An Invitation to Seashell Bay by Bella Osborne

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

One ambitious businesswoman. One irresponsible heir. A deal that will turn both their lives upside down… To grow her craft business, Nancy is in desperate need of two help and money. So when a potential investor she’s looking to impress recommends an assistant, she jumps at the chance to secure both. Freddy Astley-Davenport is a notorious playboy with zero work experience. He’s poised to inherit his family’s estate in sunny Seashell Bay – but only if he can hold down a job for six months first. His plan is to take the assistant role in name only, then do the least work he possibly can. Nancy has other ideas, though, and the pair butt heads from day one. However, as they argue, sparks begin to fly, and they soon discover exactly why opposites attract… An absolutely escapist, funny, feel-good summer romance.

My Opinion

This book has previously been released in four short parts - this is the complete book. Before I started reading this I had already read the first two parts so I was eager to read the final two parts in one go. This is a lovely, light-hearted read, ideal for reading when a quick escape from reality is needed. Told with dual timelines, Nancy and Alice live together but lead two different lives.

I have read a few books by Bella Osborne now so I do know what to expect when I start a new book. This was a true pleasure to read.

Rating: 4/5

Another amazing novel from Bella. I always get excited to read Bella’s new books and this one didn’t disappoint.

I love reading novels that are from the prospective of two different characters and I’m a sucker for a good love story.

I’m not the best at writing reviews as I’d hate to spoil it for anyone wanting to read this book. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Id not read for a while due to illness but this book reignited my love of reading

Opposites attract...don't they?
Bella Osborne brings her delightful sense of humour to her latest novel and we get a well-crafted story full of great characters and yes, I am included a psychotic peacock! Join the residents of Seashell Bay, you won't be disappointed. My thanks to Avon and Netgalley for the reading copy.

I really enjoyed reading this light-hearted and humourous romance. It captured my attention from the very first page and I was completely invested in the story.

Nancy and Alice are housemates and both of their stories are being told alongside one another. The main characters, Nancy and Freddy were a delight to read, and Alice's story added another dimension to the book. Ms. Osborne possesses a sound understanding of her characters and as such they are portrayed with realism and thus come alive on the page.

I appreciated the way it was not as predictable as some novels of this genre. I do not want to give anything away so suffice to say that what I anticipated happening at the beginning was not the case.
I highly recommend this book.

Bella Osborne delivers the perfect book to add to your summer reading list. Engaging characters, plenty of humour and a spark-filled romance make a perfect combination for a summer read.

After reading the first part of this story earlier in the year, I couldn't wait to read the rest; it was worth the wait. The reader gets two stories with engaging female protagonists who experience numerous obstacles to achieving their desired lives. There are poignant elements, but these are balanced with lots of funny incidents. Freddy improves with Nancy's influence, and Nancy and Alice's characters undergo believable and satisfying development. The cast of characters enhances the story and makes it an uplifting read full of family drama, friendship and romance. I like the characters, the settings and the humour.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Nancy’s craft business is badly in need of a new and lucrative contract – without it, they might not be able to survive for very much longer. Her pitch – to put it mildly – turns into a bit of a disaster, but there might be a way to rescue the situation. Enter Freddy – from a privileged background and distinctly unfamiliar with the world of work, needing to show he can hold down a job before he can be trusted to inherit and manage his family’s estate – with a half-heard promise that the much-needed contract will then come her way. As a PA, he leaves rather a lot to be desired – but comes into his own when Nancy has an accident, taking her to his family estate at Seashell Bay to recover and to be cared for, introducing her to a way of life way beyond her experience.

But there’s a second storyline too, equally engaging. Nancy shares a flat with Alice, away from home for the first time, enjoying everything London has to offer, and working as a hard-pressed teaching assistant. At a club one night, she shares a kiss with a man she just can’t forget – until he reappears as the father of one of the children in her class. She thinks he’s bound to be married and out-of-bounds – but while staying with her parents (who always wrap her in cotton wool, and we slowly discover why…) and discovering he’s holidaying near by, it seems he might just be within her reach after all.

But enough of telling the story – and it really is two separate stories, cleverly run in parallel and equally engaging – and more about why I so enjoyed it. There’s plenty of humour – Alice’s schoolday experiences, Freddy’s cack-handed attempts to prove his competence in the workplace, the verbal sparring between him and Nancy, and the various animal antics – but there’s also a good balance of poignancy and sadness, beautifully handled, at times even bringing a tear to the eye. There are, of course, the expected romances – satisfying, believable, filled with warmth – with all the main characters gaining in depth and background as their stories progress. And I very much enjoyed the well-drawn supporting cast too – Nancy’s co-workers, but especially Freddy’s aristocratic (and particularly lovely) parents and their butler Paul.

With its beautifully told story (as always…), this was a book I very much enjoyed – summery, light and lovely, but with plenty of emotional depth, a few unexpected twists and obstacles along the way, and an uplifting ending that was all I wanted it to be for the characters who’d slowly won my heart.

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

This is a perfect summer read. There is fun, laughter, romance and a number of crossed wires that led to some humorous outcomes. I liked that Nancy and Alice's narration alternated with each chapter and the mini cliff hangers made me want to read on. Freddy was quite a character, infuriating but lovable. All in all an easy and light-hearted read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC which I voluntarily review here.

I had fun in reading the first two parts and more fun in reading the entire story. It made me travel to a lovely place, have fun, root for the characters, and hope for the best
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I really enjoyed reading this book.

Nancy is the owner of her crafting company, and she’s looking into how the company can make more money.

Following a confused telephone conversation, when she was looking for a personal assistant, Freddy comes to work for her.

He has never had a job before and is only there to make his parents happy.

Alice who lives with Nancy works as a is teaching assistant, she has feelings for the parent of one of her pupils. She also is keeping a secret, one that might mean the relationship ends before it’s started.

The story is narrated in alternating chapters, and is funny in parts.

I recommend this book.

This book features two protagonists, Nancy and Alice who are housemates. Their stories are interlinked and told in alternate chapters. It is easy to tell who is narrating though. They both have a distinctive style.
I like the way that this is written, each chapter has a cliffhanger/exciting ending, which makes you want to read on.
I loved Carrie the Ragdoll cat, I also have a Ragdoll cat, who like Carrie goes for a walk in a harness and lead. Ragdoll cats are very characterful and I really enjoyed reading about Carrie's antics.
There are some strong subjects in this book, but also romance, humour and heartwarming moments. I would definitely recommend this book. It would be wonderful if there was a sequel to this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

Another excellent read from Bella. A book that is full of ups and downs, interesting characters and a peacock!

This was such a treat of a read and so much more than just a romantic read. Loved how the characters and story line were engaging and how the author focused on the lives of real people and real life changing issues they were dealing with and brought sensitive topics to the forefront in this fabulous summer uplifting and heartwarming escapism read.

I would love a sequel to this to see how Nancy and Alice’s lives progress.

Love this authors books and am looking forward to reading what they write next.

I would firstly just like to say a big thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources who very kindly forwarded me an arc copy of this book, for my Kindle, in return for my honest review.

I have only very recently discovered this author and I honestly don’t know why I haven’t read anything from her sooner. This is her second book that I have read and I have thoroughly enjoyed them both and now need to read more from her!

Right from the very beginning of this book I loved the story and everything from the characters to the original storyline was wonderful and kept me engrossed all the way through to the very end.

I absolutely loved all the characters, especially the two main ones, the hilarious Nancy and the delicious Freddy but all the additional side characters played an important part in the story too.

Then there was also another side story going on alongside the main one and this was all about Alice and I loved how the two stories intertwined together.

After each chapter it would be left on a little mini cliffhanger and this definitely encouraged me to read more and more!

Overall this was a wonderful, enjoyable story that was full of funny, hilarious moments that had me cackling with laughter in quite a few places. It also contained some very sweet, heartwarming moments too and the ending was just perfect and left me with the emotional goosebumps - what more could I ask for from a wonderful book…….

A thoroughly enjoyable read with wonderful characters, Nancy and Freddie, both from different backgrounds meet as a result of a misunderstood mobile conversation. Alice, a class room assistant, living with Nancy has her own problems and parents who are- in her words overly protective.

A really lovely, fun read. I’ll be honest, it took me a little while to warm up to Freddy as a character but I did come round to him about halfway through the book. Another little niggle was how Nancy suddenly started speaking over the top cockney in the last half of the book! Despite these little things, I found this a really lighthearted read and I did enjoy it. Perfect Summer read.

After reading this book in installments it was lovely to have this as a full novel. Wonderful story based in a seaside setting, what a lovely way to relax with a good book. and a peaceful setting. Really worth all of the 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

As has become familiar with Bella’s writing, she adopts a writing style that includes connected yet separate storylines. I have a strict policy of avoiding spoilers, so I stick within the restraints of the synopsis as I recap the book. That said, I must mention the story of Alice who is Nancy’s housemate. I’m sure you’ll love her story as much as I did.

Nancy is a hardworking, businesswoman who is focussed on bringing success to her crafting business. After a particularly calamitous presentation to a prospective investor, she is desperate for a lifeline so accepts the challenge of hiring a playboy for her vacancy for a personal assistant.

Freddy Astley-Davenport is the playboy in question, and he is as spoiled and useless as his reputation suggests. With a distinct lack of work ethic, Nancy finds that her patience is tested to the extreme in her bid to ensure that she keeps up her end of the challenge.

This is definitely a romantic comedy with a big heart. I smiled all the way through and chuckled at some of the ridiculous situations that Nancy found herself in. Bunny slippers at a society party was a particular favourite along with the threat of Percy pooping on the patio furniture. Bonus points are awarded for including Carrie, Nancy’s Ragdoll cat.

There are no prizes for seeing that there is a romantic future for Nancy and Freddy, as the synopsis suggests, but it’s a lot of fun seeing how that evolves. The exchanges between them are smart and witty and had me chuckling as I read. But as the story developed, we discovered that by Nancy losing some of the disdain that she felt for the landed gentry, and Freddy discovering the benefits of doing an honest day’s work, they were able to see a positive future.

An Invitation to Seashell Bay was a lot of fun to read, and I loved every minute of it. Nancy and Freddy were beautifully imagined, and I felt happy as they started to see each other with a new perspective. The bonus for you as a reader, will be discovering Alice and her story. As I said, no spoilers from me.

This is another terrific read, packed with warm characters and some lovely moments. I can definitely recommend accepting the Invitation to Seashell Bay.

Nancy owns her company and is looking for ways to make more money. After a misunderstanding while looking for a personal assistant she ends up with Freddy. Freddy has never really held a job before and really is only doing this to please his parents.
Alice is a teaching assistant who falls for one of her students Dad. She has a secret that might end their relationship before it really starts.
The story is told in alternating chapters. The story flows easy and parts are kinda funny. It’s a perfect book to loose yourself in.
Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the early copy

Your summer chick lit book of the season, not your typical romance and lots of laughter.

Nancy’s treasured craft business is not doing so well and as well a PA to help free up her time by taking on the admin she does, she also needs investment. Her small team of staff have become her friends and as a disability friendly employer she knows they depend on her. When a meeting for a new contract opportunity arises, Nancy needs it to go well, but with a morning of mishaps, its not looking good. After the disastrous meeting, and a big fat No! Nancy is relieved when the investor later calls offering a second chance on condition she can give her new PA job to someone he recommends, she’s in a noisy train station and has only heard half the conversation, but she needs the contract so how bad can they be?

Freddy Astley-Davenport, is a rich playboy who has never had to work for anything. As his parents retire, he is set to take over running of the family estate in the beautiful setting of Seashell Bay, but only if he can prove he is responsible by holding down a normal job for 6 months. Finding out he’s been found a job as a Personal Assistant he has no choice, but he has a plan, which involves doing no work whatsoever, he’ll use his aristocratic charm to persuade new employers to just write him a reference in 6 months’ time. Easy or so he thinks.  Freddy soon finds Nancy has not time for his charms or his lazy attitude, and she is quite clear if the agreement is he's got to do 6 months work, then he has to do just that. Let the chaos commence.

A fabulous story with a lots of laugh out loud moments and a side story of Alice, Nancy's flatmate.

You won't want to out it down. If you buy one book this summer, make it this one.

I was given an early copy of this book in return for an honest review. Thank you #netgalley #harpercollins #bellaosborne