Finally, the kiss she’d been dreaming of for hours was hers. It was more than she had imagined. It was as if she could feel his soul in that kiss. Her heart was blossoming, reaching towards him, with everything she had wanting to be close to him, be at one with him.
Summer at Croftwood Cinema is a sweet and heartwarming love story.
Patsy Clements lives in Croftwood. It’s been her sanctuary for three years while she rebuilt a life for herself that is safe and happy. Out of necessity, she has learnt to live without ambitions or dreams, but she does have her best friend Oliver who means everything to her.
Oliver Jones owns the trendy local coffee shop and establishes himself as the town entrepreneur when he buys the derelict old cinema in the park. He wants his best friend Patsy to be his business partner, helping him with the challenge of bringing it back to life along with local architect Matt, and Ed, an amateur projectionist.
After lying low for three years is it a mistake for her to change the life that has kept her safe or is it time to start living again? Will stepping into the limelight tempt fate and mean her past catches up with her and can she survive if it does?
Join Patsy and Oliver in the small town of Croftwood for a summer where friendships are made, challenges are everywhere and romance blossoms at the cinema in the park.
Well, this was a fun and interesting book to sink into. There is a lot to like about this book. It has a great story, some unexpected twists, wonderful characters that you can help but root for, and a romance that keeps you on your toes. I loved this idea of breathing new life into an old, forgotten cinema. I worked at a movie theatre when I was a teenager and absolutely loved every day I worked there. Reading all the scenes that take place in the cinema had me remembering all the good times I had working at my local movie theatre. Watching Patsy and Oliver start making over this cinema was so cool and very interesting. I was surprised at how interested I was in learning more about movie projection and the history of film. If you love shows that focus on home makeovers, you will love this part of the story.
The story’s main focus is getting this cinema up and running again. But there are also plenty of side stories that are interesting and filled with lots of delicious drama that adds that extra hook to keep readers interested. There is lots of past and present relationship drama in this book. Patsy is finally ready to return to the dating world after being in a toxic relationship. I thought Victoria did a great job at talking about toxic/abusive relationships and how they can affect a person’s life. It was wonderful watching Patsy learn to spread her wings again. Her journey of finding herself is full of bumps, but she has a wonderful support system to help when needed.
I enjoyed the romance in this book because it kept me guessing. Patsy has a few love interests in this book. We have Ed, the projectionist geek, and Matt, the architect, and part of me also thought Oliver, her best friend, would be a good match for her. I usually know who I want the main heroine to end up with, but in this book, I didn’t know. All three men are good guys and, in their own way, a good match for Patsy. I liked who she ended up with and thought it was a believable match. I’m not going to tell you who it is, you will have to read the book to find out, but the grand gesture at the end was adorable and had my heart melting.
Summer at Croftwood Cinema is a fun and delightful pick-me-up read and perfect for anyone who enjoys those charming British romances.
Thank you, Ever After Books and Rachel Random Resources for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
