Summer in a Cornish Cove: The perfect beach read for summer (The Cornish Romance Series Book 1)

This book is gripping, I could not put it down, what is going to happen, when and who to? The tension is built beautifully. Highly recommended

Loved read ing this book and remembering the places I've been in Cornwall

Although I’ve given this book four stars, and I did enjoy it, I have to admit it was rather cliched! The two main characters were a handsome, hunky actor and a beautiful (angelic, inside and out!) young widow. This was emphasised many, many times! But Oliver was clearly also pretty stupid, inviting an obviously disturbed young woman into his bedroom, “just to talk”, and then allowing her just the comfort- ahem - of sleeping next to him. What could possibly go wrong? Of course, it did, big time, and ended with said young woman dying in the arms of the angelic Cara. Oliver naturally falls in love with Cara, but oh dear, he’s already married to the long-suffering Deanna. I felt Deanna got a rough deal here and felt very sorry for her. Don’t want to spoil the ending, which was for me rather sudden and unexpected and just a little twee. But how dare I make fun of it when I absorbed it eagerly and read it in 24 hours. For all its cliches it was very readable and sweet and sad in parts, so yes, 4 stars and an enjoyable read.

The sign of a good book is when you find you cannot put it down. When you find the characters insinuating themselves into your unconscious and manipulating your emotions. You become a silent witness to their tangled lives because you have become a part of their world. You laugh with them, cry with them, feel their frustrations and fears. Kate Ryder's second book, 'Cry of the Gulls', is just such a book. Oliver Foxley is a film star, handsome, admired and at the pinnacle of his career, yet he has been dogged by depression all his life. When he and his strong, attractive but subtely possessive wife, Deanna, holiday in Cornwall, everything changes for Oliver when he discovers a painting in a little gallery. The artist is Cara Penhaligan, a young widow who lives on a cliff top with her two children. She is devastated by the death of her husband, but her untamed spirit and her unique talent, have sustained her throughout her ordeal. Inevitably Cara and Oliver are moving steadily towards their destiny, but before Oliver returns to Cornwall, he goes to a retreat, trying to combat the depression which threatens to overwhelm him. There he meets his nemesis. Sylivie has been obsessed by Oliver Foxley for a long time and her delight at seeing him there at the retreat, accessible and seemingly available, her obsession takes a dark and dangerous turn. The writer weaves a skilful heart lurching story full of surprises, as it twists and turns. But one of the things that stands out is the sensitivity that Sue Ryder shows in her treatment of mental illness. Balanced with this, however, are delightful glimpses of glorious Cornwall, parties on the beach, a night at the wonderful Minack theatre on the cliffs, and a host of interesting and often lovable characters. Oliver and Cara will stay in my mind for a very long time.

A fantastic read something different in the story of how simple things can just happen and life is all about acting .With a page turning read I struggled to put it down .

Good story with a sad ending

The positives - lovely portrayal of Cornwall, the story had potential and author is good at at descriptive writing. Bad points - sorry but no one is as perfect as Cara the main character lovely though she may be, and the first time the 'golden glow eminating from her' or maybe even the second was okay, but then it was repeated again and again and again - what was she an angel? It was as though the author was trying to depict her aura as some ethereal being which was totally inappropriate for this type of story. Then we had the bunny boiler - not my favourite type of character at the best of times, and this one was not dealt with appropriately in any way - by anyone including the author. . And Greg, what on earth was that all about? He clearly had some other agenda and his repeated kissing her was sleazy, sickening and left a very uncomfortable feeling, and no way would Cara have accepted that. But then he just vanished - disappeared - never to be heard of again? What???Then we finally get to the Epilogue when authors (usually) use the opportunity to tie up loose ends and give their story the ending this type of beach read/chick lit book should have but no not here, in fact it actually leaves you with far more questions than answers and frankly was quite unbelievable. I don't know whether this is supposed to be one of a group of books deliberately leaving a cliff hanger (not a particularly good one) so that you buy their next book, but if so it should have been made clear at the start - I really hate that sort of trickery and out of principle never buy the follow on if that happens. If, as described it was supposed to be a stand alone book, well the loose ends meant that the idea miserably failed.

I've read a couple of this authors other books and really enjoyed them however this one is just a bit annoying and the ending a bit disappointing. I like Cara's character but Oliver is just so annoying especially with how he dealt with Sylvia and even his wife. I did like the general storyline and the Cornish setting was lovely but honestly the golden glow for a bit too much.