Book Review: Anchored in the Bay by Rachelle Paige

Title: Anchored in the Bay
Author: Rachelle Paige
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: Adult
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by Enchanted Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.

When Emily balked at running away with her childhood sweetheart, Ed, eight years ago, she had no idea he’d disappear from her life. In the years since, she’s managed to push past her pain to open her own business and find love again. Her life feels good, until Ed shows up on her doorstep.

Ed vowed he’d never come back for her. But no matter how many miles, or blondes, he’d put between them, he couldn’t shake her hold on his heart. He’d pictured himself stepping back into her life, but hadn’t counted on her despair over his business or that she’d be pregnant.

Now Ed is fighting both for and against her to win her heart once and for all. But can they find their way back to each other, through years of hurt and with an unexpected baby on the way?

In Anchored in the Bay, Emily and Ed meet each other again after a rocky past ending in a ruined relationship between both of them. They used to be lovers and had planned to run away, but Emily balked at the last minute. Ed disappeared from her life right after, leaving her broken and feeling miserable. It took a long time for her to push past that pain and to get her life back on track again. Now, eight years later, she has her own business, she has a boyfriend, and a baby on the way.

But then, Ed comes back into town. He’s never forgotten about Emily, no matter how much he tried to. And now he has come back for her, to win her heart again, but he had no idea that she had changed so much and that things would get so complicated. Despite both of them still feeling an attraction toward one another – but can they fight their way back to each other?

The characters seem realistic, especially Emily. She’s easy to sympathize with as a reader, and she sounds like a genuine, caring person. The plot has a few original elements, such as Emily’s pregnancy, which certainly complicates things. The setting works well too, and seems like the perfect backdrop for this plot. It’s a sweet romance that will no doubt put a smile on reader’s faces. The book relies heavily on characterization and excels in that area.