Oh dear. This plot had lots of promise, but I'm sorry to say that I just really didn't like the characters and the story. It was so frustrating to read with the back and forth, the indecision, and the dramatics. It was also written in a very confusing manner... between the plot and character problems and the overall execution, it was just not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

2⭐
Genre ~ contemporary romance, romantic comedy
Setting ~ Porthkara ~ a cornish seaside village
Publication date ~ December 15, 2023
Est page Count ~ 326 (34 chapters +e)
POV ~ dual 3rd
Featuring ~ widower, actress, forced proximity, small town, slow burn, very minimal steamage

Author Content Warning: Callum is grieving the death of his wife when he meets Ella. Also in the characters backstories burnout and domestic abuse are mentioned.

*possible spoilers ahead*

Ella & Callum are both in Porthkara for 2 different weddings when they have no choice but to bunk together. She's there for her former co-stars wedding and he for his dead wife's sisters.

So overall this one was not for me, but I did like the following:
~ Ella seemed down to earth and sweet
~ Callum's name
~ the small town vibe
~ a cute dog named Hughie
~ Jessie was a great side character
~ how Jessie's house received a face lift and what the future holds for it
~ the brilliant idea Ella had for the small cottage

Here's what didn't do it for me:
These two were very frustrating ~ will they or won't they, yes they will, no they won't, oh wait. Listen I understand that Callum is still grieving his wife who died 2 years ago, but make a decision dude. I did not feel their chemistry at all. And the ending was so crazy and abrupt and did not fit how the story progressed at all, which was slow.

A promising plot, but not executed well in my opinion.

Attending two weddings at Porthkerry to a mixup at their hotel Ella and Callum end up sharing a rather dilapidated holiday cottage. Ella is an actress who has given up acting, the daughter of a famous rock star she ended up suffering from burnout and hasn't been able to settle down since. Meanwhile Callum is still mourning the death of his wife a couple of years previously. With an instant attraction can they overcome their issues and somehow make a relationship work?
Ella shows that a glamorous lifestyle might not be all that it's cracked up to be, whereas a life in Cornwall is attractive to me. This is one of those stories where you want to knock the two main character's heads together, although they have serious issues to overcome. The story is a slow burn and there are some spicy moments if these aren't your thing, but overall this is a story that I did enjoy.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

This book was a quick, light-hearted romance. The plot was not original and it was the typical story od two.people thrown together who end up falling in love.

I enjoyed getting to know the characters, and their conversations were enjoyable.

A good rainy day or beach read.

Recommend.

I really wanted to love this book but it was just too ridiculous and far fetched with far too many dramatics. DNF @ 60%

So I really wanted to like this books it was a lot in the beginning and just was confusing to me. It would go from one character perspective to another and then another and then back to the first character. It had some good parts but I just couldn’t keep reading and had to dnf this book. Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me but I am sure others will like it more than I did.

I rounded up for my review, because maybe it’s just me and I didn’t feel right rounding down. Ugh, this dragged on… I really wanted to like it but everything was either half a thought that go picked up later or a wait a second let me throw in this smidge of backstory out of nowhere. The beginning of this book was good there was so much potential, then all of a sudden the next chapter is “4 months later” from that point it seemed like the author was “counting words” instead of focusing on developing the story. I felt like a lot of scenes could have done with the less is more, cutting down 300 words to something that could have been said in 50? There was also a lot of repetition, within a chapter the author would come up with 3 different ways for the characters to say the same thing to each other.
I really wanted more of Ella and her dad mending their relationship, instead of him just showing up out of nowhere and talking to her for a short time…
I don’t know what else to say other than there was so much potential with this book it just seemed rushed but also drawn out at the same time.

When a computer glitch leaves Ella and Callum booked into the same room as another guest, the hotel finds them the only available accommodation around – a rundown cramped cottage.

Callum is a widower and Ella is a retired actress, they’re both hoping to escape while attending separate weddings. As rain comes crashing down, there’s more in the air than just atmosphere. Can they unpack their baggage and let love in? Or are they better off going their separate ways?

This one started out a little cringy and rocky for me, but it did redeem itself and I found myself enjoying it. At the beginning it felt that things were all over the place and fairly chaotic, but ultimately, they did connect, and things started coming together. I also think that there was some curse language that was unnecessary at the beginning that was hard, and I say that even though I curse like a sailor. It just didn’t really fit the image of the character I had. This book was full of angst. Lots of will she, wont she, back and forth. The romance does ultimately happen, but it is a slow burn and doesn’t happen until the book is almost over. Not the worst slow burn I’ve read, but fairly late, nonetheless. Since this was a slow burn, I think that translated to a slow pace of a book as well, with the ending feeling slightly rushed. I didn’t hate this story underneath everything, I just think that it could have benefited from some more editing rounds to help with some of the pacing issues along with some imaging issues throughout the book. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it. This was a solid middle of the road read for me.

This was a wonderful romance and i thoroughly enjoyed everything about it.

The setting in Cornwall was lovely and through the authors amazing style of writing throughout it honestly felt like i was there immersed in it all.

A very easy book to read and the story pulls you along at a great pace so that you can find out what happens.

Such an enjoyable read and i fell in love with Ella and Callum and loved becoming involved in their story.

Such a slow burn story and i was definitely here for it…..

This book definitely had potential but it just wasn’t one for me. I didn’t particularly like the main characters and felt the plot just never really went anywhere. Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and the author for the chance to review.

DNF at 25%.

This book was just too much going on at the beginning and I'm not connecting at all. There is a wedding in a small town and somehow both MCs and the family of bride on the MMC's side. How they book 3 parties to a single room who knows. The two MCs end up in a run down cottage, they kiss (?), MMC almost drowns at the beach. His wife died 2 years ago, FMC is a celebrity nepo baby, and that's about it. They seem to already have the hots for each other very very early on for literally no reason.

When Callum and Ella arrive in Porthkara as wedding guests, they find that their room has been double booked and that the only other space available is the charming but dilapidated Rose Cottage. They decide to share since Ella can't drive there and Callum doesn't want to be around pitying eyes. and after a huge storm causing the cottage to leak they end up staying up all night and talking. After the weddings, they go their separate ways but life keeps pulling them back together.

Both characters have a nice depth to them, Ella as a daughter of a rock star dealing with her Daddy issues and Callum as a young widow dealing with his grief and survivors' guilt. The Cornish seaside setting and the locals are equally charming. I've rated it 3.5/5, rounded up as the ending felt a little rushed and a few minor plot holes appeared (why the sudden appearance of rock star Dad?).

Regardless, it's an enjoyably light read and would be perfect for reading on holiday (ideally in Cornwall!). Thanks to Netgalley and One More Chapter for a free ARC in return for an honest review.

🏨💐🩷

Thank you to the HarperCollins UK and netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I felt it was hard to get into this book. I don't know if i just wasn't in the mood for this or if it's the book, but i just felt meh about it. I'm happy that Callum and Ella get their happy ending but i didn't particularly care about their relationship. I think what made it hard for me to connect is the fact that their feelings seemed to be so wish washy, jumping from feeling one way to another in an instant, which didn't make it believable.

Overall, if you're looking for a slow burn romance with characters that experience grief and parental conflict, i'd give this book a try!

Pub date: Dec 15, 2023

I enjoyed this read for what it was, but there are a few things I wasn't fully a fan of that felt off while reading. I loved the chemistry between Callum and Ella, however, there were a few times in the novel where their moods would change in an instant where it didn't seem like their personalities to do so in the way it happened. I'm trying to stay vague as to not give any spoilers, but I think some things could have definitely been changed to make this a much better romance. I do like how the hotel mix up happened and the ending of the book, as well as, some things in between. Overall, though, it was a solid 3 star read and the grief within this novel was very real.

**Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc of this in return for my honest review.

I reall enjoyed this book. This was the first book I have read by Kathy Jay and I loved it! The character development of Callum and Ella as well written and I was kept in suspense of what was going to happen. The fostering of a freidnships across all the characters was enjoyable! This was a great romcom book with a HEA!

Ella and Callum- both in town for separate weddings- wind up in a situation of forced proximity as they arrive to Porthkara and realize their reservations have been mixed up. In an effort to salvage the situation, they decide to share a less than glamorous cottage.

I truly enjoyed the premise of Ella and Callum's story. Both complicated main characters wary of love for their own separate reasons, it was hard not to fall in love with them and the journey they went on together. It seemed as though these characters spent a lot o time- too much time- denying themselves the happiness that so clearly laid in front of them.

My one critique- Ella agreed to be with Callum for one night under the guise of understanding it would not go any further, only to immediately change her mind after they have spent the night together. The complete turn here was very sudden in terms of expressing feelings for one another and came across as disingenuous.

I am happy that these characters got their happy ending.

Forced proximity is my weakness and if you tell me nothing but that about a book I will immediately want to read it. This book did not disappoint on that end. From the first chapter i was hooked. The banter was making me laugh so hard and the wedding setting just made it all the better.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars!

I was really excited to read this book due to the blurb. The writing was different than what I'm used to. It took me a bit to actually get into the story. I loved the forced proximity of Callum and Ella having to share the cottage. Their first encounter was really cute and awkward. I also liked that their personalities were complete opposite. This helped add in the angsty feeling. However, I didn't necessarily care for the drama involved. This made it hard for me to want to continue the story. Ellas' behavior in certain parts were too naive. That is why I have rated this story 3.5 stars.

This story was still enjoyable, and I would recommend it!

This sweet and heartfelt romance has two sympathetic leads, an unusual setting, and interesting side characters, but it was just not for me.

This book's biggest problem is its promotional copy. Goodreads calls it an "enemies-to-lovers romcom" right in the title. In fact the "enemies" bit lasts even less time than the titular mix-up. Both are fine as an inciting incident, they don't merit this high billing. As for the story being a rom-com, I found the subject matter - including grief, past abuse, and parental neglect - too heavy to merit this designation.

This was not the funny, snappy story I expected, and I just couldn't get past that. In theory, I appreciated the time spent developing two mature, damaged, thoughtful lead characters who feel too wounded to act on their attachment to one another. But I don't usually read this kind of serious, sappy romance, and I found it hard to stay interested. Another reader might love it -but I'm not sure, given the quirky cover illustration and cheery text, that reader will pick it up.

I'm posting an abbreviated version of this review , minus the star rating, to Goodreads to highlight the book's positive attributes and help it find its readership.

For whatever reason this reminded me of the Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren in the best way possible. It was silly and fun yet so real and heartfelt. Bound to be a hit