Book Review
Rating: 4 STARS
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for a spot on the book tour. This review was written voluntarily and all opinions are my own.
It’s been a while since I read a small town feel-good romance like this one. This is Book 2 in the Blue Hills series. If, like me, you have not read Book 1, you’re good to go when reading this one, because it works great as a standalone. I really enjoyed this book and it was everything I wanted in a small town romance.
Stella is a woman with secrets, and the burden of her secrets is becoming too much to bear, especially after her boyfriend Paolo proposed to her. She knows she loves Paolo, but she believes her secret and her past will ruin everything for them. Another wrench that’s thrown into her life is Paolo’s mother, a woman Stella is sure doesn’t like her. Stella’s best friend, Carmen also seems to be distant as she’s going through her own troubles.
Written in simple language and easy-to-follow prose, Ellyn Oaksmith creates a magical tale for us to enjoy and love. I loved these characters, loved reading about their lives and ordeals, and I thoroughly enjoyed how it all played out.This book has a lot of amazing elements that the author made work in her advantage beautifully. She warped love, romance, family, friendship, and even wine together so well in this book. One thing I wish we’d gotten to see more of in this book is Stella and Paolo just being together and letting the romance play out more. We got the memo that they love each other, but I would have loved to see them more in their romantic element.
I enjoyed reading this one and I highly recommend it.
Blurb
Things are finally working out for Stella Gallagher. Underwhelmed by all the uninspiring men in her small town who she’s known since grade school, she was beginning to give up on love altogether… until mysterious Italian Paolo Gentillo moved to Chelan. He’s smart, kind, gorgeous and, most importantly, completely obsessed with her: Stella has finally found her match.
So why did Paolo have to ruin everything by proposing? It’s way too soon. Stella tries to act thrilled, but there are things she hasn’t told Paolo—she doesn’t know how he’s going to feel about her when he finds out about her past. She wants to be with him, but now he’s offering her a priceless family heirloom engagement ring and his formidable mother’s coming all the way from Italy to meet her. And stay at her house. For a whole week.
Suddenly it’s all going wrong for Stella: Paolo’s mother hates her, her best friend Carmen is totally wrapped up in her own problems and ignoring her, and she’s struggling under the weight of her secret. All she and Paolo do is fight, and she’s never felt so alone. Forget the wedding—Stella is about to lose everything…
A heart-warming story about learning to trust in yourself and the people you love, Promises at Indigo Bay will show you that it’s never too late to try for your happy ending. For fans of Robyn Carr, Carolyn Brown and Debbie Macomber.
The Author
Ellyn Oaksmith is the USA Today and Kindle bestselling author of the Blue Hills Vineyard Series, featuring the Alvarez family. The books are set in gorgeous Lake Chelan, in the Pacific Northwest. The series includes Summer at Orchard House (July 13th, 2020) and Promises at Indigo Bay, (September 15th, 2020.) In writing her first series, Ellyn chose a real setting with great meaning for her personally and a fictional family like her own, full of smart, independent, funny women and the men who love them.
After Ellyn funded her graduate studies at the American Film Institute by working on fishing boats in Alaska as cook, she began her writing adventure as a screenwriter in Hollywood. Writing, re-writing and pitching movies to producers and navigating the Los Angeles freeways before Google Maps was a challenge. Meeting movies stars was a surreal and fun perk.
After returning to her native Seattle, Ellyn’s first romantic comedy in book form was published by Avon/Harper Collins. Four other romantic comedies with whip smart, ambitious heroines followed before Ellyn joined Bookouture to launch her first series.
She lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband and their polydactyl cat, Forest. Ellyn is an avid competitive rower.
Oyinda Loves Books 