Harlot’s Bay #1
Libby loan
Author: Olivia Dade
Athena’s fiancé breaks up with her two weeks before the wedding, leaving her jobless and homeless with no option but to go ahead and move to Harlot’s Bay… to live in the spite house she had originally bought for him as a wedding gift. So that’s what she does while he is off to Hawaii on the honeymoon of her dreams that she planned to the last detail. To make things even worse, the spite house is sandwiched between Johnny’s place and his brother’s – the brother who convinced him that Athena was not “wife material”. It’s only natural that while her ex gets a tan and finds himself in Hawaii, she gets to make her ex-brother-in-law-to-be’s life hell.
But as days go by, she starts to see that Mathew is definitely not who she thought he was.
I really enjoyed this one but I have to say that it won’t be for everyone. Not the sibling situation per se, but most of the book is spent with Athena dealing with the aftermath of the breakup and going through depression. Her feelings of self-doubt will break your heart as it does Michael’s. Michael is always pushed into dealing with trauma of his own, but everything is dealt with a lot of care and compassion and respect.
Michael is the MVP character here. Though you do fall for Athena, it’s Michael who makes you swoon with how unbelievably caring and dedicated he is to those he loves.
It takes a while for the romance to bloom and it gets the dreaded 3rd act breakup, but Michael’s groveling is chef’s kiss.
So be advised that the cutesy cover hides a book that deals with heavy subjects.
Content notes death of a child (historical), depression, anxiety, grief, MMC has a few phobias (storms and scary things)
