The Diary at the Last House Before the Sea is the seventh in the Heaven’s Cove series by Liz Eeles but as with all the books in this series it is easily read as a standalone story. Each is set in Heaven's Cove and we do see or hear from recurring characters, but each story is about different characters. This book is basically set in the present, but ghosts from the past frame the story. In September 1957, Audrey, the wife of Edwin Brellasham is unhappy with her life, and one night walks into the cove and is never seen again. Two generations later, Geoffry, Audrey's stepson is struggling to keep the manor afloat is planning on selling it. His son, River, who has lived in Australia since he was sixteen when his mother left his father, comes home to help his father with the decision and plans. Clara and her mother live in a small cottage on the estate, with her mother being the housekeeper and cook. Clara and River has been friends growing up, but when he left, she became angry with him and they lost touch. He and his cousin Bartie have returned to work out a deal for the sale. Bartie is sneaky, a user and gives me the creeps, but Geoffrey and Clara seem to be taken in by him. When Clara finds Audrey's diary, complete with coded messages, she is set on solving the mystery of her death. The more time she and River spend together, their feelings come back to the surface, but Bartie has designs on Clara as well.

I’ve read each of the books and I have to say this is the best one so far. I liked the mystery that was carried throughout the book and how Clara and River began to work together. Geoffrey is a troubled soul, afraid to let anyone see his true feelings, and tortured by the loss of his son. He puts his trust in Bartie, which is definitely misplaced. The ghosts of the past read their heads, and change the direction of this story, for the better in my opinion. Clara is a wonderful character. She returned home when her father became extremely ill and has quite entrenched herself in life at Brellasham Manor. She can be stubborn, but is also smart, intuitive and I love the way she speaks her mind. River is a character that I wanted to throw my arms around. He wanted a relationship with his father, but wasn't sure how to go about it. He was sad, has low self-esteem, and seemed lost. I wanted Clara and River to realize they were perfect for one another. As the mystery is solved and things come to life, I quickly turned pages to see how this one would end. Once again the setting of Heaven’s Cove is perfect and idyllic with its charm and small coastal village feel surrounded by countryside and even more so that the manor is situated right next to the sea with it’s own private cove. I love how the importance of the land and garden were stressed in this book. I was pulled into this story right from the prologue and the plot and writing kept me interested. With interesting characters, a wonderful setting, emotional writing and great characters, this was a great addition to this series and I definitely recommend this enjoyable story.

The story was a nice story to read and it was quite enjoyable read. I liked that the story wasn’t as predictable as I expected, even though it was a cozy read. The atmosphere and the place were enjoyable and I could imagine it well. The characters were multidimensional and I could follow their story.
It was not the best boo I have ever read, but I enjoyed it.

Another lovely book in this series. Clara is a great main character and I am always a sucker for hidden secrets in old manor houses so a perfect beach read for me. The story can easily be read as a standalone but definitely recommend reading the whole series

Clara and her mother live in the grounds of Brellasham Manor where her family have worked as housekeepers for two generations. Clara has always been fascinated by a portrait of Audrey Brellasham who disappeared and was presumed drowned many years before. However, with the return of her childhood friend and first love, River, secrets begin to reveal themselves when they discover Audrey's coded diary. A well plotted tale with an unexpected twist as well as some darker moments.

In the latest book of the Heaven’s Cove series, readers return to Brellasham Manor where Clara has lived her entire life. When her childhood friend and the owner’s son River returns after sixteen years in Australia, Clara is wary of him and knows life cannot return to normal -- they shared a first kiss just before River moved to Australia. Another secret, the disappearance of Audrey Brellasham fifty years ago, haunts the manor until Clara discovers Audrey’s hidden diary full of coded messages at the same time that River’s father (Audrey’s stepson) decides to sell the manor and the cottage where Clara and her mother live. With no one to turn to for help with Audrey’s diary and the impending loss of her mother’s home, Clara must try to solve both problems on her own. With a beautiful location and incredible characters, readers will enjoy returning to Brellasham Manor and the vibrant world that Eeles has created for the Heaven’s Cove series. Clara, River, and Audrey, as well as the other minor characters, are complex and fully developed, and the evolution of Clara and River’s relationship over the course of the novel is particularly interesting to follow as they grow and change as the story unfolds.

A really great story. Has all the parts to make a great book. Family secrets, long lost loves , a manor house about to be sold to developers and a great setting. Allow yourself time to read this as you won't be able to put it down.

Having read #4 in the Heaven's Cove series (The Key to the Last House Before the Sea) and enjoying it, I was enthusiastic about getting an ARC to this Liz Eeles's latest book in the series. That said, my enthusiasm quickly waned.

While I loved the premise (old mansion, mysterious disappearance, closed-off third floor, code breaking, ...), I was very unpleasantly surprised to find myself very quickly nodding off every time I picked this novel up. The dialogue was tedious, the characters were all one dimensional, the story line was far too predictable, and the mystery was hardly very mysterious.

I'm sorry to say that this was not an enjoyable read for me. Based on other reviews, this certainly makes me an outlier! I hope that other readers can find joy in this one, but I am definitely not the target audience.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for sharing this digital ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

A brilliant dual time-line which had me gripped. I enjoyed this lovely story and was sad to finish it. A new author for me and one that I will look out for in the future. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This was my favourite book of the series so far. They can all be read as standalone books too.
I loved the mystery in this book. I loved the characters. I think a 2nd story about their lives would be brilliant.

3.8 stars
One Liner: A sweet read

Clara lives with her mother in the cottage on the grounds of Brellasham Manor. It has been her home all her life, with her mother being the housekeeper for the family at the Manor (and so was her grandmother).
River, the owner’s son, returns after fifteen years, still unsure about his relationship with his father and the Manor. He remembers his closeness with Clara, even if she doesn’t seem to want to.
When Clara finds the diary of Audrey Brellasham, the missing, presumed dead wife and stepmother of the owner, she becomes obsessed with the past. Clara wants to know what actually happened. When the owner announces that the estate will be sold to the developers, Clara knows she is running out of time to find the truth.
The story comes in Clara, River, and Geoffrey’s third-person POVs.

My Thoughts:
This is a standalone book that shares the location with other books in the series. Heaven’s Cove is a picturesque village with a sea, cliffs, cute streets, and a small community.
The triple POV works well to add depth to the characters. Surprisingly, I liked River and Geoffrey’s POVs more than Clara’s. While I was a bit frustrated with Geoffrey, I could also empathize with his position.
The pacing is steady and keeps the story moving even when we are yet to find the answers to some questions.
The diary trope is creatively handled here. We don’t get pages and pages of stories. Instead, we get crisp content, which nudges the FMC to find out more. I like how the diary has a vital role but also doesn’t take up too much space.
Now, Clara is 31 years old. I can see her situation with her family. Her mother belongs to the previous generation and follows the ‘rules’ way too much. I like that Clara doesn’t simply put her head down but asserts herself when necessary. However, I don’t particularly like it when the FMC becomes stupid in the case of a man. At least, the realization comes soon enough (or I’d have been even more annoyed at her).
Comparatively, River’s arc and POV feel better. His internal conflict and vulnerability come out very well and make him appear more fleshed out than the FMC. Not something we often see in this genre, but I’ll take it!
There’s no third-act breakup since the couple doesn’t get together until towards the end. Read this as contemporary fiction (men’s and women’s) rather than romance. You will enjoy it more that way.
While there are a couple of triggering topics, they are handled with care. We get just enough details, though you may still want to be a tad careful (domestic violence).
The ending (yes, there is an epilogue) is sweet and heartwarming. It shows things are a work-in-progress just like the characters. I like that it is not too neat but answers all questions satisfactorily.

To summarize, The Diary at the Last House Before the Sea is a heartwarming standalone set in a beautiful location and deals with second chances, moving on from past traumas, and becoming a better version of ourselves.
The author’s note says she working on the next in the series. I’m excited to see what she’ll come up with.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I am writing this with tears in my eyes. The whole book is wonderful and the engaging but the very end made my heart swell. Anyways, I loved this book! Clara is at loose ends, living with her mum and doing odd jobs online. The boy she was best friends with and his smarmy cousin shows up after years of no contact, leading to all sorts of feelings. The mystery of what happened to Audrey was so beautifully done, it drew me in and wouldn't let go. All in all, this book is vibrant and filled with colorful characters and a depth of emotion that tugged at my heart. Truly wonderful.

Clara’s family have lived at the beautiful Brellasham Manor for their entire life. The beautiful and cozy cottage has been the only home they have known. Audrey Brellasham lived at the manor over fifty years ago, making it a home and safe place for her to raise her family. One night she walked into the sea and was never heard from again. So when Clara finds Audrey’s old tattered diary hidden away she reads through it and uncovers a flurry of secrets. River, an old friend of Clara’s, has recently moved back to the area after being gone for sixteen years. He helps Clara rummage through the attic that has been locked since Audrey went missing. When River’s father announces that he is selling the cottage and the manor to developers, Clara is heartbroken and must do everything she possibly can to save her family home.

The Diary at the Last House Before the Sea written by author Liz Eeles is a wonderfully written story full of suspense, family history and romance. This captivating story had me reading well into the night. I was flying through the pages of this unputdownable story. The author once again does an amazing job of transporting the reader from where you are to the beautiful Heaven’s Cove. I felt the coastal breeze on my face and the sand between my toes. This wonderful story played like a movie in my mind’s eye. I loved everything about this book, from the mystery to the romance to the picturesque setting. This is a phenomenal installment to the Heaven’s Cove Series. It can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend reading the entire series.

A captivating and enjoyable story of a family filled with repressed emotions and of the woman who shakes them out of it. As she pursues the reason of a suicide of a woman of the manor years prior, her inquisitiveness and determination moves the foundations of long held and accepted beliefs.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is book 7 in a series,  but the first one I have read. However, for me, it worked perfectly well as a standalone book although I am now planning to go and read the previous 6.

This book had me absolutely captivated from the outset. I just had to keep reading to find out why Audrey walked into the sea one night. It made me laugh, cry and feel every emotion in between.

The Diary at the Last House Before the Sea is my favorite book in this delightful series by Liz Eeles. The beginning has a slow start but once the diary is found, this becomes an emotional faster paced story. I had no idea where this would go or how the prologue would be such a pivot point for all the characters in this book.

Thirty-one-year-old Clara is a force to be reckoned with, which is wonderful for the Brellasham family. Because of her and her family’s long-term connection to the wealthy family and her childhood friendship with River Brellasham a whole community will benefit. I probably have written too much but do not let the slow start hold you back. Keep reading, you will find the place that you will not be able to stop reading until you know the whole story and what the future holds for all.

The Diary at the Last House Before the Sea by Liz Eeles is a story about family and about redemption. Geoffrey had only been ten when he saw his stepmother walk out into the sea and disappear. He told his father but by the time people got there she was gone. It broke his heart. She had loved him. His father didn’t. He got sent off to school and he father married twice more. Geoffrey grew up to be as cold as his father had been. His wife and his son had left him many years earlier and gone to Australia. Now, he had run out of money and would have to sell the manor and the grounds, his beautiful gardens. Thankfully he had his nephew Barti to handle it all. He could trust Barti, until he couldn’t. Clara was still there. She had come home to help when her father had taken ill and needed her help. Her mother was Geoffrey’s housekeeper, just as her mother had been before her and her grandmother. The distressing news about selling had nearly drowned her, but she kept her head up and moved forward. She was cleaning the attic in her house and had things of her mother’s, things Clara wanted to look at before they were disposed of. In those things Clara made a startling discovery.

Clara, Barti, and Geoffrey’s son River, had been friends as children. Well, River and Clara had been. Barti wasn’t always there but as they all got older Clara developed a crush on Barti. He was a little older than the others and very handsome. He paid her no mind. Now River was back from Australia to see his father. Was there hope for them or were they just friends? She though Barti might be interested in her. Then she figured it out as she figured out lots of other things. It was a well developed mystery, rooted in the past. The characters were good, if not too deep. The story was a happily-ever-after and enjoyable as such. Thanks, Liz Eels for another good story!

I was invited to read The Diary at the Last House Before the Sea by Bookoutre. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #LizEeles #TheDiaryAtTheLastHouseBeforeTheSea

Thank you Netgalley & publishers for an advanced copy of Liz Eeles latest Heavens Cove book. I have read all the previous book in this series and couldn't wait to read this one and it certainly doesn't disappoint. Although this book is number 7 from Heavens Cove, it can definitely be read as a stand alone. Clara & her mother live in a cottage in the grounds of a manor house where Clara's mother works as a housekeeper just as her mother did before her. Whilst clearing out some of her grandmother's belongings, Clara comes upon a diary belonging to the mysterious lady of the manor who disappeared some fifty years ago. Questions start forming as to why her grandmother would be in possession of the diary, & just what does the secret code mean. Clara & her mother also become aware that the manor is potentially going to be sold off & they risk losing their home, so not only is Clara on a mission to find answers to the diary, she is also on a mission to try and save the manor being sold and therefore save her home. This is an absolute page turner of a book that I heartily recommend.

This has been a wonderful series by Liz and this latest offering is exceptional. This one gripped my attention and was unable to put it down.

There are books out there that totally transport the reader. This is one of those books. The Diary at the Last House Before the Sea is part of the Heaven’s Cove series. It is the first book I have read by this author and the book can be read as a standalone.

This story takes place at Brellashan Manor, A grand house with a history going back generations. The mystery behind the disappearance of one of the residents from 1957 is unraveled thru a beautiful story of family and friendships. The characters and relationships are genuine and the story believable. It is beautifully written and a book I could not put down. I thought about the characters when I wasn’t reading it, and it is a story I won’t forget. . Liz Eeles instantly became one of my for its authors. I will be reading many more books by this author.

I highly recommend the book.

The Diary at the Last House Before the Sea is the seventh in the Heaven’s Cove series by Liz Eeles but as with all the books in this series it is easily read as a standalone story. I’ve read each of the books as they are published and I have to say this is the one of the best yet. There was a real sense of mystery throughout the book. The ghosts of the past swirled around Brellasham Manor as the events of the past are determined to rear their heads. Once again the setting of Heaven’s Cove is perfect and idyllic with its charm and small coastal village feel surrounded by countryside and even more so that the manor is situated right next to the sea with it’s own private cove. The cover is stunning and evocative of the themes and plot and as soon as I read that very intriguing prologue I knew I was in for a very good read and the lovely writing style, character and plot development made this all the more enjoyable.

September 1957 and Audrey lives a life of privilege, luxury and wealth but she also has her secrets. With the lights shining from the manor behind her, she walks into the sea leaving her husband Edwin and stepson Geoffrey behind her. But as she does so she realises she had forgotten to destroy her diary which was privy to her innermost thoughts and secrets. But it’s too late now and the repercussions of this night will reverberate for many years to come right down to the present. I instantly wanted to know what brought Audrey to this point and could there have been any other way to freedom for her except for the path that she chose to take?

In the present day we are introduced to Clara whose mother Julie has been housekeeper for Geoffrey at the manor for many years. They live in a cottage in the grounds of the manor, Clara having moved back there when her father fell ill and subsequently died. The manor holds a lot of memories for Clara and she is there now for her mother as she remains emotionally fragile and in need of support. But times are changing at the manor and River, the son of Geoffrey, has been called back from Australia where he has been ever since his mother took him away. Clara knew River very well having grown up together sharing many happy times and experiences but there is a bitterness about her regarding the way that he left and severed all contact. How will she react now that he is back and with his cousin Bartie in tow?

Geoffrey, River’s father, was very much a closed book throughout the story. He was an aristocrat who led a rich and privileged life but he never seemed happy or able to express his feelings. He wasn’t stone cold by any means but there was a strong sense that the events of his past and losing Audrey in the way in which he did meant that he could never move on. These actions affected how he parented and the divide between himself and River is very evident. Geoffrey maintains a stiff upper lip and is never prone to strong emotion and having little in common with River does nothing to get the ball rolling to mend the rift between the two men. To say theirs is not a close father/son relationship would be an understatement and it is as if Geoffrey as remained in the past whilst the world has moved on around him. He is unemotional, unhappy and lonely and one wonders whether too much water has passed under the bridge for him to recover from the state he has found himself in?

Shocking news emerges with the arrival of River back to Heaven’s Cove, 16 years since he last graced the grounds. Geoffrey has plans to sell the manor as he no longer has the funds to maintain the building. Clara and Julie are bereft as not only will they lose their home but all the memories associated with it. River’s cousin Bartie is there to help with the sale of the house and right from the moment when he was introduced I didn’t like him one bit. There was just something about him. He seemed too exuberant considering the rest of the characters were going through a maelstrom of emotions and the weight of the past bore down on them. He was very much a man about town, eager to get the deal done and heedless to the feelings of those who had lived and worked at the manor for so long. He was very much a player and a manipulator and not one word that came from his mouth could be trusted or taken at face value. I just felt that he wasn’t to be believed at all for the fact that he toyed with people, Clara in particular. That he would say what anyone wanted to hear and didn’t care how much Clara loved the house and that it had been very much a part of her since she was born.

Clara was a force of nature and if there was any way to try and stop the sale of the house she would do it, offering suggestions in order to improve revenue. She never let things drop and this is very much evident when she finds a diary in the possessions of her late Gran, Violet, who was once housekeeper at the manor for Audrey and Edwin. Here is where the elements of the past began to make themselves known and I loved the effortless way in which Liz Eeles melded the past and present together. Finding the diary sets Clara on a quest to try and right a wrong but also she is determined to discover what happened to Audrey that fateful night and similar to a question I had after reading the prologue what drove Audrey to walk into the sea?

A series of numbers and a mysterious note set Clara’s mind racing and I felt from this point on she really came into her own. She did become fixated and obsessed with finding out what happened to Audrey but I didn’t find this to be domineering instead it gave her fire in her belly and it also allowed for the barriers to slowly come down between herself and River. After all they had previously had such a strong friendship that surely echoes of this were still buried deep and waiting to be reignited. They are now like virtual strangers but with a common cause uniting them maybe they can find their way back to each other and see where the road takes them?

I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns that developed as Clara and River dug deeper into the past. River shows his vulnerability and the inner turmoil that he is dealing and it mirrors Geoffrey’s psyche also. Settling past traumas, admitting one’s faults and seeking acceptance and resolution all feature strongly as the plot raced towards its conclusion. I became completely lost in everything that was going and I thought Liz excelled herself with her writing. There was a real sense of growth and maturity about it with no filler in ages or chapters or needless information. It all felt tight and compact but in the best of ways. Seven books into a series things could become a little jaded but this wasn’t the case at all and my love for this series was reignited. It’s definitely one to read this summer with the most perfect epilogue that will bring a smile to your face.