Loving Literatures

Loved, loved, LOVED this Christmas/winter read!

This book is one of the many within the Dream Harbour series; you can read it in a particular order or as a stand-alone. This one in particular is focused on the romance between bridesmaid, Annie, and groomsman, Mac. These two individuals have a history, and by golly, the whole town knows it! Forced to work together in the wedding party of Logan and Jeanie (the featured couple from The Pumpkin Spice Cafe book), Annie and Mac must set aside their past issues and continued rising tension to make Logan and Jeanie’s wedding the best Dream Harbour has ever seen.

While there is some spice in the story, it wasn’t too much for me. It was maybe a chapter or two worth of pages.

Gilmore really focuses on giving her readers the backstory to why Annie and Mac become so stubborn and tense with each other in the present time. How did their one month romance as late teens turn into emotional turmoil as adults? What happened?!

The story does go back and forth between about thirteen years from the past to the present, but it didn’t feel confusing or jumpy. I am not a fan of the miscommunication trope, some enjoy it, but Annie’s persistence of not listening to what Mac has to say after all these years was crazy. Just talk, please! I know the story becomes more interesting if there is a lack of communication and understanding, but it’s exhausting, yeah?

I did not think the story was rushed, the pace felt good; the tension was simmering, the winter was wintering, I was giggling, and I liked the shorter chapters.

I really liked the book; I loved Annie and Mac’s dynamic, they never really hated each other, did they? Well, of course not, not really!

*Featured tropes: popular athlete & shy nerd, enemies-to-lovers (my personal favorite), secret relationship, hate to love you, return to hometown, miscommunication, second chances, and some serious tension and yearning…