Beautiful, emotional and totally unforgettable. A teacher returns to where she hasn't been since she was a kid and when two children's grandmother falls I'll she takes over there care and now has a reason to keep the school open. The emotional rollercoaster I went on with this book is unbelievable!

Charlotte returns to the island that she hasn’t visited since her youth to assess the viability of the school. Shortly after arriving, two of the children in her schoolhouse need a place to stay when their grandmother ends up in the hospital. Charlotte takes them in with help from others in the village.

The story is intertwined with the past in that Charlotte has her grandmother’s letters from World War II. She finds out details and secrets she didn’t know before.

Charlotte knows that her time on the island is coming to a close, but the pull to potentially stay exists as well. The idea of leaving the boys that she has come to love is heartbreaking since she also feels a pull to their stepfather Ash.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #MemoriesoftheCottagebytheSeaTheIslandCottageBook2

A continuation of the series. A great book to curl up with a cuppa tea and enjoy. Present day and back to the war takes you to a great story.

A wonderful story that I thoroughly enjoyed very much!
I loved every minute and didn't put it down until I was finished.
I loved the scenery because I live next to the ocean so I understand the Salty smell. Smells so wonderful!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the oppotunity to read a complimemtary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This is the second book in the Island Cottage series. I read the first book and thoroughly enjoyed it. Right from the cover of this book to the last page I enjoyed reading it. It could easily be read as a stand alone book, but the first book was well worth reading. This book was told in a dual timeline that was well connected and easy to follow. The characters were enjoyable and for that reason it was a quick read. Charlotte comes to Morwen Island for a job opportunity after a bad break-up for a change of view and to try to heal. As Charlotte settles in she remembers more and more of when she and her grandmother used to go to the Island. The second timeline is in the time of WWII, where a young woman finds her courage on the same small island. Ultimately this book is about strength and love. Cannot wait for the third book..

This book is the second in The island Cottage series. Having not read the first book in the series, I had to play catch-up at the beginning but very quickly, that disadvantage was overcome. The story takes place in two different times but they are woven together quite skillfully. A delightful read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it!
I requested this book at first based on the title, then the cover, then the first few lines of the synopsis.
I hadn’t yet read anything else by the Author. The first page quickly satisfied me that I was going to enjoy her writing style.
There is a warm, wistful clarity in the manner in which the Author presents the telling of each of the two timelines, And yet, there is a subtle difference in each that allows the reader to easily differentiate between the timelines.
The story was absolutely engaging, heartwarming, emotional and enticing.
Well done!
I would recommend this book!
I can’t wait to read others by this Author.
Thankyou to Author Rebecca Alexander, Bookouture and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!
🤗🌸📚 @lastnownext

Fantastic, dual time and the second in this series. Wonderful to be back to be able to read more of the Cottage by the Sea. Well worth 5 stars and more.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

A really lovely book. Wonderful contrast in the story between the war and present day. I loved how the relationship developed between Charlie and the boys. Very readable.

hank you Bookouture for involving me in the book blog!

The story begins with Charlotte Kingston who is heartbroken and moved to this fictional island where she used to spend with her grandparents. The school is on the verge of closing and Charlotte takes in two boys under her wing. While in the island, she learns more about her grandmother about her life during the WWII

This is the first book I have read of this author and is the second book of the series though this is the first time I have read from this author. The book was beautifully written, dividing the timeline between the present and the past set during the WWII. Though I am not really a fan of romance novels, I actually enjoyed reading this book–there were some emotional parts but overall, this was an unputdownable book. The characters are all strong women particularly Charlotte’s grandmother. The writing was really good and the author did a great job of drawing the reader into the story, making the reader feel like they are also a part of the story.

If you are looking for a heartwarming, emotional book which is unputdownable, I hightly recommend you to try this book out–worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture.

I loved this heartwarming story of the family we are born with versus the family we make for ourselves. I am such a believer that the family we make for ourselves is vital in our lives. It’s told in dual timelines of the present and in 1940 and as they usually do, they end up intertwining. I love a book that presents second chances and a chance for redemption. I connected easily with the characters and while I started out favoring the present day story a little more, I was quickly invested in the past too.

The story is beautifully written, and I was emotional at times while reading it. This is the second book in the series and while I haven’t read book one, I had no issues following the story in this one. But I do plan on finding and reading book one.

If you are looking for an uplifting story that you will feel, I’d give this one a try.

After enjoying book 1 – Secrets of The Cottage By The Sea, I was keen to read the next one in the series and am happy to report that I wasn’t disappointed.

The story in present time, follows Charlotte who has come to the island for the first time after the death of her grandmother, to sort out things with the local school. In a dual timeline, the story is of her grandmother’s life during WWII.

As Charlotte tries her best to heal from heartache and do her duty by the school and her new wards, she reads the letters of her grandmother’s brave choices in love and life. Empowered by this, she makes her own decisions to be brave.

Another lovely story of loss, love, community by this author, that features strong women lead characters.

This story is just such a great read
I hope it is one soon you'll need!
I'm trying not to give any spoilers here
So I'll keep this short because of that fear!

What a fascinating, dual timeline family drama this story proved to be,
One timeline set in the Second World War, the other contemporary.
The same family with two dramas, two generations apart,
A story of secrets, love and sweethearts!

There's other family dramas involving children, too,
Inspiring and emotionally charged all the way through.
With cyphers, memories and a close knit, island community,
A brilliant read, I hope you'll see and agree!

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I throughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.

A dual timeline story echoing the past in the present. The prologue and the first two chapters introduce a lot of characters and left me a little confused. But carry on to get to the heart of the novel and how Charlotte’s discovery of secrets from the past will impact her life going forward.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW


Review for 'Memories Of The Cottage By The Sea' by Rebecca Alexander.


Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Rebecca Alexander, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous


Publication date 16th January 2023.


This is the first book I have read by this author. It is also the second book in 'The Island Cottahe' series but can be read as a standalone.'

I was originally drawn to this book by its stunning cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'An absolutely beautiful, emotional and unforgettable read, perfect for fans of twisting family dramas, and for those who enjoy the novels of Debbie Macomber, Fiona Valpy and Nancy Thayer.' I am a huge fan of Debbie Macomber so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).


This novel consists of a prologue, 69 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!


This book is based in the fictional Morwen Island and Paris, France 🇫🇷.

This book is written in third person perspective and the protagonists are Charlotte Kingston and Jenny. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.


'Memories Of The Cottage By The Sea' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Rebecca discusses/includes war.


WOW!!!! What can I say?!?! One thing I have got to say before getting into my review is clear your schedules and grab the tissues as you will need them!!!


This book is beautifully written with vivid descriptions setting the picture perfectly in the readers mind. The title, description and cover works perfectly with the storyline.


This book is devastatingly heartbreaking and beautiful. It is an absolute rollercoaster ride of emotions filled with heartbreak, family, love, loss, secrets, friendship, war, caring, moving on, and so much more. Rebecca's writing and descriptions are so evocative I really felt I was write next to both Charlotte and Jenny during the present and past. Reading this book really does make you feel that you are standing with them and going through their pain, love, struggles and suffering. While you are reading this you are going through a journey of love and loss, heartbreak, secrets, love, and forgiveness and so, so much more. It really is a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I was utterly glued to the pages and I could not bring myself to put it down. I was carrying my phone to read it on kindle every chance that I got and I had tears absolutely streaming down my face by the time the gorgeous, heartbreaking and heartwarming ending(s) came. I was completely mind blown at the end and just when I thought I had run out of tears they started pouring out again. Rebecca has clearly done her History research. Well done Rebecca as there's nothing much worse that reading a novel filled with silly errors as the author hasn't done any research. It definitely gives you something to think about in regards to the sacrifices many made during the war and shows you how much emotion and strength is involved from both Charlotte and Jenny as well as their families to move from one place that is warm and bustling to somewhere that is isolated and cold and yet your expected to jump straight in to a new community and new lives. I absolutely adored the atmosphere of Morwen and the community spirit in the village. Rebecca made the Island come alive and living in a village myself she portrayed the life perfectly, especially the no secrets part as everyone knows everyone else and their business!! The two stories are woven together perfectly and each of the chapters ended in a way I just HAD to know what was going to happen next!! You need to clear your schedules and get the tissues at the ready because you will not be able to put this book down and it had me in tears by the end and I do not cry easily!!! This is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time and I cannot wait to jump straight into the next book in this absolutely stunning series 'Dreams Of The Cottage By The Sea' as well as the first and previous book 'Secrets Of The Cottage By The Sea'.

Although this is the second book in the series I had would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.

It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.


It is always worrying when starting a new series as you have no idea who the characters are. It is very important for me to bond with not only the lead protagonists but also any characters that may make repeat appearances during the series too.

The characters are strong, realistic and I became completely invested in both Charlotte and Jenny. I felt each of their pain, heartbreak, betrayal, guilt , anger, sorrow and so much more My heart broke for each of them who went through so much change and more (but I can't say more as I don't want to spoil the storyline for anyone) . Both women were such strong protagonists and being female myself I live seeing strong kick butt women fighting for what they believe in. Although it was mainly through Charlotte and Jenny's eyes that the story unfolds there are several many other characters that were affected by all the changes and the emotions charging through the characters and I was completely invested in Beau, Billy, Laurie, Aunt Helen, Ash, Madame Boiteux, Lisette,Merryn, Rhiannon and many of the other characters who all came to life every time I turned a page. My heart went out to Beau and Billy especially who was clearly struggling with all the changes and everything that was going on along with being just children. Rebecca does an absolutely amazing job of bringing the community of Morwen Island to life and creates a perfect village life community with a vast arrange of characters and personalities. I won't say anymore about the characters as I don't want to go into too much detail at the risk of spoiling it for other readers but yet again Rebecca has done another amazing job at bringing each of the characters to life. Well done Rebecca !!!


Congratulations Rebecca on an absolutely gorgeous, heartbreaking beautiful book!!! I am looking forward to reading more of your previous and future books especially the rest of the books in what promises to be a stunning series. I would absolutely love to see this book and series turned into a movie!!! Welcome to my favourite historical author list and here's to your next success 🥂


Overall an absolutely unputdownable, thought provoking, addictive and compelling devastatingly beautiful, heartwarming and heartbreaking book!!!



Genres covered in this book include Women's Friendship Fiction, Women's Contemporary Fiction, Women's Romance Fiction, Romance, Women's Sagas, Historical Fiction, Romance Novel, Family Drama, Sagas, General Fiction, Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Women's Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Contemporary Romance Fiction and amongst others.



I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Fiona Valpy, Lucinda Riley, Barbara O’Neal.
, Jojo Moyes, Debbie Macomber, Susanne O’Leary, Pamela Kelly, Nancy Thayer. Amanda Prowse, Diane Chamberlain and anyone who loves a page turner.



355 pages.


This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free on kindle unlimited and £8.99 in paperback at time of review, via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!


Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.


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I thoroughly enjoyed Memories of the Cottage by the Sea by Rebecca Alexander. Charlotte Kingston is in dire need to make some major changes in her life. After her long-term relationship comes to an end, she is left to try to find a way to put her broken heart back together. A job comes up on the beautiful Morwren Island. She hasn’t been back there since her grandmother’s funeral. She jumps at the opportunity to leave her life behind and put as much distance as possible between herself and her ex-boyfriend, Zach. When she arrives on the isolated, picturesque Scillian Isle, she immediately remembers her time there as a child, living with her grandmother. Now she wants to know everything she possibly can about this beautiful island. She was hired to go there and close the local school, but she also knows that this is the change she needs in her life. The more she discovers about the island and the people living there, the more she realizes it’s exactly the perfect place for her. When she finds a bundle of letters that her grandmother wrote, from World War 2, Charlotte had a new reason to be there, to decode the letters. The letters make known many truths, and a surprising secret. This heart-warming and inspiring story of family, courage, second chances and hope is just what I needed.

The past meets the present in this wonderfully written dual timeline. I found the timelines to be so well written, and the author didn’t cause any confusion in writing them. I loved this rapid read that I absolutely could not bring myself to put it down once I began reading it. I love the way this author, Rebecca Alexander, writes her stories. The story flows so well that I thought I was watching a movie on the big screen instead of reading a book. What a great movie this would be. I am loving this series, and I can’t wait for the third book to be released. I enjoyed it very much and I highly recommend it.

Charlotte Kingston is at a crossroads in her life. After ending a long-time relationship, she's sent to Morwen Island, a place she hasn't visited since her grandmother's funeral. As a school inspector, she's there to write a report, to see if the small school should be kept open. It's a straightforward job, as the school has two pupils. However, when Charlotte meets the children, and their families and uncovers secrets from her grandmother's past, is closing the school the right decision to make, or is there more than one reason for it to remain open and for her to stay on the island she loves?

Jenofeve "Jenny" Huon lives in Usant at the time the Germans invaded and occupied France. As someone who speaks the native language of Breton, French, as well as English and some Cornish, she is quickly recruited to translate messages for the resistance movement by Laurie Byers. However, as she falls under the radar of Kriminaldireftor Wolfgang Albrecht, she is in danger, as are others on the island…

This is another beautifully written novel by Ms. Alexander and this novel triggered so many emotions, as the narrative flows effortlessly between 1940 and the present. In the past, we are confronted with the fear of the unknown versus the anticipation of the unexpected as we hold our breath as Jenny and the Keller family attempt an escape from Ushant under the noses of the German occupiers of the small Breton Island. Equally, the present is emotionally charged, as Charlotte's daily routine becomes more complicated, as her life takes on a new direction.

The author does a tremendous job of building these emotions, keeping the readers' adrenalin flowing and causing an occasional tear to fall. The result is a stunning blend of the past and the present set against two beautiful backdrops.

This is the second novel in the Cottage by the Sea series and can be read as a stand-alone. As someone who has read The secrets of the Cottage by the Sea, I heartily recommend that one too.

***arc generously received courtesy of Bookouture via NetGalley***

Having read book one, Secrets of the Cottage by the Sea, I was excited to read Memories of the Cottage by the Sea (book two) and I was hooked from the first page! Author, Rebecca Alexander, writes her books with amazing descriptions from the landscape to the characters. I really want to visit her imaginary island, Morwen. If there were 6 starts available, I'd give it 6 so I have on my social media!

What an inspiring story of love, courage and redemption! Rebecca has once again captured the spirit and heart of a people living on an island. She tells us in her notes that her imaginary setting, Morwen, is based on a village where she lives in the southwest of England and it reflects the many islands off that coast. This ideal landscape for this dual time line story certainly provides a rich tapestry with its stunning views and deep, profound history. Yes, ‘the cobbled alleys, narrow roads and tiny cottages’ are bursting with memories and exciting stories waiting to be discovered and re-told. For this ancient land has seen many faces and changes over the centuries.

In the present timeline, we meet Charlotte Kingston: a teacher who has just experienced a painful break up from a long term relationship. To put some distance between her and her surfer boyfriend, Zach, she snatches an opportunity to take up a temporary position at Morwen. Their island school must close and she has been given the difficult task of preparing for this event.

This is not Charlotte’s first visit to the island but it has been a long time. She has not been there since her summer holidays with her grandparents. Memories and echoes from the past come flooding back to her mind as she crosses over on the ferry. I must declare that the opening passages of Present Day, 16 March are quite moving, and pulled my heart immediately into the story. My senses were heightened by the wonderfully written descriptions Rebecca offers.

During the onset of this challenging task of cleaning up the school and preparing it for the worst case scenario, Charlotte encounters two boys who are in need of her assistance when their grandmother falls ill and they have nowhere to go. As she becomes closely connected to their lives, the experience opens her heart to new feelings and a new purpose. She also meets Ash, a man who has a past with the boys and their mother. Can she trust him with their care and her heart? Is what they say about him true? Charlotte must make some difficult choices in her personal life but also for the children and the school and whether she should believe in second chances.

The historical timeline was intriguing. The distant past enters the present, when Charlotte attempts to decode her grandmother’s letters from WW2. This action reveals some surprising truths. And a secret. How will that revelation affect her own decisions? The second timeline is well played out in separate chapters and Jenny’s story is a moving one of sacrifice and courage. We are always conscious of the trials many people faced when Hitler invaded their lives.

Memories of the Cottage by the Sea is a story of family and what that means, not only of those who are blood bound but also those who were once strangers but have been adopted into our lives. The characters show how the latter can have just as strong a connection. A heart of love can often stretch beyond its regular boundaries. Sometimes it can motivate or inspire us to choose the unexpected option. Sometimes those feelings arise from a need to be connected to another human being and can bring new ‘bloodlines’ into our lives. This story shows both the blood and adoptive. And how the latter can offer beauty, freshness and healing in relationships. Fierce and protective instincts may arise, too, just as it did for Charlotte with her surprising love for these two boys. In fact, Charlotte's need for love and family awakens on the island in the arms of these tender boys and with their past step parent.

Even though at times, loss fills these pages and reveals the emptiness that it brings, it also demonstrates how love moves in like spring sunshine into aching hearts and delivers positive results by the story’s end. This is a rich and uplifting journey where a woman draws strength from the villagers. You get to see a real sense of community on this island where everyone knows each other. In many ways, the islanders are like a big family with all their various personalities learning to work and live together.

The journey through this novel was satisfying and inspiring. Past and present are carefully executed. Charlotte ends up in places she never dreamed. And the past storyline with Jenny, renders surprises and relief, too. The ending left me uplifted on all accounts. Memories of the Cottage by the Sea has touched my heart and will not be forgotten. I highly recommend it. And if you have not read book 1 of the series, you must! 5 Stars

Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for a review copy.

This book started off well enough but the poor writing and the lack of character development left it lacking