Review: The Way Back by Lilly Mirren (Emerald Bay #1)

Note: This ARC was provided by the author via Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for an honest review.

The Way Back is the first book in Lilly Mirren's Emerald Bay series set in a fictional Australian town by the same name. This series starter is a second chance romance between divorcee and mother of three Eleanor Farmer and widower and father of two Finn Matthews. Elle and Finn were young and in love once before, but when Elle decides to walk away from their relationship, she breaks Finn's heart. They go on to lead very separate lives, both falling in love and marrying different people and having families along the way. But Finn's wife is killed in a car accident and Elle's husband was cheating on her with one of her close friends. Now, they find their way back to their hometown by the ocean, Emerald Bay, but will this mean they'll be able to find their way back to each other?

Aside from a few kisses, there wasn't any sex, so I'm going to consider this one a "clean" romance. And while I have no issues reading a love story without it being erotic or the more intimate scenes being described, I do find it a tad ho-hum when there isn't any sex at all, even the kind that's hinted at and especially because the emotions going on between Elle and Finn are supposed to be rather intense. There's A LOT of back and forth with these two and a heck of a lot of pussyfooting as well. They decide something in one chapter only to act in a completely contradictory manner in the next one, leaving me wanting and The Way Back choppy. I felt that the main characters were stuck in a rut, and I wished more development for them and their tale was employed. Three stars. ♥

Date Read: 03 January 2017

Learn more about Lilly Mirren.

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