When rivalry starts, do love and romance have a chance?

Synopsis

Two rivals. One battle. And an epic love story they didn’t see coming.

When a virtual stranger unexpectedly leaves Jess one million pounds to create a romance library in gorgeous, small seaside town Sunshine Bay, she can’t believe her luck.  

Although Jess has no idea how to run a library and is in a massive reading slump, accepting the challenge means she could stop juggling three jobs and swap her crummy London bedsit for a dreamy life by the sea.  

But wealthy, arrogant and handsome Henry Cavill lookalike Theo has other ideas.  

The bullish property developer’s father has instructed him to buy the same coveted plot of land and failure isn’t an option. Theo’s future depends on it. 

After the landowner insists that Jess and Theo stay in the town’s only B&B whilst they prepare a presentation to decide their fate, sparks fly. 

But with so much riding on winning the pitch, these rivals can’t get involved. 

Which is a problem, because the more time they spend together, the harder they start to fall… 

Order this dual POV, steamy, enemies-to-lovers, small-town romcom now and get lost in a love story that will give you all the feels! 

Tropes: 

– Enemies-to-lovers
– Small-town romance 

– Romance book lovers
– Forced proximity
– Work rivals/competitors
– Opposites attract
– Fish out of water
– Rich vs poor 

– Forbidden romance 

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/48KZEUg  

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3Tr4emh 

Universal Link: https://mybook.to/TheRomanceLibrary

My review

Jess is struggling ever since leaving her boyfriend. She has several jobs just to survive but it’s not easy…
So when one of those jobs brings Mrs. Davis on her path, Jess doesn’t yet know that this meeting will change her life. Because after Mrs. Davis suddenly passes, Jess is flabbergasted to learn that she has inherited not only the thousands of books, but also an astronomical budget to make Mrs. Davis’s dream come true: opening a Romance Library in Sunshine Bay.
While Jess used to love reading, that passion disappeared since her ex – boyfriend…
But who is Jess to not give Mrs. Davis’s last wish a chance? However, she is not the only one with her eyes set on the chosen plot.
Because property developer Theo has clear instruction from his father to secure the same building, at any cost.
Between the rivals sparks start to fly, after the landowner makes it clear that he hasn’t decided yet who he will sell the property to, and that he wants that both Theo and Jess stay in Sunshine Bay and get a sense of what being part of the community means while preparing a presentation.
While they are finding it more and more difficult to resist the attraction, it will only end in heartbreak as one of them will lose the battle, right?

There are books in this world that just have you swept away from the first chapter. And there are books that need a few chapters before you fall completely in love with it.
With each new book that I start, I always wonder in which category this latest addition to my long list of read books will fall.
And when I pick up a book from a beloved author, there is always that tiny bit of trepidation, as my expectations are high but that also means that I have this tiny bit of fear that I will end disappointed in a way.

Luckily for me, and for Olivia Spring, the day that I am disappointed after reading one of her books, still has to come, and hopefully in a far far far far away future! 😊

Jess’s character gave me mixed feeling from the very start. Not in the sense that I both liked and disliked her from some reason. But I felt so sorry for her as it’s clear that something happened to her, and at the same time I liked her for her mindset, as she is not a quitter, and once she put her mind to something, she just goes for it.

We don’t know what exactly happened in her past, and what made her love for reading disappear, but clearly it’s something that truly traumatized her. And the more I got to know her, and more bits from her past very revealed, the angrier I got for what she had to endure.
Yet at the same time I also admired her, because no matter how much she is struggling at the present, she hasn’t lost herself, and she is still that kind, caring and understanding person she has always been.

Now, if you are just like me, you were a bit surprised by the generosity of Mrs. Davis. Because let’s be honest for a moment, who in their right mindset would do what she did? But of course, in a book is always more possible. And no matter how strange it may seems, it’s clear that Mrs. Davis has found a kindred spirit in Jess. And that not only Mrs. Davis hopes that Jess will be able to make her dream come true, but also that Jess will find the love and passion again for reading.

But fulfilling Mrs. Davis’s wish isn’t as easy, especially as there are rivals in the field. And this in the magnificent form of Theo!

Of course the first encounter with Theo is one where Jess clashes with him. Yet as a reader, we already see the potential in their relationship.
It is easy to ‘condemn’ Theo for being the bad guy, as he is clearly Jess’s rival. But there is so much more to Theo, he isn’t just the love/hate interest and with just one mission in mind.

Theo is the ‘typical’ guy who wants to do good for his family, but that also means that he allows his own father too much to ‘play’ him. Because Theo is obviously a hard worker and has great ideas. But he is also a bit opinionated in a way, as heat first clearly follows his father’s footsteps and even dares to look down at  the way of life in Sunshine Bay.

I found it hilarious how in this book all the clichés of a romance are being addresses, discussed and even a bit ridiculed (especially by opinionated people who don’t know better…). And then to see how the love I have myself for romance was put into words, expressing exactly my own thoughts! Just great!

The physical attraction between Jess and Theo is so palpable, and it was also funny to see how they are both attempting to avoid any interaction.
But on the other hand, it was so sweet to see how not only do they find an understanding, but also just understand each other, better than they would expect. And it was heart – warming how they are also there for other, for support, comfort and…

This book in general is filled with so much warmth, not only from the main characters, but also the whole community of Sunshine Bay. They show us what a real close community means, and how welcoming people also can be.
And we also see how not everything is about money, but about heart. And that people also have to learn that lesson.
But most important, this book is filled with so much laughter, love, and understanding. I truly devoured this book so quickly, as I just had to read more! Only to regret my speed, as the end was reached far too quickly! 😊