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Handmade with Love
In the Welsh coastal village of Castell Bay, Stevie Turner creates souvenirs with washed-up materials found on the beach for her rustic gift shop, the Little Shop of Driftwood. When old flame, Anna Conway, returns home and moves into the apartment above the shop, Stevie can only offer her ex-girlfriend the cold shoulder.
It’s been eight years since Anna broke things off and vowed to never return to Castell Bay, but with a new job as a city council member, her focus is protecting the home she loves from beach-combing tourists. How could she have known her first bylaw would result in destroying her ex’s business?
Despite the shared hostility, old feelings begin to resurface, and when Stevie father’s health takes a turn for the worse, their past becomes the present. Anna and Stevie must finally face the truth of their breakup and accept first loves can never dwindle, even after eight years.
This charming, humorous small-town romance is a heartwarming beach read that explores the importance of second chances and found family.
It’s been eight years since Anna broke things off and vowed to never return to Castell Bay, but with a new job as a city council member, her focus is protecting the home she loves from beach-combing tourists. How could she have known her first bylaw would result in destroying her ex’s business?
Despite the shared hostility, old feelings begin to resurface, and when Stevie father’s health takes a turn for the worse, their past becomes the present. Anna and Stevie must finally face the truth of their breakup and accept first loves can never dwindle, even after eight years.
This charming, humorous small-town romance is a heartwarming beach read that explores the importance of second chances and found family.
Paperback
Published February 1, 2022
About the author
Rachel Bowdler
20 books163 followersRachel Bowdler grew up and still lives just outside of Manchester, on the edge of West Yorkshire. Her books feature queer and plus-size characters finding their happily ever afters. You can usually find her hosting the Swords & Sapphics Podcast, writing under the pen names Bonnie Woods and Bryony Rosehurst, and working as a freelance editor.
Her festive debut novel, Honeymoon for One, was brought to readers in 2022 and became a bestseller in lesbian romance.
Her festive debut novel, Honeymoon for One, was brought to readers in 2022 and became a bestseller in lesbian romance.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 25, 2022
Stevie and Anna were a couple while at university until a heartrending breakup. Stevie dropped out - forced to return home due to family reasons and eventually opened up a little business making handcrafted items from found items at the beach. Anna wasn't interested in a long-distance relationship and went her own way. She has returned to the seaside town in an advisory position on the town council. Much has changed in the eight years since they last saw each other but a spark still lingers below the surface.
Centred around second chances, this plot shows how easily things go sideways when there's little or no communication, secrets are paramount and trust lacking. Families help and hinder. Secondary character Levi is the glue to bringing our leads back together if only they can get over their history of hurt and work through shortcomings and truths.
Ms. Bowdler has written a quick, nifty but warm romance that I easily recommend.
I rec'd a copy through Booksprout. This is an unbiased review.
Centred around second chances, this plot shows how easily things go sideways when there's little or no communication, secrets are paramount and trust lacking. Families help and hinder. Secondary character Levi is the glue to bringing our leads back together if only they can get over their history of hurt and work through shortcomings and truths.
Ms. Bowdler has written a quick, nifty but warm romance that I easily recommend.
I rec'd a copy through Booksprout. This is an unbiased review.
January 19, 2022
3.5 Stars for Handmade with Love (audiobook) by Rachel Bowdler read by Marie Jenkins produced by Bryant Street Shorts.
There was just a little too much angst for me in this story. And I can’t quite believe this is going to be happily ever after with this couples track record.
There was just a little too much angst for me in this story. And I can’t quite believe this is going to be happily ever after with this couples track record.
September 8, 2022
3.5. This was an emotional read about second chances. How two young women who had meant the world to each other (at university) lost their way, and stopped communicating.
8 years later they are reintroduced and the spark is still there. But so much hurt and pain exists for them both.
I'm glad the story didn't stretch out the why's of the secrets each had kept, which forced them away from one another. Their complete lack of communication previously and trying to hide their issues in the story 'now' was a major element, but it didn't feel as flimsy or forced as I've seen and felt in other similar stories I've read.
You could actually see how they were both pulling away and dealing with their own issues and not in healthy ways, causing this natural split in the relationship to occur. But also see how a lot of care was still there and how they just needed to learn to trust again.
My only complaint was it wrapped up a bit too quickly and I just wanted more time for the couple to connect and be together. An epilogue would have been nice.
A lovely second chance romance story.
ARC provided by BookSprout.
8 years later they are reintroduced and the spark is still there. But so much hurt and pain exists for them both.
I'm glad the story didn't stretch out the why's of the secrets each had kept, which forced them away from one another. Their complete lack of communication previously and trying to hide their issues in the story 'now' was a major element, but it didn't feel as flimsy or forced as I've seen and felt in other similar stories I've read.
You could actually see how they were both pulling away and dealing with their own issues and not in healthy ways, causing this natural split in the relationship to occur. But also see how a lot of care was still there and how they just needed to learn to trust again.
My only complaint was it wrapped up a bit too quickly and I just wanted more time for the couple to connect and be together. An epilogue would have been nice.
A lovely second chance romance story.
ARC provided by BookSprout.
September 21, 2021
A sweet, emotional short story that I devoured in an evening.
Anna and Stevie are two former teen sweethearts who were split apart by family circumstances and bad communication, and then re-connect when one of them returns to their hometown eight years later.
Both MCs were great realistic characters, with understandable motives, and I found myself rooting for them both.
Levi, too, was a fun character, not least because they kept literally forcing our two stubborn mains to interact with each other and reconnect (we stan an interfering but well-intentioned friend!)
And the ending actually had me a little teary (but in a good way!)
Overall, I'd definitely recommend this if you're looking for a quick Sapphic read that's charming and fun, but also hits you in the feels.
Anna and Stevie are two former teen sweethearts who were split apart by family circumstances and bad communication, and then re-connect when one of them returns to their hometown eight years later.
Both MCs were great realistic characters, with understandable motives, and I found myself rooting for them both.
Levi, too, was a fun character, not least because they kept literally forcing our two stubborn mains to interact with each other and reconnect (we stan an interfering but well-intentioned friend!)
And the ending actually had me a little teary (but in a good way!)
Overall, I'd definitely recommend this if you're looking for a quick Sapphic read that's charming and fun, but also hits you in the feels.
August 11, 2022
An awesome, character-driven, fluffy story perfect for a summer reading. It has all of my favorite tropes: right person wrong time, miscommunication, there’s-only-one-tent, forced proximity and many more.
Also, a non-binary character having a wholesome marriage and kids of their own??? LOVED THAT FOR ME. As a non-binary reader, Levi is the moment. Loved them and their husband and kids.
I loved Anna and Stevie too, of course, they make this book feel cute and real and extremely quick-n-easy to read.
Truly, a gem. I look forward to buying it and re-reading it with a physical copy in my hands.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Also, a non-binary character having a wholesome marriage and kids of their own??? LOVED THAT FOR ME. As a non-binary reader, Levi is the moment. Loved them and their husband and kids.
I loved Anna and Stevie too, of course, they make this book feel cute and real and extremely quick-n-easy to read.
Truly, a gem. I look forward to buying it and re-reading it with a physical copy in my hands.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 18, 2022
Handmade with Love is an adorable second chance romance that left me feeling warm and happy when it was over.
Stevie and Anna were both such great characters. I was rooting for them to get back together as soon as they reunited!
Besides the prevalent romantic themes, this book dealt with a lot of other topics too including toxic family relationships, illness, and honesty.
Everything about this story was lovely. It was a very enjoyable read that I highly recommend to any romance fans!
*I received an ARC of this book from Booksprout and this is my honest, voluntary review.*
Stevie and Anna were both such great characters. I was rooting for them to get back together as soon as they reunited!
Besides the prevalent romantic themes, this book dealt with a lot of other topics too including toxic family relationships, illness, and honesty.
Everything about this story was lovely. It was a very enjoyable read that I highly recommend to any romance fans!
*I received an ARC of this book from Booksprout and this is my honest, voluntary review.*
September 5, 2023
Handmade with Love was so very very unexpected. But then again I didn’t realise the author was Rachel Bowdler (since I picked the book blindly) so I shouldn’t have been surprised that the story was gooooood! I’ve been loving Rachel Bowdler’s work.
What amazes me is the fact that the author’s stories are short but they’re so complete and well-rounded. Handmade with Love covers all the important bases of a story. Stevie and Anna’s characters were enough to the point that I didn’t even realise they didn’t have a sex scene and it didn’t feel lacking at all. The emotional aspect of the story was complicated enough to buffer the story.
What amazes me is the fact that the author’s stories are short but they’re so complete and well-rounded. Handmade with Love covers all the important bases of a story. Stevie and Anna’s characters were enough to the point that I didn’t even realise they didn’t have a sex scene and it didn’t feel lacking at all. The emotional aspect of the story was complicated enough to buffer the story.
December 17, 2021
Short story, based on past love that still matters in characters' life and needs to be seen again. Enjoyed reading it, finished in two days, simple yet captivating. If you are looking for something quick read then this book is definitely for you and maybe a perfect holiday gift for yourself! ;)
June 28, 2024
A beautifully written second-chance romance.
After a painful break-up, Anna and Stevie find themselves back in each other’s lives. They each had their reasons for the break-up, but neither communicated them, which has led to unresolved tension between them. Can their friend Levi get them to talk? Or will Anna’s new job ruin Stevie’s business before they’ve even said more than a few words to each other?
A great read with lots of layers to it. I loved all the side characters and the side plots which strengthened the romance.
Handmade with Love is a great short read for anyone looking for a second-chance romance with real characters.
After a painful break-up, Anna and Stevie find themselves back in each other’s lives. They each had their reasons for the break-up, but neither communicated them, which has led to unresolved tension between them. Can their friend Levi get them to talk? Or will Anna’s new job ruin Stevie’s business before they’ve even said more than a few words to each other?
A great read with lots of layers to it. I loved all the side characters and the side plots which strengthened the romance.
Handmade with Love is a great short read for anyone looking for a second-chance romance with real characters.
June 14, 2023
3,5 ⭐
This is a lovely second-chance romance set in a small beach town so perfect summer read!
Second chance romance isn't always my favorite trope but I really did enjoy reading it here. We follow Stevie who owns a small shop in town and when suddenly her ex girlfriend Anna, who broke up with her and left and she hasn't seen for 8 years, suddenly moves into the apartment above her shop drama ensues. You can tell that there's still that spark and love between them but also so much pain and hurt because of so many things left unsaid and unresolved between them.
They work on the miscommunication or just lack of communication that happened all those years ago.
One of my favorite parts was a side character Levi a mutual friend of both Stevie and Anna, who's non binary and married with two kids. She constantly pushes Stevie and Anna together and it made for some funny and angsty moments.
I did have some issues with the pacing and since it was quite a short read I felt like some thing were not developed enough/felt rushed. There are quite a lot of side stories and conflicts mentioned in the book (Stevie who's dealing with her father after having multiple strokes and dealing with dementia, Anna with the strained relationship with her parents and some secrets there, Stevie who is banned from collecting driftwood and shells from the beach because of a law Anna and the Council made etc.) That I think sometimes was a bit much and took away from the book!
But overall a lovely sapphic romance set in small coastal town that I would definitely recommend you read! I'm going to for sure read more of Rachel Bowdler books.
Received the ebook in exchange for a honest review!
This is a lovely second-chance romance set in a small beach town so perfect summer read!
Second chance romance isn't always my favorite trope but I really did enjoy reading it here. We follow Stevie who owns a small shop in town and when suddenly her ex girlfriend Anna, who broke up with her and left and she hasn't seen for 8 years, suddenly moves into the apartment above her shop drama ensues. You can tell that there's still that spark and love between them but also so much pain and hurt because of so many things left unsaid and unresolved between them.
They work on the miscommunication or just lack of communication that happened all those years ago.
One of my favorite parts was a side character Levi a mutual friend of both Stevie and Anna, who's non binary and married with two kids. She constantly pushes Stevie and Anna together and it made for some funny and angsty moments.
I did have some issues with the pacing and since it was quite a short read I felt like some thing were not developed enough/felt rushed. There are quite a lot of side stories and conflicts mentioned in the book (Stevie who's dealing with her father after having multiple strokes and dealing with dementia, Anna with the strained relationship with her parents and some secrets there, Stevie who is banned from collecting driftwood and shells from the beach because of a law Anna and the Council made etc.) That I think sometimes was a bit much and took away from the book!
But overall a lovely sapphic romance set in small coastal town that I would definitely recommend you read! I'm going to for sure read more of Rachel Bowdler books.
Received the ebook in exchange for a honest review!
August 14, 2023
Rachel writes the loviest books and this is deffo one of them! Romantic and sweet!
December 29, 2021
I love Rachel's writing so much but I have one complaint and that's that her stories always end too soon. I want more of these characters!!
October 25, 2021
This is a sapphic romance... Kinda... 🤷♀️ The two were friends growing up and fell in love, but it when Stevie left University without much explanation and Anna broke up shortly after with little explanation, both thought it was over. But 8 years later Anna moved back to their hometown and quickly passes a bylaw than could shut down Stevie's small business, a different kind of sparks start to fly. But the chemistry is still there. But they needed to talk about the past before they could deal with the present.
Low on spice and excitement but it's a good story about communicating and holding on to what matters.
Low on spice and excitement but it's a good story about communicating and holding on to what matters.
August 31, 2024
Handmade with Love by Rachel Bowdler is a beautiful second chance Sapphic romance with a Summer setting that makes it perfect reading for a sunny day.
Stevie runs a craft shop where she makes beautiful things from driftwood and seashells that wash up on the nearby beach. Things may not be perfect, business has gotten a little slow and her father's health is in decline, but they are about to get a whole lot worse. Her ex girlfriend, Anna, moves into the flat above the shop, and having not spoken for eight years since Anna broke things off , things are a little strained to say the least. It doesn't help matters that part of Anna's new job is to protect the local coastline and fine people who remove materials from it, effectively cutting off Stevie's supply of the raw materials she needs. Despite the best , and often rather obvious, attempts of their mutual friend Levi to get them to patch things up, it seems like an unlikely outcome. However a combination of proximity and better communication opens the doors to the possibility of a happy ending.
I loved how real and down to earth this story felt, I could really imagine these characters as people and was absolutely rooting for them to just sit and talk and open up about what had gone wrong all those years ago, especially since the spark between them was so clearly still there. Sometimes the lack of communication between characters in books can seem contrived just to create angst for the story but that was never the case here, it really felt natural that both of the characters shut down for their own reasons. While I loved both main characters I do also have to shout out Levi, the non binary best friend with a happy marriage and twin children, not something we see enough of, and something that I really enjoyed here.
Stevie runs a craft shop where she makes beautiful things from driftwood and seashells that wash up on the nearby beach. Things may not be perfect, business has gotten a little slow and her father's health is in decline, but they are about to get a whole lot worse. Her ex girlfriend, Anna, moves into the flat above the shop, and having not spoken for eight years since Anna broke things off , things are a little strained to say the least. It doesn't help matters that part of Anna's new job is to protect the local coastline and fine people who remove materials from it, effectively cutting off Stevie's supply of the raw materials she needs. Despite the best , and often rather obvious, attempts of their mutual friend Levi to get them to patch things up, it seems like an unlikely outcome. However a combination of proximity and better communication opens the doors to the possibility of a happy ending.
I loved how real and down to earth this story felt, I could really imagine these characters as people and was absolutely rooting for them to just sit and talk and open up about what had gone wrong all those years ago, especially since the spark between them was so clearly still there. Sometimes the lack of communication between characters in books can seem contrived just to create angst for the story but that was never the case here, it really felt natural that both of the characters shut down for their own reasons. While I loved both main characters I do also have to shout out Levi, the non binary best friend with a happy marriage and twin children, not something we see enough of, and something that I really enjoyed here.
November 15, 2021
I loved this story so much!
From page one I was instantly drawn into this gorgeous novella of first loves and long-lasting heartache. Set on the Welsh coast we meet Stevie who creates works of art inspired by her beautiful hometown and her shock as her ex Anna suddenly moves into the apartment above her shop. Anna essentially left her heartbroken with no explanation eight years previously; the energy between them is awkward to say the least. Things go from bad to worse when Anna helps to introduce conservation rules with the local council which impede Stevie's livelihood but as with all good romances revelations and miscommunications are in abundance.
The characters Bowdler creates are realistic and beautifully flawed in this heartwarming read. I didn’t mind at all that the sparks between Stevie and Anna are subtle and based on a shared first love that never really left either of them. I really related to their heartache and stubbornness against reliving heartache; A sapphic gem.
From page one I was instantly drawn into this gorgeous novella of first loves and long-lasting heartache. Set on the Welsh coast we meet Stevie who creates works of art inspired by her beautiful hometown and her shock as her ex Anna suddenly moves into the apartment above her shop. Anna essentially left her heartbroken with no explanation eight years previously; the energy between them is awkward to say the least. Things go from bad to worse when Anna helps to introduce conservation rules with the local council which impede Stevie's livelihood but as with all good romances revelations and miscommunications are in abundance.
The characters Bowdler creates are realistic and beautifully flawed in this heartwarming read. I didn’t mind at all that the sparks between Stevie and Anna are subtle and based on a shared first love that never really left either of them. I really related to their heartache and stubbornness against reliving heartache; A sapphic gem.
September 28, 2022
Thank you to the author for an eARC of this book
This is another second chance romance and I thought this was a really sweet novella. For starters I really enjoyed the characters and the history. I liked that they both had complicated pasts and histories that they didn't know about each other. It was really interesting to see how their previous relationship fell apart over time and how neither of them were really doing the work to keep a relationships going.
I think I would have liked this a lot more if it was longer. The meddling aspect, just really didn't do it for me and I think that it could have been better if the characters had more time to get to know each other again and open up to each other again. I loved the characters so much that I wanted to see more of them talking to each other and trying to reconcile what happened.
I think this was really sweet romance and I will absolutely be reading more from the author going forward because I enjoyed this story so much.
This is another second chance romance and I thought this was a really sweet novella. For starters I really enjoyed the characters and the history. I liked that they both had complicated pasts and histories that they didn't know about each other. It was really interesting to see how their previous relationship fell apart over time and how neither of them were really doing the work to keep a relationships going.
I think I would have liked this a lot more if it was longer. The meddling aspect, just really didn't do it for me and I think that it could have been better if the characters had more time to get to know each other again and open up to each other again. I loved the characters so much that I wanted to see more of them talking to each other and trying to reconcile what happened.
I think this was really sweet romance and I will absolutely be reading more from the author going forward because I enjoyed this story so much.
August 22, 2022
I think Bowdler creates a really cosy story with Handmade with Love. The lives of the protagonists feel bittersweet from various elements that ended up contributing to their initial split.
I love a bit of small town bureaucracy which this hints at with one of the leads being part of local government and that creating a small clash with the other.
Everything felt real and tangible. There are some sad elements which Rachel has content warnings for which is appreciated and their integration in the text feels really well handled and there is still a realistic sense of hopefulness.
The characters romance feels really well executed with the two working through their various issues in a satisfying way and the reader really gets the same closure they got around their initial breakup.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love a bit of small town bureaucracy which this hints at with one of the leads being part of local government and that creating a small clash with the other.
Everything felt real and tangible. There are some sad elements which Rachel has content warnings for which is appreciated and their integration in the text feels really well handled and there is still a realistic sense of hopefulness.
The characters romance feels really well executed with the two working through their various issues in a satisfying way and the reader really gets the same closure they got around their initial breakup.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 1, 2022
I love a small village romance and this had all the trimmings of a potentially excellent one.
What I liked: this was well written, had quirky friends and plenty of family dramas supporting the main storyline.
What I wasn't keen on: the reasons for the couple's split in the first instance. This was a great love that fell over because each person didn't let the other know important information that normal people would have blurted out to their special people in a heartbeat. Also, the continual blaming of Anna for the ending of the relationship and Stevie never fully taking full responsibility for taking off without explanation in the first instance significantly overshadowed my enjoyment of the story.
Nonetheless, it all worked out in the end and is a solid romance overall.
What I liked: this was well written, had quirky friends and plenty of family dramas supporting the main storyline.
What I wasn't keen on: the reasons for the couple's split in the first instance. This was a great love that fell over because each person didn't let the other know important information that normal people would have blurted out to their special people in a heartbeat. Also, the continual blaming of Anna for the ending of the relationship and Stevie never fully taking full responsibility for taking off without explanation in the first instance significantly overshadowed my enjoyment of the story.
Nonetheless, it all worked out in the end and is a solid romance overall.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2022
"Returning to Castell Bay was always going to be difficult, but she'd never expected it to be living-above-your-ex's-store, banning-her-from-collecting-driftwood-on-the-beach-while-a-seagull-shits-on-you-difficult. Not to mention the way she'd been skirting about town to avoid her parents. One drama at a time was quite enough for Anna."
I absolutely FLEW through Handmade with Love, and for good reason. With a dreamy seaside setting and relatable characters with heartwarming interactions, HWL is a beautifully crafted tale of how love can come back to you, even when you've let it go.
If you're looking for a quick, LGBTQIA+ friendly read, pick this up!
I absolutely FLEW through Handmade with Love, and for good reason. With a dreamy seaside setting and relatable characters with heartwarming interactions, HWL is a beautifully crafted tale of how love can come back to you, even when you've let it go.
If you're looking for a quick, LGBTQIA+ friendly read, pick this up!
September 29, 2022
This was such a nice read. The story is very well-written and the characters are lovely. I was rooting for them from the start. Given the blurb I expected a lot more angst - there was angst, plenty, and yet it seemed like the right amount and not overly done.
I found it to be a lovely page-turning romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I found it to be a lovely page-turning romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 5, 2023
This book is such a charming, heartwarming read. It made me want to move to Castell Bay and work in Stevie’s shop. Second chances is one of my favourite tropes, so of course I devoured this! This book also takes the time to let its MCs exist outside of the romance, and have their own issues, making them feel more realistic. I’ll definitely pick up more of Rachel’s books in the future!
October 3, 2022
This was a pretty good book. Anna and Stevie were great together, and I enjoyed reading about them. I liked the ending and it was better than I'd expected it would be.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 10, 2024
A solid 3 stars. Second chance romance, super sweet and felt really nicely paced and complete for a novella. They usually feel too short, rushed or cut off, but this was lovely. Not perfect but a really enjoyable, lighthearted read.
March 3, 2022
3,5🌟
October 4, 2022
3.5 / 5 Stars
I havent decided if I want to give this 3 or 4 goodreads stars yet.
I havent decided if I want to give this 3 or 4 goodreads stars yet.
December 27, 2023
voorspelbaar maar vermakelijk
January 4, 2024
This is the story of Stevie and Anna, and their second chance at love.
The author is so good at letting us get inside her characters. At the beginning we feel such sympathy with Stevie, and disdain, almost hate, for Anna.
Later we realise how hurt both of them were, and are still hurting. We feel the depth of their despair, and because we can see from both their points of view, we can see that neither was to blame, they were both pawns in bigger stories. However, the author seems to be pushing us into the view that the majority of the fault was Anna’s, but personally I would not agree - it took two of them to not communicate, and at any time either of them could have begun a conversation.
A continuity problem, in chapter two we learn that Stevie doesn’t have a car, and so can’t drive to other beaches to gather driftwood, but in chapter seven we learn that she has a thirty year old Volvo…
The author is so good at letting us get inside her characters. At the beginning we feel such sympathy with Stevie, and disdain, almost hate, for Anna.
Later we realise how hurt both of them were, and are still hurting. We feel the depth of their despair, and because we can see from both their points of view, we can see that neither was to blame, they were both pawns in bigger stories. However, the author seems to be pushing us into the view that the majority of the fault was Anna’s, but personally I would not agree - it took two of them to not communicate, and at any time either of them could have begun a conversation.
A continuity problem, in chapter two we learn that Stevie doesn’t have a car, and so can’t drive to other beaches to gather driftwood, but in chapter seven we learn that she has a thirty year old Volvo…
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