Sunny Days and Sea Breezes
Published by Little, Brown Book Group UK (Sphere)
Publication Date: 25 June 2020
Womens Fiction
My huge and most sincere thanks to the publisher for approving my Netgalley request to review this book ahead of publication.
Book Description:
Jodie Jackson is all at sea, in every sense.
On a ferry bound for the Isle of Wight, she's leaving her London life, her career, and her husband behind. She'd like a chance to turn back the clocks, but she'll settle for some peace and quiet on her brother Bill's beautifully renovated houseboat: Summer Days.
But from the moment Jodie steps aboard her new home, it's clear she'll struggle to keep herself to herself. If it isn't Marilyn, who does for Bill and is under strict instructions to look after Jodie, then it's Ned, the noisy sculptor on the next-door houseboat. Ned's wood carving is hard on the ears, but it's made up for by the fact that he's rather easy on the eyes.
Bustled out of the boat by Marilyn and encouraged to explore with Ned, Jodie soon delights in her newfound freedom. But out of mind isn't out of sight, and when her old life comes knocking Jodie is forced to face reality. Will she answer the call or choose a life filled with Summer Days and Sea Breezes?
My Thoughts:
Once again Carole Matthews proves why she tops the bestseller charts so often.
My favourite books of Carole's are those set by the coast, somehow I just feel she captures the atmosphere of a stroll along a beach no matter what the weather. I could almost smell the sea as I soaked up the storyline between the residents of Cockleshell Bay.
Jodie has clearly been through the wars as she sets off across the channel on a cold, blustery ferry. I liked that we had no preconceived ideas of what those traumas might be at the start of the book and were introduced to them gradually, as were the other residents of the Isle of Wight town. It's almost as though Jodie couldn't bring herself to tell us until she was ready which I felt was really clever writing - it would have been so easy to just blurt it all out at the start, but this way I felt far more like one of the cast of characters getting to know Jodie as she rebuilt her confidence. After her initial desire to lock herself away and lick her wounds had begun to wear off, the beauty of the setting soon pulled Jodie out of her slump and she slowly began to get curious about the place she's staying. The descriptions of the area are absolutely gorgeous and had me yearning to travel to the coast - a feeling even more tormenting than usual as we are currently in lockdown.
My favourite character of all -even more than sexy Ned, surprisingly - was the wonderful Marilyn; loud, bright, in your face and take her as you find her I reckon everyone should have a friend like Marilyn. With her mixed metaphors and general quirkiness it wasn't long before Jodie couldn't help but thaw her initial frosty reception towards the cleaner that Jodie's brother Will had employed to keep an eye on the houseboat (and Jodie, unbeknown to him when he took her on).
The story flowed easily as Jodie took Marilyn's advice (can you do anything otherwise?!) and ventured out for a stroll on the beach, meeting locals who would eventually turn out to be just the people she needed around her. Ned's so laid back he's beyond horizontal and his easy manner lulled Jodie into his confidence, building their relationship on the trusting foundation she was desperate for. Local café owner Ida was a different story and the friction between the two took longer to thaw - with the help of living statue gorgeous George.
The story was perhaps a little predictable, but all the positives cancelled this way out. The humour Carole always manages to inject into her storytelling is there once again, and I almost fist pumped the air with pride at the way Jodie dealt with one of the issues which had caused her to run away. The other issue I felt was handled with respect and suitable sympathy, and was equally well written. Huge respect to a writer who can cover all these bases - and all in one book!
My favourite books of Carole's are those set by the coast, somehow I just feel she captures the atmosphere of a stroll along a beach no matter what the weather. I could almost smell the sea as I soaked up the storyline between the residents of Cockleshell Bay.
Jodie has clearly been through the wars as she sets off across the channel on a cold, blustery ferry. I liked that we had no preconceived ideas of what those traumas might be at the start of the book and were introduced to them gradually, as were the other residents of the Isle of Wight town. It's almost as though Jodie couldn't bring herself to tell us until she was ready which I felt was really clever writing - it would have been so easy to just blurt it all out at the start, but this way I felt far more like one of the cast of characters getting to know Jodie as she rebuilt her confidence. After her initial desire to lock herself away and lick her wounds had begun to wear off, the beauty of the setting soon pulled Jodie out of her slump and she slowly began to get curious about the place she's staying. The descriptions of the area are absolutely gorgeous and had me yearning to travel to the coast - a feeling even more tormenting than usual as we are currently in lockdown.
My favourite character of all -even more than sexy Ned, surprisingly - was the wonderful Marilyn; loud, bright, in your face and take her as you find her I reckon everyone should have a friend like Marilyn. With her mixed metaphors and general quirkiness it wasn't long before Jodie couldn't help but thaw her initial frosty reception towards the cleaner that Jodie's brother Will had employed to keep an eye on the houseboat (and Jodie, unbeknown to him when he took her on).
The story flowed easily as Jodie took Marilyn's advice (can you do anything otherwise?!) and ventured out for a stroll on the beach, meeting locals who would eventually turn out to be just the people she needed around her. Ned's so laid back he's beyond horizontal and his easy manner lulled Jodie into his confidence, building their relationship on the trusting foundation she was desperate for. Local café owner Ida was a different story and the friction between the two took longer to thaw - with the help of living statue gorgeous George.
The story was perhaps a little predictable, but all the positives cancelled this way out. The humour Carole always manages to inject into her storytelling is there once again, and I almost fist pumped the air with pride at the way Jodie dealt with one of the issues which had caused her to run away. The other issue I felt was handled with respect and suitable sympathy, and was equally well written. Huge respect to a writer who can cover all these bases - and all in one book!
About the Author:
Carole Matthews is the Sunday Times bestselling author of thirty-two novels, including the Top Ten bestsellers Let's Meet on Platform 8, A Whiff of Scandal, For Better, For Worse, A Minor Indiscretion, With or Without You, The Cake Shop in the Garden, Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses, A Cottage by the Sea, The Chocolate Lovers' Club, The Chocolate Lovers' Christmas, The Chocolate Lovers' Wedding, Million Love Songs and her current novel, Christmas Cakes & Mistletoe Nights. Carole has also been awarded the RNA Outstanding Achievement Award. Her novels dazzle and delight readers all over the world.
For all the latest news from Carole, visit www.carolematthews.com, follow Carole on Twitter (@carolematthews) and Instagram (matthews.carole) or join the thousands of readers who have become Carole's friend on Facebook (carolematthewsbooks).
For all the latest news from Carole, visit www.carolematthews.com, follow Carole on Twitter (@carolematthews) and Instagram (matthews.carole) or join the thousands of readers who have become Carole's friend on Facebook (carolematthewsbooks).
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