Finding new love can sometimes mean looking to old friends
Mum-of-two Cassie has spent the past two years coming to terms with the sudden loss of her husband and her children’s father. Now, she’s tentatively starting to look to the future – including dating. Her close friend, Pippa, and her daughter are keen to set her up with a newly arrived artist in Hartfell, but Cassie has her doubts.
Then Raf, Pippa’s brother, arrives in the village. A drummer in his dad’s band and long-standing friend, Raf and Cassie leaned on each other since Ewan’s death. Until they shared a passionate kiss a few months ago.
But Cassie can’t indulge an attraction for a man who’s always professed he’ll never settle down. With her heart still mending, can she take a chance on Raf?
A revenge vacation with her hot billionaire ex-fling? Upgrade accepted ✅
Chloe Dasher has spent years saving for the honeymoon of her dreams—private hot springs, silk kimonos, and five-star room service in Kyoto. The wedding? A disaster. The groom? Gone. But she’s not giving up the trip she worked so hard for… even if she has to take it solo, with a broken heart.
What she doesn’t expect at the world’s most luxurious hotel? Kit —her once-upon-a-time college fling turned maddeningly handsome, self-made billionaire—checking into the same romantic resort, also nursing a freshly broken engagement.
Neither expected a trip down memory lane with the one that got away, but old sparks ignite instantly…. So why not have a little fun and agree to enjoy a week-long holiday fling with a side order of payback on their exes! The only rule – keeping their hearts out of it. Chloe and Kit are absolutely not looking for love. Yet sometimes, the road to happily ever after starts with a no strings fling in paradise.
This is a short, holiday-set second-chance romance that delivers exactly what it promises: a quick, spicy escape with familiar tropes and a touch of emotional baggage. After separate breakups, billionaire Kit and Chloe both decide to take their planned honeymoons to Kyoto alone—only to discover they’re staying at the same hotel and happen to be exes from college.
McKellen’s writing is smooth and easy to read, and the novella format works well for readers wanting something light and fast-paced. There are genuinely funny moments, and the setting adds a romantic, escapist charm. However, the brevity also limits deeper character and relationship development. While Kit and Chloe are likeable enough, their chemistry feels muted, and the romance doesn’t quite have the emotional pull of a full-length novel.
The billionaire trope feels somewhat unnecessary, though fans of the trope may still enjoy it. Compared to I Do, For Now, this story feels less essential, relying on the characters’ shared past to move things along quickly.
Overall, this is an enjoyable but forgettable read—best suited for readers craving a short, spicy romance without heavy emotional investment.
My Sanctuary 