Ruth set up Rosie’s Cafe in Cutlers Bay five years ago, later in life. She’s enjoying it and the community but the sudden retirement of someone younger than her makes her question her life. Now at 63, running a cafe six days a week, juggling staff and with no outside life, makes her realise how tired she is and wondering what her retirement plans actually are…especially when a lovely newcomer comes to the town.
I love Meredith Appleyard’s books, they are so life like. Just like talking to your neighbour over the back fence.
A number of important topics are covered including the elderly in the community, loneliness and sense of purpose, especially when we retire but they are woven well into the story.
I did find this book did have a bit of heaviness to it but that could be because I’m at the same stage of life.
Being familiar with the area that the book was set, also made it more real for me.
An enjoyable and relevant story.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

Ruth Clancy has lived in the small coastal town of Cutlers Bay in South Australia for five years, ever since she bought a vacant shop and turned it into “Rosie’s Café.” Now at sixty two with the café being a runaway success due to Ruth’s great coffee and baking, she is wondering how she can ease back on the constant work and stress of keeping it running and think about retiring. Although she has family in Adelaide, she could never afford to live there so she’s not sure what’s next for her.

Hamish Adams grew up in Cutlers Bay and has now retired after a life as a mechanic working in the bush. He has a great bachelor apartment in Adelaide, enjoys playing golf and has restaurants and cafés on his doorstep. It’s the lifestyle he’s always thought he wanted but somehow, he’s not enjoying it as much as he should. When his father Theo, one of Ruth’s regular customers dies he returns to Cutler’s Bay to organise his father’s house for sale. He soon discovers Ruth’s café with its great coffee and food and after a number of visits decides that maybe small town life might be what he needs.

This is a delightful, gentle tale of very real, finely drawn characters, at an important turning point in their lives. Retirement is something many people don’t plan for and the author explores the uncertainties in what it will look like for Ruth and Hamish. Despite being surrounded by people, they are both lonely and there is also uncertainty for them as their to whether it’s too late for their growing friendship to move into a deeper relationship
after being accustomed to single life for so long.

With it’s beautiful, fresh cover this is a very enjoyable read. The lives of the characters are fully fleshed out, with all the challenges and joys of their every day lives and relationships with family and other people. It’s refreshing to read a novel about people in their sixties looking forward to the next phase of their of their lives.

The Seachangers by Meredith Appleyard has such a refreshing cover matched by a finely written story that is quite realistic and appealing. Many of us know the Australian show SeaChange with Sigrid Thornton. I loved that show and my daughter was born at home twenty five years ago a Sunday night during the airing of one of its episodes. Unfortunately, I missed that one! (Though I now own the boxset). There is a lot of interest these days in finding a better lifestyle. The Australian definition of the word seachange is: a significant change in lifestyle, especially a move from the city to a rural or seaside location. Why do people do it? They are looking for “a better work-life balance."

This is a story about all that and more. Relationships are the heart of this plot, though. More with a focus on character development or realisation than action. Of course, there are some life major events that drive the plot like death of parents, siblings and health scares: all the things that go with getting older and needing to make life decisions that can be quite scary but necessary to keep moving forward. Time, mobility and even money are luxuries, too, we often don’t have plenty of when we get older so we must do all we can, when opportunities arise that make sense and can create a better senior life for ourselves. Whether it be to sell up a business, move house, downsize, head for better shores or take a well-earned holiday.

The Seachangers unfolds in chapters that are divided mostly between Ruth and Hamish’s viewpoints. They are the main focus characters with others swirling around them. They are not a couple to start with but in the end they find their way to each other, both older and enjoying companionship that appears natural between them. They are definitely friends able to share their burdens and provide support through some trying circumstances. This friendship though could become a bit more. But each of them is out of practice as far as romantic relationships are concerned. It doesn’t matter though as there is no pretence and plenty of honesty flows between them. I loved how Hamish is gentle with Ruth and steps in to be whatever she needs at the time and she is the same with Hamish.

When Ruth courageously made the sea change at age 57 from the city to the seaside town of Cutler’s Bay, she opened a Rosie’s Café and ran a successful business. But now that she is five years older (62) she is feeling worn down from all the work and worry. The person she sees in the mirror has aged and she has lost her energy and sparkle. She needs a change. And once she makes that decision to move forward again, she realises a new direction—in fact a new business that draws upon her past travels and resident time in Paris. She is able to utilise her love of clothes and desire to help others who need them. A great new goal that will appeal to her skills and interests and be less hectic and less demanding at this stage in her life.

Hamish was a diesel mechanic and worked in the bush, then retired and moved to the city but became ill at ease with his new surroundings. When his 89 year old father dies, he comes to Cutlers Bay to tend to the house left to him and his only sister. They are not close and her behaviour towards him is quite grating at times but we learn more about their past and understand how they got to this point in their sibling relationship. Hamish witnessed a loss in his family at a young age and it overshadowed his life. It has caused some psychological wounds that must be treated and he eventually gets the courage to do so. While sorting out his father’s home, he becomes energised by renovation ideas and once visiting Rosie’s Café strikes up a friendship with Ruth. It seems Cutler’s Bay works its magic on him. And life begins looking up.

This is a solid story with firm bones that left me nodding my head often, understanding the characters and their dilemmas. It displays the struggles of most people today getting older and being faced with different options and needs. Ruth and Hamish are very likeable characters and I enjoyed following their journeys as they navigated the maze of ageism. I heartily recommend The Seachangers for anyone who likes a well written modern day Australian story laced with wit and wisdom but older readers may appreciate its topics even more. 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thanks to HQ Fiction and Negalley for a review copy.

The story begins where we meet Ruth, a cafe owner who is starting feel old. We then meet Hamish, whose Dad spent some time in the cafe Ruth owned. Hamish feels bad about what has happened to his Dad and makes the trip to Cutler’s Bay to sort out the house.

As time ventures on, family issues arrive on both Ruth and Hamish’s forefront and both need to work through them. They form a friendship.

The issues of what they both have to deal with are what we see in everyday life and how they prepare for what their lives will be like afterwards was something that makes your own thoughts and feelings be assessed.

I was given a free copy of this book by #netgalley for an honest review.

An enjoyable read following Ruth and Hamish and the gradual friendship that builds into more. While they were the main focus it was also the friends, family, neighbours and cafe visitors that added to the complexity and richness of the story. It was nice to read about a mature Australian couple for a change and to think about issues that all of us will face in terms of emotional baggage, retirement and death. One topic particularly hit home hard for me (which wouldn’t for most readers) and it nearly derailed my read but i’m so glad I continued. Thanks to Netgalley and @harlequinaus for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my review - due for release in Australia 4/9/24.

Ruth Clancy moved to Cutlers Bay, on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula from Adelaide to open her own coffee shop and she’s put a lot of effort into building up her business. Ruth loves Rosie’s Café, but after five years she starting to feel tired and she’s wondering when to retire. Ruth knows she has to make some changes, it’s not easy running the café on her own with only part time help and otherwise she will burnout.

Hamish Adams worked as a diesel mechanic in the bush, he’s retired and built his dream apartment in North Adelaide and now that it’s finished he doesn’t feel content and fulfilled. When his elderly father dies, Hamish travels to Cutlers Bay to settle his estate and go through the contents of the house and shed. Hamish isn’t much of a cook, and he enjoys a coffee and breakfast at Rosie’s Café and where he meets Ruth. Hamish decides to not only clean out the house, but give the old place a lick of paint and tidy up the yard. The longer he's in town, the more Cutlers Bay starts to grow on him and feel like home and the flash apartment in the city doesn’t.

The narrative highlights important issues and topics, like the loss of a parent or family member, how hard and time consuming it is to run a small business and the sacrifices owners make, the advantages being part of a community and friendship, rediscovering yourself and what you want out of life, what the future holds and considering the possibility of dating and being in a relationship after a long drought and is it easier to stay single.

Meredith Appleyard’s books are packed full of little details and it made me feel a real connection to the characters and story-line. The topics are relevant, and thoroughly researched and executed and I have owned and run a small café and everything mentioned in the narrative was spot on. I really liked the characters of, Ruth and Hamish, Allie and Mia, Laurie and Pete and catching up with Angie and Zach from the author’s previous novel, All about Ella.

I received a copy of The Seachangers by Meredith Appleyard from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. Ms. Appleyard has written another winner, about new beginnings in your 60’s and five stars from me.