By: Tilly Tennant
Many thanks to Bookouture for the ARC of the book and the stop on the book tour!
About the Book
Escape to a colourful little flower stall on the island of Jersey with its sweeping golden beaches. A place where, this summer, Bella will discover a heartbreaking family secret… that could help her find a new beginning.
When Bella’s heart is broken by her cheating husband, she packs a bag and escapes to the little island of Jersey, to help her beloved great-aunt Celestine run her seaside flower stall.
With the sun on her cheeks, watching white-haired Celestine in her elegant patterned trouser suit beam at customers and arrange flowers in vases, Bella realises that life is too short to feel sad. And when handsome, brooding Rory arrives at the rose-covered flower stall, and their eyes meet, she feels a sudden spark…
Inspired by Celestine’s lust for life, Bella agrees to get to know Rory better. As the two of them walk together under vast blue skies, Rory tells her of the family secret that has brought him to the island.
Bella wonders if Celestine might be able to help Rory with his quest, but Celestine warns her to be careful. Bella knows she should listen to her wise aunt, but she can’t fight her feelings. Yet when she tries to track Rory down days later, she is shocked to discover the secrets he has been keeping.
Is her hope of an island romance with a mysterious, handsome man simply too good to be true? Or can this beautiful place still bring her the bright new beginning that she so desperately needs?
My Review
Tennant is one of those authors that writes books that can touch your heart, make you smile, make you think, give you hope, and sort of break your heart all in one book. She brings us joy and beauty when Bella helps her great aunt with her flower stall. We learn about these characters and their history, what their life was like during the war and how hard it was for them. We get a little bit of romance. Bella and her aunt have such a great relationship, it’s wonderful to read. Tennant’s books are complex, but you don’t feel that as you’re reading them. You simply just enjoy reading her books.
Bella is a great introspective character. After leaving her husband, she makes this decision to help her aunt so she can get some time to clear her head. She is able to get a lot of clarity. She can clearly see what her marriage really was and what she wants to focus on for her life now. Her growth internally as a personal is beautiful to watch. She is strong and courageous.
The mystery aspect of Rory’s family and the secret that Celestine was keeping was enjoyable to read. As pieces began to be revealed, I kept turning and turning the pages so that I could learn more about the answers to the mystery. Celestine was holding onto a secret for most of her life, over 70 years. It was eating her alive. I can’t even imagine. But the closure that she gets regarding the secret was needed for her character.
The side characters and Jersey itself were all great. I really felt the sense of community. Everyone seemed friendly, everyone seemed to know each other and look out for each other. Tennant really wrote Jersey as a place that I would want to visit.
This book is out now, so make sure to check it out!
About the Author
From a young age, Tilly Tennant was convinced that she was destined for the stage. Once she realised she wasn’t actually very good at anything that would put her on the stage, she started to write stories instead. There were lots of terrible ones, like The Pet Rescue Gang (aged eight), which definitely should not see the light of day ever again. Thankfully, her debut novel, Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn was not one of those, and since it hit the Amazon best seller lists she hasn’t looked back. Born in Dorset, she currently lives in Staffordshire with her husband, two daughters, three guitars, four ukuleles, two violins and a kazoo.
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