This is the 8th book in the series. I haven't read the previous books yet, but this was a lovely standalone story.

The story follows Emma, who has moved from London to the Devonshire village of Heaven's Cove. Emma has dreamed of opening a vintage clothes shop and when her husband leaves her for a younger model, she embraces the chance to start afresh. However, she soon realises that not everyone in the village is ready to welcome a newcomer. She finds herself in trouble with her neighbours who run a prestigious gentleman's outfitters. Can she find the sense of peace and happiness that she is searching for?

I loved the story and it pulled me in right away. The book is nicely written and I liked that we got to see different characters pov. The author brought the characters to life. Emma was so likeable and I admired her bravery of starting over in a new place, alone. I really wanted the best for her.

I also liked the village setting and meeting the various characters and finding out hidden secrets along the way! It was a sweet uplifting story and I am definitely going to check out the rest of the series.

It’s been a very long time that I have read a book in a day but the eighth book in Liz Eeles’ Heaven’s Cove series, The Wife at the Last House Before the Sea, was the book that changed that. Right from the very beginning I was completely sucked into the story and feel that this is the best book in the series since the earlier books. I felt the plot was brilliantly developed and there wasn’t any filler in chapters or periods where nothing much occurred. The pacing was perfect and going back and forth between the three main characters Emma, Leo and Robert and having chapters from their viewpoint was excellent. It meant I didn’t form overly strong opinions on just one character which would have been wrong. Instead, I felt equally invested in all three and how their stories begin to interconnect, and I couldn’t put down my Kindle as I just wanted to keep reading to see how everything would unfold and hopefully resolve itself. A clever and expertly devised story awaits you between the covers of this wonderful book which I thoroughly enjoyed.

A brief prologue sees a woman packing up a special wedding dress that was exquisitely crafted. It’s time to let go of the past as the dress and other clothes belonged to another life when she’d felt like someone else. We are then introduced to Emma who has been in Heaven’s Cove for three weeks running her vintage shop. She had only ever visited the beautiful coastal village which has a strong community where everyone knows everyone else’s business just once before many years on a family holiday. But now she is embarking on a new stage in her life having left London following her divorce from Carl after she discovered that he had been having an affair. Her daughter Thea is grown up and working in London but Emma stresses over the fact that she won’t be near to her anymore. Emma is not normally spontaneous but the decision to move to Heaven’s Cove was made on a whim and she is filled with fear, apprehension, agitation and a sadness that she won’t make a success of the business and she will have to leave.

As she approaches her shop door, she notices a bag which has been left there. She welcomes donations and even more so when she sees the beautiful wedding dress inside it as the profits of its sale can go to a charity. As she empties the bag a ring falls out with the initials B and R. Did the generous donor of the dress mean to leave the wedding ring there or was it an accident? So sets in motion a chain of events that will see a story from the past come rushing into the present and as Emma journeys to discover the answers she will learn a lot about herself in the process. Emma’s husbands infidelity had smashed her self-esteem but it was brilliant to see her pushing her own emotional issues aside and focusing on the task at hand and in doing so I felt she matured an awful lot and became more willing to push things that needed to be said and done and for once she started putting herself first over the demands of her ex who had curtailed her in so many ways.

An unfortunate incident thanks to Maisie - the young girl that Emma hired to help out in the shop - leaving a plug in the sink with the tap left running means Emma is put in very close contact with Leo and his father Robert who run the gentlemen’s outfitters next door. Their electrics are ruined thanks to Maisie’s carelessness and Emma feels immense guilt and offers Leo a corner of her shop to use whilst repairs are carried out. Leo’s business is a very traditional one where Robert is determined things will remain the same despite the shop haemorrhaging money. Leo is dying to drag it into the 21st century but feels constrained by tradition and the unwillingness of his father to adapt to the changing times and the new needs of his customers. Leo has always been expected to live up to his father’s exacting standards and I could sense that theirs was an uneasy relationship where Robert always wanted the upper hand and they never worked on an even playing field. Leo himself was dealing with trauma and although he got off to a rough start with Emma which I think was influenced by his fathers opinions, I could see that there was a spark between the pair but were they both too emotionally damaged to do anything about it?

One wonders whether Emma starts using the search for the owner of the wedding ring as a displacement activity? To take her mind off the fact that running the shop was giving her its challenges and also that she was far away from family and friends who could give her the emotional and physical support that she craved. But as Leo begins to open up a different more softer side to him emerges and he wanted to know who owned the wedding ring just as much as she did. It’s then that I thought Emma began to come into her own. I became deeply invested in the pair solving the mystery and I could some things beginning to emerge that was giving hints as to what had occurred so many years ago but I wasn’t exactly right when the big reveal came. This was great as I love to be kept in suspense until the last moment possible and I appreciated the twists and turns here.

I thought it was brilliant that Robert was given chapters to share his point of view and to have him as a character so relevant and prominent within the overall storyline. He had a certain aura about him as being the man about town or village in this case. He was a significant businessman, who was on many committees and organisations and therefore an important man in the village. He did have a demeanour initially of being overbearing, pompous, abrasive and being full of his own self importance but the more that was revealed about his character and why he was acting in a certain way the more I felt he became more human and in a small way approachable.

Liz could easily have made him to be the complete and utter baddie of the story who everyone detested and wanted nothing to do with at all but the reader was exposed to a different side of him. That he had a past which thanks to the discovery of the wedding dress had out a strong forbearing on the present. Worlds he had tried to supress were beginning to collide and I adored how Leo and Emma set about solving the mystery and getting to the root cause of things. As did I as a reader. Robert began to expose his more vulnerable side and his brusque exterior didn’t seem to matter anymore but will there be a happy ending or has too much water flown under the bridge?

The Wife at the Last House Before the Sea was a fabulous read with a story and setting that I didn’t want to leave when I reached the last page. The plot was creative and well tackled throughout with a romance that gently simmers, a mystery to be solved and characters that you root for until the very end. I hope Liz has plans to continue writing more books set in Heaven’s Cove as she provided the readers with entertaining stories and long may she to continue to do so.

Another lovely story in this wonderful series. A real tearjerker and it left me sobbing. But I really enjoyed this one. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Emma is heartbroken now that her divorce is final. She is ready for her new adventure to begin, selling vintage clothing from her own shop. She owns her own shop nestled in the beautiful winding streets of Heaven’s Cove.

When Emma meets local, Leo who runs the suit shop next door to her vintage clothes shop, he is a bit unfriendly. Leo’s father Robert, doesn’t like Emma’s shop and that leaves Emma questioning her decision to move to Heaven’s Cove. She feels discouraged and disconnected from the people of her new town.

The Wife at the Last House Before the Sea, authored by Liz Eeles, is a wonderful story of hope, second chances and new love. This is an amazing book that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on. I loved Emma’s story and I felt bad for her when she first arrived in Heaven’s Cove. She found it hard to fit in but she didn’t give up.

I was completely enthralled with this story from the very first page to the last. This is a wonderful addition to this phenomenal series. It can be read as a standalone but my suggestion is read the whole series it is wonderful. I highly recommend this book.

This captivating story started with Emma who recently divorced and moved to Heaven's Cove to start her new life there. Emma opened a vintage clothes shop there and one day she received an anonymous donation of. a wedding dress. When the next door shop's owner Leo and his dad Robert saw the dress, Robert was shocked. He did not believe his eyes. The story then followed along how Emma tracked down the owner of the dress and the secrets hidden behind the dress.

It was an enjoyable read. The characters were all very stand out. and Emma was very likeable. This was a cozy yet an exciting read. The Wife at the Last House Before the Sea was a series of Heaven's Cove but you still could read it as a standalone. This was the book that you once have read, you would remember forever.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for my copy.

Pub date: March 24, 2025

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Bookouture.

This is part of the Heaven Cove series. Following her divorce, Emma has relocated to a village in Devon, to open a pre-loved vintage clothing shop. Not everyone is friendly, and a local man has a strange reaction when he sees a wedding dress amongst the donations.

I liked Emma a lot, but there were some other characters, like Leo and Robert, that I found hard to warm to. I wondered whether my feelings about them would change as the story progressed, and if I might understand them a little better. I always enjoy novels in village locations because they feel cosy, and initially the story had a really relaxed cosy vibe. I wasn't too far into the story before I sensed a sort of mystery, possibly a long forgotten secret that someone might be hiding, and that motivated me to keep turning the pages.

This book swept me away, and it turned out to be a heartwarming read, with a few tearjerker moments as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

The Wife at the Last House Before the Sea (Heaven's Cove Book 8) is a outstanding story of new beginnings, old regrets, and the past wanting to step on the heels of the present. Told in three perspectives which are easy to follow this is a great addition to the story. One in which Liz Eeles gives the reader a wonderful character in brave Emma who moves from London to Heaven’s Cove to open a vintage clothing shop. Then there is resistance-to-change Robert and his grown son Leo.

The mystery wedding dress and Robert’s reaction start a puzzle to be solved by Leo and Emma. Lives are changed, relationships formed and love blossoms in the lovely story. Old fans will love The Wife at the Last House Before the Sea and new fans will want to check out the previous books.

Thank you to netgalley and publishers for an early copy of this book for my review. I'm a huge fan of this author and this series, this is book number 8 and as with the previous books, it can be read as a standalone. This story follows recently separated Emma who moves to Heavens Cove, a place she remembers fondly from her past, to set up a new business and to try an rebuild her life. Arriving to open up her shop,Emma finds two things on her doorstep, a holdall and a grumpy but good looking Leo from the adjoing menswear store. This mysterious holdall starts off a chain of events that make you keep turning the pages to find out more about its contents and who they belonged to. A thoroughly captivating and enjoyable read.

The Wife at the Last House Before the Sea by Liz Eeles is a slow-moving romance filled with low key intrigue in a seaside village in Devonshire. Emma has arrived after her divorce, somewhat broken, but determined to start a new life. She has begun by renting a shop and loading it with preloved vintage clothing. She had gotten mail that told her that her divorce was now final and coincidentally, at her shop had found a wedding ring at the bottom of a bag of vintage clothing that someone had dropped off. It was a turning point for her. She took the exquisite wedding dress that had been in the bag and hung it in the corner, waiting for a bride to come and purchase it. Shorty after, the man from the shop next door, Leo, he was called, entered and told her that his shop was flooded and it was coming from her direction and his electricity was out as it was wet. She found the problem and solved it, but the damage remained. Thus began a relationship that went from adversaries to friends to lovers, with a lot of interesting things along the way.

Eeeles always writes these cozy romances, often featuring people who are middle-aged or older, many who have run to Devon to start their lives anew. It works for her and for her readers. The hint of the sea is always a selling point as are the inhabitants of the village. Her characters are sympathetic and wanting more. It is a devastating combination. It’s amazing how much the past can influence the present and that is so obvious in this story as the past slowly unfolds, and hopefully its mistakes are rectified. Using the word cozy implies a happy ending, and so it is in this lovely novel. A very pleasant way to spend a day.

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

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Emma moves to Heavens Cove after her divorce to open a shop selling pre-loved clothes.

Whilst opening the shop one morning, she finds a bag of clothes for donation, included in the bag is a wedding dress and a ring.

Emma is wondering why someone would put a ring and a wedding dress amongst the other clothes. Robert who owns the adjacent shop selling menswear is shocked on seeing the dress when he enters her shop.

Emma decides to look into who the ring belongs to so that she can return it, Roberts son Leo decides to help her. Robert isn’t pleased. The investigation uncovers hidden secrets and Leo realises what his father told him, isn’t true.

Robert’s past comes back in the process and Emma also gets a shock when her ex-husband arrives in the cove.

I recommend this book.

The Wife at the Last House Before the Sea by Liz Eeles is a wonderful read! I enjoyed every second and found myself racing through to figure out the mystery. I had no idea this was part of a series, but I will definitely be reading the other books in the Heaven's Cove series.

Emma, a recent divorcee, has moved to Heaven's Cove to fulfill her lifelong dream of opening a well-loved vintage clothing shop, and the mysterious anonymous donation of stunning vintage wedding gown is the perfect start to her grand adventure. Next-door shop owner Leo seems to be impolite and brooding, yet his stoic father's reaction to the gown in the window of Emma's shop plunges Emma and Leo into the depths of the mystery of the gown, Robert's reaction, and the wedding of a well-to-do bride from the area whose family hasn't been seen around the village since.

I loved the characters in this story, all with their unique storylines that seemed to all converge at once. The mystery kept me hanging on and made it hard to put the book down because I was as invested in finding out the story of the dress just as much as Emma and Leo were. I did think the book had a slower start, but I think it was necessary to outline the individual characters in the story.

This is a cozy, clean read that is perfect for anyone who enjoys stories with a hint of mystery and a happy ending. I rate it 3.5 stars but rounded up to 4 for the sake of this rating system.

3.7 Stars
One Liner: A bit repetitive but nice

Heartbroken and sad after her divorce, forty-six-year-old Emma moves to Heaven’s Cove to make her dream of opening a pre-loved dress store come true. Someone leaves a bag full of lovely clothes outside her new shop, and Emma finds the most stunning wedding gown inside it.
Leo and his father Robert own the shop next door, a bespoke suit store. Their grumpiness doesn’t make Emma a fan nor do they seem to like her. However, Robert is shocked to see the wedding gown but doesn’t want to talk about it. Soon, Emma and Leo try to find the truth. However, learning the truth comes at a price.
The story comes in the third-person POVs of Emma, Leo, and Robert.

My Thoughts:
Though this is the eighth book in the series, it works as a standalone. You will meet some characters from the previous one, mostly Rosie, who owns the Driftwood House, and Maise, the teenage brat.
The book is women’s fiction rather than romance since the focus is on finding the woman who owns the dress and the growth of the FMC’s arc. Initially, there is quite a bit of repetition about the wedding dress, the past, the secret, etc.
As well as repetition in the FMC thinking about her dreams and her ex-husband’s attitude toward it. This is understandable to a point since her divorce is still fresh and she has pretty much lost the confidence to stand up for herself.
Getting Leo and Robert’s POVs balance the story even if the latter is hard to like. He sounds annoying and snobbish but manages to make an impact. I like that there are no drastic changes in him by the end. There is some development that feels believable. Though Leo is grumpy when introduced, he shows his true side quickly. He also has a sad past, the poor guy.
The characters seem to act their ages, so despite a bit of tension towards the end, they are mostly decent in handling what life throws at them, albeit after a short tantrum.

To summarize, The Wife at the Last House Before the Sea is a heartwarming story about choices, self-worth, second chances, and family. It is always great to revisit the beautiful Heaven’s Cove and its cliffs (never mind the erratic weather).
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

if you arent a fan of Liz the author then where have you been. if you are a reader in this genre and not read her...read her! she is a master player at writing. and im so glad she found her niche in this particular style,genre, and plot styles. her books are vivid. her books are emotional. her books are light yet powerful. they a serious but fun. her series are warm and cozy but have the depth to keep you wanting and reading more. yes yes okay i might just be a very very big fan. but there are certain books that hit deeper. or mean more. and i have a few of these books and authors. Liz being one of them.
so if course having her next book to read was a privilege.
and once again it was perfection. its follows the series but has its own unique and original plot and set of characters to follow.i would definitely say you could read from book 8 in the series but i guarantee you will want to go back to read them all.

this book focus on Emma who has retreated to Heavens cove to open up her own vintage clothes shop. Emma is hurt and needs a new start. a new life after her husband broke her heart. her dream is fashion so she is brave and does just that by moving to Heaven cove. there is a few tricky bits though. particularly the brooding men opposite. father and son. Robert and Leo. Robert isnt exactly happy with her being there. and leo shes more unhappy because looking at him perhaps could make her happy! and that is unsettling in itself.
what makes things suddenly worse is when a dress is donated to Emmas doorstep.. on seeing it Roberts usual calm and reserved dimena changes in an instant. this begins the adventure for Leo and Emma as they are now intrigued to answer what this means regarding Robert and the history of this dress and maybe even the history of Robert.
Leo and Emma grow closer as they work to solve the mystery. but when leo finds things about about his family and past it could change everything. will Emma be hurt again? Will Leo? can the pair work through whats to come. and can they do it together?

this book has such depth. i also loved how it showed how much more there is to people and what they do or go through. and how people can grow and can make amaends or change for the better(obviously not talking about if theyve done something horrific.) but also how what people do can shape who they are or what they do next. its a very real telling of people who are often alot of grey areas in themselves. never just black and white.

This was a truly wonderful story and a real page turner which was difficult to put down. It sounded like a lovely community to move to and start afresh after a difficult time in Emma.s life. Some members of the community were more supportive than other which is often the case but it made for a great story. The father and son Leo and Robert made for a great story and Robert's back story was fascinating. I loved it.

When Emma decides to open her own shop for pre-loved clothes and discovers a bag of donations on the doorstep, she is surprised to find a beautiful wedding dress. This starts a chain of events that brings enemies and friends out of the woodwork, it also opens up a nest of secrets that someone has spent a lifetime trying to hide.

This wasn’t my usual type of book, however I did enjoy it, easy to read not too many characters, surprises along the way to keep you reading. The disappointment was that 10% was taken up by ads for other books.

Emma, Leo, and Robert tell this story of a wedding dress- Beatrice's dress-that's been left on the doorstep of Emma's new vintage shop. Robert, who owns the adjacent bespoke clothing store, isn't happy that she's there but his son Leo becomes an ally and her partner in investigating the mystery of the dress. Secrets, lies, and heartbreak combine in a well written tale that's also about community. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Emma moves to Heavens Cove after her divorce and is planning to open a vintage clothes shop. Leo next door is not happy as he has a gentleman's outfitters and doesn't think it suits beside his

This is not my usual genre, but I was intrigued by the cover and the description and I have to say that I was not disappointed. I will definitely be going back and reading all the other books in the series as this was a great book.

This is book #8 in the Heaven's Cove series. Whilst it is part of a series, it can easily be read as a standalone book. I've read each book of the series is just as delightful as the previous one! In this book we meet with Emma who has recently moved to Heaven's Cove following her marriage breakdown. She remembers the lovely little seaside village from her childhood and what better place to seek a fresh start. I loved Emma's character and applauded her bravery at starting somewhere on her own, so far away from everything she knew. The pre-loved vintage clothes shop that Emma opened up sounded wonderful and I could definitely see myself browsing the rails! We also get to meet Leo and his father, Robert. They run the Gentleman's Outfitters shop next door to Emma's and it's clear from the beginning that they don't get on with her!

As with the other books in the series, the storyline grabs you straight away, and before you know it you are caught up in the lives of the different characters. Emma is unsure whether she has done the right thing by moving away and misses her daughter; Leo wants his father's affection and approval, something he has missed throughout his life, and Robert is hiding away a secret from his past. I loved all their individual storylines, but they all also intertwined with each other and came together so well. There was plenty of mystery thanks to a pile of donated clothes and a wedding ring, and there was also a strong theme of family, friendship and community spirit running through the book.

This was such a lovely read! I really enjoyed being back in Heaven's Cove and I loved the relationship that sparked up between Emma and Leo. This book is perfect for reading through those colder evenings and will warm your heart as you do! Would definitely recommend!

Love these books. A wedding dress and a wedding ring leads to an amazing story. Lots of detective work. I loved the vintage clothes shop. You had a dodgy x husband . A beautiful old and new love story.. Set in a lovely rural setting. A fab read