yes. this is the epitome of summer reading. please pick this up while you're in quarantine and dream of all the wonderful places we will go when we can get the fuck out of our houses again.

Charles Spaniel, Frank. After her divorce, she purchases a gift shop and holiday rental property. She quickly becomes friends with the single mom waitress, Lexi. So many of the town people are welcoming and her future seems to be looking up. Miles is her snobby neighbor with a pampered and rude fiancé. He also wanted to buy the shop and seems to hold a grudge. As Stella starts to discover there is life after divorce, someone in this town is trying to undermine everything she has done. She finds that perhaps she was wrong about her snobby neighbor after all, but is it too late to save her shop and dreams?

This book was perfect. I wanted a rom-com and this really hit the spot. I love that it is set in the UK. The different terms they use (“let” instead of “rental”) really took me away on a mental vacation. So many of the side characters made me smile and laugh. Miles’ fiancé was a lit over the top, but as the purpose was to make the reader LOATHE her, it worked. I thoroughly enjoyed this light and quick read. If you are into rom-coms, this one is for you. Three and one-half out of five stars for me.

Thanks to HQ Digital and Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a great introduction to a new-to-me authors work and even better I have started reading her work at the start of a brand new series, how better could a person get?!
I will admit that even though I have heard a lot of great things about Katie Ginger’s work, this is actually my first of her books I have read and I am so pleased to say that she well and truly lived up to such great expectations and I will certainly be seeking more of her books out in the future, as I think her cheerful and feel-good writing is exactly what we need to cheer us all up in these weird days we have found ourselves in.
After her divorce, Stella and her gorgeous King Charles Spaniel; Frank, makes a dash to the beautiful village of Swallowtale Bay, where she rather impulsively buys the local gift shop plus two-holiday lets and plans to make a whole new life for herself in this quietly charming and idyllic village. There she meets a single mother and fellow divorcee; Lexi who currently works in the shop next door and as you can expect with two women having so much in common they soon make the best of friends. And Miles who is a grouchy grumbling grump, a man who is a little peeved as he had his own eyes on the very shop Stella has bought.
All s pretty much OK for Stella and her newfound way of life, that is until someone in her new home starts spreading gossip about Stella, anyone who has watched an episode of Emmerdale of Midsummer Murders will know that gossips spread like wildfire in these cosy little villages and to top it all her ex-husband is getting married and has invited her to his wedding….well, that isn’t uncomfortable, is it?
Will Stella go to this wedding? Will she get to the bottom of the gossip and who is behind it? And more than that will she be able to find her happiness in the new home she has found for herself?
I absolutely love a book which has a real friendship for life feel to it, yes there is love in there too but it is the unbreakable bond between true friends that I really loved, This is what we need more of from books, we need that added layer of good strong female friendships that the reader can relate to instantly.
This book is full of good-natured banter, romance, I love the small village community that is so strong within Swallowtail Bay, nothing is perfect but this group of intriguing and highly likeable individuals come together, I love that and it was such a joy getting to know Stella, Lexi and Miles, I am very excited to see what comes next in this series.
Overall, am enjoyable, non-taxing easy read story that is all about friendship and love, a cosy little drama that will pull at the heartstring far more times then I can count.

Lovely book to read. It was well written. Nice and easy to read. Perfect summer read. The book was very realistic and had down to earth characters. Looking forward to see if there will be more to this series

Loved this book. Great characters, easy read, uplifting, funny, romantic and charming. A really nice story that is the perfect escapist read.

This was a brilliant heartwarming story which I very much enjoyed reading. Characters were engaging, storyline was well thought out and the setting was lovely. Fully worth a read which leaves a smile on your face.

Oh I am so happy I gave katie Ginger a chance! I absolutely LOVED her book "Spring Tides at Swallowtail Bay"!!! And I am so happy to know that it's the first book of a serie!!!! This book was exactly the type of chicklit that I love reading! Everything in this book was cosy... the writing style, the settings, the characters, the story... everything! This book is all about second chances, about forgiveness and kindness, about village gossips and about love! I cannot wait to read the second book!! I hope it will be out soon! I give this book a 4 stars out of 5! Very good book!

Always a fan of the ‘overcoming an awful time, setting up in a brand-new place where we don’t know anyone’ storyline, especially if at a seaside place. It’s perfect for the current climate where we don’t want anything too disturbing, difficult or upsetting. A lovely form of escapism in a book.
Katie Ginger, as always, gives us a lovely bunch of characters that you take to your heart. Now this story isn’t all hearts and flowers, it does contain some sadness, some moments of despair and one scene of utter grossness – but you will have a huge smile on your face by the end.
I really like Stella. She knew what she wanted, she is determined, and hard working and I liked how she really got stuck in. Of course, the lovely Lexi and she were destined to be best friends, it is a wonderful friendship that is realistic and much needed for both characters. Characters to love and characters you will hate – brilliant!
I liked how relationships have been set up and that we will be back visiting our new friends soon. I look forward to a return visit. It’s cosy and charming, I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
Thanks to netgalley for an advanced copy to read and review.

A lovely uplifting story.
Stella is just getting over a divorce and buys a gift shop in Swallowtail Bay.
She doesn't exactly have a good first meeting with Miles who is a grumpy neighbour.
Swallowtail Bay sounds like the perfect place with wonderful caring people.
This is a story you can escape to.

Stella had just moved to Swallowtail Bay with her little dog Frank. She’d recently split up with her husband Isaac and was ready for a new start. Stella has bought a quaint little shop full of tat and treasures with her flat above it and two apartments next door to let. She was planning on keeping very busy.
Lexi lived in Swallowtail Bay too with her two small children. Ralph 6 and Taylor 8. She worked in the local cafe for Raina who had owned it for almost 40years.
We follow the lives of Stella and Lexi and watch their friendship blossom.
A beautiful book and a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Spring tides at Swallowtail Bay by Katie Ginger

This is the first book in a new series and is about Stella who is a recent divorcee who has packed up her life in Oxford to open a shop in the small town of swallowtail bay . On her arrival Stella has a run in with Miles the other prospective buyer for the shop who on appearance is pompous rude and just a little bitter that she won the shop.

A lovely story following Stella’s journey and friends she makes. Very enjoyable although the odd bit predictable and mostly very surprising. Overall thoroughly enjoyable. Loved the stories and secrets of the people some expected and others completely unexpected ! Can’t wait for the next instalment in the series . Well done Katie Ginger. Lovely lovely story.

What a wonderful escape to Swallowtail Bay, made me want to visit this enchanting little place. Thoroughly enjoyed becoming acquainted with all the fantastic characters & look forward to the next book in the series

What a great read loved everything about this story A great mix of fabulous characters and a wonderful location When Stella takes a chance and buys a shop with holiday let's included little does she know how much her life will change as friendships soon develop and she immediately seems to fit in this charming little place she finally finds everything she was looking for

A wonderful book about fresh starts, close friendships and romance.
Stella buys a gift shop with 2 holiday lets in the lovely sounding Swallowtail Bay. She meets resistance and has a few issues to sort before her dream becomes a reality. Lexi becomes a great
friend who helps her out, whilst dealing with her own problems
A lovely feel good story.

A fantastic chick-lit page turner and it is a perfect summer beach read. A sweet heartwarming story.

The tag line for this books is ‘The perfect laugh-out-loud romantic comedy for summer!’, personally I think that’s wrong – this is the perfect laugh out loud romantic comedy for all seasons!

This is another fantastic 5* read from this highly talented author. Stella has bought a gift shop and two holiday lets in the seaside resort of Swallowtail Bay after her marriage broke down and she wanted a fresh start following her divorce. Most people are so welcoming she thinks she’s made the right decision but following his first encounter with her King Charles Spaniel, Frank, her grumpy neighbour is definitely the exception – and his fiancée is even worse!

What a brilliant community to escape into, with great characters, laugh out loud encounters and surprises galore. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and can’t wait to read more about them all in future stories based here. I have absolutely no hesitation in highly recommending this story to anyone looking for a very positive, light hearted read – it’s absolutely superb!

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it and can’t praise it highly enough!

I thought this book was so heartwarming and happy! It really felt like spring full of new beginnings, friendships, and budding romance. This is a book series you can fall in love with quickly because of such great characters and I’m so excited to read the next installment in a few months.

My six word review:
Bright, fresh, “new beginnings” spring read

I adore Katie Ginger books. They always put a smile on my face.
This is another with fab characters, great plot and great location.

Stella is putting it all on the line by giving up her old life and starting a new one. Buying a gift shop near the seaside sounds like such a magical thing to do. Images of her and Frank walking along the sandy beach, listening to the waves roll in, whilst lazy Frank sniffs everything to his hearts desire. It sounds like a wonderful place to start a new life.

She might not be expecting the chaos that comes with having holiday lets or the kind of opposition that comes from snapping up a popular property, but perhaps the friendships she makes on her new journey will be worth all the bother and stress.

The author mixes it up a little when it comes to the two men vying for the position of possible Prince Charming. Jay is a handsome heartthrob with a lack of morals, and an unusual relationship with the truth. Miles is affluent, straight-laced and a little bit on the awkward side - also on the handsome side though. Neither of them ring the bell when it comes to perfect love interest. In a way that is a better reflection of real life, even if this is fiction.

This is a cosy romance, with an emphasis on friendship, support and the small moments of kindness that keep people afloat in the most difficult of times. Ginger gives readers a read that mirrors life, whilst also giving them small moments of fantasy. It's the balance and the imperfection of the characters that absolutely make the read.

Such a lovely read, could be a little slow paced at times, but still such a nice story. I love a book about fresh starts, new beginnings and the perfect read for unsettling times. A book about friendship, people who keep you together when times are tough, this is definitely the perfect current read. Slow burn but sweet and guaranteed to make you feel better.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion