This story of second chances is about a middle-aged woman who lives by the sea, and has for years, in a house filled with memories, and a terrific amount of stuff.

Melody has lived in her house since her birth, and had a loving mother and father. They were not well off, but managed, purchasing a house along the beach. There was a small group of houses here, and the family gained several wonderfl friendships. She also had a wealthy aunt and uncle and cousin, Jules, who visited occasionally, and the girls grew to love one another like sisters.

When her brother was born and diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Melody's mother insisted on caring for him at home, rather than send him to an institution. The stress of knowing he had a disabled son was too much for Melody's father, and he left the family. Melody was left grieving, and never really recovered. To help her brother cope, Melody began collecting interesting flotsam from the beach, and used these to tell her brother fantastic stories. And rather than disposing of these items, Melody made interesting collections of objects, and displayed them for her brother, who grew increasingly unable to move as he grew older.

A neighbour's boy helped with her brother. Melody developed a crush on this boy, though never told him.

The years passed, and Melody and Jules grew apart, and the neighbourhood changed, with the land the small neighbourhood was in was purchased for redevelopment, and Melody and her heighbours are all evicted, leaving Melody bereft.

Jules comes for a visit, and there is friction and disagreements, and eventually Meoldy reveals family secrets, which results in a gradual warming between the two women, as well as many changes occurring in Melody's life.

The relationships that were damaged or broken were mended, as I fully expected them to be, but the how is what kept me reading. The author treats her characters kindly in this warm, gentle novel, even while she is dealing with heavy subject matter: parental abandonment, disability, illegitimacy, gentrification and grief.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Aria & Aries for this ARC in exchange for my review.

The Storyteller by the Sea by Phyllida Shrimpton

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Aria and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

A heartwarming and uplifting new novel, perfect story for fans of Sally Page and Hazel Prior.

Melody spends her days combing the shore for items washed up on her beach. She collects them in her basket and takes them back to Spindrift, her weathered little bungalow overlooking the sea, and weaves stories about her treasures.

Everything Melody thinks she could ever need is right where she is, cupped by the rocks that shape her bay. But Melody has been keeping a secret…

When she learns that her little corner of Devon is under threat from developers looking to modernise the strip of coast on which Spindrift stands, Melody realises she is about to lose all she has ever known. Is it time for her to tell her own story - a story of love, loss, secrets and lies?

My Opinion

This is a well-written tale of love, loss and hope. This is the first book I have read by Phyllida, but this was such a moving tale that I am glad I gave it a go. The story is told in different parts, through Melody's life, and it was amazing to read about Melody as she developed as a character. There is a lot to unpack as we follow Melody's life, so ensure you have plenty of time when you start reading this, you might not put it down.

Rating 4/5

Melody is shattered to discover that where she lives is being bought over by developers and she needs to move. Unfortunately she hasn't been able to throw anything out and her house is overloaded with stuff. Her brother was handicapped and she used to make up loads of stories for him

This was such a poignantly beautiful story. I know I'm a bit of a sap, but I loved it. Phyllida Shrimpton's books are storytelling at their finest!

The story is told in pieces throughout Melody's lifetime as she grows up in Exmouth, England, with her mother Flora and her disabled brother Milo. It also highlights her relationship with her cousin Juliana and the bond she shares with her neighbors.

The Storyteller by the Sea wraps you in warmth and nostalgia. The characters are lovingly written, and seeing Melody transform her life profoundly captured my heart.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really had a difficult time getting into this novel. The beginning seemed depressing as the main character Melody was stuck in the past and still grieving the loss of family members. The switching between past and present was confusing. I am sorry to say I did not finish this novel.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I live reading a book that has had no hype and a little known author but changes everything once read. This book is so beautifully written, with characters that captured my heart. Melody lives in Exmouth, England, by the sea, with her mother, Flora, and disabled brother, Milo. The story is told over time periods through Melody’s life, her relationship with her cousin Juliana, her love of her neighbors in Exmouth who are being evicted to build modern skyscrapers, her love for living by the sea. Melody is best described by the author, as the “music of the sea in her soul.” I highly recommend this gem of a book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Storyteller By The Sea is the second adult novel by award-winning British author, Phyllida Shrimpton. Melody has lived all of her thirty-four years in a beachside cottage called Spindrift, in the village of Shelly right near Exeter. When she was three, her baby brother, Milo arrived to much fanfare, and Melody was instantly smitten. A year later, her cousin Juliana was born to her stern, unapproachable Aunt Isobel and lovely Uncle Gordon. The summers that Juliana spent at Spindrift made them firm friends.

When Melody was seven, her father Daniel left, unable to cope with the idea of a backward son, leaving her mother Flora and Melody to raise Milo. Melody wondered why Milo’s delight in life could not be enough for their father. They never saw Milo as a burden: the joy he brought them eclipsed any inconvenience. Life in Spindrift was always happy and carefree, even if Flora had to take in darning and ironing to make ends meet. No amount of cajoling by Isobel or Gordon could convince them to leave their shabby cottage.

While Juliana’s wealthy parents ensured she had a top-notch education, an exclusive school and University, Melody willingly gave up her higher education aspirations to stay in Spindrift with Milo and Flora. During a particularly severe winter, when library visits were impossible, Melody kept her brother amused with stories she made up, and thereafter took inspiration from her beachcombing finds to create interesting tales for the boy who was, by this time, less mobile and more confined. “Why limit Milo to the characters in a book, when there were a thousand stories she could think of to make his small world a magical place?”

When Melody lost Flora, and then Milo, within two years of each other, she clung to every reminder she had there in Spindrift: Flora’s terry dressing gown hung on a hook behind her door; Milo’s wheelchair in his bedroom; Daniel’s gum boots by the door. Her part-time work at the shop allowed her to keep roaming the beach, bringing home flotsam and jetsam, and spinning stories around them, telling Milo, even though he was only there in spirit.

It's true that what Melody collected and kept was seen as a problem by her cousin Juliana, who kept offering to help her clear it out. Melody knew that Juliana didn’t understand the importance of what she kept. But now, in mid-1988, maybe it is going to be a problem…

Juliana, somewhat estranged, is insisting on a visit, and Melody dreads her repeated offers of help. She will have to reveal the awful news that Shelly is to be “regenerated” and the developers will be demolishing the row of cottages. She and all her neighbours, her only friends, will have to relocate, but Flora and Milo, still there with her: will she lose that connection? Where will Big Joe Wiley, her neighbour since childhood, and the man with whom she has secretly been in love, go?

Juliana has her own troubling news to tell. And is it now time to tell the deep dark secret she stumbled across when sorting her mother’s papers?

Shrimpton easily evokes her era and setting, particularly the 1950’s mindset about teen pregnancy and physical and mental disability. Her characters have depth and appeal, and it’s wonderful to see Juliana’s laterally-thought-out solution to Melody’s hoarding problem.

The secret that Melody has discovered will keep even the most astute reader guessing, and the plot takes some unexpected turns. It is debatable whether the epilogue was really necessary: a neatly-tied bow that is perhaps overkill. A moving and uplifting read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Aria & Aries.

Melody collects items washed up by the sea and creates stories for her younger brother who has a debilitating disease which prevents him from getting to the seashore.

Rather strange, I kept feeling that there was a "The Secret Book of Flora Lea" vibe as I was reading The Storyteller by the Sea. Maybe because there was a Flora in the book. It just seemed that the rhythm in the writing seemed similar (to me). I wonder if anyone else got that feeling?

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria Books (the publisher) for approving my request to read the advance read copy of The Storyteller by the Sea in exchange for an honest review. 352 pages in the advance read copy, publication date is June 4, 2024.

I really enjoyed Every Shade of Happy also by Phyllida Shrimpton. I'd suggest reading that one if you are still awaiting the publication date of Storyteller!

This is a beautiful book. It’s an emotional read, but filled with friendship, family and how it brings them together.

Melody is thirty five year old who lives in her family home called Spindrift. It has loads of memories and she doesn’t like to throw things away. She has suffered loss and controls it with storing things.

The book jumps back and forth to the 60’s and the 80’s in part one and then the present day in part two. The setting is fab, the cottage is set on a beach in a town called Shelly on the British coastline.

I liked the storyline, another great story by this author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

Set in Exmouth in 1988 with flashbacks to 1968.
A lovely summery read - perfect beach read.
Heartwarming and uplifting, very thought-provoking of what home means and what makes a community.
Loved the characters - Melody was such a free spirit and was truly the storyteller by the sea.
Perfect for any fan of Hazel Prior.
Thanks @phyllidashrimptonauthor, @ariesfiction & @netgalley for the eARC

3.75⭐

As the story begins, we meet thirty-four-year-old Melody, a resident of the community of Shelly in Exmouth on the southern English coast. Melody has spent her whole life in her family home, a bungalow named “Spindrift”. After the demise of her mother Flora and younger brother Milo who was born with a developmental disability, she now lives alone, surrounded by the familiarity of the sea and the coastal community and memories of her family. She still spends her time collecting her “treasures”- flotsam and jetsam from the seashore - and making up stories about her finds as she had been doing since she was a child to entertain Milo. But her days in her childhood home are about to come to an end once her lease is up and the community is razed to the ground to allow for a new development. Melody must figure out how to move on and decide on what she wants to do with the rest of her life. Complicating matters further is a secret she discovered among her late mother’s belongings – a reality that would irrevocably impact her relationship with her dear cousin Juliana with whom she shares a close bond. The narrative follows her as she navigates the challenges life throws her way and faces losing the only home she knew, her relationship with her cousin, and a budding romance with a childhood crush.

The Storyteller by the Sea by Phyllida Shrimpton is a beautifully written story that revolves around themes of love, grief, community, family and belongingness. The narrative is presented in the first-person narrative format from Melody’s perspective. The present-day timeline is set in the late 1980s, and we get to know more about her childhood and family history with chapters set in multiple past timelines interspersed throughout the narrative. I loved the description of the coastal community and thought the emotional bond between each of her friends and family members was described with much sensitivity, especially her bond with Milo. I felt that the story became a tad convoluted as the narrative progressed but not so much as to detract from the overall reading experience. I enjoyed following Melody’s journey but thought certain aspects of her life could have been explored in more depth, allowing for better character development and personal growth. I would have also loved it if more of her ”stories” had been woven into the narrative. However, overall, I thought this was a moving story that would strike a chord in your heart.

This was my first time reading this author and I hope to explore more of her work.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

There is a lot to The Storyteller by the Sea, but unfortunately, this story fell so flat for me.

Melody has experienced a tremendous amount of loss in her life. Grief then dictated her life to a point of existence but not living. No present. No future.

With a character who literally refused to deal with anything, it was hard to push through the book and actually cheer for the heroine. I would have liked to see so much more strength build in Melody as a result of her circumstances.

If you’re looking for romance, this is not it. There is a love interest, but the character himself could have been excluded completely and still be left with the same story. It was not greatly weaved into this complex story.

Overall, the story itself had potential. It just was not greatly executed. Too much emphasis on things that didn’t matter and not nearly enough on what really did.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It offered me the perfect escape from reality.

The storyline was masterfully crafted, featuring multiple timelines that kept me captivated and intrigued throughout my reading experience. The cast of characters were both diverse and meticulously developed, making it incredibly easy for me to become fully invested in each of their unique journeys.

While the emotional highs and lows of the plot were at times quite heart-wrenching, the overall message of the story was ultimately uplifting and left me with a renewed sense of hope.

The author's attention to detail in capturing the essence of the 80s was truly remarkable and added an extra layer of nostalgic enjoyment to the read.

In summary, I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a delightful and wondrous read that will transport them to another world.

A story about family, love lost, new beginnings and secrets that get in the way. Grieving from the loss of her mother and brother, Melody copes by collecting things where everything has a story that is woven from her imagination. However, she still has her cousin who is very concerned about her. Their relationship reminds me of the concept of country mouse/city mouse as they were raised in two separate worlds but spent 6 weeks together every summer and shared a very tight bond. Living in a little cottage, Melody is struggling. But Melody discovers a secret only to have it confirmed when she turns 25 and it rocks her world. Told in a timeline that goes forward and back, we discover how Melody came to this point and how she was a victim of the misguided societal norms of that time. The stories of her heart and the love of her cousin, though, are what saves Melody and allows her to survive and move forward and claim her life. I liked this story although is was bit slow at times. Still, it was a delight to read. Many thanks to #netgalley #thestorytellerbythesea #phyllidashrimpton for the opportunity to read and review this book. I rate this as a 3.5 rounded to a 4.

The synopsis of this story called to me and I was looking forward to reading it. However, it did not appeal to me. There were a lot of back-and-forth flashbacks that made it difficult to follow. The characters were not well developed and did not have me invested in their lives or the story itself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Devon, England
A beautiful and uplifting story about the ability to start over.
Can main character, Melody, go forward in her life and reveal her story of love, loss, secrets and lies?
The characters are endearing.
A story full of hope.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Rating 3.5 stars

Whilst it is a sweet enough story of Melody who combs the beach for treasures to share with her disabled brother Milo, it uses far to many adjectives to describe the scene or item.

The story moves between the 1950s and 80s to the present day looking at family, community and loss. The secret about her cousin was a bit flat and the romance even flatter as it was rather predictable!

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

I really enjoyed this novel, it was uplifting and heartfelt.

The imagery was astounding! It took me immediately to the sea and I was transfixed.

I enjoyed the story, it was well told and felt healing in some way.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

A cozy and warm read during the -ber months. This novel proves that healing comes in many forms and happens at places unexpected. Smalltown and sun-kissed sceneries as backdrop add to the atmospheric story of the book. A worth read this holiday season even though it brings back the memories of summer.

EXCERPT: There were, Melody knew, two reasons that the pair of them had begun to drift apart. One, the things she'd discovered in the old book could never be unseen. Two, Juliana herself had changed and, no matter how pleased they were to see each other, these days they could never quite seem to rekindle the easy friendship they'd shared in their youth.
Juliana's criticisms from her previous visit still hung in the air as if she'd visibly hooked them from the ceiling in every room like butchered carcasses. Melody still couldn't believe that Juliana had accused her of living with ghosts. She'd survived grief, that's what she'd done.

ABOUT 'THE STORYTELLER BY THE SEA': Melody spends her days combing the shore for items washed up on her beach. She collects them in her basket and takes them back to Spindrift, her weathered little bungalow overlooking the sea, and weaves stories about her treasures.

Everything Melody thinks she could ever need is right where she is, cupped by the rocks that shape her bay. But Melody has been keeping a secret…

When she learns that her little corner of Devon is under threat from developers looking to modernise the strip of coast on which Spindrift stands, Melody realises she is about to lose all she has ever known. Is it time for her to tell her own story - a story of love, loss, secrets and lies?

MY THOUGHTS: Melody is a woman who carries her scars deep inside her. She is still grieving the loss of first her dear mother, and then her disabled brother for whom she cared. She still trawls the beach each day, collecting items of interest and the plastic and fishing nets which have washed up. The items of interest she used to spin tales of adventure for Milo, bringing the outside world into his restricted one. It's something she can't stop doing although Milo is long gone.

Juliana, her cousin, is determined to bring Melody into the present by whatever means works. But Juliana has problems of her own to deal with and is unaware that Melody guards a secret that may change both their lives forever.

There are some extremely emotional moments in The Storyteller by the Sea. There were times when my heart felt broken beyond repair, and others where I found myself laughing at the absurdity of a situation. Phyllida Shrimpton obviously has a wicked sense of humor, and this shines through in several places.

I enjoyed the characters: the cousins who are trying to recapture their childhood relationship; Melody's wonderfully eccentric neighbors; and Will, Melody's friend on whom she has quite a crush. Even the doomed town of Shelly has a character all of its own, as has Spindrift, Melody's home.

I thought I had a secure grip on the mystery, but my grip was far more tenuous than I thought. I was partly right in that I had the right idea, the wrong people.

I liked that Melody was taking care of the ocean well before it became fashionable. The timeline is non-linear and takes in from the 1960s to the late 1980s, then jumps forward to the present day 2023. I didn't find this a problem, but some might.

I would have liked to have seen more made of Melody's storytelling abilities and her crafting with her beach finds. She was obviously very talented with both. Despite the title there is not much focus on the storytelling.

The epilogue? I'm not sure how much I liked it or found it necessary. If you are a reader who likes everything tied up nice and neat with a big shiny bow, then you will like it. Personally, I would have ended the book with the previous chapter.

This was a well written, emotional read, but one I am unlikely to remember a few weeks further on.

⭐⭐⭐.7

#TheStorytellerByTheSea #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Phyllida Shrimpton is a full-time mother of a teenage daughter and currently lives in Essex with her husband, badly behaved, small Jack Russell and a rescue Newfoundland called Nina.

She achieved a Post Graduate Degree in Human Resource Management, but soon jumped ships to work with teenagers, including students with Asperger's syndrome on an Essex based agricultural college farm before eventually moving to live temporarily in the Netherlands.

Her interests are reading, producing fine detailed black and white ink artwork and writing.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Aria and Aries via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Storyteller by the Sea by Phyllida Shrimpton for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.