Sunrise by the Sea by Jenny Colgan

What are your favorite comfort reads?

 Jenny Colgan is one of my favorite authors and one that I turn to when I’m looking for comfort reads.  I love her characters and really like the Little Beach Street, Summer Seaside Kitchen, and Scottish Bookshop series.  I always can’t wait what is in store for the characters next.

 Sunrise by the Sea is a new book in the Little Beach Street Bakery series.  Marisa Rosso has moved to the village of Mount Polbearne to try to start over.  Marisa’s beloved grandfather has passed away and she can’t get over her death and move on.  She realizes she has anxiety and tries to figure out how to deal with it.  Unfortunately, the peace and quiet she craves, quickly vanishes when a piano teacher, Alex, moves in next door. Will she be able to get over her fears and work with him to find peace and quiet?  Will she be able to get to know her community and Alex?

 While there is a new character, old favorites Polly, Huckle, and there twins also are part of the story.  The story moves between Polly and Marisa.  Polly’s family is having a hard time with finances and making their businesses work in these trying times.  How can they make it all work and what is the most important thing to them?

 I really liked having a new character while still enjoying old characters.  I really liked the exploration of anxiety and grief in this novel and how Marisa was able to get the help she needed.  I also loved Marisa’s relationship with her grandmother over Skype. She didn’t know here that well as she had always spent time with her Grandfather.  I love that they cooked together, watched TV together, and talked.  They were two lonely people who found comfort with each other over the distance.

 Favorite Quote:

“But being an introvert meant that often she hadn’t quite managed to pluck up the courage to tell people she didn’t like them that much, and things could bumble along, or she would lack the courage to make it clear to people she did like that she liked them, and they’d pass her by.”

 Overall, Sunrise by the Sea was a nice comfort read that continues as one of my favorite stories.

 Book Source:  Review Copy from William Morrow. Thank-you!