The Path to the Last House Before the Sea

by Liz Eeles

Alyssa has come to Heaven’s Cove to start life over, changing her name and her profession while harboring a big secret. She lives in a small wooden caravan on Magda’s property. Magda owns an ice cream parlor and returned a number of years ago to be close to her best friend Penny and husband Stan. Magda has her own secret that is eating away at her despite the happy face she presents to the world. Jack is taking a hiatus from his work to help out his dad Stan in the town’s only grocery store, a tiny place that the community depends upon. Their lives become intertwined as an unlikely romance develops between visionary Alyssa and nerdy Jack.

A major thread is Alyssa’s search for clues and information about a 300 year old tale of a missing couple and a smuggling ring. Her search for the truth puts Alyssa and Jack’s lives in danger. Meanwhile Jack is dealing with his soon-to-be ex-wife, her boyfriend, and his beloved adopted son.

Author Liz Eeles weaves all of these threads into a background of a wedding in Heaven’s Cove that the whole community is involved in. The setting is beautiful and the town’s residents are both kind and gossipy at the same time. If you like an interesting plot and characters in a clean novel, The Path to the Last House Before the Sea would be a great choice.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Fiction, Women’s Fiction

Notes: #5 in the Heaven’s Cove Series, but can be read as a standalone. There are characters from previous books who make cameo appearances, but each book in the series has new characters who are the focus of the current book.

Publication: May 18, 2023—Bookouture

Memorable Lines:

A hot wash of shame flooded through him. When had he become so…? He turned into the lane that led past the village green, unable to settle on the right word for his behaviour. Arrogant, maybe? Ignorant? Boorish?

“Three point one four one five nine…” he began to mutter under his breath. Reciting the mathematical constant pi from memory, as far as he could go, always calmed him down. The number was beautiful. It was fixed and unchanging—unlike his life right now.

Alyssa crossed her fingers, just in case, and watched seagulls—tiny white dots—swooping over cottage roofs, and a child’s lost red balloon floating into the sky. The village looked like a spider’s web from up here, with paths going in all directions and the church in the centre.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was the fifth book in a series, and I haven't read the others, but it still worked well as a standalone. I enjoyed it a lot.

Although this is #5 in a series (and I knew I hadn't read any of the others), I still wanted to see if I enjoyed this one as it sounded as if it was a good stand-alone as well as part of a series. I wasn't disappointed and now I do have to find the other 4 books and start from the beginning.

I love the setting and the village Heaven's Cove, love the characters Alyssa and Jack and their stories. The story flowed well, was well written and I just found it an easy read yet it had a bit of everything. Family, friendship, love, mystery and a few twists. It had the depth required but wasn't too heavy.

An enjoyable and entertaining read and I can't wait to read more.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Although this is the fifth in the Heaven’s Cove series, I read it as a standalone without any difficulty. Misunderstanding each other from the start, Alyssa and Jack are an interesting pair who feel a distinct chemistry despite their different approach to life. You realise that their reactions are the result of things that have happened in the past. Alyssa has a mysterious past which she has erased. Jack’s behaviour has its roots in his childhood.

In addition to Alyssa and Jack, there are other friendships which have their own problems. Magda has to decide whether to act on her gut feeling and confess her true feelings to Jack’s Dad or to carry on hiding her emotions. Alyssa’s determination to uncover the truth behind a historical disappearance centuries ago, is driven by her wish to see closure and an instinct that a historical wrong has been made. Set in the coast, the sea is never far from the action and you can almost smell the sea air. This is an uplifting read which looks at relationships and whether you should always be open with your feelings. Some choose to stay within the safety of tangible rules whilst others are spontaneous.

In short: secrets and mysteries with a dose if romance.

I throughly enjoyed this romantic suspense mystery. A good plot with well developed characters. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my book. This is my unbiased review.

4.2 Stars
One Liner: Enjoyable and heartwarming

Alyssa is a former nurse, now living in Heaven’s Cove as a tour guide and part-time worker in a mini supermarket. She rents the caravan in Madga’s backyard and is doing her best to stay away from her past.
Magda is a seventy-plus woman with a successful ice cream parlor and a love for baking. She has been in love with Stan, her best friend, for years but hasn’t yet gathered the courage to share her feelings.
Jack is back in Heaven’s Cove to take a break and care for his father, Stan. Jack’s impending divorce and other troubles make him appear broody and rude.
How will things change when Jack and Alyssa cross paths, and Alyssa finds a map of an old secret connected with Jack’s family history?
The story comes from the limited third-person POV of Alyssa, Jack, and Magda.
Don’t rely on the Goodreads blurb. It’s not 100% accurate.

My Thoughts:
This book is the fifth in the series and reads very well as a standalone. A few recurring characters appear for a brief while (Rosie and Liam finally get married in this book).
The use of three POVs (in the third person) makes it easy to understand their backstories and views without any unnecessary jumps. There’s a prologue from the past, and it connects with the central plot.
The book has sort of enemies to lovers and grumpy vs. sunshine tropes, though the focus is not entirely on romance. It’s one of the subplots and adds an additional flavor to the story.
Jack and Alyssa are easy to understand, though Alyssa’s secret doesn’t feel as complex as it sounds. I did feel a little disappointed here, especially since there isn’t much exploration of the secret or her feeling about it after the reveal. Comparatively, Jack’s track is more defined and clear.
However, Alyssa’s desire to dig deep and find out more about the smugglers and Charity’s death shows how much she needs others to be happy. She is a sweet person, ready to help and support, but respects boundaries.
The writing flows well and sustains a good pace throughout. I could finish the entire book in a couple of hours. It blends a bit of mystery, family drama, friendships, love, etc., to create a wholesome package.
I also love that not everyone gets a perfect happy ever after but still has something to live for and cherish. The ending is bittersweet yet heartwarming. The touch of reality works well in this one. Quite a few types of love are explored seamlessly, each unique yet similar to the other.

To summarize, The Path to the Last House Before the Sea is a beautiful addition to the series and a highly satisfying read. Pick it up when you want something relaxing, entertaining, and touching.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

The Path to the Last House Before the Sea is book 5 in the Heaven's Cove series by Liz Eeles. Even though it's book 5 in a series, this can be read as a standalone book as that's how I read it. I fell love with the seaside town of Heaven's Cove and the people who live there. Alyssa is new to Heaven's Cove and she has left her previous life behind to find peace somewhere else. Alyssa lives in a caravan at the bottom of Magda's yard, a longtime resident. Magda owns the local ice cream shop and bakes cakes and treats as well. She saw something haunted in Alyssa when she arrived and decided to rent her the caravan. Alyssa has been a model tenant paying on time and keeping up with any needs in the caravan. Magda really likes her and enjoys Alyssa's company. Alyssa has to come into Magda's house to use the shower as her caravan doesn't have one.

Alyssa runs a myths and legends tour in Heaven's Cove and really enjoys it. She finds the history of Heaven's Cove to be fascinating and enjoys passing it along to others. Alyssa also helps out Stan, an older man, who owns the town's small grocery store. Between both jobs she's able to pay her rent and have enough for food. One day Alyssa is giving her tour when she spots a good looking man who seems to take offense at the myths and legends that she's telling. She's not sure what to make of him and has no idea why he would take the tour if he didn't believe in such things. He's made some comments and noises that could only be considered rude. When the tour ends, she walks up to the grocery store for her shift. She is surprised when she walks in to find the rude guy from her tour talking to Stan. Turns out the rude guy is Stan's son, Jack. He's in town to help out Stan for a bit as he hasn't been himself of late. Jack is also separated from his wife and misses his son Archie very much!

The book will keep you entertained throughout as it's part romantic comedy, a heartfelt family drama, a book on how to deal with things you regret, how to move on from guilt, and a book that a shows us how to appreciate the little things. I thoroughly enjoyed The Path to the Last House Before the Sea and I think you will too. Why is Alyssa in Heaven's Cove and what is she running from? What has Stan been hiding for too long since his wife died? Does Jack want to get back together with Miri, his wife, even though she's dating someone else? What has Magda been keeping to herself for most of her life? Will she ever tell anyone the truth? Will Alyssa finally feel comfortable enough to share her reason for leaving her old life behind? Will Alyssa find love in Heaven's Cove?

The Path to the Last House Before the Sea will give you all of the feels. It's a great book that I rate 4 stars and highly recommend. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a fair review. #ThePathtotheLastHouseBeforetheSea

The Path to the Last House Before The Sea is the 5th book in the Heaven's Cove series, but each story can be read as a standalone. Although there are some characters that appear in all the books, each story is about different characters. This book introduces us to Alyssa and Jack. Alyssa has run away after a tragedy that occurred when she was working as a nurse. She had lived in Devon for the first five years of her life and was happy there. She lives in a small caravan in Magda's garden and works part-time for Stan, in the local grocer and gives tours featuring magic and myths centered around the area. Jack is in Heaven's Cove because his dad, Stan, is not well. Ever since his mother died eighteen months earlier, his father seems to be going downhill. Even Magda, who has been in love with Stan for over 50 years is worried about him. Jack is also dealing with the dissolution of his marriage and trying to keep his relationship with his son, Archie, intact. Initially, Jack thought Alyssa was a bit weird and definitely not someone he would be interested in, and she thought he was far too uptight for her, but things have a habit of changing when you spend more time with each other.

There are a lot of themes in this story. Found Family, Honesty, Love vs In love, Searching for Truth are all part of this story. There are tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Fake dating as well as a variety of genres: Romance, mystery, Adventure and women's fiction. There is a lot for you to love and many readers will find something they enjoy about this story. The characters are wonderful. They are well-developed and very relatable. At times I thought the story was about to end with a happily ever after, but another thread was yet to be finished. There is a lot of emotion in this story based on unrequited love, illness, grief, breakup of relationships and new friendships. I enjoyed the mystery and adventure plot and I could envision that making a wonderful movie. As with the other books in the series, the setting is amazing. The descriptions of climbing the cliff to watch the sunset had me pining to see it with them. I don't want to give the story away, so will not say much more except to recommend you pick this book up and enjoy it.

The Path to the Last House Before the Sea by Liz Eeles is a gentle romance which grows before anyone realized it. Alyssa had started a business running bus tours out of Heaven’s Cove. They focused on legends and myths, and on ghosts. They were a success and her business was growing, but she still had a part-time job at the Gathergill Mini Mart. She’d had a bad day today: an especially grumpy customer. She lived in a small caravan at the end of Magda’s garden. It was tiny, but suited her. She had run away from a tragedy which she had taken part in and could not face. Wouldn’t you know it. When she got to the store, there was the man. Jack . Turns out he is the son of the owner, Stan Gathergill, who is a friend of Magda’s. It is a very small town. As she got to know him she got to like him better. But, she had a thing about secrets and he had them: a wife and a small son. Magda had them, too: she was in love with Stan and had been for years. But she had also been his wife’s best friend. It all got kind of messy.

Alyssa became intrigued with the thought of smuggling, which had been a big industry here in Heaven’s Cove in the 18th Century. She researched everywhere she could to put together a tour. During that time she had met the woman who owned the “castle,” and would be getting married there in just a couple of weeks. She had already told Magda she would help at the wedding as Magda was catering. Jack’s soon-to-be-ex was going to be there, using the invite they had received as a couple. Jack had already seen her once and to stop her from jabbing at him, he had told her he was seeing someone: Alyssa. It was the first name that came to mind. Alyssa liked Jack and decided to put on a show for the ex. She kissed him. Well, he kissed back. It all got kind of messy. But what a good book it was, with a historical mystery to solve, a case of near-death, Magda’s anger when Alyssa’s advice backfired. Lots of fun.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Path to the Last House Before the Sea by Bookoutre, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #LizEeles #ThePathToTheLastHouseBeforeTheSea

One of my absolute favourite series of books. Book number 5 in Heavens Cove series. This along with the previous books can be read as a standalone as when we meet up with old characters, we get a little history catch up, but to be honest, if you haven't read the previous books, I urge you to do so. As with the other books in the series, I was pulled in from the first line & I couldn't read the book quick enough. An absolute joy to read and an absolute must for Liz Eeles fans.

This is book #5 in the Heaven's Cove series. Whilst it's part of a series, it can easily be read as a standalone book. We return to the little village of Heaven's Cove where we meet Alyssa. Alyssa is fairly new to the village and is running myths and legends tours to the holidaymakers, as well as helping out in the local shop. Jack, after a marriage breakup, has coming back to help his dad, Stan who owns the shop. Jack is initially sceptical of Alyssa, especially after going on one of her myths and legends tours. He definitely believes in proven facts and figures, rather than heresay and legends!

This story was absolutely delightful! I've loved all the books of the series, and this one is just as likeable, if not more! I loved Alyssa and Jack's characters, although it was obvious that they were both hiding something in their lives. Whilst they began as enemies, as such, it was obvious at some point they would end up helpful each other out and I enjoyed following their storylines. The book is told from their perspectives, along with Magda's who is one of Stan's oldest friends.

The storyline flowed along so well! I loved being back in Heaven's Cove, and felt happy to be reading the villagers stories! The tales of smugglers and murders were captivating, and the story of what happened all those years ago, along with what was happening in the present day, had me holding my breath with anticipation! There was plenty of mystery, suspense, love, family and friendships to keep you turning the pages until the very last one! Loved this story! Would definitely recommend!

The Path to the Last House Before the Sea is the fifth book in the Heaven’s Cove series by Liz Eeles. All the books are easily read as standalone stories and they can be read in any order. I have read them as soon as they are available because I enjoy them so much and this latest instalment is no different. It’s a lovely, relaxing read with a beautiful setting and the coastline and cliffs play an important role in the themes of the story. There are a few characters from previous books who reappear, Not in a dominating way but more so in the background so long-time readers can see how they are getting on. Belinda doesn’t appear to have changed at all and is still very much always on the hunt for gossip as she tries to be at the forefront of all the goings on in the village. It was also lovely to see Rosie and Liam come full circle as they celebrate their wedding at Driftwood House. The house has always in some way featured strongly in the books and it does so again here as a mystery/going back to the past element of this new story has the character of Charity living above the village in the house over three hundred years ago. The brief prologue tells us how she steals away one night to give a gift to the man she loves. This forms the basis of the mystery which our new character Alyssa is determined to solve.

Alyssa has been living in the village for six months in a caravan at the bottom of Magda’s garden. Magda is 71 and runs the local ice cream parlour as well as a catering business. The pair have a tentative friendship but as Alyssa is so closed off and guards a deep secret she doesn’t reveal much of herself to Magda just as Magda herself harbours a secret - one of unrequited love. Jack is the son of Stan who runs the local supermarket. He has returned to the village to keep an eye on his dad who is in ill health. He is dealing with the breakup of his marriage and also the loss of his mother several months ago. These three people are the main characters in the story and the chapters alternate back and forth between the trio.

This worked very well and it didn’t at any point feel like I was reading three separate stories as they shared common themes with secrets and not allowing oneself to express how they feel being the common threads they shared. The story as a whole had a lovely pace to it and mixed the old with the new as Alyssa sought to seek redemption to have Charity and her lover Josiah’s name cleared if at all possible. The memorial stone that is on the green in the village claims one thing which in turn has meant Jack has always felt a burden on his family. But Alyssa feels a kinship with the maligned labourer as she too has been on the end of a supposition and she knows it is not pleasant.

Alyssa runs a myths and legends tour of the local area and she meets Jack when he goes on one of the tours. She has fled from a traumatic past which she refuses to reveal any details about to any of the locals but Magda is astute and she knows that Alyssa is hiding something and that living in a small caravan at the bottom of a garden is not normal for a young woman. I had my suspicions as to what had happened with Alyssa that made her so unreadable and like a damaged soul. I was more or less right and when it was revealed it didn’t come across as a major shock and I felt the same when the other characters found out too. By that point, it just felt like a natural revelation that was fitting in well with everything else coming to a resolution/conclusion in the story.

Alyssa first encounters Jack on one of her tours. His snarky comments and rude attitude are certainly not welcome and from the outset he comes across as boorish, stuffy and pedantic. The reasons for this do become clear further on and the reader begins to understand where he is coming from. It sounds silly to say this but I liked the fact that he was a bit different form the usual male character in the women’s romantic fiction genre. He was definitely vulnerable, and it was refreshing to see that for a change. He was a very private person with lots of insecurities and worries and it was so cute and touching that he always recited the mathematical term pi to a certain point as a way of trying to take control over things and in doing this he centred himself and remained calm. In my mind, Jack was haunted by many things and he didn’t have the correct coping skills to deal with things and that’s why he came across in such an awful manner to Alyssa when she first meets him. Secrets can be toxic as each of the three characters soon come to learn and its only when Jack and Alyssa open up to each other due to an unfortunate incident they find themselves in that they start to see that they do have things in common with each other and maybe things could potentially develop into something more?

Poor Magda is the one who I felt so sorry for her as she wrestling with whether to tell Stan, the husband of her best friend Penny (who as I have mentioned has passed away), that she is and always has been in love with him. She was tying herself up in knots over the situation, battling with her conscience over whether to stay quiet or to finally get her feelings out in the open and in turn this was making her cranky with people especially Alyssa. Therefore, I didn’t like the way she spoke to Alyssa at one point but on reflection I could see it was her frustration and anger at the situation coming out and she had to let her annoyance out in some way. Yet, at the same time Magda was like the matriarch of the book and she was always there for Jack to give him advice and would do the exact same for Stan no matter what the outcome would be if she decided to get her feelings off her chest. I thought how this element of the story was handled was really good. It could have been cliched and so easily solvable but I liked how Liz Eeles threw a few curveballs in.

Overall, The Path to the Last House Before the Sea was an entertaining and enjoyable read with a slowly unravelling mystery from the past that helped the characters in the present to find resolutions and acceptance to their own problems. As Liz herself described in her author’s note, it’s an enemies to lovers romance and that really sums this story up perfectly. But whether the path the characters find themselves on in the later half of the story is a smooth or rough one you’ll have to read this delightful book for yourself to discover the answers. Heaven’s Cove is a special place with history and heart and I am loving every book in this series so I was delighted to discover that Liz is hard at work on the next book which is to be set during winter which I hope will mean it’s a Christmas book. Either way, I’m looking forward to it already.

I was totally addicted to this story, it was so well told and compelling to read. A cleverly written story by an author I hadn’t read before. The descriptions blew me away and I was there as I read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Alyssa is a cheerful soul who bounces through life without a care in the world - or does she? This is just the face she shows to the outside world, but she has secrets she can't share....

And then there is Jack, who seems to have missed out on getting a sense of humour at all and is all about the facts, thanks very much.

These two seem to have nothing in common and yet, slowly but surely, they get to know each other and build up a friendship.

This book was beautifully written and I enjoyed the story of these two main characters. I also enjoyed the addition of Madge and Stan, who had their own secrets. Even Mira, Jack's estranged wife who comes into the village with her "friend" Damien in tow adds to the story, even though she is a far from likeable character (unfortunately, I have known women like this!).

The course of true love never runs smooth, that is true enough, but even more so for these people. This book was not a formulaic romance novel, however. It was more about the bonds of friendship, resilience and that real life doesn't come wrapped in a neat little bow.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

Another great story in the Heavens Cove series. Two people running away from life’s problems meet and find a great adventure story. You will love this one.

The Path to the Last House Before the Sea (Heaven's Cove Book 5) is a charming story of fresh starts, new friendships, new loves plus old loves being revealed too. By Liz Eeles this story will carry you away to the Devon coast where you will be wishing you could really be enjoying one of Alyssa’s lovely tours of Heaven’s Cove. New to the area she has immense herself in the myths and legends of the Cove. There she makes a new friend, Magada who has her own secret. Usually it is the older that try their hand at matchmaking but this time the younger is doing a bit of it. Made me smile to read that,

A tale that runs the full range of emotions, heart break, hopefulness, joy and heartwarming. There are surprises that were not unwelcomed and a twist or two as past events became discovered by those in the present. The Path to the Last House Before the Sea is a wonderful read for a summer day or any day that you wished to be sunny.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Once I started this I was hooked.
Such breathtaking descriptions, I want to visit Heaven's Cove for myself with its charming village, seagulls and sea spray. I enjoyed the added mystery which I wasn't expecting so it was a bonus. Be prepared to try to solve the long-ago mystery as told by the tour guide involving myths and legends.
The perfect summer read that captivated me with its warmth. This is a journey you'll really enjoy with second chances, romance, secrets and unexpected twists.
I recommend this series!

Pub Date: 18 May 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This book is number 5 in the Heaven's Cove series. It can be read as a standalone novel but the series is fantastic so I recommend reading all of them. This book features some new characters as well as revisiting characters from the previous books.
I loved reading about the myths and legends in this book, there was a good amount of mystery and twists. It is also an emotional but heartwarming read.
I really enjoyed reading this book.

Alyssa is a former nurse and after experiencing a traumatic event, she decides she needs a fresh start. She arrives in Heaven’s Cove and gets a job giving tours to the visitors. Alyssa befriends Magda an elderly resident of Heaven’s Cove. Magda confides in Alyssa that she has been secretly in love with a man named Stan. Alyssa wants to find Stan so that she can bring the two of them together. But when Alyssa meets Stan’s son Jack, her idea of bringing Stan and Magda together, doesn’t exactly go as planned. Jack is recently divorced so when he first meets Alyssa, he isn’t exactly the nicest guy. But as time goes on and they spend time together he begins to enjoy her company. Alyssa finds an old map of Heaven’s Cove and the map tells a tale of a couple that gave up everything for love. She decides to tell the story to Magda and Stan in an effort to bring them together.

The Path to the Last House Before the Sea by Liz Eeles was an absolutely amazing escape. I loved the relationships of the Magda, Stan, Jack and Alyssa, they were easy to love and they immediately felt like family. I love stories of new beginnings and second chances and this story delivered on all levels. The plot twist and turns make this an unputdownable read. This is book five of the Heaven’s Cove Series, it can be read as a stand-alone but my suggestion is to read the series in its entirety. It is fabulous and I highly recommend it.

What a beautiful book continuing the Heaven's Cove series. I have loved all of the ones in the series, and this latest one is no exception.