Mermaid Inn: Includes a bonus novella

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review** Mermaid Inn is the first book in Jenny Holiday's new Matchmaker Bay series and it has everything you'd expect from a small-town, second chance romance! Eve Abbott is a librarian in Toronto and she has just been willed her Aunt's dilapidated Mermaid Inn following her death. While the Inn, and the small town it is located in, used to be a summer oasis for Eve, that all changed a decade ago when her then boyfriend broke her heart and she hasn't returned since. Now faced with what to do with the Inn, she's finding the reasons why she loved being in Moonflower Bay so much in the first place. Sawyer Collins didn't have the best childhood and ended up basically raising his younger sister. Now he's the police chief of Moonflower Bay and he seems to have his life pretty well under control. Well, that is until Evie Abbott shows back up. He's never gotten over her leaving and now that she's back, he's finding all sorts of reasons to spend time at the Mermaid Inn. As Eve and Sawyer spend time together, the chemistry they have is still as strong as ever. It's clear that Sawyer wants to make amends, but Eve isn't so sure and she lets him know it! Will she finally let him in again? What I loved about this story was the theme of finding your voice and really speaking up for and doing what is best for you. Sometimes we need growth before we are ready for things and sometimes when we think we are in the exact right place, maybe we really aren't and I felt like this story showcased a bit of that. Another well done story by Jenny Holiday and I'm really looking forward to the upcoming books in this series!

This was just what my heart needed after coming off of a heavier read. It was sweet and quirky and had me smiling throughout. I can never resist a second chance romance featuring childhood friends to lovers. Throw in some forced-ish proximity and even a little hate love to start and I was sold. Yes, Sawyer and Evie's story was fairly predictable, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment at all. Sawyer was pretty much one big swoonfest for me. He was all the things I love in my heroes and then some. Seriously, how can anyone not fall in love with a man who builds them little free libraries?? Evie was a relatable and hilarious heroine and I just about died of laughter when she discovered the note she left for herself on her phone. There isn't a ton of angst in Mermaid Inn and I appreciated that Jenny Holiday gave Evie and Sawyer time to reconnect and gradually get to know each other again as adults. It felt truer and more natural and really helped build up the anticipation. I also loved how much the characters grew throughout the book and how they faced their personal demons. Even though I don't agree with the reasoning and aftermath behind the initial separation (it is a second chance romance after all), I can understand it. Young love, especially first love, is so all consuming that I can recognize how earth shattering that "betrayal" would feel. I think both characters come to see that regardless of the pain, they both needed that time to grow and mature. I laughed out loud at all the meddling townspeople and loved the colorful cast of secondary characters. Maya and Law have definitely piqued my interest with their bickering and back and forth, but it's broody and quiet Jake who I'm dying to find out more about. This was a great start to the series and Jenny Holiday has set the stage perfectly for subsequent books. *I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*