If only life were as simple as breathing in and letting go.Millie Hart has made a career writing happy endings. While her real life is often less than enchanting, at least she has her stories, featuring strong, vibrant women ready for any challenge and men who stand in support of their dreams. Millie makes millions of readers swoon, but despite her agent’s deep objections, her new project is … new project is fueled by her intense drive to prove something. All she needs is four months in Bodega Bay. No meet-cutes, no kissing, just blissful silence.
Drake Branch is happy to be alive. He’s healed, opened BP Glass Works with his best friend, and appreciates the value of his hometown. It’s been six years since the accident, and Drake has tackled every hurdle—mental and physical—to stand on his own. So, when he lets a struggling metalworks shop move in next door to his studio and the noise triggers old issues, Drake needs to crank the music—as loud as it will go.
Millie rents the cottage mere steps from Drake’s studio to write a literary novel she hopes will finally gain her father’s approval and soon learns that away from her laptop, there are men who refuse to be edited out. Despite her neighbor’s insistence that she is an entitled tourist, Millie has been blown off most of her life and she’s not going anywhere this time.
It is going to be one long summer unless Millie and Drake can learn that some books are more than their covers, one breath can change the shape of everything, and true family often shows up in unlikely places.
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Tracy Ewens, ‘Blow’, a love story.
As an ARC reader I received this book for free. And promised an honest review. Here it is. English isn’t my first language. Sorry for errors.
Rating: 4 stars (of 5).
In general: Author of love stories finds lover.
Main characters:
– Mildred Hartfield (33).
With the pseudonym ‘Milie Hart’ she’s a successful author of romantic books, living in San Francisco. Suffering from a ‘writer’s block’ she rents for a few months a tourist house in Bodega Bay, a quiet coastal town North from Frisco, hoping to finish a new book before the deadline expires.
– Drake Branch.
Millie’s neighbour in Bodega Bay. Born and raised in Bodega Bay. Now owner of BP Glass Works, a glass blower’s studio. Former heir of his parent’s shipping firm, Branch Fishing. Three years ago he had a bad bike accident. His left underarm was splintered and now he has a modern metallic prothesis. During his long recovery his sister took his place as manager of Branch Fishing and he started his Glass Works studio because creating his magical glass products gives him much more satisfaction in his ‘new’ life as a disabled man.
Millie and Drake meet when an indignant Millie visits his studio complaining about the loud music disturbing the neighbourhood while she tries to write. Drake, playing ‘screw-with-the-tourists’ (a favorite custom of the Bodega’s permanent inhabitants) refuses to stop the music he needs for his creativity (so he tells her).
The author, Tracy Ewens, then describes how step by step the dislike between Millie and Drake turns to love. But there are more ‘storylines’: Millie’s difficult relation with her father after her mom’s death, the influence of her well being on the development of the plot for her new book (for me with too many details and too much reciprocity) and the way in which Drake accepts his new prothesis and finds again his self-confidence in his work and his love life.
The result is an original plot, credible characters (sometimes a bit too much worrying), a lot of interesting, funny dialogues and sweet romantic scenes. All in all a pleasure to read.
R.J. Huiszoon.
There’s so much love for the romance world in this book! Also, some very good book recommendations! And it’s even a really good book, too!
Millie is a successful romance author with a lot of personal issues and past traumas. Drake is a glass blower (??) in an adorable small town, with a lot of baggage and who survived some traumatic experience.
When Millie moves to Bodega Bay for four months trying to write a new novel, she end up next door to Drake, who has a bad attitude towards tourists and listens to music very loudly while he works. They fight a lot in the beginning, but soon they learn to accept each other. And, perhaps, they can find a path to healing themselves by learning to open up? I won’t tell, ’cause that would be a spoiler. And we don’t want spoilers, do we?
This book gave me all the right fuzzy and sweet feelings I expected, and introduced me to a wonderful new author and a really lovely new book world.
The story of Millie and Drake is one that totally pulled me in. There was just so much interesting information on Millie and how she writes her books and I completely loved that! I felt like one of my favorite authors opened the door to her writing world and let us in to see the process. What a gift that was! And then of course, Millie has her tough background, most especially the father I wanted to shake and ask where his heart was.
Drake, what is there to say about Drake? Damaged from his accident, worried how he’ll be accepted by women, sensitive, caring and filled with “issues” he wants to work out and escape from. The caring family he’s gathered around him made up of family and very good friends made for such great secondary story lines that I didn’t want this story to end.
I never tire of Tracy Ewens’ work and often recommend her to others. Blow: A Love Story is no exception. I will definitely be recommending that others pick up this book full of second chances, a quirky little California town and a full complement of love, challenges, traditions and family.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for approving my request for an ARC. My review and the thoughts in it are freely given.
Millie lives in her world of romance. She is a famous romance writer. But she wants to read a real and serious book to finally please her father. So she rents a cottage in a small town. Her first day she is startled by a loud music and when she goes to let them know how annoying the noise is she meets Drake. Drake work with crystal and they made a fine work. CAn Millie and Drake help each other to heal their soul from their past damage and face a life together? A wonderful story about love, friendship, deep scars and survival. I received a free copy of this book and I voluntarily reviewed it.