Welcome back to Sandpiper Shore. In the first book in the series we met Jo who had just moved to the town as well as her two new friends, Michelle and Emma. The second book in the series is Emma's story!
Emma is a widow who lives on the same property as her friends Jo and Michelle. She is actively involved in the community as an organiser for the Lonely Hearts Club, which helps her fill her days and brings together lonely members of the community for different activities. She has no interest in meeting someone new, although her friends are trying to convince her that she is still young enough.
One day Emma is talking to the local vicar and his wife, and finds herself roped into organising a pantomime to raise funds for the local air ambulance. Back in her youth, she had been rehearsing for a version of Romeo and Juliet where she was Juliet when her heart was broken by her Romeo, a boy called Tom. Unable to face him, Emma became involved in the activities behind the scenes and loved it while someone else took the role of Juliet!
Complicating matters, that same boy has recently moved into the local area and is encouraged by his daughter to join the pantomime company. Tom went on to marry the girl who replaced Emma. Now a widower, he has returned from his life in Australia and is looking to settle into the community. And the chemistry between the two is still there! (Oh, yes it is!)
Emma now has a lot to do in a very short time from writing the script (which is inspired by Cinderalla), finding her cast, organising costumes, the stage sets, ticket sales and so much more. She doesn't have time to be distracted. And when her leading lady makes it clear that she has eyes for Tom, Emma can't face the idea that history might repeat itself. But what if Emma doesn't know the whole story of what happened all those years ago? Would that change things for her now?
This book has a cracking start which made me smile from the opening paragraph:
Two years ago I lost two things. One was my husband. The other was myself. I must be really careless because as if that wasn't enough, while out for lunch one day with my friends, I also lost my dignity.
And the enjoyment continued all the way through the book. I particularly enjoyed getting to know Emma as she started to recognise that she has allowed herself to be shaped by her husband and has tended to ignore her own needs. Now, though, that can change as she realises that she can live life on her own terms, even if that is from the simplest thing like not making sure the cushions on the couch are perfectly lined up.
The pantomime performance is front and centre of the whole story (oh yes it is!) and I loved a couple of the character's performances in particular, but you will have to read the book to find out who they are! The pantomime is very much associated with a British Christmas season. A couple of years ago I went to a pantomime that was put on by a community theatre group in Perth and it was a lot of fun! I was so tempted to put in way more pantomime lines like "It's behind you. Oh no it isn't! Oh, yes it is" in my post. I feel I was very constrained by only including two!
I have read quite a few of Kim Nash's books set in Cornwall, and I think this is her best yet! Bring on the next one.
I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. The blog tour for this book is a collaboration between three different tour organisers so thanks to the publisher for the review copy and Rachel's Random Resourced, Random Things Tours and Compulsive Readers Blog Tours for the opportunity to take part in this bumper blog tour! Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!
Rating 4.5/5
About the bookWhen life gives you heartbreak , sometimes it also gives you a second chance…
When Tom Sullivan returns to the quiet village of Sandpiper Shore, Emma can hardly believe her eyes. She hasn’t seen him since they played Romeo and Juliet in their school play – a lifetime ago, before real heartbreak, and long before she ever imagined life as a widow.
The last thing she wants is to relive the past, especially with someone who once made her teenage heart flutter. But when Emma agrees to put on a charity pantomime to raise money for the air ambulance service that helped her late husband, she’s thrown firmly back into Tom’s path.
As rehearsals begin and the local community rallies around her, Emma finds unexpected joy in bringing people together – and a surprising connection with Tom that feels far too real to ignore. Maybe it’s time for Emma to become the leading lady in her own life, not just for the show, but for herself.
Full of warmth, humour and heart, this is a story about letting go and discovering that it’s never too late to take a chance on love.
About the author
Kim Nash is the bestselling author of uplifting, heartwarming, romantic, feel-good fiction. She has wanted to write books since she was a little girl. Her other dream, is to live in a home that has a view of a golden sandy beach and the sea sparkling in the sunlight. Until that dream comes true, she’ll continue to write second chance romances about women who live or move to the seaside on her behalf. She is published by Boldwood Books.
One of her greatest writing achievements is to be nominated for the Kindle Storyteller Award in 2020, and she was delighted when Claudia Winkleman had read her book and said it was 'Totally warm and absolutely lovely.'
She lives in Staffordshire with her son Ollie and English Setter rescue dog Roni, is Author Community Director for publisher Bookouture (a division of Hachette UK) and, as an avid reader, started her career in the publishing industry as a book blogger.
When she's not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog at Cannock Chase, reading and binge-watching TV. She's also quite partial to a spa day, lemon drizzle cake and a gin and tonic (not all at the same time!)
Kim also runs a book club in Staffordshire and organises local and national reader/author events.
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