Scan barcode
A review by jove64
Sandcastle Beach by Jenny Holiday
5.0
I'd already read the first 2 books in the series and was eagerly awaiting Maya and Law's story. I will admit to being disappointed they weren't in line for #2 so it is obviously well trailed. It's a slow burn enemies-to-lovers story and we finally find out what the cause of the animosity is (long before Law does, actually).
This is also another story in which a woman's work and career are central to the story. Both characters grew up in this small town and both have parents with businesses to hand down. They made different decisions about that opportunity but the aftermath of the decision isn't straightforward for either of them.
The one thing that didn't ring quite true was the fact that there is some very obvious meddling from the elderly town meddlers to throw them together that you'd expect 2 people who've grown up in this town and are wise to their tendency to meddle would have spotted. It doesn't really spoil the story but it did give me a bit of an English panto moment of wanting to shout at them from the audience.
There is also some very appropriate detail about being a woman of colour in small-town Ontario, especially a tourist town. The fact that we've known Maya through the first 2 books of the series helps a lot here but learning more of her backstory is nice.
I've really enjoyed this series. It reminded me a bit of [a:Rachael Herron|19117196|Rachael Herron|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]'s Darling Songbirds series ([b:The Darling Songbirds|28408919|The Darling Songbirds (The Songbirds of Darling Bay, #1)|Rachael Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1451558336l/28408919._SX50_.jpg|48510178][b:The Darling Songbirds|28408919|The Darling Songbirds (The Songbirds of Darling Bay, #1)|Rachael Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1451558336l/28408919._SX50_.jpg|48510178]) in the style of small town romance.
(I didn't read the bonus novella.)
This is also another story in which a woman's work and career are central to the story. Both characters grew up in this small town and both have parents with businesses to hand down. They made different decisions about that opportunity but the aftermath of the decision isn't straightforward for either of them.
The one thing that didn't ring quite true was the fact that there is some very obvious meddling from the elderly town meddlers to throw them together that you'd expect 2 people who've grown up in this town and are wise to their tendency to meddle would have spotted. It doesn't really spoil the story but it did give me a bit of an English panto moment of wanting to shout at them from the audience.
There is also some very appropriate detail about being a woman of colour in small-town Ontario, especially a tourist town. The fact that we've known Maya through the first 2 books of the series helps a lot here but learning more of her backstory is nice.
I've really enjoyed this series. It reminded me a bit of [a:Rachael Herron|19117196|Rachael Herron|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]'s Darling Songbirds series ([b:The Darling Songbirds|28408919|The Darling Songbirds (The Songbirds of Darling Bay, #1)|Rachael Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1451558336l/28408919._SX50_.jpg|48510178][b:The Darling Songbirds|28408919|The Darling Songbirds (The Songbirds of Darling Bay, #1)|Rachael Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1451558336l/28408919._SX50_.jpg|48510178]) in the style of small town romance.
(I didn't read the bonus novella.)