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Paradise Key #2
Love at the Beach Shop
The last thing Jenna Davis wants right now is more drama. Still reeling from the untimely loss of one of her four closest friends, she intends to bury herself in work and forget the hurt. But when her other friends announce they're planning an extended stay on the island, Jenna needs to come up with a plan–and fast–to cover up the little white lie she's been telling them. Zach Taylor is dealing with a mess of his own. A sinkhole in front of his shop is keeping customers away and putting his livelihood in jeopardy. So when his best friend’s older sister—the one he’s been secretly crushing on since the day they met—offers to loan Zach some shop space if he’ll do her favor, he’s all ears. The request? Pretend to be her boyfriend until her friends head back home. The stage is set, the charade about to begin. Can these two long time friends keep things purely platonic while they fool the others? Or will Zach and Jenna stop fooling themselves and finally let love in?
308 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 8, 2018
55 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Kyra Jacobs
28 books369 followersKyra Jacobs is an extroverted introvert who writes of love, humor and mystery in the Midwest and beyond. When this Hoosier native isn’t pounding out scenes for her next book, she's likely outside, elbow-deep in snapdragons or spending quality time with her sports-loving family. Kyra also loves to read, tries to golf, and is an avid college football fan.
Be sure to stop by her website www.KyraJacobsBooks.com to learn more about her novels and ways to connect with her on social media.
Be sure to stop by her website www.KyraJacobsBooks.com to learn more about her novels and ways to connect with her on social media.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 6, 2018
This is a delightful, sweet friends to more romance that is a pleasure to escape into. It is the second in the Paradise Key series but works well as a standalone, though I have to admit I have now obtained copies of the other three books in the series and am looking forward to reading them all!
Jenna Davis has grown up in this lovely island community and, unlike her four best girlfriends, has never wanted to leave. After the untimely death or one of these friends, the others return for the funeral and decide to stay there for a while to give them all time to catch up. This poses an unanticipated problem for Jenna as she told them months ago about her fantastic boyfriend who is everyone’s dream come true. Why’s that a problem? Well, he doesn’t really exist and now doesn’t seem to be the time to tell them she’d lied. That’s when she gets the idea to ask her younger brother’s best friend to play the role of her boyfriend in exchange for which she’ll help him out by giving him space for his shop.
That’s a dilemma for Zach as he’s secretly had a crush on Jenna for most of his life! Pretending to be her boyfriend whilst wishing it is true will be made even harder when she also agrees he can stay in the guest room in her apartment! Will familiarity breed contempt or give their love a chance to grow and develop? Will their charade help or cause even more problems? However, in their small community there’s someone out to make mischief for his own ends - and he’s out to manipulate Jenna and Zach….. Will he succeed?
This is a laugh out loud romantic comedy and friends to more stories are always fun reads. The characters in this story are easy to relate to and telling the story from dual POV makes it easier for the reader to understand the motivations and actions of the two main characters. There are other great characters, including Jenna’s grandmother, brother and friends, the lady from the shop next door and Flipper, Zach’s mischievous kitten! I really enjoyed the author’s writing style which took me into the scenarios. It proved to be a lovely read on a beautiful, relaxing day and I have no hesitation in highly recommending it!
I requested and was given a copy of this novel, via NetGalley, with no obligation. This is my honest review of the book after choosing to read it.
Jenna Davis has grown up in this lovely island community and, unlike her four best girlfriends, has never wanted to leave. After the untimely death or one of these friends, the others return for the funeral and decide to stay there for a while to give them all time to catch up. This poses an unanticipated problem for Jenna as she told them months ago about her fantastic boyfriend who is everyone’s dream come true. Why’s that a problem? Well, he doesn’t really exist and now doesn’t seem to be the time to tell them she’d lied. That’s when she gets the idea to ask her younger brother’s best friend to play the role of her boyfriend in exchange for which she’ll help him out by giving him space for his shop.
That’s a dilemma for Zach as he’s secretly had a crush on Jenna for most of his life! Pretending to be her boyfriend whilst wishing it is true will be made even harder when she also agrees he can stay in the guest room in her apartment! Will familiarity breed contempt or give their love a chance to grow and develop? Will their charade help or cause even more problems? However, in their small community there’s someone out to make mischief for his own ends - and he’s out to manipulate Jenna and Zach….. Will he succeed?
This is a laugh out loud romantic comedy and friends to more stories are always fun reads. The characters in this story are easy to relate to and telling the story from dual POV makes it easier for the reader to understand the motivations and actions of the two main characters. There are other great characters, including Jenna’s grandmother, brother and friends, the lady from the shop next door and Flipper, Zach’s mischievous kitten! I really enjoyed the author’s writing style which took me into the scenarios. It proved to be a lovely read on a beautiful, relaxing day and I have no hesitation in highly recommending it!
I requested and was given a copy of this novel, via NetGalley, with no obligation. This is my honest review of the book after choosing to read it.
November 30, 2020
DNF at 5% 3 stars... nothing really wrong about it, just wasn't my cup of tea... I wasn't interested enough to continue, so I am moving on to other books :)
June 5, 2018
Jenna is heartbroken because she lost one of her best friends. They were always a unit of five and now there are only four left. She deeply regrets she hasn't been completely honest with her friends and now has to find a way out of the mess she created for herself. She felt bad about herself and wanted to share an exciting story for a change, so she told her friends about dates with a handsome guy for months, while in fact she's single. Her friends are all staying at Paradise Key for a while and they want to meet him. How can Jenna come up with a boyfriend and save face?
Zach has a big problem. There's a sinkhole in front of his shop and apartment and he needs to find a way to make a living. When Jenna offers him the new extension of her shop to use for the time being he happily accepts. She also lets him stay in her guest room. Jenna's brother is Zach's best friend, so he told himself Jenna is off limits, but now Jenna has a proposal for him. In exchange for her help she asks Zach to pretend to be her boyfriend. However, from the beginning there's nothing false about their feelings for each other. The truth tends to come out though, can Jenna's big lie end in something good?
Love at the Beach Shop is a sweet romantic story. Jenna and Zach are good friends and they know each other well. That means they don't mind offering help, especially not when the situation is mutually beneficial. While spending more time together they discover they like each other a lot. Sparks fly, but their relationship is based on a big secret. Keeping their stories straight for everyone involved proves to be incredibly difficult and soon they're in a huge mess. I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough to find out where that would lead and kept hoping they'd get their happily ever after.
Kyra Jacobs has a wonderful heartwarming writing style. I love the way she describes emotions, they're always spot on. She combines a fun story about friendship turning into true love with a gorgeous setting. Paradise Key is a beautiful island and I enjoyed seeing it from the point of view of the local business owners. That was a fabulous angle that fascinated me straight away. Love at the Beach Shop is a charming feelgood story filled with warmth, friendship and love. I absolutely loved this endearing book.
Zach has a big problem. There's a sinkhole in front of his shop and apartment and he needs to find a way to make a living. When Jenna offers him the new extension of her shop to use for the time being he happily accepts. She also lets him stay in her guest room. Jenna's brother is Zach's best friend, so he told himself Jenna is off limits, but now Jenna has a proposal for him. In exchange for her help she asks Zach to pretend to be her boyfriend. However, from the beginning there's nothing false about their feelings for each other. The truth tends to come out though, can Jenna's big lie end in something good?
Love at the Beach Shop is a sweet romantic story. Jenna and Zach are good friends and they know each other well. That means they don't mind offering help, especially not when the situation is mutually beneficial. While spending more time together they discover they like each other a lot. Sparks fly, but their relationship is based on a big secret. Keeping their stories straight for everyone involved proves to be incredibly difficult and soon they're in a huge mess. I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough to find out where that would lead and kept hoping they'd get their happily ever after.
Kyra Jacobs has a wonderful heartwarming writing style. I love the way she describes emotions, they're always spot on. She combines a fun story about friendship turning into true love with a gorgeous setting. Paradise Key is a beautiful island and I enjoyed seeing it from the point of view of the local business owners. That was a fabulous angle that fascinated me straight away. Love at the Beach Shop is a charming feelgood story filled with warmth, friendship and love. I absolutely loved this endearing book.
April 30, 2018
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for a honest review.
3 1/2 stars
This story was cute and the idea was interesting, unfortunately the character's did not pull me into the story. Overall both main character's were people I would like and I liked that there was dual POV but the story itself did not engage me.
3 1/2 stars
This story was cute and the idea was interesting, unfortunately the character's did not pull me into the story. Overall both main character's were people I would like and I liked that there was dual POV but the story itself did not engage me.
May 9, 2018
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf
I had fun with Love at the Beach Shop, and really that’s all I ever really ask of a book (or author) – to entertain me, make me feel good for a bit… and maybe share your imagination with me as well. So, yeah, had a blast with this friends to lovers to forever romance between Jenna and Zach.
Four friends are back together on Paradise Key, unfortunately for the worst of reasons as their friend has been killed in a reckless, mindless car accident. Why does no one listen to the no texting and driving rules? Innocent people pay the price for others being in constant, instant contact with the world – and this time Lily paid the price with her life.
Jenna, who lives in Paradise Key has made a slip up, allowed a silly fantasy blow up into a now big lie that she has to deal with since her friends will not stop asking about her super attentive boyfriend who spoils her rotten. Yeah, him… Mr. Imagination. She should just come clean, explain what happened, apologize and let it slink into the “friends are weird some times” zone. But, she can’t explain to Lily and that fact keeps her hesitating… until the solution practically falls in her lap.
Zach just had a sinkhole appear in front of his shop not only stopping all business to his shop but wiping out the sewer line as well… so it’s not exactly in a good mood that he approaches the town meeting hall to get something done. Soon. There he runs into his best friend’s sister, Jenna, and his continuous crush since those long ago days that he’s never acted on because… the best friend thing. (Men – rolls eyes) But this time Jenna’s eyes are on him for a different reason, and maybe she has the perfect solution for them both. And, yeah, it’s definitely going to get complicated.
Zach and Jenna are so right together. I had such a blast with their banter, finding their way to love in spite of themselves and the danger that seems to follow them around. Every paradise has to have a snake in the grass somewhere, and it’s no different for this couple. You’ll discover a few twists, good friends, a tight knit community and watch two people who have known each other practically forever, find their own forever with each other. I’d recommend Love at the Beach Shop to any Romance reader who loves a good story, likable characters, a theme to hold a series together, lively secondary characters and a location you’d move to yourself in a minute. What’s not to love about that?
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
I had fun with Love at the Beach Shop, and really that’s all I ever really ask of a book (or author) – to entertain me, make me feel good for a bit… and maybe share your imagination with me as well. So, yeah, had a blast with this friends to lovers to forever romance between Jenna and Zach.
Four friends are back together on Paradise Key, unfortunately for the worst of reasons as their friend has been killed in a reckless, mindless car accident. Why does no one listen to the no texting and driving rules? Innocent people pay the price for others being in constant, instant contact with the world – and this time Lily paid the price with her life.
Jenna, who lives in Paradise Key has made a slip up, allowed a silly fantasy blow up into a now big lie that she has to deal with since her friends will not stop asking about her super attentive boyfriend who spoils her rotten. Yeah, him… Mr. Imagination. She should just come clean, explain what happened, apologize and let it slink into the “friends are weird some times” zone. But, she can’t explain to Lily and that fact keeps her hesitating… until the solution practically falls in her lap.
Zach just had a sinkhole appear in front of his shop not only stopping all business to his shop but wiping out the sewer line as well… so it’s not exactly in a good mood that he approaches the town meeting hall to get something done. Soon. There he runs into his best friend’s sister, Jenna, and his continuous crush since those long ago days that he’s never acted on because… the best friend thing. (Men – rolls eyes) But this time Jenna’s eyes are on him for a different reason, and maybe she has the perfect solution for them both. And, yeah, it’s definitely going to get complicated.
Zach and Jenna are so right together. I had such a blast with their banter, finding their way to love in spite of themselves and the danger that seems to follow them around. Every paradise has to have a snake in the grass somewhere, and it’s no different for this couple. You’ll discover a few twists, good friends, a tight knit community and watch two people who have known each other practically forever, find their own forever with each other. I’d recommend Love at the Beach Shop to any Romance reader who loves a good story, likable characters, a theme to hold a series together, lively secondary characters and a location you’d move to yourself in a minute. What’s not to love about that?
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
May 3, 2018
What a cute book! There is such a sweet premise of two people helping each other out of difficult situations and finding out they really love each other after years of being just friends.
Jenna Davis and Zach Taylor have been friends since forever along with her brother, Aaron. Zach is Aaron’s best friend and being so, never felt he could act on his long time crush on Jenna-best friend’s code and all. Jenna is a little older and she could see the developing man Zach was becoming but stayed far away from him as they grew older. Faced with a situation that Jenna created, she sees a miracle answer in Zach: he could pose as her boyfriend (one she made up to her besties) and in return offer him use of her shop while his is waiting street repairs. Oh, and he could live in the spare room of her apartment, too! Zach sees this as the opportunity to up his game and finally go after Jenna. He is guided by an article in the Redbook magazine he finds in her bathroom (funny idea) and utilizes all its information to sway Jenna to him. But, there’s a villain member of the small town that will use the information about Jenna and Zach to destroy everything if he gets his way. A cute, touching and fun book to enjoy.
Jenna Davis and Zach Taylor have been friends since forever along with her brother, Aaron. Zach is Aaron’s best friend and being so, never felt he could act on his long time crush on Jenna-best friend’s code and all. Jenna is a little older and she could see the developing man Zach was becoming but stayed far away from him as they grew older. Faced with a situation that Jenna created, she sees a miracle answer in Zach: he could pose as her boyfriend (one she made up to her besties) and in return offer him use of her shop while his is waiting street repairs. Oh, and he could live in the spare room of her apartment, too! Zach sees this as the opportunity to up his game and finally go after Jenna. He is guided by an article in the Redbook magazine he finds in her bathroom (funny idea) and utilizes all its information to sway Jenna to him. But, there’s a villain member of the small town that will use the information about Jenna and Zach to destroy everything if he gets his way. A cute, touching and fun book to enjoy.
May 3, 2018
A fun lighthearted romance.
Jenna Davis has found herself in a predicament. She told her friends she had a boyfriend and now they want to meet him. So, Jenna asks her brother’s best friend, Zach Taylor, to be her stand-in boyfriend until her friends leave Paradise Key. Since Zach is currently not able to do business at his shop or live in his apartment because of a sink hole and sewer line break, Jenna offers him her guest room and use of part of her store in return for him pretending to be her boyfriend. Zach has had a crush on Jenna for a long time so it won’t be hard for him to play the part. But once he starts, he decides to use the situation to try to convince Jenna that they should be together.
I enjoyed everything about this book. A friends to lovers story is always fun, but add in a lie that brings the couple together, and that makes it even more fun. I liked the author’s writing style and all of the characters in the book; Jenna’s best friends and family and even Zach’s mischievous kitten named Flipper. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the Paradise Keys series and learning more about Jenna’s friends.
Jenna Davis has found herself in a predicament. She told her friends she had a boyfriend and now they want to meet him. So, Jenna asks her brother’s best friend, Zach Taylor, to be her stand-in boyfriend until her friends leave Paradise Key. Since Zach is currently not able to do business at his shop or live in his apartment because of a sink hole and sewer line break, Jenna offers him her guest room and use of part of her store in return for him pretending to be her boyfriend. Zach has had a crush on Jenna for a long time so it won’t be hard for him to play the part. But once he starts, he decides to use the situation to try to convince Jenna that they should be together.
I enjoyed everything about this book. A friends to lovers story is always fun, but add in a lie that brings the couple together, and that makes it even more fun. I liked the author’s writing style and all of the characters in the book; Jenna’s best friends and family and even Zach’s mischievous kitten named Flipper. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the Paradise Keys series and learning more about Jenna’s friends.
May 6, 2018
Fantastic read! This is the second book in the Paradise Key series however each of these books can be read standalone. So far I'm enjoying all of them! Jenna Davis has been living in Paradise Key but she has stayed close with the friends she made over the summers of her youth. Now everyone is returning to Paradise Key and she has a problem. She may have accidentally told them she had a hot new boyfriend and they are expecting to meet him. Too bad she doesn't actually have one to introduce...unless she can convince her friend Zach Taylor to play along in exchange for a little room in her shop! She has no idea but he may be exactly what she needs.
This book is fun, flirty, and sweet. You don't want to miss this one!
This book is fun, flirty, and sweet. You don't want to miss this one!
May 17, 2018
I am loving these beach reads! Jenna is in a predicament, ok, so she fibbed to her friends about this wonderful new boyfriend, now she needs the real thing! Who to ask, but her brother's best friend, Zach. They were all friends growing up, but little did she know that Zach had feelings for her years ago. Can this fake dating last or will their true feeling come out.
I thoroughly enjoyed these characters, loved their banter between each other. I am loving this little beach community. This is the second book in the series but they can be read as a stand alone.
I thoroughly enjoyed these characters, loved their banter between each other. I am loving this little beach community. This is the second book in the series but they can be read as a stand alone.
May 6, 2018
A very cute, but predictable read. Jenna’s friends are in town for a funeral and are desperate to meet her “boyfriend”. The only issue, she doesn’t have one. Jenna’s friend Zach is in a predicament of his own. He agrees, in exchange for a room in her house, This shouldn’t be hard as he’s had feelings for her for years.
May 6, 2018
I voluntarily read a advanced reader's copy of this book
Love at the Beach Shop by Kyra Jacobs, book two in the Paradise Key series. A great addition to the series this is the second book in series. I love a great beach town series and this series hasn't disappointed me so far. I look forward to seeing what the next book brings us.
Love at the Beach Shop by Kyra Jacobs, book two in the Paradise Key series. A great addition to the series this is the second book in series. I love a great beach town series and this series hasn't disappointed me so far. I look forward to seeing what the next book brings us.
May 5, 2018
A really sweet book! I wasn't sure about Zach's exit and why is would have been "disastrous", but the book was well written and I really liked Jenna.
April 29, 2018
My first Kyra Jacobs novel. Full review to come. Thanks to Kyra Jacobs and publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. Want to read Paradise Key book 1 next to see how the series began.
April 28, 2018
4.5☆
Cute and fun
What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Fake boyfriend
Part of a series: Paradise Key
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue
I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from NetGalley.
Cute and fun
What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Fake boyfriend
Part of a series: Paradise Key
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue
I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from NetGalley.
May 8, 2018
Love at the Beach Shop by Kyra Jacobs
The last thing Jenna Davis wants right now is more drama. Still reeling from the untimely loss of one of her four closest friends, she intends to bury herself in work and forget the hurt. But when her other friends announce they’re planning an extended stay on the island, Jenna needs to come up with a plan–and fast–to cover up the little white lie she’s been telling them.
Zach Taylor is dealing with a mess of his own. A sinkhole in front of his shop is keeping customers away and putting his livelihood in jeopardy. So when his best friend’s older sister—the one he’s been secretly crushing on since the day they met—offers to loan Zach some shop space if he’ll do her favor, he’s all ears. The request? Pretend to be her boyfriend until her friends head back home.
The stage is set, the charade about to begin. Can these two long time friends keep things purely platonic while they fool the others? Or will Zach and Jenna stop fooling themselves and finally let love in?
this is Jenna Davis and Zach Taylor's story.
Jenna Davis stood at her bathroom vanity, mascara wand in one hand and note card in the other. What should have been a cursory rundown of stats and figures before tonight’s town board meeting was proving to be difficult as her mind kept reverting to simpler times. Of when she met her four best friends on the beach at Paradise Bay resort, of their crazy escapades that summer and the following five summers. Of poor Lily, now tragically gone.
Makeup as done as it was going to get, she checked her reflection in the mirror one last time: auburn waves relatively tamed, freckled cheeks still…freckling. So far, no raccoon eyes. A bit puffier than usual, but Paradise Key knew the heartache she’d endured this past week. If they judged her on appearance alone tonight, then shame on them.
Yep, Zach was another of Paradise Key’s resident hotties, just ask any female in town with a pulse. Too bad he’d been her younger brother’s best friend since kindergarten, which made him practically family. It also meant he’d heard far too much of her dirty laundry aired over the years to ever consider as dating material. Aaron just wasn’t so good with keeping things on the down low.Like, at all.
“Please don’t tell me you had nothing better to do than come sit through a town hall meeting,” she teased.
“Trust me, this is the last place I want be on a nice night like tonight.” His smile faded as he followed her into the second row of seats. “But if they don’t hurry up and fix that sinkhole in front of my shop, I’m gonna be in a world of hurt.”
Love at the Beach Shop by Kyra Jacobs is a wonderful well written 4 star book.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Kyra Jacobs and the rest of Paradise Key books.
I highly recommend reading.
"I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book."
Kyra's Books with Tule:
Love at the Beach Shop
Paradise Key
Paradise Key
After the sudden death of one of their friends, four single women who spent their summers at a beachside resort with their families return to the resort to mourn that loss and reconnect. The place they loved when they were young is falling apart, as are the lives of the four women. They each have their own reasons for returning, and their own secrets to keep. But as they bond together to restore a bit of their past, they find love in the beachside town, and the happiness they have sought all their lives.
Book 1
Summer Love: Take Two
by Shirley Jump
Book 2
Love at the Beach Shop
by Kyra Jacobs
Book 3
Resort to Love
by Priscilla Oliveras
Book 4
Small Town Summer
by Susan Meier
The last thing Jenna Davis wants right now is more drama. Still reeling from the untimely loss of one of her four closest friends, she intends to bury herself in work and forget the hurt. But when her other friends announce they’re planning an extended stay on the island, Jenna needs to come up with a plan–and fast–to cover up the little white lie she’s been telling them.
Zach Taylor is dealing with a mess of his own. A sinkhole in front of his shop is keeping customers away and putting his livelihood in jeopardy. So when his best friend’s older sister—the one he’s been secretly crushing on since the day they met—offers to loan Zach some shop space if he’ll do her favor, he’s all ears. The request? Pretend to be her boyfriend until her friends head back home.
The stage is set, the charade about to begin. Can these two long time friends keep things purely platonic while they fool the others? Or will Zach and Jenna stop fooling themselves and finally let love in?
this is Jenna Davis and Zach Taylor's story.
Jenna Davis stood at her bathroom vanity, mascara wand in one hand and note card in the other. What should have been a cursory rundown of stats and figures before tonight’s town board meeting was proving to be difficult as her mind kept reverting to simpler times. Of when she met her four best friends on the beach at Paradise Bay resort, of their crazy escapades that summer and the following five summers. Of poor Lily, now tragically gone.
Makeup as done as it was going to get, she checked her reflection in the mirror one last time: auburn waves relatively tamed, freckled cheeks still…freckling. So far, no raccoon eyes. A bit puffier than usual, but Paradise Key knew the heartache she’d endured this past week. If they judged her on appearance alone tonight, then shame on them.
Yep, Zach was another of Paradise Key’s resident hotties, just ask any female in town with a pulse. Too bad he’d been her younger brother’s best friend since kindergarten, which made him practically family. It also meant he’d heard far too much of her dirty laundry aired over the years to ever consider as dating material. Aaron just wasn’t so good with keeping things on the down low.Like, at all.
“Please don’t tell me you had nothing better to do than come sit through a town hall meeting,” she teased.
“Trust me, this is the last place I want be on a nice night like tonight.” His smile faded as he followed her into the second row of seats. “But if they don’t hurry up and fix that sinkhole in front of my shop, I’m gonna be in a world of hurt.”
Love at the Beach Shop by Kyra Jacobs is a wonderful well written 4 star book.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Kyra Jacobs and the rest of Paradise Key books.
I highly recommend reading.
"I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book."
Kyra's Books with Tule:
Love at the Beach Shop
Paradise Key
Paradise Key
After the sudden death of one of their friends, four single women who spent their summers at a beachside resort with their families return to the resort to mourn that loss and reconnect. The place they loved when they were young is falling apart, as are the lives of the four women. They each have their own reasons for returning, and their own secrets to keep. But as they bond together to restore a bit of their past, they find love in the beachside town, and the happiness they have sought all their lives.
Book 1
Summer Love: Take Two
by Shirley Jump
Book 2
Love at the Beach Shop
by Kyra Jacobs
Book 3
Resort to Love
by Priscilla Oliveras
Book 4
Small Town Summer
by Susan Meier
May 15, 2018
This book hits a bunch of my favorite tropes – best friend’s sister AND fake relationship AND best friends to lovers. It’s also super cute and a perfect summer read. It’s the second in the Paradise Key series, but works fine as a standalone. Though, if you’re anything like me, you’ll end up having to read all of them once you’ve read one!
Jenna runs a tourist shop on the beautiful island of Paradise Key. She likes her life neat and orderly, especially after an awful breakup with an abusive boyfriend, and her life consists of running her shop and spending time with her younger brother and his family, who still live on the island. Her best friends all live in different cities, with great careers and exciting lives full of success. So it’s understandable when she lies and says she has a great new boyfriend, who’s practically perfect in every way. When tragedy strikes and her friends converge on Paradise Key and expect to meet him, well, that’s a complication she wasn’t expecting. So she strikes a bargain with her younger brother’s best friend – he can use part of her shop space while the road outside his store is getting fixed if he agrees to pretend to be her boyfriend. Unlike Jenna, Zach is much more go with the flow, and he sees this as the opportunity to finally move beyond the friend zone with the women he’s had a crush on for years. But what starts with one lie suddenly blooms into more, their friendship, let alone a relationship, is at stake.
Even without the lies, the path to their relationship isn’t smooth. Jenna is a natural caregiver who loves helping out the people around her, whether it’s helping her grandma stay busy by opening a cafe in her newly expanded shop or by babysitting for her friends and relatives. Zach knows firsthand how bad giving and giving and giving can be for the person doing it – his parents got divorced because his mom got tired of putting her hopes and dreams second to everyone else’s. Zach worries Jenna’s on the same path, to the point where he’s the one sacrificing things to help her.
As for other things I liked, I loved the secondary characters. Jenna’s family and her friend Ivy were hilarious, and I though the group of friends was also well represented. When she eventually comes clean to her friends, they’re extremely understanding and they just basically laugh it off. Also, though this is a closed door romance (all four of the novels in this series are, in fact), the sexual tension between the two was quite well done.
Overall, this is a delightfully fun read. It’s a delightful amalgamation of some of my favorite tropes, and I’d recommend it as a funny beach read!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
“'Him’ was the boyfriend she’d raved about to the girls in an online group chat just before Christmas, the one who had rescued her from depression after her last relationship had imploded. The one who was super sweet, romantic, loved to spoil her rotten, and…
…didn’t exist.”
Jenna runs a tourist shop on the beautiful island of Paradise Key. She likes her life neat and orderly, especially after an awful breakup with an abusive boyfriend, and her life consists of running her shop and spending time with her younger brother and his family, who still live on the island. Her best friends all live in different cities, with great careers and exciting lives full of success. So it’s understandable when she lies and says she has a great new boyfriend, who’s practically perfect in every way. When tragedy strikes and her friends converge on Paradise Key and expect to meet him, well, that’s a complication she wasn’t expecting. So she strikes a bargain with her younger brother’s best friend – he can use part of her shop space while the road outside his store is getting fixed if he agrees to pretend to be her boyfriend. Unlike Jenna, Zach is much more go with the flow, and he sees this as the opportunity to finally move beyond the friend zone with the women he’s had a crush on for years. But what starts with one lie suddenly blooms into more, their friendship, let alone a relationship, is at stake.
“Yes, being able to enjoy his company without worrying people would misinterpret their behavior sure would be nice. Funny how their little arrangement had gone from pretending to be dating for one group’s sake, and now pretending not to be for another.”
Even without the lies, the path to their relationship isn’t smooth. Jenna is a natural caregiver who loves helping out the people around her, whether it’s helping her grandma stay busy by opening a cafe in her newly expanded shop or by babysitting for her friends and relatives. Zach knows firsthand how bad giving and giving and giving can be for the person doing it – his parents got divorced because his mom got tired of putting her hopes and dreams second to everyone else’s. Zach worries Jenna’s on the same path, to the point where he’s the one sacrificing things to help her.
As for other things I liked, I loved the secondary characters. Jenna’s family and her friend Ivy were hilarious, and I though the group of friends was also well represented. When she eventually comes clean to her friends, they’re extremely understanding and they just basically laugh it off. Also, though this is a closed door romance (all four of the novels in this series are, in fact), the sexual tension between the two was quite well done.
Overall, this is a delightfully fun read. It’s a delightful amalgamation of some of my favorite tropes, and I’d recommend it as a funny beach read!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
May 11, 2018
I really enjoyed reading Love at the Beach Shop by Kyra Jacobs, book two in The Paradise Key series. This is a best friend’s older sister romance between Jenna Davis and Zach Taylor. After her last breakup, Jenna accidently emails her friends that she has a new boyfriend. This made up boyfriend resembles her younger brother’s best friend, Zach. When her friends decide to extend their stay on the island after the death of their friend Jenna needs to create a plan and cover up, quickly. Zach has his own problems; a sinkhole in front of his shop is keeping customers away and putting his livelihood in jeopardy. When Jenna, his best friend’s older sister, the girl he’s been secretly crushing on since the day they met, offers to let Zach use some of her shop space if he’ll do her favor, he’s all ears. Her request is to pretend to be her boyfriend until her friends head back home. The problem is can these two long time friends keep things purely platonic while they fool the others? Or will Zach and Jenna finally stop fooling themselves and finally let love in?
It was wonderful to see that a younger generation stay on the island and be successful running businesses they own. Jenna is a caretaker, like many first born older sisters, just like Zach’s mother, before she left his father and the town. Zach is a thoughtful and loving boyfriend but concerned about Jenna’s brother and grandmother finding out they are together, even if for pretend. The problem I had with this book is that it didn’t flow as a continuation, or connection, to the first story. There was no mention of Lauren reconnecting with Carter or staying on the island. This was still a sweet story and I enjoyed reading Jenna and Zach’s story.
This was a fun book to read and easy to visualize the story as it occurred. I loved these characters Ms. Jacobs did a wonderful job creating fun characters, keeping the story interesting. I recommend this book to other readers and look forward to reading the next book in this four book series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.
It was wonderful to see that a younger generation stay on the island and be successful running businesses they own. Jenna is a caretaker, like many first born older sisters, just like Zach’s mother, before she left his father and the town. Zach is a thoughtful and loving boyfriend but concerned about Jenna’s brother and grandmother finding out they are together, even if for pretend. The problem I had with this book is that it didn’t flow as a continuation, or connection, to the first story. There was no mention of Lauren reconnecting with Carter or staying on the island. This was still a sweet story and I enjoyed reading Jenna and Zach’s story.
This was a fun book to read and easy to visualize the story as it occurred. I loved these characters Ms. Jacobs did a wonderful job creating fun characters, keeping the story interesting. I recommend this book to other readers and look forward to reading the next book in this four book series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.
May 11, 2018
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 2 in the Paradise Key series. Each book is written by a different author and tells the story of one of the four friends that returned to say goodbye to thei fifth bestie who was killed in an accident. This book is the story of Jenna who has told the besties a fib that she had a new boyfriend. The idea comes to her to have a pretend boyfriend and then picks her younger brother’s best friend, Zach. Zach and Jenna were at a town hall meeting to get approval for projects needed for thei businesses. Zach requested the town fix his business and apartment that were closed due to sewer problems and Jenna was looking for approval for adding a cafe to her business. In exchange for Zach being the fake boyfriend, Jenna was letting him move his closed surf shop to her enlarged gift shop and also share her apartment. At the same time they try to hide this plan from her grandma and brother. The two have always had secret crushes on each other but never acted on it so not to ruin their friendship.The planning commissioner is fighting against the their proposal as well. I enjoyed this story of friend o lovers very much and the suspense with the various secrets was quite exciting. This was my first book by this author too and I liked it a lot.
June 9, 2018
Jenna has found herself in a situation where she either comes clean and come close to losing something that she cherishes or come up with a solution that could help her and her best friend, I mean come on what could go wrong. Zach needs the city to fix his road so that he can keep his business opened, but it seems one councilman might have other plans. Can they work together to keep their business' open or will the fibs be just too much for the trust of the town?
I thought this book was a fun read. However after reading book one and now this book I am wondering if this should be book one. There was some information in this book that seems to make more sense if that was the case. This book was a fun clean read the characters are friends forever and while Jenna likes things in order Zach seems to like to take a risk and push people just a little outside of there comfort zone, which makes for a fun read where you don't know what is going to happen next. I really enjoyed the solid friendships in this book and that no matter what someone is going through the friends are there and they have each other's backs. If you are looking for a fun summer read this series seems like the perfect read.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley. I was under no obligation to post a review and have given my honest opinion
I thought this book was a fun read. However after reading book one and now this book I am wondering if this should be book one. There was some information in this book that seems to make more sense if that was the case. This book was a fun clean read the characters are friends forever and while Jenna likes things in order Zach seems to like to take a risk and push people just a little outside of there comfort zone, which makes for a fun read where you don't know what is going to happen next. I really enjoyed the solid friendships in this book and that no matter what someone is going through the friends are there and they have each other's backs. If you are looking for a fun summer read this series seems like the perfect read.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley. I was under no obligation to post a review and have given my honest opinion
March 12, 2019
Love At The Beach Hut is the second book in the multi-author Paradise Keys series and is perfect holiday reading. While it’s part of a series the links are loose enough that each book stands alone well.
Jenna Davis has told her girlfriends a tiny little lie, making up a perfect imaginary boyfriend. This only becomes a problem when her friends descend on Paradise Keys for the funeral of their friend Lilly and then stay on afterwards. Enter Zach Taylor, her brother’s best friend and the man she’s had a crush on since childhood. Zach needs a favour from Jenna and agrees to pretend to be her boyfriend in return. Of course along the way they discover their feelings for each other but as with all lies, once started this one gets a little out of control.
This story is filled with gorgeous characters. Jenna and Zach were easy to like but there were others too - Jenna’s grandmother for one and Ivy, the hairdresser whose shop is next door to Jenna’s. Paradise Keys is full of community, which makes this story heartwarming.
Jenna Davis has told her girlfriends a tiny little lie, making up a perfect imaginary boyfriend. This only becomes a problem when her friends descend on Paradise Keys for the funeral of their friend Lilly and then stay on afterwards. Enter Zach Taylor, her brother’s best friend and the man she’s had a crush on since childhood. Zach needs a favour from Jenna and agrees to pretend to be her boyfriend in return. Of course along the way they discover their feelings for each other but as with all lies, once started this one gets a little out of control.
This story is filled with gorgeous characters. Jenna and Zach were easy to like but there were others too - Jenna’s grandmother for one and Ivy, the hairdresser whose shop is next door to Jenna’s. Paradise Keys is full of community, which makes this story heartwarming.
May 8, 2018
Book two of the Paradise Key Series, Love at the Beach Shop is a unique book with a sinkhole that is causing problems for one of the main characters. I was intrigued with this story by Kyra Jacobs. This series is based on four girlfriends who have suffered a tragic loss that causes each to re-evaluate their lives. All four are met in book one, with this one being Jenna’s story.
Not so much of a soul searching premise since Jenna wants Zack to be a fake boyfriend while the other friends are in town. This is not my favorite trope but the charade works for Jenna and Zack. The characters are charming with the reader knowing that the romance is not completely fake. The duel perspective is well done as these two finds staying friends only is hard to do.
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Not so much of a soul searching premise since Jenna wants Zack to be a fake boyfriend while the other friends are in town. This is not my favorite trope but the charade works for Jenna and Zack. The characters are charming with the reader knowing that the romance is not completely fake. The duel perspective is well done as these two finds staying friends only is hard to do.
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 14, 2018
I really enjoyed “Love at the Beach Shop” and that’s all I expect from romances,
The book is the second one in the Paradise Key series which is about five friends who have returned to the small beach town where they spent their summer vacations when they were teens and became close friends. Unfortunately, they are back because one of them, Lily, was killed in a car accident.
Jenna, who grew up on Paradise Key, feels that her life is boring compared to the others who live in big cities and have glamourous lives so she makes up a boyfriend. When Jenna realizes that her friend Zach needs a temporary place for his business, she offers him space in return for him pretending to be her boyfriend while her friends are in town.
Will the two old friends discover sparks in their relationship? Will there be problems caused by the lies?
Thanks to NetGalley and Tule Publishing for the ARC.
The book is the second one in the Paradise Key series which is about five friends who have returned to the small beach town where they spent their summer vacations when they were teens and became close friends. Unfortunately, they are back because one of them, Lily, was killed in a car accident.
Jenna, who grew up on Paradise Key, feels that her life is boring compared to the others who live in big cities and have glamourous lives so she makes up a boyfriend. When Jenna realizes that her friend Zach needs a temporary place for his business, she offers him space in return for him pretending to be her boyfriend while her friends are in town.
Will the two old friends discover sparks in their relationship? Will there be problems caused by the lies?
Thanks to NetGalley and Tule Publishing for the ARC.
June 26, 2018
Kyra Jacob's summer romance is set in the Florida Keys. You can just hear the sea gulls and feel the sea breezes. Jenna runs a novelty sea-themed boutique she inherited from her grandmother, which she hopes to expand into a cafe--if she can get through the town's permit-getting process. But that's not her big problem. Her big problem is she has fibbed to her friends about having a boyfriend.
Her brother's best friend, Zack also runs a shop in town. When his business is closed for sewer repair work by the same town board, Jenna has an idea. I bet you can guess what it is. Yep, she asks him to be her pretend boyfriend. But will this stay pretend for long? You're sure to love this character-driven novel seasoned with a taste of the sea and a scrumptious hero.
Her brother's best friend, Zack also runs a shop in town. When his business is closed for sewer repair work by the same town board, Jenna has an idea. I bet you can guess what it is. Yep, she asks him to be her pretend boyfriend. But will this stay pretend for long? You're sure to love this character-driven novel seasoned with a taste of the sea and a scrumptious hero.
June 6, 2018
I read all 4 books in this series and really loved them. If you are looking for a great summer series, I would highly recommend these. Four friends return to Paradise Key for the funeral of their friend. While they are struggling with the aftermath, all of them find love.
In this book, Jenna has been telling her friends that she has a new boyfriend, but when they come to town she has to find someone to fill that role as she hadn't been telling the truth. She asks her friend Zach to pose as her boyfriend and the sparks start to fly. Great fun summer read! I would recommend all 4!
In this book, Jenna has been telling her friends that she has a new boyfriend, but when they come to town she has to find someone to fill that role as she hadn't been telling the truth. She asks her friend Zach to pose as her boyfriend and the sparks start to fly. Great fun summer read! I would recommend all 4!
July 25, 2018
This was a good read and is the second book in the series. Jenna is back in Paradise Key as well as her friend after the tragic death of their friend. Only thing is she does not know what to do about her boyfriend she has been bragging about you the fake one she knows she should come clean but does not know how. So when she bumps into Zach she thinks she has the perfect plan. I liked these two together the banter between them was fantastic.This was a wonderful read and I am looking forward to reading more
May 9, 2018
Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) This was a cute story, and you kind of already know how the story is going to go when you start read. Jenna's friends comes to town for a funeral of one of their friends and expect to meet her boyfriend something she doesn't have, so she gets her best friend Zach to help her with her lie, he has no problem with it because he has always had a crush on her. But does the lie become real?
May 14, 2018
Perfect silver dollars are rare and a good book is too. . This is a Silver Dollar Read
Jenna and Zach's story has me thinking how good this would be as a movie. It has all the necessary ingredients romance, suspense and yep even friendships. Author Kyra Jacobs knows how to write a book that draws you in from the beginning to THE END. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.
Jenna and Zach's story has me thinking how good this would be as a movie. It has all the necessary ingredients romance, suspense and yep even friendships. Author Kyra Jacobs knows how to write a book that draws you in from the beginning to THE END. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.
June 18, 2022
Love at the Beach Shop by Kyra Jacobs is part of the Paradise Key multi-author continuity series, but stands alone well.
It’s a younger brother’s best friend, fake relationship story, and Zach Taylor and Jenna Davis are a charming pair. Faking it lets the leash off those all-too-real feelings, and well, complications ensue…
A terrific read.
It’s a younger brother’s best friend, fake relationship story, and Zach Taylor and Jenna Davis are a charming pair. Faking it lets the leash off those all-too-real feelings, and well, complications ensue…
A terrific read.
May 20, 2018
Love at the Beach Shop is a delightful friend to lover’s story. Zach & Jenna were well suited, and the storyline flowed well. This was a really good ready and I look forward to reading more by this author.
May 31, 2018
Love at the Beach Shop was my number one favorite among the "Paradise Key" series. Love how the main characters interact and fall in love and help each other out. It's such a good classic love story in a modern setting.
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