Wednesday 11 November 2020

Guest Review: New Beginnings at Seaside Blooms by Jessica Redland

Previously published as Searching For Steven.


Sometimes love can bloom where you least expect it…



For Sarah Peterson, it’s time for change. Coming out of a dead end relationship and having had enough of city life, she just needs to escape and have a fresh start – a new job, a new home and a new lifestyle.



So when her Auntie Kay unexpectedly offers her the opportunity to take over her flower shop, Seaside Blooms, the timing could not be more perfect. She could escape to the beautiful seaside town of Whitsborough Bay, start a new chapter in her life – and learn how to run a business!



But, as she packs up her life in London, she isn't prepared for the discovery of a clairvoyant reading that's been missing for twelve years. All of the predictions have come true, except one: she's about to meet the man of her dreams. Oh, and his name is Steven…



As she prepares for the biggest move of her life, Sarah can’t help but wonder if Seaside Blooms could be a new beginning for love too?






Review: This is book 2 in the series Welcome to Whitsborough Bay, referring to the North Yorkshire seaside town where the collection is set. Seaside Blooms is, as the name suggests, a florist’s shop, one of a row of premises belonging to independent retailers selling a range of goods. The community feel of the location is one of the features of this story that drew me in and had me keen to find out more about the area once the book was finished. The book was previously published under the title Searching for Steven and has been re-edited.

The story revolves around Sarah, who has returned to her home town of Whitsborough Bay following the break up of her relationship. Disillusioned with city life, when her aunt offers her flower shop to Sarah she has no hesitation in giving notice at her current job and setting up her new business. While packing up her belongings prior to the move, Sarah rediscovers a recording of a clairvoyant reading she had done many years previously. While listening to the predictions for her life, she is reminded that she is supposed to meet and get married at her current age, to a man called Steven. With the help of her best friends, Elise and Clare, Sarah begins the hunt for Steven, not really paying much attention to the lovely Nick, who she sees as a helpful friend and confidante.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a light hearted romance. The story has a good balance of drama, romance and humour. Although part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. The book’s setting on the North Yorkshire coast, an area close to where I live, is well described. I found all the characters and situations believable; Sarah was lucky to have so many wonderful friends around her. I thought that Sarah was a bit stubborn in her refusal to consider any man whose name was not Steven, but then with so many of the clairvoyant’s predictions having come true, it may be understandable. I’m looking forward to reading the other two books in the set, and finding out more about Sarah’s friends, Elise and Clare.


To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

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