Memories of the Cottage by the Sea: An uplifting and emotional page-turner filled with family secrets (The Island Cottage Book 2)
Rebecca Alexander
341 pages
Bookouture
published January 16, 2023
About the book:
As she inhales the salty sea air, Charlotte glimpses the island on the horizon. Seeing it after all these years still sends a shiver down her spine. Should she be returning to this place?
When teacher Charlotte Kingston is sent to close a school on an isolated Scilly Isle, it is her first time on the island since summer holidays spent there with her grandparents. But with a newly broken heart, she’s desperate to travel as far from her life on the mainland as possible.
Not long after she arrives, two visiting children find themselves in need of a place to stay when their grandmother falls ill. When Charlotte agrees to take care of the boys, she suddenly has a reason to keep the school open a little longer. With a renewed sense of purpose, Charlotte begins to connect with the local islanders who tell her more about her family.
Intrigued, Charlotte decides to decode her grandmother’s old letters from the Second World War. They reveal a story of a forbidden love that defied the darkness of war, and of a beautiful, brave young man who would risk everything for his country, even if meant losing the woman he loved…
Just as Charlotte realises the secret will change her life forever, the children’s handsome, enigmatic stepfather, Ash, arrives to take care of them. But Charlotte doesn’t trust him – he left the boys once before, why wouldn’t he do it again? But as the tension grows between them, Charlotte feels an attraction developing, too. And although she can’t stop thinking about Ash, and his soft, full lips, she’s afraid to open her heart again.
But rereading her grandmother’s story, Charlotte realises there is courage and redemption among the pages. Is this a sign that everyone deserves a second chance, maybe even Ash? And, if she is brave enough to let him in, will she be able to put her fractured heart back together once and for all?
An absolutely beautiful, emotional and unforgettable read, perfect for fans of twisting family dramas, and for those who enjoy the novels of Debbie Macomber, Fiona Valpy and Nancy Thayer.
My Review:
I loved this heartwarming story of the family we are born with versus the family we make for ourselves. I am such a believer that the family we make for ourselves is vital in our lives. It’s told in dual timelines of the present and in 1940 and as they usually do, they end up intertwining. I love a book that presents second chances and a chance for redemption. I connected easily with the characters and while I started out favoring the present day story a little more, I was quickly invested in the past too.
The story is beautifully written, and I was emotional at times while reading it. This is the second book in the series and while I haven’t read book one, I had no issues following the story in this one. But I do plan on finding and reading book one.
If you are looking for an uplifting story that you will feel, I’d give this one a try.
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:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/rebalexander1
Email sign up: https://www.bookouture.com/rebecca-alexander/
Leave a Reply