Here’s the perfect beach read—The BOOKSHOP BY THE BAY, by Pamela Kelley, bestselling author of women’s fiction. No one writes family sagas like her. Meet Jess and Allison, best-friends since childhood and their two daughters Caitlin and Julia. Who doesn’t love stories about multiple generations of women in a family? Jess’ grandmother will steal your heart. Each of these women has own problem, with either money or a man. No surprise there!

The scenic Cape Cod descriptions entice and call the reader. And on Main Street, there’s Chatham Books with a coffee shop attached. I loved the dialogue between a writer and the bookstore owner. What a perfect plot for a book lover. The author artfully weaves a story of true friendship, trust, second chances, and the value of grabbing opportunities to live a happy life.

If you need a getaway, escape to the bay for a few days.

Out now. Published June 6, 2023.

One star for the book. One star for Grace Burrowes showing up in the book. Five stars for my buddy read.

@readingwithmrleo was joking with me that this book was going to put her into a reading slump. But I think it actually did put me in one because I haven't liked the last 3-4 books since I finished it.

All of the relationships for all the characters started falling apart in the beginning of the book. Then there were just WAY too many characters and POVs to keep up with. Once I finally figured out who all the characters were, I felt like more characters were thrown in to create love interests for the main characters and then it just got confusing all over again.

This book was so hard for me to get through. The book's plot made no sense to me. Jess, who was going to get a divorce, decided to buy a bookshop and coffee shop because it had always been her friend's dream. It wasn't even HER dream. It would have made more sense if it was her dream, but she bought it thinking she wasn't going to stay at the Bay.

Besides the plot and too many characters to keep up with, I just found the writing a bit lacking for me. It was hard to follow along and the dialogue and descriptions made no sense at times. Things that we didn't need descriptions of were described in detail; however, things that I would have liked a description for were not described at all. I didn't feel like I was in the bay or bookstore or picture anything about it.

Overall, this book was not for me. While this was is my first book by this author I MIGHT give another one of their books a chance just in case it was the book I wasn't feeling. But I won't be going out anytime soon to buy this one.... or ever.

The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela M Kelly is a slice-of-life novel with a half dozen main characters. It had come to her attention that her husband’s assistant was pregnant and her husband was the father. She had known things weren’t right between then but had postponed the talk. Jessica hadn’t realized he’d been cheating. She had not thought him capable. She decided to go to her hometown on Cape Cod for a few weeks of stress relief, and she invited her daughter, Caitlin, to join her. Caitlin had had a bad day, too, between being fired and being dumped. They had lived in Charleston all her life. Caitlin’s parents were both lawyers, partners in the law firm her grandfather had started. She could do with a few weeks off, but that was not to be. It wasn’t too many days before her mother bought a bookshop, in fact, the entire building, which also housed a defunct coffee shop which they vowed to reopen. It had all happened so fast. They still both believed they would return to Charleston at the end of the season.

Jess’s best friend, Allison, had just been cut to part-time and it was really her dream to have a bookstore, so the timing worked for her. Jess and Allison were both in their mid-fifties, not necessarily looking for romance, but not adverse to it. Caitlin was a young woman who had not yet found her spot in life. She found that the coffee shop was it. She loved her customers and they loved her. She also discovered that most of her friends in Charleston were snobs, not a lifestyle she was interested in. This was an entertaining novel, short on plot, but very long on characters. They changed that summer: being together and living a different life proved to be rewarding for all of them. A wonderful, easy novel. Feel-good. I recommend it. Beach/pool read.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Bookshop by the Bay by St Martin’s Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #PamelaMKelly #TheBookshopByTheBay

A wonderful Women’s fiction story of a mother, daughter, and grandmother and best friends. There was a lot of different threads to this story and I enjoyed them all. From Jess learning that her husband has gotten his secretary pregnant and realizing how far apart they have grown, to her daughter who seems to be drifting with her life in Charleston. Mother and daughter decide to go visit Jess’s mother in Chatham, a beach community near Boston, where her best friend, Allison, lives and works. While there, this book covers all the relationships of the various characters and how their decisions affect the storyline. I so enjoyed weaving through different story lines to find everyone’s HEA. A wonderful beach read, it was unputdownable! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It's time to load up your beach bag with some 'beach reads'. Pamela Kelley's new novel, The Bookshop by the Bay, would be great choice!
Jess's life is turned upside down when her husband admits to cheating on her. Jess decides to head home to Chatham, Cape Cod, where her mother and best friend Allison reside. It's also home to a bookstore - that might just be what be the friends need...

"Yes, but there's nothing like browsing a bookstore. Smelling through all those books, flipping through the pages and choosing the perfect one for your mood at that moment."

Jess is the lead character, with Allison right behind her. I quite enjoyed the depiction of their friendship and ideas about romance. Kelley gives the reader some generational romance as Jess and Allison's daughters also play a large part of the book. And Jess's mom is as well. There's a large cast of supporting characters and they too are well drawn. The characters are people you'd like to know in real life. (except for one or two!)

The setting is wonderful and I'd love to be lying on the beach reading the book I just bought at the bookshop, heading in to the coffee shop, perusing the main street and more.

There's not a lot of surprise in how the plot progresses and what direction Jess and Allison's lives will take. But that's exactly what I was looking for - a wonderful escapist read where a 'happily ever after' ending waits.

When her husband's infidelity comes to light, Jess flees to her hometown with her daughter, Caitlin to regroup. Caitlin is at a crossroads herself as she is between jobs and between relationships. Jess' best friend, Alison and her daughter are at crossroads in their lives as well. Alison needs to supplement her income now that she's been downsized and her daughter, Julia is unsure if she is happy with her relationship. When Jess and Alison decide to buy a bookshop together, it changes all of their lives.

While there are some lovely romances in this book, that is just a small part of the book. It is more about the relationships between these women. It is so nice to read a book about women who really support each other and are there for each other. Mothers and daughters in particular are often portrayed as having difficult relationships so it is really refreshing to read about two pairs of mothers and daughters who are shining examples of the best that mother/daughter relationships can be. Each half of these mother/daughter pairs is truly loving, caring, and supportive of the other.

This is a really sweet book, ideal to bring along on a day trip to the beach. Character driven throughout and centers around strong female relationships. Love and support can be felt throughout the pages. It’s an overall easy and relaxing read. I enjoyed it but, the truth is at times I didn’t feel connected to the storyline as much as I wanted. I would however recommend taking it for a lazy day on the sand reading by the water.

I am never sure how to rate books like this. It is supposed to be a beach read, an easy summer book... And it is, but it had so much more potential and even though it was an enjoyable read, it just was kind of blah.

There were so many characters to keep up with that at times I had to go back and re-read sections just to make sure I was understanding what was going on.

Caitlyn's character was never fleshed out at all. All she talked about was going back to Charleston and finding a job. All Caitlyn's friends from Charles talked about was finding Caitlyn a husband. So much potential wasted with this character.

Julia's character spent most of her time questioning herself about Kyle ( one more character that wasn't fleshed out). She knew she shouldn't be with him. And when Kyle showed his true side the author wrapped up what could have been an explosive storyline, in a neat little happy bow.

I am all about HEA, but there needs to be conflict and angst in a story. Don't tell me there is conflict, you have to show me there is conflict. So much potential, and it was just thrown out. 3⭐

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Title: The Bookshop by the Bay
Author: Pamela M. Kelley
Genre: Women's Fiction
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: June 6, 2023

I received complimentary eARC and ALC copies of this book from St. Martin's Griffin and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad

T H R E E • W O R D S

Refreshing • Cozy • Forgettable

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Jess loves her work as a high-profile lawyer in the respectable and austere city of Charleston. But when she finds her husband, Parker, has been cheating on her with his assistant, she retreats, with her thirty year-old daughter Caitlin for support, to her childhood home on Cape Cod. Caitlin has always been bright but directionless, looking for her passion but keeps coming up blank.

Jess' best friend Allison's career has hit a low. After twenty years as an editor for the Chatham magazine, circulation is dwindling and though her boss and long-time friend, Jim, does everything to keep her, she has no choice but to take a step back. With a career on hiatus and her main relationship being with Chris, her ex-husband who is still a good friend, Allison is at a pivotal point in life. Her daughter Julia opened her own artisanal jewelry shop a year prior, and she has the kind of day-to-day fulfillment Allison yearns for.

When Allison stops into her beloved local bookstore, she learns that the owner wants to sell. Allison and Jess set a plan in motion and what was once a place that held warm childhood memories is now theirs to run. As the two friends, along with the help of their daughters, reopen the doors of the cherished bookstore and adjacent coffee shop to the community, they also open themselves up to the possibility of romance, the bonds of mothers and daughters, and the magic of second chances.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I requested this book on a whim from NetGalley because it seemed like a feel-good summer read and, of course, because it involved a bookshop. The Bookshop by the Bay was my first foray into Pamela M. Kelley's work, and while it was enjoyable, it was also highly forgettable.

What I like:
• the setting. There are so many descriptions of places throughout that I just wanted to head to Cape Cod on vacation. Of course, there is also the bookshop.
• middle aged characters. It's refreshing to read a book involving middle aged characters and their older children. As you can probably guess there are lots of second-chance opportunities happening here.
• multi-generational. Similar to above, I really liked how the pair of mother/daughters came to work together and rebuild their lives.

What I didn't like:
• the pacing. At times it dragged. At times it felt like everything was moving way too quickly. And still it somehow felt longer than it needed to be.
• Four POVs. It took me quite awhile to get everyone sorted out, but I still don't think each perspective was necessary. It would have been fine with just two POVs.

The audio read by Stephanie Németh-Parker was decent and helped me get through this one quicker than I would have had I simply been reading with my eyes. Overall, an okay read but nothing extraordinary. This is just your average feel-good summer read.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• anyone in need of a new start
• readers who love literary elements in their books

⚠️ CW: infidelity, pregnancy, divorce, alcohol

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"There’s nothing like browsing a bookstore. Smelling all those books, flipping through the pages and choosing the perfect one for your mood at that moment."

“I don’t think love is supposed to be that hard. It shouldn’t take that long to realize you love someone. I think most people realize it a lot sooner, and then fight that feeling because it seems too fast.”

When Jess finds her husband cheating on her, she takes time off to visit her best friend Allison in Cape Cod.

Each are confronting large life changes and choices. Jess brought her adult daughter along also and she goes through similar.

I love a book where people find themselves, find their true calling and do what they can to make it happen. Each woman is struggling, searching and changing during this time together.

While this moved a bit slow for me, I think many will love it as a light beach read or a feel-good happy ending. It was a bit predictable but in the best way.

I’m really sad to be writing this, but I had a hard time finishing this one. The premise sounded so cute, I love family stories and the setup with the bookshop/café and beach vibes was really appealing to me. But quite frankly, I just couldn't enjoy it. Most people seem to have loved this one, so don't let me stop you from reading it! Might be right up your alley! But for me, it was a no and here is why.

As soon as I started reading, I had my first issue. This book has 4 different points of view (all female) and it was so hard for me to remember who was who. I usually don’t mind multiple POVs but I need the characters to be very different in personalities and it also helps when you might see more of one or something like that. But this book was going from one to the other and the other and since it’s 2 daughters and their mothers it was so confusing to me. Add to this LOTS of side characters and it made it impossible for me to keep up. I couldn’t tell the differences between the characters, to me they all acted/spoke the same way, there was no way to differentiate them.

The way this was written, it was really more telling than actually showing what was going on. What I mean is that instead of assuming the reader will get what a character is feeling, it was always written out for us. This, for me, really broke the flow of my reading experience. There were also a lot of info dumps. For example, a new character appears and suddenly I have all his background info on a past relationship of his written in short paragraphs (not that it is even relevant in any way with the actual story, so it just added to my confusion).

I also had a hard time connecting with any of the characters. They felt a little emotionless to me. They were going through really big life changing situations and I couldn’t see how it affected them in any way. For example, Jess discovers her husband is cheating and it didn’t feel to me like she was sad or mad or anything, except that the narrator told me (telling me something doesn't make it believable to me if the actions don't speek for themselves, you know?). They then decide to buy a Bookshop and yet it didn't feel like anyone was stressed, ecstatic or anything. But like I said, I had trouble with connecting or relating to any character so that might be the reason it felt like this for me.

Every big confrontation in that book ended in 2-4 sentences which made it so hard to believe. For example, Kyle and Julia exchange 2 sentences after their break up and Kyle then says: I guess I’ll just go then, if that’s it. And that is really it... I needed a little more action/interactions for these important parts, and I felt let down.

Also, might just be me but what's up with people buying a Bookshop/Coffee place, or renting a second car, or starting a new business on their own on a whim? It seemed weird to me, to buy something as big when you are going through a divorce.... divorce is already a lot of changes and insecurities... I just don’t get it... And it’s a little hard to believe they can manage to buy and make everything work with that bookshop in such a short time when no one has any experiences with that at all. It was just weird to me, honestly.

I feel like there were too many explanations I didn’t need in this book and not enough interactions/action. I expected something heartwarming, with a cute feel to it and a summer/beach vibe, but it didn't feel like that for me... so yeah... that sums up my reading experience. I'm sorry I didn't like it. :(

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC, all opinions are my own.

The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela M. Kelley follows two lifelong friends dealing with life’s obstacles as they reunite on Cape Cod. The story is told from four different points of views, two mothers and two daughters. What a terrific story of lives meant to be entwined!

The Bookshop by the Bay follows two lifelong friends dealing with life’s obstacles as they reunite on Cape Cod in Chatham, Massachusetts. Jessica Coleman is a lawyer in Charleston, South Carolina who is now divorcing her husband and fellow attorney, Parker, after thirty years of marriage. To take a break from her tighter knit community, she decides to go back to her hometown of Chatham and her daughter, Caitlin, will join. Caitlin is going through her own transition with losing her job at a department store, so the trip with her mother is coming at a good time. Jess is excited to reunite with her childhood best friend, Alison Page, who has remained in Chatham. Alison has been the editor for the Chatham magazine; however, circulation is down, which means it may be time for a career change. Her daughter Julia has opened her own jewelry shop and Alison dreams of having Julia’s fulfilment in her own career.

The two best friends reunite and catch up on their lives while the reader gets the lives of the four characters established. One day Alison visits Chatham Books, the local bookstore, where she discovers that the owner, Ellen, is ready to retire. This leads to Alison and Jess having the idea to become the new owners. The transition for them to become the new owners is a little improbable as it seemed to go too smoothly. For me, I would have preferred a little more realism to the bookshop side of the story as I think it would have added a new dimension to Jess and Alison’s friendship. This also occurred with romances and other obstacles where problems were presented and then fixed a little too easily. While I love fiction for the happy/fantasy side of it, I do love some realism and struggle for the characters integrated into the writing. There were obstacles presented in their love lives and professional lives, but I wanted more exploration to make me connect more with the material.

Since this is essentially four stories in one as the reader follows the journeys of Jess, Alison, Caitlin, and Julia, there is a lot of ground to cover. For me, it was a little too much as it was difficult to fully invest in everything when there aren’t enough pages to delve into the characters. There are amazing descriptions of the food and setting, but with only a few hundred pages, I think these could have been better if they were reallocated to the characters. I loved the food and Cape Cod was the perfect backdrop, but the novel either needed to expand to give more time for character development and emotional journeys or they needed to be reduced. With Caitlin and Julia being the daughters of Alison and Jess, I loved the two mother-daughter dynamics represented. Each character was at a different place in their life, and it was nice to see how their journeys would play out. The story can be accurately described as “breezy” since there is a lot of predictability, which means this is a fantastic beach read when you just want to escape. Overall, I can see many people loving the ease of the story, however, I just want a little bit more depth from the stories I read.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Griffin, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Jess thought her life was perfect until one day everything came crashing down around her. She has no idea what to do next, so she packs up and heads to Cape Cod where she grew up and where her best friend Allison lives. Things will be much better when she has her best friend by her side.

Caitlin is Jess’s daughter, and she too comes to Cape Cod. Caitlin has no idea what she wants to do with her life, so she is hoping she will find her passion in the place where her mother called home so long ago.

Allison is an editor for a magazine, but print media is on the decline. What she really wants is own her own business and find love again after her divorce. With Jess in town, maybe Allison’s dreams can become reality.

Julia, Allison’s daughter seems to have it all together. She owns her own artisan jewelry store and is making her own way. When she befriends Caitlin, she finds a new friend and new opportunities.

This is a fabulous story of two best friends and their daughters on a journey of self-discovery. Each character has their own battles, but also their own strengths to not only help themselves, but each other. They throw what they should be doing to the wind and discover that anything is possible. I loved watching each character evolve and grow throughout the book. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press for my advanced readers copy. I have voluntarily read and left a review of the book. This is one story that will make you wonder if your dreams can also come true.

This is the story of four women, at different stages of their lives. First, there is Jessica, whose marriage has gone cold and discovers her husband is having an affair. She then retreats to her hometown of Chatham, MA on the Cape. Caitlin, her daughter decides to join her. Allision Page is Jessica's lifelong friend and her daughter Julia has opened a successful jewelry shop. When a local bookstore is for sale, Jessica and Allison do not pass up the opportunity for a change in their lives. They now operate a bookstore and an adjacent coffee shop.

This story deals with unexpected changes of life and have the courage and strength to rise above them. It was also a journey of self-discovery, second chances and true friendships!

If your looking for a feel good beach read, then this is the book for you to start off your summer!

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity.

The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela Kelley is the story of four women, at different stages in life, when circumstances open their eyes to new possibilities and new dreams. Jessica Coleman’s marriage has gone cold. When she discovers her husband has been having an affair with his assistant, she retreats to her hometown on Cape Cod. Caitlin, her daughter, decides to join her mother on the cape. Allison Page, Jessica’s lifelong friend, is at a crossroad in her life. While her daughter, Julia, has opened a successful jewelry shop, Alison is looking for a change. When a local bookstore comes up for sale, it is too good to pass up for Allison and Jessica. As they reopen the store and add a coffee shop, they find new romances, stronger bonds of mothers, daughters and friends, and new life in second chances.
The Bookshop by the Bay is a women’s fiction about the unexpected changes of life and the strength to rise above them. All the characters were believable as to their reactions to the circumstances. Even when some characters tried to be hard nosed and the villain, they were quickly shot down and put in their place. I enjoyed Jessica and Allison’s friendship. I enjoyed their relationships with their daughters. I loved to see Julia and Caitlin develop a friendship despite never being close growing up. The potential romances were fun to watch develop. I loved how the characters came to realize what they thought they wanted wasn’t what they truly needed. Overall, I enjoyed The Bookshop by the Bay. If you enjoy women’s fiction with friends and second chances, you may enjoy The Bookshop by the Bay.

The Bookshop by the Bay is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

This is my first Pamela Kelley book and it won’t be the last!

The Bookshop by the Bay is about two childhood friends, Allison and Jess, who have remained friends, but have followed different paths. Allison remained in their hometown of Chatham, MA, while Jess became a lawyer living in Charleston, SC.

Jess finds out her husband has betrayed her and feels the need to escape to and figure out her next steps. Her daughter, Caitlin, who is struggling to find the perfect job joins her and they spend the summer living with Jess’s mom.

Allison works for a magazine and her job is on the line. Her daughter, Julia, is a jewelry designer hoping to hit it big.

The bookshop is the catalyst of change for each of them and it’s what brings them together.

The Bookshop by the Bay is a lovely book about second chances, chasing dreams, and the importance of friendship.

You’ll definitely want to add this to your to be read pile.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

#NetGalley

Jess Coleman and Alison Page have been best friends since they were growing up and living in Chatham, Massachusetts in the touristy area of Cape Cod.

Jess is married to Parker and both are lawyers in his father’s law firm in Charleston, South Carolina. They are parents to daughter, Caitlyn, age 30. Jess has felt that their marriage has grown stale and knows it’s more than that when she sees that Parker’s young secretary is pregnant and realizes that Parker is the father. Caitlyn has just lost another job and her boyfriend has dumped her. So, Jess and Caitlyn decide to take an extended time in Chatham where they will stay with Jess’s mother. Jess know that spending time with Alison will be good for her.

Alison was married to Chris for 10 years and now has been single for 20 years. She and Chris are parents to Julia, age 30. Alison and Chris are still best friends and Julia has finally found her niche by opening her own jewelry shop in Chatham. She is quite talented and successful. Alison has worked for a magazine for a number of years but declining subscribers has pushed the owner, Jim, to the point of having to reduce staff.

There is a bookstore in town called Chatham Books that was a favorite haunt of Jess and Alison when they were children. Now, the owner is ready to sell and Alison and Jess realize it's a great opportunity. So, after much research and consideration, Jess buys it and the coffeeshop next door. They are working hard to make it a success. Even Caitlyn and Julia and involved and they see how nice it is to meet a lot of the locals and enjoy what Chatham has to offer.

I hope I have whetted your appetite to read this book because it is so good! I loved all of the characters and the indecision they all faced and how well everything turns out for them. I truly didn’t want this story to end. Don’t miss it. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

What's it about (in a nutshell):
The Bookshop by the Bay is a lovely second-chance story perfect for summer reading, especially if you find yourself by the pool, beach, or even the bay.

Reading Experience:
What I loved most about this story is how utterly relatable it was for me. The characters' dreams are my dreams, and watching them fulfill their dream just warmed my heart and made me feel like anything is possible.

Jess Coleman is a lawyer who recently experienced her marriage imploding. She returns home to get a break from her husband and her life in Charleston. Alison Page has been Jess' best friend since childhood. She still lives in Cape Cod and works for a local magazine that once thrived but is now struggling. Both are in a place in their life where they need to make some significant changes. And they are both strong and supportive female characters that forge their own path.

I also loved that this is a story about mothers and their daughters, family, and friendships. Even one of these themes would make for a heartwarming story, so you can imagine what having all three in a story does for your heart.

It's a bookish book, and I love a good bookish story, don't you?

I didn't really love the plotline regarding Jess' marriage imploding. This one felt like it needed to be more authentic. Jess's husband was too flippant about what he did, and considering he and his wife are lawyers, they would realize the legal complications behind what happened - trust issues aside. (I'm being vague to avoid any spoilers, no matter how small.)

Lastly, I enjoyed that this story is about learning more about yourself and taking risks to be true to yourself. I can't think of a more empowering message than that.

This story is solidly and consistently a medium-paced read. I enjoyed that I did not feel mired down by the story. It just flowed with a natural feeling pace.

Chatham, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is an idyllic little northeastern seaside town that sits snuggly near the bays and ocean surrounding Cape Cod. What a fantastic place to grow up, and it is the perfect place to set a story about dreams and make them a reality.

Read if you are in the mood for:
* Hopeful, Lighthearted, Relaxing story
* Medium pace
* A Character-driven Story
* Loveable Characters with strong development

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.

When she discovers her husband's affair, Jess packs up for the summer and goes to visit her mother and best friend in Cape Cod. Jess and her best friend, Alison, along with their two daughters end up purchasing a bookstore and coffee shop. The four of them experience many changes over the course of the summer that changes all their lives.

I absolutely love St. Martin's Press, and have enjoyed every book I've read that they've published... but dang. This one fell so flat. There were so many characters, with basic white people names, that I just couldn't keep track of who was who. There were no feelings and no personalities. How do you settle on ending a 30-year marriage during a calm 10-minute coffee break? Everything was so neat and tidy - every divorce, break up, mishap. The story reeked of privilege. Between the four main characters, they owned a bookstore, a coffee shop, a rental space, a jewelry store, a family law firm, and an independent law firm. The girls had friends (in passing, they considered dating) that had a private jet and were discussing purchasing multi-million dollar flats in Manhattan. The writing was okay. It felt repetitive at times and included details that felt forced and weren't needed. The story was predictable - which didn't bother me - as many of these light "beachy" reads are.

I wanted to love it. I really did.