month in some cases. I would have liked it to be drawn out a little more to feel the weight of these moments towards the end. And, going hand in hand, I felt like the lead up to the end could have been expanded upon. Honestly, though, that a gripe I have quite often in my romances.
Overall though, I think Paradise Cove really ups the ante for this series. I enjoyed the first book, but this one just really hit all the feels while tackling some really heavy topics.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Jake Ramsey knows what it's like to have a broken heart. He's been carrying one around with him for years and doesn't expect it to heal anytime soon. Instead he's closed himself off, become somewhat of the town hermit. While his friends are there for him, he doesn't open up to anyone, and people have learned to respect this out of Jake now. But, in Nora, Jake finds someone who, for whatever reason, he feels comfortable talking to, whether it's her straight-to-the-point attitude or the way she views the world through a Doctor's lens, he's not sure, but Jake and Nora form an easy, uncomplicated friendship. Even when they add the "....with benefits" to the end of "friends" it's not complicated. That is, until it is. Until the potential for more might mean the potential for healing.
I loved how easily Jake and Nora slip into a friendship. I mean, it's not a surprise where their story is headed (this is a romance after all), but I appreciated that their friendship is solidly built up first. It kind of makes the next move into a romantic entanglement seem inevitable. It's been awhile since I've felt the click between two characters as much as I felt it between Nora and Jake.
I do think that Nora's story gets a bit overshadowed by Jake's overall story. Because Jake is still dealing with the death of his young son. It's heartbreaking to read about, to even think about, but I felt like Jenny Holiday did a wonderful job exploring those feelings, but also showing readers one of many potential healing processes. Mortality is a big theme in Paradise Cove and while that might not sound exactly romantic, it's the juxtaposition of death and life that puts that romance in perspective. On one hand you have people you love that have passed away, and on the other hand you have the potential to have love in your life and be happy. You're not sacrificing their memory by living.
But helping to keep things a bit on the lighter side, you have the same wonderful cast of characters that inhabit Moonflower Bay (dubbed Matchmaker Bay for obvious reasons). I loved getting back into the idyllic small town setting seeing the same secondary characters. It's delightful and quirky and, as I said, helps to balance the more sadder aspects of the story.
A couple things I did notice were, at times, the story moving super quickly time wise. This happens mainly towards the end when plot lines are being tied up, but the narrative would skip ahead a couple of weeks or I think maybe even a month in some cases. I would have liked it to be drawn out a little more to feel the weight of these moments towards the end. And, going hand in hand, I felt like the lead up to the end could have been expanded upon. Honestly, though, that a gripe I have quite often in my romances.
Overall though, I think Paradise Cove really ups the ante for this series. I enjoyed the first book, but this one just really hit all the feels while tackling some really heavy topics.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
writtenechoes's review against another edition
5.0
This was a beautiful novel. Jake and Nora’s story was sweet and genuine and lovely. Jake’s story was so real. The ending was beautiful. I literally just finished but this is already one of my favorites of 2020.
booklover1974's review against another edition
4.0
This was a rather emotional read and tears came several times. Its a well written romance with substance.
tiggeruo's review against another edition
3.0
I mean who doesn't like a life reset after a terrible break up, thats exactly what Nora was doing with moving even if it was only temporary. I liked Nora she was feisty, independent and ready to take on the town of Moonflower bay. I really like Dr. Walsh SR I could see what a pistol she was and where Nora and her sister got it. I had a love hate relationship with Jake, I like him sometime and the stuff he faced was very deep and I could relate, but then he would do something and he came off as annoying and I was ready to just punch him. Oh my Kerri even her part was small but oh my the author had a way of Kerri getting right into your heart as well. I loved the closeness of the community and the friends and how they would do just about anything for each other. I did feel like there were a few parts of the book that did drag which was hard but over all the story was good and a twist on a love story. There is sex in this story so may not be suitable for all. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
themaritimereader14's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed the first book in this series and I might have enjoyed this one even a smidge more. Jenny Holiday's books are some of my favourite contemporary romances. I love the small-town setting, all of the side characters, and the personal and emotional plotlines she weaves effortlessly into her stories.
Nora and Jake were adorable and SO much fun to read about. Moonflower Bay seems like an adorable and fun place to live and absolutely reminds me of Stars Hollow, as is referenced once in this book. There are some sad/triggering moments in this book but I found those plotlines were handled really well. Cannot WAIT for the third book in this series next summer.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Nora and Jake were adorable and SO much fun to read about. Moonflower Bay seems like an adorable and fun place to live and absolutely reminds me of Stars Hollow, as is referenced once in this book. There are some sad/triggering moments in this book but I found those plotlines were handled really well. Cannot WAIT for the third book in this series next summer.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
jove64's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. I found this series when I saw someone talking about this book in particular on Twitter. I'd already read and enjoyed the Famous series so I thought I'd give it a try.
This is a small town romance. Both this book and the one before involves a character coming to the small town for a short period with the intention of moving back to the big city (Toronto). The series is connected through the male love interests, who are long time small town friends. So we've met Jake. We know he was married and that marriage did not survive the death of his son. We know he's quiet. But we don't know a lot of the detail.
We learn it here. Have a box of tissues nearby. Grief is a major theme. That theme is handled really well.
Nora's story is more about her work and her interests and how she has allowed other people's ambitions for her to overshadow those. This makes her wary of getting into a relationship, given what happened in the one she has recently left. But it also affects her career choices. She tells us she always wanted to be a family doctor but her grandmother valued surgery more, and the boyfriend ... so she'd gone into emergency medicine. But this reset in a small town means being a family doctor.
The way these stories intertwine is masterfully done. And there are a couple of teasers for book 3, too.
This is a small town romance. Both this book and the one before involves a character coming to the small town for a short period with the intention of moving back to the big city (Toronto). The series is connected through the male love interests, who are long time small town friends. So we've met Jake. We know he was married and that marriage did not survive the death of his son. We know he's quiet. But we don't know a lot of the detail.
We learn it here. Have a box of tissues nearby. Grief is a major theme. That theme is handled really well.
Nora's story is more about her work and her interests and how she has allowed other people's ambitions for her to overshadow those. This makes her wary of getting into a relationship, given what happened in the one she has recently left. But it also affects her career choices. She tells us she always wanted to be a family doctor but her grandmother valued surgery more, and the boyfriend ... so she'd gone into emergency medicine. But this reset in a small town means being a family doctor.
The way these stories intertwine is masterfully done. And there are a couple of teasers for book 3, too.
kaitface's review against another edition
4.25
Another fun read from Jenny Holiday. I read this series out of order - 3, 1, 2 - and now want to go back and reread Sandcastle Beach. I know there is overlap between the two books but the only event that stood out was Jake having Law make the morning pizza.
Two things were slightly off putting, the minimizing of Jake’s wholly inappropriate relationship with Sarah, why not age him up just a couple years and get him out of high school? And, I know this was intentional, I struggled with the level of guilt Jake carried and felt he deserved. But my professional background includes funeral/death care so I have a very different perspective. I was thrilled he finally made it to grief counseling in the end. Overall, great piece of this series.
Two things were slightly off putting, the minimizing of Jake’s wholly inappropriate relationship with Sarah, why not age him up just a couple years and get him out of high school? And, I know this was intentional, I struggled with the level of guilt Jake carried and felt he deserved. But my professional background includes funeral/death care so I have a very different perspective. I was thrilled he finally made it to grief counseling in the end. Overall, great piece of this series.
modrallj's review against another edition
5.0
OHMYGOSH. I crushed this in a day and am so full of feels. I tested up, I LOL’d and I absolutely swooned. I so so enjoyed this. Even more than Eve and Sawyers story. And absolutely cannot wait for Law and Maya.