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Monday, May 26, 2014

Review: Cure for the Common Breakup


Beth Kendrick is one of my auto-buy authors. I absolutely adored the first two I read by her and bought the last three as soon as they were released (it was convenient that they're released around my birthday). When I got the chance to review her newest, Cure for the Common Breakup, I jumped at the chance. It was exactly what I expected, and wanted, and I loved it.

Here's the synopsis:
Flight attendant Summer Benson lives by two rules: Don’t stay with the same man for too long and never stay in one place. She’s about to break rule number one by considering accepting her boyfriend’s proposal—then disaster strikes and her world is shattered in an instant.
Summer heads to Black Dog Bay, where the locals welcome her. Even Hattie Huntington, the town’s oldest, richest, and meanest resident, likes her enough to give her a job. Then there’s Dutch Jansen, the rugged, stoic mayor, who’s the opposite of her type. She probably shouldn't be kissing him. She definitely shouldn't be falling in love.
After a lifetime of globe-trotting, Summer has finally found a home. But Hattie has old scores to settle and a hidden agenda for her newest employee. Summer finds herself faced with an impossible choice: Leave Black Dog Bay behind forever, or stay with the ones she loves and cost them everything...

I wasn't sure what to think about Summer at first. She seemed like a bit of a self-absorbed blonde who was more interested in how she looked than anything else. She's definitely a bit like that but as the story went on, you realize that she's so much more. The reader learns more about her just as she's learning to share more of herself with others. I really liked seeing her become a mentor to Ingrid and finally settling down.

I absolutely loved Black Dog Bay. I'm a small town girl and I just love reading about small towns in books. Even though I'm sure I'd get annoyed with all of the weepy and love obsessed women, I do like what the town is trying to do. Like they say, they're not really about love and heartbreak, they're about healing. And if healing includes locking a cell phone in a drawer, going to the Whinery (how fun is that bar name?), and burning the remnants of a failed relationship? Well, bring on the drinks and roast me a marshmallow! Kendrick obviously had fun creating the town. Not only the shops but also the history. It was all very detailed and I loved it.

It was easy to predict who Summer would end up with but that was ok. Like I always say, I don't mind if the end result is predictable as long as the journey is interesting. This journey definitely was. It wasn't easy for Summer to "land" Dutch and he came with some extra baggage in the form of his teenage sister. Plus, Summer ends up having to become a companion to one of the world's most bitter old ladies. I really looked forward to seeing how Kendrick would weave everything together and make sure she gave readers the ending they wanted.

Beth Kendrick remains one of my favourite authors. I absolutely adored every minute I spent reading Cure for the Common Breakup. I cannot wait for her next book and I hope that she'll end up in Toronto some day!

*An eARC of this novel was provided by BookSparksPR in exchange for an honest review.*

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