Not on the Agenda

Diamond Cove

by Lucy McConnell

USA Today Bestselling Author Lucy McConnell invites you to Diamond Cove, a beach community full of hilarious situations, meddling grandparents, and romance. You'll be swept away in this sweet romantic comedy where an uptight corporate executive is delightfully unwound by her surf-loving assistant.
Elizabeth Mabel Matthews is in the middle of the biggest deal of her life when she gets a phone call from the activities director at her grandma’s retirement village. Grandma Nancy isn’t doing well and they want Elizabeth to come for a visit. She calls her maid to pack a bag and she’s on a plane that afternoon though her mind is back in the office.

Chad Huntington’s surf shop is going under. He’ll do anything to save it, including work as a temporary personal assistant for the weekend.

What these two don’t know, is that Grandma Nancy has a plan of her own and a team of matchmakers ready to jump in and help these two find love.

Can the Secret Seven pull off a match made in Diamond Cove, or, will their efforts flounder at sea? Find out in this sweet romcom.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Clean Romance, Rom Com, Chick Lit

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 8, 2022

About the author

Please hit the follow button. I'd love to keep in touch!

Lucy McConnell loves romance, chocolate, Christmas, horses, music, crochet, and fun!

She believes that romance books should:

Keep you up past your bedtime.

Make you laugh out loud.

Have happy endings.

With that in mind, she's written over 200 novels full of fun and flirty characters who navigate the turbulent waters of romance with open hearts and creativity.

If you enjoy closed-door romance, follow her on Goodreads.♥️

Reviews

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grandchildren Beware!

The Secret Seven have their first official mission: match up Nancy’s workaholic granddaughter with surf instructor, Chad Huntington. It will take some white lies, a little acting, a paddle board yoga class to break the touch barriers, and an art class to really smash down those walls. Even a Sunday sermon can turn into a romantic endeavor when the Secret Seven are involved.

I loved Elizabeth and Chad! The chemistry between them was palpable. Elizabeth is such a serious business woman, but she doesn’t have any pride when it comes to Chad. She’s always falling or getting into embarrassing situations with him, and she goes with it. I loved that about her.

I laughed out loud multiple times while reading this book. So many shenanigans from our beloved Secret Seven. The romance was quick for my taste, nearly in love in one weekend, but I still enjoyed it, and I felt like that issue was addressed.

I can’t wait to see who our next victim is.

[Lori R · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so full of fun humor I could not stop laughing, nor could I stop reading it. I want to stay at The Palms with the Secret 7 Diamond Cove matchmakers and do paddleboard yoga and go to the dive-in movie. I also want to see Sweetie the alligator and her seeing eye dog, Bear and feed John, Paul, Ringo, and George, the pink flamingos.
I really enjoyed how the matchmakers had their work cut out for them trying to find Nancy's granddaughter, Elizabeth, her perfect someone. The story was light and carefree and a lot of fun too. The characters were perfect although Elizabeth was a bit clumsy. Chad seemed to be an unusual match for the CEO. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Secret Seven are trying their hand at matchmaking Nancy's granddaughter. First they have to to get Elizabeth to Diamond Cove. They come up with the idea that Nancy isn't making friends at the retirement village. Elizabeth decides to take time to go help her grandmother fit in - after all, Elizabeth is in charge of her grandmother's company. Both Chad and Elizabeth feel something for each other but neither one feels like it's the right time. Chad is coming off a bad relationship which put him and his shop in financial trouble and Elizabeth just doesn't have time to date. The Seven conspire to have activities that put Chad and Elizabeth in close contact. Every time Chad starts to feel attracted to Elizabeth, he remembers how his last whirlwind love ended and he pulls away. Elizabeth is confused about that but then she doesn't have the time with running the company to push her relationship with Chad. The Seven don't want their first matchmaking attempt to fail but is might in spite of their meddling. This is a funny, clean story and I'm looking forward to more in this series. I was given an advance copy to read and review. I'm leaving my honest review.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Secret Seven. So it was fun to read this book that showed exactly what the group was set up to do. I loved the way the author included not only the views of Elizabeth and Chad, but also Elizabeth’s Grandma, Nancy. It just makes the book so fun!

Elizabeth made me laugh. She’s the CEO of a big company, Nancy’s Niceties. But she is so accident prone. That leads to her being in crazy situations. Things like tripping over a sandcastle on the beach and needing to have an attractive man rescue her form the sand. I love that girl! How can you not? She went running when her grandma needed her, even though she was in the middle of a huge deal.

Then there’s Chad. He is the owner of the surf shop in Diamond Cove. It’s not doing so well because his last girlfriend stole his credit card and charged a lot of things. I loved how he was willing to go along with Nancy’s idea to be Elizabeth’s assistant for the weekend. Those two worked so well together.

This book has such a cute and fun plot! I loved everything about it.

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love settling into a cozy new community and Diamond Cove is where it's at this season! Nancy, a former businesswoman, and her fellow retirement community residents, form a Secret Seven club to make marriage matches for the grandchildren and Nancy's prodigy is up first.

I love a little matchmaking and this one delivers such a vividly darling story. I was magically transported to Florida, which is perfect with the snowy weather we've been having, and charmed beyond my wildest dreams.

I love Elizabeth Mabel Matthews work ethic and when that battles for family time with her grandma, the combination causes swoon galore. Chad is equally hard working and willing to try and learn new things (just nothing hinky), but he doesn't have the luck. This duo had me eagerly devouring the pages and laughing at the antics to get them together. The cast of characters is wonderful and the setting is heavenly.

And I can't wait to read about the next victim.

Content: mild romance

*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new series, Diamond Cove Romantic Comedy, looks like it is going to be full of fun set in a retirement community that is more like an exclusive tropical resort. Some of the residents who have dubbed themselves "The Secret Seven" have joined efforts to find the perfect matches for their grandchildren. In this installment, Grandma Nancy is in cahoots with The Secret Seven to match her granddaughter, Elizabeth, with Chad, the handsome local surfboard instructor and storeowner. As they conspire to bring Elizabeth to Diamond Cove from her busy job and get her together with Chad their shenanigans brought a smile to my face and a wish to stay engaged in life just as these senior citizens were doing. I particularly enjoyed the sweet romance that developed between Chad and Elizabeth and thought the scene with the paddle boards was hilarious. Rating: 4.5. I received an ARC and this voluntary review contains my honest opinions.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this premise of this series. I don't know of any grandparents that do not want to see their grandchildren happy and in love. And this series is just exploding with love, family ties, and fun! I giggle out loud some and I feel my heart squeezes sometimes with how lovely it is.
Lucy McConnell writes some of the BEST clean, romance with a dash of comedy. She is on my immediately buy list.
I was provided an advanced reader copy of the book but it does not influence my review or opinion of the book or author.

[Ellen Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Secret Seven are matchmaking again. This time it is Nancy's granddaughter Elizabeth. Elizabeth comes to visit and Nancy hires the owner of the local Surf Shop, Chad, to be her assistant. Sweet romance that will make you laugh out loud. Loved Elizabeth and Chad's first meeting, and the paddle board yoga. Sweetie the alligator and Bear the dog make appearances throughout. I really enjoyed this book, a great way to spend an afternoon.

I was given this advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth gets the call her grandmother needs her and she is on a plane and there are fast as she can. Chad her temporary assistant turns out to be more talented then even he knew. What neither of them knew is that her grandmother is the leader of a senior group of matchmakers. This story is so funny, you have to love these caring senior citizens.

[Adrianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

Not on the Agenda is such a great story! It was almost as relaxing as a beach vacation. I enjoyed every minute of this book, and definitely recommend it!

[MaryEllen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun story!
Clean, but not Christian, this story is full of emotions—contentment, excitement, humor, inspiration, love, sadness, and wonder.
There are no "bad guys", but oh so many "good guys"—joining the Secret Seven are friends and family of the main couple that offer counsel and support.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read! Chad and Elizabeth's story is a clean fun romance that is full of emotions. I loved it!
I received a complimentary copy and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

The seven have their first case but can they get Elizabeth and Chad to make a permanent match? There are some funny moments with the group. Hope Samantha gives in and let's them match her.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been putting off reading this series until summer because they seem like a great summer read with the beach setting and funny, matchmaking grandparents. This was a sweet story, and a fast read. It was almost love at first sight for these 2, and the forced proximity created by the matchmakers helped things along. It was sweet and clean, and I have the next book from Kindle unlimited all ready to go.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book and the characters! I found myself laughing out loud at times. The story about a matchmaking grandma and her CEO granddaughter who both need to learn to let go of the reins - it was just what I needed to remind me to make time for what’s important in my life. The romance on the book between a surf shop owner, Chad and Elizabeth was sweet and fun. I bet you’ll love this book, too!! I can’t wait to read more of the series as they come out.

[Bonny Rambarran · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young executive whose not ready to get married
She’s too busy - and it won’t be on on the agenda for at least a couple of years. However her grandmother (who taught her all she knows about business) has other plans for her. THIS IS A WONDERFUL BOOK — TOTALLY ENJOYED IT. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and comments are my own.

[Laramee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story featuring meddling grandparents! If you are a fan of hallmark movies and wholesome romance you are going to enjoy this story! I can't wait to see what comes next in the series!

I received an ARC from the author and all opinions are my own.

[Alison Ramsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quirky, funny, delightful

There are so many laugh out loud moments in this story of Granny Nancy and her cohorts matchmaking her granddaughter Elizabeth with Chad, a local surf instructor. It is a delightful romance, with quirky characters and an overall feel good factor. Brilliant.

[Ellie Thornton]

Loved. Super cute and engaging. It had several parts that had me laughing out loud.

[Shellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not on the Agenda, the first book in The Diamond Cove Romantic Comedy Series by USA Today Bestselling Author Lucy McConnell, takes readers on a delightful journey to the charming beach community of Diamond Cove. Filled with hilarious situations, meddling grandparents, and heartwarming romance, this sweet romantic comedy follows the story of an uptight corporate executive who finds herself delightfully unraveled by her surf-loving assistant.

Elizabeth Mabel Matthews is fully engrossed in the biggest deal of her professional life when she receives an unexpected phone call from the activities director at her grandmother's retirement village. Concerned about her grandmother's health, Elizabeth rushes to her side, leaving her high-powered life behind. In a whirlwind, she packs her bags and boards a plane, not realizing that this impromptu trip will change her life in more ways than she could have ever anticipated.

Meanwhile, Chad Huntington, the owner of a struggling surf shop, is desperate to save his business from going under. Determined to do whatever it takes, he agrees to work as a temporary personal assistant for the weekend, unknowingly setting the stage for a fateful encounter.

Little do Elizabeth and Chad know, Grandma Nancy has a plan of her own. With a team of matchmakers ready to assist, she orchestrates a series of events aimed at bringing these two seemingly incompatible individuals together. As the Secret Seven matchmakers work their magic, Diamond Cove becomes a backdrop for love, laughter, and unexpected connections.

Will the Secret Seven's well-intentioned meddling result in a perfect match made in Diamond Cove, or will their efforts encounter rough waters? Join Elizabeth and Chad in this heartwarming romcom as they navigate the unpredictable currents of love and discover the beauty of letting go, embracing new possibilities, and finding unexpected happiness.

Lucy McConnell's talent shines through in this delightful tale, crafting a story that combines humor, romance, and the power of family bonds. Not on the Agenda promises readers a heartwarming and entertaining escape to a beachside community where love, laughter, and the power of grandparental matchmaking reign supreme. Prepare to be swept away by this sweet romantic comedy that will leave you with a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart.

[Narci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love the Secret Seven and all their adventures. Nancy starts out by seeking adventure through finding her granddaughter Love, she soon realizes matchmaking is so much fulfilling than she once thought. Nancy and the Secret Seven plan all kinds of elaborate scenes for Elizabeth and Chad, you can't help but fall in love with their efforts and root that it all works out for their sake. Ellizabeth is a sweet workaholic who heads to aid her grandma to fit in at her new home in Dimond Cove Adult Living community while in the middle of one of her biggest deals. Elizabeth soon finds grandma has set up a workstation an hired her an assistant, she also finds out her grandma has no friends and sets out to make sure to correct that. Elzabeth wasn't expecting her assistant to be a hunky surfer, no to fell so at home at Diamond Cove. Chad is in a bind and needs to figure out how to save his surf shop, when an old woman makes him a deal, he can't refuse even though he has no idea what a personal Temporary Assistant does, how hard can it be. Chad never expected to fall so fast and so hard for the beautiful and smart Elizabeth. This is such a wonderful, cute, fun and funny story that it will keep you begging for more and wondering what the secret seven will do next. I can't wait to read more on them so far, all their matchmaking skills have been amazing and fun to read.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, cheesy, predictable but still enjoyable, fast read. I love the characters of the Diamond Cove retirement community and The Secret Seven setting up their grandchildren so they can "finally," in their grandparents' words, haha, find romance and happiness. I love the recurring characters. Elizabeth and Chad were a fun, opposite dynamic as their relationship builds. I liked that the author took the typical surfer stereotype and upgraded it into Chad. :) I love the outfits that Winnie keeps designing for the characters and how fun they seem -- definitely one of those things from a book that I'd love to actually see not just read about. :) I also love the costumes that Sweetie the alligator and her seeing-eye dog Bear keep winding up in and can't wait until the perpetrator of those is revealed, but I'm guessing it's going to be a recurring theme in the books since it's been mentioned in the prequel and this book so far without an explanation. The activities at the retirement community sound fun as well. Just a fun, light, summer read. I look forward to finishing off this series and, again, PLEASE will the authors link all the books in this series (and their other collaborated series) together so that they're easier to find and the order of them too??

[Katja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elizabeth is a young , stressed CEO, trying to negotiate an important deal. She is somewhat uptight and has no personal life and no sense of balance. Her newly retired grandmother Nancy has a meddlesome group of elderly friends who are trying to matchmake their grandchildren. Nancy decides she wants to set Elizabeth up with Chad, a man Nancy knows nothing about except that he looks hot in a swimsuit, so she invites Elizabeth to visit and hires Chad to be her assistant. He is a struggling surf bum, in debt because he fell for a conwoman's flattery, and broke because his beach shop has no customers. Over the course of one weekend, they crunch numbers, attempt various poses push both of their businesses in a good direction, fall in love, break each other's hearts. The book is a light diversion that is marketed as a rom-com but I didn't find it that humorous and the romance was a bit too whirlwind to be believable to me. I guess I wondered if they had ever taken a second look at each other if there were no secret club of manipulative seniors pushing them together. The steam level: Kissing. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

#BOOKREVIEW

"A love that was strong, stretched across the world and back- no distance could break it. She didn't know if that kind of love was out there. Her phone dinged, and she shook off her thoughts. Even if true love existed, she was too busy to go looking for it." - Lucy McConnell, Not On The Agenda

The second book I've read starring the 'Secret Seven' and they are at it again! 🌊

Diamond Cove is a beach community full of hilarious situations, meddling grandparents, and romance. This is a cute rom-com about Elizabeth Mabel Matthews, an uptight corporate executive absorbed in her work when she gets a phone call asking her to visit Grandma Nancy to help her adjust to retirement life.
On the flip side, Chad Huntington’s surf shop is struggling to stay afloat. He’ll do anything to keep it from going under. Angels seem to be looking at for him when he lands a temporary personal assistant job for the weekend. The Secret Seven hope this is a sea-worthy match but not everything can be planned, especially when love is on the agenda.

This is a clean romance read with familiar characters (Landing on Love is another Diamond Cove rom-com I loved) and a cute storyline.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Noreen Hussain · Rating 5 out of 5]

A visit to Diamond Cove where grandparents try to find perfect matches for their grandchildren.
The first match is Nancy's workaholic grandaughter Elizabeth and Chad who owns the surf shop.
Elizabeth is called by Samantha the activities director at Diamond Cove retirement where Nancy is and tells her Nancy needs her.
Nancy hires Chad for the weekend to be Elizabeth's assistant.
From their first meeting the chemistry between them is sizzling.
Chad has been hurt before and is wary of getting into a relationship and trusting again.Elizabeth has never been in a relationship because she has been working non stop and has no time for anything else.
Between spending time together working,paddleboarding,painting classes,meddling matchmakers they fall in love.
Of course getting to that happily ever after is not smooth sailing.There are a lot of laugh out loud moments as well as tears.
Diamond Cove is not complete without Bear and Sweetie and the flamingoes named after the beatles.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sara Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a super cute and fun read about the first matchup by the Secret Seven. Whoever said opposites attract was right, however, those opposites usually need a little help to find each other. And that's exactly what happens in this book. When Nancy's granddaughter, Elizabeth, comes to the senior community thinking she'll be all business while helping her grandma adjust to her new life, she was only partially wrong. What Elizabeth didn't know is that she would fall for the assistant Nancy hired for her-the local surf shop owner. This is a clean and easy read that had me smiling and giggling chapter after chapter, and I'm sure you will too.

Just a note-You will want to read the first book in the series as it sets up all the different interactions Elizabeth and Nancy have.

I received an ARC from the publisher, but this review contains my own opinions.

[Ria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theyyy’re baaaack!

Fun, sweet and ohhh so relaxing, our introduction to Diamond Cove is just as quirky as the previous locations, only with scheming retirees to sweeten the pot! Honestly, this one even has a staunch workaholic like myself wanting to pull up stakes and make the beach my boardroom as I lay on my towel in front of a moonlight soaked whiteboard, plotting away with this board of merry seniors to marry off their grandchildren!
Those virgin daiquiris will be singing you their siren song from The Palms on Cocoa Beach, where you may just glimpse Elizabeth & Chad trying not to make moon eyes at each other a few paces away from his surf shop. As if grandma Nancy Matthews and her cohorts aren’t at least 10 moves ahead at all times!
Surfs up, so I’m off to go look into a beach retirement community… then watch another video about Sweetie the Alligator on TikTok!

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth received a call about her beloved gran Nancy who lives in a retirement village from the activies director stating that grandma isn’t doing so well and could do with a visit. She has an important deal that needs winding up but she high tails it to Diamond Cove to find that she’s the subject of a matchmaking coup devised by the secret seven residents of Diamond Cove . Chad’s surf shop is going under and he needs extra revenue so starts a job as personal assistant for the weekend at Diamond Cove…. The secret seven devise allsorts of hilarious situations to force the pair toy, they do gave palpable chemistry and it seems the oldies know best when it comes to romance. Very well written, an ideal beach read binge.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Richard Goodrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible romantic comedy. In this second book of the Diamond Cove Secret Seven series, Grandma Nancy has the chance to find a match for her granddaughter and protégé, Elizabeth Mabel Matthews. The Secret Seven concluded the surf shop owner, Chad Huntington, is an excellent candidate. Soon after the decision is made, the target couple is set to work together for a few days. Their own nature takes over with occasional interventions from the behind-the-scenes crew.

Past traumas, busy schedules, and personal chemistry play essential roles in the story. The setting and Secret Seven make the tale remarkable. The ending is spectacular.

Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Happily Ever After. Romantic. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.

I received a review copy of this book from a third party. This is my honest review.

[Kaytlen Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this romantic comedy and it was gold! The awkward unbalanced of Elizabeth Mabel Matthews vs the coordinated and surfer personality of Chad Huntington makes for an opposites attract type romance. While their businesses are very different- they are both dedicated owners and will do what they can to have them succeed. I loved this contrast. There was the perfect amount of similarities which made this relationship seem like it has the potential for success while keeping enough different that there is still intrigue.

Lucy McConnell added the secret seven in which ramped up the comedy. The conniving of their schemes and the determination of each of these retirees made me smile the whole way through.