The Bluebell Girls- Book Review

 The Bluebell Girls by Barbara Josselsohn 

Lake Summers Book 2 (Standalone)

Publication Date: 25th Sep 2020
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Romance

4.2 Stars 

“Three generations. One summer that will change everything.”

This line on the cover says it all. It is a book of second chances, of introspections, of understanding, compassion, and accepting life and love with a smile. 

Jenna and her daughter Sophie, an eleven-year-old, come to Lake Summers, Jenna’s home. Jenna is in the middle of a messy divorce, her self-esteem all-time low. Sophie starts as a typical pre-teen but grows into a girl with more depth and layers to her characters. Sweet, Jenna’s mother, happens to hold the key to happiness and is a delightful person. 

We see Chloe, Jenna’s elder sister, who appears to be dominant and controlling, but then we learn her thoughts and see her in a different light. Jenna meets Troy, her first love, and she begins to think about her life, her decisions, the past, and the present. Troy himself is battling with his demons and finds it hard to listen to his heart. 

It’s been a while since I read romances, but I wouldn’t necessarily classify this as one. There is love, but it’s more in thoughts, in the past, and the words and gestures rather than two people being impulsive. 

The writing is mellow, a bit slow in the beginning, and picks a little pace a while later. It doesn’t rush off towards the end but walks at a steady pace. 

The book doesn’t have villains, baddies, or typical mean characters that throw a spanner just for the sake of it. The character arc of Jenna, from doubting her every action to become who she was once, a confident and bright woman, was crafted very well. 

Sweet’s secret love story from her past, her bonding with Sophie, and how the threads tie-up at the end of the book were heartwarming without being too gooey. I did guess a few things (no spoilers), but that’s fine. The book isn’t based on the reader guessing anything. 

Jenna has a lot of thoughts and conflicting emotions. She goes back and forth between past and present, but she doesn’t ramble. There are no repetitions in the story (except in one place). There is no information dump, either. We get to know bits and pieces of who Jenna was and how she let circumstances take away her spark. But she’s never bitter, sad, yes.

There are times when one needs to read something positive, hopeful, and sweet that’s not preachy and overly dramatic. This book fits the bill. The ending isn’t a perfect HEA. We know there will be issues. But we also know that the characters are now at a place where they are confident of finding ways to love and be happy. 

I wish Troy had a better arc just as Jenna did. He is almost predictable, and that does cut down the points a bit. Lake Summers seems like a wonderful place to live, and boy, I love the use of bluebells in the story. 

Overall, it’s a nice and satisfying book for those looking for something warm and cozy without too much drama. Isn't the cover super cute? 

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and Bookouture. 

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