Invitation to Seashell Bay: Part 1 by Bella Osborne is a delightful start to a new series that’s full of charm, humour, and just the right amount of romance. The story begins with Nancy, a determined businesswoman fighting to save her beloved craft shop, All Things Crafty. In desperate need of both help and funds, Nancy seizes the opportunity when a potential investor suggests hiring an assistant.

Enter Freddy Astley-Davenport, a flamboyant socialite with a reputation for being more about parties than productivity. Freddy plans to take the assistant role in name only, doing the bare minimum and expecting Nancy to cover for him with his wealthy family. As you might expect, this sets the stage for some hilarious clashes and plenty of sparks.

Nancy’s initial disdain for Freddy’s lackadaisical attitude is entertaining, and their bickering makes for a fun dynamic. Despite their rocky start, the chemistry between Nancy and Freddy is palpable, adding a romantic twist to their professional conflicts. As their story unfolds, the banter and tension between them provide both laughs and a hint of something more.

Osborne’s writing is engaging and light-hearted, making this book a perfect escape into a world of quirky characters and amusing situations. The premise is refreshingly original, and the growing chemistry between the lead characters ensures that readers will be eager to see what happens next.

Overall, Invitation to Seashell Bay: Part 1 is a charming read that combines humour, romance, and a dash of workplace drama. It’s a great start to what promises to be an entertaining series.

This was a lovely story. I enjoyed the characterisations and friendships in this book. I also enjoyed the beautiful setting.. it’s not my favourite book by this author but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

a good story to read with a happy ending for nancy and alice follow up of part 2 to read which should be even better

Remind yourselves of those long hazy, heat-driven days of summer full of hope and possibility for world out doors as you cosy into the feel-good rom-com.

Perfect for shutting out the cold, dank, dark days of winter and transporting yourself back into summer, it's well worth taking up your Invitation To Seashell Bay. 

Freddy Astley-Davenport comes across as that self-righteous, privileged heir. He's actually an interesting character to explore. There are plenty of people around who think they know it all without having the experience, so this makes him relatable too, in a way.  He may well frustrate, with the type of personality he has, but I feel this truly works, to the extent you want to know his outcome.

Nancy's business is struggling, which then brings in Freddy.
Arguments ensue and take readers on a bit of a rollercoaster of a read to see what's going to come next in their lives. There's quite a bit of humour to be had too, which lightens things up a bit.

I love that I’m so invested already.
Can’t wait for the next one.
A feel good book with a great storyline.

As Part 1, this is a good introduction to the whole story which I have reviewed.

This is a really entertaining, fun read with plenty of witty dialogue and humorous events. A great source of the latter has to come from the various animals who inhabit the pages, usually bringing chaos in their wake! Nancy is a positive, go-getter who is determined to build up her business through sheer hard work. She is a likeable though driven character with a softer side which you often glimpse. Fair as a boss, she sets out to help those who need a helping hand to get on. In that, she couldn't be more different from some of the hard- nosed businessmen she comes up against.

You then meet Freddy who is Nancy's polar opposite and has had a privileged background. I did feel impatient with him at first.

The full review appears in my blog, on Goodreads and Amazon

Loved this, can’t wait to read it!

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Just finished and I’m definitely going to need the next instalment. What an end scene! Poor Nancy.

Part 1 has introduced us to main characters Alice and Nancy who are both great in their own way. I like that they are so different but route for each other, they have a dynamic as housemates but also friends which is lovely.

Freddy drove me insane but I loved his scenes! Fancy just nipping over to Barcelona on a Wednesday afternoon - I laughed a lot at this.

I also really liked the disability representation and highlighting the need for employers to be more disability-friendly.

I’m excited for part 2 - I’m hoping for some romance!

This is the first part of the full- length book of the same name. This part has done a good job of establishing the characters and their backgrounds, particularly of the various inner and outer conflicts they are under.

It was a short and breezy read which has made me curious to check out the full book when it comes out. Will definitely check out the book when it comes out.

My first Bella Osborne book and i wasn't disappointed!
What a cute and funny read! I thoroughly enjoyed this! I finished it in one day. It was so good! I really love a book that has lots of exciting twists and turns to keep you turning the pages!
Nancy and Freddy were fun in getting to know.
I loved how the author describes the scenes so that I feel like I'm there with the characters.
The cover of this book is quite cute, too. It was very inviting and I'm sure that it will be to others too
Very well written! 5 stars for keeping me entertained. I didn't want it to end!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Apologies for the delay in this review, i have been battling ill health.

Great story, lovely setting, enjoyed the charcters and the story very much. I thought it flowed really well and it was a really good read.

I devoured this book! I absolutely adored it, this light - hearted, uplifting and brillaintly funny story, written with such lightness that it makes your heart swell with joy!

The characters were absolutely brilliant, all of them. Sure, some came too short and too stereotyped but I'm guessing it was intended, if only to make them even more caricatural. However, the main character were simply top shelf - witty, sharp - minded and colourful. The banter between them was first class and the one - liners were the best.

But wit and humour is not everything and the author touches upon some health issues - albeit surprisingly, I for sure wasn't expecting it and well, I think it felt a bit like an after - thought and was dealt with a bit too rushed for my liking. The subplot with Alice and Dom felt also a bit forced, to be honest, and Dom came as hard hitting. I think it the author gave them a bit more time it wouldn't feel so wooden and forced, as if it was added in the last moment.

But altogether, it was a brilliant, sunny read, with engaging characters, lovely plot and gorgeous setting - a perfect read for a summer evening!

I enjoyed the first 10 chapters of this book and was excited to read the rest, I have since finished this book and my review is below

This was a great book, I was straight into the story, I liked the characters and enjoyed the way the relationships progressed, I really would like to see a second book centred around these characters, I have read a few of Bella's books now and each one has been a treat, do yourselves a favour and read this book

Oh wow this was such a fab story I've got to go get the other parts so I can carry on and find out what's happened.

What a fantastic start to this beautiful little series. I adored the location, the characters just eveything. The story itself is wonderful and I cant wait for the next part.

3.5 stars
This is a fun, lighthearted read full of hope. I really enjoyed the dual narrators of Nancy and Alice. Different in character, their stories flowed nicely together as we learnt more about their lives. Freddy grew on me as a character- as we got to know him more he showed he was more than just a pretty face.
Seashell Bay sounded beautiful and I loved the ideas for opening up the estate

A fab start to the series. I can't wait to read what happens next.
Thanks to Avons Books UK and Netgalley for the e-arc.

Lucky enough to get the full version of this story. Please go read my review.

Brilliant story written from the prospective of Nancy and Alice. I love a good romantic story and it’s a really easy read

You won’t be disappointed

I have now read the whole of this book and have put my review on NG but here are some of my thoughts.
I really enjoyed reading this light-hearted and humourous romance. It captured my attention from the very first page and I was completely invested in the story.

Nancy and Alice are housemates and both of their stories are being told alongside one another. The main characters, Nancy and Freddy were a delight to read, and Alice's story added another dimension to the book. Ms. Osborne possesses a sound understanding of her characters and as such they are portrayed with realism and thus come alive on the page.

I appreciated the way it was not as predictable as some novels of this genre. I do not want to give anything away so suffice to say that what I anticipated happening at the beginning was not the case.

I highly recommend this book.

Oh no, can’t believe it ended the way it did, was just getting to know the characters
Can’t wait for the next instalment