I'm very excited to be part of the blog tour today for The Secret Seaside Escape by Heidi Swain. The ebook is out now and you can click here to order your copy now. I have a review to share with you today but don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour for more exclusive content and reviews.
Here's what it's all about...
Tess Tyler needs a break. Weighed down by her high-pressure job and her demanding father, she’s left little time to take care of herself. But after a shocking discovery sends her spiralling, she flees to Wynmouth, the seaside town she fell in love with as a child, to escape it all.
With its sandy beaches, stunning rock pools and welcoming community, Tess feels like she can finally breathe again. And as she grows ever closer to local barman Sam, she dares to dream that she might never return to her real life. But when a familiar face returns to town, Tess realises that there are secrets in Wynmouth too, and that her own past may be about to catch up with her . . .
Review: Well this was a welcome escape from the real world. Heidi Swain always lets you delve deep into her worlds, walk along with her characters and enjoy some really tasty meals in the coffee shops and pubs that she creates and it is always a welcome escape to me.
I really enjoyed this new coastal setting in the Wynbridge worlds. Although this is not a Wynbridge novel you can tell that this all takes place in the same world and I know that characters from Heidi's previous novels will have walked these shores and been tempted by this coffee shop too.
As well as this book having a great setting it also has a lot to say about slowing down and taking a moment to breathe in this technology saturated more is more world. I really liked how Heidi picked up this theme and really illustrated how damaging it can be trying to keep up in the corporate world and never switching off because our emails are on our phones and our employers can reach us at any time.
I think the fact that this novel has the message of slowing down and taking a moment to smell the rose does mean that it moves at a slower pace to previous Heidi Swain books. I feel like it took me longer to get to the crescendo and the ending than in some of the Wynbridge novels where there is always a hive of activity and multiple characters are living their own drama filled storylines. I don't think there was an issue with the pacing, it is just slower than I have come to expect from a Heidi Swain book.
Tess was a really fun character to spend this novel with because she really seems to know herself. She has been on a trajectory that she thought that she loved and she thought that she wanted but actually when she takes a step back ans examines that, she knows deep down that something has to give. I really liked how family oriented she is as well. She has a great loyalty to her family and yet they haven't always been there for her the way they should have.
There are some other wonderful characters we get to meet in this novel too. Sophie has the aforementioned coffee shop that we know will always feature in some way or another in a Heidi Swain novel and her daughter Hope share a definite affinity for making things bigger and better with main character Tess. And then there are Joe and Sam. Each mysterious in their own way, we can tell there is going to be some romance where these guys are concerned.
If you're looking for a seaside escape then this novel literally tells you that's what it's going to give you on the front cover. This is a nice break from a lot of the recent 'coastal' novels that are all set in Cornwall. It was nice to have a sleepy setting, an interesting cast and of course Heidi's Swains infamous signature dishes. Don't read this unless you have access to some snacks and possibly a pint! I really recommend this book.
Thanks so much to Heidi for stopping by the blog today!
No comments:
Post a Comment