Sunset on the Square - Lilac Mills

Reading Challenge Category: Free ARC from NetGalley

Official Blurb:

She never thought she’d love again...
In her late 50s and having lived in Tenerife for over 15 years, there’s not much on the island that can surprise widowed Elspeth. Until her hotelier friend asks her to put up a guest after they’ve overbooked – and handsome Charles is suddenly staying in very close quarters.
Long buried emotions are coming back to life.
Devastated by the death of her husband four years ago, Elspeth isn’t open to new romance. Yet something about Charles pulls her in, and they grow closer together. But Charles’ holiday is drawing to a close, and Elspeth needs to decide what she really wants – and how to get it.

My Thoughts:

This was slightly disappointing when comparing it to the first two books in the series. It was somewhat of a slower pace and slightly predictable.
Even though it is set in a beautiful setting, and you could really feel the sun on your face while reading (even though it’s a freezing February day here in the UK), I just couldn’t quite get on board with the characters or the storyline.
Elspeth was obsessed with her age, even though we don’t at any point find out what that age is, other than her not being sixty yet. Sometimes she came across young and others times; I would have said she was at least eighty! It had too much of an emphasis and ruined the story of her finding love after heartache.
The story was beautifully written about her past and loss, and you really did feel all the ups and downs. However, even though that side was perfect, the story as a whole was lacking.
As soon as Elspeth gets the call from Amanda, you know what the outcome is going to be. As soon as Stefan makes a decision, you knew how each of the characters would react and what the answer was. There were no surprises and nothing to keep you hooked.
For a short book of only 250 pages, it didn’t move at a quick enough pace for my liking. Even though it was appropriate to the character’s personalities, too much time was spent wandering up and down hills, gorges and mountains. I don’t pick up these lighthearted books to get a tourist information guide on a country.
The author has always managed to find the right balance between exploring Tenerife and keeping it lighthearted in the past. However, this book missed the mark and wasn’t quite right for me. So, an unsatisfying third book of this series.

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