Reviewed by Emma Crowley
Ellie McTavish’s world turns upside down when a deadly diagnosis comes out of nowhere. Feeling adrift as she recovers from life-saving surgery at home, she impulsively bids on a vintage caravan, only to discover the next day that she’s won it. So she grabs her friend Fee and takes it on an impromptu road trip… well, that’s the plan, until it breaks down outside the tiny village of Magpie Cove in Cornwall.
Unexpectedly stranded, the two women don’t have much choice but to stay there until it’s fixed. At least the local mechanic, Mark, is distractingly handsome. Not that Ellie would ever act on her feelings – after the surgery she’s not sure she’ll ever feel beautiful again. If only she’d stop running into him everywhere in town…
As Ellie settles into life in Magpie Cove – even daring to swim in the icy sea with a group of local women each morning – she can feel herself slowly healing. But just as she begins to let herself grow closer to Mark, a midnight attack on her rented beach house once more puts Ellie’s fragile courage to the test. Sometimes the deepest scars are on the inside – will Magpie Cove be able to mend Ellie once and for all?
Many thanks to Bookouture via NetGalley for my copy of Dreams of Magpie Cove to review and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
The title and stunning cover are what drew my attention to Dreams of Magpie Cove by Kennedy Kerr. Prior to reading this book I had never heard of the author and didn’t realise that this was the fourth in the Magpie Cove series. Usually, I wouldn’t ever start a series when it has been well established but it was only after I had read a few chapters that I realised there were more books. But this definitely can be read as a standalone and not being familiar with the series didn’t detract at all from my understanding or enjoyment of this lovely book. Also, the main character Ellie is dealing with an awful lot and given the nature of what she is going through I’m not sure would I have read the book as I think it would have brought up too many uncomfortable memories for me hitting close to home. Having said all that I really would have missed out on a little gem of a summer read had I gone along with how I felt as outlined above. This is a great, heart-warming and life affirming read. It’s a quick read and perfect to curl up with for a few hours in the summer sunshine.
After a drunken purchase late one night Ellie McTavish finds herself the owner of a Silverstream motor home which she has christened Marilyn. Living in London and working as a lawyer she certainly has no need for the motorhome and her purchase is totally out of character for her. But Ellie has been through the mill recently and she is tired and vulnerable. Her body has finally said no - you need to slow down and don’t waste another second of what life has to offer. Along with her graphic designer friend Fiona she has decided to take a road trip travelling through Cornwall. But disaster strikes when the pair breakdown. Rescue comes in the form of the handsome, easy on the eye but guarded Mark. He tows them to his garage but it will be several weeks before the parts can be found and the motorhome fixed. The girls don’t know what to do. Magpie Cove where they find themselves is a quaint coastal village and it seems like not much goes on there but a decision is made and the girls rent a beach house owned by Mara whilst they wait for the repairs to be carried out. Maybe this is a sign that Ellie really needs to stop and take a complete break and give herself time to heal and to decide how she can move forward in her life?
Ellie is a person who is not great at processing her emotions or admitting to others that she is struggling and needs help. Fiona throughout the book was such a great help to her. She never pressured her but would give her a gentle nudge every now and again when she felt that Ellie needed to get herself out there a little more. They had such a perfect friendship and you just knew that if Fiona was in the same situation Ellie would be just as supportive and caring. They balanced each other perfectly. I totally understood why Ellie felt and acted the way she did and her whole situation was dealt with and explored in such a sensitive and tactful way. Yes, at times it was upsetting to read how she was struggling but yet at the same time Magpie Cove as she soon comes to learn is a special place. It welcomes you with open arms and has such an unique aura about it that you can’t fail but be taken in by the wonderful, beautiful setting and the memorable residents that live there.
Ellie puts herself under unnecessary pressure. I felt she wasn’t coming to terms with what had happened and just wanted to revert back to her old self which this was impossible to do. Her job was so high pressured and regimented, and she carried these aspects into her personal life. She shields herself away from romance as she is worried what men think of her and really this shouldn’t have been the case as she was a wonderful character with lots of god traits but the way she was feeling and thinking she just couldn’t see this. Ellie is going through such emotional turmoil that you wonder was it fate that the motorhome broken down where it did?
Magpie Cove has been known to help those in need and perhaps Ellie will find what she is seeking there. I loved when Ellie joined the ladies group who went wild swimming every week. The use of nature and the sea throughout the book was fantastic and acted as a balm to soothe Ellie’s troubled soul. She got out of her comfort zone and at the same time formed new friendships with the women who started to help her face her troubles head on. I loved how she got involved with the community and the storyline regarding the fundraising was excellent. As for Mark of course he had to feature too. He was a quiet soul who doesn’t reveal much about himself but god you could feel the connection between himself and Ellie and she very much found him easy on the eye but was she willing to fully open herself up and let potential love in? The storyline involving Mark’s sister and how Ellie helps her was great. It brought awareness to a very important issue and also towards the end brought some much needed drama and tension to the story and at the same time Ellie learns an awful lot about herself.
Dreams of Magpie Cove was a gorgeous read and one which I very much enjoyed. I loved trying to figure out who may have been the focus of the previous books and after checking I found that I was right. Just the right of information as to the previous stories was given and it wouldn’t stop me going back and reading them. This is an enjoyable and relaxing read and you’ll wish that Magpie Cove was real so you could visit and meet all the wonderful characters. It’s infused with warmth and human understanding and a perfect read for the summer months.
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