"The Bright Spot" truly is a bright spot. Luna Wright heads a crew of quirky characters who all pull together to make a farm a success. Each of them has their own skill, talent or value to lend to the effort, and it's been a fulfilling journey as Luna has found her way. But when the owner of the farm unexpectedly dies, they are all left to wonder what their fates will be.

Soon, Luna discovers that the owner was actually her long-lost grandfather, and that he has left the farm to her and a complete stranger. And that's when the fun begins and the sparks start to fly.

If you're looking for an entertaining, opposites-attract, wounded-souls-find-healing type of romance, this is a great one to try, especially if you love baby goats and flirtatious emus.

Thanks to Jill Shalvis, Avon, Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

4 1/2

With The Bright Spot, we’re returning to Sunrise Cove (and the series) on the shores of beautiful Lake Tahoe. Luna Wright is managing an idyllic (IMHO) farm that has gardens, rescue animals, a café among other wonderful features. The farm is owned by a grumpy old man, Silas, who has been pretty much hands off. When Silas dies, leaving half of the farm to Luna, she discovers a stunning secret about Silas and then is equally stunned when a suit arrives in the form of Jameson Hayes. With his arrival, the true state of the farm is revealed, forcing the crew of Apple Ridge Farm to unite and innovate for the survival of the farm.

Reading a Jill Shalvis book is like opening the curtains on a dreary winter’s day, letting in the sunshine to snuggle around you. In The Bright Spot we have the addition of Dammit Ziggy, a baby goat with a mind of his own (I want a Dammit Ziggy!!!) to provide a little extra warmth and chuckles. 🐐❤💖

I enjoyed the characters in The Bright Spot with Luna’s (adopted) grandmother Stella, whose quirky, nosy, fortune-telling brings laughs, being my favorite. Least favorite was Luna’s BFF who I’ll just call Whiny Willow who lets life happen to her and then gets bitter about it. The romance between Luna and Jameson felt right, although the necessary (is it necessary in women’s fiction though?) momentary rift diminished Luna’s character.

As with all David and Goliath stories in which the underdog is fighting against someone/something much larger, The Bright Spot had that moment of warm-heartedness where everyone pulls together that just makes you feel all gooey inside.

A lovely addition to an excellent series.

Many thanks to Avon Books for sending me a copy.

Thanks to Avon & Harper Voyager, plus NetGalley, for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This sweet but predictable contemporary romance has all the quirky characters, adorable farm animals, and grumpy/sunshine~enemies-to-lovers tropes a reader could want. Luna is adopted (although she apparently doesn't have a great relationship with her adoptive parents and only deal with her spirited and wacky grandma) and has run Apple Ridge Farm since the owner, Silas, headhunted her away from her previous lackluster job. Now Silas, who turns out to have been Luna's bio grandfather, has passed away, after a year of battling secret dementia and slowly running the farm into the ground financially and cooking the books for Luna's benefit. Silas' associate, Jameson, has swooped in to have a look at the ledgers and see if they can pay off the balloon payment on their line of credit that's due soon, or if they will have to sell the farm.

What follows is a cute love story: Jameson falls hard and fast, after a life of being an unwanted street kid before being taken in by Silas, then working for him closing down unprofitable business ventures (kind of a one-man Bain Capital). At Apple Ridge Farm, he feels at home and needed, and starts to get close to all of the employees, but especially Luna. Luna, for her part, hasn't really has many relationships, the last significant one ending abruptly when her now close friend, Chef, who runs the Farm's little cafe, realized he was gay. Chef has moved on with a same-sex relationship but Luna has stayed moored in the single life, telling herself she's better off alone.

If you like feel-good stories of triumph over adversity with some sizzle but no hardcore (or really even softcore) boot knocking, this one's for you. It was cute enough and the characters were charming without being annoyingly over the top. The B-plot of Luna's bestie, Willow, throwing her marriage onto the scrap heap before realizing her error, was a little much, but it wasn't enough to make me quit reading or even skim those pages (much).

Cute, but predictable.

Sometimes the family you choose is the best kind. Luna Wright was adopted at birth and didn’t really know anything about her biological family, but she developed a family of friends that was as close as any biological family could be.

Jill Shalvis has a wonderful witty writing style. The Bright Spot is a great example of this. After reading about the antics of little DZ, I think I might want to get a baby goat.

The Bright Spot is a delightful read. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a light-hearted story with a happy ending. Jill Shalvis never disappoints.

Luna Wright is running Apple Ridge Farm when the owner dies. Apple Ridge is part farm, part restaurant, part animal rescue, and part local shops. She and Jameson Hayes, the boss’ investment manager, are each left half of the property together with a looming balloon payment. Jameson tries to shape up the farm so that Luna and her “found family” can keep their jobs. I especially enjoyed descriptions of the stray and abused animals that ended up on the farm. The cast of characters include Luna’s grandmother, her best friend, and an ex-boyfriend. They come from a variety of backgrounds but meld perfectly. This is part of a series but it works fine as a stand alone. My only criticism is the story is quite predictable but it is a light, fun read. 3.5 stars from me. Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This pulled me in right from the start. I loved Apple Ridge Farms and the whole crew. I couldn’t put the book down. Another favorite by Jill.

Reading this book was as comforting as a hug. It had Shalvis's signature humor in a story with cute animals and found family which is one of my favorite parts of any story. Luna and Jameson were a great couple. Luna was fun and loving and owned up to her crazy. Jameson was funny, understanding and steady, though I thought he should have made Luna grovel a little more. I was most frustrated with Willow but she eventually won me over. This was a fun, comforting read.

This is a story of how the past molds the lives
the protagonists lead today. A farm is in trouble. Characters from backgrounds that differ are the ones to save it. Add trust issues on top of omissions. Humorous moments with the very likable animals and coming to terms that dreams can change are all a part of this story.
Told in three perspectives, the protagonists must overcome fears, trust issues, past abandonment, relationship woes, all while trying to save the farm.
It seems to focus a lot on sexual desires. I would like to have read more challenges to the plot. Something to keep me turning the page. This is a good read but also easy to put down and pick up later.
Thank you to the publisher for approving an ARC through NetGalley. This is my honest review and I have received no compensation for it.

I love any opportunity to return to Sunrise Cove and this book reminded me, yet again, why. Luna and Jameson meet under tense circumstances, the fate of Apple Ridge Farm is on their shoulders as the new owners, each left 50% by the former owner. Sparks ignite and can't be ignored between the two, which leads to delicious banter. Then there is the group of employees who have become chosen family, and I'm a sucker for those that find chosen family. If you want a heart warming story, lovely characters, along with adorable animals (DZ, I'm looking at you), this is a must read!

Jill Shalvis is one of my go-to authors for a sweet yet spicy, heartwarming romance, always with lots of fun side characters and animals. And The Bright Spot one was no exception! Jameson and Luna were perfect opposites yet perfect together. Their banter hooked me in at first, but I definitely stayed for the soul-searching conversations and late-night quesadillas. I couldn't help but wonder if Silas had been playing a little bit of matchmaker from beyond the grave. I recommend this one to fans of Jill and Susan Mallery who like some spice with their sweetness and the characters working together towards a common goal - in this case, to save the farm!
Note: I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

This was a fun installment in the Sunrise Cove series. I say series lightly because the only thing the books have in common is the town which makes them all easy standalones to read! This book was a lot of fun. The farm employees have made their own found family and they fit so well together I just loved it. The animals create hilarious moment and who doesn’t like to picture baby goats in pajamas. I think Luna and Jameson were a good match. For the most part good communication, great chemistry, and lots of sweet moments. My only complaint was Willow, Luna’s BFF’s, secondary plot. I didn’t really connect with her so found her really annoying and irritating. Others may end up liking her but I did not.

Overall a good easy sweet romance!

The Bright Spot by Jill Shavis ( Sunrise Cove #5) is the story of Luna Wright, is headstrong and fiercely independent. She seemingly trusts no one. She runs Apple Ridge Farm with her best friend Willow and a whole assortment of friends that are family. She was adopted at birth and doesn’t know who her biological family is and she isn’t looking for them. The farm is her safe place her everything. That is until the owner of the farm passes away. He was hard to deal with but for the most part he wasn’t around all that much. Actually he lived in San Diego and only came up to the farm occasionally. He mostly let Luna run things and mostly she ran it very well.
With his death,
Things begin to change. Silas, was keeping some secrets and the farms future is up in the air. Jameson Hayes, arrives at the farm to help set things straight. But where did he come from? How is he connected to Silas and the property? This was book 5 in the series and it read like a stand alone to me. I was able to follow along as if I had read them all. This was a good, quick read for me. I always enjoy reading the authors books and this one didn’t disappoint. I want to thank Netgalley and the author for my copy for an honest review. It was my pleasure reading and reviewing it. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Brighten your day with this wonderful story about friendship, relationships, unity, and determination. The story is an inspiration to those of us who doubt ourselves.. A family created in love can pick you when you think all is lost.

I am a big fan of Jill Shalvis. The Bright Spot is the fifth book in the Sunrise Cove series. A heartwarming and humorous story with characters that I connected to and fell in love with. The great thing about this series is that each book stands by itself so you can read it first, last or anywhere in between.

The Bright Spot~ a fun read that draws you in with friendship, love and family.
We all have that one spot in our lives like Apple Ridge farm with amazing memories. This is it for Luna and Jameson both have led melancholy lives before they meet. The support they both get from this cast of charters that you love from the start are amazing and quirky.

Thank you NetGalley for another amazing read.

Jill Shalvis just cannot go wrong! Here, she offers another heartwarming story in her Sunrise Cove series. There's lots of humor here too, as the characters are witty and intelligent. I love to recommend her books to readers who have been enjoying the Netflix series, Sweet Magnolias.

Jill Shalvis is always a good idea and this novel is no exception. Luna loves her life at Apple Ridge Farm. Her boss is a major grump but she doesn't see him much as he operates remotely so it works for her. Until he passes away and leaves half the farm and half to the handsome Jameson. Jameson is all about money and business. Luna is all heart. Watching these two figure one another out was hopeful and heartwarming. As with all Shalvis books, this one is full of found family and a fun time. I adored the side story of Luna's best friend, Willow, and her firefighter husband. I loved her sassy grandmother. I couldn't get enough of all the sweet farm animals. And Jameson and Luna's chemistry brought heart and humor to this charming farm. The pages turned quickly as the book was nearly impossible to put down. Spending time in a Jill Shalvis novel is like hanging with your best friend. Pick this one up, but beware. You may find yourself lost in her backlist because you won't be able to get enough.

This is a Sunrise Cove novel, but it very much a standalone book - you don’t need to read the others; however, but after reading this one why wouldn’t you want to? Quirky. Fun. Charming. It is how I would describe this book, and the characters in it.

What is the story about? Love. Finding a place where you belong. Family. If it were a real place, I would want to go and live in Sunrise Cove - but for now, I will happily tear into all of the stories as soon as Jill Shalvis writes them! 5 stars all the way.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley; all opinions are my own.

Such a good book! Luna and Jameson worked well together even though they were working at odds (sort of). Everyone coming together to get the farm into the black was Amazing! Jameson was the absolute best!

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I adore books by Jill Shalvis. Her characters are filled with heart and are funny as all get out. And her HEA endings are perfection.

I’ve been reading her books for quite some time and just really get excited each time I see she’s writing a new book.

What I Liked:

The cover. It’s so perfect!

Luna. She’s a great character. I loved how she was such a boss, but she had such a sweet nature and everyone wanted to help her.

Apple Ridge Farm. This place is out of a dream. I am sad that this place does not really exist, because I would totally visit.



Bottom line: It’s another winner for Jill Shalvis!

I really enjoyed this newest book in the Sunrise Cove series. I liked all the characters but my favorites were Luna, Jameson and DZ. I did not want to put this contemporary romance down. I loved that each character had a flaw that they needed to work on with the help of others. I received a copy of the book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.