Spring at Blueberry Bay: An utterly perfect feel good romantic comedy (Hope Island Book 1)

*spoiler free review*I almost never give five stars to books but since you can't give half stars, I had to bump this up to a 5, which I think it well deserves. This is the 8th book of Holly Martin's that I've read and I can quite easily say this is the sexiest of the books she's written. Holly is great at writing humor and romance, and that's what I have come to be a fan of but this one got really steamy and showed that Holly can write the fire very well, too, without it becoming a sleazy bodice ripper. This was the quickest I've been drawn into one of her books as the premise was so intriguing because you know the charade it starts with can't possibly last for more than a few chapters without becoming farcical (or morally unredeemable). So from the word go you're holding your breath to see how and when the charade will end, and then the rest of the story unfolds. I once again have to give compliments to Holly for creating such endearing characters and here's where I have to pay out a huge compliment.When I read a book, I often have some composite image in my mind of what each of the characters look like based loosely on their character descriptions. The women tend to be more of a blur because I tend to find qualities in characters I identify with personally. In the case of Bella I had Merida from 'Brave' in my mind at the very beginning (due to her red hair) but then what came forward clearly in looks and voice was Canadian actress Amybeth McNulty, who is known for playing Anne in the Netflix series 'Anne with an E'. That was owed likely to the fire and determination - no matter how ridiculous it could make her look - that I associate with 'Anne'. Given that Anne is 'Anne of Green Gables', I think that's a solid literary compliment. I also kept loosely picturing actor JJ Feild as Isaac, though their physical descriptions are different but for some reason his face kept popping into my head - he must have played a character that reminded me of Isaac. So basically I've cast the film version of this book!The chemistry between Isaac and Bella bounces off the walls, and that's both in tenderness and passion. Bella's family and extended family are so full of life and backstory (which I believe will become future novels) that they never feel like a diversion from the story of Bella but an enhancement. Isaac's family is not in this novel but his friends and employees are a bit like family for him and they are also written with qualities that make you believe that Isaac surrounds himself with good people. The elephant in the room between Isaac and Bella is heartbreaking and made me teary-eyed at times; it made for really authentic drama, tension and conflict. The town of Hope Island is written as the darling small town that people dream about but isn't quite so quaint that a modern corporation can't exist there for people to work at. But as you can imagine with any of Holly Martin's locations, it's full of charm, nosy neighbors and lots of creatives and artists populating the town. And of course, there's hot chocolate!My only disappointment, and it is soooooo small, is that though this book has some truly laugh-out-loud moments, I didn't laugh to the extent where I couldn't breathe like I have with some of her other novels. But there is some really fun humor in this one and there's definitely a lot of com in the rom-com.Perhaps the highest compliment I can give the book (especially the characters) is how much I didn't want it to end because I knew I'd miss them. When I finished the book, I had the next in the series here and instead of diving right into it, I sat and thought about the story I just finished and what I loved about it (can't say as this is spoiler free!). I didn't want to dive into the second book right away because I know I'll be whisked away into Freya and Rome's story next and I didn't want to forget Bella and Isaac quite so quickly. I have started the next book, though, and I'm happy that Bella and Isaac have both appeared early on so I guess while I move forward with the book I can still visit with my favorite couple!

Awe! This is such a sweet and lovely read that it left me with the biggest smile when I finished it. Now, while a familiar trope is used in the story (a sort of co-workers/office romance) the author presented it in a unique and utterly charming way! I won't spoil the story for you so that's all I will say on that topic, but I really loved how it developed and came together. With that, this book is perfect for those enjoy chick lit and women's fiction novels. There are moments of hilarity, moments where you want to rip out your hair (those are few and far between), moments of tears, and most of all, moments of joy. Holly Martin used exact precision when describing the scene as well, and I truly felt like I was there with the characters. Being from America, I haven't ever been to London or the surrounding areas, but I felt like I was there when reading this one. Even more important is that the language and use of British words are not overused so there was no confusion or HMM moments while reading. While I appreciate the difference in language of course, some writers from different countries can cause confusion for those who live in other international areas but that's not the case with this one. Well done!!!A little more about this story: Spring at Blueberry Bay is a gem of a novel and the characters absolutely sparkle! Bella is as sweet and charming as they come and is more than willing to help those in need. She has a heart of gold but her life has taken a bit of a turn and she is almost destitute. This however doesn't change her demeanor and when she meets a homeless man who is in need of assistance she jumps right in to help.Issac is a charming guy that swept my heart away. He's a bit dishonest in the beginning but his intentions are pure and make sense once you get into the moral of the story. He's also the type of man that WANTS love, so when his meets this charming lady who doesn't believe in it he essentially makes it his mission to change her mind about love.With a few bumps and some little white lies, this story is bound to have an impact on any reader. It is absolutely sweet and a must read for all fans. For me, I am quite new to the author (I have only read one other book written by her) but I am most certainly going to be putting her on my watch list for any upcoming and past releases.

This review was first published at M's BookshelfShe has done it, yet again. What an amazing new novel Spring at Blueberry Bay is. I mean, sure, the cover is colourful and inviting, but nothing prepared me for the brilliant novel inside. Ok, maybe having read all her other a-mazing books should have given me a clue ;-)As always, Holly Martin keeps surprising her readers. She never goes for the expected. Her characters, their jobs, hobby's and interest, the setting of the novel,... Each and every time, Holly goes all out to re-invent love stories. Her novels are truly unique, refreshing and always memorable.Spring at Blueberry Bay had me laughing out loud more than once, and had me crying - also more than once. Bella hasn't had an easy past, and through the course of this novel, she goes through some ups and downs coming to terms with her family history and its effect on her relationships. Both the heartbreak, the passion, the fear and the blissful happiness are tangible. I almost felt exhausted going through all these different emotions wit her! ... But that could also be because I refused to go to bed before I finished this fabulous read.Isaac is everything you'd wish in a (book-)boyfriend. He exudes passion, tenderness, trust and loyalty, and he is so, so sexy - I know, all in one guy?!!I fell in love with Hope Island, with Isaac, Bella and her family. Fingers crossed we get the revisit them, soon.

However, cheesy though, I’m 76% done with it so I can’t say it’s terrible! It certainly has its charming and surprising moments.

I loved this book so much. It made me feel as if I was on the island. I loved the twists and turns within the story. Well written and unexpected twists throughout. Fabulous holiday read.

Man I really love and adore Holly Martin's work. The jewel island was my first book in this kindle journey and Hope Island was right up there beside Jewel Island. I loved every characters that appeared in this book and the beauty is I wanted the same ending that Isaac and Bella got, be it Rome, Eden, Doughie, freya.

I loved this story. I know that I keep repeating myself but I love all of Holly Martin's books. Some I love more than others but they are always entertaining and beautiful. Loved the characters. Hope Island is another of Martin's great locations for the setting of this new triology. The places she describes make me want to live there. Couldn't put this book down until I finished it.

Un très bon livre, le premier de la série. Les personnages sont très attachants et l'ile où se passe l'histoire fait réver. Le livre est bien écrit et se lit très facilement.

I loved this lovely story about love. Holly Martin writes a beautiful love story with great care and love for her characters. I felt their pain when things got confused - I laughed at their joyous times and feared for their misunderstandings.So happy that it allworked out in the end as love should .Recommend this wondeeful story to everyone.