NEW RELEASE
A Cottage by the Sea - Carole Matthews (2013)
Grace, Ella and Flick have been friends since their days together as university students. Over the years they've stayed in touch but because of their busy lives they hardly see each other. So, when Ella invites her friends to spend a week in the summer together at her cottage in South Wales, it is the perfect opportunity for them to spend some time together again. Grace is bringing her husband Harry, with whom she hopes to have some quality time as well, since their relationship is no longer what it used to be. However, as soon as they arrive, the only thing Harry is interested in is the amount of wine he can drink in one afternoon and whether his mobile phone works or not. To make matters even worse, Flick arrives with her latest boyfriend, the delightful and attractive Noah, and Grace starts feeling all kinds of things she shouldn't be feeling as a married woman. This one week at Cwtch Cottage starts off as a simple summer holiday for Grace, Harry, Ella, her partner Art, Flick and Noah, but as the days progress secrets are unfolded and lives will be changed forever. Carole Matthews' writing flows so easily, making her novels an absolute delight to read. I loved Grace; she's a great friend to Ella and Flick, trustworthy, friendly and who can blame her for having unexpected feelings for Noah? What a gentleman! Overall, this novel is a perfect summer read and exactly what a chick lit novel should be like, filled with tons of emotions and laughter. A Cottage by the Sea shows that it's never too late to find true love or to decide to chase your dreams, and that's a message we can't hear often enough. (JoH)
A Cottage by the Sea, by Carole Matthews, is about three friends who go away for a holiday together with their partners. The summary says: "Grace has been best friends with Ella and Flick since university. The late-night chats, shared heartaches and good times have created a bond that has stood the test of time. Now in their 30s, Grace is always a bit disappointed about how little time they get to spend together, so when Ella invites them all to stay for a week in her cottage in South Wales, Grace jumps at the chance to see her old friends. She also hopes that the change in pace will help her reconnect with her husband, Harry. Unfortunately for her, Harry isn't as enamoured with Cwtch Cottage as she is. Then Flick arrives; loveable, bubbly Flick, accompanied by the handsome and charming Noah, and suddenly the week ahead looks as though it may be even more confusing for all the residents of Cwtch Cottage."