'Clare, a traumatised teenager clutching a baby, arrives on the Isle of Wight on a bitter winter's day searching for a friend she met on her journey from Ireland. Rachel, oblivious to the plight of the girl outside, sits in her seafront cafe lamenting her Italian lover for whom she has risked her livelihood and her heart. At Rocken Edge Fran is clinging to her rundown undercliff farm acknowledging she is getting too old for the physical hardship of rearing animals. Across the Irish Sea Father Ryan contemplates the fact he has never felt the love of the God he has dedicated his life to. Neither can he capture the innocent love of another human. Beguiled and blinded, each have to face the realisation that love can be both healing and harmful, sacred and profane, and can have devastating consequences...'
As well as being introduced to several new characters, it is still good to catch up with those we have met before in The Sorrow of Sisters and Blue Slipper Bay, Wendy Harris' first two novels.
"This book was waiting in the hallway when I got home, having left work
at normal time for the first time this week. I flopped down on the sofa
with the cat and a cuppa, and started devouring it. Read it while I
cooked and ate dinner, and have just finished it. Another unputdownable
read from Wendy K. Harris.
This is the third Undercliff novel, set in the mysterious coastal world
of the Isle of Wight. A cast of fascinating characters interact, the
older, familiar people there to welcome again, bringing new characters
into their midst and working their special magic on them. There's some
spooky nuns and a slightly gothic-y bit, a fallen priest and the
absolutely delightful Fran in her chaotic animal-filled house (I think
my favourite character). How will it all work out? We don't exactly
know, even at the end, but all kinds of pure spirituality are
celebrated, hypocrisy gets its own comeuppance, and there's joy for many
of the characters.
Extra bonus - a review by *me* of Blue Slipper Bay printed in the back!
This one wasn't published by Transita, but by a local publishers as part
of a scheme celebrating Island Authors."
Liz Broomfield of BookCrossing
