Sunny Days on the Boardwalk follows Jools Jones as she navigates life in her idyllic island town. In the novel, Jools must juggle the hustle and bustle of everyday life with a wide array of personalities vying for her attention while dealing with a long-distance relationship with Finn, her new boyfriend, a person who might not be who she thinks he is.
The thing that first drew me to this book was the cover and title — I love books with seaside settings. Whether it’s about a local trying to save their beloved town or an out-of-towner falling in love for the summer, it will suck me in every time.
My hopes were high going into this novel, and, while I did enjoy the ride, I was a little disappointed - I wanted to like it more than I did.
What I liked about the book:
1. the setting: the picturesque island was the perfect backdrop for a feel good summer read.
2. The adorable old people: Alan and Jools’ grandmother were the cutest.
3. Jools: she was a good person who wanted the best for everyone and went out of her way to help her friends — I was rooting for her the whole time.
What I didn’t love:
1. Characterization: a lot of characters — particularly the love interests — felt flat. Finn was nice until all of a sudden he wasn’t. Marius was too nice the entire time. I wanted more depth from them, and I couldn’t really see why Jools liked them. I didn’t feel tension between Jools and any of the love interests; I wanted that moment where my toes curl because the tension between them is so strong, and I never got it.
2. Conflict: there wasn’t really any conflict until halfway through the novel, and, once there finally was some action, a lot of it felt very low stakes — I wanted to worry with the characters. All of the conflicts were also solved too easily, like in a couple pages, and it wasn’t very satisfying.
Conclusion
The book was an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon; I just wished it left a more memorable impression. However, the happy ending for the main characters was satisfying.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.