REVIEW: Kerrigan Byrne and Cynthia St. Aubin's NEVERMORE BOOKSTORE

 

NEVERMORE BOOKSTORE

Contemporary Romance

AUTHOR:
Kerrigan Byrne and Cynthia St. Aubin

RELEASE DATE:
March 28, 2023

PUBLISHER:
Oliver Heber Books

ISBN/ASIN NUMBER:
9781677518415

RATING:
4.5

AUTHOR LINK:
https://kerriganbyrne.com/
https://www.cynthiastaubin.com/

 

 

Cadence “Cady” Bloomquist runs a quaint little bookstore in her staid, historical hometown. If she does not find the necessary paperwork, Cady could her precious shop. The only thing keeping the place afloat is her mysterious patron “Fox”. Cady looks forward to their weekly phone chats. When a break-in disrupts their conversation, she finds a sense of security with an enigmatic drifter. Cady feels drawn to him, yet she cannot forget Fox either. Will Cady find a way to save her shop? Or is she doomed to fail in business and romance?

Roman “Fox” Fawkes is a reclusive hermit. He desperately wants to escape his mental demons. Fox’s only link to the normal world is the bookshop’s proprietress Cady. He knows that he is wrong for her, but he cannot help but be drawn to her. When Cady’s safety is jeopardized, he willingly leaves his secluded hideout to protect her. He poses as a drifter and helps her around the shop while devising a trap for her assailant. However, being around Cady reminds Fox why they cannot have a future. Can Fox resist the temptation Cady poses? Or will his presence cause even more trouble for her?

Fox is my favorite type of hero – the wounded/tortured type that I come to expect from Kerrigan Byrne. I love that he recognizes Cady’s inner beauty and goodness. He does not follow or agree with media and society’s ideals on beauty.

Cady is a sweetheart! I am glad to see that both Byrne and St. Aubin broke out of the typical heroine mold. Cady is on the fleshier side, which I heartily approve of. We need more plus size heroines in romance books. She has not had the best life, but she makes do with her limitations. I love how Cady recognizes a kindred spirit in Fox. She knows that not all scars are on the outside but inside as well.

What I like the most about both Cady and Fox are that they are not “picture-perfect” characters. They have their flaws and health issues, just like everybody else, which made them more relatable to me.

NEVERMORE BOOKSTORE is the first book in Kerrigan Byrne and Cynthia St. Aubin’s contemporary-romance comedy series, TOWNSEND HARBOR. I am new to Cynthia St. Aubin but not Kerrigan Byrne. I adore Byrne’s historicals, so this is a new jaunt for me… And it did not disappoint.

I enjoyed the story. Yeah, it is different, genre-wise, than what I am used to reading by Kerrigan Byrne (a good different). The story does touch on some heavy subjects – the heroine’s chronic pain issues and the hero’s PTSD – but there are plenty of humorous scenes that lighten the severity. What I adore the most about the story is the two side characters – Myrtle and Vee. They made the story enjoyable. Those two provided the right amount (and necessary) comedic relief. Their antics and quips had me giggling. I hope we see more of them in future books. It is a MUST.