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Meet Me at Beachcomber Bay
The romantic, funny and unputdownable new novel from Jill Mansell, No. 1 bestselling author of THE ONE YOU REALLY WANT and YOU AND ME, ALWAYS - 'A glorious, heartwarming romantic read' Woman & Home. Perfect for anyone who loves Jojo Moyes, Marian Keyes and Katie Fforde.
Love is in the air in St Carys, but you'd never know it - the people of this seaside town are very good at keeping secrets...
The man Clemency loves belongs to someone else. She has to hide her true feelings - but when she ropes in an unsuspecting friend to help, wires start to get crossed.
For the first time in Ronan's life his charm has failed him in winning over the woman he wants. Loving her from afar appears to be his only option.
Belle seems to have the perfect boyfriend, but something isn't quite right. And now a long-buried secret is slowly rising to the surface.
The truth has a funny way of revealing itself, and when it does St Carys will be a very different place indeed...
Love is in the air in St Carys, but you'd never know it - the people of this seaside town are very good at keeping secrets...
The man Clemency loves belongs to someone else. She has to hide her true feelings - but when she ropes in an unsuspecting friend to help, wires start to get crossed.
For the first time in Ronan's life his charm has failed him in winning over the woman he wants. Loving her from afar appears to be his only option.
Belle seems to have the perfect boyfriend, but something isn't quite right. And now a long-buried secret is slowly rising to the surface.
The truth has a funny way of revealing itself, and when it does St Carys will be a very different place indeed...
416 pages, Hardcover
First published January 12, 2017
About the author
Jill Mansell
81 books4,595 followersJill Mansell lives with her partner and children in Bristol, and writes full time. Actually that’s not true; she watches TV, eats fruit gums, admires the rugby players training in the sports field behind her house, and spends hours on the internet marvelling at how many other writers have blogs. Only when she’s completely run out of displacement activities does she write.
Jill Mansell's books have sold over ten million copies and her titles include: Making your Mind up, Fast Friends, Good at Games, Sheer Mischief and Solo, among many others.
Jill Mansell's books have sold over ten million copies and her titles include: Making your Mind up, Fast Friends, Good at Games, Sheer Mischief and Solo, among many others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 743 reviews
February 17, 2017
Meet me at beachcomber bay was your stereotypical chick lit – upbeat, light hearted, and a bit of an emotional rollercoaster.
You’re instantly rooting for the likeable and highly relatable protagonist Clemency, but for me it is the other relationships and character developments in the book that really set the bar high with this novel. Whereas other chick lit novels will focus solely on one character journey, possibly branching out into another one of two character plot lines, Jill Mansell has somehow managed to expertly curate an entire small town of individuals into one storyline. Everyone is connected, but everyone has their secrets.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a true chick lit without a happy ending and I definitely was not left disappointed with this ending. I would spoiler alert this but come on, when have you ever *actually* read a chick lit where she DOESN’T get the guy?!
One element of the novel that I wasn’t immediately keen on at first was Belle – her character seemed too demanding, too immature to be anywhere near realistic in comparison to her step sister Clemency. However, about three quarters of the way through the book, where Belle’s personal development climaxes, my opinion on her completely changed. Her actions suddenly made sense and were in fact, I realised, completely and utterly believable.
Overall, if you’re after an easy page turner that will make you chuckle and near cry then this is a book for you! I cannot think of any reason to knock a star off this review – it’s a pure 5/5 for any chick lit fan!
Reviewed by Jodie K on www.whisperingstories.com
You’re instantly rooting for the likeable and highly relatable protagonist Clemency, but for me it is the other relationships and character developments in the book that really set the bar high with this novel. Whereas other chick lit novels will focus solely on one character journey, possibly branching out into another one of two character plot lines, Jill Mansell has somehow managed to expertly curate an entire small town of individuals into one storyline. Everyone is connected, but everyone has their secrets.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a true chick lit without a happy ending and I definitely was not left disappointed with this ending. I would spoiler alert this but come on, when have you ever *actually* read a chick lit where she DOESN’T get the guy?!
One element of the novel that I wasn’t immediately keen on at first was Belle – her character seemed too demanding, too immature to be anywhere near realistic in comparison to her step sister Clemency. However, about three quarters of the way through the book, where Belle’s personal development climaxes, my opinion on her completely changed. Her actions suddenly made sense and were in fact, I realised, completely and utterly believable.
Overall, if you’re after an easy page turner that will make you chuckle and near cry then this is a book for you! I cannot think of any reason to knock a star off this review – it’s a pure 5/5 for any chick lit fan!
Reviewed by Jodie K on www.whisperingstories.com
November 13, 2019
"Een portie drama en humor staat je als lezer te wachten in deze vlot lezende feelgoodroman! Zeker een aanrader in het chicklit genre!"
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2019...
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2019...
June 24, 2019
Such a great summer book, Jill Mansell never disappoints!
I was going to make a general statement about how much I loved a part of this book, but I fear it may be a spoiler, so I’ll just say - one of the themes of this book is 🙌👍👏.
The only good thing about being sick: lots of reading time.
I was going to make a general statement about how much I loved a part of this book, but I fear it may be a spoiler, so I’ll just say - one of the themes of this book is 🙌👍👏.
The only good thing about being sick: lots of reading time.
August 24, 2017
It's been way too long since I've read a Jill Mansell book! And I have no excuses for this. Loved everything about this book. Probably one of my favorites by Mansell. If you are a fan of Sophie Kinsella, then I highly recommend choosing a book by Jill. It will make you happy. Trust me 😉
January 27, 2019
I have to say that I really enjoyed this book. At first I hard cringed when I started reading and the premise was that one woman (Clem) had a meet-cute with a man who has now come back to her life in a surprising way. This leads Clem to faking a relationship with her best friend Ronan who has his own reasons for agreeing to go along with things. Clem's stepsister, Belle, doesn't know what is going on with Clem, but the two of them seem to be constantly battling each other with Belle refusing to let Clem get the upper hand. Since this is a Mansell book there are some other characters we follow too, Ronan's mother Josephine, a woman named Kate, and another woman named Marina.
I honestly loved Belle's story-line the most. It was beautifully done and I loved the ending that happened there. And I have to say, that I was glad that Belle confronted Clem about her behavior and things she said. I was hard cringing anytime these two characters had scenes together. Clem believed the worst in Belle and was nasty IMHO to Belle as much as Belle was rude and nasty to her. I do wonder how these two parents were not in this book and thought that was a bit odd that Clem's mother and Belle's stepfather were just absent through the majority of the book.
Ronan's story-line was my second favorite part of this book. I don't know how realistic it would really be in the end. But I smiled throughout it and loved it. Ronan was also very well developed which was a nice touch. I often find sometimes the men in contemporary romance novel's are not developed as much as the women.
Marina's story-line was really good and it gets slowly revealed. I am a bit sad though that she doesn't appear to get a HEA like the other characters.
Clem I kind of ho-hummed about. Besides her meet-cute I didn't find myself that engaged with the character. I also thought it was stupid she faked a relationship. I didn't get any sense of chemistry between her and the love interest at all. And I don't want to spoil it, but the love interest's story-line turned me off a bit. It didn't help that besides that he wasn't really in the story properly. We just hear about his past in a info dump, he appears a few times to make Clem uncomfortable and then love.
I loved the writing and did laugh a few times. When Clem and Ronan go off to show listings it seems as if every odd person in the world is trying to sell their places. The flow was really good between shifting narratives too. You know if you read a Mansell book there's going to be at least 6 people you are tracking, and Mansell does that very well.
The setting of St. Cary's sounds wonderful. The beach, the water, and the people sounded delightful. A good book to read during the winter months in Virginia.
The ending was a surprise (for one side character I had not thought that much of honestly) but we get to catch up with Belle, Clem, Ronan, and others. I was really happy seeing everyone's HEA.
I honestly loved Belle's story-line the most. It was beautifully done and I loved the ending that happened there. And I have to say, that I was glad that Belle confronted Clem about her behavior and things she said. I was hard cringing anytime these two characters had scenes together. Clem believed the worst in Belle and was nasty IMHO to Belle as much as Belle was rude and nasty to her. I do wonder how these two parents were not in this book and thought that was a bit odd that Clem's mother and Belle's stepfather were just absent through the majority of the book.
Ronan's story-line was my second favorite part of this book. I don't know how realistic it would really be in the end. But I smiled throughout it and loved it. Ronan was also very well developed which was a nice touch. I often find sometimes the men in contemporary romance novel's are not developed as much as the women.
Marina's story-line was really good and it gets slowly revealed. I am a bit sad though that she doesn't appear to get a HEA like the other characters.
Clem I kind of ho-hummed about. Besides her meet-cute I didn't find myself that engaged with the character. I also thought it was stupid she faked a relationship. I didn't get any sense of chemistry between her and the love interest at all. And I don't want to spoil it, but the love interest's story-line turned me off a bit. It didn't help that besides that he wasn't really in the story properly. We just hear about his past in a info dump, he appears a few times to make Clem uncomfortable and then love.
I loved the writing and did laugh a few times. When Clem and Ronan go off to show listings it seems as if every odd person in the world is trying to sell their places. The flow was really good between shifting narratives too. You know if you read a Mansell book there's going to be at least 6 people you are tracking, and Mansell does that very well.
The setting of St. Cary's sounds wonderful. The beach, the water, and the people sounded delightful. A good book to read during the winter months in Virginia.
The ending was a surprise (for one side character I had not thought that much of honestly) but we get to catch up with Belle, Clem, Ronan, and others. I was really happy seeing everyone's HEA.
April 30, 2017
Captivating, warm, lighthearted and funny!
This is an engaging, romantic story that reminds us that sometimes things happen for a reason and happy ever afters really do exist.
The prose is polished and beautifully descriptive. The setting is charming and quaint. The characters are sweet, lovable and real. And the plot is a wonderful mix of humour, heart, emotion and courage.
This is, ultimately, a story about life, love, loss, heartbreak, family, acceptance, happiness and discovering one's true self, and once again Mansell has proven when in comes to writing moving, heartfelt stories with characters you can't help but fall in love with she's one of the best!
Thank you to NetGalley, especially Sourcebooks, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
This is an engaging, romantic story that reminds us that sometimes things happen for a reason and happy ever afters really do exist.
The prose is polished and beautifully descriptive. The setting is charming and quaint. The characters are sweet, lovable and real. And the plot is a wonderful mix of humour, heart, emotion and courage.
This is, ultimately, a story about life, love, loss, heartbreak, family, acceptance, happiness and discovering one's true self, and once again Mansell has proven when in comes to writing moving, heartfelt stories with characters you can't help but fall in love with she's one of the best!
Thank you to NetGalley, especially Sourcebooks, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
April 1, 2017
Fantastic book, I loved it. St.Carys would be the perfect place to live.
July 30, 2017
This is a terrific book! I really enjoyed it and almost gave it 5 stars. I loved the characters, especially Clemency and Sam and I wish I could visit Beachcomber Bay!
February 11, 2018
What was Jill Mansell thinking when she wrote 'Meet Me at Beachcomber Bay'? I've read many of her books and they are all fun, light-hearted and romantic. But for me, this story had some uncomfortable moments and just plain silly situations: the two sisters were incredibly cruel and horrid to each other; a woman has a baby and she didn't even know she was pregnant; a guy lives with a girl he knows isn't right for him (as he loves her sister) but continues on with the relationship which seemed very icky to me; a woman bitterly tells her adopted son to never try and contact the biological mother as she couldn't bear it, even though she knows he wants to; the level of gossip in the town was annoying and childish; and the final wedding scene seemed so forced as if the author was trying to give everyone a happy ever after. I suppose all these instances are realistic in real life, but not in a supposedly warm-hearted story.
July 5, 2018
Dit boek was zo leuk! Ik heb er echt enorm van genoten, ook al irriteerde ik mij soms aan Belle, de personages waren onwijs leuk. Daarbij vond ik de setting ook echt super leuk en zomers. Echt zeker een aanrader, ook al is het niet per se een heel realistisch verhaal.
September 13, 2017
Hmmm. I'm awfully sorry to say this didn't live up to expectations. Enjoyable but predictable and a touch ho-hum.
December 17, 2019
Standardno odlična :)
April 30, 2021
Lovely light romantic summer read.
Step into the seaside town of St Carys and into the lives of the residents there. Love and friendship take central focus.
Likeable characters, believable if predictable storyline. Wish there had been more on the setting of the seaside town itself. There was a lovely map at the start of the book which helped to imagine the setting but would of liked more of the area.
Step into the seaside town of St Carys and into the lives of the residents there. Love and friendship take central focus.
Likeable characters, believable if predictable storyline. Wish there had been more on the setting of the seaside town itself. There was a lovely map at the start of the book which helped to imagine the setting but would of liked more of the area.
March 8, 2017
Every spring, I look forward to Jill’s latest book as each one is a guaranteed light and fun read. Meet Me at Beachcomber Bay was no exception in that regard: It’s got the usual small town setting, the beach, the intertwining stories of a handful of town residents… The heroine, Clemency, is fun and relatable, in a bubbly-extrovert-hardly-wears-any-makeup-but-still-looks-cute sort of way. However, especially compared to Three Amazing Things About You (which was heartbreaking and beautiful), this latest read left me a little disappointed.
I really enjoyed the friendship between Clem and Ronan. Their conversations and scenes together made me see how much they genuinely like and care about each other. I wish there had been similar scenes between Clem and Sam. I was told several times how they kept falling more and more in love with each other, but there were hardly any conversations or interactions actually showing me what amazing things Clem and Sam see in the other person. Especially Sam’s character was a little dull and underdeveloped, which is a shame seeing as this book has so many different viewpoints that would have made it possible to dive deeper into his thoughts and feelings for Clem. He also behaved rather cowardly where it came to his relationship with Belle in my opinion. Overall not a bad read, it just left me feeling kinda meh.
I really enjoyed the friendship between Clem and Ronan. Their conversations and scenes together made me see how much they genuinely like and care about each other. I wish there had been similar scenes between Clem and Sam. I was told several times how they kept falling more and more in love with each other, but there were hardly any conversations or interactions actually showing me what amazing things Clem and Sam see in the other person. Especially Sam’s character was a little dull and underdeveloped, which is a shame seeing as this book has so many different viewpoints that would have made it possible to dive deeper into his thoughts and feelings for Clem. He also behaved rather cowardly where it came to his relationship with Belle in my opinion. Overall not a bad read, it just left me feeling kinda meh.
April 28, 2020
Meet me at Beachcomber Bay
Perfect summer read. A feelgood romance with an happy end.
Perfect summer read. A feelgood romance with an happy end.
February 9, 2017
I tend to read so many crime books that reading this book was a total breath of fresh air.
Jill Mansell has yet again created a heart warming and feel good book with a great setting and even greater characters.
The story starts off with Clem meeting her perfect man when she is seated next to him on a plane. Fast forward three years and the perfect man walks back into her life but with another woman in toe.
I felt so sorry for Clem. She is such a fun and lovely person and she has never quite got over her brief meeting on the plane. Then to have him turn back up in her life is just pure torture.
Clem’s work colleague and good friend, Ronan, is another one who doesn’t seem to be having much luck in the love department. He to has met the perfect woman for him but has messed it all up and doesn’t know how best he can win her over.
Belle is very much all about herself. Her and Clem don’t have the best of sisterly relationships and it all seems to be about getting one up on each other. Even though Belle is a very selfish individual, it’s obvious there is a nice and mixed up person inside there somewhere.
There are so many lovely characters in this book that it would take me all day to go through them all. Through these characters we establish relationships and fall in love. Jill Mansell certainly weaves a beautiful tale that captures us heart and soul.
Another captivating read that would melt the coldest of hearts.
My thanks to Headline for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Jill Mansell has yet again created a heart warming and feel good book with a great setting and even greater characters.
The story starts off with Clem meeting her perfect man when she is seated next to him on a plane. Fast forward three years and the perfect man walks back into her life but with another woman in toe.
I felt so sorry for Clem. She is such a fun and lovely person and she has never quite got over her brief meeting on the plane. Then to have him turn back up in her life is just pure torture.
Clem’s work colleague and good friend, Ronan, is another one who doesn’t seem to be having much luck in the love department. He to has met the perfect woman for him but has messed it all up and doesn’t know how best he can win her over.
Belle is very much all about herself. Her and Clem don’t have the best of sisterly relationships and it all seems to be about getting one up on each other. Even though Belle is a very selfish individual, it’s obvious there is a nice and mixed up person inside there somewhere.
There are so many lovely characters in this book that it would take me all day to go through them all. Through these characters we establish relationships and fall in love. Jill Mansell certainly weaves a beautiful tale that captures us heart and soul.
Another captivating read that would melt the coldest of hearts.
My thanks to Headline for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
July 8, 2019
First of all as much of a fan I am of Jill Mansell, I hate this cover. It is not inviting and holds nothing into this fabulous story line. I wonder who here is responsible for this cover? I think this is Jill Mansell's best story ever. I just loved every page. I honestly did find this book totally unputdownable Meet Me at Beachcomber Bay is really a must buy for all Jill Mansell'e fans or romance lovers that would be new to Jill Mansell..Clemency just about makes her plane home. During the flight she is swept of her feet by the man sitting next to her and gives Sam her card with her number on. Clemency would like to see Sam again but he is married and can't see Clemency. Belle is Clemency sister and when Belle introduces her new boyfriend to Clemency, she has the surprise of her life. And now Clemency may have to tell Belle a hidden secret. I highly recommend ordering your copy now.
July 24, 2022
Inače ne čitam ljubiće, a ovo je baš to, pravi, ljetni ljubić.
No zadnjih par mjeseci nemam ni koncentraciju ni vrijeme za čitanje, a nisam htjela da mi godišnji prođe bez ikakve knjige, pa eto.
Sve u svemu, simpatična priča sa hepiendom za sve likove, dakle taman da vas ništa ne naživcira dok guštate na plaži, u hladu. Zapravo je vrlo dobro poslužila svrsi, čitala jesam, iako ništa zahtjevno, tek toliko da nešto pročitam.
Neki bi rekli, bolje da nisi ništa čitala, nego da si čitala ljubić. Možda, možda ne. I dalje to nije moj žanr, ali ne osjećam se loše ako uzmem malo laganog ljetnog štiva. Ne mislim da je ništa bolje nego išta.
No zadnjih par mjeseci nemam ni koncentraciju ni vrijeme za čitanje, a nisam htjela da mi godišnji prođe bez ikakve knjige, pa eto.
Sve u svemu, simpatična priča sa hepiendom za sve likove, dakle taman da vas ništa ne naživcira dok guštate na plaži, u hladu. Zapravo je vrlo dobro poslužila svrsi, čitala jesam, iako ništa zahtjevno, tek toliko da nešto pročitam.
Neki bi rekli, bolje da nisi ništa čitala, nego da si čitala ljubić. Možda, možda ne. I dalje to nije moj žanr, ali ne osjećam se loše ako uzmem malo laganog ljetnog štiva. Ne mislim da je ništa bolje nego išta.
March 24, 2021
Wat 'n heerlijk verhaal van Jill was dit weer. Er zijn niet veel boeken van Jill die mij teleurstellen. Ze weet mij altijd vrij direct in het verhaal mee te nemen. Ze heeft een prettige schrijfstijl met hoofdstukken die niet te lang zijn. Daardoor gebeurd het wel gauw dat ik even een paar hoofdstukken lees en het boek dan weer even wegleg, maar als ik het dan weer oppak is het niet moeilijk om weer in het verhaal te komen. In dit verhaal zat zelfs een twist die ik niet aanzag komen, wat het verhaal nog iets verrassendere maakte. Dat was een leuke twist.
Gelukkig heb ik nog een aantal ongelezen Jill boeken op mij liggen te wachten, nu nog mijn best doen om ze niet te lang te laten liggen.
Gelukkig heb ik nog een aantal ongelezen Jill boeken op mij liggen te wachten, nu nog mijn best doen om ze niet te lang te laten liggen.
February 10, 2017
I have been reading Jill Mansell for as long as she has been writing and her books rarely fail to hit the mark. This latest offering certainly ticks the boxes, but for me wasn't quite as good as her last book. Clemency is a lovely character and the usual descriptive offerings of the seaside town St Cary's make you want to visit. I especially liked her colleague and friend Ronan. Clemency's sister Belle also makes an appearance with her new boyfriend Sam in tow. The story is set around the town and many additional characters make their appearances all of which form part of the overall story and add depth to it all. However, although I really liked everybody I didn't love them and I'm not sure why? Having said that this was certainly a hugely enjoyable book, but it seemed the extra 'Mansell Magic' was missing for me in this book.
There are certain more serious elements touched on such as adoption, race and sexuality but all done in a way that is easy to read about and not made too depressing! I read this in two sittings and the writing is as flawless as ever, yet I am not a huge fan of the cover of this book. I'm not suggesting that it affects my review it's just so unusual as I normally LOVE her covers but this one seems too boring? Overall this was an enjoyable read but for me I felt like a little something was missing, however Jill Mansell is producing first class books and I remain a lifelong fan!
There are certain more serious elements touched on such as adoption, race and sexuality but all done in a way that is easy to read about and not made too depressing! I read this in two sittings and the writing is as flawless as ever, yet I am not a huge fan of the cover of this book. I'm not suggesting that it affects my review it's just so unusual as I normally LOVE her covers but this one seems too boring? Overall this was an enjoyable read but for me I felt like a little something was missing, however Jill Mansell is producing first class books and I remain a lifelong fan!
February 14, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed this latest novel from Jill Mansell, especially after going to see her at a book event in November and hearing about this book and her writing process. The usual mix of great characters, good plot, wit, misunderstandings and will they won't they romances - plus a few surprises along the way. This one also has a Cornish setting. You just know Jill will never let you down!
November 30, 2016
Review to follow closer to publication
March 13, 2018
2 1/2*. Vond deze toch iets te oppervlakkig en van de hak op de tak.
February 6, 2017
It's January, so it's time for a new Jill Mansell's book! I can't imagine January without her new release, to be honest, I really hope the books will keep coming like this for ever and ever! I still can remember that "An Offer You Can't Refuse" was my first book by Jill Mansell and it made me fell in love with this author, and I still can remember the joys of discovering her long backlist of titles and excitedly working through them. "Meet Me at Beachcomber Bay" reminded me so much of "An Offer...", with it's lovely, warm and light writing style and it being full of humour. Because I had a feeling that every book written by Jill after "An Offer..." was always a little more serious in tone and the author was touching upon some tender issues, and I believe that with this newest release it's like coming full circle, coming back to the roots. It doesn't mean I didn't like the other books - oh no, on the contrary I freaking adored them all, but right now "Meet Me at Beachcomber Bay" is on the top of my Jill's favourite books - it was such an easy, uplifting read, just what I needed at the moment. She has just this comforting, inviting way with the words that make you want to stay with the characters for as long as possible.
As usually with Jill Mansell's books we have a great bunch of characters in the story. In fact there were three main characters but there were also plenty of background characters, with their own stories as well, and while you can think oh wow, so it can be that all the stories can be too much, that they can make you feel confused, you can't be further away from the truth - nothing like this happened, the storylines were flowing seamlessly side by side or intertwining with each other. The author did a brilliant job with introducing the characters to us and let us to know them very well. Clemency and Belle are step sister, and they couldn't be more different. There is, of course, the element of sibling rivalry between them, but it was great to see and it made this relationship even more realistic, though I must admit that to keep up with Belle you do need the patience of a saint. But appearances may be deceptive, guys, and when at the beginning Belle seemed to me very shallow and empty and very self - obsessed, at the end it turned out that...well, she is all of the above but there is also a side to her that she's hidden and her secret was a real surprise, even though there was a moment or two when I started wondering. Yet seeing it happening for real totally surprised me but I was incredibly happy for her - and for Clem then, of course! Clemency, on the other hand, is this kind of character that you can't not like. She was so natural and genuine, she was spontaneous, funny and loyal and I loved her from the very beginning. She is a very caring person, supporting her friends whenever she could and I'd love to have her in my life. What I also loved about her was the fact that she seemed so very content with her life and in her own skin, which doesn't happen often these days, no?
Ronan works together with Clem at the real estate office - he's very, very handsome and he preys on it, of course, but don't think he's shallow or arrogant - Not. At. All. On the other hand, he was charming and lovely and there was much more to him than meets the eye and I think I could be a little in love with him. Although I was also a little in love with Sam, so there. Ronan always steps up to the mark when he's needed and he proved more than once that his heart is on the right place.
Three characters, different characters but there is one thing that they have in common - they want to find love. It was really great and wise from the author to divide the book into three storylines, as it made it so much more exciting, intriguing and interesting. Also all the other characters, with Belle, Sam, Marina and Josephine at the head, not forgetting Kate, were very well developed, they all had huge personalities, their own distinctive, loud and clear voices and they added tons of enjoyment to the story. The chapters were divided between them, and they were short and dynamic and made the reading somehow easier and quicker, and just the right amount of details and questions were given.
Reading this book was just like reading Jill at her best form - this tale was just a delight to read, from beginning to the end, with all its secrets being revealed at a steady pace and some twists that all came as surprises - yes, some of them seemed teeny tiny unbelievable but yet they worked incredibly well and made me smile or shed a tear or two, and they were actually things that you actually wanted to happen!
I also adored the setting of this book! I am growing to love Cornwall more and more and heck, must probably book a holiday there, right? I loved this little town St Carys (that, as it is, has already featured in one of Jill's previous books), it sounds gorgeous and thanks to the vivid, colourful descriptions I know must be beautiful, no matter if it rains or with the sun shining. And also, Jill Mansell could make Cornwall a new, fresh and intriguing place to live, as to be honest, with so many books set there it could go a little tiring, but not with this author! And of course all the inhabitants of this town were absolutely brilliant, but this takes us back to the characters - please, see above for yourself how much I am gushing about them. The little town community feeling was there as well, with everybody knowing everything about others and harmlessly gossiping about each other.
Sometimes it is so hard to feel this famous chemistry, those sparkles between the characters and when reading I often feel like the relationship is being forced upon me. But not this time! Oh my, how well Jill Mansell has captured the feeling of attraction between Clem and Sam, and the undeniable chemistry was so easy to spot and feel through the pages. They were this couple that you knew is destined to be with each other but it quickly turns out it's impossible, and it pained me so much to watch how brave they both tried to be in this situation. The author has really tried our patience, providing us with many problems and troubles till almost the last page.
I immediately felt at home when reading this novel. From the very first page I was engrossed in characters' lives and following them on this rollercoaster journey was an utter pleasure, and unfolding this tangled web of fate, destiny and chances was brilliant and I completely lost myself in the book. Altogether "Meet Me at Beachcomber Bay" was a sunny, cute, light - hearted read about love, friendship, loyalty, secrets and surprises that kept me glued to the pages, and kept the smile on face, but with the extra addition of some more tender moments as well. It was heart warming, it was funny, tender and very romantic, and I loved every single word of this book. It was engaging and it immediately drawn me in and I didn't want to put this book away. Jill Mansell at her best and I highly recommend it to all her fans!
Copy provided by the publisher n return for an honest review.
August 20, 2019
This book was a charity shop find and I’m so glad that I found it?
I loved Clemency! I thought she was fabulous! To be fair I loved most of the characters in this book. Belle wasn’t my favourite but she kind of grew on me. Don’t want to spoil anything but the Belle outcome was a surprise!!
I’m such a fan of Jill Mansell and this didn’t disappoint. I love her style of writing and I’m a sucker for a happy ending.
A definite ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me.
I loved Clemency! I thought she was fabulous! To be fair I loved most of the characters in this book. Belle wasn’t my favourite but she kind of grew on me. Don’t want to spoil anything but the Belle outcome was a surprise!!
I’m such a fan of Jill Mansell and this didn’t disappoint. I love her style of writing and I’m a sucker for a happy ending.
A definite ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me.
October 31, 2020
Adorei como sempre Jill Mansell surpreende sempre, so tenho pena que os livros dela sejam tao caros.
January 1, 2017
Love Jill Mansell books so was excited to see that she had a new book on the horizons. Meet Me at Beachcomber Bay is set in St Carys in Cornwall. The title of the book sounds lovely, the setting is lovely, the story is lovely. What is there not to like about this book.
The story begins with Clemency meeting the man of her dreams on a flight she is on. Even though they get on very well, unfortunately Sam is married and when Clemency gives him her business card, he puts it in the bin. Fast forward some time later and Clem gets a call from her stepsister, Belle, who announces that she is moving back to St Carys with her new boyfriend. Surprise surprise, this turns out to be Sam, the man from the plane.
Whilst the ending is hugely predicable, (who doesn’t like a happy ending) the rest of the story has so many different twists, turns and tales that it just takes you on a rollercoaster of an emotions. The stories of the different characters all mix together and whilst there are some tears, there are lots of love and laughter also. The characters, Clem, Belle, Sam, Ronan, Kate, Marina and all the others are so delightful. You can just see yourself living in such a beautiful place surrounded by such lovely people.
As expected from Jill Mansell, a wonderful feel good book that will keep you hooked to the last page.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this advance copy.
The story begins with Clemency meeting the man of her dreams on a flight she is on. Even though they get on very well, unfortunately Sam is married and when Clemency gives him her business card, he puts it in the bin. Fast forward some time later and Clem gets a call from her stepsister, Belle, who announces that she is moving back to St Carys with her new boyfriend. Surprise surprise, this turns out to be Sam, the man from the plane.
Whilst the ending is hugely predicable, (who doesn’t like a happy ending) the rest of the story has so many different twists, turns and tales that it just takes you on a rollercoaster of an emotions. The stories of the different characters all mix together and whilst there are some tears, there are lots of love and laughter also. The characters, Clem, Belle, Sam, Ronan, Kate, Marina and all the others are so delightful. You can just see yourself living in such a beautiful place surrounded by such lovely people.
As expected from Jill Mansell, a wonderful feel good book that will keep you hooked to the last page.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this advance copy.
July 13, 2018
Wat een heerlijk boek met een prachtige cover. Ik heb genoten van elke bladzijde! De karakters in dit boek zijn apart van elkaar zo leuk, maar wanneer ze samen komen in het verhaal is het gelijk alsof je in een warme familie terecht komt als lezer zijnde.
Van begin tot einde bleef dit verhaal mij boeien. Absoluut een aanrader. Jill Mansell doet het gewoon weer! 😍
Van begin tot einde bleef dit verhaal mij boeien. Absoluut een aanrader. Jill Mansell doet het gewoon weer! 😍
August 19, 2017
Wat een heerlijk boek. Heb er echt van genoten
August 27, 2017
Blooming LOVED it! Great holiday read
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