Luna's been working on a ranch that barely scrapes by but she has gotten to work for an owner who, though incredibly cranky, has usually treated her well. Well, he did until last week when he died. So, now Luna's trying not to panic while she waits to find out what's going to happen next. She is shocked to find out that she will be the half owner, along with someone from out of town.
Jameson Hayes is used to coming in and dismantling companies. He knows the farm has been failing and he's not impressed with what he's heard about the manager. He's only planning on being in the town for a short time but is intrigued by a lady he meets at the bar. In true romance novel fashion, the night doesn't end how he would have hoped and it's even worse when he realizes who he was chatting up.
The two will have to work past preconceived notions in order to find out what they want in the end. Neither really has a biological family and they're trying to figure it out along the way.
We get a LOT of background on Luna and her found family but we don't get to see much from Jameson. We especially get to know Luna's best friend Willow and the husband who she just can't get separated from.
If you are looking for building friendships and in-depth characters, Shalvis is amazing. The romance is a little less well-developed but I don't think regular Shalvis readers will mind.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out January 16, 2024
ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

4.5/5 Stars

God, I love found family books. You can always count on Jill Shalvis for a heartwarming, find yourself love story. This is exactly the sweet romance I was hoping for when picking up this book.

Thoughts:
- The found family trope was STRONG in this one. Everyone who worked on the farm had such a fierce love for each other. They embraced everyone they crossed paths with and loved each other and the farm so much they were willing to do anything to save it.
- Luna is living my dream - job wise. Running a far complete with rescue animals?? Yes please (heart eye emojis)
- I love how Luna and Jameson both have similar traumas and fears and use those similarities to help each other heal
- Willow was my least favorite side character. She was a terrible friend who only stopped being terrible when she got her way. Like girl, I get you’re going through shit, but it’s not fair to take it out on your friends. Also, I understand why she was mad at her estranged husband at first, but how she handled the separation and kept giving him hope gave me the ick
- I adored watching Jameson adjust to the farm. Seeing him with Dammit Ziggy, the pajama wearing goat, was comical
- The side characters were so funny and loving. They gave both humor and tough love when needed, but my favorite was when they were making fun of Luna and Jameson. Stella, Luna’s super inappropriate grandma is absolutely my favorite. She was hilarious and honestly reminded me of my grandma a lot

I absolutely loved this book! It was so sweet and the found family aspect had me tearing up at the end. Jill Shalvis is definitely my go to for books to make you happy and feel warm & fuzzy. I highly recommend this one!

Thank you Jill Shalvis, NetGalley and Avon for my #gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved seeing the chemistry between Luna and Jameson develop throughout the story. Their humorous banter kept me laughing and smiling.
Though part of a series, the books do not need to be read in order.
Enjoyable book to relax with.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I don't know what it is about Jill Shalvis's books exactly but they get me every single time. I swear she's woven some kind of magic into the text because they are almost always five star reads for me and this one is no different. I loved Jameson and Luna! Honestly, I loved the whole crew of Apple Ridge Farm and wanted more of all of them. I was smiling and laughing from the start of this book with the baby goat that follows Luna to the bathroom because one of my dogs does the exact same thing in the mornings. The Bright Spot is such a warmhearted read full of found family, small town romance, and people coming together to save a business that means so much to all of the staff and the town. Luna is a smart, capable, considerate boss with a huge heart and everyone in the town loves her and would pretty much do anything for her. Jameson is the city boy who is used to dismantling a failing business but puts his expertise into saving this one and actually has a heart of gold. I love the back and forth between the two; they're both just super lovable characters. Willow is hilarious if a tad too dramatic for me but even that is somewhat justified and her and Shayne's chemistry was an added layer to this book that made it feel kind of like two romances in one. The people and animals of Apple Ridge Farm all add to the story as a whole, whether as comic relief or to add some drama or pull on the heartstrings. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a good happily ever after with a lot of funny moments and heartfelt vibes. You will not regret picking this book up!!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Luna not only collects homeless animals, but she seems to collect quirky friends and family members. Something that she must have in common with the author because she excels at writing about circles of friends and eccentric family members. My favorite moments in this story did revolve around Luna and her rag tag group of friends. Those relationships showed off Luna’s strength of will and love for her friends. The fact that she wanted to take on the world and protect her little family was nice but got a little tiring. I loved her resolve but wanted the resolution to come about a little quicker. The addition of Jameson into their group as her partner and love interest added some emotion to the story. I like him a lot and liked the way he settled her. She was a lot to handle!

I read Ms. Shalvis’ novels because I know I’m going to get fed some comfort food. Interesting characters, an envious circle of friends, and a lot of heart. This book delivers all of that plus a good-hearted love story that rounds out the novel really nicely.

Jill Shalvis is phenomenal at writing small town romance, The Bright Spot is full of love, laughs and an amazing cast of characters that you will pull for. Luna and Jameson are meant to be together. You feel it in the pages. You see the farm – the writing is so good you are immersed in this crazy, exciting world. All the love for The Bright Spot.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. The Bright Spot is a sweet little rom-com. When an inheritance brings together people from two different walks of life to save a working farm back from the brink of financial ruin, the two unlikely inheritors who should hate each other find themselves working on the same side of the "v". Although formulaic and predictable, as any good rom com should be, it was the perfect quick read for a lazy weekend day, a win for the little guys and a motley crew of characters that you will fall in love with. I always enjoy Jill Shalvis's books and this was a solid 3.5 stars from me.

I've never read anything by Jill Shalvis that I didn't love. This story features characters that have somehow come together to work and try to save a local farm. Their fearless leader is a young woman, Luna, who seems to magically take care of everyone's needs (including the farms charming group of rescue animals).

Upon the death of the owner, Luna discovers that she is now co-owner with a preppy number guy who discloses the monetary issues that could close the farm. She really doesn't want to like him, but how can she resist Jameson in his dress pants and loafers holding a baby goat in pajamas? Could any woman?

The ragtag team of characters, along with the somewhat awkward romances of the quirky characters help make this book. Shalvis always hits just the right tune to produce highly enjoyable stories and characters you can't help but wish were actual people that you could be friends with.

Thanks to Avon Books, Harper Voyager US, and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

I really liked the characters in this book.  They were an eclectic mix that made an interesting Apple Ridge Farm family.  The book was full of humor starting with the menagerie of rescued animals living on the farm.  Their names were fun as well as their personalities.
I enjoyed learning the background of the characters and how their lives were entwined together.  Luna and Jameson were both characters that had abandonment issues that they were still struggling to deal with as adults and it was interesting to see how Silas, who owned the farm had brought them together and may very well have broken them up too.  I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

i love a good jill shalvis book, and this one was no different! it's probably my favourite in a long while, not sure why or any specifics, but something about it just clicked with me immediately. i laughed several times, i got teary, i fell in love with the characters, i want to live on that farm. i love how she blends the serious with the light, the funny with the sad, the real life with the fantastical fiction i want to live in. sometimes i wish i could wipe my memory of all of jill shalvis books, just so i could read them again for the first time. anywho. i briefly looked at other reviews when i finished and was a wee bit shocked to see complaints about certain things that i didn't even notice. so i stopped looking at those reviews :) i loved this book. the end!

The Bright Spot is the fifth book in Shalvis's Sunrise Cove series. Each book in the series stands alone, having only location as the common factor among them so feel free to jump in and enjoy at any point.

The Bright Spot is indeed a bright spot on the reading landscape. There's found family (both two and four legged), heart-tugging rescue animals, an over-the-top grandmother (a hilarious handful), friend drama, opposites-attract romance, and more than a little emotional baggage.

I love that many of the characters in this series are flawed and have multiple layers to be explored. I love the relationship between Luna and her adopted grandmother, how their conversations expose some of those layers and help Luna evolve. I do wish there had been a bit more exploration of those layers when it came to Luna's relationship with Silas and the decisions he made.

It was fun watching "by the numbers" investment manager, Jameson slowly loosen his tie and fall under the spell of Luna, Apple Ridge Farm, and especially Dammit Ziggy, an adorable orphaned baby goat who thinks Luna is his mama but falls head over heels in love with Jameson. No lie, Dammit Ziggy pretty much steals the whole book. Jill Shalvis and adorable animals are a magical combo.

Luna's found family at the farm offer plenty of humor, conflict, emotion, and insight into this woman - who has found a way to draw people to her while still keeping them at a safe distance - to keep the story moving forward. I love their complex relationships, the way they (mostly) have her back (friend drama, remember?), and bring Jameson into the fold. Their antics provide humor, poignant emotion, and those much needed nudges for those times certain characters are reluctant to move forward on their own.

If you're looking for an upbeat, charming, opposites-attract story with emotion, humor, growth, and animals who will steal your heart, give The Bright Spot a try. But don't be surprised if you spend at least a week happily going down the online rabbit hole of adorable baby goats once you turn the final page.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley.
Fair and unbiased review.

Jill Shalvis continues to hit me right in the feels. The Bright Spot features Luna, who was adopted by birth and doesn't know anything about her birth family. She runs Apple Ridge Farm with a fantastic group of people that have become family. After the owner of the farm passes away she learns that she and Jameson each own 50% of the farm.

Jameson comes to Sunrise Cove and Apple Ridge Farm on a mission from the previous owner. He is a businessman who always business first. As Luna and Jameson become more entwined (both business wise and personally) you see how both of them change and reshape some of their perspectives. Luna, realizing that sometimes you have to make changes and tough calls and Jameson, realizing that the almighty bottom line isn't everything.

As always the cast of characters surrounding Luna and Jameson make this story even better, they show what a family truly should be, whether you're blood related or not. The found family trope is one of my favorites and no one does it better.

How could you not love a story that starts with a baby goat as a wake up call

Apple Ridge Farm is more than just real estate, it is a collection of characters who have formed their own little family. And Luna is the glue that holds them all together. All the while, though, she struggles to hold herself together. Adopted at birth and raised by parents with high expectations she has never been able to meet, she has never felt worthy until the owner of the farm picked her out of a nothing job and made her the manager. Now, Silas, has died and he has left the farm in equal parts to her and to an unknown "suit".

Silas took Jameson in after his mother died. He raised Jameson from the time he was 15 years old. While Jameson loved the old man, Silas had never been a warm, cuddly figure. Jameson had some issues of his own. His safe place is math, the truth he sees in the numbers. They are his life; he's the person that gets sent in to work out the ending to dying businesses. And that is what he plans for Apple Ridge Farm....until he gets there.

Jameson's shift from numbers cruncher to problem solver is made more profound by the juxtaposition of his practicality against Luna's dig in, can do attitude. The shift starts the night they meet. He recognizes a kindred spirit in her and is quickly encompassed by her never ending spirit and generous nature. Aided by a delightful cast of quirky, but ultimately loveable secondary characters, Jameson is ultimately pulled into the fold. This is a story about friendship, family and the family you make. It's about being who you are, about fighting for what's important to you and not giving up. A charming tale, told with passion and humor, Ms. Shalvis has once again done what she does best - tugs at our heartstrings.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙮 𝙅𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙫𝙞𝙨
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★★★★

The picturesque mountain vibes and Apple Ridge Farms that Jill Shalvis painted for her readers in this book had me hooked from page one! I instantly fell in love with all the employees of Apple Ridge and even more so the fun rescue animals! I absolutely loved the small town feel, the banter between friends and employees, as well as the two main characters Luna and Jameson. Their connection and story had me swooning from the moment they met.

The friends at Apple Ridge who became Luna’s family over the years were truly wonderful side characters and I loved that all their stories had me laughing one minute then in awe the next. Everyone coming together to help save Apple Ridge Farms was the icing on the cake! This was such a fun and heartwarming story.

Review will be posted to Instagram 1/17/24

Luna loves managing Apple Ridge Farm. Her days are incredibly busy but she has a job she is proud of and a family she has created on the farm that means everything to her. When the owner of the farm dies, Luna's entire world is turned upside down. Jameson plans to go to the farm and help the manager fix the finances and then he's going to go back to his normal life. Little do they know that they need each other for more than saving the farm.

Do you like feel good family stories? Do you like cute baby goats? How about crazy grandmothers? What about second chance romance? This book has all of that and more. The author does a great job creating a cast of characters that just make sense together. Even Jameson starting out as "the suit" and discovering that this crazy cast of characters can be his family, too. Is that a spoiler since this is a Jill Shalvis romance novel? I like that Sila (the man that died and set off the series of events in the novel) had secrets that cause ripples throughout the story. I like that Luna's best friend, Willow, gets a second chance romance story with her husband. Are there things I wish the author had added to the story? Sure but the reader doesn't really need to meet Luna's parents to understand why she is the way she is.

This is a contemporary romance set on a quirky farm. I would recommend this story if you want a feel good love story with a cast of characters capable of making readers smile. I will read more from this author in the future.

Luna Wright was adopted at birth but has never felt close to her parents. They wanted her to be a Dr. like they are, but Luna had different ideas. Now she runs a farm with her best friend, Willow Green and her adopted grandma Stella Montgomery. Along with the other farm employees Luna has created her own little family. Life is going along smoothly until the owner of the farm passes away and Luna gets the shock of her life along with the addition of the mysterious Jameson Hayes. Jameson's job is to try and get the farm to profitable and of course he butts heads with Luna every step of the way. As Luna and Jameson spend more time together, they start to see each other in a different light until they finally take things to the next level. Things are going well personally, but the farm isn't in such a great shape. When a wonderful idea comes about, Luna may have actually found a way to make all of her dreams come true.

I really enjoyed this grumpy vs. sunshine, enemies love story. Luna was such a fun, quirky character and I loved her connections with each and every one of her friends. Jameson was a fun, flirty guy who was just what Luna needed. These two both had issues from their pasts but together they made a perfect pair!

The Bright Spot is the fifth book in Jill Shalvis's Sunrise Cove series and it was another fantastic addition to the series! It can definitely be read as a standalone even though it is part of a series.

Luna Wright is a farmer who has found a home at Apple Ridge Farm. Not only with the employees, but the animals as well. When the owner of the farm passes away, he leaves her half of the farm. The other half of the farm is left to Jameson Hayes, who is an investment manager. He's not your typical investment manager though. He actually fits in quite well at Apple Ridge Farm and the chemistry between he and Luna is evident pretty quickly.

Luna and Jameson definitely have their hands full as Silas, the previous owner, wasn't exactly honest about how the farm had been doing. Luna is willing to do just about anything to save the place that she has come to call home and that means so much to her. You can't help but root for her as she works at saving Apple Ridge Farm. Meanwhile Jameson bonds with the animals along with also working to do his part.

This was such a great little group of self-made family! Sometimes we may not have blood family around, but chosen family is just as important. I highly enjoyed this!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Luna was adopted at birth and never knew her birth parents. When the owner of Apple Ridge Farm dies and leaves half the ownership to her, she learns that he was her biological grandfather. Luna does everything in her power to save the farm and working against Jameson - the other owner of the farm.

I liked the idea of this book. I did feel like the characters felt clunky and not fully developed though which took away from the story.

Read if You Like:
🐐 Loveable animals
🐐 Found Family
🐐 Quirky characters
🐐 Funny one-liners
🐐 Cozy romance

The banter, tension and chemistry were a great build up to a wonderful love story. Loved that there were so many wonderful side characters that made this story even more lively. However, the MC’s were great from the meet cute. Loved how their relationship development was written. Ends with a HEA and an epilogue.

I am so happy whenever there is a new Jill Shalvis read as I have been reading her books for almost 20 years, and this book is one of my new favorites. Luna, Jameson,Willow, Shane, Stella, Chef, Milo,and the rest of the gang made a wonderful family of the heart. To me, that was the overall theme of the book. Luna and Jameson both had major trust issues, but finally found their way. Everyone had their strengths and weaknesses in this story but that is what gave it the emotion needed for a real HEA. The farm that they all worked and lived on, with its many unusual animals, most of them rescues was a fabulous setting for another wonderful story told by one of the best romance writers out there. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.