Anna Burke sure is heating up my summer with her foray into Contemporary romance. Spindrift might not have the fantasy, magical realism, or fairy tale/fable-ism of her past works (Thorn, Compass Rose, Nottingham), but it certainly evokes similar feelings of levity onto its reader.
The plot –
After the passing of her father, Emilia Russo finds herself staying in his house in Seal Cove, Maine, where she can contemplate what she’ll do next. Some time away from her previous life as a shelter-vet is much needed so she can grieve and catch her breath. She wasn’t expecting to run into Morgan Donovan, her childhood crush and large animal veterinarian, the first time she visits her father’s boat. The chemistry between the two young women is imminent and undeniable. However, Emilia doesn’t know if she wants to stay in Seal Cove and Morgan is still reeling from her fiancée ending their engagement due to Morgan’s profession coming first. With a connection this strong though, it’d be a real shame if these two can’t figure something out.
One thing I really enjoyed about Spindrift was all the side characters. Morgan lives in a house with three other roommates who are all best friends. Though I never want a roommate again, I enjoyed the dynamic between these four women. The different personalities and banter was entertaining. Given that this is the first book in what is a Seal Cove Romance series, I’m thinking we’ll get to see the other gay women find love as well. One character I’m particularly interested in seeing again is Angie.
This may be the first book I’ve read that had quite a few casual mentions of therapy and even a breakdown on how a character steers away from thought blocking. The positive nod to mental health stood out to me. Given the profession of all of these characters, constantly dealing with animals sick or dying, the narrative addresses the toll and impact this can have and takes the time to explain the struggle veterinarians face that many of us aren’t aware of. Throughout the entirety of the novel we see how being a vet impacts nearly every aspect of these women’s lives. They weren’t just characters who happened to also be vets, but being a vet was engrained in their characters.
Although Spindrift covers themes of loss, grief, depression, and mental health, I wouldn’t exactly categorize the novel as “angsty.” The narrative manages to maintain a romantic lightness while tactfully exploring these issues in a very real way.
I would be doing a disservice as a reviewer if I didn’t at least mention the heat this book brings to the table. Scenes of intimacy held their own flare and I thought were pretty unique compared to the genre. Nothing too crazy, but evident passion led to some pretty explosive fireworks. Also, toys.
If you’re looking for a hot beach read with plenty of furry friends then Spindrift might be for you!
Follow Anna Burke on Twitter: @annaburkeauthor and Instagram: @annaburkeauthor