At Home by the Sea

This is a beautiful, heart warming yet sometimes heart wrenching book. The storyline is beautiful, weaving the story of a badly broken family and the possibility of rebuilding your life. The characters are wonderfully created with depth and personality, making them easy to like or dislike. A credit to the author for making characters that are quick to endear themselves to the reader. The setting and time period are both interesting and I liked how this wasn’t a war story as there have been so many of those lately. The small towns sounded lovely as did the idea of a tea shop where you can have a lovely full English tea.

Izzie has experienced so much loss in her life yet she is a strong character that I wanted to sit down and have a chat and cup of tea with. The supporting characters range from spoiled, egotistical, endearing, romantic, hateful and evil people that will all seem real to you, the reader. I enjoy an author that can make a character that I dislike as much as a couple in this book. There is a beautiful love story thrown in that makes you feel hopeful and happy.

This is an all round lovely story that is easy to get caught up in and will sweep you away to a different era in time. I was left with a smile on my face and content. To me that is a sign of a well wrote ex book. Kudos to the author. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC of this delightful book.

At Home by the Sea by Pam Weaver is an excellent post-WWII era historical fiction that kept me entertained and engaged from beginning to end.

I really enjoyed the post-war narrative of this book. So many novels take place during the war, the Blitz, or during the “action”. Not as many take readers into the lives, the adaptations, and the remnants of the lives of the British after the war has done its damage. Seeing how the small villages, its inhabitants, and families are scarred, altered, conflicted, and forever changed post-war and how they “carry on”, to me is fascinating. Such huge political, societal, and gender role changes are taking place.

I enjoyed taking an in depth peak into the town of Worthing. The complicated relationships, miscommunications, mysteries, misplaced anger, and nuclear family changes involving Izzie, her sister Linda, her father Bill whom has just returned from the war, and her mother Doris. The abrupt change between it being just the girls, then the return of Bill and departure of their mom leaves questions, misinterpretations, misplaced hurt and anger amongst many. Seeing Izzie struggle with these changes, losses, and her adaptations are at times heartbreaking. Izzie is stronger then she thinks she is. She is smarter, more independent, and she learns these tools through these losses.

But just as she thinks she has it all figured out, a new love interest, visions of a possible change in future, and the return of her mother into her life, throws Izzie into a tailspin. Will she be able to figure it all out and find her place in the world and her purpose in the process? I loved finding out.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Avon Books UK for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

Thank you Netgalley for my ARC. Pam Weaver is one of my favourite authors. Family saga at its best. Such lovely story lines and you actually feel like you are in the book