Book Review: Long Time No Sea

By Sara Steven

There’s trouble in paradise...

Moving home in her 30s was not the life plan Jas had in mind. So when her best friend gets in touch to say she's arranging a long overdue reunion with their high school friends, Jas is very much up for the escape. Oh, and it's all expenses paid to Italy - so that's a bonus!

But while being whisked away to the beautiful Italian coast may seem idyllic, Jas has to come face to face with not only her ex-boyfriend, but the one that got away too!

It's a week of sun, sea and unravelling secrets, and as the love triangle from the past starts to develop once again, this trip is not panning out exactly as Jas imagines...

Should the past be left where it is, or could there be a second chance at love on the horizon..? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

I love reunion stories, and Long Time No Sea did that genre justice! I could literally feel the emotions Jas experiences after she’s reintroduced to her childhood friend group after fifteen years of not seeing them in person. There is the feeling of wanting to measure up, especially after she finds out that most of them have turned into successful adults, while also dealing with some suppressed feelings that she’s had for one friend in particular, the one who she feels potentially “got away.”

Who wouldn’t want the chance to travel to an Italian coast? At the moment, Jas has nothing else that has been mapped out as of yet, so the reunion feels as though it’s happening at just the right time in her life. The descriptions of the coastline, not to mention the fancy hotel and later, another “unconventional” locale that is completely unexpected for all characters involved had been described perfectly. It was enough that I wanted nothing more than to be a stowaway or another friend within this friend group–even if it meant spending time at the unconventional location. In fact, that entire situation was super funny and really added a whole other element to the story! 

We get to see the present experiences that Jas is going through, with flashbacks to the past, so the reader can better understand the dynamics between characters. I really appreciated that. That clarity helps when Jas finds herself in a love triangle, very reminiscent of the same one she’d had so many years ago. 

Long Time No Sea was one of those reading experiences where I wanted to keep reading, from start to finish. I wanted to know what would happen for Jas, if her true feelings that have been buried for so long would surface, and better yet, if there would be some reciprocation with that, and whether she could stand up for how she feels this time, with no repercussions. The characters were a lot of fun, with a few reminding me of my own childhood friends from back in the day. It was a definite five-star page turner!

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Links:
Amazon US * Amazon UK * Apple * Barnes & Noble

Portia MacIntosh is the bestselling author of over 20 romantic comedy novels. From disastrous dates to destination weddings, Portia’s romcoms are the perfect way to escape from day to day life, visiting sunny beaches in the summer and snowy villages at Christmas time. Whether it’s southern Italy or the Yorkshire coast, Portia’s stories are the holiday you’re craving, conveniently packed in between the pages.

Formerly a journalist, Portia has left the city, swapping the music biz for the moors, to live the (not so) quiet life with her husband and her dog in Yorkshire.

Visit Portia online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Sign up for Portia's newsletter.

Visit all the stops on Portia's blog tour:

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us.

Listen to this book on Speechify!