Every now and again, a novel surprises me and this one certainly did. It's a pure delight from beginning to end.

The narrative begins with Grandmother Mary and her experience with the local folktale. She shares the details with her granddaughters, Lamorna and Morwenna, telling them how their dreams can come true...if they believe... It's simply to write a message in a bottle and follow the ritual on the Full Moon in June, down at Capel Porth Cove aka Magic Cove. Both young women choose to believe when the time was right for them and succeeded in finding their true love. Therefore, both are eager for the younger generation to embrace the tradition and for them to believe it can work for them too.

I liked how the author manages to weaver the past with the present, as we are introduced to Merrin and Ethan. Both have a tentative connection to the two sisters and how fate has brought them together. Just like those before them, they also have to have hope and faith and a belief that life will allow them to be together. Just like Lamorna and Morwenna, life throws up challenges for the pair to navigate and in the spirit of a happy ending, all turns out well!

Ms. James has written an enchanting story spanning several generations. Set again a mainly Cornish backdrop, we learn about a charming folk tale about how local young women can find a sweetheart if they just believe...

***arc generously received courtesy of One More Chapter via NetGalley***

A multi-timeline family saga. Drama with a mystical twist and a Cornish setting. It spans five generations from 1899 to the present day but focuses on a grandmother, granddaughters and a grand-nephew and their experiences with sending a message in a bottle. The story is rich in historical details, and the sense of place is integral to the story and described lyrically. I like the serendipity and the complex and flawed characters that make this believable, even though it has a mystical element.
It's an engaging and heartwarming tale.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were great and I loved the way it spanned generations. Recommended.

I loved reading this book and seeing how three generations of women found love through a ‘message in a bottle’. A wonderful Cornish setting with its magic and customs. It’s a great read with wonderful characters that you warm to. It would be wonderful to think that everlasting love could be found across the oceans simply by wishing under a full moon and sending off an old bottle. Such a magical idea! .

I tend to struggle with multi generation "sagas", however I didn't have that trouble with this story. Starting back in 1938, through to the current time, the common denominator is people wishing to meet someone via a message in a bottle thrown into the sea.
There is a certain amount of "magic" involved, which might put some off, however I enjoy stories with some mystery. With some mention of the horrors of WW2 there is also love and hope to counterbalance this. There is also Cornwall, my favourite part of the world and easy for me to visualise in my mind, to add to the story
In summary a quiet book to gently while the time away and thinking that there is perhaps more to life than what we know.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influenced my review of the book.

This is a warm-hearted story with a gentle pace and poetic descriptions of the beautiful Cornish landscape.
Not believing in magic, I read the "magical" parts as a beautiful fairy tale and serendipity.
Still, I can recommend this poetic story to everyone.

This is such a beautiful story. It features the gorgeous landscape of Cornwall, romance, hope, family and the kind of magic that makes you believe it could really happen! Multi generational and covering different timelines, it is an easy and heart warming read and all of the characters are endearing and believable. I would urge anyone to take a break from the stresses and sometimes harsh realities of life and lose themselves in this delightful, magical book. Paddle into Magic Cove and throw your message in a bottle into those Cornish waters and believe! I adored this book and am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC which I happily and voluntarily review here.

The summer read of 2023!

I am heading down to Cornwall this summer, and this book has convinced me I might well have to cast my own glass bottle into the Atlantic and make a wish.


What a fantastic book, it was written beautifully and the story was heart warming.

Beautiful stories from the past and the present all merging into one across the Atlantic and the sands of time.

I loved it.

10/10

over the years, wishing on the June Cornish moon has brought love to those who dare . Can Merrin have any luck? enjoyable reading.

I received this book via NetGalley and give it my honest opinion.

This is such a beautiful read, following two timelines and a message in a bottle, it produces a magical and lovable story.

Well written and easy to follow storyline, Amanda James will capture your heart with this one!

Grandma Mary shares the magic that may occur if you put a message in a bottle and throw it into the Atlantic at Magic Cove. Others have found their true love when someone has picked up the bottle much later and contacted the person from the message. This story spans time and place, beginning in 1938 and ending in present day. The couples are presented with love. The present day couple takes up most of the story sharing two cultures and two very different life styles. Ethan’s story is complicated, and I enjoyed watching him sort out his life. I liked the blend of elderly characters and young characters all believing in the magic.

Two timelines, two continents, two messages in bottles. This is a lovely story based on the premise that a message in a bottle can bring love. And it does, just when it's needed the most. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I love this author and her writing style as she has a great way of combining magic and the lovely surroundings of Cornwall I her stories. This was a beautiful romantic read which brought several generations together. And spanned a dual timeline. This story broke my heart in places and then pieced it back together again and made me laugh and cry in equal measure.

This story makes you really believe in magic and fate and if things in life are meant to happen through fate or otherwise then they will. Definitely serendipity at its best. I would love a sequel to see how the characters lives progress.

Its 1938 and at midnight on an evening in June, 15-year-old Lamorna Williams throws a message in a bottle into the sea at Magic Cove, hoping someone will write back - maybe her one true love. And they do!

In 1997 in America Lamorna relates what happened to her great nephew, Ethan. At 16 he is sceptic but does what she wishes him to do. However he has to wait for 20 years for a reply.
Can the magic work again!

Loved the magical feeling that I got from this book
I love the idea of someone writing a message, putting it in a bottle and throwing it into the sea wondering about the journey and destination. Receiving a reply and following your heart is amazing.
This book was well written and I loved the way the characters blended so well
The perfect beach read!

I am always drawn to books based in Cornwall as I live there, but I am not normally a fan of romance.
However, this book was an enchanting mix of romance and magic, set over dual timelines and spanning two continents and I was very quickly drawn into it.

Amanda James catches the magic of Cornwall perfectly and her characters are realistic and likeable, making this a very enjoyable book indeed.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy in return for an honest review.

My eyes are full of tears and my heart is bursting with overflowing joy! What a beautiful, delightful, original plot! Awesome characters that my heart is so attached to, I will be going into book withdrawal soon, when it hits me that I will not continue to know what happens to them in the future. I want to rate it however many stars it would take to reach the moon!

Amanda James is a fabulous author. I have read a few of her previous books and they are great, but this one, oh gosh, it just attached itself to my heart and I will not be forgetting it, ever!

The magic of finding a bottle with a message meant for you is not a unique theme, but it felt that way with this book. I loved every moment I spent in this world that Ms. James created. I actually forced myself to read the last third of the book slower, to stay a bit longer in it.

The book cover is stunningly beautiful and definitely sets the mood of the story.

I want to thank HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for giving me the immense pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC. #WishUponaCornishMoon

This story was magical, what a beautiful ending! I fell in love with the characters and loved the storyline. Amanda’s writing is just perfect, the magic of Cornwall was captured so perfectly. I loved the historical references and how the magic captivated generations. There is something about Cornwall and the sea holds secrets, it was so nice to read this book. Thank you for this chance, I recommend it!

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

Another fabulous book by Amanda James.

Will putting a letter in a bottle and throwing it into the sea bring you love?

The story is dual-timeline, it’s set in 1899 and the present, following the story of those ladies that have done the above and what it’s brought them by doing so.

The story is very well-written, the characters were lovely too. You could feel as though you’re on the beach with the sand beneath your feet and breeze in your hair.

I highly recommend this book.

This was a magical love story spanning several generations. It was a nice easy book and I really enjoyed it
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy