Can love be found again, even when you have given up on it?

Synopsis

Becki is fifty and a single mum to eleven-year-old Jemima, after being widowed five years ago.
Dan is forty-eight and a single dad to eleven-year-old Freddie, after his wife left him five years ago.
They have both given up on love.
But when they all go to Silver Sands Bay on the Lincolnshire coast for the summer, will they be able to put the past behind them and find love again?

My review

Becky is a widowed fifty-years old single mother. Together with her daughter Jemima and lovely dog Trudi they go on a holiday in Silver Sands Bay, on the Lincolnshire coast for the summer.
There they meet Dan, a single dad of forty eight, with his son Freddie. While their situation may be different, as Becky’s husband died five years ago, and Dan’s wife left Dan and Freddie five years ago, their heartbreak made Becky and Dan give up on love.
Not only do Jemima and Freddie get along, also Becky and Dan do. But will they getting along be enough to dare open up to love again? 

I have to say, this was a very lovely story to read. This wasn’t a book filled with great drama (even if there were a few moments) but it was filled with heartwarming moments, showing how beautiful it can be to find that one person that will give you the courage to believe in love again, with the blessing of your loved ones. 

Reading about Becky and Jemima (and Trudi 😊) was just amazing. Jemima is the typical teenager many moments, but after losing her father, I felt that she was also more mature than others.
It’s clear that Becky is an amazing mother, understanding Jemima’s behaviour, but also knowing where to draw the line.
These women have been through a lot, and that brought them even closer as they formed a unit of their own. 

And then there is Dan and Freddie. And laugh that I did over these two! While it saddened me to read how Dan’s wife just packed and took off without another glance, I loved to see how also these two are close, and have their lives filled with fun and a lot of laughter. 

But the thing I liked the most in this story, was the complicity between each character. The children didn’t have any struggle with the blooming feelings of their parents, on the contrary, as they were conspiring together to make it work!
All the characters got along perfectly, and that was wonderful to read. There is no need for overload drama before admitting love back in their hearts. Sometimes it can just come on a holiday while spending time together and playing boardgames, without any phone or internet reception. 

Obviously there is a little bit of drama, but that didn’t redirect the spotlight, it only made things clearer for our lovely main characters. 

I devoured this book rather quickly, and I loved every bit of it. And I even liked it how the author managed to do some name-dropping of authors I absolutely adore while the characters are looking for something to read! That just put an extra smile on my face!