Guest Review: Meet me at Beachcomber Bay by Jill Mansell

Love is in the air in St Carys, but you'd never know it - the people of this seaside town are very good at keeping secrets...

The man Clemency loves belongs to someone else. She has to hide her true feelings - but when she ropes in an unsuspecting friend to help, wires start to get crossed.

For the first time in Ronan's life his charm has failed him in winning over the woman he wants. Loving her from afar appears to be his only option.

Belle seems to have the perfect boyfriend, but something isn't quite right. And now a long-buried secret is slowly rising to the surface.

The truth has a funny way of revealing itself, and when it does St Carys will be a very different place indeed...

 

Review: This is just my second Jill Mansell book. I wanted to read it immediately I heard it was on its way, and in the end listened to the audio version while on holiday. It is really a perfect summer holiday companion, easy to read but not so easy to put down. It deals with an amazing range of topics and has a healthy dose of humour alongside its more serious content. 

In the book, Jill takes us back to the lovely Cornish seaside village of St Carys. The story contains a whole host of strong characters, including some familiar faces for readers of previous works. The central players are stepsisters Clemency and Annabelle (or Belle), related through marriage, but a bit like chalk and cheese. However, although these are the main protagonists, other characters have their own well-described back stories and storylines told in depth, making for a well-rounded narrative and never a dull moment. There's a surprise around every corner. 

There are so many strong figures in this story, it would be difficult to pick out a favourite.  I really liked estate agent Clemency and her work colleague, Roman, but I actually disliked stepsister Annabelle until it became apparent why her behaviour made her so difficult. The other characters in the story were all likeable and interesting. I thought the way in which the author had their storylines intertwined was pure genius and really kept the reader's interest.

I would really recommend this heartwarming story to anyone looking for something to pack away for a good holiday read. If you haven't read any Jill Mansell, I'm sure it would be a great place to start. 

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