It’s such a pleasure today to be helping launch the blog tour for Making Memories at the Cornish Cove, the third book in Kim Nash’s lovely Cornish Cove series, and sharing my publication day review. Published today (17th April) by Boldwood Books, it’s now available as an e-book (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback, and as an audiobook. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance e-copy (provided via netgalley).
You’ll already know that I’ve loved Kim’s writing from her very first book – just pop her name into the search bar and you’ll find reviews of every single one, with her writing just getting better and better. This series is now a “must read” for me – the first, the gorgeous Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove, was the book hug we all at need at times, with an escape to the seaside, the warmth of Meredith’s new friendships, and that fantastic chemistry between her and handyman Clem (you can read my review again here) and the second, Finding Family at Cornish Cove was even more wonderful, with the same fantastic setting and well drawn characters, with relationships that made me smile but also sometimes brought a tear to my eye (you’ll find my review here). And this time it’s Lydia’s story – someone I was really looking forward to getting to know a little better…
It’s never too late…
After five husbands and five broken hearts, Lydia feels like she’s always been chasing something. But now she’s found her purpose, and having moved to Driftwood Bay to spend more time with her daughter Meredith, she’s happier than ever.
But there’s still life in these old bones yet! With her newfound sense of identity, she’s keen to re-explore the things that made her happy as a younger person. Lydia’s passion was dancing – she used to compete in her younger years, and there’s no place she’s more at home than on the dancefloor.
So when widower and antiques restorer Martin tells her about a big dance competition, she’s ready and raring to bring more joy into her life. But while making memories with Martin, the more she realises that both of their hearts need restoring too…
Just sometimes, a book turns out to be everything you could possibly want it to be. The author’s writing, the characters she creates, the settings, the way she makes you feel – they’ve always made me love her books, but this one was something particularly special.
When Lydia, Meredith’s mother, first arrived in Driftwood Bay, she was a rather less than sympathetic character with a fractured relationship with her daughter – but she was ready to stay around and work on making amends for the selfishness of her past, and they’re very slowly achieving that mother-daughter closeness they’d both rather like. With five marriages behind her, Lydia is now in her seventies and determined not to fade into old age. She’s happier than she’s ever been, fiercely independent and self-sufficient (which can bring problems at times) – but she understands the importance of friendship and support, with the lovely Celia living next door (until she decides to spread her wings with an extended holiday, to be replaced by her sister Dianne – insisting on her two n’s, and just perhaps not quite as lovely…) and Martin (the father of Meredith’s partner Clem, still getting over the loss of his wife) always around for her to share thoughts and concerns. When a parcel arrives, a box found by her last husband when clearing the attic, it brings back so many memories, including the pleasure she used to find in dancing – and a forthcoming competition (with Martin as a rather less than accomplished partner) will provide the opportunity to get her dancing shoes out again.
But the book focuses on the wider community too – Gemma and her now thriving seafront cafe, her sister Lucy with her new baby, Meredith’s struggles with the change of life (and its impact on her relationship with Clem – and his reaction to it all, that only made me love him more than I already did…), and local character Vi who is giving all the signs of struggling a little. Every single character is quite wonderfully drawn and entirely real, however peripheral to the story – and the bonds and ties between them quite perfectly captured. But I had a particular affinity with Lydia – she was so very easy to identify with (ok, other than the five husbands…), her voice clear, authentic and consistent, her thoughts and fears very recognisable and with real resonance to any reader of a similar age. Oh, if only I had a Martin though – through sharing her early morning yoga on the beach, the preparations for the dance competition, and working alongside him at the “repair shop” he’s set up in the local church, their friendship slowly deepens and I absolutely loved every moment.
The author’s emotional touch is absolutely perfect – there’s plenty of lightness and humour but this was a book that really made me feel, written from the heart, with people I really grew to care about. And yes, there were moments that brought a tear to my eye too – especially, but certainly not exclusively, where the mother-daughter relationship was the focus. With the warmth that radiates from its pages, the fresh starts and second chances that were so moving and believable, and the individuals who became my closest friends, this was a book that I entirely loved – read it as a standalone, or as part of the lovely series, but it’s a book I really can’t recommend enough.
About the author
Kim Nash is the author of uplifting, funny, heartwarming, romantic, feel-good fiction and has wanted to write books since she was a little girl. The Cornish Cove series is set in the fictional seaside village of Driftwood Bay in Cornwall and is published by Boldwood Books. She lives in Staffordshire with son Ollie and English Setter rescue dog Roni, is Digital Publicity Director for publisher Bookouture (division of Hachette UK), and is a book blogger at www.kimthebookworm.co.uk.
When she’s not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog at Cannock Chase, reading, writing and binge-watching box sets on the TV.
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