I was so delighted to be invited to be part of the blog tour for Summer in a Cornish Cove by Kate Ryder. This book was published by Aria Fiction on 1st April, and is now available in paperback and on all major e-book platforms (kindle, Kobo, Googleplay, iBooks). I will admit though that I was already a bit of a fan of the author – her debut novel, The Forgotten Promise, was already on my waiting list, and I’d already read and thoroughly enjoyed the new book when it was previously released as Cry of the Gulls. The new sunny cover makes it look like more of a beach read, but don’t be fooled – it has far more style, substance and dark edges than you might be expecting, and it’s a read I’d really recommend.
Set against a gloriously rugged Cornish backdrop, two lives are about to be changed for ever…
Oliver Foxley is an acclaimed movie star and global heartthrob. But under the glare of the spotlight his ‘perfect’ life – and marriage – is slowly starting to crumble.
Cara Penhaligon is a struggling young Cornish artist, and widowed mother of two children. Life has been unbearably harsh to Cara, but meeting Oliver might just give her a second chance at the happiness she deserves. As each begins to heal the other, the pieces of Oliver’s frustrating jigsaw puzzle effortlessly fall into place.
But as the Cornish summer draws to a close, Oliver faces the toughest of choices, and no one emerges quite as they were at the start.
Just sometimes, books don’t “settle” into their story until a little way in. If you wobble a little at the start of this one – the scene-setting, the visit to the gallery, even the visit to the retreat – don’t be put off. That back story is an essential foundation for a heartbreaking love story and an edge-of-your-seat thriller that had me gripped from the moment the focus for action hit Cornwall. This book attempts a lot, and in my view it most definitely succeeds.
Sylvie’s “unhealthy obsession” with Oliver spirals into something rather different (and totally chilling… she’s a piece of work, that Sylvie!), Cara’s beauty and sadness draw you in (she’s a great mother too – with such well-written kids!), and I now totally believe (if I ever didn’t) in love at first sight. This is a great story, with well-drawn and believable characters – even the peripheral ones like Rick from the cafe, and Cara’s mum and her friend.
The author has a deft touch in handling emotion – her characters totally sympathetic and believable, surprisingly and satisfyingly complex – that has you gulping and wiping away a tear on more than one occasion. The setting is so well drawn – ok, I know Cornwall’s a gift for any writer, but couple that with a lead character who’s a talented artist with a bit of an eye for a view and you have opportunities for something rather special. And this story’s just crying out for a sequel… I’ll be here waiting Kate, I loved it!
About the author
Kate Ryder has worked in a number of industries including publishing, mainly as a proof-reader/copy editor and writer for a national newspaper, magazines and publishing houses. A member of the New Writers Scheme with the Romantic Novelists Association, in 2013 she published her debut novel, ‘The Forgotten Promise’, a timeslip romance and mysterious ghost story, which was shortlisted for Choc Lit’s 2016 “Search for a Star” and also honoured with a Chill with a Book “Book of the Month” Award. Kate lives in a renovated 200-year-old sawmill in the beautiful Tamar Valley with her husband and a collection of animals.
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The front cover and title make me want to book a holiday. Lovely reminder that summer is on its way.
Thank you so much, Anne. You truly “get” Summer in a Cornish Cove, with all its dark edges!
I hope you find the time to read The Forgotten Promise in your hectic schedule, and if you’d like a paperback copy just let me know and I’ll send one to you! Best wishes, Kate