Sadie had a difficult childhood. Her father, who rejected her, has passed away and left Sadie an inheritance. This has romance and suspense, and I truly enjoyed it!

Many thanks to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for an audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I see lots of reviewers enjoyed this audiobook more than I did so don’t let my review put you off giving it a go. I initially struggled with the narrator, it wasn’t the accent since we get exposure to Australian accents here in the UK and I rather like them, I can’t quite put my finger on it, something to do with the intonation I think. It wasn’t a gripping start but I did enjoy it on the end.

This was a cute book with lots of promise. I see there are many people that were swept away by it but sadly I had a hard time getting into it. I don’t know if it was the jumping between past and present so much or the narrator but it was hard to get through. Cute ending with lots of promise for a sequel for so many that gave it 5 ⭐️.

Love, loss, lies, estrangement, misunderstandings and coming home are some of the themes in this beautifully written story, Sadie returns to Rivers End after many years to help her mom after the death of her father, a very controlling and unkind man. Her mother is of course still mourning and seemingly broken, but in a short time her mother rediscovers herself, what makes her happy and the joy in living. She also has it in her head to play matchmaker for Sadie. Sadie is a documentarian and investigator and spends her career trying to make the world a better place by helping those in need of her work. She is quite good at it. Then while out on a walk through the town, which has changed a lot in her time away, she meets Rebecca, a neighbor who has her own issues and is trying to live a quiet life after having been torn away from her beloved father and brother as a young girl. She’s lived a life of solitude and sadness mostly in hiding due to her circumstances. Sadie, knows she needs to dig in to Rebeccas story as she has come to adore her and knows something is amiss so she digs in. The story is overall both heartbreaking and love filled. The story is told in flashbacks and current times and is an emotional listen that is worth every second of your time to listen or read. the narration was wonderful and added to the experience. This was my first but his author and I am officially a big fan of hers.

3.5 stars rounded up. Warm cozy mystery, slow to get going for me, did finally grab me and ends with a nice warm hug and a few surprises. Can’t wait to see the next in the series and thankful to Netgalley and Dreamscape elect for my advanced audio copy in exchange for my honest review. Narration was great, easy to follow, alternating timelines from present to 62 years ago, ties together well and didn’t have any trouble following.

I was not able to finish The Cottage at Whisper Lake by Phillipa Nefri Clark. The story was engaging and I enjoyed learning about who Rebecca/Becky was, but for some reason I could not fully get into this book. Maybe it was the narration, maybe it was too much jumping back and forth between past and present. I completed 70% of the audiobook, so I felt that was enough to leave a review. Others have left 5 stars reviews so I encourage you to give it a chance ... unfortunately, this book was just not for me. 

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select, Storm Publishing for an early copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Phillipa Nefri Clark is one of my authors that I will read every book she writes! This story is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time and it is beautifully written. The Cottage at Whisper Lake is the first in the Temple River series and I can't wait to read the next book! You will fall in love with these characters. I couldn't stop listening to this book. I definitely recommend this book!! Also Brigid Lohrey did a great job narrating this book.


Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select, Storm Pu for allowing me to listen to this ARC in advance for my honest opinion.

A great novel. This was my first from Phillipa Nefri Clark and I can't wait to read more.

Up close, the cottage is tiny and perfect, with fresh paint on the walls and the scent of roses in the air. A bicycle with a woven basket at the front is at the end of the veranda. And on the lake, a wooden rowboat floats loose. She shouldn’t intrude, but Sadie thinks again of the woman’s ‘I need to find my family. Will you help me?’

Sadie Forest hasn’t lived in Rivers End for fifteen years. Not since she was eighteen when, after a devastating argument with her father, she packed her bags and left. Not until now.

Now, Sadie’s father is dead and her mother Pam is struggling to run the family inn alone. Sadie tells herself she’ll help her mother sort out the business and then leave again as quickly as possible.

But Rivers End has a way of pulling you back in. When Sadie arrives, she finds a town that’s both nothing and everything like she remembered. On a bittersweet exploration of her old childhood haunts, Sadie meets construction company boss Dan, and Rebecca, the reclusive new owner of the solitary cottage at the edge of nearby Whisper Lake. The old woman’s request for help touches Sadie’s heart. And draws her into a decades-old mystery.

By helping Rebecca to lay her ghosts to rest, could it be time for Sadie to face the trauma in her own past, and against the beautiful coastal backdrop she once called home, can she find a way to heal?

Home for the first time in 15 years, Sadie is coming to grips with the death of her estranged father, and the inheritance he’s left her. It’s here she meets Rebecca, the owner of a small house on the edge of Whisper lake. Rebecca asks Sadie for her help finding her family, but the next day acts like she never made the request. Sadie can’t let it go and learns of a tragedy that occurred years ago that revolved around a young girl, named Becky. A perfect combination of suspense and family drama

I really enjoyed this lovely story of love, family torn apart, and family found. I was teary when everything came together in happiness for the characters.

Oof. Looking at the other ratings, I am chalking up my feelings of indifference as it is a "me" issue, not the book. I really struggled maintaining interest until the last little bit. I just didn't care, I wasn't invested. No idea why, or what wasn't working for me. It just didn't grab my attention.

I was firmly in the 2 star camp. The ending helps me justify bumping it to 3.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Really sweet and interesting book with a little mystery thrown in. I loved all the characters in here. I also loved the unraveling of Rebecca’s history and life. There was definitely a surprising and feel good ending to the book. Sadie and her mother were both likable characters. All around enjoyable listen. Great job by the narrator as well

This one pulled me right in…and oh, ALL the feels! Like a big, warm hug…
Sadie is all grown up now, and does documentaries for a well known company…but when her father dies, she feels the pull to come home to her small town that she left (well really, ran away from) when she was 18….

Her Mom, Pam, is running the family’s Inn, all by herself…and kind of in a daze, since her husband’s passing. But is so happy to have Sadie come home.

But Sadie can’t wait to return back to HER home…and work.

We travel through time while Sadie meets Rebecca, an older woman, who has some secrets of her own… and at the same time, seems to be totally LOST and SAD… 😕

And Dan, the owner of the company that’s fixing up all the places in town. And, rebuilding the town.

And many of the small town folk… that make up the very essence of it!

So many little stories that pop up inside the main one. So many ways to tug at your heart. And oh, such a beautiful story that unfolds!!

Warning: Make sure you have tissues for the last half hour or so of the book…and I’d recommend you read the last bit alone. 🥹

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

Thanks to #NetGalley, #DreamscapeSelect & #StormPublishing for the ARC of the audiobook which releases on September 25th. Look for it on shelves then!

#PhilippaNefriClark, #TheCottageAtWhisperLake

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