Most Charming
Coming Home To The Cottage By The Sea by Rebecca Alexander is a most delightful dual timeline novel. It is the fourth book in The Island Cottage series but can be read as a stand-alone.
The action is set in 1942 and present day. It revolves around a cottage which is in need of renovation. It has stood firm all these years but is now crumbling, giving up a surprising find.
There are many memories tied up in the cottage as the same family has been in it since 1942. Memories keep us warm long after our loved ones are gone. They echo down the years and seem to be in the very fabric of the walls.
The parallel stories have many similarities. In both time periods there are attractions which are denied, until actions force characters to confront their true feelings.
This book is absolutely charming. I loved the characters and locations. I look forward to more from Rebecca Alexander.
I received a free copy from the publishers via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
JULIA WILSON
Coming Home to the Cottage by the Sea: An unputdownable and unforgettable emotional page-turner (The Island Cottage Book 4)
As Olivia watches the island grow larger on the horizon, she wonders if returning to this place was the right decision…
When Olivia Elliott decides to spend the summer on the remote Morwen Island where she grew up, she can’t help but wonder if returning home is a good idea. After all, she still remembers the heartbreak she left behind on those shores many years ago.
Back on the island, Olivia soon adjusts to life as an islander and rents a cottage for the summer. But, before long, she runs into her first love, Jory Trethewey, a handsome local boatbuilder who never left the remote community. And despite the fact she can still recall their painful breakup, Olivia finds she now can’t stop thinking about him…
When Jory offers to help Olivia fix up the cottage, the two begin to spend more time together. And as they renovate, they realise the house has its own secrets and they decide to put the past behind them and investigate its history.
Soon they uncover a story dating back to the Second World War, of a wounded airman who came to this island to hide from the world, and of the woman who fell in love with him, and risked everything to be with him…
As Olivia tries to find out what happened to the young woman and her airman, she finds herself frustrated by the lack of answers. What became of their story? Did risking everything for love work out for them? And, if it did, should she follow in the lovers’ footsteps, and finally trust her heart?
A totally heartbreaking and unputdownable read, perfect for fans of gripping family dramas, and for those who enjoy the novels of Debbie Macomber, Fiona Valpy and Nancy Thayer.
Buy link: https://geni.us/B0C15CK847social
About the author
Rebecca Alexander was born in Malta and grew up on the south coast of England, becoming a psychologist. She escaped parenting six children to study writing in 2011, and the Secrets series of novels was published in 2013. A Baby’s Bones and sequel followed. Rebecca lives in a haunted 300-year-old cottage in Devon where she grows fruit, paints, and bakes. She reads and writes all sorts of genres, from women’s fiction to fantasy to crime. She is married with four chickens, two grandchildren and a cat.
Author social media:
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