Blurb.
It’s finally time for Natalie Dryden to decide what she really wants! After ditching her sparkling engagement ring, and her ghastly fiancé, she jets off for the sun-kissed shores of Southern France – the only place that has ever truly felt like home. For the first time ever, Natalie is determined to forget all about men and follow her dreams!
…head to the French coast!
Only, avoiding the male population isn’t quite so easy, especially when she meets smooth-talking Philippe and gorgeous fisherman, Remy! But then Natalie, quite literally, bumps into brooding millionaire Mark whilst swimming in the glittering azure-blue bay – and her life is turned upside-down.
Love might be off the cards for Natalie, yet suddenly she finds herself in her dream job and working with her dream man! But is it all too good to be true…?
What does TWG think?
This is the third and final stop for TWG on this tour! Big thank you to Karan from #KEPRTours for having me involved in the tour three times and for having me take part in her other tours! Means a lot. Also, thank you to the publishers for letting me have an ARC of the book in return for my thoughts!
Have you ever felt as though you didn’t belong? You know, the sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach as though something wasn’t right? A partner that considered you to be a ‘thing’, well, his family thinking that you’re a ‘using thing’. Sound familiar? Oh, just me then…
Natalie has been going with the flow with her fiancé for a few years, but then one day, after a casual sausage roll with the dog…in a pantry…she realised that the flow wasn’t enough. Natalie knows that the carpet can be pulled from under people all too quickly, she was determined to not let that happen to her. She has worked hard in her studies and what better place to find herself again, than in France. Surely she will be able to take time for herself and be true to who she really is? You would think so, but when three eligible bachelors and a Labrador catch her eye, I’m sure even Natalie will begin to wonder ‘What happens at the beach….’.
Ever since I saw the cover and the title of this book I have been intrigued. I asked myself ‘what DID happen at the beach?’. I had no idea whether the book would be a ‘typical’ romantic comedy, and, if I’m honest, I was hoping it wouldn’t be.
I adored the fact that Natalie and her grandmother had such chequered pasts because it made them stand out as characters. Their pasts aren’t revealed completely in one go, so as the story progresses, you get to find out more about them and are able to connect with them on multiple levels. ‘What happens at the beach…’ was such an easy book to read, despite several emotional circumstances, it didn’t involve too much of my brain power. That, is definitely a bonus, (if I think too much my head hurts 😉 ).
My favourite part of the whole book was taking a walk down memory lane with Natalie, literally. The amount of history that oozes from the book is mind-blowing. Every place that was visited by Natalie and her new boss, was laced with vivid description. I felt as though I was right there, in France, soaking up the historic atmosphere. Phenomenal.
One thing I have to sit on the fence for where the book is concerned, is the situation of the three guys and Natalie. I couldn’t believe that part as much as I believed the rest of the book. Now, I could be a cynic, maybe it’s because I have never had three guys take a shine to me at once, or maybe Natalie was incredibly lucky. That is just my personal opinion though, and despite my reservations on that situation, it didn’t ruin the book for me. I just didn’t gel with it. I did gel with the dog though, now he’s a keeper! At least I wouldn’t need a foot warmer!
I did say at the beginning of the review that I wondered if I was going to be reading a ‘typical’ romance novel, and I didn’t. However, I did cry like a baby and feel the urge to eat masses of chocolate. In my eyes that didn’t make it a typical romance read because none of the three guys were involved in my snot induced weeping. Ah, I can see why I have never had three males taking a shine to me now….. ;).
‘What happens at the beach’ is a book about finding your feet and doing what is right for you no matter what hurdles you have to jump over. It’s also a book that I felt as though it hugged me, it captured part of me from within and opened my eyes to the fact that there is a whole world out there. All you need is a Labrador, and hope…
What happens at the beach… by T.A.Williams, published by Carina, was released 11th July 2016, and is available to buy from Amazon UK now.
The Writing Garnet 