Sandybridge is the perfect English seaside town: home to gift shops, tea rooms and a fabulous fish and chip shop. And it’s home to Grace – although right now, she’s not too happy about it.

Grace grew up in Sandybridge, helping her parents sort junk from vintage treasures, but she always longed to escape to a bigger world. And she made it, travelling the world for her job, falling in love and starting a family. So why is she back in the tiny seaside town she’d long left behind, hanging out with Charlie, the boy who became her best friend when they were teenagers?

It turns out that travelling the world may not have been exactly what Grace needed to do. Perhaps everything she wanted has always been at home – after all, they do say that’s where the heart is…

Summary

Grace grew up in Sandybridge but she was determined to escape its clutches and see the world and build a life away from the seaside town but it meant leaving her best friend Charlie behind who was quite content in Sandybridge. Now she finds herself back in her home town with life ending up not quite how she imagined. Did she do the right thing all those years ago leaving her home town in search of something that may have been under her nose all along.

Beginning in the summer of 2016 gives a window on where Grace is and what she is doing now.  This thread intersperses briefly throughout the story as Grace is on a mission – although we don’t know what.

 

I loved the intrigue. Throughout the rest of the story I was trying to work out who was in her life now, how she got to that point in her life and of course where she needed to be in a hurry.

Flashbacks take us forward from 1986 when Grace is a typical 15 year old.  Feeling on the outside of the ‘cool’ crowd and unsure of herself, she receives advice from a very unusual source.  I thought Remy was fabulous and could have done with my own when things weren’t clear and I was still finding my way!

I loved the characters and the setting.  Grace, Charlie and Danny were easy to like and when they felt emotional so did I.  Although conflict and rivalry happens, the major player (for me) is Sandybridge Hall itself.  It’s a vital setting in the story where key scenes are played out.  I loved the history.  I didn’t expect the reveal though and loved how it tied in.

This novel is about finding a way for your dreams to work and also adapting those dreams when they’re not what you thought they were.  Not everything in life is ‘insta’ and sometimes we have a lot of living to do before those opportunities present themselves and we realise where we do belong.

I was so wrapped up in this storyline watching the friendship between Grace and Charlie blossom over the years and see the direction both of their lives took. They were both such engaging characters along with Danny too who provided the romance and at times humour to the storyline. So much progress development because all of the char

I loved the enchanting touch that was weaved throughout the storyline thanks to Remy, I found it quite exciting waiting to see what news Remy was going to bring us next and I can’t tell you how much I wish I had my own Remy at home waiting for me!