Bourton Bridge

Luke, a chef at a café in small town England, has been doing what he can to get past his grief for his first love, Emma, the daughter of his employer. Though she died five years before the book begins, her memory still lives in his heart. When Jade, a new arrival from America, appears in town, he may have to decide whether it’s finally time to move on and give himself a second chance at love.

Jade herself is in need of a second chance. At the start of the book, she is trapped in a loveless and verbally abusive marriage with Grainger, who she remains with largely for the sake of their daughter, Emilie. She would rather have remained in America, but with Grainger using Emilie as leverage, she finds herself forced to go along.

By doing so, she meets Luke, and both their lives are set on a new course.

Jade and Luke’s story is sweet, but some readers will find it a passive tale. Things happen to Luke and Jade more often than they happen because of them. Luke must flee his abusive father and is welcomed into the home of his employer and her daughter. Jade must endure her abusive husband with only the support of her best friend, Willow. By surviving these trials, they are able to find happiness. While that sends a comforting message, it also at times makes for a slow story. Their love unfolds quickly, with more external conflict than internal, at least at first. Both are relatively easily disposed of.

Bourton Bridge – and possibly the following books in the series – will most appeal to readers who themselves have experienced second chances in love, or who know what it’s like to look back on previous loves to see either all the joys or all the sorrows. Readers will easily empathize with both Luke and Jade, who are kind and friendly protagonists. They may both come across as a little too perfect at times, and their respective secondary characters have equally simple characterization, but they are also easy to lose oneself in for a pleasant few hours of reading.

This book was not to my taste, but I know it will find its fans in the wider romance world. If you’re looking for a quieter romance than most, I encourage you to give it a try! It’s an excellent choice for a gray day and a cup of tea.