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Townsend Harbor #3

Bazaar Girls

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From USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling authors Kerrigan Byrne and Cynthia St. Aubin, comes their latest Romcom featuring a quirky cast of characters who represent the hilarious absurdity of life while making you fall head-over-heels in love. This steamy, laugh out loud, opposites-attract small town romance reminds us that we don't have to be perfect to deserve our own happily ever after!

Gemini "Gemma" McKendrick knows just about everything about everybody in Townsend Harbor. When she's not serving on one of the many civic positions or leaping headlong into another hobby, she's hosting the Sunday Stitch 'N Bitch at her yarn and craft shop, Bazaar Girls. With her quirky boutique in big financial trouble, she makes a snap decision to rent out the basement of her cozy craftsman to Townsend Harbor newcomer Gabe Kelly. A man with a past as colorful as his tattoo sleeves, who has become an urban legend since he blew into town. And who better than Gemma, Townsend Harbor's own gossip guru, to answer the rumor mill's most pressing questions? Like whether the silver-tongued mechanic is as good with his hands as he is with a socket wrench.

Gabriel "Gabe" Kelly wasn't born into a family so much as a criminal enterprise. Taught to lift, chop, and rebuild cars since before he could tie his own shoes, he's obliged to pay his debt to society before deserting South Boston for Townsend Harbor, Washington. Surely he can stay out of trouble here, right? He immediately finds the only position an ex-con with prison muscles and neck tattoos could easily find in a town like this, and buys the vintage car mechanic shop from it's retiring owner . Moonlighting as the only tow truck in a thirty-mile radius, he rescues the absent-minded hottie who runs the local yarn shop. But he quickly discovers that a toy-sized car with a dashboard lit up by Christmas isn't the only thing in Gemma McKendrick's life desperately in need of maintenance. Gabe, who is uniquely qualified to diagnose and fix complicated mechanisms, finds his sexy landlord is impossible to figure out. Looks like he'll have to take a peek at her undercarriage to find out what makes her purr before he hits the road again.
Because women of her caliber don't take home guys with his make and model...

But he knows she wants a test drive.

308 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 29, 2023

296 people are currently reading
2642 people want to read

About the author

Kerrigan Byrne

72 books5,033 followers
If you're anything like me, the best night is one spent with a brawny highlander, a mysterious werewolf, a conflicted vampire, or a hot-headed Irishman. My stories span the spectrum of romantic fiction from historical, to paranormal, to romantic suspense. But I can always promise my readers one thing: memorable and sexy Celtic heroes who are guaranteed to heat your blood before they steal your heart. Lose yourself in the enchanted Celtic Isles, you never know who, or what, will find you...

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
Profile Image for Robin (Bridge Four).
1,949 reviews1,659 followers
November 12, 2023
Gemma has been such a great fun character in the prior books. She has ADHD and so is always shown knitting to keep her hands busy to help her focus on the world around her. I totally loved her original reaction to bad boy, Gabe, in Brewbies and couldn't wait to see their story.
"I'm looking for someone like Westley, I think. There's just something undeniably appealing about someone who knows exactly what they want and will do whatever it takes to get it. Even if it means climbing the Cliffs of Insanity."

Well...it was okay for me but not quite the magic I was looking for. Gemma seemed really confident and okay with herself in other books as a side character. But in Bazaar girls she loses that and is the bundled up mess, who doubts everything she does and severely struggles with her neurodivergence. She can't pay her bills on time, she can't figure out how to clean her house, she avoids anything responsibility wise at the store she runs. Some of it might be hyper-accentuated due to extra pressure being placed on her to show the store is profitable or her father is going to shut it down.
description

Gabe on the other hand is a bad boy who looks totally great on the outside, but inside he is just as messy as Gemma. He has a lot of history and you'd think his issues all come from his family. But he also had something traumatic happen at young age that bubbles up at an inconvenient time. Still the guy is pretty hot overall even if some of the stuff coming out of his mouth tends to be more on the shocking side.

Gabe is really digging the Kindergartens teacher look that Gemma is sporting but she is too good for him. Gemma does have a ton of adorableness to her. She is always seeing the best in people and really likes the man Gabe is. She is probably one of the only people who have ever taken the time to get to know and see him, well besides Darby. As they both "fake" their way pretending to be a relationship for Cady's wedding (reasons) they probably get closer to each other than either has ever been before.

Gemma's family, while they love her definitely need some help with how to deal and talk about her diagnosis. Her twin on the other hand was a straight up B-E-O-tch and while you wonder how much of that was her and how much was the toxic relationship she was in, it still seemed a bad way to treat your sister let alone your twin. Still maybe she will be redeemable in the end.

Overall, this is a cute story in a the fun town of Townsend. This is a place I'd love to visit, with all of it's interesting inhabitants and small shops. There is always something going on in the town between festivals and Myrtle and Vee who keep everyone hopping that just makes the story a lot of fun even if there are some big plotting issues.

There are parts of this story that are a lot of fun and some sexy. So, I overlooked so stuff that really seemed like lazy writing. I would hope there was a proof read of this story at some time. But there were a lot of inconsistencies that could have/should have been sorted out pre publications. For example There are just a lot of things going that didn't flow and needed to be overlooked by the reader.

I still enjoy this series overall and will continue but hope some of these issues are figured out for the next installment.
Profile Image for Truth Teller .
130 reviews2 followers
September 4, 2023
I don’t understand all the 5 star lies

This review may have a few minor spoilers which I will note when they start. There ARE triggers in this book as well and as someone who doesn’t usually have them I did not even check if there is a warning. I’m fine with what I read but if you have triggers please check to see if these authors even label them ahead of the book. And check Goodreads if not.

I’ll start by saying that I hate having to leave negative reviews BUT I hate people that leave 5 star reviews for books that are NOT that great. We all have our opinions and that’s fine but when you are the type of reviewers out there leaving 4 & 5 stars for mediocre books, you’re lying to future readers and I don’t find that acceptable. You don’t have to be harsh, but be HONEST. Which is exactly what I am in this review. If you’re someone who loves it, great. But if you’re thinking of reading it but don’t want the spoilers, just know there are several inconsistencies in this book that are hard NOT to notice and that alone should be enough to drop a star or two. The only reason I’m giving this 3 stars is because I actually liked both Gabe and Gemma and I finished the book.

When I read the first book I almost dnf due to the pretentious writing that talked in circles and honestly just left me wondering what was even being said. And don’t even get me started on how annoying it was for the different names for the H. (Fox/Fawkes/Roman) just pick one and stick with it. I hate not finishing a book so it has to be really bad for me to do that so I stuck it out. It wasn’t worth it for me honestly but it was done with. I almost didn’t even read the next book because I truly didn’t like the writing. But curiosity about Ethan got to me. That book seemed to be written much better and I enjoyed it for the most part. I was hoping this book would be written similarly but was disappointed in the beginning because it too seemed to have a pretentiousness to the writing and just seemed to not make sense at times. I had to reread paragraphs a few times and then still wonder why the authors would word it that way.
***SPOILERS BEGIN***
There were some inconsistencies in this book and made me even more confused. The first one was Gemma and Lyra making Gabe pretend to be her boyfriend. It didn’t even make ANY sense. Like zero sense at all to this story. How did that solve ANYTHING? Even if it explained why he was living in the house (which it wouldn’t considering he was in the basement) Harrison had already told the parents. Then at the wedding it was brought up randomly like it was new information. Then wasn’t talked about again. Another thing was at one point, Mikey was older than Gabe but at the end he was younger. The inconsistency that sticks out the most is Lyra- in this book she is supposed to be a lawyer, but as she is the h in the next book that blurb says she’s a psychologist. I truly hope that is fixed before that book is released. Although I don’t see myself reading it as I HATED Lyra with a passion. Even after she apologized in the end she was still a witch with a CAPITOL B! Like honestly if she had been hit by a bus, I wouldn’t have shed a tear. The way she spoke to the older woman in Gemma’s store was just awful. And after the way she behaved the whole time, Gemma forgave her way too quickly. There were others as well but considering it’s the middle of the night and MY neurodivergent ADHD brain is too fried to think further I’ll leave it at that for now.

Overall I can’t say I really enjoyed this book much. I think giving it 3 stars is actually really generous. Other than the inconsistencies in storyline, timeline, and plot there were some grammatical mistakes as well. That I could definitely look over as it wouldn’t have been as bothersome had the rest of the book not bothered me.
Profile Image for ☕️Kimberly  (Caffeinated Reviewer).
3,600 reviews784 followers
September 19, 2023
We met both Gemma & Gabe in the previous books and while each story contains its own romance; I encourage you to read the series in order.

Gemma owns the local craft store and hosts Stitch & Bitch. She is also actively involved with the town council and events. Sometimes this takes a toll, particularly because she suffers from neurodivergent issues. I adored Gemma. She is sweet and her intentions are pure despite her family’s attitudes towards her ADHD. Her father, who owns the building housing her store, is demanding to see the books. Her sister Lyra scolds Gemma like she is a toddler and don’t even get me started on Lyra’s fiancé.

We met Gabe Kelly in a previous novel and I was delighted to learn more about this man. Gabe had a rough upbringing in Boston, suffers from PTSD and is looking for redemption. He thinks he has found it here in Townsend where he bought the local auto repair shop. He is attracted to Gemma, but doesn’t see himself as worthy.

When Gemma discovers he is sleeping in his garage, she offers to lease her basement. I loved the forced proximity and the romance that develops as these two learn to trust.. Family drama, growth and the past create obstacles as I stayed up into the wee hours hoping for a happily ever after.

I love the town and enjoy these authors. I struggled with a few threads/scenes and inconsistencies. Nothing an editor couldn’t correct and the overall story and characters overshadowed them.

If you are looking for a steamy, heartfelt, diverse RomCom set in a seaside town, I think Bazaar Girls would make a lovely fall read.

This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Profile Image for Adam.
439 reviews65 followers
October 25, 2024
Believe it or not, it is possible to write neurodivergent characters in a non-infantilizing way. Pity the authors are unaware of that.
Profile Image for Brenda P.
527 reviews22 followers
October 6, 2024
I wanted to like this third book of the series. But I don’t. And I can’t actually remember much about the book because it didn’t hold my interest and I was forgetting what I was reading! The storyline had too many inconsistencies and I found the characters not memorable. Not sure if I’ll continue with this series.
Profile Image for Whitney.
493 reviews
August 29, 2023
I have loved each of the Townsend Harbor installments, but this is hands down my favorite. My first thought after reading it, where can I get my own Gabe Kelly?
Between the offbeat humor and chemistry, I couldn’t but this book down. I loved the main characters, Gemma and Gabe, and was pleasantly surprised with the fake relationship twist layered on top of the reformed bad boy.
Another bonus of this book, all the characters you loved from the previous books were there. Plus you got to meet a few more. Here’s hoping Lyra, Gemma’s twin, gets her own book.
Like each of the previous installments the main characters felt real. They had real trauma or health issues, that weren’t glazed over. All the facets were shown, especially the parts that are ugly, hard, and frustrating. It was refreshing seeing this type of representation in a novel.
Overall, would recommend these novel to anyone who appreciates off beat humor and a reformed bad boy lead covered in tattoos.
I received this book from the publisher/author at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.
Profile Image for Nicole Smith.
18 reviews
September 1, 2023
The characters were super cute and fun but so many instances happened that didn't make sense and just popped up in the story for no reason. I was like Huh? Too many times.
Profile Image for April.
Author 33 books1,141 followers
August 29, 2023
Kerrigan and Cynthia write SUCH good characters! This book, just like the other Townsend Harbor stories, was so much fun! The inclusive representation is effortless and fabulous, and gives wonderful facets to some memorable characters. A fun escape read!
Profile Image for Janet.
5,195 reviews64 followers
August 28, 2023
Gemini “Gemma” McKendrick knows just about everything about everybody in Townsend Harbor. When she’s not serving on one of the many civic positions or leaping headlong into another hobby, she’s hosting the Sunday Stitch ‘N Bitch at her yarn and craft shop, Bazaar Girls. But all her schmoozing isn’t converting to sales, and with her quirky boutique in big trouble, she makes a snap decision to rent out the basement of her cozy craftsman to Townsend Harbor newcomer Gabe Kelly.
Gabe immediately lands about the only job an ex-con with prison muscles and neck tattoos could easily find in a town like this–a mechanic for a high-end vintage car shop. Moonlighting as the only tow truck in a thirty-mile radius, he rescues Gemma who runs the local yarn shop. But he quickly discovers that a toy-sized car with a dashboard lit up by Christmas isn’t the only thing in Gemma McKendrick’s life desperately in need of maintenance.
I loved both Gabe & Gemma, they aren’t perfect but were perfect for each other but they were so relatable. I don't read many contemporary romances & this was a refreshing change as well as a complete delight. I’m loving the series & this is a lovely addition to it
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Profile Image for rainbow trout.
283 reviews15 followers
March 4, 2025
She, Gemini Cleo McKendrick, sweater vest-wearing neurospicy knitter, was moving in with Gabe "The Babe" Kelly.




just as enjoyable as the rest of the Townsend Harbor series, with the close knit friendships, the small PNW town, and the heroine with a relatable kind of damage for #chronicallyillbaddiessuchasmyselfaswell. Here, Gemma is an ADHD baddie, complete with sensory overload on a party bus, a TikTok-granted self-diagnosis, and a total inability to face her bills without going into overdue territory. Neat! I have a complicated relationship with ADHD representation in books and this falls into a lot of them. I just don't love reading about a hot mess who dribbles food everywhere and can't clean up after herself or attend to even the most basic elements of her business, I find it infantilizing tbh. This book reminded me a lot of my struggles with The Ride of Her Life, where the heroine is similarly well intentioned but pretty useless with a hobby I wanted to see much more of in the book.

I was psyched to spend time with Gemma in her knitting shop in the little town of Townsend Harbor, but it felt sadly lacking in most of those details in favor of showing Gemma experiencing various facets of ADHD-related struggles, and also Gabe's insane layer cake of Background Info. (I don't even have the energy to get fully into it, only that it's a lot, and I think the authors might have done better to focus on just a few traits and developed them out, because he had sooo much going on. Altho I do have to say I was fascinated that he has a history of being a sex worker, which I haven't seen done in a romance to the degree of success that I think we attain here; his history is just a part of himself, not a moral lesson or a source of anguish. Refreshing! OHH! and, okay, huge cringe at the irish weaboo crap lol I cannot ever take an american written irish man seriously, and i'm literally american. luckily there's not a ton of it and you can avert your eyes)

I liked a few of the hashtagADHDjourney elements of Gemma's story like the struggle with frustration with herself, and it feels satisfying to see her show her family how much she tries even though they think she's a failure, and the relationship to her neurotypical family who just want to help: St. Aubin and Byrne are so, so good at adding all these deft little emotional nuances in their books. And it's funny, breezy, easy to read, if pretty thin on plot. I like this series a lot.

I found myself honestly shipping Darby and Gemma more than Gemma and Gabe. We have this description of Darby from Gemma's POV:

Her strawberry print halter-top sundress flared as she spun to greet them, a smile that still made Gemma's guts go all buttery spreading across her pinup-perfect face. The hottest prospect in town, and vanilla-cone-eating, future-Velcro-shoe-wearing Ethan Townsend had gotten to her first.

WHEW!!!

sadly, the girls are all destined for these Complicated, self-hating men.

the chemistry between our two leads here was decent, though I had a difficult time wanting to read about the lady in the cat sweater getting laid because so much of her presentation is like... just plain not at all sexual. it doesn't shift between sexual and non-sexual bits quite as well. it's just as boner-forward and blushy as the other books in the series, to a repetitive degree. some major conflicts aren't quite addressed satisfactorily in the end and the plot devices be devicing.

Bazaar Girls is so entertaining though and that is what i wanted to read it for and that's what matters in the end. the bit where one identical twin sends out a psychic call to her sister when she has a powerful orgasm?? the confirmation of the sister probably being psychic????????? lmfao like... you can't outdo this author duo sometimes. it's such a fun little time. I just can't resist this series. I can't wait until the audiobooks for the next books come out, although they're on KU so i'm going to hop on them soon.
Profile Image for Gmr.
1,251 reviews
October 10, 2023
As much as I've enjoyed getting to know this series, I can honestly say that I think THIS ONE was my favorite thus far! Grant it in book one, we have a bookstore owner getting it on (eventually) with a mysterious recluse that seems to have nothing but her best interests in mind, and yes, they make a damaged (who isn't?), yet mind blowing couple...all making it memorable for certain. Book two gave us the story of the newcomer in town selling hot double cups of...joe with a side of snappy sarcasm, whit, and wonder, all while equally ticking off and intriguing the local man with a badge that was recently made single (after book one!), until hot under the collar becomes more hot, and sans collar (and then some!), granting us an unexpected couple, but a great fit all the same. Now, book three, we have opposites attract with the story of the best friend meeting the less than blue collar man of her never dreamed dreams...and while he may be a lot to handle, so is she, in her own way, and remarkably they GET one another...not just get it on. The layers that are peeled back on each of them, revealing how much more they BOTH are despite the way they get pigeonholed by people, really speaks to embracing your true self, learning to love you first, and not being afraid of letting someone in, nor letting them back out again! It's just as hot as the others, but it didn't feel like quite as much focus was on ONLY that, giving me more of the story aspect that I love and adore!


*ecopy received for review; opinions are my own
Profile Image for Jes.
698 reviews
August 19, 2023
Official review to come at the LitBuzz!

Gemma and Gabe have such an emotional pull towards each other, but they have such big emotional baggage due to their respective pasts.

Part of the anguish of their yearning is that they both can forgive and easily forget the others’ past but not their own. Throw in a sister, the sister’s meddling boyfriend, a wedding, and fake dating to boot this one had all of the delicious angst and emotional tension that I crave.

Gemma and Gabe are so hot, so earnest, and just so swoony. I cannot get enough. Why is Townsend Harbor filled with so many hotties? Honestly, you’ll have to read these books to find out.

Profile Image for Karly.
15 reviews
February 8, 2025
5 Stars!
The story line was solid, loved the characters, the setting and connections to the previous books...but also a tattooed bad boy, yes please.

Although the aformentioned components didnt, give it 5 Stars for me, it was Gemma. These authors wrote what has been the best description of what it's like to grow up and live with undiagnosed adhd as a female. The amount if times I cried reading this, knowing exactly how it feels. Her struggles of trying to prove herself all while trying to hide the shame of her never feeling like she could were a huge part of what connected me to her. This entire series so far has been very enjoyable! I listened to the first 3 but I'm too impatient to wait for their audiobooks of the last 2...
Profile Image for Carissa.
3,382 reviews92 followers
August 21, 2023
3.5 stars

Gemma who is neurodivergent needs to show her family her yarn store is making a profit. She has car problems and tattooed Gabe comes to her rescue and he ends up also renting from her basement. He is prettying interesting as he is an ex-con and comes from a crime family and we learn more about his past with PTSD and he was a stripper. These two ended up forming a fake relationship as Gemma is helping her friends wedding and then her family also comes into town. These two sure are an unlikely pair, but end up seeing past their differences.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Profile Image for Abby.
2,022 reviews68 followers
September 20, 2023
I was excited to get back to Townsend Harbor! And I so enjoyed Gemma’s story! She’s neurodivergent and has a lot on her plate. I liked that she had her struggles but she was still making her way. She had pressure from her dad that was stressing her out. Gabe was a breath of fresh air and treated her right! Plus the chemistry between them was palpable through the pages! *chef’s kiss * I love the books from the writing duo of Kerrigan and Cynthia!
Profile Image for Katherine.
5,400 reviews42 followers
December 5, 2024
Narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Stella Hunter. There is one bit early in the book, a throwaway moment, where the FMC tries to open the hood of her broken down car, and manages to pop the trunk, the gas cap door, and something else, before she gets the hood open. I actually laughed, so hard, while I was driving. It was a much needed moment of levity. Oh, and the actual story is fab. Lots of angst and pain and self-doubt for both, but the FMC's really resonated with me.

KU + whisper sync
Profile Image for Crystal P.
734 reviews10 followers
December 30, 2024
Gemma and Gabe are a swoon-worthy couple. Gemma gives off the kind of energy any adult female with ADHD can relate to and she needed Gabe to help provide her that nudge to view herself in a more positive light. Gabe needed someone willing to fight him on his choices to put everyone else’s happiness (and safety) before him. While I adored this couple and was cheering for them, when this book really hit for me was when I realized the significance of the plural in the title!
Profile Image for Shannon.
8,408 reviews428 followers
November 2, 2024
3.5 rounded up

A crafty, neurodiverse girl with ADHD falls for a tattoed, ex military bad boy in this latest Townsend Harbor, dual POV, spicy small town romance. I enjoyed this fun romcom with emotional depth taht was good on audio narrated by two of my favs, Teddy Hamilton and Stella Hunter. Perfect for fans of authors like Piper Rayne or Meghan Quinn!
Profile Image for Laurel Ullman-bockert.
452 reviews1 follower
April 30, 2025
Just okay again. All of these books have great premises but just seem so surface level. Great characters and the potential for conflict and such but there is no follow through and no true resolution or growth or explanation or consequences or anything. Things just kinda happen and then the story moves along like nothing happened.
Profile Image for ReadingInThe6ix.
758 reviews9 followers
Read
October 4, 2023
DNF at 22%

Not giving it a rating since this may just be a “me” problem, but I really really didn’t connect with Gemma or like her, and he was pretty boring.
Profile Image for Lisa.
1,438 reviews2 followers
October 2, 2024
Loved the knitting store backdrop, pretty spicy throughout.
Profile Image for Melanie Parker.
446 reviews5 followers
December 28, 2024
Somewhere between 4.75-5 out of 5.

I’ve enjoyed the entire series and I’m a sucker for a well represented neurodivergent MC.
Profile Image for Terra Clotfelter G.
407 reviews2 followers
June 3, 2025
3.5 stars

This is a kitschy series, and so far this book has been my least favorite of the three I’ve read. It’s good for a read you don’t have to pay close attention to.
Profile Image for Phonics.
43 reviews
January 4, 2025
4 stars in my head
5 stars in my heart
This was probably the best depiction of my experience with ADHD that I've ever read. I WILL reread for that alone. Tbh Gabe was fine.
Profile Image for Andi.
191 reviews1 follower
September 2, 2023
Bazaar Girls is a spicy addition to Kerrigan Byrne and Cynthia St. Aubin's Townsend Harbor series. I adored the MMC. He's a reformed bad boy from South Boston running from his past. He falls first for the sweet, neurodiverse hometown girl.
Profile Image for Ashley Yungbluth.
672 reviews7 followers
December 20, 2024
"Bazaar Girls" is book three in the "Townsend Harbor" series by Cynthia St. Aubin. This book had me laughing and smiling so much. I would have to say that this one is my favorite in this series. Gemma and Gabe's characters are so cute, and I adore all the characters from the previous two books. My favorite scene is the Bachelorette party that is thrown for one of Gemma's friends, I laughed so hard at that part. Gabe moves to Townsend to escape his troubled pass and finds himself intrigued with Gemma. She offers her basement for him to rent but doesn't tell her family. When her family comes into town, she tries to cover it up. Gemma keeps to herself in life and finds herself catching feelings for Gabe. This was such a well written book and a series that I just can't get enough of.
417 reviews1 follower
August 22, 2023
🤩 Spoilerfreie Rezension – Lesehighlight – es geht weiter 🤩

Gerade habe ich das Buch „Bazaar Girls“ beendet.

Ich gebe generell keine Zusammenfassung des Buches ab, weil ich der Meinung bin, dass diese auch durch den Klappentext des Buches schon aussagefähig ist. Insofern schildere ich hier lediglich meine Eindrücke, da dadurch sichergestellt wird, dass definitiv nicht gespoilert wird 😊

Titel
Wie bei den anderen Büchern dieser Reihe passt der Titel mal wieder wunderbar! Mehr gibt es dazu nicht zu sagen 😉😁

Cover
Wieder einmal setzt es sich fort, dass mir das Cover auch hier überhaupt nicht gefällt. 🙁Ich muss zwar zugeben, dass es insofern zu der Serie passt, weil es einen gewissen Wiedererkennungswert hat. Für mich passt es jedoch – auch beim dritten Teil der Serie - nicht zu der Geschichte. Für mich verkörpert das Cover eine leichte Komödie, die schnell zu lesen -und genauso schnell auch wieder vergessen ist.

Und genau das ist das Buch meiner Meinung nach überhaupt nicht! Vielleicht liegt es aber auch daran, dass es länderspezifische Unterschiede gibt? Wer weiß.

Schreibstil
Von Kerrigan Byrne kenne ich viele Bücher, die mich wirklich flashen und die zu meinen Keepern gehören. Von Cynthia St. Aubin hingegen kannte ich nur die anderen Bücher der Serie. Beim ersten Buch aus Townsend Harbor war es der Name Kerrigans, der dafür sorgte, dass ich dieses Buch unbedingt lesen wollte! Beim zweiten – und auch dem jetzigen dritten Band - war es Townsend Harbor (und zugegebenermaßen auch die Autorinnen) das dafür sorgte, dass ich unbedingt weiterlesen wollte, weil ich wissen muss, wie es mit den Charakteren weitergeht.

Und was soll ich sagen?

Auch dieses Mal wurde ich direkt in die Geschichte katapultiert und kam augenblicklich in das Buch. Es gibt eine gewisse Thematik, die auch schon (in anderer Form) bei den anderen Büchern der Serie für eine gewisse Tiefgründigkeit sorgt. Und auch in „Bazaar Girls“ wird dies fortgesetzt. Das ist toll – und unwahrscheinlich wichtig! Es gibt unerwartete Wendungen und das Ganze erinnert an eine Achterbahnfahrt, bei der man nie weiß, in welcher Richtung es weitergeht. Gerade das Tempo und der hohe Spannungsbogen sind die Gründe dafür, dass man weiterliest, bis das Buch am Ende angelangt ist.

Kerrigan und Cynthia kreieren eine tiefe Intensität, die den Charakteren absolut gut tun – und den Leser fesseln. Mir zumindest ging es so 🥰

Protagonisten
Die Protagonisten sind wunderbar gezeichnet. Kerrigan – und auch Cynthia erschaffen keine eindimensionalen Personen, sondern Menschen wie Du und ich. Ich will aber auch nicht verschweigen, dass die Charaktere auch so einiges in ihrem Leben mitgemacht haben, und dies sie auch nachdrücklich prägt. Da ich jedoch nicht spoilern möchte, kann ich nicht verraten, was es ist, was die Personen umtreibt. Allerdings ist auch wieder (wie in den anderen Bänden) diese Intensität und Tiefgründigkeit vorhanden. Ich habe die Hauptcharaktere (aber nicht nur sie!) absolut in mein Herz geschlossen. Gerade durch das „unperfekte“ sind sie perfekt! Ihr wisst nicht, was ich meine? Dann lest das Buch! Es lohnt sich!

Meint ihr nicht auch, dass es absolut langweilig ist, von perfekten Umständen zu lesen? Wo das Leben doch total anders ist? Und genau das ist das außergewöhnliche! Es werden Fehler gemacht, aber es ist immer auch stimmig! Es gibt wundervolle Momente, bezaubernde Momente – der Atem stockt – und dennoch gibt es diese Momente, bei denen man so mitfiebert, dass man den Tränen nahe ist und einem das Schicksal der Charaktere ungemein berührt. Denn eines kann man sagen: es ist es ein Buch, das man weiter und weiter lesen möchte – auch über das Ende hinaus. Und es lässt einen definitiv nicht kalt! Meiner Meinung nach macht genau so etwas ein faszinierendes Buch aus!

Storyline
Generell muss ich – erneut - sagen, dass die Storyline dieses Buches außergewöhnlich ist. Es gibt zuweilen wirklich schwerwiegende und äußerst belastende Themen, die jedoch mit dem nötigen Fingerspitzengefühl erzählt werden. Wer damit aber keine Probleme hat, der bekommt ein wundervolles Kleinod von Buch!

Setting
Außergewöhnlich! Mitreißend! Packend! Aufwühlend. Erschreckend. Wundervoll. Komisch (im positiven Sinne) und lustig! Ich habe die komplette Gefühlsbandbreite erlebt, habe mitgefiebert, mitgezittert, mich gefreut, war unfassbar traurig – und habe mich sprichwörtlich weggeschmissen vor Lachen! Ich liebe die Art, mit der das Buch zum Leben erweckt wurde ❤️😍

Author‘s Note
Dem Ganzen ist nichts – aber absolut nichts hinzuzufügen! Ich liebe es. Und genau das ist es, was diese Bücher (und auch die Menschen) so besonders macht. Ich wünsche mir echt mehr von diesen Büchern. Insofern: Kerrigan und Cynthia, bitte macht weiter und gebt anderen Charakteren die Aufmerksamkeit der Öffentlichkeit!

Serieninfo:
Dieses Buch gehört zu der Townsend Harbor Reihe und ist Band 3. Ich freue mich total, dass es weitere Bücher geben wird. Und ich hoffe, diese erscheinen ebenfalls relativ schnell!

Die Serie in der richtigen Reihenfolge:

Nevermore Bookstore
Brewbies
Bazaar Girls
Tbc.

Gibt es auch Kritikpunkte?
Definitiv! Mein Kritikpunkt ist, dass das nachfolgende Buch – wann immer es auch erscheint – viel, viel viel zu spät kommen wird. Die Frage ist nur: IST das jetzt ein Kritikpunkt? Oder ist dies nur ein Kompliment für das Buch und die Autorinnen? Entscheidet selbst!

Gesamtfazit
Mir hat das Buch wirklich außerordentlich gut gefallen. Es ist für mich ein Highlight und definitiv ein Keeper.

Insofern eine klare, definitive und vollumfängliche Leseempfehlung! Holt euch dieses Buch! Ihr werdet es nicht bereuen!

Deshalb auch ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ von 5 Sternen.

Info:
Das Buch durfte ich im Rahmen einer Vorab-Leserunde lesen, was meine Meinung jedoch nicht beeinflusst.
Profile Image for Anita Byars.
1,428 reviews13 followers
August 29, 2023
One of the most entertaining series I’ve read in a long time! So many laugh out loud moments, sexual innuendo, secrets and with a great group of strong-willed, independent, women, who all have their own unique problems. These women have bonded together to support each other, any way they can, as they find their way through life…and love! Townsend Harbor seems to be the perfect place with its quaintness and quirkiness for all these characters to blend and live in. This is Gemma and Gabe’s story and I never saw this sizzling relationship coming!!!! And it is an eye opener! Just saying Gemma really surprised me in this opposites-attract romance!


Gemma McKendrick lives in a constant state of clutter and disorganization due to her inability to stay on task for any length of time. Thanks all to her ADHD’s delightful bonus, of body betrayals but also because she constantly overextended herself in Townsend Harbor. But when her father and sister start questioning her, regarding her quirky boutique and its profit margin, she suddenly decides to rent out the basement of her house to Gabe Kelly. The same Gabe Kelly that happened to be the most soul-crushingly beautiful man Gemma had ever met. But when her identical twin Lyra and her fiancé Harrison shows up unexpectedly, and catches her in a rather awkward position, what will her family think of her attraction to the hot bad boy? Her family surely wouldn’t approve of him, if she brought him home for Sunday dinner. But she wants so much more out of life and she was willing to finally reach out and take it.

"If experience is what you want, I'd be more than willing to help you with that. Anything you want to know, anything you want to try, anything you want do. No strings attached."

Gabe "The Babe" Kelly was an old friend of Darby's from Boston, who had made his Townsend Harbor debut in a duet on aerial silks that left neither eyes nor panties dry. A man with a past as colorful as his sleeves of tattoos. Born into a family of criminals, he’d learned at an early age to lift, chop, and rebuild cars. Gabe was full of a past filled with darkness and danger, Southie trash with a rap sheet to prove it. As an ex-con he decides to buys a vintage car mechanic shop from it retiring owner in hopes of staying out of trouble in Townsend Harbour. But when Gemma McKendrick offers him her basement to rent out, he knew he was in deep trouble. Because he hadn't been able to get the image of her out of his head, since the night of Darby's benefit. Which was exactly why he couldn't get tangled up with her. Gemma was sweetness and light, the girl next door with a heart of gold. Until she needed him!

"I'm attracted to you," she said, her voice barely audible above the waves. "Like, a lot. Like, so much that it's basically an obsession”

These two are so…HOT! Sexy, charming and totally head over heels in…lust with each other. Their relationship is so sweet and captivating, I loved watching these two opposites come together and be exactly what the other needed. With Gemma, Gabe was starting to imagine a real future together. But when trouble shows up again, will Gemma and Gabe get their HEA? Or will family cause the end of their future together? You will want to read this one to get all the spicy and sexy details!

I received an early copy and this is my honest review.
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