There's no place like seaside Blueberry Cove, Maine, at
Christmas--and there's nothing like a wedding, the warmth of the holidays, and
an old crush, to create the perfect new start...
Interior designer Fiona McCrae has left fast-paced
Manhattan to move back home to peaceful Blueberry Cove. But she's barely
arrived before she's hooked into planning her big sister Hannah's Christmas
wedding--in less than seven weeks. The last thing she needs is for her first
love, Ben Campbell, to return to neighboring Snowflake Bay...
As kids, Fiona was the bratty little sister Ben
mercilessly teased--while pining after Hannah. But Fi never once thought of Ben
like a brother. And that hasn't changed. Except Fi is all grown up. Will Ben
notice her now? More importantly, with her life in a jumble, should he? Or
might the romance of the occasion, the spirit of the season, and the gifts of
time ignite a long-held flame for many Christmases to come...
Something old might just become something new...
I loved this friends-to-lovers story. Fiona sold her
interior design business in Manhattan and returned to Blueberry Cove to get back to her design roots. In the previous book, Sea Glass Sunrise, she was involved
in planning her brother Logan's wedding to Alex and had a front-row seat to
sister Hannah's romance with Calder. Now Hannah wants Fiona to plan her
Christmas wedding, which is only seven weeks away. This is on top of setting up
her new business. The last thing she needs is for her schoolgirl crush, Ben, to
reappear in Blueberry Cove. Ben, her brother's best friend, only had eyes for
her sister Hannah back then.
Ben has a successful landscaping business in Rhode
Island, but when his father's health issues force an early retirement, Ben
comes back to run the family Christmas tree farm for the holidays. One of his
first stops is to see Logan and his wife, Alex, where he also runs into Fiona.
He always thought of her as Logan's bratty little sister, who he teased
unmercifully. He still refers to her by the nickname "Fireplug Fi," a
name she understandably hates.
The first meeting between Fiona and Ben was funny and
sad. Poor Fiona was tangled up in her coat and scarf, and who came to her
rescue but Ben? She's already embarrassed, then he calls her by that horrible
name, making it even worse. Having been in the same predicament with a coat and
scarf, I laughed in empathy with Fiona, but I also ached for her mortification
at Ben's comments. I wanted to shake Ben for being unconsciously cruel. He gets
quite the wake-up call a few days later when he runs into her at the local
antique store and is rendered nearly speechless by the sight of Fiona in a
clingy sweater. Suddenly "Fireplug Fi" has become a beautiful and
sexy woman and his reaction flummoxes him.
I enjoyed seeing the development of the relationship
between Ben and Fiona. It gets off to a rocky start when he overhears her
complaining about the nickname to her other sister, Kerry. He's horrified to
realize how much he hurt her and rightly ashamed of himself. While Fiona wants
to pretend that none of it happened and ignore Ben, he wants to find a way to
make amends. Fiona's brother Logan gets involved by forcing Ben to set up his
Cove tree lot next door to Fiona's new shop. Thrown into frequent proximity,
there is no denying the sparks that flare between them.
I loved their interactions. Because they've known each
other for so long, they have plenty of ammunition for teasing each other. Fiona
is quick-witted and gets in some good zingers on Ben, while he has an amusing
way of flirting with her. They have more in common than expected, including facing
significant life changes. The more time they spend together, the closer they
grow, but neither is sure where it will go. Ben's business is in Rhode Island,
and Fiona is just settling into Blueberry Cove and has no intention of
returning to a city.
I loved seeing how deeply involved they became in each
other's lives. I loved Ben's invitation to Fiona to come to his business's
holiday party in Portland. Their trip on the train was intense, and I loved
seeing how well Fiona fit in with his coworkers. There was also a terrific
scene that involved Ben's ex-girlfriend, who clearly didn't want to let him go. Fiona
dealt with her brilliantly. Ben has always been part of Fiona's family, and his
involvement becomes even more important when a family member has a medical
crisis. His caring and support are critical, not just for Fiona but for the
whole family. But as Christmas draws closer, Fiona and Ben wonder what the
future holds in store for them. The ending was fantastic as Ben finds the
perfect way to manage both of his businesses and get the girl.
Once again, family relationships are a huge part of this
series. Fiona's siblings play essential roles in the romance between our main
characters, as they have no problem butting into each other's business. Their
love and loyalty to each other are never in doubt, but it doesn't stop them
from relentless teasing and interference when deemed necessary. Wedding
planning is a source of stress and hilarity, while Uncle Gus's illness reminds
them of life's fragility. I loved Ben's closeness with his parents and his
desire to do what is right for everyone. His conversations with his mom are
great - especially the one at the end of the book. I liked seeing more of
Fiona's sister, Kerry. Something is up with her, and I can't wait to read her
book.
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