Guest Review: A Postcard from Puffin Island by Christie Barlow

Verity Callaway is running away.

From her job.

From her quiet life in the Midlands.

And most of all from her ex-fiancée…who has just become her newest neighbour.

The plan is simple: hop in her reliable camper van and cross the Channel, headed for a rendezvous with her best friend in Amsterdam to kick off six months of travel. But when Verity stumbles across a decades-old postcard while preparing her cottage for its temporary tenants, her life takes an unexpected turn, and she finds herself on a ferry to Puffin Island instead.

Verity’s childhood was filled with tales of adventures set on the picturesque island, but she’d always thought her beloved granny had made it all up. Now, knowing the stories and the setting were real, Verity is determined to find the postcard’s sender and uncover the secrets of her grandmother’s past…even if it means setting off a sequence of events that will change not just her own life, but also that of the sleepy island’s close-knit community…

Review: This is the first book in a new series from this author, whose Love Heart Lane series was a favourite of mine. The stories in this new series are set on a small island off the north-east coast of England accessed by a causeway that can be crossed safely only at certain states of the tide. As its name suggests, the island is home to a large colony of puffins.

The main female character in this story, veterinary assistant Verity Callaway, is about to set off in her camper van for Amsterdam where she will pick up her friend and they will go travelling for 6 months. Preparing her house for the tenants who would live there in her absence, Verity finds a postcard addressed to her late grandmother from someone living on Puffin Island. Verity’s grandmother used to tell her stories about a place called Puffin Island; only now does she realise that it is in fact a real place. While intending to board the ferry for Amsterdam, Verity finds that she has time to visit Puffin island first. Her plans change when instead of staying on the island overnight, she gets stuck there when her camper van is damaged. When her friend backs out of the planned trip, Verity stays put and gradually becomes involved in island life. As she gets to know more of the island’s residents, including the puffins, and falls under the spell of the island itself, Verity realises that she is becoming less and less inclined to leave. Looking into the mystery of the sender of her grandmother’s postcard, she also uncovers more secrets from the island’s past.

This was a lovely story with an idyllic setting, lots of sweet little puffins (even if they had sharp little beaks!), interesting characters and some romance to boot. It was fascinating following Verity on her adventure, leaving behind her old life and unpleasant memories to try and solve a mystery from long ago. She certainly wasn’t afraid to take a chance and follow her heart. I’m looking forward to learning more about Puffin Island and the people who live there. The author has included a map of the island with notable locations marked, suggesting many more stories to come.

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