This is a gentle and engaging read, which I very much enjoyed; although with it being so slight I feel I will probably soon forget it. Isla Wintergreen unexpectedly inherits a cottage on the Isle of Skye, from the grandfather she has only seen once in her life at the age of seven. Perhaps this is the chance she has been waiting for, a chance to change her life and forge a new, more satisfying, future. Impulsively she gets in her car and sets off. Once there she becomes part of the local community, and gradually finds out more about her family’s past and the losses and disappointments that have carried on down through the generations. Not a lot happens, but that really doesn’t matter. It’s more of a contemplative read than a plot-based one. The writing is excellent, the pacing spot-on, and although it’s short gives the reader much to contemplate.

I didn't finish this book because I felt that the story was disjointed with the sudden introduction of characters and the time skips. It also seems a bit short for an intergenerational story.

in the island of Skye in Scotland. The cottage was her grandfather’s who Isla didn’t really know as her dad has not been in her life. She decides to move there and slowly, she becomes part of the small community while learning about her family and finding herself. This was a beautiful story, but I think it was a bit too short. Since the story had many different POVs, the time we spent with the main character was very limited. I really enjoyed the other perspectives but they took away from my investment in the main story. If we had a 100 more pages, I would absolutely fall in love with this book. However, it was still a lovely time and I would definitely read more from the author!

This was a lovely and honest portrayal of family and new beginnings. At just 192 pages this is such a easy and quick read and I would totally recommend that everyone give this a try.

This was a quirky, but enjoyable short novel about ordinary people struggling to find their place in the world. Our protagonist, Isla, is a fully rounded character: unhappy, but open to change; creative; impulsive; feckless, but also capable of real growth. Her slow-but-sure trajectory reminds me of that great Samuel Beckett quote: "Try again. Fail again. Fail better." When the grandfather that she barely knew dies, she inherits a cabin and a new life. I was interested in reading this title because I recently enjoyed another book published by this press, and I appreciated the sensibilities behind both of the novels. This one was a bit more freeform than the last, and I am not sure that all of the strands fully worked for me, but I admired the writing style and the themes that the author grappled with--thoughtful ideas about family connection, trauma, loss, and reinvention and recreation through art and lived experience.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for making an ARC copy available to me.

This was a short but sweet gem!

Clare Reddaway’s new novel “Dancing in the Shallows” focuses on Isla Wintergreen after her paternal grandfather passes away, leaving her his home. The inheritance sets of a chain of events which all feature her family members’ relationships to water. Told from the multiple POVs of Isla’s family members, readers gain insight to her mother’s, father’s, grandfather’s, and great-grandmother’s lives.

At first, I felt that Isla was just another iteration of a women who doesn’t have any control over her life, but what we learn is that Isla is unhappy and looking for a positive change, and her inheritance presents itself as the vehicle for her fresh start. Sure, Isla makes a few mistakes along the way, but instead of seeing never-ending, self-destructive behaviour, we see a young woman channel her past in such a way that she’s able to move forward making difficult, but fruitful decisions, and I’m so thankful that we didn’t see Isla’s complete breakdown.
I loved reading about Isla, her family history, and her family’s different experiences. My time spent with each person was so enjoyable that my only complaint about this novel is that I wanted more: more time with every one of Isla’s family relations!

If you’re interested in reading from multiple POVs, generational family stories, multiple timelines, and/or historical fiction, then Clare Reddaway’s “Dancing in the Shallows” is for you.

Many thanks to Fairlight Books and NetGalley for an ARC of “Dancing in the Shallows” in exchange for an honest review.

Dancing in the Shallows is a really sweet story about family and finding your way. I really enjoyed it, but wanted more, especially more of Flora's story. For such a short book, Clare Reddaway did a great job of creating characters I really cared about. I don't think this is a book that will stick with me for a long time, but I really enjoyed it as I was reading it. Thank you NetGalley and Fairlight Books

My latest Fairlight Modern choice was Dancing in the Shallows by Clare Reddaway. I picked this one for several reasons. I’m drawn to books about swimming and family inheritances and I loved the sound of a book set in the Isle of Skye. The appealing cover design by Sam Kalda caught my eye as well.

I’ve also been looking for a way to ‘embrace’ reading more eBooks, especially when travelling. This one seemed perfect due to its novella-like slimness.

And mostly it was.

Reading books on my phone is never going to be my favourite thing to do, but I can see how I can make it work for short stories, novellas and poetry thanks to this experience. It was certainly easier to travel with fewer books by having two options downloaded from NetGalley.

Dancing in the Shallows was a gentle story told across multiple time periods from several points of view, although Isla’s perspective dominates the narrative.

Thanks to Irish writer Claire Keegan, novellas have become de rigueur, although she has also set the bar rather high with her exquisite use of words and ability to reveal half the story between the lines. Reddaway’s story is more straightforward, yet it still got under my skin and left a lasting book memory behind.

Her characters come to life as their emotional connections and misconnections are gradually revealed. A chapter that details an awkward phone conversation between Isla’s separated parents is a perfect example. Their stilted, strained to and fro was followed by their unspoken thoughts, highlighting the divide that often exists between our good intentions and the end result as well as how our own perspectives and preconceptions can get in the way of clear communication.

This ended up being a lovely, gentle holiday read perfect for those nights when I was too weary to get into anything complicated and for those times I was whiling away a lazy hour over my morning coffee. The descriptions of the Isle of Skye and swimming captivated and enticed me as I had hoped they would (if I ever holiday in the Isle of Skye I will reread this book).

The cover of this short novel pulled me in; the woman swimming in the water with seaweed beneath her and hills above. It was evocative for some reason and then I found out the story was set on Skye and I wanted to read it.

This is a relatively quiet and short family tale, but we meet generations of Isla’s family. We meet her father, who she doesn’t really know, the grandfather who leaves her the cottage, her seaweed collecting great-grandmother and her mother to name a few. I quite enjoyed meeting all the different generations and to see what made them tick. You see the tragedies, big and small that made them and which, in the end, made Isla herself.

At the end I am in two minds. I felt on one side that I really did enjoy the short sharp chapters and the flashes of lives that we drift through, but on the other hand I really wanted it to be longer and more developed. There was so much more I wanted to know and it did feel quite ‘bitty’. Yet, maybe that is also where the strength of this novel lies; the fact that it never lingers too long.

I did really enjoy this novel, despite the fact it left me a longing for a bit more than it gave me. This is the type of story that I enjoy and I will definitely seek out more from this author.

If the synopsis appeals to you I would happily recommend this one.

I love the concept of this novel and I have no doubt that it will capture the hearts of many. The slow pace wasn't right for me but I can imagine this being a great read in a rainy cottage.

I loved this short novel about three generations who all find solace in the water. Or around the water. This felt similar to Elizabeth Strout to me in that most sections feel like vignettes around the same theme. I'm looking forward to rereading this one! Perfect for readers who love a place and a cast but don't care about a plot.

I was unable to finish this book and thus will not be posting a full review. The book did not resonate with me and I found myself struggling to finish it. Thank you for the opportunity

A place that allows us to breath and smile. With place I may not necessarily mean a physical place but also a place we find inside ourselves where we allow ourselves to be as we are and most of all allow ourselves to be happy.

I enjoyed Clare Reddaway's debut. She grabs the story at various angles and explores how we find our place or lose it or never find it at all. A good choice from Fairlight Moderns.

An ARC gently provided by publishers/author via Netgalley.

Although it is without any one real plot, Dancing in the Shallows is a short but cute book about finding yourself and taking chances.

Clare Reddaway quickly takes to painting the most gorgeous visuals, such as the isle of Skye, as we follow our introductory character Isla, and the characters we pick up along the way.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was such an easy but lovely read.

Short but enjoyable, with luscious descriptions of the cottage and the sea swimming. Also, I really loved the cover on this one!). I felt this could have been expanded on, giving us more time to get to know Isla and her family history. Character driven, this was a quick read, and a sweet one, Thanks Netgalley and the publisher.

Dancing in the Shallows is a gorgeous, heartwarming short read. The key elements are inter-generational relationships, the sea as a consistent metaphor and wonderful descriptions of the beauty of the Isle of Skye. I get the distinct ipression that Clare Reddaway has spent a lot of time at this stunning location due to the compassion and authenticity of her descriptions of the area

The story is about Isla, who inherits her grandfathers cottage on the Isle of Skye. She only met him once, and so wants to go to the property to check it out and is immediately entranced by the location

This is a book to read if you want to feel warm and happy, encouraged even. I really like how the sea was used as a metaphor throughout and the interplay between the individual family members. This book is that perfect cup of hot tea when you come in from the freezing rain and there is even a choccie biccie on the side. Wonderful

Thank you to Netgalley, Fairlight Books and Clare Reddaway for this lovely read. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

I really enjoyed this novel! The writing is beautiful, and while there isn't really any plot, it still kept my attention. I only wish it was longer so I could learn more about the characters and their experiences!

This was a really nice story, and I did enjoy reading it, I was just left craving a little more. This is likely a me problem. It reads very contemporary, which is fine for the right audience. I am a big fan of an inheritance trope, and when Isla inherits a house on the Isle of Skye after only meeting her grandad one time, I was punching the air, I mean what a dream. I think I've just realised my biggest issue with this, we didn't get enough time with anyone to care much about them. It had the makings of a great multigenerational story, so it's a real shame. I would still really recommend it if you're looking for something short and easy to follow that is full of heart and about carving your place in the world

Thank you @netgalley and @fairlightbooks for this ARC!

Dancing in the Swallows is a debut novel. The main character is Isla, an almost-30-year who inherits a derelict cottage from the estranged grandfather. Moving to the Isle of Skye, Isla runs from her purposeless life and settles into the small community. While there, she begins to find out more about her father, grandfather and great-grandmother.

With the sea and swimming being a strong feature of this book, it was the perfect read for lazy summer afternoons spent on the beach. I don’t think I could swim in the cold water like Isla though 🥶

The writing was simple and effective. It is more of a character driven novel, with a slow plot. While I enjoyed the book, I really cannot remember too much that happened after I finished (that could just be me though!).

Short and sweet, with a happy ending, I would recommend this for people who like character-driven, shorter novels. Swipe for full synopsis.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

There was a moment at the start when I thought I would hate this (a list of characters and their relationships to each other)! Fortunately, the writing is beautiful, and I enjoyed the clever unfolding of the layers of characters in this short but sweet book.