Summer on Lovers’ Island (Jewell Cove #3) by Donna Alward

Contemporary Romance

From Goodreads:

Lizzie Howard's life is close to perfect, until her father's death brings her world crashing down around her. With her reputation and heart in tatters, she reluctantly agrees to temporarily take over her best friend's practice in scenic Jewell Cove, Maine—a position that's a world away from the high pressure career she once loved.

Josh Collins is no stranger to pain. After losing his wife, he moved home looking to start over. One of two doctors at the town clinic, his sleepy coastal practice is just what he needed. Until Lizzie Howard arrives. Lizzie is everything Josh wanted to get away from: brash, ambitious and not interested in a quiet life in a quiet town. But as the sparks fly between these two doctors, they realize that sometimes opposites really do attact. 

Summer on Lovers’ Island is book three in the series.  I have not read the first two.   This can stand alone but I think it would have been more enjoyable if I had read book one and two first.

I liked the fact that Lizzie and Josh are so very different on the outside but so very alike on the inside.  It was fun to watch the play between the two.  What I missed was knowing some of the side characters.  It was plain that they had a history from the first two books and the fact that I did not know that history did detract from the story.

The romance between the Lizzie and Josh did not go smoothly.  Both characters had a very well developed history that kept getting in the way of their HEA.  Alward did a great job of keeping the suspense and tension between the two at just the right level.  I also loved the description of the small town of Jewell Cove.  I felt like I could find my way around with no trouble at all.

Great characters, wonderful romance and a interesting small town all added to the appeal of Summer on Lovers’ Island.  I look forward to visiting again in the future.

St. Martin’s published Summer on Lovers’ Island by Donna Alward in 2015.

I received an ARC of Summer on Lovers’ Island from Netgalley in return for an honest review.