2.5 stars.
Oh, I’m so sad that I didn’t love this follow up as much as I loved the first book in this series.
When we last left Daisy and Theo, she had made the decision to keep her canal boat and to open a coffee shop on it, as a way of making a living - not to mention the first full hints of a romance blossoming between the two. I knew there would be hardships along the way, especially with setting up the coffee shop - which there were - but oh I was so let down by the romance aspect of it.
Daisy, frankly, became incredibly frustrating. What I loved about the first book was the balance between the realities of doing up a canal boat, set alongside the beautiful waterways, with the ongoing romantic tension with Theo. The romantic tension was still there at the start of this book, just for one of my least favourite tropes to come along and take over a majority of the book - the dreaded love triangle.
Which meant I never really got those lovely cosy vibes that the first book gave me - there were either stressful things happening to the boat and the coffee shop, or I was becoming incredibly frustrated with the romance plot and the actions of Daisy.
Sadly the last chapter didn’t perk me up much either, as it introduces another trope I’m not particularly a fan of, and brings in a swell of new problems. I was quite hoping to just see the two of them happily together, and I’m sure that will come along eventually, but I’m no longer so sure I want to continue on through the struggles.
I will say, however, that it is still a brilliant representation of life on the waterways, the good and the bad, and I really appreciate it for that, even if the overall plot lines were no longer my cup of tea.
Thank you to the publishers, and to Netgalley, for the copy to review.