An Affair by the Sea

I’ve read a few “imaginary betrothed” novels, and this was one of the better, more enjoyable ones.

There’s an attorney with a neat, ordered mind,who wants to be a chef-patissier with his own tearoom, but disaster strikes: cooking and baking are not as easily controlled as the knowledge and practice of law. He’s used to control, which unless he does every last thing himself, not possible in a kitchen of that era, things can go very wrong.

There’s a orphaned young lady of vast imagination, with a tiny dowry, and living as a governess to her adoring cousins, now ready for their debut, and she keeps them entertained with stories of her absent and imaginary lover, a swashbuckling pirate captain. Her charges want to meet him, and sigh over every story about him.

Their carriage nearly runs over him, and he is mistaken for the missing fiancé—and the story is off to quite the start. I had a lot of fun as these four characters got into one situation after another, needing to extricate themselves before disaster is permanent. It is a comedy of manners with romance woven in.

There are some poor word choices and anachronisms, but over all it didn’t rip me out of the story. There is one sentence that I adore—“My heart beat in time with your music, and my chest swelled with a slice of your joy,” John Sharp, referring to Allegra’s piano playing. Later, he says to her “…To turn a sad song into a beautiful melody”, which makes me break out into a chorus of Hey Jude.

I was introduced to a composer I’d never encountered before: Nicolas-Marie d'Alayrac (baptized 13 June 1753 – 26 November 1809), nicknamed the Musician poet, more commonly Nicolas Dalayrac, was a composer of the Classical period. I like learning more about the period in which my reading is set.

The two protagonists support and inspire each other, and that is worth more than treasure stored in the Bank of England.

The four novels are standalones, for the most part, but this one, #2, should be read before #4.

OMG, An Affair by the Sea is another beautiful romance by Erica Ridley & I highly recommend it for your next read!👍.

It’s the tale of Allegra, orphaned, taken in by her cruel Uncle, made a nanny to her young cousins, a governess, a music teacher & a maid to perform any chores demanded of her‼️ She loves her sweet cousins, Portia & Dorcas & now that they are young ladies her final task is to help them find suitable husbands as they holiday in Brighton for the summer! They are lodging at the famous Sirens Retreat‼️

John Sharp, a successful London solicitor is on sabbatical in Brighton hoping to become a chef in his own tearoom, is strolling along when a runaway phaeton almost crashes into him! The three terrified cousins were just chatting about Capt. Hamish Amour, a fantasy fiancé whose wild life & adventures on the high seas Allegra had conjured up to entertain them as girls. Now they see John as the Captain - he looks just like his description‼️😱. John spies Allegra from the ground where he lay & is reminded of a goddess❣️❤️.

What happens in Brighton is a fun-filled, chaotic adventure with John seeking a new career, Allegra awaiting her 30th birthday, the two of them suddenly thrown together, Allegra dazzling an audience with her brilliant performance playing the pianoforte & John accepting an offer to replace an injured, local French chef! How will chaotic madness turn into an HEA for everyone is for you to discover - grab your copy of An Affair by the Sea & once you delight in Ms Ridley’s story, I believe you’ll agree with my 5-star rating‼️👏. Enjoy‼️

Carol R.
Florida

Fun, fresh and fanciful.

Erica Ridley delivers with her latest book. John is a solicitor, a wealthy, successful one who ironically would like nothing more to be a pastry chef. His recent failure and humiliation finds him in the seaside town and meeting Allegra. At almost thirty, Allegra has made up fantastical stories about her fictional captain, whom John resembles to the letter. They are instantly attracted and aware of the other. They both have their own agendas, Allegra to be independent with access to her dowry and freedom. John to nurture and feed people (with a prim and proper kitchen).

I enjoyed this book so much.
Recommend.