A review by jessie_pea90
Meet Me at the Lighthouse by Mary Jayne Baker

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

What happens when two people who have relationship baggage get together… this book, that’s what happens.

Bobbie and Ross both really like each other, are great together but both come with emotional baggage (being cheated on, a scumbag of a dad and an ongoing divorce to name a few). So obviously the drama of the book is all caused by the two big romance tropes, lack of communication and the fact that one or both parties haven’t healed from past relationship trauma. 

This is a cosy romance book with very low stakes, mild drama, a little bit of smutt and if the author wasn’t from Yorkshire I would say far too many instances of addressing someone as ‘Love’ and an over-fondness for going to the pub. 

This kind of book is not my thing, but it’s a super easy read and a little bit of fun, with lots of northern banter. The drama isn’t really dramatic enough though and is always resolved pretty quickly so feels more tedious than plot driving and I lost interest for the last 100 pages or so where the story felt stagnant. I also felt that the characters were pretty flat, and the fact Bobbie’s dream of publishing a book is never really mentioned at all yet she goes all guns blazing for Ross’s dream a little weird, what was the point in having this as a character feature? 

I would say this book is perfect for someone who likes a chick-flick and probably doesn’t read a great deal though or if you like an easy romance and need to switch off a little. It’s not the worst, but it’s not the best I’ve read of this type of book.