I really enjoyed this book, and I thought that the story was awfully cute. Allegra and John were quite charming, and I genuinely liked them. heir chemistry was easy to feel and so was the heat that they generated. There was a wonderful balance here between fun and heartfelt, and that made this book delightfully entertaining while offering the feels and swoon I always need.

Great Fun
Lighthearted and humorous this is a lovely book to while away a couple of hours. To cover the fact that she is unloved and unwanted, Allegra has told tall stories to her cousins to stop them feeling sorry for her. When the three of them nearly run down a man who embodies every physical attribute she has given her imaginary lover (including a facial scar and limp) the stage is set for Allegra’s downfall. However the stranger doesn’t give her away even though as a solicitor turned wannabe chef, he is far removed from a swashbuckling privateer. John quite likes the idea of being someone else for a couple of weeks and so the two form a pact but the line between fantasy and reality quickly blurs….
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Orphaned and talented pianist Miss Allegra Brown has been counting down the days when she'll finally inherit her trust and be out from under her tyrannical uncle's control. For as long as she could remember, her uncle has used her as an unpaid servant/governess/companion for her two cousins and to escape the drudgery, she has made up and embellished stories about a fake suitor, the pirate Captain L’Amour. Unbeknownst to him, solicitor John Sharp, who has traveled to Brighton to scout out a tea shop and fulfill his dream of becoming a chef, bears an uncanny resemblance to the make-believe captain. A comedy of errors soon plays out as Allegra and John embark on a fake courtship, but what happens when their feelings no longer feel fake?

This was a most enjoyable novella by Mr. Ridley. I loved the sweet banter between John and Allegra as each has something to teach the other about taking the ups and downs of life and turning them into something wonderful. Allegra's cousins added some light comedy to the story as they want John and Allegra to get their own happily ever after. I did think Allegra's uncle got away with his cruelty without any comeuppance though. That would have made me happy if he was made to pay in some way.

I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.

I loved this story of two sweet people. One a solicitor and an exceptionally good one. He worked in London, but his dream was to be a chef and have his own tea house. He was tall, handsome, well-off, and nice. He was also a perfectionist. He had left his job in London and gone to Brighton. He thought and dreamed a lot about the tea shop.

At the same time, Miss Allegra Brown and her two cousins came to Brighton. She had lost her parents at a young age and her uncle took her in, but she was a servant of everything and didn't get anything for it except a roof over her head and food. He was mean to her, she was to do whatever he said, but that didn't work well. She was two months till her birthday, at which time she would get half her dowry. If she married, she would get the whole of it.

They meet when she was forced by her well-meaning cousin to take the ribbons on a Phaeton that was going pretty fast. It almost ran over him if he had not had the forethought to moved. He thought her a goddess and she thought him an imagined Pirate, Captain Hamis L Amour. The tale is colorful, fun, enchanting, and puts you in its spell. The characters are so engaging, and the book is so beautifully written you can't seem to put it down. It entertains and is so romantic. I love the way she treats her cousins. She loves them beyond anything, and they feel the same.

I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Allegra's parents died when she was young. She was sent to be a ward of her uncle. There she was used as a servant to help his girls, Allegra's cousins. She is on the eve of her 30th birthday, when she will be granted freedom with an inheritance from her uncle.
John is a solicitor by trade. He, however, wants to be a chef and own a tea room. When he meets Allegra at the sea, he starts to broaden his ideas of what he wants. He agrees to be her fictitious fiance but ends up falling for her along the way.
Opinion
I am a big fan of Erica Ridley's. I honestly think I have reviewed more of her books than any other singular author. What she writes, I read. Ms. Ridley has changed my views on historical fiction and opened up that world to me.
This book is truly charming. The fact that John goes along with a farce just so Allegra can save face is adorable. Of course, the mean villain is her uncle and perhaps time. I think this is a book that can be read again and again. Though the book does include a little spice, the innocence to the romance is endearing.
Many thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I have read a lot of Erica's stories and each one is unique and special. This one is no different.
We have Mr. John Sharp a solicitor who is known for winning all his cases. Unfortunately, even though he is very good at his job doesn't means he likes it. It is a safe job that pays the bills, his secret dream is to be a Chef. He is Brighton to do research on recipes for his dream tea shop. He is not looking for a wife or an affair. He plans to stay away from the normal hunts of young ladies looking for a husband. Being tall and good looking sometimes do not work in your favor.
Allegra Brown was just six when she lost her parents and was sent to live with her Uncle Townsend. He didn't want her but was duty bound to do so. She has been a servant for the last twenty-four years ! She raised both her cousins, Portia and Dorcas. She has been their nurse, governess and teacher. Now she is their chaperone as their father wants them both married as soon as possible. He needs her to find title gentleman for each. She is waiting on pins and needles for her thirtieth birthday when she will get the money set aside by her forward-thinking Grandmother. She dearly loves
both her cousins, but to be all alone to do what she wants when she wants will be wonderful. All she will need is a space to sleep and have a piano. She is a gifted pianist. Making music is the true love of her life. To keep her cousins entertained as they were growing up and asking why she was alone. She made up a larger-than-life fictional fiancé.
He has done everything young ladies would dream about in a man. Captain Hamish L'Amour is dashing, Handsome, Brave and a pirate too. Just when things seem to be working out, till the fancy phaeton that her uncle though the girls needed to learn to drive down a busy thoroughfare almost crashing into a none other than Captain Hamish L'Amour !!
LOL, now the story really gets interesting... What will John say to this mistaken identity ?? How will Allegra explain
how he just showed up after all this time ? Will both girls find matches ? What will Allegra and John do about
their attraction to each other. Can opposites find love and happiness together ?
Oh, so much going on and so many questions to get answers too. Will Uncle Townsend ruin everything for both
daughters and Allegra's too.
This story has a lot of secrets, twist and turns and laugh out loud moments.
A different kind of love stories but oh so good. I hope you get a copy and get started; I know you are going to love it.
This is mid-level steamy for those who like to know.
I received and ARC from the author and wish to thank her. This is my honest opinion and am freely giving it

*Thank you to Netgalley & the author for an ARC of this title.*

This was a sweet little "holiday by the sea" novella. We have a spinster and a chef who end up in a fake betrothal after a misunderstanding.

They decide to continue the fake relationship through the holiday to avoid questions, but of course, the more time they spend together.. The more they want it to be true.

This was quick and sweet and I'm glad to read more in this novella series by Grace Burrows and Erica Ridley.

3.5 stars
1.5 on the spice scale

I picked this up expecting to enjoy it because I’ve enjoyed all of the other
books I’ve read from Erica Ridley but I was not expecting to love this nearly as much as I did!

Erica Ridley has a unique talent for writing these humorous situations that still feel grounded in reality and not lacking any gravitas. Despite the shorter length, Allegra and John were such richly and fully developed characters, and such easy characters to fall in love with. And the romance was fantastic. The two are attracted to each other instantly and their flirting is filled with tension and utterly delectable. I loved the progression of their relationship and how much they supported and encouraged each other’s passions and the way they changed each other for the better.

Overall, this was just such a fun romp of a story with an incredible prurient romance and I can’t recommend it highly enough!

An Affair by the Sea is the second story in Erica Ridley and Grace Burrowes new collab, The Siren's Retreat Quartet. All four books take place in Brighton, in a picturesque inn called Siren's Retreat—where, legend has it, all who cross its threshold with an open heart will soon meet their true love. Each story is a standalone and 100-200 pages each.

Mr. John Sharp, has been a successful private solicitor for the past decade. But he is utterly bored with law and just wants to be a chef! So at 33, he quits his job and sets off for a stay at Siren’s Retreat in the seaside town of Brighton. On his first day there, he spots a vacant shop for sale that would be perfect for the tea shop of his dreams…right before he is almost run over by a phaeton. Riding in the phaeton are Allegra and her 2 cousins, who can’t believe their eyes when they realize John is Allegra’s long lost suitor…Captain Hamish L’Amour.

Orphaned when she was just a girl, Allegra has been the poor relation for twenty-four long years, taken in by her Uncle and treated as nothing more than the help as she became the governess/chaperone for her two cousins. With her 30th just a few months away, Allegra will finally come into her inheritance and can slink away into blissful spinsterhood. But her life gets thrown upside down when John shows up and is mistaken for Captain Hamish L’Amour, Allegra’s regrettably absent long-term suitor who was perfect in every way…and one hundred percent fictitious. John of course is not Captain L’Amour but he does fit the very detailed descriptions and stories Allegra told her cousins over the years and the two find themselves faking a relationship while in Brighton!

This was a delightful, whimsical read. I loved Allegra’s relationship with her two cousins and seeing their little side romances in this story. They push for John and Allegra to be together and they were just so much fun. Other moments I liked: Allegra’s love for playing the piano and her “game” of composing her own music in real time, John’s cooking adventures (and disasters), John uses a walking stick to help him get around (as a child his legs grew at different rates due to a childhood infection that paralyzed his limbs).

3.5 stars/rounded up on GR. Thank you to the author and WebMotion for an e-ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts in this review are my own. An Affair by the Sea has a publish date of March 15, 2022.

The Siren's Retreat series promises to be entertaining as both historical fiction and romance genres. In book 2 of the series, Miss Allegra Brown and Mr. John Sharp both find themselves in Brighton...she as a "poor relation" whose task is to be sure her cousins find suitable matches....and he as a solicitor following his dream to become an accomplished chef. And Allegra will soon come into a small inheritance which will allow her to follow her dreams of independence and "spending time with her piano." The last thing either have on their minds are love and marriage for themselves. Watching their stories unfold after an accident and awkward introduction (her cousins believing him to be the missing fictitious man of Allegra's dreams she has told them about and his willingness to participate in the charade) leads to humorous encounters and the sparking of feelings towards each other. They come to believe in each other's dreams and worry that their desire for each other may be a hindrance. The interactions with her cousins and their father give the story sparks of humor and dastardlinous that make the story all the more interesting. Miss Ridley has an ability to write this genre with wit and charm that keeps the reader coming back for more. I received an ARC from the author/publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. #SirensRetreat #NetGalley

5 stars

A good series. Allegra is orphaned and a bit like cinderella works for her uncle. Unlike cinderella she loves her cousins and is hopeful that they make good marriages.

Mr John sharp is a solicitor who wants to be a chef. He meets Allegra and is intrigued. She is also an excellent pianist.

I joined this series at book 2 so I'd like to go and get book 1 and learn more about the Siren's retreat


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

Allegra has spent years looking after her cousins, but once she turns thirty she will inherit enough to become independent. She has no interest in marriage, even if she did invent a rakish suitor. Obviously, she had no idea that she'd nearly run over his real-life twin! John's attempt to change his career met disaster in London, but at the Siren's Retreat he can be anyone - including Allegra's imaginary suitor.

A delightful and scrumptious (pun definitely intended!) novella that was exactly the palate cleanser I needed. The story also fit the length perfectly, which doesn't always happen with shorter tales. Allegra and John had instant chemistry and I was desperate for them to get together. I also think the Siren's Retreat setting is an excellent staging ground, so I'll definitely be reading the other novellas in the series.

Allegra Brown having been orphaned and taken in by her uncle, finds herself treated as a servant by him. Acting as a governess for these two daughters, she finds herself trapped with no money, relying on him for food and shelter. However, she loves her two nieces. She feels responsible for them, entrusted to find them titled husbands, whilst knowing that she will inherit from her money’s family when she soon turns 30. She also entertains the girls with stories of her fiancé, pirate Captain L’Amour. When out with the girls, they almost run over a gentleman, who the girls believe to be the Captain. Yet unbeknownst to them, he is Mr John Sharp, a solicitor visiting Brighton to set up a tea shop. John finds himself captivated upon meeting Allegra and decides to go along with her story, unsure of where their friendship or romance will lead.
Like the story imagined by Allegra, ‘An affair by the sea’ was also hilarious, yet also sweet. There are elements of fantasy, with both characters hoping that their dream life will come true, if they wish (or work) hard enough to make it a reality. Whilst John and Allegra were two strong willed characters, I found her two nieces equally entertaining, and hope to see them in stories to come.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book by Erica Ridley. It was very well done and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone

I received an ARC from the author/publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
An Affair by the Sea is the second book in a collaborative series by Grace Burrowes and Erica Ridley, and the first of two by Ridley. It can be read as a stand-alone. This is charming, lighthearted, and fluffy, putting a fun spin on common tropes, including the “pretend fiancé.”
I liked Allegra and her relationship with her cousins; she has spent years having to mind them, but they are eager for her to have prospects too. John is a lovely hero, and pretty easy to root for as he also has dreams he longs to fulfill. And the chemistry between them together is lovely.
But the story also felt too…mundane? I appreciate the focus on real people with very realistic concerns, but the conflict between them felt very weak, and I found myself struggling to maintain my investment, even in a comparatively short book.
This is a fun book, and I like the seaside retreat aspects that likely vaguely connect the books for those that plan to read them all. If you’re looking for a light and sweet historical read, you might enjoy this one.

This is another amazing story by Erica Ridley!
Allegra is a woman who wants nothing more that to make it to her 30th birthday when she can finally get her inheritance and start planning her new life.. Living alone and doing nothing all day but playing the piano.. She has the best fiance ever.. Captain L'amore.. He is handsome and dashing, has sailed the world many times over, and has had soo many amazing adventures each crazier than the last... However the best thing about him is that he doesn't actually exist..

John a soliciter who dreams of opening his own tea shop and cooking all the food himself.. He believes in order and rules and knows that anything can be accomplished if all the proper steps are followed.. He doesn't expect that he will almost get run over by a run away carriage or that he will bears a striking resembalance to the ficticious Hamish L'amore... Its a good thing hes ready to be someone else for a while, and Hamish seems like the perfect choice.

I loved watching them fall in love.. It was cute and romantic.. and just so sweet. I loved the way it ended, and that we got to see what happened with her cousins. They are definitely some of my favorite side characters, had me laughing and smiling everytime they tried to get our main couple together.. I can't wait to see whats in store for the next couple in the sirens retreat novella series.

I received "An Affair By The Sea" from Netgalley and voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. Erica Ridley has written another excellent story.
Allegra Brown, has made up numerous stories about herself and her imaginary suitor Captain L'Amour, and told her cousins who she is a companion/governess for about how romantic and swash-buckling a pirate he is. Meticulous John Sharp is a successful solicitor, but his real dream is to become a successful chef. On one excursion, the three ladies almost run over someone who it turns out is Captain L'Amour in the flesh. Allegra's overactive imaginary character comes to life and a real person materialized in the flesh in the shape and form of John Sharp. The farce continues and they develop a true attraction for each other, while trying to make their own individual dreams come true as well.

Book received for free through NetGalley

Another adorably sweet and awesome Erica Ridley book. Loved it and read it in two nights. Made me smile the entire time and giggle in several points.

This sweet romance was a calming salve for a stressful week that hits all the good points of what I look for in a historical romance while remaining wholly original and entertaining.
Allegra is the orphaned poor relation forced to work as a practical slave for her uncle as her cousins' governess and chaperone. She only has to wait until she turns 30 to get her share of an inheritance set up by her grandmother and then she'll finally be free to do whatever she pleases with her life. John has spent his life working and worrying about the rules and it's made him a very comfortable man, but his desire to leave law behind and open a tea room where he's in charge of the kitchen sends him into exile to Brighton after a rather unfortunate fire destroys the kitchen he was set to work in. They're both decided on their future when a chance encounter leads Allegra's cousins to think they've found her long-lost fiance, the dashing pirate Captain L'amour, in John and a whirlwind romance that began as a quick summer fling turns into so much more.
It's a very quick read full of fun and interesting moments that made me root for the characters to find their happy endings.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and WebMotion for the sweet early read!

This was an adorable quick read. Allegra and John are such a fun couple. John is a stuffy barrister whose world is turned upside down when he stumbles into Allegra's life. It turns out that he is exactly the hero that Allegra needs. Allegra had been entertaining her cousins for years with stories of a mysterious pirate. and John unwittingly steps into the role. John and Allegra are each on the verge of beginning new chapters in their lives. They meet at the exact right moment to offer one another support. Then, as an added bonus, they find a way to move forward together. This is the first time I've read anything by Erica Ridley and I found it very entertaining.
Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.