Rating: Very Good
Source: Purchased (Audible Escape)
Description: When Lucy Bagshaw’s life in Boston falls apart, thanks to a scathing editorial written by her famous artist mother, she accepts her half sister Juliet’s invitation to stay with her in a charming seaside village in northern
England. Lucy is expecting quaint cottages and cream teas, but instead finds that her sister is an aloof host, the weather is wet, windy, and cold, and her new boss, Alex Kincaid, is a disapproving widower who only hired her as a favor to Juliet.
Despite the invitation she offered, Juliet is startled by the way Lucy catapults into her orderly life. As Juliet faces her own struggles with both her distant mother and her desire for a child, her sister’s irrepressible optimism begins to take hold. With the help of quirky villagers, these hesitant rainy day sisters begin to forge a new understanding…and find in each other the love of family that makes all the difference.
Genre: Fiction
Why I Picked This Book: Maybe it's my only childness speaking but I can never resist a book about sisters!
My Impression: I went in with high expectations. I love books set in England, I love books where the main character's life has fallen apart and she's putting herself back together, and I love books about sibling relationships. This having all three was definitely a winner. And this was thoroughly enjoyable. These characters have real problems and Lucy and Juliet's relationship has a lot of issues. This isn't just siblings that weren't close - there is some deeply buried resentments just waiting to be discovered here. It wasn't quite as warm and fuzzy as I expected as quickly as I expected but when the ending came it was well earned and doubly satisfying. I grew to love both Lucy and Juliet. Lucy had seemed silly and flighty at the beginning and Juliet was the prickliest of prickly characters but by the end I really felt like I understood them both and liked them all the more.
I'm so glad that there are more books that take place in the town of Hartley-by-the Sea. I'm looking forward to spending more time there and getting to know more of the people. And I'm hoping that Lucy and Juliet will have some background cameos as I'd love to see just what is going on with them. The audio on this book was read by Rosalyn Landor who is one of my absolute favorite narrators and she did not disappoint.
Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely! I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more from this author.
Would I Recommend this Book? If you enjoy stories about sibling relationships this is a fantastic read or listen!
Cute dog on the cover!
ReplyDeleteLove this!! I'll have to check this one out!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds wonderful. I love books set in England. I will have to give this one a try.
ReplyDeleteI love books about sisters too!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this one too way back now. I don't think I went on to read any more set there but I should. I like stories too where the heroine's life has fallen apart and she gets it back together. It kind of gives hope to the world!
ReplyDeleteI loved this book. I follow Kate on Instagram too. She writes nice heart felt stories.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this novel as well. I haven't gotten around to purchasing the second one in the series yet, but I plan to.
ReplyDeleteSisters have such complex relationships which is why I think these kind of books work so well. This does sound like a winner!
ReplyDeleteI always like second chances at starting anew and emerging even stronger from the ashes.
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