Boon's Bookcase

Sunny Days & Sea Breezes

by

Carole Matthews
PUBLICATION DAY
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I do love a Carole Matthew's book and seeing as it looks like we won't be getting any summer holidays this year, I was itching to read about the seaside and long sunny days!

Congratulations to the author on yet another fantastic read. I think this is going to be one of my favourites! Happy publication day Carole.

You can read my review below of this fabulous feel good book by the equally fabulous Carole Matthews.

Blurb

Jodie Jackson is all at sea, in every sense.
On a ferry bound for the Isle of Wight, she's leaving her London life, her career, and her husband behind. She'd like a chance to turn back the clocks, but she'll settle for some peace and quiet on her brother Bill's beautifully renovated houseboat: Summer Days.

But from the moment Jodie steps aboard her new home, it's clear she'll struggle to keep herself to herself. If it isn't Marilyn, who does for Bill and is under strict instructions to look after Jodie, then it's Ned, the noisy sculptor on the next-door houseboat. Ned's wood carving is hard on the ears, but it's made up for by the fact that he's rather easy on the eyes.


Bustled out of the boat by Marilyn and encouraged to explore with Ned, Jodie soon delights in her newfound freedom. But out of mind isn't out of sight, and when her old life comes knocking Jodie is forced to face reality. Will she answer the call or choose a life filled with Summer Days and Sea Breezes?

Review

When Jodie's marriage looks like it's in tatters, the only place she feels she can run to is her brother Bill's newly refurbished houseboat called Sunny Days which is located on the Isle of Wight. All she wants is some peace and quiet to try to sort herself out, so she isn't quite ready for Marilyn who bounds in each morning to clean the already immaculate boat. Marilyn is loud, proud and has a heart of gold, but it takes Jodie a while to get used to her, but she soon realises that she may well depend on Marilyn more than realised.

The boat next to Sunny Days is not as new and could really do with a makeover from the outside, but as it has the name of Summer Breezes and Jodie takes no more notice, but when she is sitting relaxing on top deck and a chainsaw starts up, she is beside herself with anger at her peace and quiet being disrupted, until she sees who is holding the chainsaw...Ned and soon enough her anger waives as she realises that Ned is easy on the eye and that the chainsaw is used to make the most beautiful wood carvings!

Jodie soon fits into the quieter way of life on the Island and meets some new friends. Ida runs the café locally and Jodie soon realises that Ida and Ned are more than friends.

Meanwhile, Jodie's mobile is full of messages from her husband Chris wondering where she is and also her best friend Della. Should she tell her husband where she is or let him stew a bit longer? but she really should speak to Della, who is out of her mind with worry over her "chummie".

A lovely bag of characters in this book and I devoured it in only a few days. Reading about all the attractions on the Isle of Wight reminded me of my childhood days when I went there with my Mum and sister when I was just 16 years old and also reference to the New Forest (Brockenhurst in particular), where I go quite often for short breaks.

I would thoroughly recommend this book and I think this is going to be one of my favourites of Carole's. I loved it!

To buy a copy from Amazon click here

To buy a copy from Waterstones click here