I would so love to visit and have some rest at The Guest House!
The cottage has been around for ages and it seems to give its visitors a renewed sense of direction and hope!
Each person in this novel has different challenges, including Esme the elderly lady who is in charge of this magical place. However, nothing stops Esme from listening and helping her guests to find their goals, no matter how hard they might be.
While reading, I could visualize the beautiful house and sea in the backyard!
It is definitely a beautiful read that many will enjoy as well!

Thank you to @NetGalley and to @Aria &Aries for this ARC and allowing me to read and provide my own review.

This book wraps you up in love and hope. It is funny and wise, leaving you uplifted and warm.
A charming story with lovely people. I enjoyed it very much.

I loved the cover of this book. I just wanted to sit in that window and look out over the sea. I wanted to do that even more when I began reading the book. Faith Hogan has conjured up such a lovely little community who all find themselves, one way or another, at Esme's guest house in the delightful town of Ballycove. (I actually googled that to see if it was a real place you could go to. Sadly it isn't.)
This story was charming. Easy to read but not twee. I liked the way the characters' stories were interwoven and I'll be seeking out other books by this author - in fact, I've already bought one!

I absolutely loved this book. All the people coming in and out of the guest house sharing their lives with each other and becoming unexpected friends.
Everyone coming to the guest house to try and take a break from what’s going on (good &bad) )in their lives. Some needing time away from their real life to find answers, figure our for themselves what to do and others just wanting to spend time with family while Esme is at the center of everything while recuperating.She listens, gives advise and offers them a welcoming place to stay. In the end everyone became a family of friends.

Esme is the charming owner of this gorgeous guesthouse overlooking the wild Atlantic sea. Getting elderly now but refusing to give in even though she's now forced to sit in a chair with her leg up, having broken her ankle, she still manages to be the beating heart of the hotel. Though almost blind now,she manages to greet every guest and quickly discovers their secrets and worries. She dispenses wisdom and advice through her many stories and also with the aid of her guest book: at the top of each page is a handwritten quotation and when she invites het guests yo open a page at random, it invariably proves to be pertinent to their lives and problems.
This book is a wealth of Irish charm, warmth, humour and love.

Another lovely story set in the Irish village of Ballycove, this time in elderly Esme's guesthouse with her various guests and their stories.

Esme has lived in the guesthouse most of her life, and took over when her mother died. She has seen various comings and goings over the years, especially with guests who regularly return, but she is struggling with the upkeep of the house now, and is practically blind, but it isn't until a fall lays her up for a while that things start to change.

This summer various guests stay - 50-something Cora who needs a break from her marriage, feeling her life is slipping away and her husband takes no notice of her. Phyllis (also a long-time friend of Esme) who visits with her husband, son and grandson. Her husband has health issues that she's trying to cover up, but the situation comes to a head and she has to face up to certain changes. And finally Niamh who is nearly 40 and has a big life-changing decision to make.

There are also some great side-characters, the best of which is Marta, Esme's right hand woman who really runs the guesthouse and has lived with Esme for years after leaving an abusive relationship. There is no way Esme could cope without no-nonsense Marta who is more of a friend than an employee.

All of this is set in a pretty Irish village on the coast, mostly during the summer. There are a few dramas along the way, and lots of advice from Esme for various guest facing problems, but it's all sorted out in the end. A really lovely read.

Having read all this amazing authors books was a sheer delight to read this new book, I was totally captivated from the beginning. The amazing and majestic setting along with outstandingly fabulous and mysterious guests who were going to be frequenting Willow House. The interactions between Esme and her guests was so warm and enchanting I just totally loved everything about this beautiful and magical book.

This book was a sheer delight. A lovely story with engaging characters. Another beautiful story from Faith Hogan. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book

This is a story of life, love, living, second chances, and even death. This is a story that can be from any of our lives and that is what makes it interesting and special.

I love the Irish setting and Esme made me laugh and cry. The characters in this book are people you can relate to and it is such a real story and this I found wonderful. It is a very visual read and one I could play out in my head and I love that about a good book.

Thank you NetGalley and Aria &Aries for giving me the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.

I loved this delightful story set in that magical place that is Ballycove. It's been great to be back there!
Faith Hogan is proving once again what an amazing storyteller she is. We have a great set of characters with very relatable stories, unfolding in a breathtaking background.
I was captivated from the very beginning and enjoyed every page. It's uplifting, funny at times and overall heart-warming. Definitely recommended.
Thank you to Aria Fiction, Head of Zeus, the author and NetGalley for providing an early copy.

A fantastic read. I really enjoyed this book great writing again by Faith Hogan the characters were interesting and the story was really good. Esme family have owned the guest house in Ballycove for generations but now she is much older things are getting harder for her and after an accident leaves her immobile she spends more time chatting with the new guests that arrive at the beginning of the new season. As we follow the three families they are all struggling with their own problems but their time at Ballycove makes them assess their lives and hopefully bring them some comfort and happiness which they all deserve and Esmie also looks back on her own life and shares her wisdom. I really enjoyed this story

I loved it, loved it, loved it. This was a tremendously good read from beginning to end. I loved Esme. despite her limitations, losing her eyesight, she was a wonderful person. I would loved to have spent a quiet afternoon with a cup of tea just chatting to her. What an astute lady she was focusing on what she could do and not getting upset by the things she could no longer do, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about all the characters especially cora, Niamh and phyllie. It was a very moving read and left the reader with lots of food for thought. Brilliant.

'The house of second chances'
..

Everyone needs a dose of feelgood, hug-in-a-book reading, every once in a while. Yes! there are inevitably a few tears shed along the way and not every ending has roses around the door, but if you are feeling the need of a comforting shoulder to lean on, and a wise word whispered in your ear, then Esme is just the confidante you need, and this is definitely the story for you...

Be aware however, that there are trigger points for any particularly emotionally vulnerable readers, although personally I didn't find them too troubling, as they are all part of the rich tapestry of life as we know it today.

...

The Willows Guest House has been run by Esme Goldthorpe for more decades than she cares to remember, although the place is more than just a business to her, it is also her home and her very lifeblood, having been in her family for almost two hundred years and been run by the women of generations before her. Esme knows that the place isn't perfect - far from it - as its age is beginning to give it away and a gentle dilapidation is gathering pace with the passing seasons. However, its location right on the western coast of Ireland, with the stunning views of the ocean it commands, more than makes up for any cracks which might be showing. Esme is determinedly holding out against the local Fenlon family, who are buying up all such similar properties with a view to building a large luxury hotel complex and are becoming increasingly ruthless in their methods to try and get Esme to sign on the dotted line. With the amount of money the Willows needs spending on it and faced with Esme's advancing years and failing health, the outcome might seem inevitable, especially as this promises to be one of the most challenging seasons ever. However, Esme has underestimated the esteem she is held in, both by her guests and the redoubtable and fiercely loyal Marta, who has been with her for so many years now, that the two are more like mother and daughter.

This year, so many of her guests are amongst her most long-standing patrons, making the trip this time for a whole raft of different reasons and when they have collectively and individually met and been reunited with Esme, they decide that she should on no account be bullied into taking any action about the future of the Willows, which she doesn't want to happen. As the storyline unfolds we learn of the many reasons which have brought them together, as if by fate, at this place, at this time, and their shared experiences are the bedrock of this wonderful book. Esme herself, despite her own physical and emotional limitations, through her wisdom and ability to listen intently to each person, hearing what is left unsaid as much as the words which are spoken, holds the key to many of the answers they seek, although they must work things out for themselves from Esme's guarded observations, as the way forward must be the choices and decisions of their own making.

As a mark of their individual and collective respect for their wonderful hostess, her guests pool their many talents, in their determination to make The Willows a place which will be there for many years to come and a haven where they know they will always be welcome.

...

This richly crafted, multi-layered, cross generational story, transcends the elucidation of everyday domestic intrigue and interest, which it might at first appear to be. There is so much more depth, heart and even moments of unashamed humour, to be garnered from author Faith Hogan's wonderfully textured, evocative, poignant and emotional narrative and dialogue, which wrapped itself around me like a comfort blanket.

Esme, whilst coming to terms with her own frailty of age and health, and no longer with her beloved Colm by her side, still holds deeply locked within her heart the long held secrets which saw her return to her roots all those years ago, never to leave again, a trauma which she has hitherto only shared with one other special person in her life. This makes her even more determined that her home should continue to be a safe place of sanctuary, comfort and healing for those who cross its threshold, whatever their reason for visiting.

Faith unashamedly, yet sympathetically, raises for discussion some of those often complex and difficult to deal with issues, which surround us in our daily lives and can result in such traumatising long-term outcomes for both the sufferers and their loved ones. Dementia, rape, abortion, miscarriage, physical and mental abuse, lone parenting and the fading blooms of a lacklustre marriage. You may think that this list is sad and depressing enough to make you not want to even open that first page; but believe me, Faith made it so easy to step into Esme's world, seeing things through her eyes, as she attempts to help her guests maybe think about things which they consider to be insurmountable problems, from an altogether different perspective, which may help them unravel their often confused thought patterns. At the same time, her guests, in some cases almost against their will, are beguiled by their unassuming hostess, her homely and understated guest house and the calming forces of the ambient coastal surroundings.

Whilst the wider location and the way in which it helps Esme's guests connect with their innermost thoughts, adds texture and depth to the storyline, this is definitely all about the house itself and the wonderfully well drawn and developed, authentic characters who pass through its doors each and every season. Their hopes, dreams, pain, moments of happiness and joy, are all emotions which surround them like a cloak when they are free to be themselves and don't have to put on a brave face to cope with the added pressures of everyday life. Maybe, not having walked in all of their shoes, I couldn't connect with everyone and their unique problems equally. However, their individual vulnerability and that feeling that they were searching for a sense of belonging, was so definitely prevalent when they first arrived at the Willows, but after Esme had worked her magic and they had begun to open up and connect with one another, they seemed to grow in stature, more able to make decisions about their futures and with the confidence to follow through with actions.

Ballycove is a fictional location which has been melded with some real locations, although with the aid of my trusty Google maps, it was quite easy to pinpoint where this small town might be situated. However, this book was never about the places themselves, which are background window dressing for the immediate area around the Willows, the house itself and, more importantly, the people within its four walls. Faith has made full use of of the palette available to her, to paint a picture full of vibrancy and colour, which offered a real sense of time and place that I could almost step into. Taking in the sights, sounds and smells which lift this small coastal corner of the west of Ireland off the pages, for a truly transportive and immersive experience.

What typically makes reading such a wonderful experience for me, is that with each and every book, I am taken on a unique and individual journey, by some amazing authors who fire my imagination, stimulate my senses and stir my emotions, and this storyline over delivered on just about every front, so thanks for some lovely moments and images to treasure, Faith.

This is a story about a lovely vacation resort where people come to rest, relax and reset. Cora is in a loveless marriage, Neve has been sleeping with a married man who doesn't really care for her and Phyllis is coming to the reality that her husband Kurt is sinking into dementia. The owner of Ballycove, Esme is blind, but while recovering from a fall, listens to her visitors and reads quotes written each day in the guest book. This story is full of warmth, characters you will come to love, and a feeling of hope that things will work out.

I love the cover. It makes me want to own a physical copy of this book. The story only reinforces that desire. I felt sorry for Esme owing to her health woes, but the situation makes her an interesting observer through whom we get to experience the lives of others. All the characters in this book are dealing with something, and that gets revealed as the story progresses. Read this book to cultivate empathy and to enjoy how Esme guides them to find their way back to the joy in life.

Saying this was a really nice book sounds as though I am damning it with faint praise, but that isn’t my intention at all. It’s a well put together story about some of the guests who visit a small hotel on the western coast of Ireland, each of whom have a problem to solve. There’s Niamh, who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, Cora, who walks on her boring husband, and Phyllis whose husband is facing dementia.
At the centre of the story is Esme, who is in her eighties has owned the guest house since her mother died, having moved there sixty years before to recover from heartbreak of her own. But now she is blind and incapacitated by a broken leg she still finds a use for herself by chatting to the visitors and letting them discover the useful quotes in her guest book.
I wanted to love this book but felt I couldn’t quite connect with the viewpoint characters enough for that to be the case.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I absolutely love Faith Hogan's books. They're always so heartwarming, and have the most beautiful messages inside. I loved this book so much.
How we see different characters and their reason for going to Ballycove to Esme's guest house. They each seek healing. I love how Esme the old woman who owns the guest house sits with each guest and offers words of wisdom.
There's such a beautiful sense of community and kindness at the guest house. How they all help each other.
I personally would love to go to the guest house and sit with Esme for a chat and a cup of tea ☺️✨
I just adored this book, it was such a cute, cosy, book fill of wisdom and friendship.
Faith Hogan does it again!! Highly recommend this book 🙌

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this lovely book.
This is such an enjoyable read and I was totally absorbed in all the lovely heart warming characters. Ballycove is the perfect setting and I could just picture staying at this guest house by the sea and having a good heart to heart with Esme.
I have enjoyed all Faiths books that I have read so far, such an amazing author. 5 star read for me

Faith Hogan does it again! I have now read all of her published titles and enjoyed each one and The Guest House by the Sea is no exception.

I loved Esme with her vulnerabilities and wise words for all of her guests. I admired Cora, was rooting for Niamh and Rob, empathised with Phyllis and Kurt and was suspicious of Tanya and Paschal. I cared about them all and even worried about how much Marta was doing. Really think Joel Lawson needs his own story please!

Faith Hogan has a way of writing that flows and carries you along as you get closer to the many characters and care about them as their stories unfold. By the time the book is finished, you wonder how you will get by without regular updates on their progress through life. Real issues and problems tackled in a gentle way. Bravo!

Tucked between the pages of this feel-good fiction, is a little warning about the need to tackle the ageism that has pervaded modern society. The Willows Guest House in the Irish village of Ballycove has been operated for almost 200 years by the family of Esme Goldthorpe. Guests are treated like family and problems are solved over a cup of tea and a listening ear. Esme is a true custodian of wisdom and I loved how her age and experience contributed to the success of the guest house.

In addition to ageism, another spotlight that got my hackles up was the greedy developers that tended to see dollar signs and opportunities rather than human beings and history. Hogan shows that age doesn’t need to be a factor in guaranteeing a win against gentrification.

I can always count on this author to provide an entertaining read, yet leave me with a thought-provoking concept or two. Hogan’s focus on vulnerability, connectedness, and the benefits of sharing a burden will stay with me for quite some time.

I was gifted this copy by Aria & Aries and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Loved this book, a cosy summer read which I didn't want to put down. The Guest Hous3 by the sea is the kind of place I'd like to go to escape real life for a few days.

Esme has run The Willows guest house for as long as anyone in Ballycove can remember, but as her eye sight fails and she has a fall just before the start of the summer season she is forced to sit back for the first time in her life and let her friend Marta take charge.

From her chair in the entry hall, not much passes Esme by and she shares her pearls of wisdom with the guests who are staying for many different reasons. There's Cora, the wife visiting indefinitely... without her husband; Niamh, the city professional with a life-changing decision to make; and Phyllie, the grandmother whose family is slipping away from her.

Esme's guests provide the colour that helps her keep her grip on the world. All of them have something they want to escape – or to hold on to. But Esme can help them find their way before the summer is over?
Although Ballycove is a fictional coastal village in Ireland, this story took me right back to my childhood holidays in Ireland with my family and it was wonderful. In my head I could imagine the beach and spent a lot of the time comparing the scenery to Bantry where my family are from!!

The book touches on many areas including unwanted pregnancy, a possibly failed marriage, and the heart-breaking dementia storyline – but all the tales are all beautifully woven together with golden thread.

An absolutely wonderful book.

A lovely book by Faith Hogan which makes you want to go and stay in this guest house. Great setting, warm characters and a pleasurable escapist read. Would recommend.

A very enjoyable read that involves you in the lives of a skillfully interwoven group of characters. Although you feel from the outset that the author has happy endings in mind you are swept along with how she resolves all their problems.

The Guest House by the Sea by Irish author Faith Hogan is a lovely book about change. Focusing on several guests facing personal challenges as well as the innkeeper readers will be uplifted as attitude changes bring renewed focus on living life to the fullest. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Highly recommend.

Really enjoyed this one. Esme has a guest house on the west side of Ireland, and although she getting quite elderly and injured herself, plus going blind, she still has a lot of life left in her. Listening to her guests, and offering words of wisdom, the book goes along well. There are several story-lines, and they overlap and connect at times too, which is good. Cora and her distant husband Michael, Phyllis and her husband Kurt who is slowly spiraling with dementia, and Niamh, who is pregnant with her married boyfriend's baby. Phyllis' son Rob and grandson Josh are also there, and of course Marta, Esme's friend and helper at the guest house. Almost felt like a small community, and a good balance of each story line. Would highly recommend.

Loved this book, great variety of characters who met and the guesthouse and subsequently their lives became entwined. Have read other books by this author and this was another excellent book

This is not my usual genre of preferred reading, but I found this book a delightful read.
Esme has run her guest house for years, but due to an accident just before the season begins, she is forced to take things easy and a back seat, literally.
From her chair in the hallway, even though her sight is not as good as it once was, Esme misses very little. Her guests arrive, a married woman without her husband, a young professional woman who has a major decision to make, and a grandmother who feels her family is slipping away from her in various ways.
As Esme chats to her guests, not only does it give her an interest in life again, she gets to know them and their various problems, and hopes she can help in some way before the season ends.
A love story in part, a story of strong friendships, and strong women, I enjoyed this book very much.

This is a beautiful read. It is gentle and full of the sea air and a faded guesthouse that is a balm for those that come to stay. Each visitor sucks you in to their take and their pain and their needs and the book weaves them together so well making me care so much for how each come out the other end of the summer season when the wind turns colder. A feel good read that made my day.

This is one of those stories where your faith in humanity can be restored. Where one
feels there is still innate goodness in all of us- even the slightly cynical hardened
beings found in modern society.

We have the guest house in idyllic surroundings in summer (closed during winter not so
idyllic) then the old owner presently incapacitated, thefaithful retainer more family
than anyone else and then the habitual returnees to the guest house. This time around
for most of them its a bolt hole from the pressures or problems of life. They want think
through solutions in a quiet place.

The haven is quite busy though and everyone finds something to occupy them, apart from
their own issues. The influence that one has on another helps one to see things clearly
and all of them are much more clear headed than when they started.

A lovely read.

What an uplifting beautiful story! It quietly wrapped around my heart and tugged on my emotions through its kind and caring atmosphere and messages. I could not help but fall in love with the Irish setting and characters. After reading The Guest House By The Sea, even I wanted to run off and stay in the charming Ballycove accommodation to experience the breathtaking natural beauty, soak up the warm community spirit and enjoy the friendships that abound! This haven is more than just fresh air and Atlantic sea views. It is a place where broken souls can go in need of contemplation, healing, direction and support. It offers a chance to start again.

Esme, the hostess, provides sincere insight for the guests who casually seek her advice. They may not know what they need but after a chat with her, things fall into place and questions get answered. These gentle nudges are more about giving her guests courage to follow their hearts, and to do what is right for themselves—rather than making decisions to please others. Esme’s advice always seems correct and her words flow naturally from one incident to another: through the stories she shares-- based often on her own experience or that of others she has known. Age and experience are wonderfully drawn upon to offer uplifting solutions. I loved the random opening of the guestbook to a page that offers a phrase for the day. Each line always seems appropriate. Is it coincidence or spiritual revelation? Maybe both but there is an interesting story of how these sayings came to be.

The Guest House by The Sea is not only told by Esme the hostess but also through Cora, the wife who has lost passion in her marriage. She arrives after a quarrel with her husband who is stunned by her announced grievances. Cora needs space so goes to the guest house to think about what to do next. Then there is Niamh, the city professional in a forbidden relationship that is disrupted by an unexpected discovery. She retreats to make a tough decision—one that will radically alter her life. Then there is Phyllie, the best friend of Esme. Her husband has received a bad mental health report. She returns to a place of happiness to make more lasting memories before too much slips away.

I was completely engrossed in the happenings of these characters. To see each one grow and find their feet and fulfill their dreams was satisfying. There is true depth and meaning in this story. Friendship, love, self-worth and self- achievement are just a few enriching themes that develop. The advice freely given by Esme is available to all who stay at Willow’s Guest House. She is like a wisdom wizard with the ability to see what others cannot. She reminds us all of the rewards of sharing burdens, the need to be honest with others and ourselves, and the belief that things that are meant to be will work out and people will return to where they belong. These clever truths are all clearly visible on the pages and between the characters who were once strangers until they came together through grief, confusion and loss to find joy, clarity and life. The gift of connectedness came through having the courage to be vulnerable at the right moment with the right people.

Faith Hogan paints a vivid and heart-warming picture in The Guest House by The Sea, that releasing burdens is easy if you have good friends to share with. And that sometimes a little escape to a haven can put things into perspective. And like these guests, let the worries roll away on the waves of the shore under a bright luna sky. Free to live again. 5 Healing Stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many thanks to publisher Aria and Netgalley for my review copy.

Such a charming story set in a beautiful, Irish coastal town. We've all stayed in Guest houses and hotels but have probably never given a thought to our fellow guests, why are they here? what's their story? Faith manages to tell this through Esme, the wonderful owner of this most lovely guest house
.

A rare 5 star review for me - I just loved this book. A gentle heartwarming read - to be recommended.

Esme runs The Willows Guest house in Ballycove but with her eyesight failing and after a fall, she is forced to take a back seat for the first time. This allows her to have an impact on the guests who join her and Marta over the summer season - all of whom need time out to deal with their personal dilemmas - all helped by the beauty of the location and the wise advice dispensed by Esme.

The author’s focus on connectedness, vulnerability and the benefits of sharing a burden will stay with me.

Just delightful.

A very sweet book about the guests at a bed-and-breakfast by the sea in Ireland.

The book takes place over one summer season, and everyone there is grappling with decisions to be made as they deal with various big life events – children, marriage, retirement, dementia, etc.

The owner, Esme, has been running the place for decades and has suddenly been sidelined by a broken ankle and, while chair bound that summer, is forced to grapple with old age, but still able to give out lots of helpful advise to everyone coming and going. A charming slice-of-life story about everyday people that you want to root for.

Esme is an elderly woman who owns a guest house in Ireland alongside Marta who helps Esme as she’s losing her sight. A new season is upon them as a bunch of new guests arrive. Watch the guests find themselves and interact with each other and Esme. Great book. Lovely characters. Thanks to Faith and her publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley.

Another beautiful heart warming read set in Ballycove by Faith Hogan.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Lovely book about 3 visitors to a guest house in Ballycove and about their stories and what happens to them

I enjoyed Faith's previous book and this was also delightful. It was a lovely read and showed the kindness of people and how problems can be solved with thought, work and time.

Definitely a good holiday read

This is a lovely read, with a nice storyline. I enjoyed the premise of everyone coming together with their individual needs to escape and coming together to help each other. The writing is good and brought the Guest House and its occupants to life for me.

This book is full of great characters, of all ages and all with their own difficulties in life. I thought they were well written and enjoyed the way that the Guest Hout and Esme gave them a way forward. I loved Esme and her determination despite her age and a broken leg. It was a pleasure to read a book with characters spanning the age range too.

At times I felt the story dragged a little but this didn't reduce my enjoyment of the book. I think this is a good read and would recommend it.

What a wonderful book.
Esme owns The Willows, a guest house by the sea in Ireland. One summer a number of people visit, some to find themselves, some to find purpose, some to find clarity, some to create memories. Esme is a good listener, she has to be this summer!
Heart warming, gentle, yet also heart wrenching. Happy and sad. But a thoroughly engaging read. I loved it.

I’ve read a few books now by this author set in Ballycove and this latest story did not disappoint. A range if well written characters, all with their own stories but underneath it a tale of string women, friendship and love. A warm, comforting read in a beautiful setting.

This was an excellent story,very emotional. It was set in Ireland with a number of different storylines, all very believable. I would recommend this.

Esme has run her guest house for years, with increasing support from her faithful friend Marta. Now illness and poor sight has reduced Esme to sitting quietly chatting to guests and gently helping them sort out their lives. From deciding whether to keep an unplanned baby to starting a new relationship or ending a faltering marriage, she listens to everyone's problems. A lovely book, perfect for a holiday read.

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

I absolutely enjoyed reading this book.

The Willows Guest house in Ballycove is run by Esme.

But, her eyesight isn’t that good, which causes her to have an accident. So now, she’s got to rest and accept help.

Whilst she rests, she gets to know the guests that are staying for the summer. Each one have their own issues that they are dealing with.

Esme tries to help them if she can and hopes that the place and area will also help them to reach the right decisions.

I highly recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this book. Written in a way that you feel submerged in the beautiful place it is based.
As strangers travel to Ballycove, be it for a much needed holiday or an escape from their real life, they don’t bank on the invaluable wise words of guest house owner Esme. After suffering a serious injury and facing her own list of trouble, the sweet older lady helps change the lives of all of the people who visit her guest house.
I love how all these strangers are brought together and help each other to move on with their life’s once they go home.
I lovely story to get lost in for a while.
I would definitely read stories from this author again.

Esme's has been the owner of the Guest House by the Sea for a long time. She is losing her eyesight, and worried about who will take over ownership of the guest house. Esme takes a fall and while she is in the hospital, guest start arriving.
The guest are each taking a break from the life they have been living. They each form a friendship, and help Esme. While there, they seem to rejuvenate their soul, see things differently, and maybe have a second chance at a life that makes them happy.
We see who they were when they came to the guest house, who they were becoming while there, and how life is after they leave. Sometimes you just have to take a little vacation by yourself, you realize the things you were missing, while thinking things wasn't as you thought they should be. Esme knows that the guest house by the sea will live on long after she is gone.
I received an ARC from Aria through NetGalley.

May I book at the Guest House ? i think it would be the right place to rest and relax.
A sweet and compelling story that made me smile and travel to lovely places.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

I totally loved this book, it was interesting, varied and had lots of everyday situations in. I loved how the characters engaged with each other, just like real life. I couldn’t put it down, just had to get to the end and see what happens. There were lots of heart-warming and heart-breaking life stories going on, but it was wonderful how they entwined with each other, but there was a lot of love in this book, and it really shone through. Very moving and a thoroughly good read.

The Guest House by the Sea by Faith Hogan is a comforting book to read, with stories of the guests who stay at the guest house in Ballycove. Esme has run the guest house as long as people can remember but can she continue in her declining years with her sight failing and a fall which has meant a broken leg at the start of the season.
You meet the guests who all have their own stories to tell and questions that need resolving.
The book is a joy to read and as always Faith Hogan has another excellent book to offer her readers.
Highly recommended

Esme has run the guest house for as long as anyone in Ballycove can remember. But in her declining years, her sight is failing, and when she has a fall on the eve of the summer season, she is forced to take a back seat for the first time in her life.

From her chair in the entry hall, not much passes Esme by. There's Cora, the wife visiting indefinitely... without her husband; Niamh, the city professional with a life-changing decision to make; and Phyllie, the grandmother whose family is slipping away from her.

Esme's guests provide the colour that helps her keep her grip on the world. All of them have something they want to escape – or to hold on to. But can Esme help them find their way before the summer is over?

I adored this lovely gentle read which captivated me right from the very start. The characters were all wonderfully described and Esme was an absolute treasure. Each guest at the guest house were dealing with some problem or another in their lives. A lovely story with a very satisfactory ending.