Orphaned at a young age, Allegra Brown is now just weeks away from inheriting a large sum of money left to her by her grandmother. If she can make it these last few weeks and turn thirty without marrying she gets to keep half the inheritance all to herself, rather than her husband laying claim to all of it. All Allegra wants is a solitary life with just her and her piano. So to keep would-be suitors, as well as her younger cousins, at bay, Allegra made up a fake fiancé. Captain Hamish L'Amour is the pirate scoundrel of Allegra's (literal) dreams. But when Allegra and her cousins head to Siren's Retreat for the summer, and the ladies run into a man who eerily resembles the long-absent captain, Allegra and the very real John Sharp find themselves in a fake relationship that morphs into something much more real.
An Affair by the Sea is the second book in Ridley and Grace Burrowes's Siren's Retreat quartet. With only the beach retreat in Brighton to connect the four stories, this novella can easily be read and enjoyed without reading any of the others in the quartet.
I really enjoyed Allegra and John, both as individuals and as a romantic pairing. Despite a tragic backstory and an unloving uncle, Allegra had an inheritance to look forward to which gave her an outlook most women at that time couldn't afford to have. She was allowed to dream of the future she wanted, which made her strong and bold and creative. I loved that Allegra was strong enough to decide her own future, and also strong enough to change her mind.
John was also fun and enjoyable to watch evolve as the plot went on. A solicitor by profession, John has dreamed of being a chef in his own shop. But when his dreams were in reach and they went up in smoke (quite literally), John ended up in Brighton hoping to leave his old life behind. With a very Type A personality, John had goals and plans and recipes (for both food and success) - he just wasn't comfortable putting it all on the line. At least not until Allegra.
Together, Allegra and John were perfect for each other. She believed in him and encouraged him to pursue his dreams. He was there for her when she needed him the most and supported her plans, even if those plans initially didn't include him. And, because Allegra knows what she wants and isn't afraid to ruin her image in order to get it, we do get some scandalous spice in this novella.
If you love the fake dating trope, bold ladies, and men who aren't afraid to go along for a ride, then An Affair by the Sea is the novella for you.
A huge thank you to Erica Ridley for sharing review copies of An Affair by the Sea with her Review Crew!
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Release date: 3/15/22
Format: eARC
eARC provided by: Erica Ridley's Review Crew