Reviewed by Anugraha Prem for Readers’ Favorite
In Echoes of The Past: Fermosa Bay Book 1 by Iris Blobel, Connor Walsh, a business lawyer brought up in London, returns to Fermosa Bay, a small coastal town in Australia to visit his long-estranged father who is terminally ill. Connor has little recollection of his earlier life at Fermosa Bay but gets reacquainted with his childhood best friends Emily, Ethan, and Neil. Emily had always loved Connor and he falls for her the moment he sees her again. As the days go by, Connor’s love for Emily as well as his fondness for Fermosa Bay grows deeper and deeper. He reflects on how different his life could have been there. On the one hand, he has his affluent lifestyle in London, and on the other, he has this newfound life at Fermosa Bay where he feels a sense of belonging and is complete. Which one should he choose?
While reading Echoes of The Past, I felt as if I was on vacation. The whole setting of Fermosa Bay was so calming. Iris Blobel has brought out the alluring charm of the place beautifully. Every interaction between Connor and Jack, as well as those between him and his friends, was heartwarming. The book revived a yearning in me for the sort of community that was depicted in Fermosa Bay. The love, affection, and care that each of them had for the other were captivating. I loved seeing how Connor and Emily navigated their way through the love and devotion they were feeling for each other. The tenderness and warmth with which they handled their relationship were also endearing, which made for an engaging read.
Blurb:
When Connor Walsh, a business lawyer in London, receives news that his estranged father is terminally ill, he returns to Fermosa Bay, a little coastal town in Australia. With the memories of his childhood years tucked away in the back of his mind, he finds his father and kindergarten friends rallying around to remind him of the past. But he’s unprepared for the growing attraction he feels for Emily, and it doesn’t take long for Connor to feel regret that his life could have been so much different.
Emily Bradshaw has waited for over twenty years to see Connor again. And although he can’t remember her, let alone their first kiss, her childhood crush is still in full swing. Eager to pick up where they left off as children, she’s determined to enjoy the short time he is in Fermosa Bay, accepting her heart will break when he returns to his life in London.
Will the echoes of the past lure him into staying in Fermosa Bay?