A gorgeous, haunting and immersive historical story, full of poignant history, mystery, danger, romance, secrets and the most gorgeous and evocative setting of Cornwall and Morroco, an absolute must-read! This is my first Jane Johnson, and it certainly will not be the last, my goodness what a book!!
I was fully engaged and captivated by both sides of the story, I do have a soft spot for dual-timeline stories, and despite having a toppling tbr pile I felt compelled to read this, I loved how easily both timelines worked with each other and how you become fully transported to both parts of the story. I liked the characters, the plot, the writing, how easy it was to read, and the pacing though at times felt a little sluggish works well with the overall story.
For those who love historical fiction, then this is a must!

This is told in a dual timeline.
This was interesting and I liked the characters. The Cornwall setting was very atmospheric
It is a slow moving story but the writing is beautiful. Maybe a bit too flowery for me.

I am a huge fan of dual timeline stories and what sold this one for me initially was its Cornwall setting. Although never having been there (or even to the UK, for that matter), there is just something beautiful, captivating and even magical about Cornwall. And it was the perfect setting for THE SEA GATE.

The weaving of two different timelines bringing the past and the present together filled with secrets and mystery all set around a once beautiful house that now stands decrepit upon a cliff, it is easy to get lost to not only the story, but a different time and era. There was a touch of all those Cornish favourites from over the years woven into this story - a bit of Poldark, Jamaica Inn with a strong sense of du Maurier's "Rebecca - as well as a definite nod to Cornish history.

In London in the present day, Rebecca Young is bidding a final farewell to her beloved mother who succumbed to cancer without confiding the truth of her illness with anyone but Rebecca's twin, James. Becky (as she was more often called by those closest to her) cannot fathom why her mother confided in James and was hurt that she had not. She was even more hurt by the fact her partner of ten years, Eddie, could not deign to accompany her to her mother's funeral as a support and a comfort to her...citing he "doesn't do funerals" and that he has "his (art) exhibition coming up". As if that were more important than her or her mother's untimely death.

After the funeral, Becky, James and his wife Evie (love the name, hated the character), descend on their mother's flat to pack up the detritus that was her life before selling up. Whilst Evie goes through everything without a thought or care for their mother, Becky sifts through the mail that had piled up since her mother had been in hospital. She separates the bills from the junk for the solicitor to attend to when she comes across a letter in a hand she doesn't recognise. Upon opening it, Becky discovers it's from her mother's cousin Olivia in Cornwall of whom Becky has vague recollections visiting as a child. She seemed old to her then, she must be ancient by now.

In her letter, Olivia is asking for her mother Jenny to come to Cornwall as they want to put her in a home and she must help her put a stop to it at once. Becky wonders how long the letter has sat there as there is no date on it and the postmark is smudged. Almost on a whim, Becky decides to travel to Cornwall and break the news of her mother's passing as well as taking her mother's place in assisting Olivia for whatever she needs.

Upon arriving at Porth Enys in Cornwall, Becky is deposited by an unfriendly taxi driver outside a ramshackle old house surrounded by an overgrown and bramble-strangled hedge. The house is in desperate need of repairs. Even the front porch gave way and crumbled when Becky knocked on the door and was greeted by a god-awful screeching from within. The house Chynalls (Cornish for "the house on the cliff") is something of a character in itself, as it overlooks a secluded cove with its own secret tunnel leading from the beach and up to the house, depicting its rich and colourful history.

She soon meets Jem and Rosie Sparrow who overseer Chynalls in Olivia's absence. But what exactly is it that they do? Jem indicated he was there to feed Gabriel, but who is he? A cat? A dog? Of which Becky saw no evidence. Until she walks into the front parlour and is assaulted by not only an awful smell, but a loud screeching followed by a stream of obscenities. It seems she has met Gabriel, the biggest parrot she has ever seen. And with a personality all of his own.

And there is Rosie, Jem's wife, who comes in to cook and clean for Olivia. But now that Olivia is in hospital, surely there is no need for Rosie to be at the house. But the following morning, Becky wakes to discover Rosie firmly ensconced in the kitchen over the ancient range and the smell of bacon. She told Becky she would take her to the hospital in Truro to visit Olivia...a ride which Becky would never forget and afterwhich goes into Penzance to hire her own car.

At the hospital, she meets Olivia and breaks the news of her mother's death. Olivia is saddened but onward and upward, she then delivers a list of things that need attending to at once to enable her to return home. As Olivia reiterates, she was born at Chynalls and she will die there. But Becky is puzzled by the item Olivia has prioritised on her "to do" list which is to brick up the cellar when her bedroom and ensuite are of far greater importance. But Olivia is adamant. The cellar must be bricked up at once and no one was to venture within. Her other puzzling request which was noted with importance was to find her locket.

So Becky returns to Chynalls with the daunting task at hand. She began by searching the house from top to bottom for her treasured locket but to no avail. She did, however, come across a few interesting items in Olivia's things that gave her cause to ponder and set her on a journey of secrets and discovery. Against Olivia's wishes, Becky ventured into the cellar but could find nothing of interest...apart from a huge locked door for which there must be a key. Upon finding the said key, Becky continued her search and found herself on the beach below the house. A secret smuggler's tunnel? But whatever else was in the cellar, Becky was shocked to find what she would later discover to be a bone from a human finger. What secrets has Olivia got buried down there?

In the midst of the uncovering of some startling family secrets, Becky engages the services of Reba and his brother Mo to undertake the many repairs as well as install a new bedroom and ensuite with indoor plumbing for Olivia's return home. Up until her hospital stay, Olivia had continued with the use of the outdoor privy and chamber pot as if it were the Victorian era. The idea of which made Becky's skin crawl. As did Jem and Rosie's two sons Saul and Ezra, who seemed to be forever lurking in the shadows around Chynalls.

The secrets Becky slowly begins to uncover leads to the story of a younger Olivia who, at 15, is on the brink of womanhood in the midst of a war. It's 1943 and her father returns to his post in North Africa whilst her mother disappears off to London with the arrival of new housekeeper Winnie Ogden and her devious child Mary, leaving Olivia in her car. Mrs Ogden takes an instant dislike to Olivia as does her 5 year old devil child Mary...and the feeling is mutual. Olivia cannot wait for her mother's return whenever that may be. Mrs Ogden has Olivia undertaking chores that wasn't normally her job whilst Mary just sits back and smiles smugly. And then things start disappearing...little trinkets even some of her mother's jewellery...and Olivia begins to suspect little Mary. When the little girl is outed, she then sets to continue making Olivia's life a misery by taking her sketchbooks.

Then one day a telegram arrives. Olivia is terrified its message will contain news of the death of her father. But breathes a sigh of relief when the telegram boy says it is for Mrs Ogden. It seems Mrs Ogden's mother has taken ill and she is needed at once, leaving Mary in Olivia's care. Neither of which either girl is happy about. But Olivia takes over the care of the hateful little girl regardless. It's also around this time the Land Girls which had been boarding with them and working on the Roberts farm next door, decided to up and leave. It seems rumours about young Olivia had been circling and Beryl and Marjorie wanted no association with it. The rumours, Olivia is sure, originated from devious Nipper Martin and his co-horts...which only grew with ferocity after Olivia discovered Nipper and a German POW interned at the farm raping 13 year old Mamie Roberts. It seemed they conjured up a story before Olivia could inform Farmer Roberts of what she had witnessed. And so Olivia was branded.

Amonsgt the POWs was a mysterious man Olivia had silently christened "the Dark Man" due to his complexion. She was in awe of him and often sketched him from memory. She knew nothing of him, not even his name, but fate would bring the two of them together in a way neither could ever imagine on a stormy night that forever remain etched in Olivia's memory.

All Becky had were photographs and trinkets that meant nothing to her and she only needs Olivia to link them together with the past to make sense of the secrets she has uncovered. But Olivia is a feisty old woman. Will she unlock the memories of her past to unite them with the present?

A wonderful tale weaving together the past and the present, THE SEA GATE is mesmerising, hynotic and atmospheric. The beauty of this story rests solely in the setting. Cornwall itself is captivating and mesmerising...and the perfect setting for such a tale. One cannot help but see du Maurier's "Rebcecca" reflected in the vividly drawn descriptions of this highly atmospheric tale. Particularly as one of the main protagonists was named in her honour.

Although it started off a little slow within the first chapter or so, in which I found Becky to be a little whiny, the story soon picks up pace with her journey to Cornwall which is where the story really begins. It is there we are then transported back to 1943 and a young Olivia, and it is this story I found more compelling than Becky's, though that too became interesting as the woman finally grew something of a backbone. But it's Olivia who is bared completely - her good and her bad - as we get to know her in the present day reflecting back on her colourful life, blossoming from a young girl into a women in the shadow of war. Becky's story is one of a journey of self discovery as she overcomes the loss of her mother, her relationship to a selfish prat, her non-existent career and family dynamics. Each character is perfectly drawn and well developed, even if some are hateful. Those would be Eddie, Evie, Saul, Ezra and Rosie...and of course Mikael. But my favourites would have to be Olivia herself and of course Gabriel.

I have not come across Jane Johnson before, though I can't see why not as her style is one of which I love to immerse myself in...especially Cornwall. THE SEA GATE is a beautiful story that unfolds at a steady pace that you will appreciate taking the time with and with a bit of everything from mystery to romance to family secrets and intrigue.

Perfect for fans of Kate Morton, Kathleen McGurl and Lorna Cook.

I would like to thank #JaneJohnson, #NetGalley and #HeadOfZeus for an ARC of #TheSeaGate in exchange for an honest review.

The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson takes readers to Cornwall where Becky Young sets out to help her elderly relative, Olivia Kitto. It is a dual timeline novel that takes readers from the present day back to World War II. I thought The Sea Gate was well-written with developed characters and a complex storyline. The author is extremely detailed in her descriptions. While this allows readers to visualize the scenes, I did find it to be too much information because it greatly slowed down the pacing of the story (needed a better balance). I liked how the past storyline provided details on Olivia and what happened in the house. World War II was a dangerous time in Cornwall. There was fear that the Germans would try to invade and there was the constant threat of bombings. The mystery was quite intriguing and multifaceted. There were some unique characters in this story. Olivia is a cantankerous woman who has been shaped by the past. She is quite a character along with her parrot, Gabriel. I liked seeing Becky develop as the book progressed. The ending nicely wrapped up the novel. There is foul language as well as intimate situations in the novel. The Sea Gate has a mysterious artist, beautiful paintings, a lovely bracelet, a hidden tunnel, and much more. A few little tweaks, and The Sea Gate would have been a home run for me. The Sea Gate is a fascinating story about courage, secrets, war, forbidden love, danger, and perilous secrets.

A captivating novel by Jane Johnson which will keep you riveted while the story unfolds. This is one to read if you enjoy historical novels with a twist. The secrets stored in Cornwall at the property owned by Olivia and how generations deal with the past.

I could not put this down so make sure you have a lot of spare time to read this novel. Brilliant!!

THE SEA GATE is an immersive read which takes the reader on a surprising adventure to WWII and the Cornish Coast. It touches on smuggled contraband, small town prejudices, and the hidden artwork of a mysterious painter. But while it’s the stories of the two women, Rebecca (Becky) and Olivia, that keep the narrative flowing, the most interesting to me was the revealed story of the ‘dark man,’ and his carvings of protection. It’s the extension of his story as a prisoner of war from Morocco and Algeria, interned and working on a local farm during WWII that had me reaching for the tissues.

Written in dual narrative, this delightful story follows Becky, an artist and cancer sufferer, and her surprise decision to visit a feisty elderly relative of her recently buried mother. Olivia is in her nineties and lives in a house called Chynalls in the southernmost part of Cornwall. Her last letter to Becky’s mother was a heartfelt plea for help. With no other relatives, grief stricken Becky randomly decides to visit her. But when she arrives, Olivia is in hospital, and with no one to look after Olivia’s spirited parrot, Gabriel — a colourful character in his own right, Becky decides to stay.
“I need your help in getting Chynalls in order so that I can stay in my own home. Ridiculous RED TAPE! I’m perfectly fine with a lick and a spit. And they have the gall to complain about Gabriel, too! My only companion for all these years! Dirty and unhygienic, they called him. I lived through a war, I told them. We didn’t have hot baths and powershowers then. A fig for all their HEALTH & SAFETY!”

Olivia is a terrific character —clever, prickly and cantankerous, but Becky is urged to protect her. Barking orders from her hospital bed she provides Becky with the perfect excuse to hide away from a shallow life in London and avoid facing her own health concerns. Rosie, the housekeeper, and her sons put up a fight, but Becky becomes more confident and insistent on making decisions on Olivia’s behalf — she suspects Rosie’s family are trying to kill Olivia.

Curious to learn more about the woman she doesn’t know, Becky uncovers the letters her mother wrote to Olivia, along with photographs and more importantly, hidden paintings that immediately suggest Olivia is not all she seems. Becky soon recognises the focus of one of the paintings and discovers a point on the beach beyond the sea gate that leads back to Olivia’s cellar.

When Becky seeks the skills of local Moroccan man, Reda and his brother Mo, to prepare structural modifications to Chynalls for Olivia’s return from hospital, ghosts of the past come to the surface. The discovery of a human bone in the cellar that Olivia insists be ‘filled in,’ makes Becky suspicious of the activities that have taken place there. The tension builds beautifully at this point and I just could not put the book down! The 1940s part of Olivia’s story delves into lies, murder and secrets from the past that won’t go away.

This is a terrific story, full of drama and subterfuge. It’s an exciting blend of a young woman’s experiences during wartime, woven with the exotic history of Algeria that is long forgotten. It’s the story of unrequited love and redemption— of hidden secrets and trust in the power of forgiveness.

Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #JaneJohnson #TheSeaGate #HeadofZeus

I remember being completely and utterly enraptured by Jane Johnson’s sweeping tale, Court of Lions and this talented writer has outdone herself with The Sea Gate, a captivating, lyrical and emotionally satisfying read set in Cornwall that has echoes of Rosamunde Pilcher at her best.

When Becky loses her mother, she begins the sad and heart-breaking task of sorting through her empty flat. With a stack of post to wade through, Becky beings to look through them and is taken aback to find a letter with a Cornish post-mark that ends up changing her entire life forever. An elderly cousin of her mother’s, Olivia, has written an impassioned letter to Becky asking for her help to save Cynalls, the once grand and majestic house that has fallen to rack and ruin. With Olivia in hospital for an indefinite period of time, there is nobody left to restore Cynalls to its former glory compelling Becky to pack her bags and try to save this once sumptuous house and find out a bit more about a part of her family history shrouded in secrecy.

On arrival, Becky cannot help but feel daunted at the mammoth task ahead of her, but having come this far she is not about to let a bit of dust and grime deter her from uncovering the secrets of the past. As she rolls up her sleeves and begins to do her best to bring Cynalls back to life, secrets from the past that have been buried for decades begin to emerge. As the years roll back, Becky finds herself immersed in the never forgotten past and into a time where Olivia was a young woman during the Second World War.

As Becky is swept away by the danger and romance of a time gone by, will she uncover the dark secret that binds her and Olivia together?

A brilliantly written and wonderfully evocative page-turner from a writer at the height of her storytelling powers, Jane Johnson’s The Sea Gate is a book that is sure to blow everyone away with a seductive and beguiling blend of nuanced characters, searing emotion, intense drama and poignant romance told with such flair and panache, I almost could not bear to read the last page as I did not want this book to end.

A book readers will not easily forget, The Sea Gate is high quality fiction at its most dazzling.

What a super book. I love it when you start a book and it's nothing like you thought it would be. This surpassed my expectations. I thought it was going to be the usual time slip wartime book but it was so much more.
Becky escapes London to look after her elderly aunt in Cornwall. Here she finds herself and the family history of aunt Olivia. Mystery, intrigue and history. A real gem.

‘For a moment it seemed as if the world shifted on its axis and she felt like a foreigner in her own village. They were so wrong, so dangerously wrong, and she had been right all along.’

Always up for a good dual time narrative, The Sea Gate ticks all the boxes venturing into Cornwall during WWII to the present day. Here is a story with strong characters involved in a family drama with some well kept secrets that lead to a present day mystery.

The character of Olivia is the constant player in both timelines and boy! what a character she is! From a present day feisty 90 year old, to life in Cornwall as a teenager - she is overflowing with confidence and attitude - but her life has not been an easy one and the author does a fabulous job of digging deeper to see beyond the crotchety old lady persona. The characters, along with the plot, are complex and engaging. Even the parrot with the foul mouth needs to be included here. What is not to love about an old house with secrets and old Olivia telling Rebecca about her younger self during the war years. There is real growth for all the main players over the course of the story to entice the reader.

‘Of course real life wasn’t like that. She couldn’t see a future for the two of them, not here, or anywhere, so she tried not to think about the future at all.’

Cornwall comes alive with detailed descriptions of sea breezes and secret coves. The plot is well thought out with lots of interconnecting pieces across both timelines that come together for a climactic conclusion. I thought it was cleverly constructed and the mystery has a super twist at the end that you will not see coming. There are multiple themes at play here from abandonment and abuse, to survival and self discovery, with subterfuge and violent confrontations. Jane is to be commended for giving purposeful consideration to all these aspects along with the added light relief of humour and a foul mouthed parrot!

With so much going on it takes awhile to get going but by the end I was hooked. The depth of the intrigue I was not expecting but once again Jane weaves it all together beautifully. From the outfall of evacuees and war time prisoners, to interracial relationships, to murder and misdemeanours to caring for the elderly. When you sit back, there is a lot going on but somehow she makes it all blend together.

‘A seagull screeches overhead and when I look up I am dazzled by the golden light haloing its wings against the sky; and all at once Cornwall saves me.’

My fascination with Cornwall continues as it seems to be the perfect location for many a story with its rugged backdrop often being matched by an equally compelling storyline. The key figure here is the strength of character of Olivia who shines in both timelines and makes The Sea Gate a compelling read.

‘I turn on my phone and find the photo I took of The Sea Gate and show it to her. ‘It’s so beautiful, and so sad. Tell me, Cousin Olivia, are you the “OK Painter”? It is you, isn’t it?’





This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Favorite Quotes:

Estelle swore in vehement French, which Olivia mentally noted down for future use.

She still did not believe there had ever been a Mr. Ogden. And if there had been he was probably, judging by his offspring, a hobgoblin.

The long mirror on the inside of the wardrobe door throws my image at me. There is little worse in life than being caught unawares by your reflection, before you’ve made the small adjustments all women make – I have avoided mirrors for so long that I have forgotten to look out for them – and there I am, thin and white and strangely shaped…

Olivia hated Sundays. Who on earth thought it was a good idea to have a day of rest and then make you get up early to go to church?

I feel nothing. Not regret, or hatred or even repulsion. Nothing at all. All my emotions appear to have burst out of me in that one punch. I imagine them flowing down my arm like Popeye’s spinach, pumping up the muscles, exiting in a cartoon-bubble POW!


My Review:

I adored this brilliantly crafted tale! The storylines were highly engaging, emotively written, colorfully and effusively detailed, insightfully observant, staggeringly eventful, and cleverly paced while hitting all the feels with a powerful punch and taunting my curiosity with a constant itch. The cast of characters was vastly diverse and well-drawn with despicable villains and endearingly flawed protagonists, but my favorite was the highly astute and humorously profane parrot. This was an epic tale that intrigued, squeezed my heart, amused me, and kept me well entertained and actively engaged while reading. This sly missive was my introduction to the wily Jane Johnson and has me greedy for more.

This book is told from a dual perspective by Becky and Olivia. Becky is tasked to make the old crumbling house livable for Olivia. Becky is lovely, but quite a troubled character. Grief, unsatisfying love life, fear of illness and other things occupy Becky’s mind very often… I really liked Olivia in this novel, at present she is this tough old cookie but when we start delving into her childhood, we can see how wonderful she truly is. I enjoyed Olivia’s parts because she was very mysterious throughout this book, and I really enjoyed all the little discoveries that author had to offer with every single chapter.

I liked the narrative and how all the events were flowing throughout the pages. Present mixed with the past, never left me bored, and I was hooked to find out what will happen next. This novel has a lot to teach us, not only about self-discovery but also about how it was to live during WWII, especially when you are young, want to be carefree, but are left to fend for yourself with a very annoying child bestowed on you. I see a lot of the author’s experience in this book, such as life in Cornwall, true love for the sea and great knowledge about Morocco and it’s people.

I loved the writing style, it feels serious, but at the same breezy and enjoyable. The topics discussed in this book were abusive relationships, self-discovery, romance, survival, small community and it’s ways of life etc. The chapters are very well designed and didn’t leave me feeling bored. I liked the ending of this book, and I think it rounded up this story very nicely. So, to conclude, it was a very pleasantly surprising novel, filled with intriguing, different timelines as well as absorbing characters and their life stories.

I really loved this book, it was a nice break from the thrillers - although there was so much excitement to keep me entertained 😊 I loved Olivia's character, a crochety but lonely old woman who reached out to her last remaining family, with a harrowing history.
It hops between Olivia's past and her present to tell the story and it unveils a whole host of surprises as you go, some sweet and heartwarming, some distressing and heartbreaking....a story full of emotion. It was so easy to read too, and I had no idea where it was going to go...I was hoping for an alternate ending - you'll know what I mean if you've read it - but alas, that didn't happen. Pick this up guys, it's well worth a read ❤

I loved this book, from the first few chapters the setting and sense of place, really appealed to me.

Becky an artist, finds herself to much to her own surprise heading to Cornwall to visit her Mother’s cousin Olivia. Becky remembers visiting Chynalls vaguely as a child, she leaves her partner Eddie an artist and decides that she needs to do this.

When she reaches Cornwall and visits Olivia in hospital and meets this strong willed and belligerent old lady who needs her help. She decides to stay and help set the house up for Olivia’s return and finds herself wondering about Olivia’s life, when she makes a shocking discovery this becomes even more of a necessity.

Becky has suffered ill health herself and you discover more about this as the story progresses. Becky has a lot of self doubt and anxiety about her self and doing this is completely outside her comfort zone. She pushes her self to do things she would not have done previously after the death of her mother.

I found myself willing Becky to stay and be herself and leave Eddie to his own devices.

The book is written from the point of view of Becky but also a young 15 year old Olivia living in Cornwall in the house in the Second World War, her mother is French and her father a soldier. She is living in a the Cornish village with evacuees, POW and Land Girls, making the community very diverse to its usual demographic. She is just beginning to come of age and this gives her many new experiences.

The writing is so atmospheric and sensory. I loved being transported to Cornwall with Becky and Olivia and I really love books about old houses and their history. I also loved the foul mouthed parrot !

I would hugely recommend this book and if you like historical fiction and family secrets you will love this. I particularly love Cornwall and not being able to visit in lockdown has been hard so this was perfect escapism for me and I love the mystery in this book kept me gripped.

My reading has been mainly on the lighter side during lockdown, and I have enjoyed every moment – but I did rather embrace the opportunity to read something different, a sweeping story set in the past and present. And my goodness, this book was everything I hoped it might be – filled with hidden secrets, fast paced, two compelling stories intricately entwined and cleverly linked by both location and a series of wonderfully managed echoes and reverberations.

Grief and loss are often the trigger for a fresh start, and this might not be the first book I’ve read where things happen because of the discovery of a letter – but this isn’t a letter from the past, it’s a plea for help from an elderly aunt in Cornwall, found among her mother’s correspondence after her recent death, looking for help so that she will be allowed to continue living in her cliff top home. Becky’s life is at a crossroads – concerns about her own health, a lack of direction, a relationship she’s begun to question, a family intent on keeping her at the periphery – and she grasps the opportunity to breathe a little while offering Olivia some much-needed support. She finds the home in a far worse state of repair than she expected, with a resident parrot (albeit one of considerable character – and a particularly foul mouth) making it considerably worse. But the house is most definitely worth saving – full of character and secrets, from its basement to its attic.

Olivia herself immediately wins Becky over – cantankerous, irreverent, constantly planning her “escape” from hospital – and it soon becomes clear that she has a story to tell. And we’re allowed to share it, through some of the most accomplished dual-time writing I’ve read in quite a while: we experience her growth to adulthood during WW2, in wartime Cornwall with her mother largely absent, the beaches lined with barbed wire and the prisoners of war supporting the war effort at a nearby farm. Even in her youth, she’s such a strong character – there are moments of real joy as she drives her father’s Flying Eight around the countryside, and her coming of age and a particular relationship she forms (quite wonderfully handled) put her in considerable danger. There’s a really well-sustained balance between the moments of high drama and the tenderness of the developing relationship, with the author showing a particular sensitivity with the emotional content.

Becky, as she sets about making the house inhabitable, the repairs to the home mirroring her own recovery, gradually uncovers a whole plethora of deeply hidden secrets – the secrets of the cellar that Olivia is so determined should be bricked up, the story behind the symbols carved on the door frame and the sea gate, the identity of a mysterious and sought-after artist, and the reasons why Olivia’s recent health might have declined rather more quickly than expected. It’s a story that moves at tremendous pace, filled with shocks and surprises and unpredictable turns: there are more than a few heart-in-mouth moments that make the book entirely impossible to put down, as Becky puts the past to rest while finding some resolution of her own issues.

As well as being a gripping and highly original story with the strongest of female characters, it’s the setting of this book that I think I might most remember. Chynalls (Cornish for “the house on the cliff”) is very much the third strong character in this book, the descriptions of its idiosyncrasies so vividly drawn, coupled with the most wonderful descriptions of its setting, its depths and secrets. This was a wonderful read – and the book a definite contender as one of my Books of the Year.

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

I relished this dual timeframe story pulled together with unexpected threads against a vivid Cornish backdrop. Unfortunately I can't mention the angle that really interested me as it's a bit of a spoiler. Olivia is an endearingly idiosyncratic character in her youth and old age and there are some deliciously sexy and romantic moments.

Wholeheartedly fantastic read!

‘Shut the fuck up!’ the creature retorted. Funny how the parrot becomes one of the key characters.

I’m really enjoying my reading at the moment, thanks to Netgalley which has introduced me to so many different genres.

I would never have chosen this book, and I’m so glad that I’ve read it. Set in Cornwall, Johnson takes you on a sometimes uncomfortable, however beautiful journey.

It is written, I’m reading more of this type of format currently, in different timelines and with different characters.... which sometimes I found frustrating as I wanted to continue with the timeline and character I was reading about now, not switch to the other. However this didn’t detract from the successful way in which Johnson brought the past and present together, it is well written and paced appropriately.

There’s a lot going on..... WWII, war time struggles with evacuees, refugees, prisoners of war and tragic consequences. The rape of a vulnerable child is shocking but the way in which Johnson weaves everything together, love, strength, history, intrigue, suspense, romance, interracial relationships, interfering relatives, prejudice, sickness, murder and deception is positive and sympathetic resulting in a compelling read. Then you have two extremely strong women and a parrot thrown into the mix, I savoured every minute of their journey. And none of this was core to the plot, Becky wanting to help her mother’s aged cousin get back into her home, which is dilapidated and has been neglected over time.

What stood out for me was when Becky kept getting flashes of mental support from her mother, now deceased. ‘’Stop it, darling.’ My mother’s voice is so strong it almost echoes. ‘Concentrate on this moment, right now. It’s all we ever truly have.’’ I wholeheartedly concur.

Johnson has a way of writing which is truly descriptive, there is so much I would love to share, however you are going to have to read the book to learn more. It’s a great adventure.

Excerpts:

‘My whole body becomes a smile. I take a breath and duck my head underwater and open my eyes in the strange green light and there she is, waiting for me. We swim little circles around one another, the seal graceful and strong, and I feel graceful and strong as I match her, until at last she suddenly refines her bodyshape and torpedoes away from me, and that is the end of our game.’

‘Shocked anew at the carnage, I trace the scars left by my treatment. A double mastectomy and lymphadenectomy. This small round lump just beneath my collarbone my implanted chemo port; this dark mark where the drain exited (I can still remember the crawling sensation of it being drawn out again, wormlike, foreign).’

‘I take in my reflection, this sexless patchwork of a woman, remembering the first time Eddie saw me after the surgery, how he could not disguise his horror and repulsion.’ Good old Eddie 😡 what a poor judge of character 🤷‍♀️

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Head of Zeus for this eARC provided in exchange for this unbiased review.

Rebecca, finds a letter in her late mother's possessions from Cousin Olivia in Cornwall asking for her help. She decides to go straight to the house Chynalls which she remembers vaguely from family holidays in the past with her twin brother. On arrival she finds that all is not well. Olivia is in hospital and the house needs to be renovated to suit her needs (with an inside bathroom for one!) She visits her in hospital and leaves armed with a "to do" list.

The home help and her husband try to make her change her mind but she's adamant that she's going to help Cousin Olivia no matter what it takes. Her partner Eddie is only interested in his work and her brother wrapped up in his life with his overbearing wife.

The house is rambling, is filled with exquisite artwork and curios, has an underground tunnel and it's own cove. Rebecca finds something which scares her half to death which she realises she'll have to ask her cousin about. She also meets Gabriel for the first time who really is a character in his own right. It needs a lot of work to bring the house up to scratch so that Social Services will allow Olivia back home. She enlists the help of two brothers who run their business locally much to the disdain of Rosie, the home help's sons who make mischief and scare her.

We also meet Olivia during the war years when she is a young girl and her story is compelling. She's had a rich life with her fair share of unhappiness, friendships and ultimately love and heartache.. I like how the past and the present are intricately interwoven with mystery and some surprising moments. I simply adored this book and would highly recommend.

This is a wonderfully warm story with the past and present interwoven flawlessly, resulting in an engaging and evocative read.

When Becky's mother dies suddenly, she has to take on the job of sorting through her effects and comes across a letter from her cousin, pleading for help. Without taking time to think, Becky races off to the Chynalls - the home on the Cornish coast which she vaguely remembers from her childhood. With cousin Olivia stuck in hospital until certain renovations are made to the ancient house, Becky agrees to take charge and deal with it all, but gets much more than she bargained for . . .

What a fabulously created novel! The cleverly crafted story had me fully invested very quickly and I was eager to find out what happened next. With romance, history and mystery all easily intertwined, the narrative flows smoothly and makes for a very rewarding read. With a cast of varied characters, there is never a dull moment and I flew through the pages, looking forward to finding out what came next both in Becky's story and, of course, Olivia's - and what an amazing life the latter had! I have been riveted throughout and adored all the quirky details of the house. A fitting conclusion to a book which I feel I have more absorbed than read, and am very happy to give 4.5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley and especially to Vicky Joss for my spot in this tour; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

The two women in this saga were both strong and resilient. They had many things in common despite their sixty+ year age difference.

The house, Chynalls, (Cornish for 'the house on the cliff'), was almost a character unto itself. Imagine it, on a cliff overlooking a Cornish beach, complete with secret tunnels, and a colorful and precarious history. When reading this book, one can't help but think of Daphne Du Maurier's "Rebecca". The setting coupled with the one of the protagonist's names - how could you not?

The story set during the war years was vividly rendered and well researched. The present day story was also quite compelling, including themes of family secrets, blackmail, and elder abuse.

The ending wrapped up the book perfectly. Poignant and hopeful in equal measure.

To be honest, anytime a novel is set in Cornwall it grabs my attention. It seems so idyllic. This time round I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there via the pages of "The Sea Gate" and can highly recommend it to readers who enjoy the work of Rosamund Pilcher, Kate Morton, Harriet Evans, and the like.

Loved it! Every minute of it! A sure contender for my 2020 Top Reads list.

Becky's mother has just died and she has the unavoidable task of sorting through her belongings. As she does, she finds a letter from her elderly aunt Olivia who lives in Cornwall. Olivia needs her help and so she takes the long journey down there and finds a ramshackle house that also has a timeless beauty in some parts. The house is packed with dated furniture. And, there's a parrot.

When a neighbour meets her he shows her into the place and suggests alternate accommodation. But Becky is staying put. And as she does, she discovers the nooks and crannies of the place. There are secrets to uncover, too.

Jane Johnson creates an incredibly atmospheric novel and it's quite dark and eerie in parts. There are a few laughs to be had and the parrot is hilarious!

I felt like I was literally there in Cornwall with Becky and that I was on the quest, too. The discovery of The Sea Gate near the house was unexpected and well woven in.

The atmosphere is built well and there's a mix of characters. The pace is relaxing yet leaves you guessing.

Alternating Rebecca's life in the present day with Olivia's life in WWII, the 2 plots fit well.

Thanks to Jane Johnson and Aria for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

4 stars.