my honest review.

#NetGalley #StormPublishing #SaraJaneBailey #TheCottageatClamshellBay

Title: The Cottage at Clamshell Bay
Author: Sara Jane Bailey
Format: eBook
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Publication Date: August 4, 2023

This book is a part of a two book series. I think this was the second one but I’m not 100% sure. It’s the first one I read though so, for me, this is the first. It’s about Libby Brown who has just had her heartbroken by her husband and has found herself a single mother to an eight year old boy and a three year old girl. No easy task. Her husband has left her for a younger model and has assured her that he will continue to pay the mortgage but she could keep the house. It’s no surprise to the reader when she can’t get ahold of him when she finds out that he hasn’t paid the bills since he left. Libby goes to her bank to try to appeal to them enough to grant her a major extension. This leads her to bank manager, Jeremy O’Toole, and the possibility of a new romance.

This book had some potential. The characters are likable and relatable. The story is relatable. The setting is nicely created using warm and comfortable imagery. It’s like the literary equivalent of the smell of baking cookies. I loved the Meet Cute between Jeremy and Libby. They meet with her barging into a board meeting seething with desperation not to lose her home and thoroughly tired of being given the round around. This leads to a surprising friendship that quickly leads to romance. The end is very satisfying.

Unfortunately, the book was a little too long and the writing felt wooden to me. I feel this could have been 50 pages shorter and have more time spent developing situations a little more. Libby and Jeremy move through their issues super fast and jump into the bedroom way too quickly. I would have loved a little more conflict and less sexual details.

All in all, this is a cute book and it was a pleasant read.

This is book 2 in the Clamshell Bay series. All the characters are reoccuring from book 1, The Bakery at Clamshell Bay, Libby's life is explored as her husband has filed for divorce and doesn't pay the promised child support. While she's busy trying to save her home, she meets Jeremy at the bank that holds the mortgage. He is desperate to find a nanny for his two daughters and they work out an arrangement that helps them both. A sweet story with very likable characters.

Libby, a paediatric nurse and skilled grief counselor, faces the risk of losing her home after her divorce. Struggling to secure employment and facing foreclosure, she unexpectedly meets Jeremy O'Toole, a compassionate bank manager. Their lives intertwine when Jeremy seeks Libby's medical help for his sick twin daughters. The story unfolds from both Libby and Jeremy's perspectives, allowing readers to delve into their thoughts and witness their growth and courage. Amidst the challenges, a theme of friendship from the Clamshell Cove series emerges, showcasing the supportive bond among characters like Cleo, Megan, and Brooke. The novel captivates with its wonderful flow, encouraging readers to stay engaged. Emotional depth, genuine friendships, and valuable connections create a moving and motivating experience. "The Cottage at Clamshell Bay" stands out as a heartwarming story that brightens the day and charms the heart, leaving a lasting impression of inspiration.

This is a wonderful small town romantic story. Love, loss and how to move on with a future that is not what you planned, but is everything you deserve.

Book two in the Clamshell Bay series and is a great follow on from the first. Clamshell Bay is still a charming setting where we see Libby Brown come across hard times and her friends made at a previous cooking class are there to support her.

But do we have a new love interest for Libby, another broken heart that needs mending? This is a story of friendship, love and the hard knocks we take in life. It shows that we can come out the other side stronger and happier. The characters are wonderful and the story is so easy to read and also so very enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Great sequel to The Bakery at Clamshell Bay. This one could also be read as a standalone but I enjoy following a series.
Love the characters and the setting.

Wonderful sequel to the first book. This book focused on one of the group of new friends and her struggles. I wish her group of friends was more involved in this story. The second chance romance for Libby and Jeremy shows how trust and forgiveness is so important in relationships. Hopefully this author will continue this series with stories on the other friendships that formed at the bakery!

The sequel to The Bakery at Clamshell Bay. It is not essential to read that first as this book will stand on its own. This story focuses on Libby, a young mother who attended the bakery classes with an absent husband. She was insecure, but is forced to take control when her husband asks for a divorce and fails to keep up the mortgage payments. It is an easy read, but not so well written as the first book. Focusing on Libby and Jeremy, the local bank manager.
I can recommend this book as a quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sara Jane Bailey, and Storm Publishing, for an ARC copy of "The Cottage at Clamshell Bay".

"The Cottage at Clamshell Bay" is a heartwarming and emotionally resonant novel that explores the complexities of love, loss, and second chances. Libby's seemingly perfect life is shattered when her husband, Victor, asks for a divorce out of the blue, leaving her to face the harsh reality of being a single mom.

As Libby fights to keep her family's home, she encounters Jeremy O'Toole, the bank manager, who, like her, is struggling as a single parent following his wife's tragic passing. Their chance meeting leads to a tentative friendship that begins to heal both of their wounded hearts.

If you're in search of a touching and uplifting read that explores the intricacies of love and friendship, this book is a must-read.

This is the second book in the series, though both books read fine as a stand alone. This book concentrates on Libby, one of Cleo's bread making workshop friends. In the first book, she is reserved and her husband is away a lot. As this book starts, we find out that he has started a new life in Eastern Europe. This book really focusses on Libby's problems and how she deals with them. The group of friends featured in the first book are around, but not as involved in the plot .
As said this book revolves around relationships, with children and partners, as well as building relationships with children from a previous relationship. Mostly well done, though everything seems to move very quickly, though the time frame is longer than you expect from reading the book. A little less description of Clamshell bay here too, this book is set in a residential neighbourhood .
It is romantic and follows a typical pattern. It is a light read on the whole and I enjoyed it
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchnage for an honest review

This is the second book in the series based in clamshell bay. it is however no problem if read as a stand alone book.
it was a little predictable but a light hearted read for this who want a quick easy novel.

Although this wasn't as good as the first book, it was still a decent read. So I will give it 4 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

A nice continuation of The Bakery at Clamshell Bay. I expected more interaction with the 4 main women from The Bakery at Clamshell Bay. Regardless, the story was well developed and I found the characters likable. Libby's growth was nice to see and the interaction with the kids, also welcome. I look forward to the next installment.

I really enjoyed this book. Even though it was obvious from the start that Libby and Jeremy would become involved, it was still worth the journey.

A pretty lighthearted book about rebuilding your life when the one person you trusted nearly destroyed you.

It was nice to see the friendship develop between Jeremy and Libby as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for my honest review.

Another visit to Clamshell Bay and I hate to say it, but it wasn’t as good as the first visit. It was an ok read but very predictable and there didn’t really feel like there was much of a story. It was nice to continue with Libby’s story but there was little mention of the other characters.

This is the second in the series, we follow Libby's story, I was disappointed we didn't hear more from Cleo, this book is a more "steamy" read than the first, which it didn't really need, overall a good read but a bit uncomfortable in parts.

Anyone who has loved and lost will find connections here with Libby and Jeremy who have to learn to trust again before they can get their second chance at love. The Cottage at Clamshell Bay is warm and endearing, as well as more than a bit steamy. I found the characters and setting easy to relate with. This is the second book in the Clamshell Bay series, but there's not much overlap aside from meeting some of the characters again, so this book stands up by itself for new readers.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. I'll look forward to more episodes in the Clamshell Bay series.

An enchanting journey through vividly imagined worlds and compelling characters. This fiction gem weaves a tapestry of emotions, adventure, and unexpected twists that kept me eagerly turning the pages. The author's masterful storytelling evokes a powerful connection, making this book an absolute delight to read. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a captivating escape into a richly crafted story!

This was the second book in the Clamshell Bay series. I really liked that there was overlap of the characters between the first book and this book. This book follows a different main character than the first but you’ve already been introduced to Libby from the first book and this book revolves around her and her story. You hear from some of the characters from the first book throughout and it is nice to have their anecdotes intermixed. This is a fun read that has a few unexpected plot lines that make for a very entertaining read.

A lovely story about believing in yourself, finding your strength and second chances. I was eager to read the second book in this series as I liked the first one a lot. This book however could have been a stand alone novel as there were hardly any mentions of the 3 other ladies at all. Not enough to consider it a next installment of a series.
By itself it was a happy tale that I finished in a day.
Thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.