ARC provided by Netgalley

I’m sorry I could barely even finish it and ended up very much skimming the last half… I felt no chemistry between the main characters and sort of disliked them both. It was maybe more for fans of Georgette Heyer than Julia Quinn, in that it felt very tame and slightly frilly. I wished I’d liked it more…

I really enjoyed this final novella in the Sirens retreat series. 'Deborah is the proprietess of the famouse Sirens Retreat. Ever since her husband died she has been running the place on her own, and has loved her life. Lately however after starting a penpal friendship she has begun to realize that she is actually lonely.. and that she might have developed some feelings for her new friend LostinLondon...

When Patrick is sent to Brighton to scout a new location for his employers new gaming hell, it feels like the perfect oportunity to meet his friend and the woman hes fallen in love with Salt&Sea..

Before they realize who they are to each other.. and what Patrick is trying to do.. They begin a wonderful friendship that leads to real feelings... That is until its revealed that if Patrick gets what he wants the Sirens Retreat will be no more..

I loved seeing them fall in love.. and realizng what they were willing to do to make each othe happy..

It was sweet and heartfelt, briming with hope and the promise of a second chance for love.. In the most romantic place in England.

I can't wait to read the next book that Erica Ridley comes out with!!!

I absolutely love this novella series! Erica Ridley has done a wonderful job of creating a beautiful, springy, happy backdrop. I really enjoyed that our main characters again are not dukes, and the characters are on even footing. I liked that they were falling in love through letters and having tension in person. The story was engaging and so much was covered in really a short time, but it didn’t feel rushed somehow. Patrick was wonderful, I loved his dreams and trying to balance his reality. Once again Erica Ridley write a great one!

The 4th book in the series the Siren’s Retreat and cupids arrows are pointed at the proprietress Deborah Cartwright. Happy with running the Inn where whoever enters seems to find true love, but she had her one true love who died suddenly five years ago. Helping out a friend she takes to writing answers to questions people have about Brighton and takes special interest in LostinLondon. She starts writing to him almost daily and looks forward to receiving his letters.
Mr. Patrick Gresham works for a most demanding Lord, but when the Lord orders him to go to Brighton to return with deed in hand for the Siren’s Retreat. He is more than happy that he will finally have a chance to meet his pen pal…..Salt &Sea. In his research he meets and is attracted to the proprietress of the Inn. Torn between taking her home and livelihood and his feelings for Salt & Salt. It’s a dilemma for Patrick, but also for Deborah who believes there is only one true love.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #LoveLettersbytheSea

I am posting an honest review after reading an advance readers copy of this story.

The final couple in the Siren's Retreat Quartet are a lovely mature couple and yet they're young at heart. Writing lonely hearts pen pal letters to stealing off to have illicit kisses underneath a tree they're such fun to read and follow along on their romantic journey. Patrick and Deborah surely have a rocky path but loved never did run smooth. I think the series went out with a bang.

#LoveLettersbytheSea #EricaRidley #Siren'sRetreat #Netgalley #WebMotion

This is the last book in the series. While it can be read as a stand alone, why would you want to? They are all delightful. The couple from Book 2 appear here.

The Siren's Retreat was created by Harland and Deborah Cartwright, to recreate their own love match and provide a place where others could find their one true love. Harland died suddenly from an unexpected nut allergy and Deborah has continued to run the inn, which has become very popular because of the legend that Deborah has created. Unfortunately for Deborah, the property was entailed and went to her brother-in-law, who has continued to lease her the property. Along comes the wealthy, avarice, Earl of Edgewick, who sends his man of affairs, Patrick Gretham to find him a location for a new gaming hell. In his search, he becomes pen pals with Deborah when she wrote a temporary column for the local newspaper. The Earl has dangled a lot of money and prospects in front of Patrick if he can buy the property. This is where the story went a bit wobbly for me. If it was entailed, then Stanley couldn't sell it, only lease it to someone else. When Patrick realizes that the woman he loves is the same woman who is his penpal, he needs to make a decision, what is more important, love or money?

I liked that the couples in all 4 stories were more mature. While the voices of the two authors are very different, then blended well together. Erica Ridley's books are always full of lively banter and interesting characters. I read an ARC as a member of the authors' Review Crew, but also received a copy from NetGAlley.com. this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

This is a historical romance take on You've Got Mail and it was lovely.
There's something about characters writing love letters to each other that is deeply romantic.
He's turned her refuge into a gaming hell and now she hates his guts. They have no idea that they are each others pen pals. This part of the story was so enjoyable to read. Seeing them fight and then (unwittingly) write romantic letters to one another created an interesting conflict.
This was also a quick read. The writing flows and the characters felt real.
This is part of a series but I was okay with reading this as a standalone.

This book is a sweetly charming romance that's a quick read while still managing to really set up a good story and characters you root for. Erica Ridley continues to wow with her ability to write characters that breathe on the page in situations that feel original while still fulfilling every historical romance trope required to keep this reader happy.
Deborah has been a side character that always provides support to the heroines in the other books so it's great to see her find her own HEA despite her constant assurances that she's happy with just the memory of her deceased husband. Patrick comes off as such a kind and dedicated man from the very beginning that rooting for him to figure out how to have it all and find happiness with Deborah is a big part of why I kept turning the pages.
Don't let this being the fourth book in the series keep you from reading. It's perfectly understandable as a standalone. You'll just be missing a few details about another couple that gets a big shoutout, but it's not necessary for the story to understand that bit.

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

Mrs. Deborah Cartwright answers advice columns and runs Siren's Retreat, helping people find their match. She certainly has no time for love herself, not when someone is trying to take the inn from her. Career minded Patrick Gretham is working for a lord determined to take the property and turn it into a gambling hell, which Deborah has no intention of allowing.

This is the fourth novella in the Sirens Retreat Quartet, all Regency romances set in the Brighton inn; two are written by Erica Ridley and two by Grace Burrowes. While we see glimpses of other characters, this is firmly Deborah's story. Her pen pal situation started when helping the vicar's wife answer letters, and grew to be a personal joy aside from watching matchmaking happen at her inn. Patrick, in the meantime, is steadfast and patient; everyone else in the Earl of Edgewick's employ ran screaming or quit in anger after months at most, but he lasted nearly five years. The Earl was ruthless, and cared only for his own financial status. With an incentive like getting a percentage of the profits, of course Patrick would try to buy the inn on the Earl's behalf.

Thank you to Netgalley for my eARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a sweet quick read (novella length) and while it is 4th in the series you can read it as a standalone or out of order and still be okay.

I quite enjoyed this pen pal to enemies to lovers romance (it’s a definite slow burn) and while I don’t generally love the more mature aged romances, Patrick and Deborah were very compelling characters.

If you’re looking for a quick treat this spring definitely give it a go!

Another delight from Erica Ridley.

Patrick and Deborah have basically been pen pals and even though we don't get to see those letters it doesn't feel like we're missing a vital piece to the story; you still get a feel for each character and can enjoy the story (which I think is a feat in a novella).
As in the previous novella, the side characters are hilarious and really shine with a few lines. Ridley has a gift for showing you who a character is with a one-liner.
The resolution was a little odd but didn't take away from the enjoyment of the book.

Erica Ridley delivers another delightful tale of romance, betrayal and redemption. I thoroughly enjoyed the bumpy journey to happily ever after. Sweet rather than steamy sensually level.

Oh My, the Siren's Retreat is in trouble! Stanley wants to sell the land and leave Deborah with nothing. It is all about money. In walks the earl's man of business to complete the deal to turn this slice of romance into a gambling hall. Did he really need to fall for Deborah? That just seems wrong. And she is half in love with her pen pal but business first. How to save the hotel. Good story!

Erica Ridley never disappoints and after reading several of her novels. It has been a joy to watch her stories grow in complexity while continuing to develop stellar characters. In this one we have the clever -don't know who the enemy is- dynamic and we know who it is but Deborah doesn't. And it is delicious to watch her revelations unfold. Enemies to lovers' romance for sure, a historical take on Shop Girl or You've Got Mial, but I also would put this as a second chance romance as well. Deborah has a wall around her heart after being widowed, thus helping others find love instead. What Debbie Macomber does for contemporary lost hearts, Erica Ridley does for historical hearts.

If you are looking for a sweet and mature romance, this is definitely a delightful option. This four book series by Erica Ridley and Grace Calloway wraps up with this fourth and final installment and it is such a lovely novella series about finding true love in the sea side town of Brighton. This novel is well paced, charmingly written and a wonderful quick read about second love. Ridley characters feel natural and real even though we spend very little time with them because this is a novella, but it is a interesting and sweet novella that is perfect for a one sitting read.

This novella is about Deborah and Patrick, who are secret pen pals and come into contact with each other when Patrick comes to Brighton to complete the purchase of the Siren's Retreat Inn, that Deborah and her late husband started. This inn is know for the many love connections that have been made within its walls as well as the charming atmosphere and perfect vacation setting it creates in Brighton. Deborah has dedicated her life to this inn and after her husbands death she has been running the inn by renting the property from her Brother-in-law. Deborah and Patrick are both swiftly drawn to each other but as Deborah learns Patrick's true reason for being in Brighton can she open her heart up again?

I love that this novel features an epistolary aspect, I love letter writing and how that can open the characters up to a different understanding of each other. I really enjoy that this is the baseline for their true understanding of each other and on some level it is probably what helps them to subconsciously recognized each other and open themselves up to each other in person in a quicker way, even though they are unaware they are pen pals. I also really enjoyed that this is a mature romance, both characters are in the mid to late 30s and they have both lived and grown in a different way. I love that they both learn to love the other with out knowing that they are their pen pal because they both have to make the decision to love someone they actually know and not the dream of who they think their pen pal is. This novel is a sweet and low on steam but it works well with the length and pace of the novel. This is also obviously inspired by You've Got Mail, and it is a really lovely historical adaptation of that movie.

If you are looking for a sweet romance that you can devour in one sitting this is definitely a wonderful option! I would definitely recommend this novel and this series, it can be enjoyed alone but is delightful read in order in the series as well.

5 stars

Good story. Deborah is a widow who runs Siren's retreat. She has a lovely singing voice and is fanatical about the hotel. Patrick works for a Lord and finds possible gaming venues for him. He has outlasted all the other employees and is inline for a big bonus. Unbeknown to each other they are also communicating by letters.

Deborah doesn't own the hotel so is really upset when her brother in law looks like he us prepared to sell to an eager buyer.. There's lots of jeopardy as to whether it will work out correctly.

I've read the two books from Erica, now to complete the series I'll look for the one's by Grace.

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

Mrs Deborah Cartwright has a plentiful life, despite the loss of her beloved husband. She responds to advice column letters and runs the Siren’s Retreat, where many of her lovelorn guests have met their perfect match. Yet Deborah has found personal happiness in her correspondence with an anonymous writer, called “LostInLondon”. Her hopes for romance are soon dashed when Mr Patrick Gretham arrives in Brighton, to turn her property into a gambling den, in the hopes of raising his fortunes. Deborah is determined that she will fight him for the property, despite her undeniable attraction to him.
I enjoyed the dynamics between Patrick and Deborah. Despite their battles, they recognise each other’s viewpoints, and it is quality that makes for a realistic romance. Their correspondence prior to meeting, meant that their relationship did have a foundation, and in their ability to be anonymous, they were able to share aspects of their life that would have normally taken some time to reveal. The ending of this book ties up a lovely series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The final delightful novella in this series by Erica Ridley, featuring the proprietress of Siren's Inn, Deborah. The plot is a tribute to Shop Around the Corner/You've Got Mail, and I enjoyed every minute. I just wished it were longer! I'm so sad to see this sweet, heartfelt series end.

Steam level: 1 (some kissing, no on-page sex).

This is a voluntary review of an advanced reader copy. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and author.

This will be reviewed on Bookbub and Goodreads on March 18 and will be reviewed on Amazon closer to its publication date.

Thank you NetGalley and WebMotion for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Love Letters by the Sea (A Siren’s Retreat #4) by Erica Ridley is a lovely novella that made me smile and fall in love with the individuals falling in love. I read this story in one sitting and enjoyed the premise of being courted through love letters. Deborah Cartwright who is 5-years widowed and as with others who frequent the Siren’s Retreat, have no expectations of falling in love until the finding love happens. She is the proprietress of the Siren’s Retreat and places all her energy on running the inn for lovers that she and her deceased husband built. Her only respite is corresponding to Lost in London which brings happiness to her heart. Receiving word that he will be visiting Brighton, she is thrilled to be finally meeting her correspondent. Unknowingly, Mr. Patrick Gretham has other intentions…one to purchase the Retreat for his wealthy employer to turn it into a gambling establishment. The two pen-pals come face to face in a battle to do what they believe is right, but doesn’t factor in love in the process.

I love this trope of friends to enemies and enemies to lovers. A slow-burn historical romance where I enjoyed the fact that the main characters appreciated one another qualities and views, however not risking their love for one another in the process . Although I am reading each novella as a standalone, this was a cute and happy ending to this series. Recommend reading the series.

I knew I would love this story as soon as I saw the hint of "You've Got Mail" vibes! Romance by letters always makes me smile, because the people fall in love with each other's souls before they even see one another. It's something so hard to come by in today's society, with the advent of social media and instant communication. Being wooed by the written word sounds much more fun than unsolicited pictures of the nude variety. This short and sweet story had me reading in one sitting, excited to see where the love headed and how the revealed identity situation would be resolved. Because as it was in You've Got Mail, the heroine doesn't realize he's her letter writer until much later. Thankfully this hero does a much better job of making amends, and we finally get the happy ending that I think was deserved in the movie.

Widowed Deborah Cartwright has no expectations of finding love again, after losing her husband five years ago. Instead she focuses all her energy on their inn, Siren's Retreat, which has formed a reputation for bringing guests together in love. Despite this, by happy accident she has fallen into an engaging correspondence with a man known to her only as LostinLondon, and their almost daily letters have brought light into her heart and spring to her step. When he lets her know that he'll be visiting in town, she is thrilled, but his visit is accompanied by another visit of a more sinister sort. A man has arrived from London, sweet talking her into showing him the inn, while his motives are to buy the inn out from under her on behalf of his nobleman employer. Patrick Gretham is delighted that his business brought him to Brighton, and with it the opportunity to advance his career and create the life he's always dreamed of. And if that means a life with his mystery woman, Salt&Sea, then that is all the better. However, when he realizes that she is the proprietress of the inn he's supposed to purchase against her will, he is at war with himself. Give up his dreams to pursue a new one with this captivating woman...or pursue a better life for himself and lose forever the love of his life.

The romance was swift yet beautiful as the reader saw their relationship develop. While the letter writing took a backseat since most of the book they were both in the same place, I enjoyed hearing more about their previous letters. Poor Deborah was so confused, not believing she could have a grand love again and yet feeling so much for a man she had never met. Of course, once she meets Patrick things become even more complicated. He's charming, kind and seems very interested in her. Which makes it all the more devastating when she realizes her trust has been broken. Without giving things away, I felt the ending was handled really well, and I liked that Deborah's happiness was held in such high regard. It was tied up quite neatly but in a way that showed the reader the brilliant happy ever after she and Patrick could look forward to. And although you get the impression they are older, Deborah was only 35, and so I found myself happily picturing another 50 years of wedded bliss for them. Makes me want to visit Brighton myself...perhaps find my own Siren's Retreat.

I continue to be eager to read anything Erica Ridley writes! She captivates not just my romantic heart but my thirst for drama and intrigue. Looking forward to reading more.