The Backup Plan is classic Jill Shalvis. Relatable characters, an amazing setting and all the emotion a reader could want. This trio melted my heart. Knox was swoony in all the right places. The Backup Plan is a journey through loss and love, past and present. The foundation of all Shalvis’ novels is heart. Hard lessons won through healing, relationships, laughs, and of course furry friends. PICKLE!

Time spent reading The Backup Plan is just what you need. Curl up and enjoy the journey.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from . This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

The Sunrise Cove series continues but the books are completely standalones. Three twenty-somethings who knew each other 5-10 years ago are brought back together when Eleanor dies. Lauren is her estranged grand niece. Knox is the son of her former house cleaner. Alice is the daughter of a car mechanic, and who ran a show at the Inn back in the day. Knox is about 4 years older than Lauren and Alice who were best friends.

Lauren still lives here in town and is a librarian. Alice has done a bunch of things and is working at a lumber yard currently. Knox is a successful contractor. They decide to renovate the old Inn, afterward they can sell or hire managers. Knox and Alice have plenty of hands-on skills. Lauren does the books, and some decorating.

We mostly get Alice's point of view. She has lost everyone, one way or another, starting at an early age. She doesn't want to stay and renovate the Inn, as the will directs, because then she knows she will care about Knox and Lauren, who won't care about her, and will move on after the month.

The three have a great time doing the renovation and become closer, in spite of their various personal issues, and secrets. I love how the author develops her characters with such realistic feelings and actions. I know the three of them care about each other, even if they don't always know it or believe it. They don't want to hurt each other. I loved seeing them become closer and move past issues. For only a month, they all grew personally with facing their fears and challenges.

I felt everything and loved the connections they built with each other and the community. There was plenty of humor with the dog, Pickle and a few personal foibles. The epilogue takes us two years into the future and is very satisfying.

Any book Jill Shalvis writes is pure magic. This was no different. I enjoyed all the characters, their quirks and how they learned to love again.

Not as fast paced as I would have preferred, but definitely a comfort read.

I loved this book. It was witty, smart, charming, heartwarming, dramatic, at times a little frustrating, romantic and so much more. Alice, Knox and Lauren are brought/forced back together when they inherit the Last Chance Inn when Eleanor passes away, The story is multi-layered and real. They’re each dealing with their own issues, but also issues with each other that must be sorted out if they are going to make it work together and heal their old wounds. I really enjoyed the story and look forward to what is next from this wonderful author.

Another heartwarming story of rekindled friendships and found families from Jill Shalvis!

When Alice, Lauren, and Knox each inherit a third of the rundown B&B the Lauren's estranged great aunt owned and at which Alice and Knox worked once upon a time, they grudgingly agree to work together just long enough to get it back in operational shape. What follows is a trademark Shalvis novel: quirky characters, genuine relationships, fun banter, stellar junk food appreciation, and of course, at least one steamy romance. Like the author's other recent books, this one is definitely more in the vein of "women's fiction" than contemporary romance.

Though the story is told fairly equally from the POVs of the three main characters, it somehow felt like we get to know Alice and Lauren a bit more fully than we do Knox. Don't get me wrong, I loved him just as much as I did the girls, but it didn't seem like we quite got to understand as much of his life before as we did with Lauren and Alice. Maybe this is because the two of them had more of a shared history? The bulk of the chapters started out with either some of the trio's shared lists ("to do," "need," and "the ground rules"), which were a lot of fun, or unsent emails from the deceased woman's iPad, which worked for exposition but sometimes felt a bit clunky. Still, they did their job to keep Eleanor's spirit alive for the characters and the reader.

My only real complaint is that I would have liked to have seen more of Lauren and her new beau on the page. Though overall I do enjoy the direction Ms Shalvis has taken her writing, her focus is definitely more on relationships and less on the romance, and I do rather miss her straight up contemporary romances.

Like the other titles in the series, The Backup Plan works as a standalone, as geography is really the only thing that links the series books. That said, they're all the best kinds of comfort reads, so I'd recommend reading them all :)

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

GAH … #feelings overload and I loved it!

I was a tiny bit apprehensive going into this book because the last time Shalvis wrote a friends coming back together after a rift type storyline, it didn’t work at all with me, so I kept putting off and putting it off, until I didn’t. THIS IS A REALLY GREAT STORY KIDS!

This story has three main arcs, at least that’s my interpretation, with a sprinkle of other goodness. We have the friendship growth and re-development of our trio, and we have the romance journey (okay, the main one lol) of two of our trio and we also have the individual growth of our trio. Off the cuff, that might sound like a lot to tackle in any book let alone a book that isn’t 600 pages. But this is what Jill Shalvis was put on this earth to do and she did it spectacularly with The Backup Plan!! Shalvis expertly intertwined all the things without taking focus off of any one thing, and it just made for one of those happy reads that puts you in a zone for hours and before you know it it’s done!

I’ve wanted to live in Sunrise Cove and be a part of its community since the series began and with every story my love grows for the people exponentially! I want to be their friend and neighbor and just be a part of the happiness! *happy sigh* But alas, it’s a fictional town so I settle for getting lost in it for a few hours with every story Shalvis adds to it!

Terrific book about friendship, secrets, and love. Alice, Knox, and Lauren are shocked to discover that they've each inherited a one-third share in a rundown Wild West-themed inn in their hometown of Sunrise Cove. They must work together for the next month to get it ready to reopen or lose their inheritance. Each has a history with the inn and the previous owner and secrets that haunt them.

Alice, her brother, and her father worked for Eleanor years ago. But when Alice's brother Will died in a tragic accident, the memories drove Alice and her father away from Sunrise Cove. Her dad moved to Europe, and Alice has spent her time going from construction job to construction job. Not only did she lose her brother, but she also lost her BFF Lauren, who had been Will's girlfriend. They argued the night of Will's death and haven't spoken since.

Lauren works in the town library and has spent the last four years as the object of the small town's pity. She is "Will's Widow" to all of them, making it difficult for her to move on. No one knows the guilty feelings she harbors over Will's death.

Knox's mom was a (mostly) functioning alcoholic who worked for Eleanor at the inn. Eleanor would give him odd jobs, keeping him busy and teaching him life skills he didn't get at home. After his mother's death, Knox left town, eventually becoming a very successful contractor.

I enjoyed watching these three lonely people find a family with each other as they deal with their grief, the effects of being abandoned by those who should have loved them, and learning how to forgive themselves and others.

Their first day together is difficult for all three. Alice dreads spending any time in the place that holds such devastating memories. She wants to get the place fixed up, sell it, and get the heck out of Dodge. It doesn't help that she feels guilty about the way she left Lauren. She misses their friendship but has no idea how to fix it. Complicating matters, she had a massive crush on Knox as a teenager and can only pray that he never suspected. Lauren also misses her friendship with Alice and is still angry at how Alice left without a word and no further contact. She hides her loneliness behind her work and suppresses her former adventurousness. Meanwhile, Knox is stuck playing referee between the two women and fighting the memories that haunt him.

The antagonism among the three at the start led to an amusing set of rules that they added to as they went along but broke almost as soon as they wrote them down. Early in the forced partnership, they found an iPad with a stash of unsent emails from Eleanor to her long-dead sister, all about our three main characters. Each email links to a chapter in the book and something going on with one of the characters. They are frequent catalysts for our people to face something in their pasts or present, as all three face the events or memories that have affected their lives.

I enjoyed watching the relationship between Alice and Knox develop. Alice was hard to like at the beginning. She is abrasive, sarcastic, and always keeps one foot out of the door. Knox sees past that complex façade to the vulnerable and hurting woman inside. He always seems to know the right thing to say, whether it's to comfort her, motivate her, or push her to face her fears. There were some very sweet moments between them and some funny snark and flirty teasing. But when the renovations are finished, Alice has to decide what wins - her feelings for Knox or the pain of her memories. Knox's solution was emotional and perfect for Alice.

Even though Eleanor was her great-aunt, thanks to a family rift, Lauren had never known her. Her connection was mainly through her friendship with Alice and her relationship with Will. Through stories and other revelations, Lauren gets a different view of Eleanor than the one she grew up with. She is tired of being "poor Lauren," and though she longs for a relationship with a man who will put her first, she doesn't have the confidence to put herself out there. I laughed at her first encounter with Ben and her obliviousness about his interest. Thanks to downsizing at the library, Lauren also faces a crossroads in her life.

I liked the growth of each character as they faced their pasts and the fears that kept them from moving on. I liked seeing the support they gave each other, including the occasional kick in the butt to get past self-imposed obstacles. I loved the epilogue and the fun twist at the end.

The Backup Plan is the best kind of book to lose yourself in when you want something to give you all the feels and emotions and leave you feeling so happy at the end. I knew from almost the beginning of the book where it was going to go in the end, but with this book it's really all about the journey. Alice, Lauren and Knox meet up at the B&B they have all inherited and begin an unexpected journey. Each have issues they've been putting off facing, but working alongside each other as they fix up the B&B, they begin to work through those issues, both the ones they have with each other and the ones they have each not been facing in their lives. I absolutely loved losing myself for an afternoon in this book. It went from leaving me laughing out loud, to nearly crying with the all the emotions spilling across the page, to ending with a huge smile on my face as I got to the end. HIGHLY recommend this if you are in the mood for something to give you all the feels and leave you feeling good in the end.

I liked this book, it was found family vibes meets she fell first but he fell harder plus a smidge of spice

The plot was was really interesting - three people who used to know one another being brought together to renovate a barn left to them all in a will

It did take me a bit to get into it but i think that’s because i found it a bit confusing to understand how the three main characters were connected - I get that it was slowly revealed over the course of the book for effect but it just made me a touch confused. But I did eventually understand it

There was also an epilogue at the end which was really sweet and a nice insight into their lives a few years later

So, let’s talk The Backup Plan.

Like many of Shalvis’ plots, The Backup Plan is well thought-out and promising. Three individuals inherit a B&B from a manipulative woman who just happens to have the biggest heart to go along with all of that controlling. Alice and Lauren used to be best friends but the death of Alice’s brother and a bevy of secrets estrange the pair. And, Alice always had a massive crush on Knox. There is a lot of tension, which is good (for the reader, well, sometimes).

Unfortunately Alice has never met an emotionally challenging situation she hasn’t wanted to runaway from so she spends much of the book running. On the second to last running, I wished she’d just continue. Run, Alice, run! On the last one, I rolled my eyes. It was far too late for the epiphany Alice has. For me, anyway.

Knox is a typical Shalvis hero: alpha but with a hint of sensitivity and observation, enough so that he notices important things about other people. I believe it’s supposed to be praise-worthy that he falls for Alice, but I found it to be more puzzling. I chuckle at the thought, but what would the fall out have been if he’d ended up with the lovely Lauren?

Lauren is a sweetheart and I really wish that more time had been devoted to her.

Lastly, I hate to admit it but I was a tad bored with The Backup Plan. Although written with Shalvis’ trademark humor and charm, it just couldn’t move beyond the predictability and abrasiveness of Alice, the main character. Perhaps if Alice and Lauren had been smooshed into one character, events might have been more interesting.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There are so many layers here and I loved every single one. I ran through so many emotions while reading this, from laughter to empathy and understanding this one took me on a sweet and heartfelt ride. You definitely don’t have to read the first two books in the series before this one but you should because every minute spent with a JS book is an absolute delight.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the third book in the series – and really, they are all so good, why miss out, but you could read this as a standalone, and go back later.

Eleanor has died and left the Last Chance Inn and her worldly goods to Knox, Alice, and Lauren. They have to spend a month there and restore the inn to its former glory. Only Lauren was still in Sunset Cove, working in the library, but the other two come back, in spite of many reasons they would rather not. I loved finding out why they knew Eleanor, why they left, and what might make them stay. Every detail is peeled away and given to us in such a wonderful way. There is a lot of history between them and Eleanor, and each other. She left them some clues in draft emails on an iPad – which was a device which I think worked very well. Some of it is difficult for them to admit to, some of it is sad, some of it is funny, and overall, it is uplifting.

Alice had a teenage crush on Knox, and he has grown into a fine man. She has no intention of ever getting involved with anyone – they always leave – so her attraction to him now is very inconvenient. For the reader, of course, it is the icing on the cake of this already engaging read. Any Jill Shalvis fan will know that they will get there, but the route they take, well, is not for the faint hearted!

I am already looking forward to going back to Sunset Cove, and catching up with the locals, enjoying the crazy weather, the beautiful scenery, and finding out who is next to catch all the feels!

I have come to rely on Jill Shalvis books to provide my with humor, spiciness, and a good story…this book did not disappoint. Friendships that were destroyed are forced to come back together in this story of friendship, trust, love, family, and believing in oneself. Curl up with this book and plan on not putting it down until you have reached the last page.

At the risk of sounding dramatic, this is not the review I wanted to write. I love Jill Shalvis, have read her novels for years, and until a few years ago, you could bank on me buying her books on release day.

First off, for those looking for spice, I would normally say Jill's books are typically one open door scene followed by a few fade to blacks. This one however was all fade to black. I don't know if this was a publisher preference or the author's preference but meh (for me, for some this might be a selling point). Other "gripes" that are more "its not you its me" aspects to them, is that since I've picked up reading again I find 3rd party pov hard to get into and stay focused on. I'm constantly rechecking who's head I'm inside of. All of Jill's books to my knowledge are 3rd party so again, this is a me problem, not a her problem.

I loved the characters, I love the worlds that Jill builds and I (overall) really enjoyed the plot. This is consistent with Jill's work, I can count on her to set the scene and create some lovable characters. That said, when it came to the love stories in this novel, it felt really phoned in. I was told they were falling in love but feel like I missed it actually happening, then with the fade to black I couldn't even say "well it was because of the chemistry".

TLDR: I wanted to love this book because I normally love this author, but this one did not feel on par with her potential, or maybe my tastes have changed.

Friendship, loss, betrayal, forgiveness, self-discovery, hope, love...this book has all the feelings!

Once again, Jill Shalvis has created an immersive, complex, heart-tugging story that captured my attention and my heart. These characters are fully developed, flawed, relatable, and real. Each is on an individual journey while, at the same time, all three are slowly, sometimes painfully, extending tendrils of forgiveness and hope as they begin to reconnect with one another. Once I began reading, I was hooked. There was no way I was going to be able to put this book down until I reached the final page.

Just as Shalvis's characters are complex and fully developed, so too is her choice of setting. The Lake Tahoe area is majestic, stunningly beautiful, and deceptively dangerous, all facets that are explored in intimate detail by an author who knows the area well. The pictures she paints with her words bring it all to vivid life and convince me I'm right there with her characters as they breathe in the scents, navigate the dangerous roads, and discover all they never realized they were seeking.

Sometimes, I finish a book happy for the characters who have found their happy endings. But, other times, I turn that final page feeling as if I've just spent several hours with a group of dear friends. I know them, I care about them, I want only the best for them. That's how I felt when I turned the final page of The Backup Plan. I want Knox to build me a home that's harmonious with the surrounding nature. I want to buy Lauren's book then lose myself in her words. And nobody, but nobody, touches my car except Alice! I'm fully confident that Knox, Alice, and Lauren are all living their best lives in Sunrise Cove and I want to be there for all the future happy events in their lives.

It should be noted that while The Backup Plan is the third book in the Sunrise Cove series, it is a complete standalone.

Advance copy received for fair and unbiased review

I do enjoy this author and this series. Themes of friendship, romance and lots of history between them. Strong, multi-layered characters with lots of emotions and complicated pasts. Hopeful story of finding happiness, a long lost friend and love.

Wanderer Alice, her ex-BFF Lauren, and her high school crush Knox all inherit a 1/3 portion of a historic inn. Can they get along long enough to renovate it? And will the growing romance between Alice and Knox convince her to stay?

This is a fun, heartwarming, emotional book. Alice and Lauren have a lot of issues to work out based on past tragedy. The chemistry between Alice and Knox is hot and the relationship light and flirty in the beginning. As it develops, Alice has to choose between her desire for freedom and her need for belonging.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Alice grew up in Sunrise Cove, helping her dad restore cars and run the race team for the Last Chance Inn, a wild west B&B that was the setting for a popular TV show. After a tragic accident ripped her life apart, she left and never looked back. But now Eleanor, the woman who'd always felt like a mother to her, had died and left her a share of the inn along with her ex-best-friend Lauren, and her childhood crush Knox. They're required to stay and fix up the inn for a month before a management company can take over and run it. All three have issues with each other and it's going to take some ground rules to keep the peace. But as the month goes on, every rule is broken as they each face their demons from the past. But what will happen when the month is up?
This was a sweet small town romance. I think out of all the characters, I disliked Alice the most. She was so negative and bitter through most of the book and I was just frustrated with her attitude. Knox definitely made up for it with his steady character, cheerful attitude, and funny banter. I haven't read the first two books in the series, but I didn't have any trouble falling into the story. I can definitely be read as a standalone.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A highly entertaining, heartwarming and laugh out loud fun adventure filled with witty and engaging charters, heart racing twists and exciting emotional turns. This journey was so heartwarming and real it just pulls you in and does not let go.

This was a fun read and definitely lived up to my expectations. Each character is so different and has their own baggage but also has a shared past and some similar baggage. Even though she has died before the book takes place I loved that we got the emails from Eleanor. Not only did I get a chuckle over how she referred to her sister and herself but was nice to hear her reasonings and motivations for the inheritance. The continually growing list of rules was also a lot of fun.

Alice, Lauren, and Knox all have some pretty real issues to overcome and work through. They've all had tough pasts and are linked in complicated ways. They also have very different ways of processing feelings and emotions which has led to misunderstandings in the past and at times in the present. I enjoyed the romance but even more so I enjoyed the growing friendships as they renovate the old inn.

This was a fun romance and story of rebuilding both an inn and friendships. And there was Pickle who regularly stole the show. Apparently this is the 3rd book set in this area and I'm looking forward to reading the others.