Spindrift (A Seal Cove Romance #1) by Anna Burke
- Publisher: Bywater Books, August 25th 2020
- Genre: Romance, LGBTQ+
- Format: Paperback (eARC)
- Page Count: 296 pages
- My Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Content warnings: depression, past suicidal thoughts, off-page death of family member, multiple mentions of animal deaths
This is the first Burke’s book I have read, and I may have found a new auto-read author.
Emilia Russo (30, of Italian descent, lesbian, depression) was a shelter vet. When her father passed away, her job of putting down innocent animals suddenly became too much. Now on leave and coping with depression, Emilia goes back to Seal Cove to renovate her father’s house for listing. She only plans to stay for a few months. When she accidentally falls into the ocean, it is her teenage crush Morgan Donovan (31) who happens to save her. Morgan, who is also a vet, is recently dumped by her fiancée and still wary of love. Off to an embarrassing and rocky start, the pair keep running into each other in the small town and gradually grow closer. After befriending Morgan’s supportive friends and falling for Morgan, Emilia finds herself reconsidering selling the house, and maybe staying for good.
Every day is a choice.
I love the opening of Emilia self-reprimanding the use of ableist language. Emilia has depression, and thinking about her profession as a vet makes her uneasy. But she finds comfort in Morgan’s social circle, who are mostly vets and vet techs. Though depression and Emilia’s paternal loss are difficult subjects, the story is mostly light-hearted. I love the easy banters and strong bonds between all the friends. The humor is right up my alley, and it is remarkable how this book, with a theme so heavy, can be so entertaining and funny. I lost count of all the times I laughed.
The way I generally judge the romance is by whether or not I feel butterflies in my stomach when they first touched or kissed. This one is a little lustful, but I did feel a small flutter at Emilia and Morgan’s first kiss. I also love how Emilia not only finds love in Morgan, but also platonic companionship in Morgan’s housemates Stevie, Lillian (bi), Angie, and café owner Stormy.
I really appreciate that Burke acknowledged the very high suicide rate of vets. A few years ago, I first learned about the painful reality for shelter vets when the suicide of one young woman made my hometown’s local news. Though I did not personally know her, we went to the same high school and college ten years apart. That Burke dedicated this book to all veterinarians is very heartwarming.
Another thing I love about the story are the fully fleshed out secondary characters. Spindrift is about Emilia and Morgan as well as all their friends and family. They all have their own baggage while being fun sometimes and serious another. I especially adore Stevie. She is the sweetest and most loving friend ever. There are also many dogs, a cat, tortoise, and horse. They are all adorable and play important parts in the story.
“You’re going to get hurt either way. You might as well get laid in the process.”
Stevie
A Seal Cove Romance series is going to be amazing, and I am already looking forward to the sequels. Maybe Stevie will finally get Angie. Maybe Lillian and Ivy will make up after whatever fallout they had in school. I’d also love to read about Stormy’s story, and maybe Kate, Morgan’s ex-fiancée, will have her own book, too. I know I am getting carried away but I am so excited!
If you love animals or women having sex on a boat, Spindrift is for you. This is not only a story of Emilia and Morgan’s love, but also about Emilia’s grieving process and finally letting go. Spindrift begins and ends at a dock, with Emilia stepping onto the land from the ocean, and finding stability and sureness of solid earth under her feet. I’d like to read this as an analogy of her finding her own place in life, and a life with Morgan.
I received an e-ARC from Bywater Books via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
