Today it is my stop on the blog tour for Kate Frost’s new novel, The Love Island Bookshop!
A dream job, two handsome men, one destructive act. Will Freya’s opportunity of a lifetime end in tears?
When Freya leaves her publishing job in London to be a barefoot bookseller in the Maldives, it’s the push she needs to move on from her sadness and reignite her passion for life.
While resort owner Zander is charming, it’s handsome dive instructor Aaron who befriends her when she needs it most. But all is not what it seems and there’s trouble brewing in paradise.
Taking a chance on happiness is harder than she imagined. Can Freya let go of her heartache and allow herself to fall in love again?
Freya makes a huge life decision – to quit her job and leave behind everything she knows for a job that is coveted by many – a barefoot bookseller on a luxurious island in the Maldives. What’s not to love?! I know that would be my dream job (although my husband and sons may have something to say about me running off to the Maldives for a few months!). With no ties keeping her in London and a job offer on the table, Freya is soon on a plane, leaving behind the grey humdrum, and heading towards paradise.
On her arrival, Freya finds herself in a luxurious island resort, where she, and she alone, will be responsible for the set up and launch of a bookshop in the most idyllic location. The resort owner Zander, former boyband member with a reputation, puts his faith in her to realise his dream of owning an exclusive bookshop in paradise, adding yet another piece of luxury to his already luxurious resort. Zander is direct, with a very clear vision of what he wants. He doesn’t suffer fools lightly, and Freya finds herself working hard to meet his goals and please him.
In contrast, Aaron, a dive instructor at the resort, is laid back and easy going. She quickly finds herself building a friendship with him at a time when she could have become lonely, despite the friendly staff and beautiful location.
Two very different men, one beautiful island and a dream job – something many of us can only dream about! Naturally none of it is plain sailing, and it would be boring if it was! Kate Frost has created a wonderful character in Freya. It would be easy to be jealous of Freya, however the way she has been written means that you find yourself rooting for her – you want the island, the job, and the relationships she forms to work out for her. Zander and Aaron are also both great characters in completely different ways – character progression is clear for them both, and i really enjoyed following them both. There are some twists in the novel that really work, and they certainly took me by surprise! It would also be remiss of me not to mention the location – Kate really brings to life the stunning, tropical location. She almost made me believe i was there!
I am more than happy to recommend this novel – it’s a great piece of escapism, and perfect for a summer read. So grab a copy, your sunglasses and a chilled glass of bubbles and lose yourself in the Maldives with Freya!
Thank you to Kate Frost and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour, and for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
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Author Bio
Kate Frost is the author of best-selling romantic escape novels (The Baobab Beach Retreat, A Starlit Summer, The Greek Heart and The Amsterdam Affair), character-driven women’s fiction (The Butterfly Storm series and Beneath the Apple Blossom), and Time Shifters, a time travel adventure trilogy for children. She has a MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University, where she also taught lifewriting to creative writing undergraduates.
Kate lives in Bristol with her husband, young son, and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Frodo. As well as writing novels, she’s also the Director of Storytale Festival, a new city-wide children’s book festival that she co-founded in Bristol in 2019 with the ethos of making books accessible to all and encouraging children and teens to read, write and be creative. Kate feels incredibly lucky to spend her days writing and being immersed in books.
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