DNF

Writing feels dry and boring. No snap to the characters, and the writing feels clunky. There are awkward mentions of people long before there's any explanation of who they are. There's a moment where the heroine's friend smells the heroine's perfume that definitely implies they have a romantic connection, but this isn't f/f. I just don't think this will work for me.

enjoyable. light hearted summer read. great for the beach or the pool

A fun easy read, perfect for a feel good factor, ideal cfor plane or beach.

Review: This is has a good plot and great characters. We follow Robin on her first year running the Guesthouse and all the trials and tribulations she encounters. Unfortunately, I dint get into this book as much as I have others but I still liked it. I would recommend to anyone who likes a chick flick and romance.

Loved it! Such a heartwarming and beautiful story. Such a great writer!

Fantastic heartwarming easy to read novel set in a lovely seaside town. A really lovely book with great characters, lovely descriptions and great storyline. I feel as if I really got to know each of the characters. I was drawn into the story and enjoyed the ups and downs of each character. I would love to stay in the guesthouse and liked reading about the renovation of the guesthouse.

A tale of new beginnings, family, friendships, relationships and makeovers. Also two adorable animals - Eclipse the cat and Darcey the dog.

Ideal summer reading - perfect for a sunny day on the beach or in the garden. An easy charming book with an engaging storyline. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book so much so i hope there is a series involving the characters, great story.

This is the first book I've read by this author but will definitely be checking out her others. This was such a lovely book, straightaway I loved Robin, a really strongly written, likeable main character, following her journey to create her own vision and business was a fantastic journey with highs and lows that literally kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next. Her vision is so clearly written that I couldn't wait to see the outcome. Although this is a beach / holiday read it is not formulaic or cheesy, it's such a fresh, optimistic and lovely book. Will be included in a Sarah Hurley Book Club feature soon!

Robin has returned to Campion Bay, on the Dorset coast. She has come to seek solace in her home and grieve for a life that has changed.

Her home also happens to be a guesthouse and when her parents decide they want to retire, Robin throws herself into relaunching the guesthouse and at the same time her own life.

On her first night, an unexpected guest arrives, Will. He is the nephew of Robin's deceased next door neighbour and he has come to sort the house out. With no choice but to put him in her best room Starcross a friendship forms which starts to tip over into something else.

However the path of true love never did run smooth and when past secrets start to appear and make there present very much felt, it seems that Robin's idea of solace in Campion Bay is merely just a dream.

But dreams can become realities.

This is a character driven novel and one that is rich in them. No character is there just to fill in, they all have a purpose, a background and are important to the two main protagonists, Robin and Will. I loved and despised them all as I should and I was glad when Robin branched away from the guest house just to remind us and her what she did before she returned to Campion Bay.

A great read, which was previously released in four parts but it is worthy of reading as the whole novel, because you are immediately checked into the guest house, can smell the bacon cooking as you wait for your breakfast and relax into each specially selected room after the exciting day you may have experienced.

5☆ Full of Charm, Feel good summer Read

The Once in a Blue Moon Guest House is a beautiful read. It's full of interesting characters, fun, family, animals, love, and a beautiful luxury themed guesthouse.

Robin is the main character.
 She is inspiring, determined, enthusiastic and hard working. She's kind and has a big heart touching the lives of the people she meets.
So when she comes to help out at her parents Campion Bay guesthouse to escape her troubles in London. She is in for a shock when her parents tell her they are retiring and she's to takeover the guesthouse.

So Robin decides shes going to tackle the guesthouse head on and decides to renovate the rooms making them luxuriously themed!  As the business isn't doing too well. It needs an injection of freshness.

When Will appears on her doorstep asking to rent a room. You can see from very early on Will is set to make a big impression on Robin's heart. No one knows anything about the mysterious Will. Except he is has inherited the house next door but it's not liveable.

But then there is Tim, Robin's ex. I didn't like him. He was sneaky and minipulating.
Tim sets out to woo Robin... But for what purpose!... did I forget to mention he works in Real Estate.

Cressida writes with such passion, I was completely immersed into the pages. I absorbed every single intricate detail of each themed guest room. I would love to stay at Campion guesthouse. It oozes luxury and plenty of charm.

I really enjoyed getting to know each of the characters. I liked how Cressida spent time introducing them to the reader, as by the end of the story I was fully able to relate to each character. Even Tim who I disliked.

I also want to mention how gorgeous and fun the books cover is. It's definitely eye catching, and captures the fun side of the story.

The Once in a Blue Moon Guest House is the perfect feel good summer read.
It's easy to read, fun, has lots of interesting characters, a love triangle, beautiful seaside guesthouse, friendship, romance, humour. What more can you want.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and the author Cressida for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a lovely little read but doesn't have the hook to real me in that I was expecting. I thought the location was quaint, the characters all very detailed but the storyline for me was weak.

Having said that, I love books with a beachside location and some of the mains characters comings and goings had me thinking about my childhood holidays by the sea.

I wouldn't rule out reading more from this author and if you are looking for a book that is easy to pick up and put down, then this is the book for you, very light and pleasant reading.

Loved this book. Enjoyed it right from the beginning and I couldnt put it down. Lovely summer read. Perfect for this time of year. Lovely characters that fitted in so well. Couldnt fault anything in the book

This was a good holiday read and I really enjoyed it. It allowed me to get away from the normal day to day tasks for a few hours. The story flows well and I thoroughly enjoyed the plot. It has nice strong characters that worked really well together and I thought it was very easy to read - 4 stars from me.

This was a lovely book with a heartwarming story and well rounded characters. I loved Cressida's other book and this one did not disappoint.

The idea of a woman taking over the running of a hotel her parents ran and making it her own was unique and fun. I loved the descriptions of each of the rooms and the way Robin embraces the challenge. Robin is a likeable character and you want her to do well and get the happy ending she deserves. This was a nice summer read and I look forward to more by the author.

Another delightful story by Cressida McLaughlin! This author has a gift of getting a reader engrossed in a story right from the first page and this novel was no different. I'll be honest and say that I was really pleased that I waited and read all four parts together as it meant that the story flowed better and I wasn't waiting in between to read about what happens next!

I feel like the characters all seemed so lovely and it made me want to move to Campion Bay and run a Guesthouse! The descriptions in this book are delightful and sometimes you really feel like you are there in the book with the characters. Everything was described beautifully and it meant that I had no trouble imagining a character or a location. The main character is Robin, who you relate to from the get go and when Will moves in next door you really do find yourself routing for them to get together!

I found this book enchanting and really easy to read - it was a tad more serious than Cressida's other novels but I found that even more enticing. As the book went on, I was glued to my Kindle where I couldn't want to find out what happened next!

Overall, a lovely book which I really enjoyed. If you haven't read one of Cressida McLaughlin's novels then I urge you to do so! Thank you to HarperCollins and to Netgalley for a chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

I’ve not read any of Cressida’s novel’s before now, but know I have needed to read them for a while now. When I saw this one, I just knew it was the one I was going have to start with, since it’s set by the sea, a favourite place of mine. Even better is that it’s set about 30 miles away from me, which made it all the more special, as me and my parents used to visit that area a lot when I was a child.

It was easy to know I was going to enjoy the book, when not even all the way through the first chapter I realised I loved the setting, loved Robin and trusted that the story was going to be as amazing as the fire few pages promised. The writing is the perfect blend of descriptive scenery, inner monologue and conversations between the characters who are all wonderful. The guesthouse is cosy at first, but maybe a bit dated. However when Robin gets her hands on it it remains cosy, but has a chic stylish feel to the room as well, making her stand out from the Bed and Breakfasts that are close by. Rarely have I wanted to jump into a book more than when Robin was planning ideas for the rooms, I was almost writing down notes as to what she could do myself, the world was that absorbing, proven again when I was jealous of some walnut bedside tables Robin bought for a room, when I’ve been looking for a pair I like for 10 years. YES, I envied a fictional character’s furniture, I’m beyond help now.

Robin is hurting, that much is clear, but her resolve to stay strong and put everything she has into all that she does. Her creativity was fantastic and the care she put into everything was a move and beyond.. She clearly deserves to succeed.

I almost loved Will from the moment he appeared. His tale of how he adopted his dog, Darcy was enough to melt my heart (despite being a cat person). There were some reservations initially, he was quite stand offish when it was suggested that he may have made up facts on his stately home tours, even though it was clearly said in jest as gentle teasing, which was at odds to how he was every other time he spent time with Robin. Well, we can forgive minor flaws in this case, he was clearly perfect in every other department.

All the neighbours seemed really friendly adding a great community feel to the whole book, they were clearly great friends to help, and it did fit into the cosy nostalgia I feel whenever I think about staying by the seaside and all the people I have met while there. They are clearly happy to go out of their way to help people. I loved Paige, for her age she was really mature (well., most of the time). She was great working for Robin, and it was good to have a side story that focused on a different age range to the lead character.

This book is just perfect of the summer, it completely makes me nostalgic. It is funny, especially when Molly and Robin get together, or when Maggie is involved. Also it has plenty of moments filled with emotion. A great blend of all the things that is essential for a summer read.

A light hearted read, wonderful characters. Love the guesthouse and it's visitors.

This was such a lovely book. I have really enjoyed Cressida McLaughlin's previous books and was lucky enough to attend an author event that she answered questions about her writing. You are guaranteed to enjoy a nice happy read and able to lose yourself completely within the pages. I'm glad that I was able to read this one as a complete book- as I can be impatient to wait for the next episode when reading them as the separate books.

Robin had come back to help run her parents guesthouse and when they reveal plans to retire abroad she relishes taking on a complete overhaul of the guesthouse. She creates themed rooms that sound absolutely wonderful- with such attention to detail. I would love to stay in one of the rooms.

One night just after she reopens a man appears on the doorstep asking to rent a room because the house next door, which belonged to his aunt wasn't habitable. Will is a wonderful character and the sparks fly between them. They have a great friendship teetering on a romance. Certain events get i the way and you are rooting for them to overcome the difficulties.

The characters in Campion Bay are delightful and you really feel as though you've got to know them. They are fully supportive of Robin's new venture. Her best friends daughter helps out at breakfast time and she's a lovely girl.

Robin was previously an event planner for specialist days that were once in a blue moon experiences and she brings her skills to her new venture but you also get the hint that she wants to make all of her guests have a taste of the same magical spell she weaves. She goes that extra mile to make everlasting memories for everyone.

I was so sad to get to the end of the book and would love another series in Campion Bay one day- as I have plans for Will's house!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, what a wonderful, warm and summery book that was! I really enjoyed reading this heartwarming story about family, love, friendships and the love of life!

Robin, our heroine, still tries to come to terms with the tragic death of her friend Neve's one and a half years ago but when her parents want to retire and close down their family's guesthouse, Robin embraces the opportunity to make their guesthouse her own. A very serious makeover is in order and Robin uses her chance to turn the guesthouse into something special, something as special as a blue moon.

Anyway - Robin's enthusiasm and her dedication to her work are definitely infectious. We are also renovating our place at the moment and I found myself thinking of themes and stars and blue moons ...

Not just I fell for Robin's charm and enthusiasm but Will, her new neighbor, falls for her as well - and he is not the only one. Tim, the "ex-love of her life" and a property developer is also interested but he is not just interested in her but he also wants to invest in the house next to hers to turn it into something...well, completely different.

I loved to read about Robin caring about her guests, touching their lives and making things special and I loved to see how she fell in love, how she was finally able to move forward and to heal from her loss. And I loved to read about Will and - well, let's just say that Will is another wonderful character.

So, this well-penned story with its loveable characters, with things like porcelain sheep and fluffy handcuffs (kidding!) and with lavender lace inspiring the most delicious cookies, is a very charming, funny and romantic read and the perfect choice to read on a nice and lazy summer day!

This was an amazing book, so entertaining and addictively good right from the very first page. I loved everything about this delightful story, which was so well written and the characters just came alive right before my very own eyes, well that's how it felt whilst reading this book. I really did feel like I was there, in Campion Bay for real. I loved getting to know the main characters and also meeting all of the different guests that came to stay at the guesthouse.

I absolutely loved the names and the styles of all the new guest rooms, if I were able to visit for real I'd definitely want to stay in the Rockford room with it's Aquarium feature. Who am I kidding, I'd want to stay in all of the rooms as they all sound wonderful and unique in their own ways.

There was a point in the book, where my heart was literally in my throat, in anticipation of what would happen next, all I can say is that it brought tears to my eyes.

I've always believed that if reading parts of a book brings tears to your eyes then it is one of many signs of just how outstandly breath taking a book is and how talented the author must be to cause that to happen.

Before I read this book, Cressida McLaughlin was very much a new author to me, but having now read this truly delightful book I can't wait to read her other two previous books which I'm happy to report are already waiting patiently on my book shelf to be read.