When Olive has a minor stroke she feels that her son might have a point about her moving into a home and so she agrees to go but only as long as she can keep her beloved beach hut - especially as it has a chest full of her speciality gins!

Once in the home she starts to feel claustrophobic - she is not allowed out in the evenings or on her own so how can she get to the beach hut - then she recognises Veronica - she has seen her at the beach in the early mornings so she must have an escape plan - and then she befriends Randy and suddenly their Friday night escape becomes the gin party and escalates beyond belief......but who would want to sabotage it and why?

A great book with the brilliant antics of the 80 somethings from skinny dipping to solving crimes and bringing a whole beach community together and all in the name of gin!

Lovely summer read. I really enjoyed this book. It was everything i imagined it to be and it lived up to my expectations. Oh how I wish i owned a beach hut. Thats how good the book was it drew me in and made me jealous. i recommend this book to all

Ah, Gin & Tonic. That most refreshing of alcoholic drinks, with hidden depths and mysterious ingredients, each different make of gin having its own character. Just like this book!

I want to be like Olive when I grow up (if that ever happens!). This feisty eighty year old lets no one boss her around. She is fiercely independent, and likes her own space. After a fall, she agrees to go into a retirement home - not a care home - but is devastated when her son says he is selling her beloved beach hut.

She soon finds new allies in her quest for the perfect gin in fellow residents Veronica and Randy, and the Three Amigos get up to some hilarious antics quite unexpected for people of a certain age. They certainly bemuse the local police. The theme of friendship and community is strong in the book, with Olive's beach hut neighbours rallying around her.

There's mystery involving the despicable Matron, a woman full of her own self-importance. Can the Three Amigos bring an end to her regime?

There are poignant moments, such as between Olive and her son Richard, who appears not to care what his mother actually wants. The relationship is obviously strained, the reasons for which become evident later on.

It's a wonderful, heart-warming story showing that age should have no boundaries.

I hope Catherine had as much fun researching her novel as I did reading it - I know I would have!

Cheers!

Wow, what a lovely story! The book captured me from the start, from it's eye-catching cover (how pretty is it?!) to the title. Catherine Miller is a great author and really made me not want to put the book down!

The book follows Olive, a woman in her eighties who LOVES gin with a passion. After her son moved her into a retirement home, Olive made it her mission to sneak out and visit her beach shack as often as she could. Along the way there is drama, mystery and friendships blooming - all around the love of gin.

This particular storyline is different to what I usually read I admit as I usually tend to pick out a love story (I know, typical), but from the start of this one I was drawn in by the humour and by just how beautifully it was written. The characters all went together lovely and their friendships were well thought out and if I'm honest I just think this whole book was really interesting and entertaining.

If you thought that from the description of the book that you wouldn't enjoy it - or it's not for you then I urge you to think again! A brilliant book and I can't wait to read more of Catherine Miller's novels.

THE GIN SHACK ON THE BEACH BY CATHERINE MILLER

June 4, 2017Leave a commentEdit
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YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD TO TRY SOMETHING NEW!

When octogenarian Olive Turner is persuaded by her son to move into a retirement home, she congratulates herself on finding the secret to an easy life: no washing up, cooking or cleaning. But Olive isn’t one for mindless bingo with her fellow residents, and before the first day is over she’s already hatching a plan to escape back to her beloved beach hut and indulge in her secret passion for a very good gin & tonic.

Before long Olive’s secret is out and turning into something wonderful and new. Only a select few are invited, but word spreads quickly about the weekly meetings of The Gin Shack Club. Soon everybody on the beach wants to become a gin connoisseur and join Olive on her journey to never being forced to grow older than you feel.

A journey of friendship, defiance and a quest for the perfect G&T.

MY REVIEW:

This book was a breath of fresh air! Right from the start it had me hooked. I knew from the opening paragraph that it was going to be fun when it begins with a lovely description of Olive’s sanctuary; her beach hut. She describes how she swings open the beach hut doors, breathing in the “sweet seaweed breeze of Westbrook Bay”. The place is her sanctuary and place of restoration, and also a place in which to fart loudly. What an opening paragraph.

Olive’s story is both hilarious and touching. She is getting older, but still feels young. She likes her independence, but is not really able to live alone any longer. She makes friends in the retirement home, and this leads to some very funny escapades. There are some real laugh-out-loud moments and the characters are fantastic. But it’s more than just a funny story. There are unexpected twists and turns, a bit of a mystery, and it’s genuinely thought-provoking, making the reader think about old age, what it’s like to be getting old, and how we treat our old people.

This is a book that I won’t forget in a hurry, genuinely one that everyone should read. Highly recommended.

This is a lovely easy summery read. Perfect for the beach or pool side. Olive is a lovely character and her zest for life is heart warming. The imagery of the beach, beach hut and the gin bottles where lovely. I loved how the story developed and the relationship between the main characters. Some sections didn't feel quite right to me like maybe they needed a bit more developing. The end although funny and different was quick and felt maybe a little rushed. It would have been nice to see more dialogue with matron and Melanie to get a real feel for who they were. Also nobody ever seemed to eat! Small thing but it kept occurring to me as I read it. I liked the Richard story but maybe a little more of the husband and daughter would have helped bring their story together. Overall I truly enjoyed Olives adventures and escapades and would definitely buy further books by this author. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

Olive's son convinces her that it is time to move into a retirement village in a old hotel. She sees the virtue in no longer having to cook and wash up- but doesn't want to give up her independence OR her gin and tonic down at her beach hut.

She finds some kindred spirits at the centre who are also bold enough to grow old disgracefully and join the 'wear purple' brigade. They discuss ways to bend the rules and enjoy a glass of gin away from 'Matron' and the escapades begin. I absolutely loved Olive, Randy and Veronica and their refusal to be be treated as though they were at boarding school and more like the Famous Three escaping on expeditions. You wondered what they were going to try next and how despairing Matron and Olive's son were going to be.

The beach hut community sounded wonderful and the idea of the gin club was born and I loved the way that the idea grew and became a wonderful reality and the beach hut community were always there for each other in more ways than one.

I'm not a gin drinker but I must admit that the descriptions of the different gins they sampled made me want t0 try a few of them and join the gin club to get my very own tokens for gin! Even the bottles sounded like something I needed to own!

Any book set by the coast is a winner for me and this was such an adorable read. You quickly engage with the characters- apart from Matron! You can imagine yourself trotting off to buy something purple to wear and compiling a bucket list for an octogenarian to complete, disgracefully refusing to get old. There are many funny and also many touching moments in the book. Catherine Miller has written a pure delight that you won't want to put down, apart from maybe to add a few ice cubes to a glass of gin just to join in with the spirit of things obviously!

I can't wait to read more by this author.

I love when a protagonist doesn't fit the mold and the fact that this one is a spunky octogenarian just makes this all the better. Bravo for thinking outside the norm for this genre.

Finding out that Catherine Miller's third novel was going to be about gin, really did surprise me; especially as her previous two novels had quite a serious topic for the storyline. I was aware that the author wanted to try something new, but, as someone who isn't allowed to drink alcohol, I wasn't sure what to make of the concept.

However.....


It didn't matter whether I drank alcohol, liked alcohol, didn't like alcohol, or fancied dressing up as a llama whilst necking several tequila, the storyline of 'The Gin Shack' was absolutely brilliant! To be honest, the entire novel was cleverly written - it blew any umm-ing and ahh-ing of out of the water.

Olive has reached a time in her life where her mind thinks she's 20, but her body tells her that she's eighty-wonderful. Unfortunately, Olive's son is concerned about leaving her sharp mind and her weakening body alone to care for herself. As far as Olive is concerned, moving into a care home is going to be bliss; no cooking!! There is one major downside to that move; no free access to her beach hut.....

I fell in love with Olive's character straight away, whilst at the same time disliking her son's character. He annoyed me big time! As for Olive, I'm surprised her beach hut was able to accommodate her personality, it's larger than life! I adored her cheeky and free-spirited side, aka the 'not giving a f....' side, she couldn't give two hoots whether people liked what she got up to, all that mattered was whether Olive was happy. What exactly is wrong with that?

There is so much more to Catherine Miller's latest novel than just gin, and it's very moving.
There were times throughout the storyline where I felt incredibly sorry for Olive. All she wanted to do was keep her hobbies, it wasn't really asking for much yet for Olive it was as though she had lost part of her. Aside from the fact that this book is mostly about gin, the storyline does have a back story to it and most of the characters are more than what they seem. You'll find out when you read it!

I wish I could sit here and explain my views a little better, but if I did that I wouldn't be too popular due to spoilers. Soooo it means that this review is quite tricky to write. Apologies!

Olive is the sort of person that everyone should have in their lives; she has sparkle, confidence, a big heart, as well as a touching back story which will no doubt make you have 'something in your eye'. I love her to pieces.

In my eyes, Catherine Miller has done it yet again! She has written such a memorable, heart-warming, soul-searching, addictive and magical novel which warmed my body from the tips of my toes, to the top of my head. Catherine Miller's enticing words made me giggle, sigh, and for the first time ever, make me feel as though I was 'one of the gang' (even though I don't drink). To an outsider, a Gin Shack may seem to be a waste of time or pointless. But, to Olive, her friends, and now the readers of Miller's brand new book, 'The Gin Shack' is THE book to read and losing yourself in. Yes it's funny at times. Yes it's bonkers at times. Yes there is copious amounts of gin. But you know what? I have never, ever felt more at home in a storyline as I have with Catherine Miller's.

Such a fantastic, fun, and moving novel, perfect for reminding you of what is TRULY important in life (alongside gin). Out-gin-standing. The Gin Shack is my top hug in a book, book ever.

Catherine Miller is definitely an author to watch in 2017; phenomenal work as always.

Huge thanks to HQ Digital UK & Catherine Miller!

Nice to have a book where the main characters are not twentysomethings.

Although I am a couple of decades behind Olive in terms of age, I am already making plans to grow old Disgracefully, and now I've read this, I will be using Olive as my role model. Making colourful friends of all ages, skinny dipping on the beach at dawn and swilling gin there at dusk sounds like my idea of a perfect old age.

Unfortunately Olive's son doesn't see it that way, and after she experiences a few "senior moments" she agrees with him that it is time to move into a retirement home. But neither of them realises just how much the matron there will try to curb Olive's freedom, nor how complex, hilarious and ultimately rewarding Olive's reaction to that will be.

A great read with an unusual story.

Olive Turner agrees to move into a retirement apartment but she isn't going to let her son Richard take her beach hut away without a fight!

What a lovely summery story this is. There's a real sense of place and community on the beach and The Gin Shack on the Beach made me wish I had a beach hut of my own.

Firstly, I really enjoyed the way in which Catherine Miller has created a cast of lively and often feisty characters whatever their ages. I found Richard so frustrating but there is a history to be uncovered in the relationship between him and Olive that explains why they act as they do towards one another. Matron is despicable and again, there's more to her than meets the eye so that as well as a light summer read, The Gin Shack on the Beach has mystery too.

I thought the plot was hugely entertaining. Olive and her gang encounter brushes with police, adventure and romance as Catherine Miller explores friendship, loyalty and the search for the perfect G+T. Indeed, it did make me wonder just what kind of research went in to this aspect as I never knew there were so many gins to taste! As I read I thought what a marvellous Sunday night series on television this would make.

The element that took me by surprise was the range of emotions conveyed in what I thought would be a simple beach book. I certainly laughed aloud at lighter moments, but I felt sadness and compassion too so that there were more layers than I had anticipated.

The underlying principal of The Gin Shack on the Beach is that we shouldn't judge others by age or appearance and if Olive can go skinny dipping in her 80s I'm sure we all can! There's such positivity here that The Gin Shack on the Beach is a feel good read I highly recommend.

Okay I admit to being a bit of a gin-lover so there was no way I was going to be able to resist a book with this title! The star of the show in this book is Olive Turner, a lady in her eighties who loves nothing more than spending time at her beach hut, testing out various combinations of gin and tonic in search of the perfect blend and she's not averse to a bit skinny-dipping either! After a couple of incidents at home, she agrees to move to a retirement home Oakley West. This seems an attractive prospect as someone else will be cooking and cleaning and Olive will have more to enjoy life, However, it doesn't quite work out like that and soon Olive is planning ways to escape to her beloved beach hut with a few of the other residents.

I loved the character of Olive. From the very first paragraph she was doing and saying things that made me laugh out loud. She is exactly the kind of old lady I would hope to be: "these days she didn't get two hoots what anyone thought.....The only person she planned to please these days was Olive Turner." A perfect philosophy for life and possibly one that should be adopted before reaching old age. She was an intelligent woman who didn't see why she should stop doing the things she loved based on a little thing like age!

From quite early on, it became apparent that there had been some event in Olive's life which had caused great sadness and had certainly affected her relationship with her son Richard. I wasn't keen on Richard at first as he seemed determined that he knew what was best for his mum and didn't listen to Olive's opinions at all. As the story went on, the reader begins to guess at what has happened in the past and why the mother and son don't get on as well as they might. The two become closer when they begin to talk about what has happened.

The Gin Shack on the Beach is a warm and funny book about friendship, growing old disgracefully and gin! Perfect summer reading, or for anytime really when you want a feel-good and uplifting read. Now I'm off to have G&T - cheers!

Olive, an octogenarian, and her son Richard do not agree on where or how she should live. To make his busy lawyer’s life easier, Richard has convinced his mother to move to a retirement home. However, Olive does not particularly like the martinet manager who runs the home, a former hotel, like a prison camp. Along with a couple of the friends she meets at the retirement home, who share similar feelings, Olive opens a “gin shack” in the beach shack Olive owns on the the nearby beach. The trio, along with a few friends, plan to taste different gins, searching for the perfect gin and tonic (something Olive has been doing all her life). Soon, the gin shack has dozens of members, all eager to be part of the enterprise. Meanwhile, the retirement home martinet manager has different ideas, and gets the police to close this gin shack, because they innocently have begun serving drinks for money without a license. However, this does not stop the group, who next lease a defunct bar, fixing it up to become the new gin shack. Again, the enterprise attracts hordes of locals as well as tourists, who learn about the shack, once its existence goes viral. Again, there is an attempt to close the place down by this same martinet, but little do they or the reader know that she has her own secrets and nefarious reasons for this action, all of which come out in a well-done, unexpected ending.

This book is a fantastic read. Olive is a feisty older woman, both strong and loving. I did not particularly like her son Richard at the beginning, but, as the story progressed, he began to come around. In addition, as the story progressed, the secret this mother and son share, which had kept them largely apart for years, while driving each to be who she/he had become as well as distant from each other, was revealed. This is such a fantastic story, I wonder why no one had ever thought of the story line before (I have not read anything along this line anywhere, and I read and have read a lot). I loved the three main octogenarian characters, who were all done extremely well and complimented each other perfectly. In addition, the other characters in the story were well done and also fit in nicely, fleshing Olive’s story out. I admit I was a bit surprised at the ending. I saw part of it coming, but not with the twist the author included. I figure this is the start of a series about Olive and life, so am eagerly awaiting the next installment and hope it is as good as this one. The book moves along at a steady pace, and is both serious and funny. Reading this book has made me want to read the author’s other books, hoping they are as good a read. I highly recommend this book. It is a perfect summer or beach read. Finally, if I could give it more than five start, I would, as it certainly deserves that. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

What happens when you try to put an octogenarian into a retirement home, try to force her to give up her beach hut, and stop her from having freedom to come and go as she pleases? Well that is what Olive has to contend with, and more in The Gin Shack on the Beach.

She doesn't mind too much about moving into a retirement hotel that has a huge activity schedule, but having restricted access to her beach hut, the one thing that gives her joy, is a step too far for her. It leads to Oliver, and new friends Veronica and Randy having to find ways to sneak out so they can do as they please.

I pretty much loved everything to do with Olive and her friends, and the way she seems to inspire people around her. She is incredibly feisty, doesn't necessarily conform to what is expected from a woman of her age, has a fantastic knowledge of Gin and Tonic, has some great friendships, but equally seems to have had a sad past, and a difficult relationship with her son. In fact its son, Richard that is adding to Olive's stress, meaning she has to stay at Oakley West, and barely has access to her beach hut any more.

The story takes many turns, each of them feels completely right, while also in some respects taking me by surprise. There is simply a fabulous cast of characters, that I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know. I also loved the descriptions of the various gins that Olive has tried, as well as everything to do with The Gin Shack Club.

The pacing in the book is just right, keeps moving a good speed, with no dull moments, just plenty of action, laughs and good times. It really is a feel good story, and I loved our octogenarians, their budding friendship and the antics they get up to. I would have happily read this in one sitting had I had the time.

I suspect if you are a big G&T drinker then you will identify with Olive even more than I did, and also start to crave a drink during some parts of the book. This was the first book I have read by Catherine Miller, and I'm really glad I started with this one given how much I enjoyed the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Digital for this copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Hooray! A summer read that’s not about a twenty something looking for romance! Olive Turner is 84, thank you very much, and while she may have recently given up her home to live in a retirement community, she’s not dead yet. Far from it! Her prudish son wants to take away his mum’s beach shack too, but she won’t stand for it. Where else will she have a little gin and tonic, or go skinny dipping? Olive has lots of friend in her little beach shack community and they rally around her to try to save her precious little shack, and her last shred of independence from her dull, but well-meaning son. This is a glorious novel about getting older, not giving up and NO ONE DIES! A lovely story that had me giggling into my pillow. I hope I’m half as interesting and feisty as Olive when I’m 84!