Merritt and Her Childhood Crush

Merritt and Her Childhood Crush (Oakley Island, #2) by Emma St. Clair & Jenny Proctor Emma: Website | Twitter | Instagram Jenny: Website | Twitter | Instagram Publication Date: January 31, 2023 Publisher: Independently Published Pages: 324 ISBN: 9798374821864 Genre: Contemporary | Romance Source: ARC (ebook) Add to Goodreads Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Synopsis: Merritt hasn't been back to Oakley island since she was a teenager, well technically not since That One Night but she doesn't talk about that. Merritt was perfectly happy in New York, being a strong no-nonsense woman with a nice apartment, work friends, and her boyfriend. But when her life suddenly implodes, she finds herself heading back to Oakley Island to oversee the renovations of her late grandmother's house.

Hunter hasn't seen Merritt since he was a teenager and she dropped a bombshell on him, broke his heart, and then never came back or looked back. 

Review: This story is so incredibly sweet and charismatic. It's a closed-door romance, with no swearing, and very little steam/heat (though the interest is there - they just keep it PG), and it's told with a dual POV. I really enjoyed getting to see both Merritt's and Hunter's sides of the story. 

Also, how adorable is this cover? I mean, it's pink! Of course, it's adorable! I love pink covers so much and then add in cartoon characters and I'm here for it. This is also a second-chance romance, who doesn't love a second-chance romance with a HEA? 

As for the characters, Merritt is such an interesting character. I really felt like I could relate to her, and I saw so much of myself in her. That fierce drive and determination while also hiding away vulnerable parts of yourself. There was one part at the beginning of the book when Merritt is picturing (hearing) her late grandmother's words and her grandmother describes Merritt as a turtle, a hard exterior shell to protect her vulnerable insides. That part of the story was so relatable to me.

"I would rather risk everything for a chance than live another moment without you in my arms."

        - Emma St. Clair & Jenny Proctor, Merritt and Her Childhood Crush

This was my first Emma St. Clair book but not my first Jenny Proctor Book. I really enjoy Jenny's (and Emma's) writing style and found this book to be really sweet with well-developed characters and idyllic scenery. 

Overall I give this book 4 stars because I loved the plot, I enjoyed the characters, and the storyline was very engaging. I can't wait to see what happens next in this series, I am going to go back and read Eloise's story and I am excited to read about Sadie's story when book three comes out next year. 

I received this eARC in exchange for an honest review.