Make or Break at the Lighthouse B&B by Portia MacIntosh is a delightful romantic comedy that I really enjoyed. Lola James is a matchmaker who broke her leg at her best friend's wedding. Unfortunately Lola finds out who her real friends are when she needs help since she will be in a wheelchair for awhile. Lola's boyfriend won't even help, so she returns to her parents home. I enjoyed all the twists and turns in Lola's life, and this was a fun book to escape with. I highly recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Some days you just want to read a story that is funny, well written and engrossing. On one of those days I read this story and I can say it fully satisfied my needs.
It's fun to read, well written and engrossing.
Lola is a likable and relatable character that made me smile and root for her. I like her arc and I loved how she changed in the story.
The entire cast of character is well thought and I appreciated how the author developed her characters.
I loved the setting and the descriptions made me crave to there.
The story flows, it never bores and once I was hooked I couldn't put it down.
It's the second book I read by Portia MacIntosh and I hope to another one soon as this story was such a pleasant and fun read.
Highly recommended if you want escapism at high level.
Many thanks to HQ Digital and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This is everything you could want in a fun, romantic, quick read and it comes neatly wrapped up with this stunning cover. This is the perfect read for the month of love or for any time you just want to escape into a beautifully described setting with some witty character interactions.

As I started reading this I thought that I was going to struggle with the main character as she seemed superficial and naive but once she was back in her home setting she became a much more likeable and savvy character.

Some of the dialogue was a little cringe at times but there were also some giggles and heart felt moment between the (digital) pages.

I have since found out that although this is a stand alone book there other books written by the author set in the same location an some of the characters that pop up in this are cameo appearances and I will definitely be checking them out!

This was such a cute, light hearted book that had me laughing out loud. The characters were are very likable, despite their flaws. Not to mention the character growth and development that is presented in Lola. I absolutely love character development and how her attitude went from pitty party, hating that she had to come live with her parents. To absolutely loving it and finding out not only who her real friends are but also who she is and wants to be. The way the author describes the setting makes you feel like you are really sitting there with the characters. Overall, it is a very light hearted read that will have you laughing one minute and swooning the next.

I am a big fan of Portia and i have read several books within this world as well as others and as always, she does not disappoint.

Lola James had it all, she had a boyfriend, a well paid job and glamorous friends, however when she breaks her leg at her best friends wedding, their true colours begin to show when no one wants to help her out and she is basically sent packing to her mum and dads b&b to live.

Even that isnt practical with a broken leg, as its a lighthouse, and Lola is confined to a wheelchair. A wheelchair that seems to be getting under her mums feet.
A mum who wants to set Lola up (despite her having a boyfriend when she arrives) and plans to get Lola a job who isnt even planning on staying.

Throw in her best friend from school, the hunky village doctor who even seems to be in love with and Dean whos sister is desperate to find him a date and you have the makings of a mixed bunch that are a delight to read all about.

I adored this book, it was lovely.Lola is a real likeable character - because she makes mistakes, she is flawed, she is frustrated and relate-able. Her family are a bunch that i warmed too so much. It was such a light hearted read that had me chuckling at some of the disaster, irritated at some of Lolas so called friends but most of all it had me rooting from them all to get their own endings. I dont just mean happy ones because some of them so did not deserve one. However - i am so looking forward to dipping into more of these books!

4.5 Stars

Matchmaker Lola James thought she had it all- a great job, a gorgeous boyfriend, and wonderful friends. But when she breaks her leg, she discovers that her friends want nothing to do with her, and her boyfriend makes it clear that he's too busy to help her. With no one else in London to take care of her, Lola moves back to her parents' B&B in the picturesque little town of Marram Bay. While she recovers at home, she learns some important lessons about love and friendships.

I found this book to be a delightful and lighthearted romantic read, with witty dialogue, engaging characters, and a lovely seaside setting. Lola was easy to like and relate to. I enjoyed spending time in her world and would love to read more books set in Marram Bay. If you enjoy rom-coms, then I definitely recommend this book. As an added bonus, it's set in February, making it the perfect Valentine's Day read.

I received an ARC from HQ Digital through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Lovely feel good book to read. I really enjoyed reading it. It was well written. It was really funny. Really uplifting. Great for these dark cold nights.

Plot

Welcome to beautiful Hope Island, where the sun is shining, the locals are welcoming, and Lola is about to find a second chance at love...
Thirty-one-year-old matchmaker Lola James had it all - until she broke her leg at a wedding and discovered that her so-called 'best friend' was suddenly too busy to call, her flat had far too many steps, and her boyfriend replaced her quicker than you can say 'crutches'.
And so she's back at her parents' B&B, sleeping in the living room (she can't get upstairs) and having her hair washed by her mum (she can't get in the shower).
Freshly single and with a lot of time on her hands, Lola is only too pleased to run into gorgeous Dr Will , an old friend who has definitely improved with age... And then there's Dean , a divorce who's convinced he's better off alone - no matter how lonely he is.
Can Will help mend Lola's broken heart as well as her leg? Can she help Dean find love? As a wise man once said, sometimes the one for you is right under your nose, all along...

Review

Oh this is just the cutest book!

I love the setting of Hope Island and the surrounding Marram Bay (you all know I’m a sucker for the seaside)

The characters are really fleshed out. I didn’t think I was going to like Lola at first as she seemed slightly entitled but I soon got over that as I loved the way her life starting to become clearer with each week she was laid up.

Dean is a total dish and I love his attitude towards life but I think my favourite of all was Doris the sassy pensioner looking for love.

I would have liked to explore the setting a little more but I understand that this book is part of a series so I will definitely be looking at the next books.

This is a fun quick read, indeed I read it in one sitting.

The only reason I’m knocking one star off is that unfortunately my proof copy was badly formatted and at times a little hard to read.

Now if you don’t mind I’m booking a reservation at the Lighthouse.

Rating

4 stars

Recommend

Yes

This book was kindly gifted to me by the publisher HQ Digital in exchange for an honest review.
Opinions therein are my own
Not sponsored.

The beginning of the book bothered me a little because it's such a short book that I expected the love interest to be introduced earlier than 40% into the book. I still enjoyed the romance, a lot, and although I can't relate to the main character Lola, Dean is such a funny love interest that I couldn't give this less than 3 stars.
If you can overlook what I mentioned above, then the romance is fun and cute!

Lola found out a lot when she broke her leg falling off her six inch heels- mostly that her friends and her boyfriend aren't really her friends. She discovers it is possible to go home again when she finds herself back at her parent's B&B in Marram Bay. This is a real takes a village rom-com- Lola's a matchmaker in London and now her parents help her form the Unmatchables, all of whom are, of course, completely matchable! She's also got two love interests of her own. Will and Dean- which one will it be? Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is light, funny (there's great dialogue), and the sort of novel you need to cheer you up. A good read.

Thank you so much NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.
This happens to be the first book I've read of Portia Macintosh and let me say I was not disappointed one bit! She has an excellent way of putting the right words on the page. It has it all..heartbreak, romance, friends to lovers, comedy. You need to pick up this book and take it on your next vacation cause you will devour it on the plane or on the beach. Such a fun read that just leaves you feeling joyful and happy after it's done. A feel good book :)

Poor Lola, not only has she broken her leg, but she's been put out by all who claim to be her friends and worst yet her boyfriend. So much that she has to go home to mom and dad to be looked after for. While she finds herself back in her home town with a broken leg and wheelchair bound she is board out of her mind. Well that is until her mom decides to give her a project with a little help of the towns Facebook group. With Lola's job as being a matchmaker back in London for the rich & famous, her mother puts out an add that Lola will assist the town with finding love. What starts out as annoying project turns into a little something she didn't see coming. Can going home to the island she couldn't wait to leave just be the thing Lola needs to find true love and true friendships?

I really enjoyed this book. Written in a perfect style with lots of wit and humour. I loved reading about Lola’s return to her parents’ home following a rather unfortunate accident at her friend’s wedding and how she comes to realise the differences between superficial friendships & relationships and good friendships and how romantic relationships can happen where you least expect them. Lola looks after the love lives & relationships of the rich & famous yet her own love life is in tatters after she discovers that not one but two suitors are cheats, the story of how she overcomes this with her small band of misfits, ‘the unmatchables’ , is such a good read & one of the best books I’ve read in a while.
I’ve already downloaded the prequel to this book as I’m new to the author but love her style of writing and am looking forward to reading that too.

Five stars for an enjoyable and cute read. Short but sweet, perfect with a cup of tea. Enjoyed reading about Lola and her new Marram bay friends. Looking forward to more stories set in this cosy seaside town.

Great book which i could not put down and read in a few hours, great likeable characters and i look forward to reading more in this series.

This book is part of the Marram Bay series, it is set on Hope Island. It is definitely a standalone book. There are references to the other books, and some of the previous characters pop up in cameo roles. It is wonderful to catch up with them.
The protagonist Lola is a matchmaker in London for the rich and famous. When she breaks her leg, she soon discovers that her friends are not real friends at all.
She is forced to temporarily move back home to her parents B&B on Hope Island. Her Mum goes behind her back and sets her up as a matchmaker for the Island's single residents.
Lola can be quite hasty in her decision making and rushing in and out of love. Once she settles into life at the B&B she changes into a more likeable character and a different type of person.
I found this book very easy to read. You could easily lose yourself reading for a couple of hours. It is a fun read, there are no real surprises, but It is enjoyable, and I liked reading it.
I would love to read more books which are set in Marram bay. The setting is lovely, the characters and places in the book are great. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my early preview copy of this book.

Really enjoyable story, loved the setting and the characters would love to see more in this setting!

Loved this book! Really fun despite its (unsurprisingly) melancholy start. A good pick-me-up and a fun read! Her mum is a real character... jumps off the page. 5 fun stars

Make or Break at the Lighthouse B&B was an easy and light read that I was able to dig right into and tear through rather quickly.

This story follows Lola who lived in the big city and lived the fancy life with her fancy friends, dating the snazzy guy, and doing her fancy job. She thought she was too good for the small town she came from and did everything she could to leave that girl behind. However after an untimely spill during her best friend's wedding resulting in a broken leg, she quickly finds out how fake her friends and boyfriend are and goes home to recover and lick her wounds.

While she's recovering at her parents B&B she tries to keep herself occupied by keeping her matchmaking going. There ends up being a somewhat love triangle with Lola and two other men but the story is resolved pretty quickly.

Overall I really enjoyed my time with Lola and would almost love another segment in the series to see where it all goes. It was a delightful escape on a dreary winter's day.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

A light, easy read which held my attention throughout. I didn't much like the beginning, but once Lola broke her leg and moved back to her home town to convalesce, there was a nicer feel. I suppose that was the idea, contrast ing Lola's fair-weather friends in London to her solid friendships back in Marram Bay. I do feel she binned her boyfriend off pretty quickly and was a bit childish to not even speak to him on the phone, but whatever. And then she was very quick to start viewing an old school friend as a romantic prospect. Talk about being on the rebound. I like the way her friendship with Dean developed though. I think Lola dealt with living with her parents really well considering. They'd have driven me mad. The mother was very irritating. All in all, a good read. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Make or break at the lighthouse B&B” was a comical and uplifting story.

After breaking her leg at her best friend’s wedding and being cut off by her boyfriend and friends, Lola has to move back with her parents to her childhood home where she will rediscover herself. There she will have to deal with a mum and dad that are behaving suspiciously and reconnect with some old friends, while trying to find love for an enchanting group of new friends, “The Unmatchables”.

At first I thought Lola would be a pretty superficial girl but was glad to find that she soon realizes the kind of life and friends (if you can call them that) she had in London.

I loved the dynamics with “The Unmatchables” and how they represented a whole different range of people and not only young girls, although it was a bit frustrating seeing how Lola didn’t practice what she preached.

I found most of the characters likable and endearing; the setting was a gorgeous one, and I’m so glad cause I just found out the author has several other books taking place in Hope Island and Marram Bay.

Fun and quick read with lovable characters and an entertaining plot that will leave you smiling once you reach the end.

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ Digital for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.