Return to Hummingbird Way
Holly Grove Island - Book 2
by Reese Ryan
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: April 25, 2023
Reviewed by PJ
In this heartwarming small‑town romance, can three months, two planning projects, and a meddling grandmother finally make two high school hate crushes see just how right they are for each other?
Ambitious real estate agent Sinclair Buchanan is ecstatic to be her best friend’s maid-of-honor—until she discovers the best man is Garrett Davenport. Sin and Rett’s mutual hate crush ignited when they were teens and hasn’t let up since . . . except for that one extremely hot (and extremely regrettable) night they shared five years ago.
Nothing gets Rett fired up like going toe-to-toe with Sinclair. She’s as infuriatingly stubborn, and as absolutely gorgeous, as when he fell for her back in high school. Working together to plan their best friends’ last-minute wedding is one thing, but when his matchmaking grandmother gets involved Rett knows he’s in deep. Attraction has always simmered between them, but this time, they’re both in danger of losing their hearts.
PJ's Thoughts:
I am thoroughly enjoying Reese Ryan's Holly Grove Island series. She has captured the vibe of a small Outer Banks town that makes that area so popular to visit but it's her characters who really shine. I love the friendships at the center of the stories, both male and female. The family relationships add an extra layer of depth - and conflict - to the main characters' journeys. Even the secondary characters add a richness that only makes the read that much more satisfying. In this book, it's Mama Mae, Rett's irrepressible, matchmaking grandmother who won my heart with her cooking, her humor, her wisdom, and her unconditional love for her grandson.
Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite romance tropes. Couple that with Rett's and Sin's "hate crush" from their high school years, a secret hook-up five years ago, unwelcome attraction today, and a total misperception about one another's wants and goals and, what can I say, I was hooked. I liked the complexity the author created within both Rett and Sin. These characters had layers, fears, vulnerabilities, and family issues that were not easily overcome. I loved the chemistry between them (yay for sizzle) but I also appreciated the emotional work they put in on themselves and their relationships - both with their families and one another - in order to grow while remaining true to their core values and desires. The evolution they each experienced, both as a couple and individually, over the course of their story was realistic, relatable, and crucial to the viability of their romantic relationship.
Return to Hummingbird Way stands well on its own but readers should be aware that the main couple (Sin's and Rett's best friends, Dakota and Dexter) from book one, Second Chance on Cypress Lane, are featured prominently in book two. If you're a series purist, you may wish to read the two books in order. For more information about Dakota and Dexter, click to read my review of Second Chance on Cypress Lane.
Have you read Reese Ryan yet?
How do you feel about enemies-to-lovers romance?
Have you ever been to the Outer Banks? Do you enjoy beach towns, either in real life or in the books you read?
One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, April 23 will receive a print copy of Return to Hummingbird Way.
*U.S. only
*Must be 18
