I loved getting to know Maya and Law in the previous two Matchmaker Bay books, so I was excited about this one - especially knowing it was going to be a fun enemies to lovers romance!!

What I loved:
🍻Catching up with the previous characters and the meddling old folks.
🎭The play on using the OG enemies to lovers romance - Much Ado About Nothing- as a major plot point in an enemies to lovers book! Clever!
🔥The steam scenes. Jenny Holiday never lets me down in this department.
😍 The ending. So sweet.

I’m not sure why, but I wasn’t in love with either character and I didn’t exactly feel their chemistry as strong as I like with a hate to love story. Maybe I needed more backstory on each of them.

The Matchmaker Bay series had been so much fun and I hate to see it come to an end!!

Benjamin "Law" Lawson and Maya Mehta have been at odds forever. They have taken verbal sparring to a new level Law owns a local bar and Maya owns the community theater located right next door. Law serves amazing pizza that Maya refuses to eat because she feels the smoke from the outdoor pizza oven negatively impacts the theater. They fight over parking spaces.. Maya does go to the bar but only because it's a community hub, plus it's right across the street from where she lives, and, perhaps, she enjoys sparring with Law?

This was such fun book. It's an enemies to lovers romance set in a small town with a great community. While it can read as a standalone, it was fun to revisit recurring characters, like the main characters from the first books in the series as well as a lovable group of older residents who have made an art of meddling. Maya and Law were both easy to root for; their story is told from dual points of view, so we get to experience both their perspectives. They also both have supportive friends and family in town. Be warned, this is definitely a slow burn. You will wait quite a while for the first kiss, but the pacing felt realistic, and you will be so ready for that kiss!

Thanks to Forever Pub and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Jenny Holiday is an author who it seems like I’d like, as all her premises are solid, but this series in particular (the first two of which were my introduction to her work) just rubs me the wrong way, making me question if it’s me not clicking with her work, or if it’s the series in general that’s a miss, given that I did enjoy (while not being massively blown away by) her Hallmark Christmas-style book, but had issues with elements of the previous two in the series, and now found this one to be a complete miss.

The idea of the characters putting on a play is interesting, and probably the highlight in a mostly dull story. The community vibe has been a constant plus for the series, even with all the other flaws.

And I can’t speak to the specifics of the representation, so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I did like Holiday’s portrayal of a desi heroine overall, and felt that while she could have been more explicit about it earlier on (not to mention some of the implied representation in the secondary cast), she tried her best without resorting to defining the character based on trauma or stereotypes.

I just didn’t care for Law? He’s basically defined as this arrogant pop star who Maya has enmity with, and I never felt like it made for a convincing enemies-to-lovers dynamic? There was no spark, just an “I don’t like you” sort of vibe that felt pretty one-sided at times. And the transition felt more into lust than anything else, which is a major personal turnoff.

This was a disappointment to cap off (?) a very uneven and underwhelming series. Again, I can’t say how it will impact my approach to Jenny Holiday’s work in the future, as I like her work a lot, even if only in theory. I do also see how it can work for others, given the amount of praise both this and the previous books have received. If you loved the previous two, I wouldn’t hesitate to pick this one up. And if you love a small-town romance with enemies-to-lovers, perhaps you’ll enjoy this more than I did.

I picked up Sandcastle Beach without realizing it was the third in a series. I’ve read one other Jenny Holiday book and really enjoyed, so I pressed on. This book takes place in a small beachside town on Lake Huron. Maya owns a struggling theater and Benjamin Lawson owns the bar next door. They have a standing relationship of mutual annoyance and hatred. But they find themselves calling “truce” every now and then, and maybe they don’t hate each other as much as they thought? After reading two of her books, Jenny Holiday has become an author that I will read without question.

Another fantastic book from Holiday's Matchmaker Bay series. While this can certainly be read on its own, the story of these two characters begins building with the previous two books. Maya and Ben having been sniping at one another forever in very frenemies way. Maya owns and runs the local town theater and Ben owns and runs the bar. I love that Holiday doesn't have these two immediately falling for each other at the start of this book. This is definitely a slow burn but the wait is definitely worth it. I liked that these characters had more going on in their lives than just each other. They were whole people with real ambitions. I loved seeing Maya from Ben's perspective. The way he supported and loved her from the start without his even realizing it was so sweet and gave me all the feels. I appreciated Maya's dedication to her passion and that she wasn't afraid to work hard for what she wants. I liked the enemies to lovers aspect to the book and the ways in which they slowly became true friends. Plus, we get to revisit beloved characters from the previous books as well as the town. The small-town feel of Matchmaker Bay is great because you get to see everyone come together and support one another when it's really needed. I would recommend this to fans of Jill Shalvis and Marina Adair and can't wait to read more from this author in the future.

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.

Things to look forward to in this book:

- More small town shenanigans and meddling by the resident matchmakers. I love how they all come together for a common goal.
- Sizzling chemistry and witty banter between Maya and Law. Sometimes I thought Maya was a little too harsh, but given their history, I could understand that old habits were hard to break. It's a slow burn between them, but 100% worth the wait.
- A gruff hero who is pure ooey gooey goodness inside for our heroine. All of the little ways that Law showed he cared almost gave me a cavity from how sweet they were. The wine!
- Amazing friendships and families. I loved how Nora and Eve supported and were always there for Maya, just like Jake and Sawyer were there for Law. Both families were also so wonderful, especially the Mehta family. The relationship between Maya and her brother Rohan was so sweet.
- A Much Ado About Nothing production that mirrors real life and boy band love
- Check-ins and updates on the previous couples in the series (Jake and Nora are still my favorite). The initial few chapters actually overlap in time with the previous book, Paradise Cove.

It's bittersweet to say goodbye to this series, but it's been such a fun ride!

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

The first time I read Mermaid Inn by Jenny Holiday I immediately new a Law and Maya book was going to be something special. You could feel the enemies to more vibe with every page turn and I couldn’t wait for more. And Sandcastle Beach, Maya and Law’s book, gave me exactly what I wanted. On the surface, they could not stand each other. They would bicker and needle each other and desperately wait for the others reaction. But in reality they were smitten and just fighting it. You could see it coming a mile a way and it didn’t make it any less special. They brought each other out of their comfort zones and where there for one another which is all you want in a solid relationship. Definitely what I was hoping for the story of these two, and a series you shouldn’t miss.

Thank you NetGalley, Jenny Holiday and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC of Sandcastle Beach. This is my personal review.
Sandcastle Beach is the third book in the Mermaid series.
This was the story of Maya and Law. The book had everything in it I could want. The romance was perfect, and the writing put the feelings into the story to make it that way. Starting as not being too friendly to each other and becoming lovers made me cheer for them to be together. The sparks were there they just had to find them and make them real.
Thank you, Jenny Holiday, for giving the town and all the people in it to us in this fantastic series.

Heat Factor: Mid-level steam
Character Chemistry: Their main hobbies are annoying each other / Serious Benedict and Beatrice energy / Everyone else can see it but them
Plot: Maya and Law have been at odds for years. And now they’re competing for a small-business grant. But also they are forming a secret friendship.
Overall: This is straight-up a fun comedy, without the serious discussions of pain and grief and loss that characterize other books I’ve read by Jenny Holiday.

When I read Paradise Cove, it was *obvious* that Law and Maya were going to be the couple for the third installment of the Matchmaker Bay trilogy, and not only because they’re always sniping at each other. In fact, there’s a scene where Jake (hero of Book 2) catches Maya sleeping over at Law’s house. Shenanigans are afoot!

But the shenanigans are not what you think, but rather something more insidious: not sex, but rather soccer. A truce, which gives Maya and Law space to set aside their (performative) bickering and have quiet moments together. And these quiet moments serve as beats in the story as Maya and Law slowly bend towards one another.

I do want to be clear, however: this is not an enemies-to-lovers book. Maya and Law never hate each other, even if they maybe kind of think they do. Rather, they are solidly sparring partners - even once they realize that they actually like each other (and are attracted to each other), they still really enjoy fighting. The call-backs with Much Ado About Nothing are explicit here, and as the book progresses the parallels between Maya/Law and Beatrice/Benedict become more and more overt - complete with meddling friends.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkjS7wTVKB4

So, if you’re a Shakespeare nerd, or you just love the energy between these two, this book definitely delivers.

There is other plot beyond the burgeoning relationship between our two argumentative protagonists: Maya is desperately trying to keep the local theater alive. Law wants to expand the bar and open a restaurant. They start competing for a local small-business grant - orchestrated by the group of meddling town elders solely as a way to push these two towards working together. They struggle with self-doubts. And - lest we not notice the parallels - Maya is staging a summer production of Much Ado About Nothing. But really, the anchor for this book is Maya and Law’s push and pull.

I will say that this book got a little twee for me. I didn’t love the meddling elders (and find it really weird the way they run the town with an iron fist in terms of mermaid parades, but not in terms of confronting the meth crisis ravaging small towns), and found them especially annoying in this installment of the series - perhaps because their meddling was so obvious and so obviously unwanted.

Overall, I had fun reading this book. It was a satisfying romance, and sometimes that’s exactly what I need.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

Sandcastle Beach is the third book in the Matchmaker Bay series and it is just as enjoyable as the first two. I always enjoy coming back to visit all of the citizens of this wonderful town.

Maya Mehta and Ben "Law" Lawson have been "feuding" for years. Law makes sure that Maya is always chosen as the Mermaid Queen and Maya makes his life difficult by challenging the addition of his wood-fire pizza oven saying it creates smoke issues for her theater. While she's trying to figure out how to save her theater from going under, Law is trying to figure out how to expand his business footprint. Lately they've had a truce when she goes to his apartment above his bar to watch football matches, which always lifts Maya's spirits.

When they find out that they will have the opportunity to compete for a grant that could help them both along with their professional endeavors, they also realize that maybe what they have always felt is a feud isn't so much. Could it possibly be attraction? Would they ever risk something more than a friendship?

Not only were Maya and Law great characters who kept me engaged in the story, I'd be remiss not to mention the strong cast of characters in town that also keep this series on its toes and so much fun. From Maya and Law's friends to the meddling senior citizens, you have the makeup of a really great set of townsfolk. This is definitely a book worth picking up!

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

The third entry in the Matchmaker Bay series is all about the contentious duo of Maya and Law, who have a long-standing relationship of bickering over everything. Parking spots, a smoky pizza oven, the annual sandcastle contest-you name it, they’ve most likely argued or competed over it. In the previous books there has always been a hint of attraction simmering between the two neighboring business owners, and their feuding has always added humor to the storylines. From Maya refusing to order pizza from him (due to the aforementioned pizza oven) to Law bribing his customers in the bar with free drinks to get them to vote for Maya as mermaid queen four years in a row.

However their rivalry kicks up a notch when the town announces a new development grant to be awarded to a local business owner. Maya is close to having to close her community theater while Law dreams about opening a new restaurant in town, making it an imperative for one of them to win. In an attempt to save her theater Maya decides to stage Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” the rollicking tale of Beatrice and Benedick, whose sparring relationship mirrors that of Maya and Law. (Of course they don’t see it themselves at first!) At the same time they start to spend more time together, especially after Maya discovers Law has access to watch her beloved English Premier League soccer games and begins spending late evenings in his apartment to watch them. As they grow less combative, Maya’s costar in the play begins to show a more prurient interest in her and Law finds himself in another competition he is determined to win.

There is a lot to love in this book, though the romance portion was slower burning than in the previous installments so the ending seemed rushed. But the meddling seniors are back and the group of friends we have met of course make reappearances in this outing, and a couple of new ones are introduced as well. (I’m already looking forward to one particular pairing I hope will be next!)

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the chance to read this early!

This was my first visit to Matchmaker Bay. An entertaining and engaging tale. Delightful dialog. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley.

I have read each of the books in this adorable series, but this trope of enemies to lovers may have easily been my favorite. This can absolutely be read as a stand alone as well although you’d be missing the adorable stories of this town and the meddling they do to find love.
Maya and Ben Lawson have been at odds so long that Ben doesn’t even know what started it. Maya runs the theatre next door to his bar and they feud about everything from parking spots to staring contests.
When they both are up for a grant that could fix up Mayas theatre for good or give Ben the renovations to move his bar to a restaurant- their feud goes into overhaul.
At what point does their despise for one another turn into lust and how is it the whole town knew before them?

I love a good enemies to lovers storyline and Sandcastle Beach delivered!

Book 3 in the Matchmaker Bay series included everything I love about this series. It’s quaint town and charming characters never fail to make me smile. It’s steeped in tradition and friendship, ensuring that every time I step into the pages I’m going to be enveloped in a warm hug.

This installment focuses on Maya and Ben. These enemies are so focused on their long standing feud that they can’t break down the wall that divides them to see the possibilities in front of them.

As always, the author delivers on the witty banter and hot romance. This one was SPICY! 🔥 I loved reuniting with the characters and this amazing town. This one started off a little clunky, with the backstory of the feud. It was an information dump and I was perplexed for a minute to see if I was reading the correct book. It quickly turned around I was swept up in Sandcastle Beach. I loved this third installment and can’t wait for more! 4⭐️ My thanks to @readforeverpub for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

Another great story in the series. You'll laugh and cry along with Ben and Maya.

Always at odds with each other and not sure why, their relationship continues to develop the until they realize they're friends. Along the way there's antics, shenanigans, and romance. A little rocky at times but they learn communication is the key.

Disappointed once again that the ARC doesn't include the bonus novella

I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinions.

I love all of the books in the Matchmaker Bay series, but I think Sandcastle Beach is my new favorite! I have been excited about Maya and Ben's story since I started the series. Their bickering is always so fun to read, and I knew they would have a great enemies to lovers romance. I'm happy to say that Jenny Holiday did not disappoint with this book!

Maya has been arguing with Ben since he ruined her first play all those years ago. Ben argues right back, but secretly he can't get Maya Mehta out of his head. However, as they spend more time together, things slowly start to change. I was having a rough day when I started reading this book, and it was the perfect thing to pull me out of my funk. Jenny Holiday writes characters with AMAZING chemistry. I laughed, I swooned, and I cheered as Ben and Maya began to fall for one another. I hope this series will continue because I'm already missing Matchmaker Bay!

Sandcastle Beach by Jenny Holiday is the third book in her Matchmaker Bay series. This was such a cute story. It was fun seeing characters from the first two books in the series. I liked both main characters, Maya Mehta and Benjamin "Law" Lawson. Their initial frenemy relationship was fun to read about. I liked the storyline and the Happily Ever After.

A beach with a sandcastle is very appealing at the moment while encased in the frozen tundra of the Midwest. Ben and Maya have rubbed each other the wrong way. But what if they can rub each other the right way? They start connecting and I liked the chemistry between them. I appreciated their ambitions. I liked the gesture Ben made toward the end when Maya really needed help. I also liked how their friends butted in and gave them humorous grief about their relationship. This is a fun series to read. The cover is so attractive. I want to leap into it. The ending was perfect for the plot.

I absolutely love Jenny Holiday’s Matchmaker bay series and this 3rd book was just as cute! I’ve always loved the banter back and forth we between Maya and Benjamin in the previous books, and was super excited to take a dive straight into their “chemistry” through this one!
Holiday is such a great writer and really pulls you in with her character developments and plot! Love this sweet little beach town!

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced free copy is this in exchange for my honest opinion and review!

Thanks to Forever Pub & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Q: what’s your fave beach?

I’m well aware that I use the word “love” a lot but something I really really love is when a hero makes little, secret gestures that reveal his feelings. That’s *especially* true when those gestures are all about said hero trying to make the heroine who’s been his mutual enemy for years happier.

If you’ve been reading Jenny Holiday’s Matchmaker Bay series you knew the Maya Mehta-Benjamin Lawson pairing was coming. In her upcoming release Sandcastle Beach they’re often rude to each other, dismissive, just all around antagonistic, & their romantic relationship eventually jumps off—and thrives on—that spicy dynamic🏻.

The fact that fighting with each other brings a special flush to their cheeks is fortunate considering that their mutual acrimony is kicked up a notch in this book by their competition to win town monies to fund their respective professional plans. For Maya, money for her almost closed-down theatre, & for Law, a restaurant.

I love how ambitious both leads of SB are, how they find a section of common ground amidst their battlefield, & how the matchmaking seniors of Moonflower Bay bring them together.

Cheers to sex scenes that are hot & funny, a compelling round of secondary characters, & a romance that kinda covers all the bases for me. It’s thoughtful, it’s steamy, and it’s got the inevitable fall of both leads without them totally losing that spicy, dancing-with-(conversational) danger spark that draws them together in the first place.

4.5 ⭐️. Sandcastle Beach is out 3/9.