This is the first Bella Osborne book I have read and it definitely won't be the last. I understand these were individual novellas which have been combined into one book.

I really enjoyed the unusual relationship between Ella and Kit. Their meeting was by chance and despite them having chemistry there was no way they could be together.

Ella is a seamstress but unfortunately her boss is horrible so when Ella begins to stand up for herself I was rooting for her. I loved the confidence she gained which helped her re-evaluate her life. The changes she made were amazing and inspiring.

I really enjoyed this book especially with multiple storylines running through it and the diverse range of characters. It had drama, humour and romance which, for me, made it a great read.

Thank you Rachels Random Resources for my gifted copy and spot on the tour.

A story about friendship, love and believing in yourself. I really enjoyed this warm, funny read with it’s like ale characters and hilarious antics. The relationship between the main characters was tender and sweet - a great read for the summer

Filled with life, love, laughter and friendship A Wedding at Sandy Cove is a lovely feel-good summer read. I was laughing out loud at the antics of some of the bridezillas Ella has to deal with and there is much to enjoy about Ella's personal journey, both in reinventing herself and also in finding the courage to reach for her dreams. I enjoyed watching Ella grow in confidence, her trusting relationship with her best friends is really special, and the added bonus of the handsome Kit, especially when life gets a little bit perilous for them, make this charming story such a joy to read.

Thank goodness Ella left her job which she was wonderful at but the owner, Wanda, was such a dreadful person. Starting her own business in her renovated garage was such a heartwarming story. It really was a a real page turner. I loved how all the characters developed. A wonderful read.

I actually really liked the fact that the four distinct sections or parts to the story were kept, as each one propels the story forward but also allows us to pause and reflect on the story’s development.

Throughout each section, what definitely shines through, is Ella’s development as a person. She goes from a woman with a safe, secure job, happily tolerating her horrible boss and looking up to her parents’ relationship as a lifetime goal. As the story develops, Ella finds her inner strength, and what her friends describe as her ‘self esteem’, as well as discovering that all is not as it seems when it comes to her parents’ relationship.

Kit and Ella are thrown together in unique and unusual circumstances, but Bella ensures that the development of their relationship is organic, believable and most of all touching. Kit is the kind-hearted, hard-working, reliable soul that Ella deserves, but can she put her hurt to one side and trust him?

Something else that shines through in this story is the importance of family and friends. As they discover more about each other, it is clear that both Ella and Kit are not willing to embark on any sort of relationship that requires them to compromise on the fact that family and friends are priorities to them.

Overall, this is a gorgeous and uplifting read. It was also really refreshing to read a book with the word ‘wedding’ in the title that was not solely focused on the preparations for a wedding. Though, of course, that is still integral to the story, mainly due to Ella’s job…

I would highly recommend this book and author to fans of Milly Johnson, Sandy Barker, Holly Martin and Cathy Lake.

The cover drew me to this book, which is not a book I would normally go for anymore.

I loved this book, how it is all the novella combined into one book made it an better read for me personally. This book is a mix of friendship, banter, humor, and just all over feelings. This is my first read from Bella Osborne and it won't be my last. I enjoyed Ella, Lucy, and even Kit once we got to really know him throughout.

This is a great summer vacation read, that I would definitely recommend

This was another great read from Bella Osborne. A Wedding at Sandy Cove is a lovely read about finding inner strength and belief in yourself. It is primarily about seamstress Ella who puts everyone else first and doesn’t stand up for herself be it in relationships or at work; but also about her friend Lucy, a divorce lawyer who doesn’t do relationships. Ella is such a lovely character and I loved getting to meet her and her friends and see her drive for business and her drive to get her life back on track. She really shows us that we don’t have to be perfect and that everyone struggles but that we can all make something of ourselves if that’s what we want. She is a great character to spend time with, especially because she comes with an amazing group of do or die friends! Brittany is getting married and so we have a wedding theme throughout the book. There are the usual awful bridesmaids dresses and embarrassing relatives on the hen do but her wedding is what ties all of the parts of the story together. Of course there are a few love interests along the way, all of them complex and all of them interesting and fully developed characters in their own rights. There’s a lot of sparkle and mischief in this book with a mix of brides and problems with parents. There are many other stories that are woven in with the main story but all are very relevant. There is a brilliant cast of characters with a real sense of love and deep rooted connections throughout this book with most of the characters wanting to do the right thing. The characters are fabulous and there’s plenty going on but it’s still a very relaxing read that is set in a lovely quiet seaside resort.
This was a wonderfully uplifting read and a lovely book about love, friendship and family. It had a little bit of everything and definitely had me hooked from the beginning! It was such a great summer read from Bella Osborne. I would definitely recommend it!

Based on the title of this book I had expected the main or only focus to be on the wedding, but this was not the case! Brittany's wedding was just a small part of this story.

The main focus was on the two other friends, Ella and Lucy. Both these girls were so easy to love and had a lot going on. Ella's job as a wedding dress alterations seamstress, her parents and her love life all took up a lot of head space and energy. Lucy was working on a difficult case, as the divorce lawywer, while also dealing with her immature mother and figuring out her love life.

I loved the characters, their stories and the mix between laughter, romance and suspense in this story. There really was a bit of everything in this story and the writing was just superb!

I’ve not read as many of Bella Osbourne’s books as I really should have. Why not?? I ask myself – too many books and not enough time in the day is my answer. I have quite a few sitting on my Kindle, which I am determined to read!

I really liked Ella, even though I wished she would stand up for herself, she is like a doormat. A little mouse who wouldn’t say boo to a goose. She needed to come out of that shell and use her voice and not be bullied, but that is something easier said than done isn’t it? We can’t change a person, we just have to support them especially when they have low confidence issues, watching her grow from that tiny shadowy mousey creature to a confident and courageous woman was beautiful and the best part of the entire book for me. Ella delved deep within her, it takes huge amounts of courage to step out of your comfort zone, but she did and with the support of her friends she emerges from that chrysalis to show what a beautiful butterfly she is.

I loved the humour which is sprinkled through like stardust, it’s charming and endearing I laughed quite a few times at awful Bridezilla’s. The characters make this book, the plot and the setting and the beautiful backdrop are just decorations, it’s the relationship between the characters that steal the show. Each character brings their own magic to the story; the bridezillas bring humour. Lucy gives the reader a different perspective on the story. Brooding Kit is a compelling and interesting man, there are layers to his character that are slowly stripped away as we get to know him. Ella blossoms beautifully, and her character develops naturally it’s not an easy ride for her but it’s satisfying and leaves you feeling all the heartwarming feel-good vibes once we reach the end.

This is essentially a romance, and yes it’s a charming love story, yet I thought this is all about friendship and it’s about finding the courage to be yourself, to be happy with life. Add to that a little drama, a surprise or two which I didn’t see coming and you have a sparkling, heartwarming and joyful read.

A Wedding at Sandy Cove is a sweet story about friendship, love, family, and the importance of standing up for oneself.

The first thing I need to say is the cover for this book is gorgeous and it instantly caught my attention and made me want to read this book. I am happy to report that you can definitely judge this book by its gorgeous cover, because it is a fabulous read. A Wedding at Sandy Cove is actually four previously published novellas that were combined together to make this book. I think it was a brilliant idea combining these four novellas together, it gives the story a nice continuous flow.

Wedding at Sandy Cove follows two women Ella, Lucy, and Brittany who have been friends since elementary school. They are all excitedly getting ready for Brittany’s wedding, while trying to juggle the drama that seems to be popping up in their own lives. The story is told from Ella and Lucy’s POV, which I loved because they are such different characters (and completely amazing in their own way).

Ella is such a sweet and endearing character, I love her glass half-full attitude towards life. Ella’s story focuses on her learning to stand up for herself in both her professional and personal life. There is something so wonderful watching a character you come to care about finding her place in the world. It was also fabulous watching Ella startup her own seamstress busy, and it was rather entertaining watching her interact with various brides. Lucy is a tough as nails more cynical character, but under that tough exterior is a person with a heart of gold (and a unicorn head, LOL). Lucy’s story focuses more on her rocky relationship with her mom. Throughout this book all three women have each other’s backs, they are there for each other for the good times and bad ones.

The romance in this book is a secondary story and the relationship between Ella and Kit progresses very slowly (they actually don’t get together until the very end). I have to admit at the beginning I wasn’t a big fan of Kit, he seemed like a pompous ass. I wasn’t too sure if I wanted him to be the guy for Ella. But as the story progressed, Kit started to grow on me and I realized that for the most part he is a decent guy. Since their romance wasn’t the main focus in the story, there weren’t a lot of those cute, intimate moments between Ella and Kit. Which makes this book perfect for those looking for something that isn’t overly cheesy. I loved the scenes where these two were trying to come up with crazy plans to break up their parents (and later on get them back together).

Wedding at Sandy Cove is a sweet heartwarming book that you will not be able to put down.

Thank you, Avon Books UK and Rachel Random Resources for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The first thing to say is this book has a stunning cover! It’s a book I would definitely pick up in a shop and you know exactly what kind of novel it’s going to be – as it says on the back, “a perfectly funny, feel-good summer romance” which is one of my favourite genres.
(NOTE: This book was previously published as a serial in four parts, but now you can read it all together in one volume at 348 pages.)
The star of this story is Ella. She is 29 and works as a seamstress for a bridal wear shop called Frills, Frocks and Fairy Tales (Love that name!) I loved her straight away. You really feel for her in the first chapter, she comes across as lovely, but far from perfect and I could relate to her lack of confidence. I also love sewing!
Ella’s best friend Brittany is getting married at the beautiful Sandy Cove in a couple of months. Ella and other bestie Lucy are going to be the bridesmaids. Ella is single and pretty much the poster girl for “Always the bridesmaid, never the bride!” But when she accidentally meets Kit, could it be she has finally met ‘the one’??
I love Bella Osborne’s writing style. You get straight into the story, it’s an easy read you want to keep going with and find out what happens. The characters are so believable, I could easily see myself being friends with Ella, Lucy and Brittany (as in Ferries, not Spears!), they have a brilliant friendship. (And Lucy’s mum Terri’s backstory seems to be based on me, ha ha!)
There’s a lot going on in the book, it’s not just a romance, there are a whole load of friendships, relationships, tensions and secrets to explore. There’s a lovely gentle humour to it and I loved the situations Ella has to deal with at work, with the brides and bridesmaids who come in for dresses. And her boss Wanda is awful! I’d have definitely told her where to shove her tiaras!!
I have two of Bella Osborne’s previous novels on my To Be Read pile, but haven’t had chance to read them yet. After reading A Wedding at Sandy Cove, I’ll definitely be looking forward to exploring more of her work. I suspect she’ll be one of those authors I buy everything they release, because I just know it’s going to be a great read!

Another entertaining read from Bella Osborne & a really good Summer Holiday Read.#NetGalley, #Goodreads, #FB, #Instagram, #Amazon.co.uk, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/358a5cecda71b11036ec19d9f7bf5c96d13e2c55" width="80" height="80" alt="100 Book Reviews" title="100 Book Reviews"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>.

This really was the most delightful read – it lived up to my expectations in every possible way, everything a romantic comedy should be.

Ella performs magic every day with her needle, transforming the sometimes (often?) unsuitable dresses her obnoxious boss Wanda sells a never ending succession of starry-eyed brides who visit Frills, Frocks and Fairy Tales. Although she often sees the brides at their very worst, it hasn’t dulled her belief in true love and romance – her parents have always been the perfect example, a true partnership, although her divorce lawyer friend Lucy has good reasons to be rather more cynical. Ever hopeful, Ella decides to dip her toe in the dating pool again – which certainly doesn’t work out as she hoped, but brings handsome builder Kit into her life as they join forces to try and resolve an unexpected (and distinctly worrying) problem. He helps her turn her life around, to stop being such a doormat, and makes her smile again – the loveliest personal journey, finding the bravery to make some big changes, taking control of her destiny. But might he become more than just a supportive friend?

I really loved the gentle humour that runs throughout this book – Ella’s lovely friendship with Lucy and Brittany (that wedding at Sandy Cove is hers, and transforming the poo-coloured bridesmaid dresses presents Ella with a particular challenge), the succession of horrendous and demanding bridezillas she deals with (alcohol-fuelled, less than committed, over-indulging in doughnuts with days to go, or needing to look exactly like Princess Leia…), young Isaac’s attachment to his distinctly unwelcome four-legged companion. But there’s a well-wrought bit of real drama too – a storyline led by Lucy, drawing in both Ella and Kit, with a particularly edge-of-the-seat climax. The slow burn romance was just glorious – the loveliest friendship, with the hope it might just develop into something more – but the thing I loved the most was the way Ella grew and blossomed, dug deep to find the courage to make the changes she needed to, and became so much stronger.

The author really does have a quite perfect emotional touch, and is such a skilled story-teller. I loved every moment of this one – with characters I really took to my heart, filled with warmth and wonderfully uplifting, absolutely everything I wanted it to be – and I recommend it really highly.

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

A Wedding at Sandy Grove by Bella Osborne was a great book. Read in one sitting I loved it. We meet Ella who works as a seamstress in a wedding dress shop but she has a boss from hell, Wanda who belittles her at every opportunity. Faced with several challenges can Ella change her future and stop Wanda from taking advantage of her. Another great book by Bella.

Thank you to Rachel for letting me be part of this tour. I really like Bella’s writing style so I was excited to read another of her books.

Our main character here is Ella. She is a bit of a wallflower at the beginning, but she does start to stand up for herself. Ella is a likeable character, and you want her to not be such a pushover. Ella’s boss, Wanda, was absolutely awful and I don’t know how she put up with her for so long. I was so happy to see her stand up for herself. I really liked Lucy too. She has such a cynical view of love but I think deep down she wants to be loved.

This is a beautiful story of love, friendship and family. If you are looking for a funny escapist read for the summer then I’d definitely recommend this one!

What a wonderful plethora of characters this book has. With protagonist Ella altering wedding dresses we get to meet an array of brides to be, ranging from Princess Leia for a themed wedding, the donut stress eater who no longer fits in her dress to the hungover accidental flasher who has now gone viral. Oh and how can I forget her boss Wanda who treats Ella abysmally.

You see Ella is a people pleaser and unfortunately a few take advantage of her kind nature and walk all over her. She sees her parent’s marriage and love for each other and will do anything to have the same. While her friend Lucy who is a divorce lawyer is the polar opposite and a complete cynic when it comes to matters of the heart.

So when Ella goes to meet blind date Stuart and instead finds herself facing a rather different dilemma and a man called Kit will her rose tinted glasses be broken and her view of happy ever after changed?

Narrated by Ella and Lucy I loved the growth the characters had in this book and the relationship that developed with Kit who was just lovely.

Also this was set in Norwich where I live and has a rather unfortunately ugly cat called Pirate due to his one eye and three legs. So I was always going to love it and if you like a book that has humour, a heroine who learns to stand up for herself, a hunky hero and all the feels then I know you will too.

Bella Osborne is a talented storyteller and her novels, a mix of rom-com and women’s fiction, are never banal or her plots predictable.
This is another compelling and entertaining novel that talks about friendship and romance but it’s also the story of how a woman learned to become assertive.
Ella is an interesting character: she could be defined very sweet but I would defined her a natural born victim. Her horrible boss, Wanda, is treating her like a mop, her former fiancé was a nightmare, a lot of people who’s being simply cruel.
Her path to becoming her own woman is interesting and not easy but it’s also the path to become a happy person who also find love.
It’s a story of friendship, of ordinary people finding happiness, of a very interesting cat.
I laughed at the antics of the bridezille, I loved the Ella’s seamstress skills. I rooted for her and her friends.
A compelling, entertaining, and poignant story that made me smile. It can be read as a rom-com or as the story of woman and how she became stronger and happier.
I strongly recommend it as it’s a perfect summer read.
Many thanks to Avon, Rachel's Random Resources, and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Ella is an absolute magician on a sewing machine and it is her job to alter wedding dresses at the bridal shop, imaginatively named Frills, Frocks and Fairy Tales. Mostly it's Ella dream job and she loves making brides look special for their big day however, her boss, Wanda, is something of a tyrant and takes advantage of Ella's kind nature and skillful workmanship.

Ella's calm and steady manner endears her to everyone but to be honest she is a little bit of a doormat, that is, until she finds the courage take back control of both her personal and professional life. After a devastating mix up on a blind date, Ella meets Kit and together they embark on a quest to make important changes to a worrying situation which, inadvertently, leads them both on an entirely unexpected journey of discovery.

On one of the hottest days of the year, I flew through this lovely story. It had me laughing out loud at the antics of some of the bridezillas Ella has to deal with and there is much to enjoy about Ella's personal journey, both in reinventing herself and also in finding the courage to reach for her dreams. I enjoyed watching Ella grow in confidence, her trusting relationship with her best friends is really special, and the added bonus of the handsome Kit, especially when life gets a little bit perilous for them, make this charming story such a joy to read.

Filled with life, love, laughter and friendship A Wedding at Sandy Cove is a lovely feel-good summer read.

This is a light, frothy summer read in the style that Bella Osborne does so well, following the trials and tribulations of three best friends at different stages in their love lives.

Brittany is preparing for her wedding and looking forward to settling down. . Career woman and commitment-phobe Lucy is enjoying playing the field. And seamstress Ella is nursing a broken heart after being dumped by her fiancé. All of them likable, relatable characters that you want the best for.

Filled with warmth and humor, A Wedding at Sandy Cove is a heartwarming story of friendship, second chances and new beginnings, with a generous helping of romance and a feel-good factor that left me silly-smiling.

A wedding at Sandy Cove.
Bella Osborne
This was my first read of Bella Osborne. I chose it at random from the NetGalley site to expand my author horizons! That being said...this was a fun read, full of mix ups, fix ups and humor all tossed like a love salad with oil and vinegar! I laughed a lot at the many family predicaments that Ella and Kit seemed to get involved in and it was fun to see how they navigated their way out of them.
The book was filled with lots of good intentions, lots of sticky situations, lots of advice from wonderfully crazy friends…
And a happy ending! An enjoyable read!