It’s Probably You by Jayne Denker
Series: Willow Cove #2
Subgenre: contemporary romance
Release date: 3 Jan 2024
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia
Format: ebook and print
Length: 320 pages
RRP: $9.99 (ebook); $32.99 (print)
This is published as Hedging Your Bets in the US, which mystifies me. It’s bad enough that covers often change from country to country, but changing the title is confusing. Anyway.
The Rom-Com Agenda is Willow Cove #1 and sounds terrific, introducing some of the characters. I haven’t read it, but I got the gist of the Willow Cove gang.
Gillian Pritchard is Willow Cove’s pharmacist, and she’s very good at her job. However, there’s a disturbance on the domestic side. Her lovely elderly neighbour has suddenly packed her bags and moved to Tampa with a man, much to the consternation of three older neighbourhood ladies.
These women, Carol, Arnette and Judy (who has no verbal filter), are wonderful characters. They act rather like a crazy Greek chorus, and absolutely nothing in Willow Cove escapes their attention. (Even if they have to stand up a ladder and use binoculars.) Their antics are huge fun, mainly because it’s all done from the heart.
Gillian’s having a terrible time with ongoing dates, using dating apps to go on dates that start out with promise, but invariably end badly. Between the older ladies and Gillian’s friends (plus an imaginary Bette Davis), there’s no end of advice flying around regarding her love life.
Noah West had an unhappy end to his previous relationship. In his departure, he impulsively bought the Willow Cove marina where he used to work as a teen. When he moves next door to Gillian (to the twittering excitement of the ladies), one of his first moves is to pull out what he sees as an obnoxious hedge separating their mutual driveways.
That does not end well. Gillian’s entered a prestigious gardening contest, and part of her overall garden plan was—oh dear—the hedge. Noah’s proffered garden gnome apology is hotly rejected.
So! Battle stations!
It must be said that Gillian’s dislike of Noah seems not only because of her garden carnage, but also partly due to the string of absolute losers she’d dated in the past—and present. She just can’t find the right person. Her ongoing meets are disastrous, and somehow Noah becomes rather protective, despite Gillian wanting to have nothing to do with him.
Noah’s fairly clueless about how to mend this ongoing rift with Gillian. He’s just trying to do his best, still smarting from his previous breakup, starting a new life but feeling rather inept. Then again, he might just have some help from some of the Willow Cove residents …
Will these two ever get together? I think you know the answer, but it’s such fun to read.
reviewed by Malvina
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.
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