Blurb: On paper, Merina Wilde has it all: a successful career writing the kind of romantic novels that make even the hardest hearts swoon, a perfect carousel of book launches and parties to keep her social life buzzing, and a childhood sweetheart who thinks she’s a goddess. But Merry has a secret: the magic has stopped flowing from her fingers. Try as she might, she can’t summon up the sparkle that makes her stories shine. And as her deadline whooshes by, her personal life falls apart too. Alex tells her he wants something other than the future she’d always imagined for them and Merry finds herself single for the first time since – well, ever. 

Desperate to get her life back on track, Merry leaves London and escapes to the windswept Orkney Islands, locking herself away in a secluded clifftop cottage to try to heal her heart and rediscover her passion for writing. But can the beauty of the islands and the kindness of strangers help Merry to fool herself into believing in love again, if only long enough to finish her book? Or is it time for her to give up the career she’s always adored and find something new to set her soul alight? 

Review: What a wonderful story, I fell completely in love with the plot, the characters and especially the setting. Also, I love stories about authors, writing books and publishing so imagine my delight when I read that the main character, Merry, is an author. 

When we first meet her though she has lost her passion to write. And her long term boyfriend has called it quits, she definitely needs a change of scenery. So she doesn’t doubt when the opportunity to be the writer in residence in the far away Orkney Islands comes up. 

And once she lands in the stunning islands, it is impossible not to fall in love with the beautiful views, the amazing history and the lovely community. It had been a while since I had read such beautiful and vivid descriptions of a place. I felt like I was there myself, discovering all the secrets of the islands with Merry. So a huge bravo from me for Holly Hepburn for transporting me to such a special place and giving me the opportunity to disconnect from reality for a few hours! 

Also, I really enjoyed the plot: the love story kept me on my toes until the very last moment. And the cast of characters was amazing. From the crazy goat, to the stunning Viking, or the running-obsessed senior neighbour, it was impossible not to warm up to them. Plus, we got a little inside of how a writer writes, where she gets her inspiration from and what challenges she faces! What else can you ask for?

Coming Home to Bridgewater Bay is a stellar read, I highly recommend it. Especially if you are looking for some adventures in a very special place with the most wonderful people!