Product Description

Lamorna Cove, in Cornwall's far west, is a tiny bay set at the mouth of a secluded wooded valley of wild beauty, the haunt, a hundred years ago, of a close-knit colony of artists. Here, to a rented cottage in the overgrown gardens of Merryn Hall, Melanie Pentreath retreats from her busy London life as a lecturer in art history to research a book about the painters, and to seek solace following the death of her mother and a broken love affair. In this magical place, full of echoes of the past, Mel helps her landlord, Patrick Winterton, restore the garden and starts to pull together the shreds of her life. Patrick finds some old paintings in a glory hole in one of the attics, and as they uncover the identity of the artist they are drawn into an extraordinary story of illicit passion and thwarted ambition from the Edwardian past which proves resonant in Mel's own life. Merryn is an idyll, and Mel and Patrick, himself here to escape a romantic disappointment, find themselves drawing closer to one another - until the reality of the outside world once more intervenes and everything is threatened.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11053 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Daily Mirror, August 17, 2007
'Tiny, hidden Lamorna Cove...is the backdrop to two huge tales of illicit passion and thwarted ambition... Clever stuff'

Yours Magazine, August 14, 2007
'...the extraordinary world of illicit Edwardian passion. An engrossing read!'

The Guardian, August 11 2007
'Rachel's Hore's second novel is pitched perfectly for a holiday read'

Customer Reviews

Well worth reading
Despite an intriguing premise I was a little bit dubious as to how two sets of characters divided by a century might gel to a satisfactory conclusion. I need not have worried.

The story tracks the fortunes of Mel Pentreath, a lecturer who takes a sabbatical from her job in London to go to write and heal her emotional wounds in Cornwall.

A love story at its best. As a reader I found myself captivated by the story to find who, if anyone would win Mel's heart as she finds herself confronted with potential male suitors - both past and present. The story of Pearl, set one hundred years earlier is equally enchanting.

A fantastic read, great characterisation, truly unputdownable. One of those books that stays with you long after you finish reading it.

Amazing!!!
I read this book because i was getting bored with the usual girly reads and i'm so glad i did! This book is amazing. The descriptions are fantastic, not too long that you get bored but so accurate you can picture yourself driving through cornwall and digging the garden with them! I love cornwall so the combination of the area and the history behind the house is great. I loved the way the book goes between the past history of pearl, the hidden secrets behind their lives and the love story interlinking it all! The final chapter was enough to make me reach for the tissue box! A great read which leaves you wanting more and more! Read it cause you'll love it!

Enjoyable Light Read
I would recommend this as a light, romantic read (somthing which i was not expecting when i purchsed the book). It tells great tales of the past and was read within merely a few days.