Member Reviews

Your summer chick lit book of the season, not your typical romance and lots of laughter.

Nancy’s treasured craft business is not doing so well and as well a PA to help free up her time by taking on the admin she does, she also needs investment. Her small team of staff have become her friends and as a disability friendly employer she knows they depend on her. When a meeting for a new contract opportunity arises, Nancy needs it to go well, but with a morning of mishaps, its not looking good. After the disastrous meeting, and a big fat No! Nancy is relieved when the investor later calls offering a second chance on condition she can give her new PA job to someone he recommends, she’s in a noisy train station and has only heard half the conversation, but she needs the contract so how bad can they be?

Freddy Astley-Davenport, is a rich playboy who has never had to work for anything. As his parents retire, he is set to take over running of the family estate in the beautiful setting of Seashell Bay, but only if he can prove he is responsible by holding down a normal job for 6 months. Finding out he’s been found a job as a Personal Assistant he has no choice, but he has a plan, which involves doing no work whatsoever, he’ll use his aristocratic charm to persuade new employers to just write him a reference in 6 months’ time. Easy or so he thinks.  Freddy soon finds Nancy has not time for his charms or his lazy attitude, and she is quite clear if the agreement is he's got to do 6 months work, then he has to do just that. Let the chaos commence.

A fabulous story with a lots of laugh out loud moments and a side story of Alice, Nancy's flatmate.

You won't want to out it down. If you buy one book this summer, make it this one.

I was given an early copy of this book in return for an honest review. Thank you #netgalley #harpercollins #bellaosborne

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If you only accept one invitation this summer then make it An Invitation to Seashell Bay by Bella Osborne. A gorgeous and summery feel-good romance filled with love and laughter, guaranteed to put a smile on your face and warmth in your heart. With two love stories cleverly intertwined and a cast of colourful characters the author makes it a page turning and thoroughly enjoyable piece of romantic escapism. The two main characters of Nancy and Freddy are brilliantly brought to life and we positively feel the sparks fly as they spar off each other. Total polar opposites the pair have sizzling chemistry from the off and even though their outcome is predictable the journey we are taken on to reach it is not. Filled with mishaps and misunderstandings that keep you engaged and entertained in equal measure. The secondary love story between Nancy’s housemate Alice and Dom is equally as engrossing and cleverly interweaved around the main plot in a way that keeps the pages turning.
All in all it is a highly entertaining and uplifting romance packed with colourful characters and set against a sunny and picturesque backdrop. If you’re looking for a love story filled with twists and turns, love and laughter then An Invitation to Seashell Bay is for you. Perfect for readers who enjoy Cressida McLaughlin, Cathy Bramley and Heidi Swain.

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This is an excellent book, full of unexpected twists and turns and with likeable characters who are easy to invest in. The details of Nancy's business are so well detailed, it really adds to the 'believability' factor. There is an element of escapism which I really enjoyed, in terms of seeing how the other half live when we're introduced to Freddy's lifestyle. Their gently unfolding relationship is amusing and absorbing; I look forward to reading other books by Osborne.

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Bella always writes such beautiful books. That are always heartwarming and captivating like a big warm hug in book form.

This book tells the story of Nancy who owns the business All Things Crafty. Which she is trying to build up from scratch. Wrongly overhearing a telephone call which doesn't go well Nancy thinks she has the answers to her problems sorted. A new PA and a lucrative deal. However the seal with Freddie is not all it seems. Freddie is only helping out to get his parents inheritance and plans to do as little real work as possible. Naturally sparks fly.

Nancy's flatmate Alice. Is a TA in the local school. One night while out on the town Alice kisses a man she meets and has a connection with. She thinks she'll never meet him again but actually meets him again in the most unexpected if places and the sparks.she thought were there that night are still alive. But Alice has secrets that means they cannot be together. Or does it.
.
Another amazing book by Bella.

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I really enjoyed this story, and can't wait to read the sequels. I found it hard to put down as I wanted to find out what happened to both Nancy and Alice. I. Thought the first one ended well - tying up the loose ends between Nancy and Freddie, and Alice and Dom, whilst still leaving you wanting more.

The story is told with two narrators who are flatmates. Nancy owns the flat and is the owner of All things Crafty, a struggling new business which Nancy is trying to build. When Nancy mishears a telephone conversation on the way home from a pitch which doesn't go well, she thinks she has the answer to both her problems sorted - a new PA to help out, and a lucrative deal which will solve her financial problems. Instead she meets Freddie who comes from an extremely wealthy background and thinks that he can pretend to his parents that he is employed for 6 months so he can gain his inheritance, without actually doing any real work. This is a rock meeting a hard place and sparks fly.

Alice is Nancy's flatmate, and a TA in a local school working with a very difficult teacher. She loves living in London, and loves her job - especially the children. When she goes out to a club and kisses a man, there is a connection, but Alice thinks she will never see him again. Then she meets him in an unexpected place and sparks fly. However the course of true love never runs smooth, as Alice has a secret, which means their spark cannot be ignited.

A well written book, by an excellent author, and I am sure it's going to be very popular.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/121382446

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I absolutely loved Alice, who is sharing a flat with Nancy. The tells she tales of her days as a teaching assistant always made me smile, and as you get to know her story even more, I just loved everything about her.

I also enjoyed Nancy, who is the main character, but I think Alice stole my heart.

And Freddy, really grew on me, he really does have his good points, even if they are hard to find initially. And I loved his dynamics with everyone.

The story really gets going for me once they are in Seashell Bay, and there are many threads that kept me hooked.

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment spent between the pages of this book and have found the characters are still on my mind a day or two later.

It's a pleasure to read.

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

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Bella Osborne is up there as one of my favourite authors and I get so excited when I get approved to read and review, it's a real pleasure to be on the blog tour.

We have flatmates Nancy owner of all things crafty and Alice who is a teaching assistant.

I really enjoyed the duel stories of the girls and their journeys, Nancy needing help with her business taking on Freddy and Alice trying to find Dom who she met in a night out.

Freddie took some warming to, but I found him actually hilarious., he has no idea about the working world.

As always with Bella Osborne this is not just a romance read, it's filled full of humour, and really made me laugh out loud in several parts.

This is the perfect summer read with an excellent cast of characters which I highly recommend.

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I thought some of the characters were naïve at times, given their age, plus I think Nancy's language was exaggerated at times. But overall I enjoyed the story. Loved the cat's antics too. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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A delightful tale that's finally all in one volume! Nancy, Alice, and Freddie live and love in a found family in a seaside setting, I'd read this in installments and enjoyed each of them. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Another light enjoyable read from Osborne.

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Another Brilliant read by Bella Osborne, when I get these book I know I am in for a safe and enjoyable read, and this one definitely didn't disappoint.

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I always look forward to a new book from this Bella and yet again I wasn't disappointed. The main characters are Nancy, the owner of a small business, her housemate Alice, a teaching assistant, and Freddy, an aristocratic young man under strict instructions to prove that he can hold down a job before he can inherit running the family estate.
I had read the first part of this book and loved that, so was really pleased to be able to read the complete book. There is a mix of humour, potential romances and the harsh reality of trying to run a small business and a historic home. I really felt for both Nancy and Alice, maybe not so much initially for Freddy who came across as a bit of a cliche, but as the story develops you begin to see the real person behind the facade. The story moves on from Bella's business to Freddy's home (loved his parents and Paul the Butler) and his taking over the estate. It was good to see Alice getting a love interest and also find more about her history.
Overall a book that I really enjoyed and can highly recommend for those who enjoy a good romcom.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influenced my review of the book.

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I recently read a delightful book that left me feeling both amused and touched. Initially, I was uncertain about who Nancy's romantic interest would be, which added to the excitement. I particularly enjoyed the bond between Nancy and Alice as they navigated their individual journeys. At first, Freddy seemed like a wealthy, arrogant individual who didn't value the working class. However, as the story progressed, he revealed a different side of himself that was unexpected. Overall, the humorous anecdotes throughout the book kept me entertained, and I would definitely recommend it. Full disclosure, I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Such a wonderful read. I loved this from start to finish. Nancy and Freddy have instant chemistry, but stress and anger on both sides stop them from really seeing each other. However through a series of incidents that always brought them back into each others orbits they grew to really see the other and a respect and friendship grew. I think everyone but them saw it from the start. I enjoyed seeing Freddy’s home and the Seashell beach sounds beautiful, they definitely need a wedding there.
Alice and Dom were a beautiful surprise couple. I loved how Dom never gave up and Alice’s dad stepped in and gave him the vital info he needed to fully understand Alice’s actions. Bonnie of course was a lovely added character. There were some very interesting and thought provoking themes that don’t often get raised so it was quite refreshing to read something new. ,

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Nancy and Bella share a flat. Nancy owns her own business while Alice is a Teaching Assistant. Both are unlucky in love.
Nancy needs a PA, and along comes Freddie. Quite a duo when they finally work together. There are a few mishaps along the way, but they make a great team.
Alice meets a man in a nightclub and ends up kissing him, although it was predictable who it would turn out to be. Also, I guessed what was wrong with her, too. But it was still a good story. Her parents, although well-meaning, were too overprotective.
I like Bella's easy reading style writing. As soon as you start reading, you're immersed.
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for the ARC in return for an honest review.

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An enjoyable light fun read. The characters are wonderfully depicted with some almost a caricature of themselves. Some absolute gems too.
More than a touch of humour whilst tackling the class divide with Nancy and Freddie plus a more serious subplot with Nancy's housemate's, Alice, heart condition and overprotective parents. Twists and turns although slightly predictable, but a lighthearted delightful book nonetheless

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This was such a fun story, a real joy to read. The characters sparkled on the page and the story was full of warmth, humour and wit. The book follows the adventures of both Nancy and her flatmate Alice, and is told from both their POVs. Freddie had me in stitches and I loved the interaction between him and Nancy. Alice’s story was more gentle and emotional but equally as interesting. An engaging, feel good read.

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Another brilliant read by Bella Osbourne. It was absolutely fantastic, funny and heart warming!
It had notes of Bridget Jones in the main character Nancy, it allowed you to really get involved in the story as you were totally invested in the likeable and determined character.
I loved the setting, the characters and the relationship that developed between two completely different people, that turned out to be absolutely made for each other!
A real treat of a summer read!

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Brilliant book.loved the story and feel for the characters. A fab summer read that everyone is going to love.

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After reading part one of this story, I was so happy to get to read the rest! I felt like part one was just getting to know the characters and setting up the plot and when I started reading the rest, it really began getting into the main part of the book.

We follow two flatmates, Nancy and Alice, who both have seperate stories and journies throughout the book. Nancy runs her own business, and while trying to find new ways to develop it, somehow agrees to hire Freddy, a rich playboy who's not really there to work. However, when Nancy breaks her wrist, Freddy steps up and despite a few mishaps along the way, proves himself both at work and as a potential love interest. 💕

Alice's story is a bit different - she meets Dom in a club and can't stop thinking about him, so is then surprised when she meets him again! The development of their relationship is lovely, and despite Alice having some issues later on in the book, their storyline was very sweet and engaging.

This romcom definitely had me laughing out loud in a few parts - very well written and both romantic and funny.

Thank you to Bella Osborne, Avon UK and Netgalley for the arc of the full book! 💕

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Another wonderful book by Bella Osborne. This was a lovely well written story with engaging characters. Perfect for your summer reading. Recommend

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