From the USA Today bestselling “master of witty banter” (Entertainment Weekly) comes a hilarious and heartwarming romance about a big city doctor who never expected to find the man of her dreams in the tiny town of Matchmaker Bay. Dr. Nora Walsh has just been dumped in spectacular fashion, making it the perfect time for a major life change. She figures taking over the medical practice in tiny … change. She figures taking over the medical practice in tiny Matchmaker Bay for a couple of years will help her get over her broken heart, and then she can head back to the big city. But when the first man she sees looks like a superhero god, she wonders if maybe there’s something to small-town living after all.
Jake Ramsey also has a broken heart — one he never expects to heal. He doesn’t need people anyway and is content hiding out in his secluded cottage on the beach. But after helping Nora with a medical emergency, he finds himself opening up to the witty, warmhearted doctor. Soon the local matchmakers are working overtime to pair them off, and Jake begins to wonder if his campaign to get Nora to stay is for the town or because he can’t bear the thought of her leaving.
After she catches her boyfriend of five years cheating, Dr. Nora Walsh is ready to get away, take a break from her life as usual, and start anew. Hence her move from Toronto to the small town of Moonflower Bay. Taking over the medical practice in a small town will allow Nora to gain some perspective, get over her broken heart, and save money so in two years Nora and her sister can buy a house together as they’ve always planned. Feeling a little apprehensive at first, Nora quickly makes friends among the locals, especially Jake Ramsey.
Jake Ramsey knows what it’s like to have a broken heart. He’s been carrying one around with him for years and doesn’t expect it to heal anytime soon. Instead he’s closed himself off, become somewhat of the town hermit. While his friends are there for him, he doesn’t open up to anyone, and people have learned to respect this out of Jake now. But, in Nora, Jake finds someone who, for whatever reason, he feels comfortable talking to, whether it’s her straight-to-the-point attitude or the way she views the world through a Doctor’s lens, he’s not sure, but Jake and Nora form an easy, uncomplicated friendship. Even when they add the “….with benefits” to the end of “friends” it’s not complicated. That is, until it is. Until the potential for more might mean the potential for healing.
I loved how easily Jake and Nora slip into a friendship. I mean, it’s not a surprise where their story is headed (this is a romance after all), but I appreciated that their friendship is solidly built up first. It kind of makes the next move into a romantic entanglement seem inevitable. It’s been awhile since I’ve felt the click between two characters as much as I felt it between Nora and Jake.
I do think that Nora’s story gets a bit overshadowed by Jake’s overall story. Because Jake is still dealing with the death of his young son. It’s heartbreaking to read about, to even think about, but I felt like Jenny Holiday did a wonderful job exploring those feelings, but also showing readers one of many potential healing processes. Mortality is a big theme in Paradise Cove and while that might not sound exactly romantic, it’s the juxtaposition of death and life that puts that romance in perspective. On one hand you have people you love that have passed away, and on the other hand you have the potential to have love in your life and be happy. You’re not sacrificing their memory by living.
But helping to keep things a bit on the lighter side, you have the same wonderful cast of characters that inhabit Moonflower Bay (dubbed Matchmaker Bay for obvious reasons). I loved getting back into the idyllic small town setting seeing the same secondary characters. It’s delightful and quirky and, as I said, helps to balance the more sadder aspects of the story.
A couple things I did notice were, at times, the story moving super quickly time wise. This happens mainly towards the end when plot lines are being tied up, but the narrative would skip ahead a couple of weeks or I think maybe even a month in some cases. I would have liked it to be drawn out a little more to feel the weight of these moments towards the end. And, going hand in hand, I felt like the lead up to the end could have been expanded upon. Honestly, though, that a gripe I have quite often in my romances.
Overall though, I think Paradise Cove really ups the ante for this series. I enjoyed the first book, but this one just really hit all the feels while tackling some really heavy topics.
I’m so sad to end my time in Matchmaker Bay. Yes, this is the second book in a three-book series, but I read them out of order, okay? I keep trying to pick which one is my favorite and I just can’t decide. I love them all. And I’m now an official Jenny Holiday stan.
This is a MINOR SPOILER, but I think this may be the first book in which I’ve enjoyed watching an accidental pregnancy play out. Normally it’s so contrived, a way to force two characters together who otherwise definitely would have grown apart, but here it just… worked? Like, it made sense with storyline, and Jake’s history of having lost a child. And Nora’s forgetting of her pills seemed so normal. I don’t know… it was done right. And that’s not something you see a lot of with this “trope.”
I listened to this one on audio, like I did for Mermaid Inn, and I still hate the narrator. She’ll grown on you, but then she’ll voice the MC’s best friend Maya in this awful screechy voice, or she’ll do an intimate scene and you’ll think “Nevermind, I want to tear my ears off.” But, I made it through. Nothing will keep me from enjoying a Jenny Holiday novel. I love her trademark combo of sweet romance with uncensored heat. And the Matchmaker Bay series perfectly captures small town charm and quirk, and I’m so sad to leave. Can’t we get a fourth novel? Nora’s sister moves to town maybe??? Please???
5 stars – 9/10
Wow! Emotional, realistic love story. The author nailed Jake’s emotions. I don’t want to give away the story. It make me recall my emotions – maybe it wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t bought a house, or if I hadn’t gone back to work. Ultimately, you come to realize that sometimes really bad things happen to good people. I can’t wait to read Law and Maya’s story.
Really enjoyed the vivid details and snappy dialogue in this Canadian small town romance. And a dash of Stars Hollow is always fun.
Visiting this town of matchmakers is so much fun.
When I read Mermaid Inn a few months ago, I fell in love with every single thing about Moonflower Bay. Seriously, I’d pack up my stuff and move to the town in a heartbeat if given the chance. I especially love the meddlesome townsfolk. If characters like those don’t scream “small town,” I don’t know what does. After enjoying the first book so thoroughly, I was anxious to get my hands on the second one, Paradise Cove. I loved it every bit as much as the first, for both similar and different reasons.
Mermaid Inn was a second chance and so is Paradise Cove, though it’s a different variety of second chance. Instead of reunited childhood sweethearts, we have a man not really looking for a HEA after the death of his child and subsequent end of his marriage. All bets are off once Nora moves to town and they strike up a friendship. (And then a “friends with benefits” agreement.) I loved their friendship but loved what all came next even more. These two were it. Their connection was apparent in every interaction.
I loved this book. It was real and, at times, raw. Nora and Jake made me laugh, smile, swoon and cry. I love the small-town setting and all its meddlesome townsfolk, the friendships and, let’s be honest, everything about it. There’s a heavy focus on dealing with grief in this book and I found those parts were done beautifully. But, it’s not all sadness. There’s a fantastic romance and a well-deserved HEA (of course).
Favorite Quotes:
Hearts were vulnerable. People gave them to the wrong people all the time. It wasn’t pleasant, but it happened.
“That was Rufus. Species: disgusting ex-boyfriend who makes me question my taste in everything.”
“When the universe gives you what you want, are you going to complain that it’s too early?”
Reading Paradise Cove was like a guilty pleasure that I needed, and this one tore me apart and I loved it!! I loved this small town romance, with a friends to lover trope.
So happy to be back in Matchmaker Bay- the story was centered on Nora a doctor from Toronto who needed a reset in life, and Jake who was reeling from a horrendous loss.
Jenny Holiday wrote such an engaging and immersive book that swallowed me whole into the small town life, love, friendships and all the drama with it. Though the topics covered grief and loss, Holiday wrote this novel with a great balance of charming, fun and romance. This is going to be one of my favorites.
Overall, steamy and romantic, heartwarming and delicious! Recommend!!
Oh my gosh, this story has my heart feeling so big at the moment!!! The ending had me tearing up, I absolutely love Jake and Nora. Jake is my favorite type of hero, strong and with few words. The situation with his son is so heartbreaking, but I’m so glad that he realized he deserves happiness. I love this series!!!
I’ve been waiting for Jake’s story! Paradise Cove is a heartfelt romance, filled with grief, passion and humor. Jenny Holiday has a way of writing the most sincere characters, that will pull you into the story and never let go. I love small town romances – especially ones that take your emotions through a plethora of ups and downs. This series is one I’ve highly enjoyed and can’t wait until the next one!
I mean who doesn’t like a life reset after a terrible break up, thats exactly what Nora was doing with moving even if it was only temporary. I liked Nora she was feisty, independent and ready to take on the town of Moonflower bay. I really like Dr. Walsh SR I could see what a pistol she was and where Nora and her sister got it. I had a love hate relationship with Jake, I like him sometime and the stuff he faced was very deep and I could relate, but then he would do something and he came off as annoying and I was ready to just punch him. Oh my Kerri even her part was small but oh my the author had a way of Kerri getting right into your heart as well. I loved the closeness of the community and the friends and how they would do just about anything for each other. I did feel like there were a few parts of the book that did drag which was hard but over all the story was good and a twist on a love story. There is sex in this story so may not be suitable for all. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.”
This is the second book in the Matchmaker Bay series. Nora Walsh has just reset her life. She left her cheating boyfriend, her job, and her life in Toronto behind to move to Moonflower Bay, where she has agreed to work as a physician in a clinic she leased for two years. On her very first day she met Jake at the hair salon and he seems to just keep reappearing. Jake is divorced and very quiet. He surprised everyone by fixing up things in Nora’s rental house and confiding in her about his son, Jude who died. He still believed it was his fault.
It was interesting to watch their relationship turn into best friends from friends with benefits. It was also fun to watch Moonflower Bay grow on Nora. This book will make you happy and sad as you experience everything Nora goes through with her reset and life in general in Moonflower Bay with its wonderful, interesting characters. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.
This book is just delightful. This book tells the story of Nora…a doctor who recently came out of a long term relationship and moved to Moonflower Bay to change things up. There she meets Jake…mostly a quiet loner who is still dealing with the grief of losing his child. I loved this book. The characters are great. The small town and its people are fun. The setting is perfection. And the feelings are all there. Grief, laughter, attraction, friendship, love. Paradise Cove has it all and tugs on your heartstrings in the best way. While it is second in the series it can be read as a stand-alone. I very much look forward to reading more from Jenny Holiday in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an ARC of this book. The opinions here are my own.
Paradise Cove by Jenny Holiday is an engaging and heartfelt read. The characters are fun, interesting, and easy to get to know. The story is set in Moonflower Bay, a small coastal town about three hours from Toronto. The locals consist of elderly matchmakers, mermaid lovers and new friends.
Moonflower Bay needs a new town doctor, and Dr. Nora Walsh desperately needs a new beginning. As a result, she moves from the city to the area, and is shocked to find everyone so nice and welcoming. Jake Ramsey is town’s carpenter and the first person to befriend Nora. He suffered a tragic loss that he is still blaming himself for. Nora brings happiness back into his life and overtime they fall into lust and love.
I truly enjoyed this book. The story is emotional at times and the supporting cast is genuine. Nora and Jake are a remarkable both as individuals and as a couple. Their sexy times are meaningful and hot. The secondary characters are quite fascinating and I liked their respective story-lines. This is a well-executed small town romance.
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Jake is content in Moonflower Bay. He is surrounded by a wonderful community – and if they meddle sometimes he’s gotten used to it by now. A lot of the townsfolk don’t really consider him a big talker and he’s used to being solo. If you’ve read Mermaid Inn then you know that Jake’s past involves a lot of heartache, but is a bit of a mystery.
Doctor Nora Walsh needs a fresh start and Moonflower Bay seems like the perfect place. She has just ended a long term relationship and likes the vibe she gets from the quaint and charming small town. Nora and Jake’s paths soon cross and they develop a sweet friendship.
If you love a friends to lovers, slow burn then this is the perfect book for you! I loved how Nora and Jake’s friendship was always center to their relationship. They opened up to one another in ways that they hadn’t been able to do with other people in their life. They talked openly about grief, past relationships and life in general. And although grief was a big part of this book, so was healing. I felt so much for both Jake and Nora and their respective struggles with grief and how to overcome it. The way Jake and Nora always seemed to be there for one another was so sweet and I loved their relationship even more for that. But don’t let the sweet cover fool you! Once Nora and Jake move past the friendship stage they definitely know how to burn up the pages.
Moonflower Bay is so charming with it’s meddling old folks. I absolutely love the relationships that are formed in this small town community. The people here may come off as intrusive, but they sure do really care about one another.
If you’re looking for a sexy friends to lovers/slow burn romance then grab yourself a copy of Paradise Cove! I couldn’t put this book down once I started reading it and can’t wait to return to Moonflower Bay.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
I can’t express how much I loved the pairing of Nora and Jake. While both have suffered losses, arguably Jake’s is much more heartbreaking and life changing. Yet he has come out of his shell to welcome, engage and protect Nora during her time in town.
From their first meeting and conversation, their connection is electric and the chemistry, even just as friends, is off the charts. Neither is asking the other for anything the other isn’t willing to give and Nora being new to town helps in that she doesn’t know anything about Jake except what he wants to tell her. The shock the town has when learning that they are friends and that…gasp…Jake is talking, was hilarious!
Paradise Cove made me laugh and cry and was definitely one of my favorite reads of the year. Jenny Holiday’s building of Matchmaker Bay makes me want to book my plane ticket now…although I’d probably appreciate more if I went via road trip! Every character was memorable, every bit of scenery I could envision in my mind’s eye and every emotion felt in my heart. I adored it!
This story made my heart explode with happiness! It was so entertaining and fun with just the right amount of emotion and heat mixed in. I loved it all!
It’s been a bit since I’ve read a book by Jenny Holiday. I can say that the ones that I did I liked but maybe not enough to rush out and buy more. For me she was good but not great. That all changed when I tried Paradise Cove. The funny thing is I didn’t remember reading her prior so I went into this series totally open. Plus it was the second book in the series so I have to go back and read the first.
Can’t wait.
I can’t tell you how much I loved Nora and Jake. Both of them are so very special. I got into the fact that Jake isn’t a talker, at least with others. It’s what makes his relationship so much more special with Nora. I loved how Nora just got him and what he’s gone through. Yes, she’s a doctor so you’d think she’d understand how someone might feel losing someone but it was more than that. She understood down deep where it really matters.
Sigh…
Love them! I also loved how Jake treated her grandmother. So sweet.
I’m sure you’ll see right away that these two just work. You can see how they are slowly falling in love. It’s wonderful to enjoy it. I really liked these two and can’t wait for the next book and I hope to see them in. I wonder if the author will have Jake talking more to others or she will keep him the same.
I can honestly say after reading this I will have to go back to her prior series and check them out again and see if they go from okay to love like this one.
Sometimes you just pick a book, not because you are familiar with the author or the series, but because the title and the blurb peeks your curiosity. That was the case with this book and I am so very glad I gave this author a try. I absolutely loved it.
Dr. Nora Walsh needs a fresh start after being dumped by her fiancee for “a new model”. So she leaves the ER of a big Toronto hospital, for a family practice in the small town of Matchmaker Bay. A practice she plans to lease for two years and then return to Toronto after that time. Not realizing that the town would worm itself into her heart.
On her first day she meets the quiet, “aquaman” and ever supportive Jake Ramsey. A man that has isolated himself after the death of his baby boy four years ago. A loss he has never recovered from and even though he’s the “quiet man” in town, the community supports him and know he is always available when needed.
When these two broken souls meet, a special friendship ensues . But what happens when feelings develop and the unexpected happens?
This engaging and touching story was at times heartbreaking as well as heartwarming. A story about family, loss, hope , new beginnings, taking a chance as well as second chances in life and love.
This is definitely an author I will continue to follow . Can’t wait for the next book in the series.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and Forever/Hachette Book Group. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
4.5 stars
I wanted Jake’s story pretty much from the minute I met him in Mermaid Inn. I knew that his book wouldn’t be a light read due to his tragic past, but I loved how Jenny Holiday wove humor and steam into it as well. This friends to lovers small town romance hooked me right in from the start and took my emotions on quite the ride.
As one of my fellow book friends stated, if fixer men is your thing, Jake is your man. I pretty much fell in love with this gruff hermit right away. His meet cute with Nora at the hair salon was adorably unique and their chemistry was amazing and jumped off the page. I loved seeing their friendship develop and grow into more. They just clicked in this way that quieted the demons and ghosts of their pasts, but also put them on a path to face them once and for all. I will admit that I wasn’t a fan of his history with “Mrs. Robinson” (I felt it detracted from the story more than anything) and the twist towards the end wasn’t my favorite. The decisions and actions both characters made because of it made the conclusion feel a little rushed. The ending and so very sweet epilogue felt true to our characters, but I personally would have loved a bit more groveling.
Jenny Holiday’s writing really shined in Paradise Cove and she tackled grief and guilt in such an honest and sincere way. My heart broke for Jake as he struggled to heal and come to terms with his feelings and pain. His scenes with Kerrie were particularly moving. Grief was prevalent through the entire novel and was almost a character itself. Speaking of characters, I love the residents of Moonflower Bay! They meddle and gossip and you can’t keep anything a secret, but they are always there when you need them and always have your back. Nora’s friendship with Eve and Maya was wonderful and no one writes strong female friendships like Jenny Holiday. I can’t wait to read Maya and Law’s story next!
CW: grief, death of a child and grandparent, cancer
*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*
I loved Mermaid Inn, but Paradise Cove was even better. There was so much to love in this story. Jake is a gorgeous, taciturn mountain man, a close friend of Sawyer, the hero from book 1. He tragically lost his young son, got divorced, and has been pretty much silent and withdrawn ever since. Nora caught her boyfriend cheating and decided to reboot her life by resigning from her Toronto hospital (she’s an ER doc) and taking a 2 yr contract to reopen the local family practice clinic in Moonflower Bay. They meet cute at the local beauty shop, then connect again when Jake fetches her on her second day in town to help with a woman unexpectedly in labor at the town square. From there, a lovely friendship grows based on mutual respect and a whole lot of heat. Jake finds that Nora is the one person he’s able to open up to about his grief while Nora finds that Jake is a sweet, caring man, always quick to help out everyone in town even though he rarely talks and seems pretty untouchable.
Initially, neither of them thinks they want anything more than sex, Nora, because she wants to take a time out from relationships, Jake, because he doesn’t think he deserves to be happy. However, as their friendship grows, they both start wanting more. There was plenty of fun in this lovely romance, but also a strong, poignant undercurrent, as Jake slowly starts to move past his grief, accept that life moves on and he’s allowed to be happy in spite of his loss. Meanwhile, Nora finds a new community and friends that accept her with open arms. I love romances that can make you feel all the intense feelings while at the same time balancing it out with fun and smiles and this book found that perfect balance. I can’t wait for the next book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.