Happy Hour by Cressida McLaughlin

My review

4/5 stars

This was a very gentle, sweet read that I needed right in the middle of a reading slump.

Jess and Ash meet by chance in Greenwich Market and decide to start spending an hour together every week. Their relationship builds, but there is some hidden drama that threatens their connection.

Jess and Ash were sweet enough characters but them and their romance ended up not being the main draw of the story for me; that was the characters at the market. I enjoyed the sense of camraderie between all the stall holders, and the way they all interacted with each other throughout the story - it warmed my heart.

Jess and Ash did have good chemistry, and I was a particular fan of how Ash was able to help Jess develop her business and her confidence. I did not enjoy how Ash's secret felt so drawn out - it detracted from how I felt about them over time.

It was charming and easy to read, and that was enough for me at this moment in time.

Book blurb

Jess is happy working in Greenwich market selling trinkets to well-heeled locals and excitable tourists.

Then one Sunday, Jess is thrown together with handsome, funny Ash, as they chase a pickpocket through the market, and before long they are making a habit of running into each other at the same time each week.

Jess starts to realize that their hour together is the brightest part of her life. But Ash isn’t telling her everything – can she discover the truth before it’s too late?

More...

You can buy the book here now. It was published by HarperCollins.

For more on the author, you can head to her website, follow her on Instagram, or check out her Goodreads page.