This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Reviewed by Kelly Allen
Alex Munro has moved to Cornwall to make a fresh start. Her best friend from school (Marcus), who she is head over heels in love with, is getting married and to top it off, she has discovered her father has been having an affair with his neighbour.
Alex needs space and time to gain perspective, but as soon as she arrives, she discovers her new home comes with a price – a stinky, old dog called Buoy!
Alex has a lot of obstacles to overcome from fighting over the bed with Buoy to fitting in as the new Harbour Master, and then being torn between heartbreaker Marcus and the handsome yet stubborn Ruan, who lives in the village lighthouse. This situation is made even more difficult when her mother (who left when she was a little girl) turns up in her house and asks for a second chance.
Alex not only has to realise what she wants in her life, but also who she wants.
This book was very easy to read and the pace was just right. I never felt bored or too impatient with the developments of the plot. Alex was a great main character and it worked well because everyone has experienced wanting to escape a situation or a person, yet she goes ahead and acts on it.
I totally fell in love with Buoy, the old, raggedy dog that becomes so attached to Alex he actually saves her life. This part of the book made me feel very emotional as I kept imagining my own dog. Buoy was an amazing character, written very well and with so much personality – he definitely made the book in my opinion.
Some of the time I felt a slight connection between this book and Bridget Jones; the humour and tone really felt similar and the scenes, which see Alex and Marcus discussing where things will go if they take the next step, were absolutely hilarious! So if you like Bridget, you will more than likely love Alex.Ruan and Marcus were like chalk and cheese and I took an instant dislike to Marcus and his attitude towards Alex. She seemed to constantly be the butt of his jokes and his little sidekick yet she never seemed bothered by any of it, which I found a little frustrating. Ruan was a lot more gentlemanly and he wore his heart on his sleeve when it came to Alex, yet she rarely noticed his affections. This made for very intense encounters between the two characters, which only encouraged me to read on!
Overall this book was easy to read with a storyline full of ups and downs. I would recommend it to true romantics – those that enjoy a happy ending after a bumpy ride!
7/10