Book Review | Coming Home to Wishington Bay

Title: Coming Home to Wishington Bay
Author: Maxine Morrey
Publisher: HQ Digital
Published: 11th July 2019
Pages: 384
Length: 9hrs 18minutes
Buy Now: Kindle UK | Amazon UK | Audible UK | Waterstones
Format: Mainly Audio
Rating: 4 * * * * 
Acquired: Bought using Audible Credit / bought via Kindle UK

Blurb:

Home is where the heart is… 

Holly doesn’t have time for a holiday this year. But when her job threatens to send her over the brink, her boss insists she take a sabbatical. So she packs her bags and escapes to her beloved grandmother Gigi’s house on Wishington Bay, which has sat empty since Gigi passed away.

But Holly’s dreams of a coastal escape take an unexpected turn. Holly didn’t expect to spend time with any man this summer – let alone an Aussie Adonis…but when she meets her next door neighbour Gabe and his little dog Bryan, it’s clear her quiet summer of strolling along the sand and wandering through the seaside village’s tiny streets on her own will come with a hefty dose of distraction.

With a summer to fill and Gigi’s wonderful and surprising house to sort through, Holly knew it would be a summer packed with old memories. She just didn’t expect to make so many new ones…

Review:

I really loved this book, but after reading #NoFilter I don't think it 100% got the love it deserved. I genuinely think had i have not read a 5* before this it would have been a 5* itself, but there was something that just didn't quite live up to what #NoFilter was for me. 

Coming Home to Wishington Bay is focused on Holly. A workaholic who has rarely left the city or stopped working for five minutes takes a sabbatical to go down to her Late Grandma's house that she left to her in her will, in Wishington Bay. Holly spent a lot of her childhood with her Grandma Gigi at her seaside home so those homely, loving vibes really resonate with me when I was reading this book. There's nothing better than  book that takes you back to that feeling of being so innocently naive of the world, carefree. 

When Holly unexpectedly meets her neighbour Gabe, who is a tenant in her small extra property her Grandma owned she instantly takes a u-turn in her feelings towards being in Wishington Bay. But who doesn't love a hunk with a dog?! Duh. 

I loved Holly. She was so realistic in a way that she wasn't perfect. Things went wrong that didn't magically just fix themselves. She worked on her imperfections or learned to own the way she was. I really liked that she suffered with Anxiety (liked seems the wrong word?!), but it gave her an element of depth and realism which is something you don't often find done in such a way. 

I think the one think that stopped this novel being a 5* for me was that Gabe was an exceptional character. The character building with him was great but his 'attractive' qualities were more about his looks than his personality. Given it was more 60/40 but I'd rather it be 60/40 the other way. but that's just me, it was nothing against the novel or storyline itself. It didn't give or take anything away for me it would have just been nice if there was a little less emphasis on his dashing good looks. 

FYI Wishington Bay is stunningly described. It sounds picture perfect. Maxine Morrey has such a colourful imagination she brings to life even fictional towns and places to make you believe they're real. Whilst keeping in mind the very British Seaside vibes.

What I loved the most about Coming Home to Wishington Bay was that, yes it is a romance based novel, which is great. But it was so much more than that. It was about the modern day independent women and personal growth. It's about doing what makes you happy.

When I lost my Nan in December it was really difficult to deal with and hit me harder than I ever expected it to be. So this book was very close for me especially when it still feels quite soon. It gave me a feeling of somewhat closure that I didn't know I needed. This book will stay somewhat, different, for me. 

Rebecca x

Book Review | #NoFilter by Maxine Morrey

Title: #NoFilter
Author: Maxine Morrey
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Published: 7th November 2019
Pages: 348
Length: 14hrs 27 minutes
Buy Now: Kindle UK | Amazon UK | Audible UK | The Works
Format: Audio
Rating: 5 * * * * *
Acquired: Bought using Audible Credit / bought via Kindle UK

Blurb:

In an Instagram world, can you find love just by being yourself…

Popular lifestyle blogger, Libby Cartwright, is being boggled by business when help shows up in the shape of gorgeous but shy, Charlie Richmond. Libby’s determined to keep it at ‘just good friends’ – she’s dated someone from ‘Corporate Land’ before and it didn’t end well. As she and Charlie begin spending more time together, Libby is starting to waiver  – until she discovers something which makes her question if she’s ready for love.

Still reeling, she suffers another blow as her blog is attacked in a national newspaper, for promoting unachievable perfection. Libby knows it’s not true – but the only way to prove that is to strip off the armour she’s been wearing for years. 

Is she brave enough to show the world she’s far from perfect? And will Charlie be by her side if she does…

Review:

I absolutely loved this book. I started reading it on Monday morning then finished it Wednesday night and it's really unlike me to come home from work and finish a book. I rarely read in the evening because I'm too tired (12 hour work days do that!).

I have started my #MaxineMorreyMarch and I think I picked a stunner of a book to start with. I had recently read her Winters Fairytale and loved that so knew I'd be in for a treat regardless of what she wrote.

#NoFilter follows Libby. An 'up and coming' Lifestyle and Beauty YouTuber and Blogger. She's happily single and enjoying her life. She struggles with the financial side of her blogger business. So when her Friend offers his Brothers accounting services she obliges without expecting the drop dead gorgeous but very shy Charlie to turn p to save her day. #NoFilter follows Lbby throughout all the highs and lows that come with the blogging world and the real commitments that come with it. I think Maxine managed to find the pure soul of what being a blogger means and it was really nice to see and read. I absolutely fell in love with Libby, she's pure gold. I think she reflected what being a woman in this day is really about. She isn't perfect and doesn't pretend to be either. She has mishaps and downs and manages them the way any strong woman would. Although reading more and more about Libby and having had many a conversation with Maxine it is evident she is the life and soul of this novel.

Charlie, Charlie, Charlie. Don't you just love it when an Author writes a truly perfect, yet realistic hero of the novel? Me too! Charlie was a beautiful character. You can imagine him in real life, and he was written in a truly perfect manner. Without giving too much away I loved how he was with Libby. He is such a kind hearted character that Maxine makes sure you fall head over heels in love with him and their journey together, even as friends.

There were other characters in this story of course. Amy, Libby best friend is such a laugh. I loved her. She's bubbly and she was exactly what Libby needed in her life to make her see exactly what she needed and where she needed to be and with who! Tilly, her assistant was wonderful. A good soul with a good nature and she always meant well. Even if it doesn't quite go to plan for her.

I ended up getting about 30% into this book and became utterly addicted with even word. I had to know what happened. There were so many moments that took me by surprise and I really think this gave it an edge against other romance novels out there. I did listen to he rest of this via Audible because I wanted to get more reading in and even read after work which I am usually far too tired to do.

I just utterly adored every page.

Will you be picking up #NoFilter ?

Rebecca x