She was ready for an adventure. He needed an escape. ~ Two perfect strangers, two perfect seaside vacation homes – One unexpected connection. ~Margot Kelly has waited patiently to take her dream vacation. Swapping her home in Magnolia Harbor for a quaint beach bungalow in Florida, she will finally be able to fill her days with the perfect blend of relaxation and adventure. Paul Rowland is ready … adventure.
Paul Rowland is ready to make a leap of faith and he couldn’t be more excited…until things go terribly sideways. Maybe he will take an impromptu getaway to the small coastal town called Magnolia Harbor that he swapped his place for. A little solitude and quiet sounds like exactly what he needs right about now.
Find out how two people, thousands of miles apart, can change one another’s lives…
*If you enjoyed the movie The Holiday, love the Hallmark Channel, and can’t pass up a great beach read- You will be swept away by The Vacation Cottages!
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A nice relaxing story. You will enjoy the way the author plays the characters. The ending was a little short.
My free opinion. Thanks.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Vacation Cottage – I’ve read several of Ms. Mays’ book and this just became my favorite. If you enjoyed the movie The Holiday, you’ll like this sweet, simple, quick to read, feel good story. Told in a lackadaisical style from both her and his views, of their adventures and discoveries for the three weeks during their house swap. The story is bright and shiny, with some really nice characters that bring the home feeling in both locations. Of course, there’s a not so nice person that is necessary, but she’s not evil on wheels, just selfish. I like there is never any stupid formulas being followed, just real people with real dialog set in a realistic world. I contacted Ms. Mays to review her books and received this one through Booksprout. 4*
Sweetwater Island Ferry Trilogy:
For Love … and Donuts #1 – I read the second book first and I enjoyed this one more. The well thought out storylines just felt similar to slipping on a pair of comfy, cozy slippers and sharing a cup of tea. I liked the characters; they were so realistic and human, and worked so well together: Virginia , Tristan and Sam were perfect. Of course, the story needed Jason for to all end well. I found the cottage and the island to be important characters in their own right. This fast flowing, easy to read story was entertaining and enjoyable. I loved that the author gave enough details without doing the daily, boring grind some authors do; writing about every unimportant detail instead of letting time past and writing about the important parts. An enjoyable, clean, happy read. I contacted the author to review her books and received this through Booksprout. 4*
To Love … and Renovate #2 – This story takes place six months after Donuts ends. I didn’t get to read the first book of this series, which I think would have made this book more meaningful to me. Well written and easy to read with likable characters and a plot full of happenings. Of course, there’s wedding details still to be completed, working at their jobs and trying to wait for the wedding night, why wouldn’t there be drama? But there was fun and laughter, too. A good balance throughout the book. I liked Virginia’s calm approach to the wedding preparations. Oh, don’t forget the elephant in the pink tutu – the renovations. I appreciate this being a clean story, which only needed minor editing. I found this book on Booksprout.co. 4* Update: I reread this after reading Donuts and I liked the story better. I recommend these three in order written since they are about Virginia, Tristan and Sam.
With Love … and Reality TV #3 – This story takes place four months after Renovate ends. I don’t really care too much for Hollywood and TV, but this was a local station with a surprise character and a surprise deal. An entertaining, sweet read with plenty of romance and problems for everybody. The storylines were interesting; the characters multi-faceted and there’s plenty of emotions running the gamut. I just wish Ms. Mayes would edit her books, the errors do distract from the story. 4*
Sweetwater Island Ferry Trilogy end.
Unexpected Events – This is a quickly read, sweet romance between old friends. The characters are believable without any stupid dialog or actions. The storyline is interesting. A nice story for relaxing with a cuppa. I contacted the author to review her books and received this through Booksprout. 4*
Sweet and Clean Vacation Romance
This is a sweet and clean romance with a dash of faith. The story takes place in Florida and North Carolina. This is a story about reaching beyond oneself and finding what you didn’t know you were looking for. The North Carolina part of the story takes place in the author’s fictitious town of Magnolia Cove. Many of the characters from that series make cameo appearances in this book. I have enjoyed all of this author’s books that I have read and this is no exception. I received this ARC free through Booksprouts and this is my honest review.
A sweet story with a sweet setup. Attraction begins even before the protagonists meet and just continues after they do finally meet. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Read and enjoy!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a well written feel-good book with a with likable characters and a sweet story line and great chemistry between the main characters.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Paul is a writer. He had been dating Susan since they were both in college.
He visited her in Colorado, where she had originally gone to intern, then been hired.
A surprise visit – he was the one who walked in on an unwelcome surprise – Susan in the arms of another man.
He decides to do a house swap with the woman who is swapping with his cottage.
Margot works for the local paper, but has an eye for design – mostly interior.
A vacation for a month in sunny Florida sounds warm, and delightful after a chilly Carolina winter.
Margot and Paul seem to strike up a long distance friendship.
And with a little creativity, other things might come out of the exchange.
Sweet and funny second chance m/f romance. Great KU read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout.
I read this book, as well as most of the Magnolia Harbor series books, on Kindle Unlimited, and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This sweet and heartwarming contemporary romance is perfect for the beach, poolside or anytime you need to escape everyday stress with captivating characters and an inspiring story that will leave a smile on your face and joy in your heart. Margot Kelly swaps her home in Magnolia Harbor, North Carolina for Paul Rowland’s quaint beach bungalow in Clearwater Beach, Florida for a month-long vacation. The story goes seamlessly from one to another as they enjoy the other’s hometown. They meet toward the end of the book and have instant attraction and an undeniable chemistry. Fans of this genre should plan to read The Vacation Cottage and I look forward to reading more from this gifted author. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Booksprout and this is my voluntary and honest review.
This is a well written feel good story with likable characters and a sweet story line. The author does a great job bringing the characters together and weaving a realistic story , moves it quickly and smoothly and delivers an entertaining story I enjoyed reading.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
A sweet, family-friendly romance set in Magnolia Harbor, NC, and Clearwater, FL, with a wicked ex, that can be read in half a day.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.