It’s always such a good weird feeling seeing your home represented in novels! Especially since Ontario is a rare setting for a novel. I think that’s why I love Jenny Holiday’s books so much. And this one is no exception.

I loved the first two books in her Matchmaker Bay series but I was waiting for this one even more. Maya and Law’s story was set up from the beginning, you could feel it brewing in the background and the build up was worth it!! I adored how Jenny started from the beginning and elaborated on some things that we had seen happen between them in earlier books.

The chemistry between Maya and Law was off the charts, they have the perfect witty banter and the frenemies-to-lover aspect made their eventual fall so much better. I loved this book with all its secret football (soccer) games, grilled cheese sandwiches, mermaid queens, Shakespeare plays and all.

Sandcastle Beach is the third standalone romance story in Ms. Holiday’s Matchmaker Bay series. This time around, the story focuses on lifelong residents, Maya, the owner of the local theatre, and Benjamin Lawson (Law), owner of the local tavern. The pair has a long history of bickering and petty squabbles, yet occupy the same group of friends. The book opens in the recent past, concurrent with second book and moves to present day within a few chapters. Maya and Law are both applying for the same community grant; however, no one knows that Maya needs the money or she’ll have to close the theatre. In true frenemies to lovers fashion, Law and Maya banter their way to love.

After adoring the first two titles in the Matchmaker Bay series, I had high hopes for Sandcastle Beach. Unfortunately, the title fell a bit flat for me. While the premise is solid and I enjoyed spending time back in the fictional town of Moonflower Bay, the story is very slow moving and there aren’t any sparks between Law and Maya until well into the title. The pair doesn’t really spend a lot of quality time together. Sure they watch a soccer match or two together, but weeks stream by, and I wasn’t sold on their chemistry. At the 60% mark, the pair are barely friends, and neither expresses (even internally) a strong desire for the other. Additionally, I can’t believe that neither Law nor Maya, knowing the reputation of the town’s elder matchmakers, sees through their obvious manipulation.

Once the pair final hooks up, their friends institute some juvenile junior high techniques to try and get them together, and even then, they still insist they don’t like one another. I did enjoy finding out more about their shared history and why Maya dislikes Law so much. Finally around the 80% mark, things really started to come together, and I honestly enjoyed the rest of the book. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy the first 80%, it’s just that it was slow and more “women’s fiction” than “romance.” I wanted more spark and love from the beginning, and I just didn’t feel it.

In the end, I liked Sandcastle Beach, but didn’t love it like I wanted to. It took too long to get to the point where I felt Maya and Law not only liked one another but had a deep and lasting connection.

My Rating: B- Liked it but had a few issues

I've mentally packed my bags and drove all the way to Moonflower Bay, Ontario. Which is where this book takes place.

Love love love when a book is set in Canada! Especially in the province that I live in. This town may be fictional and it's still winter here but mentally it's summer time, I'm at Law's bar grabbing a drink watching Law and Maya bicker and loving every minute of it.

I love a good small town haters to lovers book and this one was exactly what I needed to escape from my life for awhile. I loved the banter between the characters and I just wanted them to jump each other half the time! This book totally had friendship goals which I'm looking forward to reading the first and second book of this series to know more about them! Overall a great read!

Thanks for the ARC @readforeverpub and @netgalley

There is nothing better than an enemies to lovers story. Sandcastle Beach is a fun and witty slow burn romance.

If you have read any of the previous books in the series or even if you are a newcomer, you will soon find that the witty banter and the enemies to no end are just the steppingstones to the beginnings of this romance.

Maya and Law have been going back-and-forth with each other for years. Their witty banter and constant rivalry makes you truly wonder what emotions they have for each other underneath. When a competition for a large amount of money happens within their small town to help out a small business it’s game on for both of them. It’s a fine line between love and hate and these two may have just stepped over the line.

Jenny Holiday will make you laugh and fall in love all of the same time. Maya and Law are riot together. Their constant going at each other built so much tension in so many ways. Crossing that line just maybe the best thing for them. Maya and Law find their way together in a way that only they could do. Jenny Holiday gives readers another entertaining visit to Matchmaker Bay

This installment of the Matchmaker Bay series focuses on Maya and Ben and this was definitely the couple I was waiting to read about. Though initially, I was annoyed with Maya for being ridiculous and unnecessarily mean with Ben, thankfully she changes her behavior pretty soon. I liked Ben a lot more I guess. It is perfect for a fun, cozy read!

Kind of enemies to lovers
Small town romance and meddling matchmakers
Friends like family - strong friendships
Witty banter
Cute and cheesy moments
Steamy in the second half

It was refreshing to see an Indian origin heroine, Maya Mehta being treated just like any other person without bringing the background constantly. There is no right or wrong about it but it felt accurate for someone who was entirely brought up in the same town, the background wouldn't make them too different other than the preferred cuisine may be.

Sandcastle Beach is the third installment in the Matchmaker Bay series by Jenny Holiday. Although this book can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the first two - I loved them both! Previous thoughts/reviews can be found here and here for Mermaid Inn and Paradise Cove. I do think this book is helpful for readers who didn’t read the first two in the series. The beginning jumps around in time a bit; starting with specific moments from previous books to get a glimpse of the relationship between Law and Maya, and dynamic between the two of them and their group of friends as a whole.

This book is a slow burn, with witty banter and my all-time favorite trope: enemies-to-lovers. These books can best be dscribed as: Hallmark, but with steam! I did feel like the conflict between Law and Maya was a bit…childish (which the other characters in this book also noted). I think I appreciate a book with a bit more angst and the drama between the two MC’s just didn’t feel big enough for them to be in conflict for as long as they were. But Law was such a sweet guy, and I really enjoyed seeing him fall in love with Maya, take steps in his own career, and go after what he always wanted (cheesy grand gestures included).

"Because this is what you do when you love someone. You hold them up when they need you."

We were introduced to a couple new characters in this book, so my fingers are crossed for one more (surprise) book in this series. Please, Jenny, please??! Overall, I was just really happy to be back in this small town with this sweet cast of characters. This series would be perfect for a beach vacation (or a stay-cation these days)!

I am reading this series out of order, but each book is a stand alone so it was easy to jump in. I struggled at times in the first half because it felt like not a lot of action was happening - everything came together in the last ¾ of the book (including the banter that I love in romance). I liked that this book featured an interracial couple and that the relationship developed realistically. The couples from the other books are featured several times and I am excited to go back and read their stories.

Sandcastle Beach is a cute enemies-to-lovers romance. The story takes place in a small town in Ontario, Canada. Maya runs a community theatre and Ben Lawson runs a bar that has been in his family for generations.
I thought the story flowed really well. Their progression from frenemies to friends to more than friends made perfect sense. It’s funny, sweet, and it’s got some steam, too. Jenny Holiday is known for her “Hallmark with a spicy kick” type stories and this one had just the right amount of spice. There are nosy neighbors, a Mermaid Queen, flowers that turn into wishes, and a Shakespeare play...I mean, how much cuter can you get? Although this book was perfectly fine as a stand-alone, the characters from the previous books in the series are in it. So I’m sure it’s even more enjoyable when the reader is familiar with the two other stories. Even without reading the others, I really enjoyed Maya and Law’s story.
Sandcastle Beach is the perfect beach read, or in my case, Spring Break read.

Thank you to @netgalley and @readforeverpub for a digital arc and a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever Pub for the complimentary arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sandcastle Beach by Jenny Holiday would make the perfect beach read! The story is an enemies to lovers trope.
Maya, who runs the local theater, and Law, who runs the local tavern, have been giving each other a hard time for years. As they compete for a local grant things get even more tense. Behind it all though there is an attraction and knowledge that hmmmm, maybe giving each other a hard time is half the fun.

This was a fun one. I loved both Maya and Law. I loved the behind the scenes look at their businesses and also how much both cared for their community. As I would expect from a small town romance this one also had the requisite mix of quirky characters. All in all this is a solid romance that would be a perfect beach read.

The book is the third in the Matchmaker Bay series but could probably be read as a stand alone but you would have a lot more context if you had read at least Book 2.

This is the third and final book in the Matchmaker Bay series, and although I believe Paradise Cove is maybe my favourite of the three, this was a solid finish and a great story about "enemies" to lovers. I'd enjoyed both Maya and Law in the previous two books and was so excited to see where this story took them. A few things I loved in this book: all of the village elders did some seriously fun meddling, there was some fun Shakespeare moments, the talk of delicious pizza, grilled cheese, and Riesling was fun :), and the friendships in this little town are sweet and fun to read about. I've really enjoyed this series and will likely pick up anything Jenny Holiday writes next.

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sandcastle Beach was such a fun, sweet read! I have wanted Maya and Benjamin’s story since they were first introduced and was not disappointed. I loved their entertaining and witty banter and verbal sparring. This was a really cute enemies to lover’s story.

Maya and Law were wonderful. I liked learning about them and their history, what their struggles were, and what they were working towards. I liked their playful bickering and the underlying chemistry they had. I adored them opening up bit by bit, and how they'd come to a truce and have these heartfelt moments. There was a nice slow burn happening as well that I really enjoyed. I loved that tension, angst, and building anticipation for them to get together.

There is a great cast of characters in this inviting little town and they're the perfect addition to the story. The meddling old folks always crack me up, they’re total instigators but in a good way. I loved seeing previous couples from the first two books and getting updates on them. I love the friendships and bonds the men and women have adding another layer of goodness to the story.

This was a fast-paced, light read with really good details. It gave me just what I needed to keep me invested and rooting for Maya and Benjamin to get to their HEA. I loved the slight bit of overlap that there was with the last book, that was awesome. This was a wonderful addition to the Matchmaker Bay series that's sure to leave a smile on your face!

So let me begin by explaining what I liked about this book. I loved reading about a more diverse heroine and the subtle, but relevant, conversation about racism. I loved Law, or Benjamin, as Maya calls him. He was by far the more likable and engaging character for me personally.
He’s not Maya’s enemy, he actually likes and admires her. Any teasing or sneakiness from him is in direct response to her treatment of him.
Things I didn’t like...Maya. Under all her strength, independence and bravado, she’s also immature. The underlying reason for her dislike of Law is both ridiculous and childish...and so minor that for years Law didn’t know but all their friends did? If it was that serious, someone would have told him. It wasn’t a vindictive act, it was a silly situation that he was just a bit player in. It was more the fault of the other party involved. Sorry, that’s vague but I’m trying not to post spoilers.
Also, slow burns in romance books are fine and often quite expected. But to jump so quickly from slow burn to being in looooove, it’s almost like the story needed to be wrapped quickly so the timeline sped up substantially.
I love Jenny Holiday, but I didn’t love this story.

I absolutely love this series from Jenny Holdiay, and Sandcastle Beach is no exception. It was enemies to lovers, but with a twist, because it was obvious from the start that both Maya and Benjamin were harbouring some pretty big feelings.

This was a sloooow burn, but the pay-off was definitely worth it.. Watching their relationship change and grow and flourish was so rewarding and made my heart so very happy!!

I adored Law. I loved spunky Maya.

It was wonderful to be back in Moonflower Bay, with their fun and quirky festivals, meddling elders and a close group of friends.

There were returning characters and new characters. (Please tell me Rohan & Brie get books! 🙏)

There’s a fine line between love & hate. This book takes you along that line. Is it really hate or a love-to-hate-you relationship? Seeing as this is a romance, you know which way it will go. The fun part is seeing these fun characters get there. I really enjoyed Law & Maya’s journey to realizing they’re more on one side of the line than the other.

4.5 stars

Sandcastle Beach is a small town, not-exactly-enemies to lovers story. Maya and Law have been sniping at each other for years (except when they're secretly watching Premier League football together), and now they're both competing for a town grant that would allow Law to expand his business and allow Maya to save her theatre.

It's a super enjoyable read. I've read one of the previous two books and it was delightful to see familiar characters and scenes from a new angle. The banter is good, the characters are good. The town busy bodies are kind of a lot, but I'm okay with that here.

I really liked Maya and Law's dynamic. Law's slow realization that he loves Maya is kind of delicious.

Not as heavy as the previous book, Paradise Cove, but just as good. Recommended.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4 stars.
I love all of her books! I can’t wait to read more! I read this before reading the first ones in the series but I didn’t feel I was missing anything and can be read as a stand alone. Both characters were great and I loved their connection. I would say it took a little too long to get there for me, at the 60 percent mark i was still waiting for that hot and heavy kiss to happen, but when it happened boy it happened. I enjoyed that the side characters didn’t take over too much of time. It was really focused on their own lives and being intertwined. And love a good enemies to lovers romance. And steam was very well done.
Also you’re really rooting for the characters and want both of their businesses to do well. And it’s cute to see how they each were supporting each other even when “hating each other” like with him giving the wine and ordering it special, so cute.

Thank you for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review !

✨ book review ✨
two of my favorite themes in books are small-town romance and witty banter. for this reason, Jenny Holiday is an auto-buy author for me. Sandcastle Beach was easily my most anticipated read of 2021 and it did not disappoint! There is banter, there is small town scheming, there is matchmaking, and there are plenty of Spice Girls references. there is also sexual tension galore. if you haven’t read the first two books in this series, i would highly recommend starting there although this can be read as a standalone. reading the series as a whole allows you to fall in love with the quirky residents in Moonflower Bay. even the secondary characters in this story captured my attention and i wouldn’t mind a few more books in this series 😉 thanks to @readforeverpub and @netgalley for this ARC - if you’re interested in reading, it is out tomorrow, 3/9, so RUN and order it now! 🥳
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💬 favorite quote: “But they had chemistry. They had chemistry for days. And chemistry, it turned out, was everything. Because what underlay chemistry was love. And love could sustain you.”
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#sandcastlebeach #jennyholiday #readforeverpub #netgalley

I received an e-galley of Sandcastle Beach from Forever Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

I love returning to Matchmaker Bay and getting to see how all the stories come together as you get to know more of the charming residents of this town. In this third book in the series, the story focuses on Maya and Law - both of whom are characters that have been present since the start. Their rivalry has been one that readers have followed closely and finally we find out the origin of it and see these two characters really develop as individuals and as a couple. There was almost a sense of homecoming in this story as you get to closely follow the stories of the past main characters. I cannot wait to see who may be up next for this series - and I love the seamless way that Jenny Holiday has also brought new characters into the mix in the plot development.

It is very possible that I just don’t like small town romances anymore. I can’t objectively say what I didn’t like about this book but I CAN say that I found it boring. It took me 4 days to finish this book, FFS! It felt like a really cliched small town romance with kooky, meddling townspeople and everyone knows everyone else and their business. It’s not particularly my favorite. Maya and Law were ok and I appreciate that Maya was the child of Indian immigrant parents but even with that, it just felt...boring. I wasn’t excited by this book. It felt flat, the romance is a longtime enemies (or maybe in this case frenemies) to lovers trope which I would normally like but I just didn’t sense the tension and excitement, that zing or chemistry. It was FINE. And that’s really the best I can come up with to describe it. It wasn’t all that memorable and I will forget it before the week is up. I loved Jenny Holiday’s Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series and this particular series just hasn’t worked for me.

Sparkling, big-hearted, and fun!

Sandcastle Beach is a warm, amusing, enemies-to-more romance that transports you to the idyllic Moonflower Bay, Ontario and introduces you to the hardworking bar owner, Law, who is determined to expand his legacy and grandfather’s lager house into something more, and the fiery, creative Maya, who will do whatever it takes to keep her beloved theatre company solvent, profitable, and still running.

The writing is tender and light. The characters are fun-loving, kind, and endearing. And the plot is a spirited, push-pull blend of family, friendship, rivalry, community, adversity, touching moments, palpable attraction, chemistry, humourous hijinks, and swoon-worthy romance.

Sandcastle Beach is another uplifting, humorous, addictively entertaining tale by Holiday that is absolutely perfect for anyone who loves a will-they-or-won’t-they romance that’s not only heartwarming but also incredibly sweet and comical.