What do you think?
Rate this book
Port Bristol #2
Blueprint for Love
In video game developer Marley Callan’s opinion, contractor Byron Gallagher thinks he owns every inch of her new town of Port Bristol, Maine—including her for-sale dream home. But after a knockdown bidding war with Byron, Marley emerges as the victor. Her prize: a two-story wreck ready to fall down on her head. Not that she’d ever admit her mistake to Byron. The blond, blue-eyed god has enough going for him.
1175 Fletcher Point Circle would’ve been Byron’s windfall, the answer to the bottomless pit of debt from which he’d spent years digging out his company. But when Marley demolishes him with a bid he can’t afford to match, Byron decides losing might not be so bad. As her new next-door neighbor, he’ll have a front-row seat to enjoy the results of Marley’s insane plan to live in the dilapidated house. Not to mention a view of the woman who gets him hotter than a blowtorch.
Late-night plumbing rescues and napkin property contracts lead to more than just a mutually beneficial home renovation. Their business agreement and an undercurrent of electrifying attraction soon turn into the beginnings of a blended family. A new job, a new home, and a new love—Marley learns she can have it all with Byron.
But when town menace Preston Lavery threatens everything Marley’s worked for by coaxing her ex to Port Bristol with less-than-friendly intentions, Byron and Marley’s budding relationship is put to a crucial test. On a wacky local holiday, they’re forced to make decisions that will either see them go their separate ways or turn 1175 Fletcher Point Circle into the place where all of their dreams really do come true.
1175 Fletcher Point Circle would’ve been Byron’s windfall, the answer to the bottomless pit of debt from which he’d spent years digging out his company. But when Marley demolishes him with a bid he can’t afford to match, Byron decides losing might not be so bad. As her new next-door neighbor, he’ll have a front-row seat to enjoy the results of Marley’s insane plan to live in the dilapidated house. Not to mention a view of the woman who gets him hotter than a blowtorch.
Late-night plumbing rescues and napkin property contracts lead to more than just a mutually beneficial home renovation. Their business agreement and an undercurrent of electrifying attraction soon turn into the beginnings of a blended family. A new job, a new home, and a new love—Marley learns she can have it all with Byron.
But when town menace Preston Lavery threatens everything Marley’s worked for by coaxing her ex to Port Bristol with less-than-friendly intentions, Byron and Marley’s budding relationship is put to a crucial test. On a wacky local holiday, they’re forced to make decisions that will either see them go their separate ways or turn 1175 Fletcher Point Circle into the place where all of their dreams really do come true.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 24, 2019
10 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 4, 2020
Malley Callahan who is a mother and video game developer has now moved to Point Bristol, Maine for a new job. With that, she is wanting a new house for her and her daughter to live in. thinking that she has found that house she shows up on the day that you are to bid on the home thinking that she should be able to purchase it and still have some money left for any work on it.
Contractor Bryon Gallagher has been waiting for 1175 Point Circle drive to come up for bid in order to save his company after he remodels and flips for a huge profit. Figuring what the cost of the house will be a bid, he also figures no one else in the area will not bid on the home. What he was not expecting was to be grossly out bided by a beautiful woman who actually is buying a money pit. Malley does not believe him and ups the bid in order to win. She does. She also realizes he is right but does not want to admit it, especially when he and his daughter come over the first night to help her and her daughter out. Though she knows he is right she does not admit it for she really has a problem with men being right which is why she is where she is. You will find in the story. What she is really good at is writing code, but when her ex comes back in wanting something from her, he goes after people she cares about. Then people rally around her. Bryon also comes clean early in the story with her about the deal they made for him to work on the house so you are only left with her ex who you understand why she wanted to get away from him. Wanting to always try to do good she finally calls in a huge favor which goes after her ex. Overall, I thought this book to be very good with really good characters. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
Contractor Bryon Gallagher has been waiting for 1175 Point Circle drive to come up for bid in order to save his company after he remodels and flips for a huge profit. Figuring what the cost of the house will be a bid, he also figures no one else in the area will not bid on the home. What he was not expecting was to be grossly out bided by a beautiful woman who actually is buying a money pit. Malley does not believe him and ups the bid in order to win. She does. She also realizes he is right but does not want to admit it, especially when he and his daughter come over the first night to help her and her daughter out. Though she knows he is right she does not admit it for she really has a problem with men being right which is why she is where she is. You will find in the story. What she is really good at is writing code, but when her ex comes back in wanting something from her, he goes after people she cares about. Then people rally around her. Bryon also comes clean early in the story with her about the deal they made for him to work on the house so you are only left with her ex who you understand why she wanted to get away from him. Wanting to always try to do good she finally calls in a huge favor which goes after her ex. Overall, I thought this book to be very good with really good characters. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
July 23, 2019
Two and a half stars.
Marley is a divorced single mother. A former hacker and CIA nerd she has come to Port Bristol to start over and work with Sam, her BFF Lilian's husband in his new tech start-up. Byron Gallagher is a single father, he owns his own construction business and is looking to develop a block of apartments on the property next door to fund his daughter's future college dreams. Then Marley buys the property Byron has his eye on and it's all-out war between them - until Byron suggest a compromise that could make them both happy.
On paper this is absolutely my cup of tea, contemporary romantic comedy, opposites attract, nerd and the construction worker. Indeed, I actually enjoyed (most of) the plot. Unfortunately I really did not get Jenn Hughes' 'humour'. A grown woman and mother of a pre-teen should not need to use the word 'fork' instead of the four-letter expletive it sounds like, and certainly not 30 times in one novel! All of the humour was overblown and felt like it was written by a horny 12 year old boy. Don't even get me started on the use of the phrase 'her throbbing go-button' !! None of the characters, except maybe Byron felt real they were all 'characters' with no personal motivations other than furthering the plot.
Overall I felt Jenn Hughes just needed to tone it down a bit, stop repeating the same joke over and over again like a five year old and think about why the secondary characters behave the way they do - Marley's ex-husband is a case in point, he changed his attitude so fast he must have got whiplash - no character integrity.
However, underneath it all was a sweet small-town romance.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Marley is a divorced single mother. A former hacker and CIA nerd she has come to Port Bristol to start over and work with Sam, her BFF Lilian's husband in his new tech start-up. Byron Gallagher is a single father, he owns his own construction business and is looking to develop a block of apartments on the property next door to fund his daughter's future college dreams. Then Marley buys the property Byron has his eye on and it's all-out war between them - until Byron suggest a compromise that could make them both happy.
On paper this is absolutely my cup of tea, contemporary romantic comedy, opposites attract, nerd and the construction worker. Indeed, I actually enjoyed (most of) the plot. Unfortunately I really did not get Jenn Hughes' 'humour'. A grown woman and mother of a pre-teen should not need to use the word 'fork' instead of the four-letter expletive it sounds like, and certainly not 30 times in one novel! All of the humour was overblown and felt like it was written by a horny 12 year old boy. Don't even get me started on the use of the phrase 'her throbbing go-button' !! None of the characters, except maybe Byron felt real they were all 'characters' with no personal motivations other than furthering the plot.
Overall I felt Jenn Hughes just needed to tone it down a bit, stop repeating the same joke over and over again like a five year old and think about why the secondary characters behave the way they do - Marley's ex-husband is a case in point, he changed his attitude so fast he must have got whiplash - no character integrity.
However, underneath it all was a sweet small-town romance.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
July 21, 2020
Byron and Marley got off to a rough start but they can help each other out. She can sign over some of her land and in exchange, he will renovate her broken down, falling apart home. Simple. . . no strings. Nothing is that simple! They both have painful memories in their love life but they might just find that more is being fixed than a broken down house if they leave themselves open to the possibilities.
I liked this story very much. I'm not a fan of descriptive details of sexual encounters but the story was really good. I really loved Byron and his willingness to get the job done and open himself up to more when he saw how wonderful it could be for both him and his daughter. There is so much more to the story than just a romance and I thoroughly enjoyed the "revenge" that Marley got at the end.
I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.
I liked this story very much. I'm not a fan of descriptive details of sexual encounters but the story was really good. I really loved Byron and his willingness to get the job done and open himself up to more when he saw how wonderful it could be for both him and his daughter. There is so much more to the story than just a romance and I thoroughly enjoyed the "revenge" that Marley got at the end.
I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.
August 10, 2019
FINALLY! A contemporary romance of enemies to lovers who have a genuinely healthy relationship. It's 2019.
We needed this so bad. Marley and Byron had an honesty about them that was so refreshing.
One of the biggest things I scream about when reading romance stories is how everything could go so much smoother if they just flipping communicated like mature adults. But then would there still be suspense and drama to make a novel? Heck yes! I wasn't sure how, to be honest, but Jenn Hughes has figured it out. And it all really revolves around making sure you have a kick-a$$ heroine leading the way.
Marley has one (pretty darn big) thing on her rap sheet - she hacked the CIA as a bored teen and had to give them years of service in exchange for not going to jail. She's also got an ex-husband that's really a piece of work. Byron is running his family contracting business and wants the house next door for development opportunities but of course Marley swoops in first. This has elements of a classic enemies to lovers trope so I am here for it.
I cannot stress enough how happy I am to finally have a contemporary romance novel have brutally honest and straight forward characters. Byron tricked Marley into signing over some of her land for a development opportunity but guilt made him confess like a chapter and a half later rather than delaying it and lying about it and having the drama of this story being Marley exploding about it later. Instead their relationship was healthy and functional. So where did the drama come from? Preston Lavery, a man who is so rich and powerful that he's been pretty much unstoppable until he screwed with everyone Marley held dear. And she's got a favour she can arrange to call in. And boy does she call it in and the drama is incredible and she's so kick-a$$ and amazing when she believes in herself and her friends are with her 100%. I'm just so happy! There's nothing petty or non-nonsensically dramatic or annoying about any characters. You only want Preston and ex-husband to walk off the pier but. You never hate Marley or Byron. It's just so great. So great.
It takes 70% of the novel for you to understand why the f-word is fork or forking and that was driving me absolutely bananas but Marley doesn't swear and so rather than just changing the sentences, there's a lot of weird words in place of swear words that we could have honestly done without. But that is literally my only complaint.
Thank you NetGalley and Soul Mate Publishing LLC for a copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
We needed this so bad. Marley and Byron had an honesty about them that was so refreshing.
One of the biggest things I scream about when reading romance stories is how everything could go so much smoother if they just flipping communicated like mature adults. But then would there still be suspense and drama to make a novel? Heck yes! I wasn't sure how, to be honest, but Jenn Hughes has figured it out. And it all really revolves around making sure you have a kick-a$$ heroine leading the way.
Marley has one (pretty darn big) thing on her rap sheet - she hacked the CIA as a bored teen and had to give them years of service in exchange for not going to jail. She's also got an ex-husband that's really a piece of work. Byron is running his family contracting business and wants the house next door for development opportunities but of course Marley swoops in first. This has elements of a classic enemies to lovers trope so I am here for it.
I cannot stress enough how happy I am to finally have a contemporary romance novel have brutally honest and straight forward characters. Byron tricked Marley into signing over some of her land for a development opportunity but guilt made him confess like a chapter and a half later rather than delaying it and lying about it and having the drama of this story being Marley exploding about it later. Instead their relationship was healthy and functional. So where did the drama come from? Preston Lavery, a man who is so rich and powerful that he's been pretty much unstoppable until he screwed with everyone Marley held dear. And she's got a favour she can arrange to call in. And boy does she call it in and the drama is incredible and she's so kick-a$$ and amazing when she believes in herself and her friends are with her 100%. I'm just so happy! There's nothing petty or non-nonsensically dramatic or annoying about any characters. You only want Preston and ex-husband to walk off the pier but. You never hate Marley or Byron. It's just so great. So great.
It takes 70% of the novel for you to understand why the f-word is fork or forking and that was driving me absolutely bananas but Marley doesn't swear and so rather than just changing the sentences, there's a lot of weird words in place of swear words that we could have honestly done without. But that is literally my only complaint.
Thank you NetGalley and Soul Mate Publishing LLC for a copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
December 5, 2019
***Thank you to NetGalley, Soul Mate Publishing and Jenn Hughes. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own.***
If you’re looking for a totally adorable read, then Blueprint for Love, by Jenn Hughes, might just be the book for you. Marley outbids local contractor Byron on a home, not realizing that the house should be condemned. After a little negotiating, they come to a mutually beneficial agreement. Byron will help her fix the place up for a piece of her land. Multiple mishaps have them exploring the spark between them and blending their families into one happy bunch. Everything they’ve built is threatened when the town bully puts Marley between a rock and a hard place.
This story was just adorable. I loved Marley and Bryon. I loved the family they built. I loved Lillian, Marley’s best friend. I admit I’m a sucker for an enemies-to-lovers story, and this one was lots of fun. Marley and Byron both put the other first, which was great. They talked stuff over, tried to do right by their kids. They’re just good people, trying to make lives for their daughters and get over some past mistakes. They showed great growth. Also, it’s super hard to resist a good revenge plot against a bully, and that part of the story was really well done.
If you’re looking for a totally adorable read, then Blueprint for Love, by Jenn Hughes, might just be the book for you. Marley outbids local contractor Byron on a home, not realizing that the house should be condemned. After a little negotiating, they come to a mutually beneficial agreement. Byron will help her fix the place up for a piece of her land. Multiple mishaps have them exploring the spark between them and blending their families into one happy bunch. Everything they’ve built is threatened when the town bully puts Marley between a rock and a hard place.
This story was just adorable. I loved Marley and Bryon. I loved the family they built. I loved Lillian, Marley’s best friend. I admit I’m a sucker for an enemies-to-lovers story, and this one was lots of fun. Marley and Byron both put the other first, which was great. They talked stuff over, tried to do right by their kids. They’re just good people, trying to make lives for their daughters and get over some past mistakes. They showed great growth. Also, it’s super hard to resist a good revenge plot against a bully, and that part of the story was really well done.
July 24, 2019
I recently finished reading Blueprint for Love by Jenn Hughes from an advance copy. The opinion that follows is my own.
The title had me worried because it is a bit sappy, but titles are tricky and when it comes to contemporary romance are often cheesy. I was barely halfway through chapter one when I realized I was worried for nothing.
The romance is cute but not sappy or cheesy. If anything the humor in this book has a bit of a dark edge to it, like Marley herself, and I loved it! I laughed out loud several times! I also love that a guy with the name Byron is the hot bachelor in town. When I hear Byron I don’t think of the golden god he was described to be and that made me love him even more.
This book is quirky, fun, and light. I read it very quickly and enjoyed every moment. I wanted to punch the antagonists in the face. I only have violent reactions to books I enjoy very much.
I also loved the use of “The Good Place” style language. That was forkin’ fun. I mean holy shirt this was a much needed lighthearted story.
Don’t let the title put you off. Read Blueprint for Love. You won’t regret it. So. Much. Fun.
The title had me worried because it is a bit sappy, but titles are tricky and when it comes to contemporary romance are often cheesy. I was barely halfway through chapter one when I realized I was worried for nothing.
The romance is cute but not sappy or cheesy. If anything the humor in this book has a bit of a dark edge to it, like Marley herself, and I loved it! I laughed out loud several times! I also love that a guy with the name Byron is the hot bachelor in town. When I hear Byron I don’t think of the golden god he was described to be and that made me love him even more.
This book is quirky, fun, and light. I read it very quickly and enjoyed every moment. I wanted to punch the antagonists in the face. I only have violent reactions to books I enjoy very much.
I also loved the use of “The Good Place” style language. That was forkin’ fun. I mean holy shirt this was a much needed lighthearted story.
Don’t let the title put you off. Read Blueprint for Love. You won’t regret it. So. Much. Fun.
December 8, 2019
I enjoyed reading this book, it had a good back and forth between the main characters and enough of an emotional draw that I felt bad for the characters when they emotionally bottomed out. I did find it odd that there is a scene where the main character is able to walk into an airport, through security, to meet with someone and then leave - without a ticket. Maybe if this was set in the 1990's, but post 9/11 that does not happen, especially in an airport titled as "international."
This book was provided to me by the publisher and netgalley.
This book was provided to me by the publisher and netgalley.
October 11, 2019
This book was so refreshing. The strong feminine role of Marley and the hard core male role of Byron is perfect chemistry. I had a lot of different elements which ensure that we did not lose attention. The initial conflict and sexual tension was great and once the sexual tension was minimized the outgoing plot and controversy prevailed. It was a perfect mixture and I would recommend to any lovers of contemporary romance.
August 12, 2019
The second book in the A Port Bristol Novel series a well written story that had me smiling at some of the things Byron Gallagher and Marley Callan eg. writing on a freshly painted wall with felt marker! I will be reading the first book in this series. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing.
August 20, 2019
A truly fun and romantic read that will have you falling in love with different facets of the characters and rooting for their happily ever after!! Really liked this book and will be looking for more books by this author.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews