It's been a minute since I visited Moonflower Bay and I was thrilled to go back and get Maya and Law's story. I appreciated the drive they both had to be awarded the grant to help with their business goals and even more than that? I couldn't get enough of their chemistry. I'm a sucker for "enemies to lovers" when done well and these two checked that box.

I did end up listening to the audiobook for Sandcastle Beach and, if I'm being totally honest, I did not LOVE that format. I probably should've read the eARC instead. It might have been the volume at which I was listening without headphones, but the narrator was almost shrill at times when she was portraying Maya's excitement or exasperation. It wasn't enough to take me totally out of the story or make me dislike the character, but it did definitely cause me to flinch a couple of times.

That said, all in all, I adored this book. Jenny Holiday is an auto read author for me.

I’ve been waiting for Sandcastle Beach to learn more about the feud between Law and Maya. In the previous 2 books when these 2 were in the same room, neither gave up an opportunity to get under the other’s skin. The enemies to lovers in this one didn’t disappoint.

As in the previous 2 books, I loved the meddling older group of town residents who made it their mission to know what was happening in town and magically intervene for the good of the younger residents. The chemistry and banter between Law and Maya was amazing but it was quite a slow burn to get to that first kiss. Some of my favorite scenes were the quieter moments spent together before they got together as a couple.

Read if you like:
- Enemies to lovers trope with sizzling banter
- small town romance, especially when set in lakeside Canadian towns with some quirky traditions
- grumpy heroes who show affection in small and meaningful ways
- close friend groups that are there for one another

Sandcastle Beach is the third book in Jenny’s Matchmaker Bay series. It follows bar wonder Benjamin “Law” and theater owner Maya, who are sworn enemies.

I am a huge HUGE fan of this series. The first two books I binged so quick, then gave them to my romance loving Nana who proceeded to tell me “Molly! Those books were....(fans herself)” 😆 so when Sandcastle Beach came out earlier this year I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! I’ve been waiting for Law’s story!

I really enjoyed his and Maya’s enemies to lovers journey and watching her soften and learn to open up and trust Law. It had the classics Matchmaker Bay charm with the small town, meddling elders, and the whole crew throughout the book.

One that that was a bit harder for me was it was a SLOOOOOOW burn. Slow. I think if I would have known that going in I wouldn’t have felt the dragging so much, but I really wanted them to just GET TOGETHER!

Overall I’d definitely recommend adding this entire series to your summer TBR! I haven’t heard but really hope this isn’t the last one!

Thank you @readforeverpub for the gifted copy to read and give an honest review!

Maya Mehta is the town's theater director and Benjamin "Law" Lawson owns the local bar. They've been feuding for years. When a competition starts in their town they both want to win this money that can help their businesses making them rivals. The whole town plays matchmaker and they end up finding themselves alone together quite often. Law has always had a thing for Maya. He enjoys pushing her buttons and watching her reactions and when he finds out someone else might be interested in her he decides to make a move. Will their feud get in the way of love?

Jenny Holiday can do no wrong. I've been waiting for Maya and Law's story and it was so worth it. Rivals to lovers, witty banter, small-town romance. Everyone can see it except for the hero and heroine. Slow burn, low angst. cuteness overload. I got Much Ado About Nothing Beatrice and Benedick vibes and I loved it so much.

Maya and Law's enemies to lovers romance was the perfect way to wrap up the Matchmaker Bay series. After seeing these two spar every time they were together in the previous books, I was definitely ready to find out how this feud originally began. Even though this is book 3 in the series, it can be read as a standalone. It will be most enjoyed, however, if read in order.

I really enjoyed Jenny Holiday’s Sandcastle Beach! It’s a charming, small town romance filled with unforgettable characters.
Jenny Holiday’s characters drew me into the story. Ben “Law” Lawson is the perfect swoony hero. I loved the witty banter between Law and theater owner Maya Mehta. He looks forward to seeing her every night at his bar, Lawson’s Lager, where he greets her with a glass of Riesling. Although Maya may appear to be indifferent towards Law—she genuinely enjoys his company and friendship….although she’d never admit it.
The slow burn romance between Maya and Law is perfectly written. Loved the laugh out loud scenes when Moonflower Bay’s matchmakers Pearl, Eiko, Art and Karl tried to bring the couple together. The attraction between the couple was apparent to everyone—the couples friends, family members and the patrons of Law’s bar. Loved how the town wide competition heated up the romance between Law and Maya.
The storyline is engaging, romantic and relatable. Loved how the author blended these elements into the grant competition as it kicked the storyline up a notch. Jenny Holiday is a “new-to-me” author and I look forward to her next book!
If you are looking for a small town romance filled with fabulous characters—pick up a copy of Sandcastle Beach!

Sandcastle Beach is the third book in the Matchmaker Bay series, and it was just as sweet as the first two. Maya (owner of the town theater) and Law (owner of the local bar) have been snapping at each other since the first book, and this has a classic enemies-to-lovers trope. The two also fight over funding from the town - their professional lives at odds with their personal ones.

I thought this book was really fun! I loved Maya and Law’s snappy rapport. Overall, this is a fun series that isn’t too steamy - the perfect beach reads for summer. I’d read them in order if I were you - each book builds on the other. (Can you tell I still have a long time until summer? All I want to do is read on the beach!)

Thanks to @NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for my ARC!

I love Maya and Benjamin "Law" . They love to bicker, roll their eyes at each other, and all the fun things "enemies" do.

Maya runs the local community theater and she's good at it, but she's also on the brink of financial problems that could close the theater.

Benjamin had run his family's bar for a long time but he's thinking of expanding and opening up a restaurant.

If you have read this series, you know the older generation- the matchmakers will get involved in their lives. They come up with a grant that will go to one winner and Maya and Benjamin both want it. So begins a war of sorts.

I love the old people. They are so good at their matchmaking and you just know how it's going to end. I love the "when will they?!" thoughts you get while reading and when you get there..... There is some heat that's also very sweet.

Once again, Jenny Holiday has managed to create a fun and distracting world for me to fall into. I am a fan of Ms. Holiday’s work and can honestly say she is one of my go to’s for a fun, easy, beach or cozy cold day read. This read did not disappoint, and I was so happy to realize it was part of another series – so I have two others to dive back into.

If you love small town romance, Jenny Holiday reads, and enemies to lovers romcoms… or any combination of the three – I definitely recommend checking this one out asap! This was actually the third book in the Matchmaker Bay series, but it can definitely be read as a standalone as well (one of the things I love about her romcom series reads). I haven’t read books 1 or 2 yet, but I had no problem following along. I really enjoyed the banter between Ben and Maya and the book of course had fun side characters too. Looking for a fun rainy spring day read? Or a great beach vacation one? Pick up a copy – you won’t regret it! 😊

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the opportunity to read a copy of this early in exchange for an honest review.

I was actually really looking forward to this book as Maya and Law have been secondary characters in the first two books and I just knew their romance would be spicy with the whole enemies to lovers thing. The wait was definitely worth it because this was my favorite in the series thus far.

Besides catching up with the couples from the first two books and the meddling matchmakers you get a deeper look at both Maya and Law and what really happened between them in the past to make them so cranky towards each other. Bickering between soon to be lovers is always fun for me and these two had great banter, they definitely made me laugh. I loved getting to see more of Maya’s theater work as well, she’s a passionate character and her enthusiasm was adorable. The epilogue was super satisfying as it ties up some loose ends with all the characters, especially since I think this is the last book in the series.

I love this series, small town and all the characters! This one felt a little flat for me- I couldn't want for Law and Maya but it just felt like it was the same thing over and over and a little one sided for enemies to lovers. We got a bit of interracial relationships and race/gender issues. There was also no real steam or action until super late, so compared to the other it was low steam.

Can't wait to come back to this town soon!

3 stars

As a professional stage manager, this book hit near and dear to my heart. I grew up in community theatre and it shaped who I have become as a person and in my career. Maya loves the community theatre she has built from the ground up more than anything, and she will stop at nothing to save it. She is the strength I want to see in all female characters; she doesn't wait for a man to swoop in and solve all her problems. Law also owns a business in town, and he values it's place in the community as much as Maya does. This is definitely a slow burn romance, but it is well worth the wait in anticipation of the will they, won't they figure it out dynamic. I haven't read the first two books in the series, but I had no trouble picking up the story, and am excited to go back and see some familiar characters in the earlier novels.
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My only complaint is that Maya constantly wears her costumes out of the theatre and to the bar! There is no theatre practitioner that would do that! Especially not as the owner of a cash-strapped community theatre...I spent so much time worrying that she was going to ruin a particularly important costume piece with a spilled drink!!

Oh, I love an unrequited love/enemies-to-lovers! These two and their suppressed FEELINGS were chef's kiss. I was waiting for their story, and Jenny delivered.

Another Jenny Holiday book means another day of nothing but reading!

I loved this book and the story of Maya and Ben. This sweet contemporary romance will make you continue to fall in love with Matchmaker Bay and its eclectic cast of characters.

I loved the new additions to the cast, and how the stories of the characters are interwoven. This would be a perfect TV series! If you haven’t gotten to read any of these books, nows the time! Trust me, you’ll love them!

I received an ARC of this novel from Grand Central Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for my review. I am a big fan of Jenny Holiday novels. They always have great small-town characters and the plots are a bit predictable-but who cares! Sandcastle Beach is the latest in the Mermaid Series and I have read all the books. Just like old shoes, it is enjoyable to run into the same characters again when you read a series. This time the main characters are the prickly Maya Mehta, the director of the local summer stock theater program and her favorite enemy, Benjamin "Law" Lawson, who runs the local bar that has been in the family for generations. Both Law and Maya need money and find themselves competing against each other to get a local grant that would give both of their businesses the boost that they need. In typical enemies-to-friends novels the best part is watching the main characters figure out how they actually feel about each other! I really liked this novel, but compared to the rest in this series, this one felt like it ran out of steam a bit for me, but still worth the read!

Sandcastle Beach is an entertaining and well written romance. Very fun plot with good character dynamics. I recommend this book.

Sancastle Beach is a delightful wrap up (I think?) to the matchmaker bay series. We finally get to see all the tension and snark between Maya and Law that has been simmering for three books come to a boil (Cooking jokes 100% intended). Literally my ONLY complaint has nothing to do with the writing, it is that this book was published in the new comfort size MMP and it does not match with the rest of the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for a copy of Sandcastle Beach for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

We're back in Moonflower Bay for the final book in the Matchmaker Bay trilogy. This novel follows "enemies" Maya Mehta, the owner of the local community theater, and Benjamin "Law" Lawson, the owner of the local bar. The community theater and bar are right next to each other leading Maya and Law to come to verbal blows in the past about things such as parking. Maya is at her wit's end with repairs to the theater starting to cost her everything she owns looking at the possibility of shuttering the doors to her dream. Law's family has owned the bar for three generations. He is looking at expanding his business into a separate restaurant but is afraid of taking the risk and what it may mean to his family's business if he has to risk it as capital for a location for the restaurant. When a local grant is offered to a business, Law and Maya are pitted against each other looking for a way to help their individual dreams. As with many romances, this enemies-to-lovers romance will show although the two may think their good by themselves they are better off together not only in love but also in business.

I love Jenny Holiday and this series so much. It has been a great reprieve from the lives we are living in the pandemic. It took longer for love to finally bloom between Maya and Law which was irritating at times. I figured out the ending but that doesn't mean it wasn't touching when it occurred. I still need to read Mermaid Inn, the first novel in the series, but I didn't enjoy this one quite a much as Paradise Cove. Even saying that I know I'll be rereading Sandcastle Beach and the rest of this series over and over again. As a reader I fell in love with the characters and the location. I wish Moonflower Bay was a real place because I'd be booking a ticket as soon as I can travel again, thanks global pandemic.

Not to be forgotten, Sandcastle Beach also offers a novella by Jenny Holiday, Once Upon a Bride. Once Upon a Bride is the introduction to her previously published Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series. Who doesn't love a bonus story. I can't wait to dive into Jenny Holiday's backlist and read whatever she comes up with next. She has quickly become an auto-buy author.

Sandcastle Beach was a fun and charming enemies-to-lovers romance. I adored Maya and Law's bantering, stare downs, and secret football screenings. I loved seeing their "dislike" for each other change throughout the story and I saw real growth in their relationship. The romance was a slow burn and the sexual tension building between those two was fire!
Overall, I enjoyed the story and how everything came together in the end for these characters.
If you're interested in a small-town romantic read, check out Sandcastle Beach! It's the third and final installment in the Matchmaker Bay series but it can be read as a standalone.



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*Complimentary copy for review provided by Forever Romance. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.

Sandcastle Beach was the perfect ending to this series. I loved catching up with all the characters. And really enjoyed Maya and Law together. This book just swept me away when I needed it!