This week, I’m writing about Kat French’s The Bed and Breakfast on the Beach. (Full disclosure: I received an egalley of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review).

This title is yet another one of the romance titles I’ve picked up this summer in my thirst for quick, light reads. This one is a sugary sweet as the berry-infused rum that pervades the island on which it takes place, and I mean that in both good and bad ways.

There was a lot about this book that I liked. The, er, romantic scenes were compellingly written and, since there are three main characters, varied.

The island setting made me feel like I was reading on the beach, which was a nice touch.

The three main female characters were written convincingly as nuanced, unique individuals, and their love interests (to varying degrees) were fairly well-rounded, as well.

In the beginning, I read through pretty quickly and was gripped with the building romances… but then the plot became a thing and I got distracted by how ridiculous it was.

The premise of this book was perhaps too much a flight of fancy for being the third or fourth romance title I’ve read this summer. I know romance is often about fantasy, but personally I need a plot I can at least somewhat buy in order to be engaged.

In this one, three women buy an island villa on a whim while on vacation, then move to the Italian island to run said villa. Once there, they discover they signed up for more than they thought, since the island’s supply of super-secret gin is produced at the villa. Which, okay. But also… what?

One love story seemed central in spite of the three characters seemingly set up as equal narrators (the chapters shift between third person filters of each woman’s experience).

In addition, the main problem that the women would have to solve became all too immediately obvious, and the ominous vibe set up by the introduction never quite felt earned.

All in all, I enjoyed reading this book well enough, but it isn’t one I’d want to return to. It’s a fun, light book for when you’re wanting to really escape the ordinary–and engage in suspending your disbelief, as well.