Paradise Cove
Author: Jenny Holiday
Reviewer: Jen
Rating: A
What I’m Talking About:
Dr. Nora Walsh is a newcomer to Moonflower Bay. She moved from Toronto to be the town’s physician for two years, leasing the space and practice from the town’s retired doctor. She’s taking two years away from her life to regroup and reset after discovering her longterm boyfriend was cheating on her with a younger resident.
Jake Ramsey is the tragic local that everyone loves. His son, Jude, died before he turned one, and Jake blames himself. This has left Jake quiet and mostly isolated, but in a moment of crisis, he and Nora bond. This leads to a lovely friendship and more.
Paradise Cove is a wonderful friends-to-lovers romance that hit all the right notes for me. It’s one of those beautiful relationships that works so well because Nora and Jake connect so deeply right from the start. Sure, there is a physical attraction, but the bond created between two lost souls is even more lovely. Right from the start, Nora stands out to Jake because her first reaction upon learning about his son was to ask his name rather than how he died. I appreciate how Jake recognizes that Nora is different from most and it stirs him. He won’t admit to himself that he’s falling for Nora, yet he wants to make her happy.
What makes Paradise Cove a standout for me are the characters at the heart of the story. Nora and Jake, and the rest of the Moonflower Bay residents, are likable, enjoyable folks whom I’d enjoy being friends with. They are slightly goofy, not perfect, and lots of fun. The town is quirky and quaint. Nora and Jake both grow and mature over the course of the book. They have been hurt and see life through a narrow lens, but through their friendship and romantic fling, they learn how to open up, and they genuinely want to be better for the other. It’s not an easy road, but they are driven to be better because of their friends and love for one another. The author does such a wonderful job creating the setting and developing the characters that my emotions mirror and are wrapped up with the characters; crying tears and laughing along side Nora and Jake.
In the end, I loved Paradise Cove. The characters are a bit goofy, but they are genuine and experience true emotions. I cannot wait to return to Moonflower Bay with the third book, Sandcastle Beach, coming Spring 2021.
My Rating: A, Loved It
Jen
About the Book:
Dr. Nora Walsh has just been dumped in spectacular fashion, making it the perfect time for a major life change. She figures taking over the medical practice in tiny Matchmaker Bay for a couple of years will help her get over her broken heart, and then she can head back to the big city. But when the first man she sees looks like a superhero god, she wonders if maybe there’s something to small-town living after all.
Jake Ramsey also has a broken heart — one he never expects to heal. He doesn’t need people anyway and is content hiding out in his secluded cottage on the beach. But after helping Nora with a medical emergency, he finds himself opening up to the witty, warmhearted doctor. Soon the local matchmakers are working overtime to pair them off, and Jake begins to wonder if his campaign to get Nora to stay is for the town or because he can’t bear the thought of her leaving.
Release Date: July 28, 2020
Publisher: Forever Publishing (Grand Central)
Series: Matchmaker Bay #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, second chance romance
Format(s): paperback (368 pages), e-book
Book Source: NetGalley
Purchase Info:
Amazon (affiliate link)