High Tide Blog Tour: An introduction to Kate by Veronica Henry

Today it's my stop on the blog tour for Veronica Henry's latest book High Tide which is published tomorrow.  The fab blog tour poster below shows the layout of the village (click on the picture to be taken to a bigger image) and shows places that you'll soon recognise as soon as you start reading including Bellevue which is the family home for Kate one of the central characters in the book.

Kate is Pennfleet born and bred, and had an idyllic childhood growing up by the sea, with two loving parents.  Yet sometimes we have to escape to discover our full potential, even if we love the place where we were born.  Kate has flown the nest and gone to live in New York, where she has a glamorous and exciting career as a party planner.  It really does seem as if she has the perfect life. 

But when her mother dies, a few years after her father, Kate comes home to clear out Bellevue, the tiny house that has been theirs all her life.  Going through all their belongings brings back memories, and she is reminded of the simpler and less complicated life she once had.  Is New York really the place for her?  An encounter with her teenage crush adds to her dilemma.  But when she finds a mysterious letter in her mother’s handbag, she realises her mother had a secret.   Who wrote the letter and what is behind it?  And will the answer affect Kate’s own future?

Here is a recipe inspired by autumn in Pennfleet - enjoy!!

Butternut squash soup

For two

Roast a butternut squash cut in half in the oven for about half an hour until soft.  Melt a generous spoon of butter in a saucepan and fry an onion with a dollop of curry paste for ten minutes.  Scoop out the cooked squash and add to the pan.  

Add half a litre of chicken stock.  Cook through, then liquidise until beautifully smooth and golden. Re-heat with a tablespoon of crème fraiche.  

Serve with an extra teaspoon of crème fraiche and a sprinkling of chives or coriander.

Pennfleet might be a small town, but there's never a dull moment in its narrow winding streets...

Kate has only planned a flying visit to clear out the family home after the death of her mother. When she finds an anonymous letter, she is drawn back into her own past.

Single dad Sam is juggling his deli and two lively teenagers, so romance is the last thing on his mind. Then Cupid fires an unexpected arrow - but what will his children think?

Nathan Fisher is happy with his lot, running picnic cruises up and down the river, but kissing the widow of the richest man in Pennfleet has disastrous consequences.

Vanessa knows what she has done is unseemly for a widow, but it's the most fun she's had for years. Must she always be on her best behaviour?