The Summer I Stayed by Bella Greene: Book Review

 **ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own. 

The Book

I came to fix up a house, not fall for my next door neighbor.

Renovating my late husband’s lake house was meant to be a project. A distraction. A way to figure out my next step now that my kids are grown.

What I didn’t expect? Jake Hollis.

Local handyman. Town fixer. And the man I accidentally attacked with a flying board. Oops.

He’s quiet, rugged, and way too tempting for a man who only communicates in nods and smirks.

He’s steady where I’m scattered, thoughtful where I’m impulsive.

And the way he looks at me? Let’s just say, it’s been a long time since anyone’s looked at me like that.

This summer was supposed to be temporary...but what if Blue Alder Cove—and Jake—feel like home?

The Summer I Stayed is a small town, later in life, clean romantic comedy. It only contains sweet kisses and is free from profanity. It promises a satisfying conclusion (no cliffhangers) and a heartwarming happily ever after.

The Author

Bella Greene started reading at three years old and has loved reading ever since. This week her first book launched, The Widower's Nanny. If you love a sassy but loveable female lead with a grumpy single dad who's a softy on the inside, you'll love her new release. You can get it for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/8oy1fruwm1

Book Review

The Summer I Stayed is part of the Midlife Meet Cute series. This is a multi-author series of novellas, featuring couples who are 40+. They can all be enjoyed as standalones or in any order. 

If you enjoy HGTV and a later in life romance, this one is for you! I don't know what it is about home renovation that seems to go so well with romance, but it's certainly a combination that I always enjoy and this one was no exception. In this story, we meet Maggie- a woman who has been holding onto the lake house her late husband purchased for them, which had been sitting unused since. When storm damage forces her to face the house head on, she finds herself fixing it up with the help of a grumpy- but handsome- handyman Jake. These two have a really easy chemistry between them that I couldn't help but enjoy... I loved seeing them grow closer to each other, and the mutual healing between them. Their story was sweet and had me rooting for them both to get their happily ever after. This is definitely a shorter read- easily read in just a sitting or two, but perfect for the busy summer days! 

The Summer I Stayed is a closed-door romance with kisses only and no language. 


You can purchase your copy here: https://amzn.to/3U5X8TI