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A review by jo_bookworm
The Second Chance Hotel by Rachel Dove
4.0
If you enjoy Cornwall as a backdrop for your stories then you are going to adore the latest novel from Rachel Dove.
April has runaway, now divorced she has put as much distance between her old life in Yorkshire and her new life at Shady Pines Chalet Park on the Cornish coast. She has not just escaped their she has bought it and ploughs her money and her life into starting again.
Cillian O'Leary can't runaway far he has young daughter Orla to deal with and an ex partner who does not value their daughter at all. He needs to start again so when his old job as general handyman comes up again at Shady Pines he spots his chance in starting again.
He didn't bank on the whirlwind that is April though nor permanent curmudgeonly resident Martha's reluctance to accept change.
April and Cillian's burgeoning friendship and relationship seems doomed from the start. Not only trying to contend with April's clumsiness and lack of confidence. Cillian constantly sstomps about grunting and falls into a sulk over the smallest thing.
But it is Orla's innocence which keeps drawing April back and makes her realise what the future may have held if she had stayed where she was.
Martha starts to soften as she can see what settling for one life and love can do for you and when relations with April that slightly she lets her in to a secret, to one that will perhaps give her a second chance to.
This is a lovely book to lose yourself in, perhaps not as polished as it could be, a bit clunky in parts and I found myself a bit lost with who was who. Not sure though if that was me or the writing. However, these points are easily overlooked and the joy of the story comes off the pages and a perfect holiday escape if you cannot get to one yourself. I could see myself waking up in a chalet and walking the cliffs and eating fish and chips!
April has runaway, now divorced she has put as much distance between her old life in Yorkshire and her new life at Shady Pines Chalet Park on the Cornish coast. She has not just escaped their she has bought it and ploughs her money and her life into starting again.
Cillian O'Leary can't runaway far he has young daughter Orla to deal with and an ex partner who does not value their daughter at all. He needs to start again so when his old job as general handyman comes up again at Shady Pines he spots his chance in starting again.
He didn't bank on the whirlwind that is April though nor permanent curmudgeonly resident Martha's reluctance to accept change.
April and Cillian's burgeoning friendship and relationship seems doomed from the start. Not only trying to contend with April's clumsiness and lack of confidence. Cillian constantly sstomps about grunting and falls into a sulk over the smallest thing.
But it is Orla's innocence which keeps drawing April back and makes her realise what the future may have held if she had stayed where she was.
Martha starts to soften as she can see what settling for one life and love can do for you and when relations with April that slightly she lets her in to a secret, to one that will perhaps give her a second chance to.
This is a lovely book to lose yourself in, perhaps not as polished as it could be, a bit clunky in parts and I found myself a bit lost with who was who. Not sure though if that was me or the writing. However, these points are easily overlooked and the joy of the story comes off the pages and a perfect holiday escape if you cannot get to one yourself. I could see myself waking up in a chalet and walking the cliffs and eating fish and chips!