She Fell Into a Lake. He Fished Her Out. And Then Things Got Complicated.

Readers... The Cherry Blossom Boathouse is out in the UK! Whoop!

"The funniest meet-cute I have ever had the pleasure of reading." That's what Abby R, Educator said about The Cherry Blossom Boathouse on Netgalley. So I'm going to share the thinking behind that meet-cute. I didn't set out to write "the funniest meet-cute" anyone had ever read. I just needed Sophie to arrive in Solace Springs in a way that would: a) Establish her optimism b) Show Luke's immediate skepticism about city people c) Get them physically close very quickly d) Be utterly mortifying for both of them.

So I threw her in the lake. Literally. Sophie Bennett arrives in Solace Springs with a plan. I wrote her as a woman who decides to change her life rather than quietly endure it. I’ve had my own ups and downs, and my instinct has always been to pivot, even when it feels slightly terrifying. Sophie does the same, just with more spreadsheets and slightly worse timing.

It’s a good plan, too. Thought through, carefully organised, backed up with a clipboard and project folders beautifully tabulated, colour-coded and containing at least three contingency options. She’s flown across an ocean, bought a slightly questionable boathouse and is absolutely, definitely starting over.

All she needs to do now is take a look at her new property.

The dock doesn’t look that bad at first glance. A little weathered, slightly uneven but, then again, so is most of her life right now, so she steps onto it anyway.

Almost immediately, the wood gives way, tumbling Sophie into the lake.

There’s a splash. Then a hand reaches for her - firm, steady, and deeply inconvenient in how reassuring it feels.

Luke Rhodes.

Local boat captain and reluctant rescuer. Luke is clearly unimpressed at having to fish a British woman out of the water.

He hauls her onto the dock like this is a minor inconvenience he’ll be thinking about for the rest of the day.

She’s dripping, he’s disapproving and this is most definitely not how Sophie intended to introduce herself to her new town.

“Thank you,” she says, attempting dignity.

He grunts.

She smiles anyway.

Neither of them expects what comes next.

That’s where The Cherry Blossom Boathouse begins.

And today, it’s finally out in the UK.

This book means a lot to me because it’s about that moment when you realise you don’t have to stay where you are. You can choose something different, even if that something involves a derelict boathouse in a small town where everyone seems to know your business within hours, ha ha. And of course, an attraction to a grumpy man who seems determined not to like you.

Here’s a glimpse of Sophie and Luke in action as Luke softens enough to offer help with the boathouse renovations:

“You’re volunteering to help me with the renovation?” Sophie clarified, still processing. “To help, and I quote, ‘the woman who knows nothing about proper boathouse maintenance and will probably install fairy lights where load-bearing beams should be’?”

Luke had the decency to look slightly embarrassed. “I never said that.”

“Not in those exact words. There were more grunts and disapproving looks involved.”

“Look,” he said, his jaw doing that entirely unfair tensing thing, “you need help. I know these structures. It makes sense.”

Want to know how that conversation continues?

Come and join me at The Cherry Blossom Boathouse.

Start Reading The Cherry Blossom Boathouse Today 

If you love heat fuelled small-town romance and the kind of story where a place changes you just as much as a person does, Solace Springs is ready to welcome you.

You can find The Cherry Blossom Boathouse wherever you usually buy your books.

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Solace Springs is open. I’d love to see you there.