They Say:
1923. Esme Nicholls is to spend the summer in Cornwall. Her late husband Alec, who died fighting in WWI, grew up in Penzance, and she’s hoping to learn more about the man she loved and lost.
While there, she will stay with Gilbert, in his rambling seaside house, where he lives with his former brothers in arms. Esme is nervous at first to be the only woman in this community of eccentric artists and former soldiers. But as she gets to know the men and their stories, she begins to feel this summer might be exactly what she needs.
But everything is not as idyllic as it seems – a mysterious new arrival later in the summer will turn Esme’s world upside down, and make her question everything she thought she knew about her life, and the people in it.
I Say:
This book started well with an interesting main character, Esme, and great descriptions of the flora and fauna of Cornwall. I really enjoyed the first few chapters but, slowly, my interest began to wane.
This book is long and some, including myself, might say it’s overlong. Esme was an interesting character but I grew tired of all the men in the story falling at her feet. Surely, there was a surfeit of woman in the 20s? Surely she wasn’t the only single woman under the age of 30 who washed up in Cornwall?
I was just about to give up on the book and throw it against the wall in exasperation when something interesting happened which I found very unexpected. Hmmm, but, maybe, I wasn’t expecting this twist as it was the most far-fetched coincidence you could possibly imagine. However, it kept me reading on to try to understand the actions of a new character who entered the story and what had happened to get them to this point.
I persevered and finished the book but, if I was ever transported back to Cornwall in 1923 and bumped into Esme, I would grab her by the shoulders and shake her until her teeth rattled – she was such an irritating woman. This is pretty unlikely though as I am not one for violence or confrontation and after all she is just a fictional character.
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What Other’s Say:
‘A page-turning literary gem about grief, loss and the impact of war on those left behind’ The Times, Best Books of 2020
‘A touching novel of love and loss’ Sunday Times
‘There’s only one word for this novel… and that’s epic… A beautifully written must-read’ heat
‘A gripping, devastating novel about the lost and the ones they left behind’ Sarra Manning, RED
‘Scott has done an amazing job of drawing on real stories to craft a powerful novel’ Good Housekeeping
‘A heartbreaking read… I highly recommend it’ Anita Frank
‘Breathtaking exploration of loss, love and precious memories’ My Weekly, Pick of the Month
‘Achingly moving and most beautifully written’ Rachel Hore
‘This beautiful book packs a huge emotional punch’ Fabulous
‘Drew me in from the first line and held me enthralled until the very end’ Fiona Valpy
‘Quietly devastating’ Daily Mail‘A page-turning literary gem about grief, loss and the impact of war on those left behind’ The Times, Best Books of 2020
‘A touching novel of love and loss’ Sunday Times
‘There’s only one word for this novel… and that’s epic… A beautifully written must-read’ heat
‘A gripping, devastating novel about the lost and the ones they left behind’ Sarra Manning, RED
‘Scott has done an amazing job of drawing on real stories to craft a powerful novel’ Good Housekeeping
‘A heartbreaking read… I highly recommend it’ Anita Frank
‘Breathtaking exploration of loss, love and precious memories’ My Weekly, Pick of the Month
‘Achingly moving and most beautifully written’ Rachel Hore
‘This beautiful book packs a huge emotional punch’ Fabulous
‘Drew me in from the first line and held me enthralled until the very end’ Fiona Valpy
‘Quietly devastating’ Daily Mail
The Verdict
Ah well, perhaps this is just my view!
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