book one in this new series finished and it was a fun read, not going to lie freddy really irritated me to start off with but he is a character that grows on you. this definitely is a book that is setting the scene for the series as the story builds the. more you read
can’t wait for book 2 to see what happens next

Really enjoyed this book. Lovely to read. Feel good book. With a good plot that played out well the book was very well written

Opposites attract in best-selling author Bella Osborne’s gorgeous summer romance, An Invitation to Seashell Bay.

Nancy’s craft business is her entire life. She has made countless sacrifices for the business and there is simply nothing that she will not do to grow it and make it even more successful. Nancy is thrilled when a potential investor she had been trying to impress seems taken by her business ideas and when a suggestion is made that she employs an assistant, she jumps at the chance. But does Nancy know what she is letting herself in for? Will taking on this particular member of staff end up being something she will regret? Or will it be the beginning of a very exciting romantic adventure?

Playboy Freddy Astley-Davenport was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. With his every whim catered for and the promise of a substantial inheritance coming his way, Freddy has never needed to apply himself to anything. He’s never worked a single day in his life and has no work experience whatsoever. However, his inheritance comes with a catch: he first needs to hold down a job for six whole months before being handed the keys to his family’s estate. Taking on the role of Nancy’s assistant seems like a walk in the park. Freddy plans to do the least amount of work possible before he can start his life as the heir to his family’s majestic property in sunny Seashell Bay. His plan seems foolproof – until he meets Nancy and sparks begin to fly…

Nancy and Freddy cannot seem to be in the same room for more than five seconds before they start butting heads. Tension might be at an all-time high, but keeping things strictly professional between them soon proves absolutely impossible as Cupid’s arrow strikes.

Will Nancy and Freddy take a chance on a happy ending? Or are the two of them simply too different to ever have a future together?

An Invitation to Seashell Bay is an irresistible romantic page-turner I couldn’t read fast enough. Bella Osborne is at her best with this uplifting, emotional and feel-good romance about forbidden attraction, finding happiness and falling in love when you least expect it.

Fun, hilarious and simply enchanting, romantic escapism does not get any better than Bella Osborne’s An Invitation to Seashell Bay!

This was my first Bella Osborne book. It's a very lighthearted, easy-going style. The main character is Nancy, an independent business owner who shares her flat with Alice, a young teaching assistant. The chapters focus mainly on Nancy but also tell Alice's story. The story is fast paced and perhaps a little rushed in places. A couple of minor niggles: I found it hard to believe a small craft business could sustain 4 employees and a London premises! I also felt that Freddie's character arc was unrealistic and there were perhaps a few too many farcical moments! It is fiction however and the Seashell Bay setting was delightful. I enjoyed exploring the house and learning more about the family. I felt myself drawn to Alice's story which was quite emotional. I liked Alice and Dom and Alice's parents were well written. Despite my few niggles I ended up enjoying the story and it had a good ending. It's the sort of book that's great when you're feeling a bit down or under the weather and need cheering up.

The story of Nancy and Freddie, but also Alice and Dom. I liked how it was told from different points of view.

This was the first book I’d read by Bella Osborne and it’s certainly made me want to seek out more. It’s full of mishaps and misunderstandings. If you’re looking for something light, easy and entertaining for the beach this summer, this definitely hits the spot.

I liked the main romance between Freddy and Nancy, but also enjoyed the subplot with Alice the teaching assistant, who is Nancy’s housemate. People often say that romance books are predictable and yes, they are. It’s pretty clear from the word go that Nancy and Freddy are destined for each other, but that isn’t the point. The point isn’t whether or not they’ll get together, but how they get together, and in this book, their journey towards each other is anything but predictable.

This was a great book, I was straight into the story, I liked the characters and enjoyed the way the relationships progressed, I really would like to see a second book centred around these characters, I have read a few of Bella's books now and each one has been a treat, do yourselves a favour and read this book

After I read A Wedding At Sandy Cove last year I was desperate for another @bellaosborneauthor book. This book is so uplifting and the characters are well wrriten and have both heart and personality. This was such a page turner and a book that so easy to escape into. If you love a romance with a dash of friendship and humour then this is perfect.

this was such a lovely story. I read part 1 as a standalone and then listened to the rest of the book on audiobook. I loved getting to meet Nancy and Alice in part 1. Both strong independent women who are finding their way in the world. I loved the fact that Nancy had built up her own business and was doing everything in her power to ensure that it continued to thrive. Alice is similarly trying to be as independent as possible by taking a job in a school and moving to london. They are by no means the best of friends but their relationship is important especially in a world that can be as lonely as the one we live in!

Then along comes a couple of men to throw spanners into the works. We have dad from Alice’s school Dom and then we have Freddy. Freddy is the perfect antidote to Nancy's continuous hard work and diligence. He’s a playboy with no real understanding of the real world but naturally this makes him the perfect person to be her personal assistant. Freddy is such a fin character to read and you know whenever he enters a scene, there’s going to be humour and perhaps chaos!

Then the titular invitation to seasell bay happens and we get to explore a whole new world outside of London. We get a bit of background as to why Freddy is the way he is and in addition, a deeper understanding of Nancy’s drive. We discover the secrets that Alice has been hiding and we also get to meet a peacock named Percy! It was wonderful to see the world that Freddy comes from and see his family and why they are the way they are, it made him seem to have much more humour and as we get deeper into the novel it's hard not to fall in love with all these characters and really genuinely care about what happens to them.

I so enjoyed my journey to seashell bay, it was funny and real and had a great deal of warmth and heart about it. I really recommend the latest Bella Osborne, I’m sure you will enjoy it as much as I did!

As usual in my reviews, I will not rehash the plot.

I was surprised to learn that this novel has been published in several parts - the version I read had them all in the format of a single story, albeit divided into parts. I'm glad that I received this version as it can be a bit annoying to get part of a tale and then have to wait (patience is NOT one of my virtues...)

This is an enjoyable light read, with many comical moments that made me chuckle. I liked the main character (Nancy) and her unlikely "personal assistant" Freddy - both very well described, and with more depth to them than you might first expect.

Also liked the second strand of Alice's story - a tiny bit predictable, but enjoyable nonetheless.

I was pleased by the eventual outcome(s), and would recommend this book as a great summer read.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

I absolutely loved this book. Nancy has a failing business and trying to gain a much needed contract, ends up in a difficult situation with a very unlikely personal assistant. Freddy is part of the aristocratic society being next in line to inherit the family estate. It is of no real interest to him but due to his Father’s failing health he feels duty bound. Alice lodges with Nancy and she has her own personal battle going on. This dual storyline is fabulous. I stayed up into the early hours to finish it. Highly recommended.

As much as I adore Bella Osborne’s writing and how she weaves wonderful, feel-good storylines populated with believable & fully-formed characters, I do have to admit that I often avoid her books because they are published in parts and I despise becoming immersed in a storyline and involved in the lives of characters for it to suddenly end. So I was pleased to find this book. It does feel like two of her shorter stories together in one book, but thankfully both end within this book and, as with most books I enjoy, although I’d love for the book to continue, both storylines feel complete. The dual storyline of both characters does run throughout this book, but their stories are told more distinctly in the first and second halves of the book.
A wonderfully enjoyable book, perfectly sculpted as always by the skill of the author.

My Review: I really enjoyed this book, Bella has done a wonderful job with this story. It's light, funny and easy to follow. Sometimes what you don't want is maybe, exactly what you need, as Nancy and Freddy are bound to find out. I had to giggle at Sir Richard. The book has some very funny moments. I zoomed through it. An ideal, relaxing summer read.

The synopsis only mentions Nancy and Freddy, but this was in fact two different stories. One story was about Nancy and her craft business and that's where we meet Freddy. The other story is about Nancy's roommate Alice. To be honest I was more touched by Alice's story than Nancy's, so I have no idea why it was not mentioned in the synopsis.

Nancy's online yarn company seems like a dream come true and her team was wonderful. I would love to work somewhere like that and would be doing everything possible to keep it up and running, just like Nancy is. Freddy started out being rather annoying, but he grew on me. I liked Alice right from the start and would't mind at all if she reappears in book 2, if there ever is a book 2. although there were some funny moments where I laughed, this was more of a gentle and feel-good story.

An Invitation to Seashell Bay is a fun, sweet romance and perfect book to escape with this summer.

I love Bella’s books; they are this delightful mix of laughter and heart. This is one of those books you can easily sink into. The story is fun and exciting and kept me entertained. All the secondary stories, especially Alice’s story, added so much depth and richness to the overall book. All the characters were wonderful and played important parts in moving the story forward. I enjoyed the dialogue and interactions between all the characters. I love a story that has me laughing, and then I can turn the page and find myself swooning at the interactions of the main couple. It just makes for such a wonderful reading experience.

Nancy is a wonderful heroine. She is smart, witty, and you cannot help but cheer her on as she tries to expand her crafting business. Freddy added some fabulous comic relief; watching this man try and work and mess up every time was endearing and hilarious. Nancy and Freddy, as a couple, were sweet, and I could see the chemistry/sparks between them. I enjoyed watching as their relationship grew into something more, and those sweet, swoony moments gave me all those good feelings.

An Invitation to Seashell Bay is the perfect summer romance for those looking for something lighter with a lot of heart.

Thank you, Avon Books UK and Rachel Random Resources, for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Bella Osborne books are such fun pick me ups.
This one is full of fun, laughter and taking what life throws at you, working through it with the help of friends and family.
I was impressed with the character development. Once we learn of the characters back story, we have a better understanding of their surprising past, and they turn out to be a pretty decent person after all. Life isn't all roses, and we see that here, but I love the positive vibes and encouragement we see for the characters here from friends and parents.
I have read other books by the author so I know I will enjoy the banter, lightheartedness and encouragement in all her books.
Looking forward to more reads by this author.

Pub Date: 20 Jul 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Bella Osborne has delivered another light hearted, summer romance which makes the perfect easy beach read. I liked the delivery of two lead females interwoven stories. Whilst the story was fairly slow to start, it did build up the characters of Nancy and Alice who reside in the same house. The romance was sweet and enchanting. There was also humour- particularly the peacock that lives on the manor estate. I found Alice was portrayed as a bit immature on occasions and Freddy overly posh to the point that his transformation seemed hard to believe. A fun read overall!

This book was a little bit of sunshine, lovely piece of escapism on the light hearted, piece of comfort, I lovely summer read just when you need it (given the amount of rain we’ve had recently in the UK) I love the fact that in this book, you get to romances for the price of one, which I wasn’t expecting because the synopsis focuses on Nancy, so it was a pleasant surprise to get Alices story too.
This is so funny, full of humour and wit, I think the mix of school, animals and humorous events has a lot to do with that. It was just so funny. The characters are wonderful! I love Nancy’s positivity, her driven nature, but how she’s also willing to help anyone who needs it. Alice was just so sweet, a bit unsure but I loved her determination.

This story has a little bit of everything I really love in a book, friendship, romance, humour and a little bit of drama. If your looking for a lovely story, with happiness, romance, a light hearted but no less brilliant writing, then this is for you.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

When I pick up a Bella Osbourne novel I feel secure that I will be in for a good read and this one is no different. While it has a different feel to my firm favourite The Library, An Invitation to Seashell Bay was an entertaining and page turning romance with a clashes of personalities, upbringings and secrets.

Told in two POVs, Nancy and Alice have different lives, despite sharing the same home. Nancy was under pressure to save her much loved business and we were instantly thrown into her life in the first chapter when she has the day from hell. Her desperation leapt from the page and I knew trouble and calamity were just round the corner even before we met Freddy. As a love interest, he came across as immature and I was unsure how this love match would work but Bella Osbourne worked her magic to show us there was more to him than money and being handsome making him worthy to swoon over.

One aspect I loved about this novel apart from the location of Langham Hall, is the love and dynamic of Nancy’s team at Having A Ball, an online yarn company. If there was a place I would want to work , it would be there.

Alice’s storyline was gentler and focused on her desire to be independent away from family expectations but tension grew as I learnt more about her. I loved Dom from the start and despite the challenges in their fledgling relationship was cheering them on.
An Invitation to Seashell Bay is a lovely escape and summer read and while there is a lightness to the story, like all Bella Osbourne books, deeper themes lie under the surface making you love the characters more.

3.5 stars
This is a fun, lighthearted read full of hope. I really enjoyed the dual narrators of Nancy and Alice. Different in character, their stories flowed nicely together as we learnt more about their lives. Freddy grew on me as a character- as we got to know him more he showed he was more than just a pretty face.
Seashell Bay sounded beautiful and I loved the ideas for opening up the estate