Review: New Uses for Old Boyfriends

I love Beth Kendrick and I'm always so excited when she publishes a new book. It should be no surprise then that I jumped at the chance to read her latest novel, New Uses For Old Boyfriends. The book was good and I enjoyed reading it...but...I found it a little lacking.

Here's the synopsis:

After growing up in privilege and marrying into money, Lila Alders has gotten used to the good life. But when her happily-ever-after implodes, Lila must return to Black Dog Bay, the tiny seaside town where she grew up. She’s desperate for a safe haven, but everything has changed over the past ten years. Her family’s fortune is gone—and her mother is in total denial. It’s up to Lila to take care of everything...but she can barely take care of herself.
The former golden girl of Black Dog Bay struggles to reinvent herself by opening a vintage clothing boutique. But even as Lila finds new purpose for outdated dresses and tries to reunite with her ex, she realizes that sometimes it’s too late for old dreams. She’s lost everything she thought she needed but found something—someone—she desperately wants. A boy she hardly noticed has grown up into a man she can’t forget...and a second chance has never felt so much like first love.

I think one of my issues is that I found the characters to be somewhat two dimensional. Or maybe I just didn't get the connection I wanted with them. For example, Daphne, Lila's mom, drove me up the wall. I completely understand that she's been dealt a really hard hand in life but she wouldn't listen to her own daughter, who she seems quite close with. To be fair, this made Daphne's eventually transformation even more awesome. Not to give too much away, but she really shines once she finds her new path in life and gets her spark back.

This isn't the first time Kendrick has set a book in Black Dog Bay. A lot of the characters from Cure for the Common Breakup (my review is here) pop up in this story too. To carry on the previous character discussion, I felt like too many previous characters showed up and that took away from really getting to know Lila and Malcolm. Sure, I loved finding out what Summer and Ingrid were up to but, for example, Ingrid was such a secondary character and she shone far more than Malcolm, one of the love interests, did. 

All that being said...I did like the book. I liked that the romance wasn't totally obvious and I really enjoyed seeing how Lila and Daphne grew as women. They had a lot of really tough stuff to deal with and they did it with class - not everyone would be able to do that. It was also fun to get a bit of a crash course in couture fashion history. Kendrick did a good job of sharing information without overloading the reader with unnecessary facts. 

Maybe my expectations were too high for New Uses for Old Boyfriends. I do expect "ohmygod, I love this book to infinity and beyond" feelings when I dive into a new Beth Kendrick novel. Do I wish I had loved it more? Absolutely. Do I still think you should read it? Yep! This is a sweet novel, with depth!, that takes place in a small town everyone will want to visit. While it can stand on its own, I would recommend reading Cure for the Common Breakup first so you can get to know the characters and the town from the beginning.

*A copy of this book was provided by BookSparks via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

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.*