Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Second Chance on Cypress Lane by Reese Ryan

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! If you follow me you know I've kept my eyes open this year for good Black contemporary romance. And this one that I received courtesy of Forever Publishing in exchange for an honest review helped satisfy my craving. There's just something so likable about a small town romance and we tend not to see many of these with Black leads. 

I wish they would've released this in June vs December because it's a solid summer romance. It starts around the beginning of July when Dakota Jones run's back to her quiet beachside home town of Holly Grove Island after a bad breakup and scandal leaves her jobless. She ends up reconnecting with her old friends and her ex boyfriend Dexter Roberts who has made a career for himself in the hospitality business and helps her secure a job marketing a new resort in town.

So if you like small town romance this book has all those cute things you'll enjoy. It's a small beach side town, there's a big Forth of July festival everyone attentions, cozy local eateries, homestyle food, small town gossip, cute dates, and neighbor's who know each other so well. 

Dexter and Dakota work together trying to help their town accept the new resort and figuring out ways to build up the town as a more touristy place but without compromising everything that makes it unique.

Dakota has to rediscover her passions and realize that maybe her dreams of being a big journalist weren't her dreams at all but her deceased mother's. And I think having her tackle her issues with her mother and cope with moving on after her death only added more depth to this story.

I wanted a little more from Dexter and his family because like Dakota has also has had to deal with a parent projecting their hopes and dreams onto their children. We did meet his mother and sister but I wanted a little more of them.

This book can be a little lengthy at times particularly in the middle but it does a great job developing the characters and sets up story for follow up books too. It was slow burn for most of it but then it goes into steamy territory and those scenes didn't disappoint. And the end result is a satisfying romance to help you chase away those winter blues. 




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