zooloo1983
Written on Aug 16, 2019
Celebrating the sacrifices of the brave men who served on D-Day with re-enactments, hit home for me being a soldier’s wife, it is always so hard and emotional with the anniversaries but this year they seem to affect Marie, the main character, a lot more than they should.
I was completely engrossed with Marie and her story, the heartache she has suffered and her daily battle with her current situation with her estranged husband Stephen made me want to give her a huge cuddle and take her away from it all. When things got rough in the pub, Marie would escape on long walks along the cliffs where she would meet Corbin. The serenity and the peace of it all, I felt I could be there sitting on the bench, the wind whistling around as I soaked up the rays. It makes me want to travel up to the White Cliffs right now, especially as I am nowhere never Dorset!!
The introductions to the different people in Marie’s life shows you just how much one person’s actions can make a difference in your life and not always for the better. Each person had their own baggage, from the way they have been treated to different circumstances in their lives. However, you have hope throughout the book that everything will be all ok but not in a cheesy way just in a way where you know when you close the book the characters will be ok and you can rest easier.
Corbin, a mysterious man that Marie meets on her walks. Paxton, a soldier who is suffering from PTSD. George, an elderly man who was there at D-Days with his own stories of the day. Mark, George’s son, with his dog Troy who strikes up his own friendship with Marie. All these men have an impact on Marie in different and complex ways.
I loved Jane’s previous novel The Cheesemaker’s House and I love how she entwines the ghostly past with the present day. Occasionally blurring the lines between past and present, creating enough mystery to make sure you do not put the book down. Just like The Cheesemaker’s House, it is a slow burner, it is a beautiful story and Jane never fails to let me down. She knows how to write, and she tackles some tough subjects with so much delicacy especially as she knows how to pull on your heartstrings!!
I know that this review is shorter than normal for me, I am still not feeling 100% but more importantly, I really do not have the words to describe how beautiful, breath-taking, realistic, and emotional this book is, it is one you need to experience for yourself.
Question is, can I go to The Smugglers pub and enjoy some fish and chips??