Book Review - The Path to the Sea by Liz Fenwick

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Amazon UK

Title: The Path to the Sea

Author: Liz Fenwick

Format reviewed: Paperback

Source: Publisher supplied copy

Publisher: HQ

Publication Date: 6th June 2019

Rating: 4 Stars

Sometimes going home is just the beginning…
Boskenna, the beautiful, imposing house standing on the Cornish cliffs, means something different to each of the Trewin women.

For Joan, as a glamorous young wife in the 1960s, it was a paradise where she and her husband could entertain and escape a world where no one was quite what they seemed – a world that would ultimately cost their marriage and end in tragedy.

Diana, her daughter, still dreams of her childhood there – the endless blue skies and wide lawns, book-filled rooms and parties, the sound of the sea at the end of the coastal path – even though the family she adored was shattered there.

And for the youngest, broken-hearted Lottie, heading home in the August traffic, returning to Boskenna is a welcome escape from a life gone wrong in London, but will mean facing a past she’d hoped to forget.

As the three women gather in Boskenna for a final time, the secrets hidden within the beautiful old house will be revealed in a summer that will leave them changed for ever.

The Path to the Sea beautifully evokes the mystery and secrets of the Cornish coast, and will be loved by fans of Kate Morton and Rachel Hore

The Path to the Sea is certainly a book that drew me in and kept my on my toes throughout. 

The narrative is from three main characters points of view, Joan, who we see in her role of hostess of Boskenna one fateful weekend in 1962.   There is Diana, her daughter, and we see life through her eyes as an 8 year old in 1962, as well as a woman in her 60s in the present day. Finally there is Lottie, Joan's granddaughter, and mostly we see her in the present day. 

All three generations of women are brought under Boskenna's roof, for a very sad reason, and through it we see how fractured this family really is.  There are many secrets to uncover, and just what happened in 1962 to Diana's father.  

Joan clearly was living an extraordinary life, and some of it went a bit over my head, but I got the gist of the key plot points, not that I can see what they  were as that would spoilt it for you. It really was quite fascinating to read sections set in the 60s. 

I really enjoyed getting to know all three ladies and seeing just how everything would resolve itself.  The writing as I would expect from Liz Fenwick is accomplished, and really does describe everything incredibly well.  I loved how the plot moved forward, and how the book took place over such a short space of time. 

Thankfully each chapter is titled not only with which character, but also the date and time, so you can properly follow the timelines, and watch everything unfurl properly.   And with the chapters being relatively short, it was a rather more-ish book where I kept saying just one more chapter!! 

This is the first book I've read from the author for ages, and I am convinced that I need to not leave it so long before I read another, as I really did enjoy this story. 

Thank you to HQ for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Merry Christmas! - Selection box of Festive Short Story Reviews

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas this year, and if you don't celebrate that you have an enjoyable day regardless.

I'm not really doing much for Christmas this year, so will probably be making in-roads into my TBR piles instead, while hopefully watching some festive films and listening to some Christmassy music!

As it's Christmas Day, I thought I would offer you today a selection box of short story reviews, so that if you do have any time to read today, you can see some of my recommendations, from short stories I have downloaded over the past few months.

Candlelight at Christmas by Katie Fforde - 5 Stars

Amazon UK

It seems to be practically an annual tradition now, that Katie Fforde will release a Christmas short story, and this year is of course no exception. In fact I think I loved this one more than some of the previous ones, purely because I recognised the setting and some of the characters instantly from Recipe for Love. 

There is a welcome return to Somerby, where Fenella and Rupert are having a massive friends and family Christmas celebration this year, complete with in-laws, assorted children, and couple of even more unexpected guests. 

As the amount of people having Christmas day grows, Fenella is getting a bit more stressed, so once Christmas Day finally arrives, the power cut doesn't help matters. 

I loved the solutions as to how they cope with no power over Christmas, and really enjoyed a snapshot look at how Zoe and Gideon were getting on with life, years after we first met them. There is also a very promising and tender romance, between two of the younger extra guests, which was very sweet to read. 

All in all a lovely short story that won't take too long to read, but will fill your heart with the joy of Christmas. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Cornerstone Digital for my copy of this story that I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Justice at Christmas by M. A. Comley - 5 Stars

Amazon UK

As a huge fan of the Justice series, I was delighted to spot this brand new short story, but when I read the blurb, I did wonder how I'd feel about reading a story set quite a bit before where the series currently is, while a certain character is still alive. 

My doubts were short lived as I got into the story very fast, and actually found it to quite a fun little thriller, as its not every day you read about a stampede of Santa's attempting armed robbery!

I loved the plan D.I. Lorne Simkins came up with to infiltrate the Santa's, as well as this reminder as to just how far she has come in the newer books. 

For a fan of the series this is definitely a great addition, and up to the usual standards. If you are only just discovering this series or author, then I think its a fun way to get a feel for the writing, and just what D.I. Lorne Simpkins is like. 

A hugely enjoyable short story, that took me very little time to read, as I was loving the action. 

A Fairytale Christmas by Melissa Hill - 4 Stars

Amazon UK

Delightful short story from Melissa Hill, featuring Christmas, New York and a gentle romance. 

Once I worked out who the characters were, I really enjoyed this story, especially the budding whirlwind romance between Mike and Penny.  I also loved seeing some of New York's landmarks at Christmas, as that always feels like a magical setting.

There is a story arc and there is a bit of depth to the characters, which can sometimes be missing from short stories, and it really is a short and sweet story that can be read in under and hour! 



A Cornish Christmas Carol by Liz Fenwick - 5 Stars

Amazon UK

Beautifully written re-telling of the Charles Dickens' classic story A Christmas Carol. Believe it or not until I read this version, I had never read any version of the story, despite having seen a lot of the film variants - in fact Muppet's Christmas Carol is my favourite Christmas film. 

In Liz Fenwick's story, we still have the three ghosts, and by the middle of the ghost of Christmas past, I was on the verge of crying. The writing just really got to me, and Abigail Scorrier is a woman who is need of this wake up call. 

I love that the Scrooge character is female, and she has had a lot varied Christmas's in the past, but a lot of bad things have occurred at this time of year. There is very good reasons why she has become the person she is but it isn't too late for her to right her wrongs.

I loved the comforting nature of a story that is familiar to me, but being told in a new way. The spirits appear while Abigail is on the sleeper train from London to Cornwall, and there is also a sub storyline that is quite interesting about Christmas carols in Cornwall. 

This is the perfect story for anyone wanting a new take on an old story this Christmas, from a talented writer. I loved reading every last word in this book.  

Comfort and Joy by Cathy Bramley  - 5 Stars

Amazon UK

If you are looking for a story that epitomises Christmas spirit, then look no further than Comfort and Joy, it is one of my favourite stories, and just shows how a community can come together even when things are looking bleak. 

This is a wonderfully festive sequel to what was a brilliant book, The Plumberry School of Comfort Food. Comfort and Joy can easily be read as a standalone story, but as someone who has read the original book, I can say it was brilliant as a short story extra. It gives you a sense of fulfillment as you see what the familiar characters are all up to this Christmas in Plumberry. 

If you like Christmas food, then you won't be disappointed, as there is a veritable treasure trove of a festive feast within these pages, between the Christmas classes being run at the cooking school on Christmas eve, to Christmas day itself. I especially liked the turkey called Kevin, and what happened to him! 

I truly believe that Comfort and Joy will bring you just that, when it is read, its a delightful short story featuring all the warmth and loveliness that Cathy Bramley is becoming very known for, in a bite sized package. 

If you have never read a book by Cathy Bramley, then Comfort and Joy is definitely a good taster for her easy to read writing style, as well as a heart warming story. 

Guest Post & Giveaway - The Glitz of the RNA Awards by Liz Fenwick - RNA Awards Week

Glitz, glam, frocks, shoes and champagne. The awards ceremony for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Romantic NoNAs and Romantic Novel of Year is all that and more. It’s an event that celebrates the best in women’s fiction in the United Kingdom.

When I attended my first awards ceremony it was a lunch held at the Savoy. I was an unpublished and knew no one. I found myself seated at a table with Jill Mansell. I’m not sure I said I word I was so in awe but she couldn’t have been more welcoming. And that is the thing about the RNA it is welcoming and supporting. Since I joined the association back in the 2005 I have missed only two awards events…I’ve always looked forward to dusting off my finest frock and catching up friends – old and new.

It’s a time to celebrate fellow writers achievements, which lift all of us in the industry including the unpublished. During all those years I learned so much from the generous pros who quietly guided me on my way including the late Penny Jordan. (pictured with me the year she won a lifetime achievement award)

So I cannot find the words to say how delighted I am to have Under A Cornish Sky nominated with so many other books. No matter what happens it will be a wonderful night! 

In past years I’ve snapped pictures so that those members who couldn’t make it to the event could feel like they’d been there…this year someone else may have to take over!

Giveaway to win a paperback copy of Under A Cornish Sky (Open Internationally)

Liz Fenwick is giving one lucky winner a copy of her nominated book, Under A Cornish Sky. 

Giveaway open everyone, all options are voluntary, but please do what they ask, as I will be verifying the winner. Giveaway closes 23:59 12/3/2016. Winner will be announced on twitter and emailed, and they will need to reply within 7 days, or forfeit the prize, and I will re-draw for a new winner.  Good luck everyone.

a Rafflecopter giveaway   

About Liz Fenwick

Writer, ex-pat expert, wife, mother of three, and dreamer turned doer....

Award winning author of The Cornish House, A Cornish Affair, A Cornish Stranger and Under A Cornish Sky. After nine international moves, she's a bit of a global nomad. It's no wonder her heart remains in Cornwall. She is currently editing my next book - The Returning Tide due in January  2017.

www.lizfenwick.com
https://www.facebook.com/liz.fenwick.author/

https://twitter.com/liz_fenwick

Thanks you so much Liz for these wonderful pictures of past awards. I can now see what everyone will be getting up to on Monday, and looking forward to reading al the reports afterwards. Thank you also for giving my followers a chance to win Under A Cornish Sky.

Congratulations to Liz Fenwick on her nomination for the RoNA Contemporary Romantic Novel award. Which of these books did you love? Which do you think should win the award?

Guest Post & Giveaway - Why Cornwall? by Liz Fenwick - Cornish Week

 Why Cornwall? It is a question I’m asked frequently because, well, I’m not Cornish, not even British. In truth Cornwall didn’t come in to my life until I was twenty-six and my then boyfriend, now husband, took me too to meet his parents who lived there. I thought I was being subjected to the parent test, but, in truth, it was the Cornwall test. Did I pass? Yes, with flying colours, as I fell in love with the Duchy. My first trip was a glorious June weekend when the sky was eye achingly blue and the hedgerows filled with foxgloves. The only thing that didn't enchant me on that first visit in 1989 was the temperature of the sea. It was arctic. It was a total shock to me. I had spent my summers on the south side of Cape Cod where the summer sea temperature about 70 degrees Fahrenheit!

There is something raw and untamed about Cornwall that speaks to those susceptible to the possibilities of the past and its magic. Crossing the Tamar River is often spoken about and it is something I have experienced whether on a train or in car. I must confess it is much more special on Brunel’s beautiful bridge than in a packed car on the A30. As soon as that threshold has been traversed the air feels different. The civility of the Devon slips away and the power of the land marked by wild seas, bleak moors, jaw dropping cliffs and gentle hidden valley draws you in.

When I'm in the Duchy I find myself ‘seeing’ stories in the landscape and catching glimpse of tantalizing ideas set in the backdrop of the countryside. A perfect example of how this happened was with the setting for A Cornish Stranger. For years I’d walked Frenchman’s Creek and we frequently took our boat up the Creek in an evening when the tides are right to enjoy a glass of wine and the peace of the setting. At the mouth of the creek almost hidden behind the pines that mark the entrance sits a wooden cabin. You can only see from the water and it remained lodged in my mind until another tidbit came my way. While researching another book I found an old Cornish saying…save a stranger from the see, he’ll turn you enemy. Ping went my brain. Story ideas collide and I knew then I wanted to tell the story of a grandmother and granddaughter both hiding away from the world for different reasons.

I know other writers find their inspiration from other parts of the world but for me Cornwall unlocked my muse and continually feeds the creative well. It could be because I can't be in Cornwall all the time and writing about was a way to keep me there…at least in my mind.

Thank you so much to Liz Fenwick for taking time out of her busy schedule, to contribute to my Cornish Week.  I'm impressed that Cornwall, our wonderful tourist destination, can not only inspire British authors, but non British authors too.

Giveaway to win a PB copy of The Cornish Stranger by Liz Fenwick (open internationally)

Liz Fenwick  has kindly offered readers of Rachel's Random Reads a chance to win a paperback copy of The Cornish Stranger as part of Cornish Week

Giveaway open to everyone, all options are voluntary, but please do what they ask, as I will be verifying the winner. Giveaway closes 23:59 26/8/2015. Winner will be announced on twitter and emailed, and they will need to reply within 7 days, or forfeit the prize, and I will re-draw for a new winner.  Good luck everyone.

a Rafflecopter giveaway




Author Bio

Writer, ex-pat expert, wife, mother of three, and dreamer turned doer....

Award winning author of The Cornish House, A Cornish Affair, A Cornish Stranger and Under A Cornish Sky. After nine international moves, I'm a bit of a global nomad. It's no wonder my heart remains in Cornwall while I'm forever on a plane. I can be found tweeting from 36,000 feet or enjoying the sunshine in Dubai while wrangling my manuscript and my cat..


I'm currently researching my next book - The Returning Tide due in 2016.

You can follow Liz on Twitter

Book Review - The Cornish House by Liz Fenwick - Cornish Week

Amazon UK

Title: The Cornish House

Author: Liz Fenwick

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Purchased

Publisher: Orion

Publication Date: 24th May 2012 

Rating: 4 Stars

When artist Maddie inherits a house in Cornwall shortly after the death of her husband, she hopes it will be the fresh start she and her step-daughter desperately need. Trevenen is beautiful but neglected, and as Maddie discovers the stories of generations of women who've lived there before, she begins to feel her life is somehow intertwined within its walls.

But Maddie's dream of a calm life in the countryside is far from the reality she faces - and as she pulls at the seams of Trevenen's past, the house reveals secrets that have lain hidden for generations.

I have been meaning to read a book by Liz Fenwick for a few years, to the extent that I keep buying them for my kindle, but not getting around to reading them. Finally this week, I have put that right and started at with the first book she had published, The Cornish House. 

I wasn't sure what to expect from The Cornish House,  however I did really enjoy the book. I did find it took a while to get going for me, partly because of Hannah and Maddie clearly still being grief-stricken. Makes for some slightly harder reading,. 

Maddie inherits Trevenen, in Cornwall shortly after her husband dies, and she has full custody of her step-daughter Hannah, who is devastated at the loss of her father, and is also behaving like a typical teenager towards her step-mum. 

It doesn't take long for Maddie to fall in love with the house, and for the house to reveal some of its secrets, mainly towards Maddie's birth family. There is a lot of history of the house dealt with, and its prior occupants, including some diary entries. As not a huge fan of history, I wasn't too enthralled by all of this, it was interesting, but not really a preferred part of this story. 

There are many arguments between Maddie and Hannah and their relationship is one of adjustment, as to how to deal with the other without Hannah's father to intervene. It is a fascinating relationship, and I loved seeing how it grew and changed as the story progressed. 

I found the descriptions of a Cornish winter in a house that didn't have proper heating to be quite harrowing, as I know how cold that part of the country can get, especially with the sea breeze too, and I am amazed they were coping as well as they did. 

It was Hannah's friendship with OT that really touched me, it was great to be able to see her confide in someone, and it seemed like OT was getting a lot from the friendship too. 

The Cornish House was an enjoyable debut from an author I have every intention of reading more from.