It’s such a pleasure today to be joining the blog tour for Echoes on a Cornish River, the latest book from the wonderful Kate Ryder, and sharing my review: published on 8th August by Embla Books, it’s now available as an ebook, in paperback, and as an audiobook. My thanks to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading e-copy (provided via netgalley).
I first read and enjoyed one of Kate’s books way back in 2017 – the self-published novel Cry of the Gulls, republished by Aria Fiction as Summer in a Cornish Cove. And that’s when I fell in love with her writing – and was so delighted in February 2022 when her wonderful Beneath Cornish Skies was a finalist in the Fantasy Romantic Novel Award category at the 2022 Romantic Novel Awards. I ran a feature on that year’s finalists, with a particular focus on Kate’s books (I told you I was delighted…!) – you can read it again here, and you’ll also find there the links to all her books and to my reviews. Well, all except her last – and I loved Into a Cornish Wind so much that it’s one of the main reasons I’ve decided to travel to Fowey for my September holiday (you’ll find my full review of that one here). And now we have her latest – and when I saw it was a Cornish time slip, I couldn’t have been looking forward to it more…
Can a love like theirs stand the test of time?
Ellinor lived for adventure, always travelling from one place to the next – until tragedy struck and turned her world upside down. Needing to escape, she accepts an invitation to stay with relatives at their remote Cornish farmhouse.
As Ellinor settles on the outskirts of Calstock, it’s not long before the land and its history have her itching to explore once more. Her search takes her far and wide when an unexpected encounter with an enigmatic, handsome stranger stops her in her tracks.
From the moment they meet, Ellinor knows deep in her soul they share a connection like no other. It’s as if they’ve known each other forever. But no one else has heard of William… Is he all that he claims to be?
Could their love story be written in the stars? Or will past secrets threaten to alter the very future Ellinor has begun to let herself hope for?
A gorgeously heart-warming and romantic timeslip novel that will sweep you off your feet from bestselling author of Into a Cornish Wind. Perfect for fans of Diana Gabaldon, Susanna Kearsley and Nicola Cornick.
At first, this book is very much a contemporary story – the prologue is edgy and particularly gripping. When the book begins we find Ellinor, six months on, struggling to recover from the act of violence she unwittingly became part of, its aftereffects impacting her mental health, her ability to function, and threatening her marriage. She finds considerable solace in nature, and welcomes an invitation to spend a weekend with her cousin and his wife at their fifteenth century Cornish farmhouse – where she finds she has a particular affinity with the area, enjoying the history, the lifestyle, the walks, and visits to the nearby National Trust property at Cotehele. The prospect of her husband making a financial investment and helping with the marketing of the different enterprises they’re getting underway raises the possibility of them moving there permanently – and there’s a dilapidated cottage on the estate that they might be able to purchase and turn into their future home.
Still fragile, she’s nervous in the presence of strangers – builder Jake is a gentle giant, but she’s terrified when she unexpectedly finds him in the farmhouse kitchen. And her relationship with her husband remains badly in need of repair – he’s loving and patient (such a lovely man!), but she still can’t bear his touch or any closeness. But the setting does bring some slow healing, as she feels increasingly at home around her new home under construction and at Cotehele itself – until she finds herself alone in the kitchens, and witnesses a scene from the past with echoes in the present day. And that proves to be the first of the book’s timeslip elements – quite perfectly handled, the historical setting and every interaction as real as the present day.
There’s a real art in constructing a successful time slip story, and I thought the author absolutely nailed it. The mechanics are difficult to get right, the triggers, the transitions – there needs to be a degree of spookiness, a little discomfort and sense of dislocation, and it certainly helps in terms of believability when the main character is more susceptible because of the trauma she’s experienced. Not only are the time slip scenes handled with absolute perfection – especially those sometimes difficult transitions, and the clever mirroring of key characters – but the historical content made for compulsive reading too, the context being pre-Tudor with Buckingham’s rebellion against the reign of Richard the Third, supported by the then owners of Cotehele. And as Ellinor researches the outcome of that rebellion, she learns about its failure – and faces the understandable dilemma of how she can share enough to save the person she’s grown particularly close to without impacting the course of history.
The research required for this book must have been immense, but it wears it lightly – I became happily immersed in the moments of historical politics, much of it unfamiliar, but also enjoyed the vivid recreation of the fifteenth century settings. And it’s not just the history that required research – I was equally fascinated by the recurring motif of the raven, real or imagined, supportive or ominous, and enjoyed the background detail the author included but didn’t allow to slow down the narrative. Another aspect I really liked was the setting, both present day and in the past – the author has a clear love for her county and the beauty and continuity of its natural world, and makes experiencing it a joy. And I haven’t even mentioned the romance, which is always such a strong element in the author’s writing – no details in case I spoil the story in any way, but I found it both intensely moving and entirely convincing. Drawing the threads together and the story to a satisfying close in the present day must have been a particular challenge – I thought it was quite perfect, satisfying and believable, and with an emotional touch that certainly had me wiping away a tear or two.
If you’ve read other books from the author, you might just find this one a little different, and perhaps not quite what you were expecting – the suspension of disbelief needed to enjoy a well-written timeslip, I know, isn’t for everyone – but I really don’t think the author’s writing has ever been better. I entirely loved this book without reservation, and would recommend it really highly.
‘A real find of a book. I stayed up half the night to finish it . . . A gorgeous read, highly recommended’ Elena Collins, The Witch’s Tree
‘I was hooked from the very first page and drawn into this mystical tale. There is romance, danger and ancient magic – perfect. Loved this enchanting story!’ Christina Courtenay, Echoes of the Runes
‘A wonderful timeslip, a tale of love across the centuries, in an exquisitely described setting. I loved every page!’ Kathleen McGurl, The Girl from Bletchley Park
‘Kate’s storytelling has a rare magical quality that carries you away. I was genuinely bereft when the story ended’ Nicola Cornick, The Winter Garden
About the author
Kate Ryder is an international best-selling author of timeslip/magic realism and romantic suspense in a true-to-life narrative. Represented by the Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency, she is published by Embla Books and Aria Fiction. Kate is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Authors.
Summer in a Cornish Cove, a contemporary romantic suspense set on the Lizard Peninsula, gained her a nomination for the RNA’s 2018 Joan Hessayon award, while its standalone sequel, Cottage on a Cornish Cliff, peaked at #1 in Kindle categories in the UK.
Secrets of the Mist, a mysterious timeslip romance, not only achieved #1 Kindle best seller flags in the UK, Canada and Australia, but also reached #49 in Amazon UK Paid Kindle. In its original, self-published version (The Forgotten Promise) it was awarded the first Chill with a Book “Book of the Month”.
Beneath Cornish Skies – a beautiful romance with a shimmer of ghostliness – achieved #1 eBook in the Amazon Australia Kindle Store, peaked at #83 in the Amazon UK Kindle Store and was shortlisted for the RNA Romantic Novel Awards 2022.
Into a Cornish Wind – a contemporary romance with a twist of otherworldliness – published 28 September 2022, and by the end of the day it had bestseller flags on Amazon UK and Australia.
Originally from the South East of England, today Kate lives on the ‘jam-first’ Cornish side of the beautiful Tamar Valley with her husband and a rehomed Bengal-cross cat. When not writing she gravitates towards the coast, theatre, music and art, although the latter always makes her yearn to pick up a paintbrush. But – as there are only so many hours in a day – instead, she paints pictures with words!
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Fantastic review!
Thanks Barbara – really enjoyed yours too! Such a lovely read… xx
There’s something rather special about her writing xx
What can I say that hasn’t been said before? Your reviews are always ‘spot on’ and 5-star in themselves. Thank you, Anne, for always understanding the more subtle nuances in my writing! 🙏
Thank you Kate – I unfailingly love your books, and the reviews are always a pleasure! xx