The book is the second in the Starfish Café Series, but works perfectly well as a standalone novel.
It is written from two people’s viewpoints – Hollie and Tori.
Hollie owns the Starfish Café on the North Yorkshire coast. The Café is beautifully situated on a cliff top above a beach (Starfish Point) which is home to two hundred seals. Besides the café, there’s also Hollie’s Wood crafting business to raise money for three charities.
Hollie lives with her boyfriend Jake - who works at the hospital and as a volunteer for the RNLI crew – and their dog, a brown shih tzu called Pickle.
Tori is an architect and interior designer. She lives with her husband Leyton (who really isn’t very nice) and isn’t very happy with their relationship at all. When she ends up meeting Hollie, the two become friends and Hollie helps her decide what to do.
I love the community feel of this novel. I love these books where you feel like you know everyone personally and Jessica Redland is one of the best writers at being able to do this, so you feel you can just walk into the novel and talk to the characters as friends.
The book has many themes, including childhood, family, romance but one of the major ones is friendship. There are also different kinds of relationships (good and bad) and characters of all ages, which I also love. (Being 52, I have little interest in reading a book where everyone is in their twenties!)
There’s a lot going on, but it’s easy to follow too – the perfect mix. You find out about Hollie and Tori and their backgrounds and the ups and downs of their current situations. There’s even a rumour of buried treasure from the past. Oh and beautiful seals.
I loved it and can’t wait to read more about Hollie and Tori in the next book.
9 out of 10

Hollie Gabrielle "Angel" Brooks met Jake "Mouse" MacLeod by chance at The Starfish Café in delightful Whitsborough Bay, the eating place she inherited from her mum, Heather. Hollie, Jake and their Shih tzu dog, Pickles are living together, very happy and are looking forward to good times ahead when something happens to threaten The Starfish Café and Hollie's livelihood. Hollie and Jake both work for the rescue services, the RNLI. They help a group of young adults who get into difficulties whilst paddleboarding, one of whom is Tori. Becoming friendly with Hollie and Jake, Spring Tides at The Starfish Café tells Tori's story.

This is my ninth novel by Jessica Redland and it was so good to be back in Whitsborough Bay, in the North Yorkshire seaside town with some new characters and a few of the stalwarts. I loved spending time with warm-hearted Hollie who has had a sad past. The setting is charming and Jessica Redland's descriptions of the locale are perfect.

Spring Tides at The Starfish Café is a gentle story and is complete in itself, so you don't need to have read any of the others set in the bay to enjoy it. The tale's overall tones are hope and sadness with dashes of laughter. Along with the pleasing characters, there are splashes of romance, some scrummy sounding treats (who doesn't love a cheese scone?) and touching moments. All in all, this is a lovely, heartwarming, as well as an emotional novel with a rich community and friendship vibe that I have no hesitation in recommending. I look forward to reading more from Jessica Redland very soon.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

In this second book of this three book series we return to the Starfish Café as Hollie continues to make a success of her wonderful café which sits above the beautiful bay of Starfish Point on the North Yorkshire coast. Hollie's life seems to have settled, her love life with Jake is going well and her wonderful dog, Pickle continues to be a ray of sunshine. However, there are some darker times ahead ...

Running alongside Hollie's story is that of Tori, a troubled young woman, who is facing her own particular worries but when her path crosses with that of Hollie at the Starfish Café, these two strong women find that they can help each other out of their current situations.

There is so much to enjoy in this lovely series as it not only brings the characters to life in such a vibrant and believable way but it also brings into focus the lovely Yorkshire coast and those, particularly in the RNLI, who keep the coast line safe. I enjoy this author's style of writing so much, every book has a lovely warm feel to it and even though sometimes the story takes a darker turn, and in this one there's a real dastardly villain, yet there is always something brighter on the horizon.

Spring Tides at the Starfish Café has all the ingredients I wanted for a deliciously relaxing read. A glorious coastal setting, vibrant characters who live, laugh and love in a wonderfully creative story which entertains right from the start. And even though this is the second book in the series it is perfectly possible to read it as a standalone but why miss out on a glorious set of stories, so do start at the beginning and escape to Starfish Point with Hollie, Jake and Pickle.

Lived this second books so easy yo read I loved the community sprit your pulled into the story your their with them I want to live there I could picture it in my mind
A great book so easy to read loved the plot

I loved this book. Sometimes when you read a second book with the same characters it's not as good as the first but I found this one to be even better than the previous book.

In this book we follow Hollie and Jake as they explore and adapt to their new relationship. We also meet Tori who is dealing with the ending of a relationship and what that means for her. As always the characters are so realistic. I already like Hollie and Jake, but I warmed to Tori instantly. Tori is a great character who decides to reassess her life in after her relationship ends and we get to follow her as she does this.

With these books the setting is almost as important as the characters and this one takes us further into the history of the cafe as well as the feeling of warmth and cosiness in the cafe, as well as giving us the beautiful coastal views. This is a place I’d love to visit, if it were real, because it’s lovely and has a real sense of community.

I read this at a time when I was having trouble concentrating on many books, because I had a lot going on personally. However, this book wasn’t one of them, when I read it I got swept up into a big warm hug, like wearing a massive hand knitted jumper. It was lovely and enveloping and was the perfect escapism that I needed then. While again there are serious issues discussed and dealt with by the characters, this is overall a lovely, heart-warming read.

This book is perfect if you need to escape like I did, or if you’re wanting something that feels like a giant hug. I cannot wait for more from this author who is fast becoming a favourite of mine. More please!

I loved this book from the first chapter I loved every page. Amazing writing style with such beautiful characters. You feel as if you in the story with them. So much chemistry and sprit in this story you love. It’s a heart warming story you enjoy x

Spring Tides at The Starfish Café is the second book in the Starfish Café series. In the first book we met Hollie, the owner/operator of the café. We get her story as well as Jake's. In this book Hollie, Jake and their dog Pickles are happy, living together and looking forward to good things ahead, when something happens to threaten Starfish Café and her livelihood. Hollie and Jake work for the rescue services and when they rescue a group of young adults who were paddleboarding when the weather turned. Tori, one of the women rescued becomes friends with Hollie and Jake and the other storyline is hers. Tori leaves her boyfriend who she lived with for 7 years, so with nowhere to go, she heads to her parent's house, but is turned away by her sister. Through flashbacks we learn about her backstory and how she had ended up in the position she is in. She meets Finley at a wedding and they become friends who support one another while they are working through their own issues.

The second book in this series is more upbeat than the first, but still has several issues to deal with, some angst and relationship problems, but with all Jessica Redland's books, it ends on a high note, showing us that there is always hope. The story is told from Hollie’s and Tori’s POVs, as we follow both couples (Hollie and Jake/Tori and Finley) through their daily life, their relationships and friendships. I really liked the four main characters. They were kind, caring, hardworking, stubborn, smart and helpful to others. With all the things that happen to them in life, there is always someone to help them out because of these positive traits. Although this book is not part of the Whitsborough Bay Series, it is set there, so I enjoyed seeing some of those characters make an appearance. There is romance in this story, but I would classify this book as women's fiction. It is about friendship, community, dealing with problems, second chances, RNLI (rescues), animal rescue and care, taking risks and ultimately hope. If you are looking for women's fiction that goes a bit deeper, but is uplifting, then pick up this book by Jessica Redland, I recommend it.

I really enjoy Jessica's books and have loved every single one that I've read so it's always an automatic YES whenever I get an email from Rachel about her blog tours - I am so so lucky to be invited onto these and the read the books in advance. My paperback section from Jessica is slowly growing to as I feel like these are probably some of the few books I would reread (not usually a re-reader)

This is book 2 in the Starfish Cafe series following Snowflakes over the Starfish Cafe which I would suggest reading first if you want to read these books as they follow on from each other. Also, if you've not read book 1 then beware of some spoilers in this review! We are back in Whitsborough Bay for this book and I loved seeing so many familiar characters from the shops down on Castle Street, a place I would LOVE to visit if it really existed as this is probably one of my favourite fictional places. Side note... if you've not read Jessica's Castle Street books then get them NOW!

So onto this book... we already met Hollie, Jake and Pickle back in book 1 but this is the first book for newbie Tori, who we meet when she's out paddle-boarding with her friends Matt and Charlee and ends up getting into a spot of bother. Thankfully the RNLI are out training at the time so a swift rescue is possible but this is where everything changes for Tori and she has some big decisions to start making.

The chapters alternate between Hollie and Tori's perspective meaning that you almost get two stories in one, spending time with each of them as they go through their daily lives. Now, as with all of Jessica's books things aren't plain sailing for our characters and both Hollie and Tori have some pretty big issues to deal with, I will say that this book isn't quite as emotionally hard hitting as Snowflakes but you still get lost in the book.

I really liked watching the friendship blossom between Tori and Finley as they both tried to tackle their retrospective issues, being there for each other every day and being the listening ear that so many of us often need. Tori's family drama really sucked me in and I was urged on to find out what had happened all those years ago, desperate for the happy reunion that I so hoped was on the cards. But I think it was the times where you could tell she just wanted to return home and tell Finley about what had happened that really made me smile, so often I think that we as readers can see what is staring the characters right in the face, you just want to give them that gentle nudge together don't you!

One thing I love about books like this is the fact that you get to see communities and friendships coming together despite all the odds to overcome and recover from bad happenings and this was definitely the case when things start to turn for Hollie and The Starfish Cafe, There's always one bad apple in the bunch but you really do feel for Hollie when what happens happens, but it's thanks to her sheer determination, her mum's loving words and friends rallying around that spur her on and you know that she can turn anything into a positive. I think my favourite moment of the book though was Hollie's breakthrough with Jake and then that final scene - WOW!

I loved this book and can't wait for the next one - Summer Nights at the Starfish Cafe - doesn't it already sound so idyllic?!

Quick note on the series: You could read the books in this series as standalone novels but… c’mon, you know you’ll enjoy them even more if you read them in order. This is especially important as Jake and Holly’s story… stories in fact… are explored in detail in book 1. They’ve already had their big journey of self-discovery and healing. This story shows us how they continue to uplift and support each other. On another note, we do get a new character to enjoy: Tori.

Tori’s story opens with her being in very unhappy and unhealthy relationship. Tori’s strength is soon revealed, however, as she bravely faces up to the reality of her situation and resolves to extricate herself from it.

Side note: I love how Charlee and Matt from a much earlier Whitsborough Bay book were brought in. So rewarding to catch up with old favourites!.

Moving on, Tori has a chance meeting with Finley, another charming soul who seems to be caught in a toxic relationship of his own. Their similar situations spark a genuine friendship between them, but it’s clear there’s the potential for so much more.

I love how we get the unravelling of Tori’s story over the course of the story through sporadic flashback chapters. It is through these chapters we understand where Tori came from, how her perspectives shifted and how she may have some re-imagining of her own past to do.

Tori and Holly strike up a delightful friendship and business partnership that nurtures them both and ties both story threads together beautifully.

There’s also the mystery of Smuggler’s Key and Slippy Smythe to sink our teeth into. I wonder if Ms. Redland is already planning her crossover into a lighter type of mystery story…

Overall, Spring Tides at the Starfish Cafe is a gorgeous story of hope, faith, determination and love.

It was great to be back at the Starfish Café with Hollie and Jake (and Pickle). I had read the first book which was so emotional so wasn't quite sure what to expect from this one, however, it didn't disappoint. They are such a great couple and are a source of strength and courage to each other through whatever they face.

We are introduced to Tori in this book and she has an intriguing back story. She forms a friendship with Hollie and both are able to help one another in their time of need. She is in a troubled relationship when she meets Finley (Bart), who is in a similar situation. They form a great friendship and help each other but can this develop further?

It is also nice to be reconnected with so many amazing characters from the first book.

I love how Jessica's books are full of community, friendship, love and romance and I'm looking forward to reading many more.

Thank you Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Jessica Redland is an author that I can always count on to provide me with a great escape. The characters came alive in this one and I found myself cheering on and feeling for each of them through the book. I look forward to the next book in this series.

This is yet another great book from Jessica, you can't go wrong with reading her novels. I can't wait for the next one in this series to be published. I wish they could go on and on. I didn't want to put this down and infact I spent all night reading this but then I didn't want it to end. This is one book that I will read again as I have all of Jessica's novels. Pity I can only give this 5 stars as it is well worth far more. Thanks Jessica, I can't wait to read more of your novels.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this e ARC

I always look forward to a new book from Jessica Redland and Spring Tides At The Starfish Cafe is a brilliant second book in the series.
I’ve loved being back with Hollie and Jake , and of course Pickle, the cheeky scamp.
Jessica writes such wonderful warm stories about friendship,community and love, and this time although we move on with Hollie and the cafe, we also meet Tori and Finley.
We learn about Tori’s backstory and see her character develop as she allows herself to trust again with a little help from Hollie and Finley. The two new characters of Tori and Finley are a lovely addition to the crew, and it’s always nice being back in the cafe with the familiar faces of the regulars.
I can’t wait for the third in the series to see how life is treating these old friends.

SPRING TIDES AT THE STARFISH CAFE by JESSICA REDLAND.

Welcome back to The Starfish Cafe, in the delightful seaside town of Whitsborough Bay.
It’s time to catch up with cafe owner Hollie and her partner Jake, not forgetting Pickle their adorable pooch.
The pair remain deeply in love, but life has some new challenges to throw their way.
As Hollie receives a more than generous offer from a dodgy local business man to buy the cafe, she is adamant she won’t sell. But what will her determination cost her? And why is Slimey Smythe so desperate to get his hands on The Starfish Cafe? Could there be a connection to the local legend of Tingler’s Treasure?

New character Tori arrives in spectacular style. She quickly makes new friends and finds a fresh start in Whitsborough Bay. She forms a particularly close bond with lifeboat crew member Finley (Bart) and they help eachother through their troubles.

This book is such a delight. Each page is full of solid content that will absorb you into it’s magic.

It was great to follow Jake and Hollie as their story develops.
Tori is a great addition to Whitsborough Bay. Her back story is not your run of the mill tale and I really did enjoy where Jessica Redland took her character.
Finley is an utter sweetie, who you just can’t help falling in love with.
As always on a trip to Whitsborough Bay, there are a host of established characters who pop up along the way and make a huge contribution to the wonderful sense of community within this book.

As always, in any Jessica Redland book, you will find
a comforting sense of community, the warmth and love of true friendships and some beautifully tummy tickling romance. Add in some Seals, some lifeboat action, a bit of local myth and mystery, some moon love and what you’ll find is a very special book that will lift your heart and leave you with an ‘awww’ feeling as you finish the last page.

As always, the detail in this book is exceptional and a real credit to the depth of research undertaken by Jessica Redland.

This has to be a full five, heartwarming stars from me.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Available now in all formats.

This is book two in the Starfish Cafe series. Spring Tides follows on from Snowflakes At The Starfish Cafe, and will be followed next year by book three in the series.
I’d always say it’s best to read a series in order, but there is a very comprehensive catch up at the beginning of Spring Tides which makes it easy to read as a stand alone.

With grateful thanks to #Netgalley and #Boldwood for a digital arc of #SpringTidesAtTheStarfishCafe by #JessicaRedland.

A springtime visit to the seaside is always welcome. Add in some believably created characters, a complex mix of emotion and drama and a welcoming cafe, and I'm in book heaven. The second story in the Starfish Cafe series continues from the first with many favourite regulars and some intriguing new faces.

I enjoyed finding out about Hollie and Jake's relationships and their home life, which is relatable and uplifting to read. This story takes the reader on an emotional journey full of laughs, shocks and tears with new characters Tori and Finley, whose tentative friendship is a focus of this.

The authentically created setting makes the story stand out. It's full of realistic details that bring it and the characters to life. It's the perfect book to escape with for an hour or two.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

Thanks #NetGalley @BoldwoodBooks for a complimentary eARC of #SpringTidesAtTheStarfishCafe upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Hollie, owner of the Starfish Cafe, and her boyfriend Jake (and adorable Pickles the dog) have found each other and are living a contented and full life and looking forward to their bright future…..until an act of vandalism affects the future of the Starfish Cafe and puts their livlihood in jeopardy. An unexpected friendship is formed and new characters are introcuded as Hollie and Jake recover from their losses and rebuild.

Spring Tides at the Starfish Café is the second in the Starfish Cafe series but it can be read as a standalone.

Fans of Jessica Redland will love this newest installment of the Starfish Cafe series! The first book was filled with a great deal of trauma, and this story is gentler and less sad.

Likable, realistic, and relatable characters always enhance my reading experience! Told from Hollie’s and Tori’s POVs, we follow both couples (Hollie and Jake/Tori and Finley) and their relationships and friendships. It’s evident that Redland likes and admires her main characters!

In this story as well as other Redland stories, romance is only a small part of the content. There are always animals and concerns about animal rescue …. in this case, seals. Friendships, family, and community are also at the heart of her stories. In addition, I like that in this Starfish Cafe series, Redland aquaints us with the rescue activities of the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution). There’s a lot going on in her stories that kept me engaged and turning the pages.

Jessica Redland is an auto buy author when I’m looking for a women’s fiction read with substantial content and “happy for now” endings. Her stories are multilayered and thought provoking.

Themes include friendship, second chances, community, protecting a family legacy, romance, hope, animal care and rescue, rebuilding, and taking a risk.

I’m recommending Spring Tides at the Starfish Café for fans of page-turning women’s fiction, for readers who love compelling stories of friendship and romance, and for those looking for a heartfelt weekend or vacation read.

For more reviews visit my blog www.readingladies.com where this review was first published.

I haven’t read the first book in this series but I found it really easy to read this as a stand alone. I loved the way the 2 characters Hollie and Tori found their way into each other’s lives and found the plot moved along nicely by alternating between their narratives. I really warmed to Tori especially and was rooting for her to get her happy ending as she had been through so much in her life. Lovely book and I will be eagerly awaiting the next in the series.

This is the second book in the Starfish Cafe series, following on from Snowflakes Over the Starfish Cafe. In common with many of Jessica Redland’s books, the story is set on the Yorkshire coast, in and around the fictional seaside town of Whitsborough Bay. There are many recurring characters in her books, which give them a warm feel that I very much enjoy. This book begins with a list of characters returning from the last book in the series, with details of their places in the story. It could be read as a standalone, but I feel it would be much better to read the books one after the other as the storylines are very much interlinked.



In this book, the author continues the story of Hollie and Jake. Hollie owns and manages the Starfish Cafe in addition to running a craft business and training with the RNLI. Jake is a nurse at the local hospital, aspiring photographer and RNLI crew member. After an emotional start, they are now happy with their life together. However, their peaceful existence is suddenly threatened by an unscrupulous local businessman who it seems will go to any lengths to buy the cafe. In the meantime, Hollie has met and befriended a new customer, interior designer Tori, who has her own troubles with a relationship that has turned sour and family problems. However, when Tori meets Jake’s friend Finley, also emerging from a failed romantic partnership, it seems that they may be able to help each other.



I really enjoyed this continuing saga of the Starfish Cafe and the people involved with the business It was great to catch up with Hollie and Jake and find out how their relationship had developed. They are both such likeable characters who are bound to have any reader cheering them on to succeed. The introduction of a dangerous man who is bent on having the cafe for himself gave the story an unusually edgy feel and had me, along with Hollie and Jake, trying to work out his motive. I found myself worried about just how far he would go before he was stopped. Once again, the wonderful community spirit of Whitsborough Bay shone through as friends rallied around to help. I was intrigued by Tori’s story; she is from a very unorthodox family to say the least and has fought hard to establish her own identity. I am looking forward to discovering if there is more about her and Finley in the next book in the series. I can recommend this series of books to other readers; it would be a marvellous introduction for those unfamiliar with Jessica Redland’s work.

I haven't read anything by this author previously, so glad I took a chance on this book. It is part of a series, but I didn't feel lost since the author does a great job of introducing the characters and their backstories without being instructive.

Secrets abound in and around the Starfish Cafe! Relationships are torn apart by secrets, new relationships are formed due to secrets and a treasure hunt ensues after more secrets! Besides the secrets, we join Hollie as she learns more about lifesaving as part of the RNLI, she and Jake also make a life-changing decision. Finally we meet Toni and Finley, who become great friends and maybe more? I don't write spoilers, so my lips are sealed!

A small town along the Yorkshire coast, where everyone knows each other, and if you need something, you find lots of volunteers willing to support you. I'd like to live there! I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

An emotional ride that entwines the story of Holly and Tori along with a bit of intrigue and a bit of a family drama. It's a full on tale of romance with plenty of side stories to keep the pace going. I loved this book, couldn't put it down!