This book has so much going for it, I don't even t hink it needs to be reviewed. Read the first page and you will be hooked. The scenery is sublime, all the characters are loveable even the cheating ex-husband. As I was reading it I thought I knew how it would turn out, but a huge wrench was thrown in the works causing me to wonder what was going on. But nevertheless I continued to a most satisfying ending with a great comeuppance for one character. Totally worth the read.

I hated this book from the first page and it might be that I stuck to this feeling way too much.

So, the first chapter starts with Nat, a 39-year-old divorcee who gave a notice in the newspaper about who knows what and a younger guy who shows up to her advert. We know not what her advertisement was about, but they are both super ashamed, dropping hints of bedrooms, being interested, checking each other our, Nat is trying to keep their meeting from the rest of the village, and the other things that are meant to lead you to believe that some sex arrangement is in matter. I always found this trick to be cheap and I hated it and I still do.

Besides that, Nat is constantly drooling over this guy who saw 3 seconds ago for the first time, but she is completely obsessing about his stubble, his chin/jaw? and wants to jump his bones. There was also a comment about her wet underwear which I found very distasteful.

She is constantly talking bad about her family, her sister doesn't say thank you, but when she does, Nat is all like "oh, yeah, just like her, saying thank you to seal the deal". She is angry with her mother for being next to her (Nat's) sister while she was doing IVF, and much more.

The flow was completely broken. One moment, she is in room playing some games that are meant to teach her nieces who knows what and then she goes to open that door when there was never a knock. She plays jenga and then eats lunch and sleeps in a matter of miliseconds, and sometimes she takes PAGES to prepare coffee.

I'll have you know that her 19-year-old daughter started living with her boyfriend a few years ago, and she manages to work and have some big fat savings at 19!!

The conversations are very repetitive. You will find the same sentence spoken several times, separated by, I don't know, starting a car or moving from one room to the other.

I found this book not so boring as I found it irritating. I hated every single person (even children!) and wanted to slap everyone in the face. Especially Nat. There wasn't a single thing that I enjoyed about this story.

3.8 Stars
This is a cozy, warm, and feel-good book about life, relationships, family, and personal independence. Nat is a pretty fun character though she does obsess a little too much about her age.
We see she takes up more than what she can handle just because she loves her family. Yeah, some of it is annoying. But we also see even spine in her to realize she is no pushover. Connor is a compassionate younger man who seems to become an integral part of Nat’s mad mess in the mansion.
The pace is decent, and the narration is fluid. I could sustain my reading pace, so that’s a plus. There are a couple of reveals and some conflict towards the end. Of course, it’s all resolved, and we get the happy ever after.
Thank you, NetGalley and Aria & Aries, for the ARC.
*****

A good feel good story that was fun to read. Felt a bit irritated that Nat got dumped on so much by those around her, but a HEA of course makes up for it. A fun and easy escape that is a perfect beach read. Highly recommend this book and author.

I was constantly irritated by the fact that a 6 year age gap was portrayed as somehow huge. I don't get it at all. An ok read on a dunny day.