I received a free copy of, A New Arrival in Borteen Bay, by Morton S. Gray, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 7 of 7 in, The Secrets of Borteen Bay series. Skye travels from Dublin to Borteen to meet her father. Weird premise for a book, to meet a parent you never met. I did not care for this book, Skye is a lovely character but I did not care for her mom at all.

This was a sweet story about a young woman named Skye, who leaves home searching for answers to her life’s questions.

I loved the setting and how all the various characters appeared and were interconnected. Borteen truly feels like an idyllic seaside town full of lovely residents.

I struggled however, like other reviewers did, to truly understand or connect to the characters. Perhaps my mistake was not reading the other books in this series first.

I really enjoyed spending time in Borteen with Buzz, Wynn, Skye and Adam. Was most intrigued by Buzz - who couldn't fail to be moved by a man who creates a labyrinth walk on the beach, only for it to be washed away by the tide each day? Both poignant and optimistic. I longed for his heartbreak to heal. Loved the character of Adam too - and how he battled his past. Skye was a satisfyingly feisty character, although I was concerned about her lack of health care! I've no idea exactly where Borteen is but it sounds like a wonderful place to live, with a fabulous seaside community.

Skye goes to Borteen Bay to find the father she's just found out about. She's also got a secret that no one knows about

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

2.7 rounded up to 3/5.

"A New Arrival in Borteen Bay" by Morton S. Gray offers a quick and lighthearted read with good pacing, making it suitable for those seeking an easy escape. The story follows Skye, who decides it's time to meet her estranged father in the English seaside town of Borteen, only to find herself entangled in a whirlwind of secrets that turn her world upside down.

One of the book's strengths lies in its quick pace, making it an ideal choice for readers looking for a light and undemanding story. The author introduces the protagonist, Skye, and her complicated family dynamics, creating an initial promise of an engaging narrative. However, this potential is hindered by a lack of character development, leaving readers struggling to connect with the individuals populating Borteen Bay.

One notable drawback is the absence of information about other books in the series before diving into this one. It becomes apparent later on that there might be a background story to certain characters, but this realization comes too late, leaving readers with a sense of missing context.

While the storyline is enjoyable, the narrative lacks the depth needed to truly engage readers on an emotional level. The promising execution falls flat due to insufficient exploration of the characters' motivations and histories. There are many blanket statements, leaving room for improvement with more detailed descriptions and a deeper understanding of the characters' inner lives.

The introduction of Adam, the hunky guy next door, adds a romantic element to the story. However, the relationship between Skye and Adam lacks the necessary development to make it truly compelling. Skye's resistance to romance and Adam's determination feel somewhat one-dimensional, and the eventual revelation of Skye's secret doesn't create the impact that a well-crafted plot twist should.

In conclusion, "A New Arrival in Borteen Bay" is a quick and easy read, perfect for those seeking a lighthearted story with a seaside setting. However, the lack of character development, the absence of information about preceding books, and the overall shallowness of the narrative hinder its potential. With more attention to detail and a deeper exploration of character backgrounds, this book could have been a more satisfying read.

While this was a quick and easy read, I suspect reading earlier titles in the series would have benefitted reading this book. It was adorable but I didn’t feel a connection with the characters which would have had me more invested in the plot. Great pacing and a cute, lighthearted story that with some character development would stand alone as strong work in its genre.

Having read Borteen Bay books before I was delighted when I realised this was Buzz’s story. I’d been fascinated by his labyrinths on the beach and always enjoy an unconventional man at the heart of a romance. No chiselled macho matinee idol here, but a genuine guy, battered by life but with a heart that’s still open to the world.

He’s been alone for some time, but when Skye, the daughter he didn’t know existed, turns up on his doorstep that is bound to change. And this is Skye’s story too.

As ever there’s a nice cast of Borteen Bay characters around them. My one query would be why, when this book is really pretty Christmassy, it’s being released in January.

A quick read - it didn't really capture my interest but if you're looking for a light, quick romance read, this fits the bill.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy.

This book is good for those who want an easy to digest story. At first, I was intrigued by the description and got a little excited to see how the events would play out, but after reading the first few chapters, I was not pulled in. I could not connect with the characters and the story lacked depth. Dialogue could be better written. Ultimately, the story pitch was promising but execution fell flat.

I found this one pretty hard to believe. It has ok moments but overall pretty unbelievable characters made it hard for me to get into it or invested in the outcomes.

This book might call to, or be interesting to an older crowd or someone who hasn't read much but wanting to binge an easy read. The setting was cute, but it was lacking a little depth. Third person can sometimes put a barrier between you and the main characters thoughts, but I was really lacking the connection to the characters despite the point of view. There was blanketed statements such as "he felt xyz..." and there were little to no added details to those feelings to make it a more visceral experience to connect to the characters. With a tad more depth this story could be really enjoyable but if that's not what you're looking for, you'd still have a good time. Cute scenery and cute setup.