Summer Sundaes on the Boardwalk

Golden Sands Bay #1

by Georgina Troy

'A wonderfully warm and sweet summer read' Karen Clarke

Hold on to the feeling of sunshine at the seaside with this gorgeous romance, perfect for fans of Holly Martin and Jo Thomas.   When Sacha Collins, cafe owner and sundae-maker extraordinaire, meets Italian archaeologist, Alessandro Salvatore in Rome, she's grateful to him for being her tour guide. Now he’s turned up in the seaside village where she lives and is setting up a gelateria in direct competition to her retro Summer Sundaes Café. She's only been running her café for two years since taking over from her father. Until now the only other shops on the boardwalk have been a wool shop, an antique shop and a second-hand book shop. These have helped rather than hindered her custom. How will her creative sundaes made from fresh Jersey ice cream compete with his delicious Italian gelato? Sacha is worried. Is there enough custom for both businesses to thrive? Who is behind the strange changes being made on the boardwalk? And when the oldest resident on the boardwalk is threatened with eviction can Sacha and Alessandro come together and find a way of helping her? For a peaceful little boardwalk overlooking one of the quieter beaches on the island, there's an awful lot going on and some of it is going to lead to big changes.  Previously published by Georgina Troy as Summer Sundaes.

Genres: Audiobook, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Romance, British Literature

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 30, 2023

Reviews

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really feel like having an ice-cream sundae, and I know just the place to go for one - the Summer Sundaes cafe, in Jersey in the area known at The Boardwalk by the Sea. On the other hand if you are in the mood for gelato, a new place is opening also on the boardwalk for that.

The only catch is Sacha the owner of Summer Sundaes and Alessandro who is sorting out the gelateria, who met on Sacha's recent trip to Rome, isn't expecting the competition or the lies to have got them to this point.

The book starts off in Rome, and I loved the whistle stop tours of the city as Sacha is guided by Alessandro for a couple of days before she and her aunt embark on a med cruise. During the trip in Rome, we see the iconic tourist attractions and also get dazzling descriptions of gorgeous gelato. Plus the fact that the guide is hunky, is always a bonus!

I loved the setting of this book, in Jersey, and got a real feel for the island, especially when Sacha swaps tour guide roles with Alessandro. We also get a great idea of the community when all the businesses band together for a great cause.

I really enjoyed meeting the people that worked in Sacha's cafe, as well as her best friends which I suspect will be the focus for the next books in this series.

Besides the stunning cover for Summer Sundaes, you have a really simple and pleasing to read book, that has a few surprises up its sleeve, and I really liked the writing style of Georgina Troy. I could really believe the characters and am already looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you so much to Georgina Troy for this copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick read but not great. The romance and relationship was muddled. The whole who painted the railing or the symbols thing was odd. Everyone seemed strangely fake and forced.

[J.B (Debbie) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It takes a very special author to be able to create a place that makes the reader feel they are truly there or to dream of living somewhere like the setting in a book. Georgina Troy is one such author. What an amazing place the Boardwalk is. And, as if that wasn't enough, the book begins in Rome, one of my absolute favourite places. I felt I was instantly transported back there.

Sacha, who runs a cafe back on Jersey is on a trip to Rome with her aunt. She is more than a little put out when her aunt arranges for the very enigmatic if not gorgeous Alessandro to give her a tour of the city. Despite never having met him before, Sacha is pretty sure he seems familiar. Their initial meeting is quite awkward with both feeling they've been set up slightly by their respective families. However, Sacha cannot deny that he is extremely attractive and a little intriguing.

When Alessandro comes to stay in Jersey, the roles are reversed and Sacha soon becomes his tour guide. However, Alessandro is not all he appears with a distinct air of mystery about him. Just what is his deep dark secret? Very soon a mystery begins to unfold and Sacha becomes fearful for the future of the cafe when direct competition threatens her livelihood. Everyone on the Boardwalk must pull together.

What I loved most about this book is the well crafted and interesting characters that Georgina Troy has created. This wonderful little community draws the reader into the story and makes you become invested in them, wanting a good outcome. Georgina Troy's descriptions of the island makes this a place firmly at the top of my bucket list of places to visit. This is such an easy and enjoyable read and I think I may be a little bit in love with the Boardwalk. Its very clear to see that this is going to be such a wonderful series if this first book is anything to go by. It has it all - mystery, romance, a sense of community and place and of course hunky Alessandro. What more could a girl ask for! A highly recommended read.

[Frenchorchidea · Rating 4 out of 5]

oh I loved going back to the island of Jersey once again with a book by Georgina Troy! What a delight of a book! Everything is yummy! The ice creams, Jersey's weather, the men (especially an italian one), and I loved the plot and the adventures in this book! I can't wait to read another book by Georgina Troy who is becoming one of my favorite author!!!

[Rachel (Rae) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazon.co.uk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-Sunda...





I loved how the story started in Rome but then ended up back where Sacha lives in Jersey it was lovely to have the gorgeous descriptions of both places. I have visited Jersey and it truly is a wonderful place so this made the story even more enjoyable for me. I loved the whole idea behind the local shops and one of my favourite characters was of course Sacha but Bella came a close second (I hope we will get to see her story play out) Everything about the village and the characters just seemed that little bit more unique and quirky. Along with a lovely sense of community spirit that really brought a smile to my face.

Alessandro and Sacha first meet in Rome and they have that perfect instant connection. However this comes crashing down after Alessandro arrives in Jersey and ends up in direct competition with Sacha's Summer Sundaes Cafe. Sacha is completely likeable and I love her determination to make her cafe a success. Even though there are a few characters this doesn't impact on the story at all it just made me look forward to reading their stories in the rest of the series.

Summer Sundaes just makes it so easy to fall in love with the characters and the setting. It really is a wonderful start to the series and I can't wait to catch up with the characters again soon. This story has really helped to prolong the summery feelings that have all but deserted me. Let's face it our summer has been a bit of a washout. Perfect for a lazy day of reading and I really enjoyed my time at The Boardwalk by the Sea.

Within the pages of Summer Sundaes is romance, a few secrets and delicious desserts. Now that is a fabulous combination!

With thanks to Brook Cottage Books for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book at a time where the summer in the UK was just dwindling into autumn, constant rain, wind and chilly! The Boardwalk by the Sea the first in the Summer Sundaes series was the perfect antidote. Not only was I whisked away to the stunning city of Rome where I could visualise the tourist attractions that I remember fondly from my visit. We then were transported to Jersey, which sounds absolutely idyllic. So the travelling alone took my mind off the weather!

Then we meet Sacha, a young lady who is in Rome with her Aunt, when Aunt has a migraine she nattily arranges for the hunky Allessandro (family friend) to act as tour guide. There is an instant zing between them. I loved the way they reacted to each other and he was a charismatic delight.

Back home the tables are turned, Allessandro comes to Jersey on business so Sacha has opportunity to show him around and introduce him to her family and friends. She works hard in the little cafe on the boardwalk which sells the perfectly glorious sundaes. Trouble arrives in town though when it appears there may be some competition to win the gelato buying crowd.

A lovely tale of a community puling together, all the characters are well placed and likeable. Plenty of fun and romance, I’m looking forward to catching up with some of the others in the next book. Some yummy recipes are included as well which is always a bonus!

Thanks to the author, publisher and Brook Cottage Books for my copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual Georgina Troy excels in transporting the reader to the sunny climes of Jersey. I loved the Italian influence in this book, in the name of Alessandro. Summer Sundaes sounds like a wonderful series and if the rest are anything like the first book, then the reader is in for an absolute treat. I am looking forward to finding out more about Sacha's friends who appear briefly in this book. There are some wonderful minor characters too. To sum up, stunning location, handsome hero and obstacles to thwart the path of true love. Great summer read.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this first book in a new series by this author. Set in Jersey again, this time the series is about friends who all own businesses along the boardwalk.

The story starts in Rome, where Sacha is holidaying with her Aunt, her Aunt is unwell abd she's asked a friends Son to show Sacha round the city; cue Alessandro, a tall, dark & handsome Italian who makes a big impact on Sacha. There is sadness in Alessandros past and Sacha decides against falling for him, dedpite her Aunts best efforts!

Back in Jersey, Sacha runs her fathers Ice Cream Sundae shop on the Boardwalk. Strange symbols have started to appear and no one seems to know what they mean.

Full of fun and laughter, with secrets and romance thrown in, my type of book.

I cannot wait for the next in the series to be published!

[Laronda · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 52%

I started and stopped this book a couple of times. That should have been my clue to let it go, but I tried. Just realized they have gone from one crisis to another and I was mildly invested in the first but just can't on the second so I am going to bow out now.

[Karen Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, feelgood summer read with descriptions of Rome and Jersey that made me want to visit both - as well as eat lots of ice-cream/gelato.

[Elinor Batson · Rating 5 out of 5]

While reading this book, you will feel like you are actually there. You can imagine yourself walking down the boardwalk and being in the cafe eating sundae’s. The only part of the book which was confusing was the “mystery signs” which kept appearing. The author didn’t really finish that part of the story.

[Rebecca Baudains · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb book yet again.
Characters easy to relate to. Yet another example of the different lives with the Jersey books.
Couldn't put it down and great for holiday reading.
Bring on the next book.
Extra special having my families names in book after winning the honor in a competition.

[Kelly Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had Summer Sundaes on pre-order and was waiting for it to download. I've read this author's books before and never been disappointed. The story is mainly set on the island of Jersey but starts off in Italy. Realistic characters, enviable settings and a stonking romance meant I fairly flew through this lovely book. Sun, sea, sand, ice-cream...and Alessandro. A perfect escape.

[Nicola Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer Sundaes is an utterly charming read. We start off in one of my favourite places, Italy and in Rome to be precise where Sacha is holidaying with her aunt. Gorgeous Alessandro is asked to show Sacha the sights of Rome and the story got off to a lovely start as we accompanied the pair around such wonders as the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. But all good things come to an end and Sacha returns to Jersey and to her beloved Summer Sundaes cafe.

Jersey is portrayed so well in the book. It's not somewhere I have been to but I would love to, especially after reading about it here. Alessandro turns up in Jersey and Sacha gets to return the tour guide favour by showing him the historical sights. But I guess the star of the show is The Boardwalk by the Sea where not only Summer Sundaes is located but also Bella's antique shop and Jools' bookshop along with, shock horror, Alessandro's family's new gelato shop which is in competition with Sacha's cafe.

I loved the descriptions of the food. The gelato sounds amazing and so do Sacha's sundaes. And there's the cabbage loaf (never heard of it before but it sounds so unusual) and the Jersey Wonders which are a kind of doughnut. It's the kind of detail I love in a book and so I was glad to see recipes for these treats at the back.

There's a lovely cast of characters in this book. I liked Sacha and Alessandro a lot but the other characters, such as Bella, Jack (Sacha's brother) and aunt Rosie are also lots of fun too. The story is a feel good one, a light and fairly quick read but not lacking substance.

I'd love to take a walk down the Boardwalk, maybe call at Summer Sundaes for a pancake or some cabbage loaf and a sundae, or perhaps stop at Gelato di Isola for a gelato to take to the beach and watch the waves. Alas, I will have to make do with my imagination and carry on reading lovely books like this one.

[Carol North · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle and flowing story that made it an easy read. Sacha goes on holiday with her aunt to Rome for a few days before they embark on a Mediterranean cruise. During the trip to Rome Sacha's aunt becomes ill and arranges for Sacha to be shown the city sights by the hotel owners nephew, Alessandro. They begin to enjoy each others company but all to soon Sacha and her aunt go off on the cruise together. Once the holiday is over Sacha returns to her home on Jersey to run her cafe and ice cream sundae shop on the boardwalk. She is surprised when Alessandro turns up on the island to open up a Gelateria just opposite her own. There is an obvious attraction between the couple but they have to overcome the obstacle of the two businesses being in competition with each other. This is a thoroughly enjoyable story and I enjoyed getting to learn about the sights and history of Jersey as well as learning about the close knit friendships of Sacha's family and neighbours. I read all of the Boardwalk by the Sea series one after the other. Although each book can be read individually it was nice to be able to recognise the familiar characters as I read the stories.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable and leisurely read.

Georgina has an entertaining and relaxed style of writing, making this an enjoyable read. There are novels which grip the readers and make them desperate to know what happens next. This is not one of those, this instead allows the reader to take up and put down the book at leisure, knowing that not much has happened or is likely to.
Given the storyline of two brothers having a long standing feud with each other and their children falling in love, Georgina could have given in to the temptation of making this a gripping yarn. Her decision to forgo this in order to provide something more leisurely can only be admired.
I did find myself getting impatient with Sasha, the protagonist at times due to her making up her mind that the love interest was still in love with an ex, rather than consult him. Had she done this however, the novel would have been considerably shorter.

[Silke · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you mention “for fans of Holly Martin”, you mean me. Holly Martin fan from the very beginning. But honestly… this book doesn’t hold a candle to Holly’s books.
It is a very light read, to light for my tastes. The characters are not fleshed out and I really missed that cozy feeling Holly Martin en Jo Thomas put in their books.
And maybe, just maybe the book wasn’t for me because I couldn’t stand the characters.
I didn’t like Italian love interest Alessandro. Maybe it was his awful accent or just the fact that he is a lying bastard.
And I didn’t like the main character Sacha, who just is a cardboard figure. She gets gaslighted and just smiles and is like oke let’s forget about that and kiss.
So no, I will not be indulging in this author in the future.

[Dawn Probert · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely gorgeous book. Italy sounded perfect but Jersey was as Mediterranean as its Italian cousin. Lots of sky blue sea and beaches in both to make up for a cold wintry January. Sasha feels like gin along with her family and job at a cafe. Allesandro sounded gorgeous and like their story has more to go. In fact the intrigue about the markings on the boardwalk I need to know what they are.
Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

[Lauralee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I didn’t expect to be sucked into this book but I couldn’t put it down, I read it in one sitting! I am so glad that Summer Sundaes On The Boardwalk will be a series and I can’t wait for the second book to come out! It made me want ice-cream and gelato and sunshine. Highly recommend if you want a sweet, summery read!

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

[Ik · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5. I listened to the audiobook, which I don't recommend. The person reading it pronounced the foreign words terribly, and since it's about an Italian- English romance, there were quite a few. It also took me a while to realise that when she kept on talking about organising a "faith" she actually meant a fête. No idea why the French word was used instead of the English translation, but the reader obviously had no idea how to pronounce it!

[christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in a lovely island feel the scenery

Never found out about the symbols set in Jersey with lashings of ice cream scenery good food and a small community on a beach front want to taste one of those ice cream deserts glad that she found herself and a person to share it with a good selection of characters all ages betty being number one

[Callie Arnold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this book was a light and easy read. I think my favorite character had to be Sacha’s aunt Rosie while they were in Rome. I would recommend to anyone who wants a little bit of summer vibes in the winter as it made me feel like I was at the boardwalk with Sacha. I do wish the chapters were a bit shorter but overall an easy and fun read!

[Josie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

I love this book its so quiet and Betty's trouble wasn't shouted around everywhere just kept on the island and they all came together to help her. I love the idea of the cafe and galatta in the same area I really fancy icecream now.
Can't wait to read the next in the series

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light read with likable and interesting characters. Would recommend
Recipes include Strawberry Meringata🍓, Natalie Pallot Smith’s Jersey Wonders and so on.
Thank you to Georgina Troy, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the arc of this book

[Laura Massingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent cargo worth a read

[Tracey Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great easy to read story set in somewhere i want to go back to and explore.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

SOSO good and and very happy HEA! well recommended by K.T. Dadey and Beth Rain!

[Marcia Ditter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun and great read. Makes me want an ice cream sundae and gelato.
Downloaded “Love Begins on the Boardwalk”.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it

[Avalon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Golden Sands Bay

Love and friendships, old arguments, good food and wine, family bonding and community spirit are all features of this novel which I thoroughly enjoyed reading