ABOUT THE BOOK

Home is where the heart is…

Holly doesn’t have time for a holiday this year. But when her job threatens to send her over the brink, her boss insists she take a sabbatical. So she packs her bags and escapes to her beloved grandmother Gigi’s house on Wishington Bay, which has sat empty since Gigi passed away.

But Holly’s dreams of a coastal escape take an unexpected turn. Holly didn’t expect to spend time with any man this summer–let alone an Aussie Adonis… but when she meets her next-door neighbour Gabe and his little dog Bryan, it’s clear her quiet summer of strolling along the sand and wandering through the seaside village’s tiny streets on her own will come with a hefty dose of distraction.

With a summer to fill and Gigi’s wonderful and surprising house to sort through, Holly knew it would be a summer packed with old memories. She just didn’t expect to make so many new ones…

MY REVIEW

I’d wasted two years of my life with a man who had actually been engaged to another woman and was so bad at dealing with anything personal I’d spent a year putting off the task of coming down here to set about getting my grandmother’s house ready for sale. And that I knew, in my heart of hearts, I didn’t actually want to sell it. That I was frightened that once the house had gone, then the memories would be too.

Witnessing one of Holly’s ever-increasing panic attacks, her boss sent her away for a long summer vacation. What better place to rest than her grandmother’s charming cottage on Wishington Bay, but the next-door neighbor, Gabe, is making her heart race in spite of her swearing off men.

Wishington Bay is a perfect place for a slow summer read like Coming Home to Wishington Bay. Morrey’s descriptions of the Bay setting as well as grandmother Gigi’s cottage are very refreshing and make one wish they were there far away from the fast-paced world.

The story is told in Holly’s voice and the rapport between family and friends is casual, light with fun quips, and filled with love. I enjoyed the slow build of Holly and Gabe’s attraction and laughed at the brother and sister banter between Holly and Ned.

A truly feel-good novel that proves that work isn’t everything and you need to stop and smell the roses sometimes. If you need a great read this summer, give this one a try. My first Maxine Morrey novel, and certainly not my last.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Maxine has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember and wrote her first (very short) book for school when she was ten.

As time went by, she continued to write, but ‘normal’ work often got in the way. She has written articles on a variety of subjects, as well as a local history book on Brighton. However, novels are her first love.

In August 2015, she won Harper Collins/Carina UK’s ‘Write Christmas’ competition with her first romantic comedy, ‘Winter’s Fairytale’.

Maxine lives on the south coast of England, and when not wrangling with words loves to read, sew and listen to podcasts. Being a fan of tea and cake, she can (should!) also be found doing something vaguely physical at the gym.

You can find Ms. Morrey on her website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.