Resting Beach Face is my first book by author Melanie Summers. I had no idea going in that there were books that could (likely should) be read before this book. I don't think they are a series per se, but the other books in the Paradise Bay series include side characters that were mentioned in this book and I did feel a little lost or a lack of connection to the back stories.

With that being said, I thought this was a fun romantic story. I look forward to reading more from this author.

The story was pretty good. I can say this is a easy read. The plot moved along weirdly. In some ways it was very slow, then at the end it was extremely fast. I would have preferred a longer book with more even pacing. The characters were enjoyable, however I never truly connected with them. I honestly didnt care about them that much. Maybe you truly need to read the other books in the series to connect with this book.

Another pet peeve of mine, is the strange location. Its probably me, but the user of American Vernacular and British Vernacular always takes me out of the story. Pick one and stick with it.

What a fun story! It's the 4th in a series, but I haven't read the others - no problem following this story without reading them prior. Totally had me laughing out loud - Minerva is an awesome character!

Hadley and Heath were best friends in high school. The beginning of the book starts with their notes back and forth - it's really cute. After graduation, Heath moves on to the US and becomes a big time broker. Hadley stays in their hometown and is a yoga and dance instructor at the local resort.

Hadley has been dating her boyfriend for 12 years and is expecting him to pop the question and settle down any day. Until she meets a new client she's teaching to do a special wedding dance....and finds out who the groom is. Heath's mother is involved in an accident and he's called home to help her recover. And when he finds out Hadley is single, is wondering if it's finally time to make his move.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

This is a great rom-com! Heath and Hadley are such fun characters and their story is addicting. This is an excellent light-hearted story. I couldn't put it down!

Rating edit: 3.5 stars. (Mainly because of the ending)

All Hadley wants is a happy married life but the thing is, her boyfriend (since high school days) Chase is too busy to plan their future.
Guess what? He's not that busy because he's planning his wedding just not with Hadley. Hadley is devastated.

Heath is a successful accountant in a big company in New York. But his mother's terrible accident compels him to return to the island to look after his mother. Which means facing Hadley, her best friend, after 10 long years. Hadley who broke his heart 10 years ago but guess what Heath's heart still beats for Hadley.

So what happens when they meet again? What about Hadley and Chase relationship? And what about Heath's feelings? You'll have to read the book to know the answers and if you enjoy reading romance, with a touch of humour, you won't be disappointed.

I really like the author's writing style. It's engaging and funny. The characters are interesting. Hadley-Heath bonding is endearing and it's sweet to see them catch up where they left and how they come closer. However, I must admit that Heath is too good to be true (not that I'm complaining). Minerva's character is really cool.

One of the nicest things about this story is that it tells about some really insightful/thought-provoking things about relationships, without being preachy.

Just a couple of problem: there are so many names starting with 'H' that confused me a bit. And the ending: it seemed like a drag. I was expecting something touching and more romantic. And as usual (well, most of the time) epilogue seemed totally unnecessary.

But overall, an entertaining and engrossing read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I try to always stay positive during a book. But this? This was like a bad cringy movie gone wrong.

First off, I’ve never been a fan of books/shows/movies, where the woman is completely dependent on the man. Like she can’t be happy if she’s not with someone. Who acts like her whole world is a shit show just because she is alone. That irked me 90% of the book as Hadley thought she had to have a man to be happy and that dying an old spinster alone was just atrocious. And I get that her family almost engrained that into her mind but even she finally found her own two feet, she still hung her happiness on Heath.

There were so many spelling and grammatical errors throughout the book. Especially during one chapter. It was like that chapter was added last minute and wasn’t edited before adding. It was frustrating.

I try to stay positive during reviews but sadly I did not enjoy this book very much. These were one dimensional characters. I didn’t feel sadness like I should have when you find out what really was happening with Chase. I saw it coming from chapter 2. There just wasn’t an element of surprise at all for me. If you are a fan of cringy 80’s, early 90’s movies, this might be the book for you but sadly, it feel flat for me.

Thanks Net Galley and Indigo Group for the free digital copy of this book.

The world of Paradise Bay is one I truly wish I could live in. I've read the other books in the saga (all can be read as stand alones, btw) and they just feel completely welcoming and familiar somehow. Resting Beach Face was no exception.
First of all, I loved the title of this one! Melanie Summers knows her way around writing romantic comedies and this one was lighthearted and fun. If you're looking for a relaxing read with no drama, a childhood friends-estranged-lovers plot, with a bit of miscommunication (and very traditional parents) sprinkled on top, then this read is for you.
Special shout-out to Minerva! May we all have a bit of her wisdom and a ton of her sass.

I really liked the book, looking forward for the other books of the author :)
It‘s such a cute summer read with funny MC and I‘m in love with the cover!

I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t this. In short, this was boring. For some reason it feels like it took me forever to finish this book. It was fine. Not great, not awful, just ok.
What first drew me to it was the blurb. It sounded exactly like something I would enjoy greatly. The beginning was interesting but before the halfway mark I was already skimming in hope of getting to something interesting again. The characters were bland but mostly fine, and the storyline predictable. Based on the blurb I was expecting more. There was no chemistry between Hadley and Heath, the main characters, and I didn't feel their love at all. There wasn't enough to their relationship to make me buy the idea that they went from "friends who haven't seen eachother in years" to "ohmygodiloveyou" the way they did. On top of that I had a hard time connecting to Hadley from the get-go. The dialogue had that stilted quality that draws attention to its own artifice. And on top of all that, the writing style didn't suit me. I loved Minerva though. She was great and made me laugh. It wasn't a bad book, far from it, but nothing really held my attention enough to say it's a good book.
Overall this story started out with lots of potential, but it fell pretty flat toward the end. Honestly, the synopsis was more entertaining than the book itself. I don't think reading it was a waste of time but I was hoping for more.

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
I had enjoyed the first 3 books in this series, so when it was available from @netgalley I had to snap it up!

💜 What I liked:
The story takes place on Paradise Bay, same as the other 3. But this time we follow hadley who is the resort’s dance and yoga instructor. We see her in high school and then again 10 years later with some pretty crappy results. But in true Melanie Summer’s fashion, the relationships in this book prevail!

😱 What I didn’t like:
For me this book didn’t have enough of a connection between this book's characters and the characters of the previous books. There was mention of them briefly, but I would have liked to see more of what we have come to love. However it is a solid read to take you to a tropical place.

🚦 My face at the end: 🥰

💭 3 Reasons to Read:
1. Tropical location
2. Dance
3. Seniors on motorcycles



🕧 Mini-Summary:
Hadley has been with her boyfriend for 15 years, putting her dreams on hold and still waiting for a proposal. When she discovers he is not as loyal as she thought, how will she put her life back together?

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

💯 For more details on the books we read, be sure to follow me on TikTok (@zaineylaney) or check out our Podcast - Elated Geek!

Resting Beach Face is a fun romantic comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It knows what it is and leans into it with all its weight. Melanie Summers went deep into the rom-com archives to find all the romantic comedy clichés we know and love.

The story follows Hadley and Heath, two high school friends who lost touch after graduation. And yes you guessed it they bump into each other after a long time only to find long-forgotten feelings bubble up to the surface. They navigate through awkward moments and fun banter as they try and figure out their friendship.

The characters are depicted in a way that you get to know them just enough to understand why they behave the way they do but, not so much that you feel you know them inside and out.

The story evolves quickly with not a moment to waste to get to the good stuff. Written with hilariously cringe moments that will make you giggle and wish that life had moments like that for real. Best of all Melanie added just enough almost steamy moments you wish she took a bit further if you know what I mean, but that's just it she keeps you wanting more.

An entertaining read that might not make you contemplate the existence of the universe but sure will put a smile on your face and a skip in your step. A good energetic romantic comedy perfect for the summer holidays or just when you need a little pick me up.

I am however not sure how the name of the book relates to the story but hey it’s catchy.

3.5⭐s!

A fun summer read amidst the chilliness that is fall right now (: Hadley and Heath are childhood best friends who find their way back to each other many years later -- after Hadley's long-time high-school sweethearts relationship goes awry. My heart absolutely ached for Heath... what an absolute GEM!

This book is more than the typical fast-paced romantic comedy. Though the romantic and comedic elements are for sure there (see: the first time Hadley and Heath meet again after so many years... I cracked up!!), it also deals with heavier topics like Hadley's relationship with her mother and the rest of her family. I honestly was not expecting such character development! Because of the rich character development though, the story is slightly slower paced than I initially expected.

The ending scene? 100% my cup of tea. So sweet, and the culmination of so much! "Cliche" in the perfect way where it doesn't seem cheesy at all and instead organically tugs on your heartstrings. I wish we could've seen more of the couple past the ending scene though!

Many thanks to Melanie Summers, Indigo Group, and NetGalley for this ARC!

Heath and Hadley were the best of friends growing up but life sent them to different paths. Heaths mother has an accident that takes him away from his dream job at a very critical point in his career to his home town where he learns Hadley is is giving dance and yoga classes and is fresh out of a 12 year long relationship and he realizes he has never gotten over her. The slip back into their easy friendship but both not knowing they want the same thing. Watching Hadley grow and stop being a doormat was heart warming. Heath's mother deserves her own book as she is queen.

I did not finish this book. I gave up around 60%. I just couldn’t deal with the heroine. I just don’t like when characters are written like her. I find them annoying and unrelatable. No hate to the author or the book, it just wasn’t right for me.

Thank you Indigo Group for this eARC!

I have to say I absolutely love this book title! 😍
Resting Beach Face was a great quick, enjoyable read!
This is my first Paradise Bay read! Now I may need to read the others.
These characters are relatable and the story itself was wonderfully written!
I loved the romance between the characters Hadley and Heath their humor was an added plus.
Their relationship was fun to see grow!
This will be the perfect beach read!.
And I'm so grateful I was able to read this one!

Thank you again for this opportunity!

A great, end of summer, say goodbye to beach day, read. This was clever, fun, light, breezy and a great and quick read for me.

I enjoyed the characters and look forward to more in this series.

The latest book in this series.

Hadley has been with Chase forever. Now it is over she is struggling to move on, especially with her interfering mother giving tips on how to win he cheating ex back.
Heath is back on the Island after years away, only back because his mother has had an accident. It gives him a chance to reconnect with Hadley, who he has wanted a chance with since they were at school. Now she is single will he get a chance?