Darcie Boleyn

Forever at Conwenna Cove is the third and final installment in Darcie Boleyn’s Conwenna Cove series. It’s an opposites-attract romance that takes us back to the summertime in the little Cornish village of Conwenna Cove. Nate is a laid-back surfer dude who was seen in the first two books of the series, but if memory serves, we’re meeting Zoe for the first time. Both work at their respective diners and have lived in Conwenna for a while, but have never really gotten to know each other because of preconceived notions. Nate has saved up some money and plans to leave soon to take a leisurely trip around the world to wherever his fancy leads. But before he goes, he wants to organize one more fundraiser for the Greyhound rescue where he volunteers. To make Surf for Sighthounds a success, he’ll need help from the other local businesses, so his request for donations takes him into Zoe’s diner. The woman he meets and truly starts getting to know for the first time isn’t what he expected and the same goes for her as well. As they work together on Nate’s project, an attraction forms between them. But Zoe was badly hurt in a past relationship and she knows that Nate is planning to leave soon. She just isn’t sure if she should take a chance on getting her heart broken again by someone who is so much like her ex.

As I mentioned, Nate started out as a supporting character in the first two books. He’s a friendly, charming, easy-going guy who works at his aunt and uncle’s cafe. Nate had been very close to his dad whom he lost several years earlier to a sudden heart-attack. Although his dad had been a great husband and father, Nate sensed that he might have had some regrets about settling down too soon and not traveling and seeing more of the world. The two men had been planning just such a trip, but their busy schedules always seemed to get in the way until it was too late. Now, even though his dad won’t be able to share in it, he wants to go travel the world and plans to leave soon to do just that. But first, Nate wants to organize one more Surf for Sighthounds event to raise money for the beloved Greyhound rescue that is a fixture of the town and where he loves to volunteer. Although he’d briefly met Zoe, who owns a diner down the street, he’s never really gotten to know her like many of the other townspeople. He just always felt like she was too quiet and aloof, but when he goes into her diner to ask for donations for the event, he finds a different woman to the one he’d thought she was. At their first genuine meeting, he’s instantly smitten, even though she’s nothing like the women he usually dates. He keeps telling himself that since he’s leaving soon, he shouldn’t get involved, but his heart keeps leading him back to her until he thinks he might have finally found the one woman who could make him settle down. But convincing her that he genuinely wants a future together proves more difficult than he thought it would be. I adored Nate in the earlier books and he’s basically still the same sweet guy in his own story. He’s always kind of played the field and never really thought of settling down until he properly meets Zoe. Despite his past playboy ways, he’s very much a beta hero who’s always patient, never pushy. If I had any critique of his characterization it would be that maybe he could have fought a little harder for Zoe when she put up her walls, but overall he’s just a really super-nice guy.

Zoe lost her parents a while ago, but she wasn’t close to them, always feeling like something of a disappointment to them for not following the path they would have preferred for her. She married young to a surfer who charmed her with his charisma but later cheated on her. She’d forced herself to become someone she wasn’t by trying to like the things that he liked, which only ended in her having a catastrophic surfing accident that scarred her inside and out. Although she likes living by the sea, she can no longer go into the ocean without having a panic attack and still sometimes has nightmares about the accident. After coming into her inheritance, she moved to Conwenna and bought a small diner which she loves running. Zoe has seen Nate around town and finds him attractive, but believing him to probably be just like her ex, she’s never cared to get much closer. Then Nate comes, asking for donations for his fundraiser event. Having adopted a senior Greyhound from the rescue and lost her about six months ago, Zoe is more than happy to help, and as she gets to know Nate, she finds a man who is much kinder and who has more depth than her ex. Although she thought she’d never allow herself to get involved with a man again, she quickly finds her heart becoming tangled up in their blooming relationship. But Zoe knows that Nate is planning to leave soon and keeps telling herself that she has to cut ties with him because it will hurt too much if he goes away and doesn’t come back. Zoe is a woman who was hurt in the past, but like others who’ve come to Conwenna, she finds healing in the little village. I could relate to her being a quieter, more private person, but I did feel like her holding back the entirety of her past from Nate for most of the story, kind of left a little distance between them. Then when she did come clean, it was mostly done off-canvas, which was rather disappointing. I know that she’d already told others about certain aspects of her previous life, but I thought it was a missed opportunity to deepen her relationship with Nate.

Forever at Conwenna Cove is a low-angst romance that has the heartwarming feel of wrapping up in a blanket on a cold, rainy day. There’s something to be said for comfort reads like this, but readers who like a little angst in their romance should know that although Nate and Zoe have some issues to work through, their story never reaches the euphoric highs or devastating lows of many romance novels. It’s just a sweet, feel-good story that has no on-page love scenes, just a little mild sexual tension. Darcie Boleyn has a languid writing style that fits in well with the slow-paced, small-town atmosphere of Conwenna Cove, and she’s rendered the town in such a way that it’s become a character unto itself. I’d love to visit this little seaside village and its Greyhound rescue if they actually existed. I also like Nate and Zoe and thought they made a good match. By the end, I could easily see them growing older, sitting on the porch of their cottage with Greyhounds at their feet, while their children play in the yard. I also enjoyed getting to catch up with Jack and Eve (Summer at Conwenna Cove) and Oli and Grace (Christmas at Conwenna Cove). They and the other villagers added a little flavor to the story. Overall, Forever at Conwenna Cove was a pleasant feel-good read that left me with a smile on my face. I’m guessing this is probably the end of the Conwenna Cove series, but if Ms. Boleyn decides to write any more books starring the village and its residents, I’d happily read them, and I look forward to checking out some of her other work, too.… (plus d'informations)

This book was a delightful Christmas read, albeit not your typical "feel good" story because it dealt with some serious issues which affected how Lucie views Christmas.

You have Manhattan at Christmas (which is always a delightful backdrop), some misunderstandings/ deception that gets a wee bit out of hand, your awkward moments, and of course, long lived unrequited love...it all built up to a lovely tale - perhaps slightly predictable at times, but the type of happy story one wants over the holidays.

A fun book to add to your holiday reading list or any time of year.

Thanks to the publisher who provided an ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.… (plus d'informations)

Christmas at Conwenna Cove is the second book in Darcie Boleyn’s Conwenna Cove series that’s set in the charming seaside town of the same name on the Cornwall coast of Great Britain. I first discovered this feel-good romantic fiction series earlier this year and was eager to continue. In this one, we have town veterinarian Oli who’s been widowed for two years and has two children paired with Grace, a newcomer to the Cove, who is helping her parents move into their new home. The two meet and although they don’t hit it off at first, it doesn’t take long for them to find a new beginning. From there, they fall into a sweet, fairly uncomplicated relationship that carries them through the Christmas season. They both simply have to figure out if they’re ready for something more serious after both suffering devastating losses in their pasts, and Grace must decide if she’s up for moving to Conwenna permanently. This book turned out to be a very pleasant diversion and the perfect compliment to the holiday season.

Grace is a novelist whose parents visited Conwenna Cove years earlier and have decided to retire there. They’ve bought a cute – if a bit run-down – cottage in town that they look forward to fixing up and enjoying through their golden years. Grace comes with them to help them get settled and soon begins falling for the charm of this little village. As she’s getting acclimated to her new surroundings, she chances to meet Oli, who at first glance appears a bit rude when he doesn’t shake her hand and barely speaks to her. However, a few days later, as she’s working on her new novel at a local pub, a friendly little boy comes over and starts talking with her. Grace enjoys children but has sworn never to have any of her own after watching her brother suffer through Cystic Fibrosis, an awful illness to which he eventually succumbed. There’s just too much risk of her passing the disease on to her offspring. Little Tom manages to almost instantly worm his way into her heart, though, and then she finds out that Oli is Tom’s dad. This time, he’s sufficiently apologetic for his distracted behavior at their first meeting, and Grace finds that she’s very attracted to him. They keep seeing each other around town and gradually form a close friendship that blossoms into something more. But Grace must come to terms with the fear of loving someone she might lose and figure out if she’s prepared to make Conwenna her permanent home. As a writer myself, I could relate to Grace and I liked that she’s pretty laid-back and knows how to enjoy being in the moment. Except for her parents whom she adores, she’s emotionally closed herself off from others, on some level fearing potential loss, and she’s quite adamant about not having biological children. But with Oli and his kids things seem very natural. With him having experienced loss himself, they understand each other. She falls very quickly for all three of them and finds that she’s open to the idea of a ready-made family.

Oli is the town veterinarian who is a bit of a crusader against animal cruelty and who’s generally well-liked by the townspeople. He lost his beloved wife to breast cancer two years earlier and hasn’t even looked at another woman since. When Grace shows up in town, her beauty takes his breath away. Between that and being distracted by thoughts of a mother cat and her kittens that were found abandoned earlier that morning, his first meeting with her is extremely awkward. However, he’s self-aware enough to realize his failure and offers a proper apology the next time he sees her. As they start spending more time together and even meet each other’s families, Oli feels a bit of guilt, wondering if enough time has passed since his wife’s death to entertain the idea of a relationship with someone else, but deep down, he knows that his wife would want him and the children to find happiness again. I adored Oli, who’s definitely a beta hero, for his slightly shy, socially awkward persona. He’s a wonderful dad who’s done an excellent job of raising his two children as a single father, even though it hasn’t always been easy. Although he still misses his wife, he doesn’t angst too long or hard over getting involved with Grace. It all happens quite naturally, making them feel like a great fit.

Christmas at Conwenna Cove is a wonderful feel-good story that was a very enjoyable way to spend my reading time this holiday season. Much like the first book of the series, it’s a bit slow-paced, but somehow it didn’t feel excessively so. It just fit with the unhurried setting, the season, and the story that was being told. I really appreciated spending time with Grace and Oli who simply meld together as though they were always meant for one another. Oli’s kids, Amy and Tom, are wonderful secondary characters, as are Grace’s parents (I really wanted to try her dad’s cooking :-)) We also get a couple of quick sightings of Eve and Jack (Summer at Conwenna Cove), and a few visits with Nate who’ll become the hero of the next book, Forever at Conwenna Cove. I loved the animal characters, too. Hope, the abused greyhound whose life Oli saves, and the mama cat and her kittens are all so cute. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention Conwenna Cove itself, a vibrantly described setting that I still wish I could visit if only it were real. The story is a heartwarming and emotional one that is primarily upbeat, but the scenes where Oli and Grace say goodbye to their loved ones brought a few tears. This is a sweet romance with no objectionable content to speak of aside from a couple of mild bad words. I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to fans of Hallmark-esque stories that embody all the charm and spirit of the holiday season.… (plus d'informations)