Many thanks to Kim Nash and Bookouture for my invitation to the blog Tour
I thought reading this book would be like sailing in the calm waters with some waves swaying the boat of my emotions. What I didn’t know was the way I would be sucked into the story.
Maeve needed a break from her exhaustive interior designer work, hence goes to Ireland to spend 2 weeks with her aunt Phil and Willow House. A secret hidden away in the laptop by her late Uncle, a chance for second love for Maeve, and a second wind of life for Phil made this book a fabulous engrossing read.
The two ladies captured my heart, Phil more than Maeve. The strength and class that Phil showed in her demeanor, the courage which lit a fire in her personality inspired me to never give up. The story had its sweet moments, and it was fun to see Auntie and niece bonding and becoming close friends and confidantes.
My niggles, a male love interest was suddenly shown to be Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde just to let us know why Maeve rejected him and chose the other man. That change felt abrupt and jarred my senses. A man who was gentle and kind and who had a daughter in a custodial fight in the court suddenly became a bed-hopping blackmailing Casanova.
It is the 2019, and I assume a woman can fall in love and reject a suitor gently with them being friends instead of making him have a sudden personality change.
Overall, barring this point, the book was great fun, and I think now I have Ireland as one of the countries I want to visit in this lifetime.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Bookouture, and this is my journey into its pages, straight from the heart.
All my reviews can be found here
Maeve McKenna is on the verge of a breakdown. Having worked herself into the ground as a sought-after interior designer in London, she’s in desperate need of a vacation.
Philomena Duffy is a little lonely. After losing her husband, their crumbling mansion, Willow House, feels awfully empty.
With the rugged shores of Ireland calling, Maeve visits her aunt Philomena in Sandy Cove, where she once, as a teenager, kissed a wild, mysterious boy – a kiss she has never been able to forget.
Surrounded by the faded walls and peeling carpets of the old mansion, together they stumble across a secret that turns their family upside down.
All the while, she can’t stop thinking about the enigmatic boy from her past, and that magical kiss… Is he still in Sandy Cove?
Just as she’s beginning to feel at home, reality calls. Part of Maeve can’t bear to leave Willow House and its rocky beach. Does she have the courage to leave the security of her old life behind, and put down new roots in Sandy Cove, or is that just a daydream?
Publication Date: 25th March 2019
Publisher: Bookouture
28 Responses
This sounds wonderful, Shalini. Ireland is on my bucket list! 😉 Great review.
Mine too… It sounded so wonderful
Ireland is beautiful to visit 🙂 Good review.
Ireland, Scotland, Tuscany are in my list… Woohoo… ❤️💖
The setting and the aunt sound wonderful.
I agree Rosie, Maeve was okay but the aunt was just great.. I loved her strength and determination and managing alone.
Great review, Shalini. I like how you have been finding settings that you’d love to visit. Glad you enjoyed this one despite the niggles 🙂
Scotland, Ireland, Tuscany Italy… Woohoo. So excited ❤️
I think we should all meet up in Ireland for book club!
Yayy.. I agree 💖
A good review
Thank you Betty. How are you? 💖
Great review! Ireland is in my top 5 places to see 😀
Ooooh mine too ❤️
Lovely review I’m so happy you loved it! That does happen often when they want the character to get out of a relationship they turn the other person into a monster, but I agree it isn’t necessary.
Thank you Berit how have you been?
I’m really good! Busy my kids are home for spring break, so it’s nice to have them all under my roof!
Your review is wonderful Shalini! The lighthouse on the cover of this one keeps calling to me. It just looks so beautiful!
I agree. It is a beautiful cover
Sounds sweet. And I love the cover!
Alright, Shalini, sounds like a good book even with your niggles and a very strongly character-driven one at that. Ireland, ooh yeah, made it to England and Scotland, just couldn’t quite make it across the sea that divides.
Oooh you have been adventurous… I have to see it all, one day
Oh, I love how this sounds, Shalini! Fantastic review! The setting! Ahhh!
I agree the setting… Ireland, Scotland, Tuscany in my list so far
Oooh. This sounds great. Lovely review❤
Thank you darling ❤️
Great review on this one Shalini!
Thank you… This pulled on my heart strings