I have read Jill Shalvis for years. In this book she really brought the emotions with characters that struggled to overcome the grief of the past. Really a book of finding yourself, healing and friendship in the most unlikely of circumstances. The one thing is that while the book and back stories were good, the romance lacked. Honestly the best character in this book was Pickle, the dog! So sweet and loving. Clearly a character and not just a pet in this book.
This book had a good pacing until the end and then it was like super rushed which annoyed me. We needed more build up for the romances before an epilogue where it’s like boom we’re all married and having babies.

Three old childhood friends -- now frenemies -- unexpectedly inherit an historic inn out West. The will's stipulation is that the three must work together to renovate the inn for at least one year, or they will forfeit the property. It's in bad shape, but the relationships among the three old friends are in even worse shape, so they have a big challenge ahead. Heartfelt romance, second chances, forgiveness -- all beautifully realized themes in this story, which although part of a series, definitely stands on its own for readers.

Three people with a common past are thrown together after they each inherit 1/3 of the Last Chance Inn. Lauren and Alice used to be best friends until a tragedy tore them apart, and Knox was a troubled teen whom Alice had idolized from afar. They decide to work together for one month to fix up the inn.

When I see the name Jill Shalvis on a book cover, I know I’m going to love it. This book was no exception. Ms. Shalvis’s characters are often flawed, but they are achingly real. I found my heart going out to these three multiple times in the book. But along with the sadness was the author’s sense of humor, and I found myself laughing out loud as much, if not more, than crying.

And let’s not forget the real star of this book….Pickle the dog. You can tell that the author is an animal lover just in the way she writes about the pets in her books.

I highly recommend this book. You won’t be sorry you picked it up. But be prepared to have a problem putting it down!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this book! Alice, Lauren, and Knox were all wonderful characters that were easy to root for. All 3 of these characters had a lot of issues from their past to deal with and it was great watching them learn to connect with and support each other. There was just enough romance woven into the story to keep things very interesting. I am really glad that I decided to pick this one up!

Alice, Lauren, and Knox knew each other when they were younger and have been brought back together when they jointly inherit property from a woman they are all connected to, Eleanor. Alice and Lauren were best friends as kids but things fell apart and Alice left town years ago just like she is eager to do now. Alice had a crush on Knox as a kid but he didn’t seem to know she existed back then.

I loved watching Alice, Lauren, and Knox work together to get the property ready to go. They have a set of letters from Eleanor that helps to guide them through some of the issues that they need to deal with. I really enjoyed the fact that we get not just one but two romances in this book. I feel like these three needed each other more than Eleanor could have ever known and it was a pleasure to watch them find their way back to each other.

I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others. I had a great time with this book and quickly fell in love with the characters. I cannot wait to read more of this talented author’s work.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Avon Books.

I have always loved a good Jill Shalvis book but have somehow gotten away from the actual reading of the books I have been buying and stacking next to my bed (there have been complaints about the pile). I am so glad that I didn’t put this on my that TBR pile and, instead, curled up with it! (Of course, now the others are moving to the top of the list!). THE BACKUP PLAN is the third book in the Sunrise Cove series by Jill Shalvis, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone novel, as it is more connected by location than a plot continuation, but, once you start reading her novels, you won’t want to stop and will find yourself backtracking to read them all.
I know saying I love everything about this story isn’t helpful, so I will l try to elaborate. The writing is fun and witty, the characters realistic and flawed. Put together, you have a highly entertaining read that will make you laugh, and even shed a few tears as you journey with the three. Alice had no desire to return to Sunrise Cove, but she loved and respected Eleanor enough that she comes anyway. Now she needs to get through the next 30 days with her former best friend and her former crush and get the Inn they inherited open on time. Lauren was her best friend, but when Alice lost her brother, she lost her fiancé, and the town hasn’t let her forget it, yet. All she wants is her friendship with Alice, and a life not stuck in the past. Knox has his own baggage from the past, but Eleanor was important to him, so he’ll drop everything to do what she asked, even if it means working with two women he never really knew, well, spent time with. Shalvis puts them together and weaves their storylines together, as each deals with their past. The “house rules” are hysterical, and the discovery of Eleanor’s unsent emails uncovers how big a part she played in each of their lives, whether they knew it or not, leading to more secrets being revealed as they work together. The “House Rules” are perfect, and the interactions between all of the characters will keep you on your toes. They end up supporting each other and finding new strengths. I love each of the characters for their unique qualities and what they bring to the partnership.
You will find yourself laughing, sometimes just a chuckle, sometimes hysterically, but, again, there will also be some tears. Each character feels like someone you could be friends with, someone you would meet out. All of this is what is so wonderful about Shalvis’s writing, and when you are done, you are just happy. Happy that you read the book, happy that you allowed yourself to be swept away in their stories.
Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#thebackupplan #sunrisecove #jillshalvis #avonbooks

Romance was not interesting. List element was repetitive and just reinforced how flaky the characters were.

A sweet read about three friends, Alice, Knox and Lauren who have each inherited a share of the Lakeside Inn. I was laughing and crying and I couldn’t put it down. It drew me in from the first few pages and then I had to know what was going to happen. I’m never let down by Jill’s books and this one certainly didn’t let me down either!

Great book. I laughed a lot. Pickle was a favorite character. Who doesn’t love a dog? This book held my interest from beginning to end.

Jill Shalvis never disappoints! Her books always bring me such great comfort. I always love her characters and how her stories always have a bit more going on such as a story about friendship, healing, and romance. I need to go back and read the others books in this series!

Loved this book - read it on my day off and didn't want to put it down.
I loved the library moments, the banter, the lists on the walls, and the reasons they stayed.
It was a fantastic book that made me laugh out loud and left me with a book hangover.

A cute, fun read about three old friends who inherited and old inn from their past and together must fix it up again. They each have demons of the past they face, but they can each find out how to move past them by working through it together and finding some happiness at the same time. I enjoyed the story and the characters. This was the first book I had read in the series, and will go back and read the others as well!

Another winner from Jill Shalvis! Knox, Alice, and Lauren inherit a run down inn from Eleanor, who is Lauren’s relative, but treated Alice and Knox like family. They agree to fix up the inn within a month and then decide what to do with it. Alice and Lauren were once best friends that fell apart when Alice’s brother who was also Lauren’s boyfriend died. Alice had a huge crush on Knox growing up.

Secrets are revealed as they work on this inn and all three re-evaluate what they want from life. A beautifully crafted and woven story, I loved all the characters and the journey they take in this book.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Fall in love with Sunrise Cove in The Backup Plan by the very gifted Jill Shalvis. Her gift of writing has a way of pulling you right into the story alongside the characters. If you are looking for a moving romance then look no further than The Backup Plan. It is an emotional romance, but it is also so much more than that. For instance there is a pickle loving dog, who will not only steal your heart, but also a pickle or two if you’re not careful. It is also about mending past friendships and creating new ones, a meddling old woman from beyond the grave, an Inn in need of some TLC, secrets, and the power of finding where home is and who it’s with.

Inheriting an old inn forces three childhood friends to return to their hometown and mend fences. I liked each of the three: Alice, a sassy, independent woman who’s been on the go, never in one place for long since her brother's death. Lauren, Alice’s ex-best friend, who stayed in Sunrise Cove, pitied as the sort of “widow” of Alice’s brother after he died. And then there’s Knox, Alice’s teenage crush, who left and went on to start a successful construction business. He loved the inn and Sunrise Cove, but has his own painful memories drudged up by coming home.

The Backup Plan was a low-angst story with two romances, and a second-chance-at-bes-friends with Lauren and Alice. They let time and distance get between them but the forced proximity had them remembering how close they were, how much the friendship meant. Knox and Alice tip toe around mutual attraction while working on the inn, and Lauren finds love at the hardware store. Both romances made me smile.

I enjoyed the lessons they learned from Eleanor’s emails. Some of the revelations they had from them were painful to hear but helped the three face things they wouldn’t have normally.

The story is book three of the series, but it’s not necessary to read the previous books to enjoy it.

The Backup Plan was a feel-good story with friendship, love, and the comfort of finding home again.

This title was refreshingly unique. A trio of people inherit an inn and have to work together to restore it and figure out what to do about it. It was fun to see the story from multiple perspectives. Usually in a romance book you only get one, maybe two perspectives. There was a lot of character development in this book and I loved how the main man was portrayed as the one who was patient and chill and his love interest was the one who was a mess. A lot of times its the other way around. Overall an awesome cozy read.

I really enjoyed this funny, heartwarming, romantic book. I read the others in the series and was excited to get the 3rd book as an ARC. Alice and Knox story was endearing. The addition to the story of Eleanor’s emails gives us another perspective and I really enjoyed that part of it. Looking forward to more Sunset Cove!

This is a good book. This is about three friends who at different times help a woman who runs a bed and breakfast. Expecting nothing in return for their help. When she passes she leaves her bed and breakfast to theses three friends. They must renovate and be partners in the inn for one year or else lose their inheritance. They learn to help each other and become friends again.

It’s a big meh from me. The romance couldn’t save the plot here. Having three people holed up together with so many problems just wasn’t a fun read. The rules were weird. The reactions and emotions felt robotic and not human. Just didn’t work for me.

Alice gets a call saying that someone she once knew has died and they have left her a third of A Wild West B&B. The two other people who inherited along with her are her once best friend and the guy sho broke her heart. They soon learn their lives are now going to be entangled because they have to agree on what to do with their inheritance. Being stuck together isn't something they want so they decide to make a list of rules to help them all get along. Alice and Lauren who were once best friends now can hardly be in the.room together. Will the two let a friendship that was once great stay dormant and remain in the past? Will Alice and Knox get past their issues and end up together or has to much time and pain taken over for them to make amends? This was an emotional read that had me crying and laughing the whole way through!

This is a Women's Fiction/Friends to Lovers Romance, and this is the third book in the Sunrise Cove series. I loved the characters in this book, and I love that there were emails throughout this book from the person that died and left the Inn to these three people. The romance in this book is cute/steamy. I found this book so much fun to read, and I loved seeing this story unwrapping. The ending was cute and everything I wanted. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Avon) or author (Jill Shalvis) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.