I saw this on NetGalley and I requested it immediately because I'm a big fan of Jane Lovering’s books. Thank you to NetGalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion. Sitting room: two sofas, coffee table, Smart TV showing Freeview, speaker with AUX point, wood-burning stove, telephone for emergency calls.

Cottage Full of Secrets: Escape to the country for the A Cottage Full of Secrets: Escape to the country for the

Will the secrets of Cottage Two lead Tamzin to make startling discoveries that will help her shape her own future? Or is she destined to repeat Stella’s mistakes and end up haunted by regrets and heartbreak many decades down the line? Now, there are a lot of references to abusive partners in this so if that’s something you think you may struggle with then go in prepared, although as with all of Jane’s books you know there is going to be a happy ending so you can read it with a slightly relaxed approach knowing all will be well in the end so don’t let it put you off reading this! It’s actually focused on the escape from abuse and being able to not let the past control you, showing that you can still have a happy and fulfilled life! Outside : cottage garden with path to drive. Good size rear garden with lawn and patio, and dining furniture. Shed for bike storage. Tamzin’s decision to move is in large part fuelled by her abusive relationship with Dominic, a narcissistic and controlling man who all but eradicated Tamzin’s sense of self-worth. After he leaves her, he immediately starts dating his colleague Katie and unleashes his tactics on her. Even before we find out exactly what happened to Stella, it’s clear she’s trapped in a highly abusive marriage to Andy, who is even strongly implied to have killed her. Set in the present and beginning during WWII, the narrative tells the fascinating story of how these women are connected. It reveals secrets and family deceit but also, the overwhelming pull the island has on them. The historical aspects are both intriguing and heart-wrenching, as we learn about young Patience's "Patsy's" life and the impact the war had on herself and her family. Eighty years later, Ellie realises the rundown cottage is more than a renovation project.Have you ever had a few moments to yourself watching the clouds or sitting near a river bank and watching the flow of water or just counting stars in the night sky? Not that I have experienced it much but it gives a feeling of serenity and sublime peace to think about. Rebecca Alexander’s The Island Of Lost Secrets is one of those books that make you crave for such tranquility. I was totally brought into the world which Jane Lovering has created in this romcom. Tamzin and Euan are both such interesting characters who have been damaged by past relationships. Although on the surface, this is a gentle and heart-warming romance, there is quite a dark side to some of the issues which are hidden. Tamzin and Euan recognise in each other their vulnerabilities. Nature and the environment seem to have a healing quality which offers them some hope and a chance to connect with what is important. One aspect of the novel I really loved is women supporting women, something I don’t see nearly often enough in either romance or fiction in general. When it comes to romance specifically, any woman who isn’t the central heroine is presented as either her catty, promiscuous romantic rival or a maternal figure stripped of essentially all traits and personality. A Cottage Full of Secrets by Jane Lovering is an enjoyable contemporary fiction that has a little bit of everything. A relaxing read. Jane Lovering is one of those writers who just immediately draws you into her story, making you forget that time is passing and you might have things to do. This is true even for stories where the topic (abuse) might be one you avoid reading, which is the case in A Cottage Full of Secrets. I do avoid reading about abuse in the same way that I avoid stories in which I know the dog is going to die. However, fortunately, Lovering didn’t focus extensively on those scenes of abuse, which made it easier to read.

The Cottage of Secrets | Book | Austin Macauley Publishers

Moving to the wild and vast Yorkshire countryside is a dream come true for Tamzin she has a lovely little cottage there and her rescue fox who she's nurtured since he was a kit. That said, Stella’s POV chapters are a bit clunky. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think there’s anything wrong about portraying ’classic’, textbook examples of domestic abuse. We need those stories and we need lots of them. Even so, I feel her chapters stylistically detract from the overall narrative. Tamzin is escaping a very bad relationship in the South of England by fleeing to an isolated cottage adjacent to the Yorkshire moors. In that same cottage, 50 years earlier, a young newlywed, Stella, is bright eyed at the beginning of her marriage, a marriage that everyone around her questioned her about (Are you sure?), but she loves Andy and he loves her and everything will be wonderful. But sometimes things don’t turn out so wonderfully.A heartbroken and slightly insecure woman buys a cottage in a desolate place in Cornwall, trying to start anew. Her hopes are to heal and to recover, to get her broken pieces together and to reinvent herself, while taking care of a three- legged rescue fox. The heroine, however, is not prepared to meet a strange hermit of a painter who is her next-door neighbor. They discover the power of friendship and start overcoming their deepest fears and fighting their demons together. Why we love this property… a tardis like cottage in the countryside, a luxurious dog friendly bolthole with Diss on the doorstep and an awesome kid’s den!

A Cottage Full of Secrets by Jane Lovering | Goodreads A Cottage Full of Secrets by Jane Lovering | Goodreads

In summer, you can feel your pulse racing as the garden throbs in a tidal wave of colour, none more spectacular than the amazing vermilion-coloured flowers of Crocosmia Lucifer in tandem with the indispensable Dahlia Bishop of Llandaff. The whole cast of island characters are exceptional, too, and how each one fits into the scheme of things. But I was particularly moved by Patience and Ellie and the amazing stories that encircle them. Their losses and rewards were realistic. But their romances were magical. In some ways, the island casts its spell on each one who comes there and changes them. And, of course, the cottage by the sea, holds within its walls a tender and troubled tale.

Multibuys

Large conservatory/garden room : open, decorative bookcase, 2 sofas, door to the fenced outdoor patio dining area. Tamzin is recovering from a long period of time as a victim of emotional abuse and gaslighting at the hands of her partner. After finally summoning the strength to leave him and start a new life, she moves to a remote cottage in Yorkshire with her pet fox, who she is rehabilitating. Upon moving in she meets her mysterious neighbour Euan and doesn’t quite know what to make of him.