Amazon UK
Title: Letters From Lighthouse Cottage
Author: Ali McNamara
Format reviewed: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Publisher: Sphere
Publication Date: 14th July 2016
Rating: 5 Stars
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| Amazon UK |
The sun is shining in the quiet little seaside town of Sandybridge
Sandybridge is the perfect English seaside town: home to gift shops, tea rooms and a fabulous fish and chip shop. And it's home to Grace - although right now, she's not too happy about it.
Grace grew up in Sandybridge, helping her parents sort junk from vintage treasures, but she always longed to escape to a bigger world. And she made it, travelling the world for her job, falling in love and starting a family. So why is she back in the tiny seaside town she'd long left behind, hanging out with Charlie, the boy who became her best friend when they were teenagers?
It turns out that travelling the world may not have been exactly what Grace needed to do. Perhaps everything she wanted has always been at home - after all, they do say that's where the heart is...
Sandybridge is the perfect English seaside town: home to gift shops, tea rooms and a fabulous fish and chip shop. And it's home to Grace - although right now, she's not too happy about it.
Grace grew up in Sandybridge, helping her parents sort junk from vintage treasures, but she always longed to escape to a bigger world. And she made it, travelling the world for her job, falling in love and starting a family. So why is she back in the tiny seaside town she'd long left behind, hanging out with Charlie, the boy who became her best friend when they were teenagers?
It turns out that travelling the world may not have been exactly what Grace needed to do. Perhaps everything she wanted has always been at home - after all, they do say that's where the heart is...
It is not often that I read a book that leaves me at the end, sitting starting into space, mouthing the word over and over. In fact I am pretty much speechless, and also despairing as to how to convey my thoughts into a review for this book.
I could go down the quick route and just leave you with a one liner, saying its Ali McNamara doing what she does best, go out and buy this book now, as its addictive, absorbing and a joy to read, but although all of that is indeed true, I feel I need to try and express my love for the story a bit more eloquently!
On the back of my paperback copy of Letters from Lighthouse Cottage, there is one line that caught my eye as I sat down to read it "Take a holiday in Ali McNamara's magical world". My initial reaction was "help! its going to be full on unrealistic magic" but thankfully I was completely wrong, there is an enchanting, dare I saw bewitching element to the story, but its weaved in so unobtrusively that I was able to take it at face value and accept its part of this novel.
Within a few pages of starting the book, I found myself incredibly happy I was starting it in an afternoon where I didn't really have much to do, and thus could dedicate my time to reading this properly and over the course of the next few hours, I was hooked on this story. The writing is superb, as it tells you Grace's story, from teenagerhood, to finally realising where her heart lies. It is split into parts, various chunks set in chronological order, all offering key insights into Grace's story.
In between each part, there is what she is doing currently, in very brief snapshots, in a way that makes a lot of sense now reflecting on the book, as to just really what was going on. In each interlude in Grace's life, there are some common factors, best friend Charlie, her first boyfriend Danny, and Sandybridge House, a huge manor house, that no owner really knows what to do with. In fact its Sandybridge House that is the backdrop to many life altering moments in the friends lives.
You may be wondering about the title, but without giving too much away, the letters are completely key to the story and Lighthouse Cottage is fairly key too, in ways you may not realise to start with.
I'm not sure I'm explaining this well, but basically at the end of the day its the story of friendship, of how the path to true happiness has to go through some ups and downs, and that you may need to go through some of the worsts time in your life in order for fate to sort out its life plan for you.
Every single time I read a book by Ali McNamara I am blown away to a certain extent, and I am delighted to say her writing and her imagination just seems to get better and better with each book, although I will alway have a soft spot for her From Notting Hill with... series.
Thank you to everyone that voted for Letters From Lighthouse Cottage this week. It was the runaway winner, and I'm sure there was a reason I bought it, I just sometimes need that small bit of persuasion to step away from the dedicated review books and read something I clearly am going to love. Really looking forward already to seeing what you choose for me next.
I could go down the quick route and just leave you with a one liner, saying its Ali McNamara doing what she does best, go out and buy this book now, as its addictive, absorbing and a joy to read, but although all of that is indeed true, I feel I need to try and express my love for the story a bit more eloquently!
On the back of my paperback copy of Letters from Lighthouse Cottage, there is one line that caught my eye as I sat down to read it "Take a holiday in Ali McNamara's magical world". My initial reaction was "help! its going to be full on unrealistic magic" but thankfully I was completely wrong, there is an enchanting, dare I saw bewitching element to the story, but its weaved in so unobtrusively that I was able to take it at face value and accept its part of this novel.
Within a few pages of starting the book, I found myself incredibly happy I was starting it in an afternoon where I didn't really have much to do, and thus could dedicate my time to reading this properly and over the course of the next few hours, I was hooked on this story. The writing is superb, as it tells you Grace's story, from teenagerhood, to finally realising where her heart lies. It is split into parts, various chunks set in chronological order, all offering key insights into Grace's story.
In between each part, there is what she is doing currently, in very brief snapshots, in a way that makes a lot of sense now reflecting on the book, as to just really what was going on. In each interlude in Grace's life, there are some common factors, best friend Charlie, her first boyfriend Danny, and Sandybridge House, a huge manor house, that no owner really knows what to do with. In fact its Sandybridge House that is the backdrop to many life altering moments in the friends lives.
You may be wondering about the title, but without giving too much away, the letters are completely key to the story and Lighthouse Cottage is fairly key too, in ways you may not realise to start with.
I'm not sure I'm explaining this well, but basically at the end of the day its the story of friendship, of how the path to true happiness has to go through some ups and downs, and that you may need to go through some of the worsts time in your life in order for fate to sort out its life plan for you.
Every single time I read a book by Ali McNamara I am blown away to a certain extent, and I am delighted to say her writing and her imagination just seems to get better and better with each book, although I will alway have a soft spot for her From Notting Hill with... series.
Thank you to everyone that voted for Letters From Lighthouse Cottage this week. It was the runaway winner, and I'm sure there was a reason I bought it, I just sometimes need that small bit of persuasion to step away from the dedicated review books and read something I clearly am going to love. Really looking forward already to seeing what you choose for me next.
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