Starcross Manor
My Rating: 4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: eARC*
Publication Date: August 14, 2020
Author: Christie Barlow
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~Book Blurb~
Dying to know more about the brooding and mysterious Flynn Carter and the secrets behind his plans for Starcross Manor?
You won’t want to miss the next spellbinding chapter in the Love Heart Lane series – where friends are there for you no matter what.
When Julia Coleman meets Flynn Carter again in the cosy village of Heartcross it can only mean trouble. Flynn might be rich, brooding and sexy, but Julia knows first-hand he’s ruthless and she plans to watch his every move.
When Julia discovers Flynn’s plans for beautiful Starcross Manor her greatest fears come true. Because Flynn’s dreams of turning Starcross into a luxury hotel could ruin Julia’s dreams…and finish off the community of Heartcross for good.
Flynn makes it clear he doesn’t want trouble, and he’s not the man Julia thinks he is. As he sets about convincing the community he’s changed, he hopes he can convince Julia to give him another chance too…
~My Thoughts~
Give me a book set in Scotland and I’m going to be happy. Reading about teas and full Scottish breakfasts got me hungry and itching to go back to the highlands, grab a dram, and curl up in the nearest tartan.
Beyond the country, this was a fun, easy, and light romance. With the setting of a small village B&B in Scotland, it’s hard to imagine this type of book being any more idyllic, and yet, the addition of a gorgeous millionaire makes this tale swoonworthy. I loved the story, however, be prepared for very little drama.
Probably my favorite moments from Starcross Manor came when Christie Barlow got honest about women’s bodies. For example, I felt Julia’s struggle deep in my soul as she wiggled on the floor to get into skinny jeans for a date and ended up having to pitch them because they did not fit. She didn’t stand up and become magically thinner and gorgeous in the pants she hadn’t worn in years. Julia embraced the body she had at 40 and felt beautiful with a little help from her friends.
The only reason this book didn’t get 5 stars could possibly be the fact that this book is the 4th of a series and I haven’t read the first 3. Subsequently, I felt like the characters needed more backstory, which means I wouldn’t recommend this as a standalone. You can absolutely follow the plot well enough, it just felt like something indefinable was missing.
Starcross Manor is light hearted and easy to read, making for an adorable book for low heat romance lovers.
~About the Author~
Christie Barlow is the number 1 International bestselling author of ten bestsellers including A Home at Honeysuckle Farm, Love Heart Lane and Clover Cottage. Her writing career came as somewhat a surprise when she decided to write a book to teach her children a valuable life lesson and show them that they are capable of achieving their dreams. The book she wrote to prove a point is now a #1 bestseller in the UK, USA, Canada & Australia.
*Special thanks to Christie Barlow, One More Chapter, and Rachel’s Random Resources providing a copy of Starcross Manor in exchange for an honest review.
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