Kim’s warmth and kindness were props that saw me through some of the darker days during lockdown. I had read some of her earlier books but saw her Facebook live interviews and I was a fan in no time at all. Since then, I’ve read all of her books and recently joined her new reading community – Kim Nash’s Bookwormery – (link to group). If you’d like to read a couple of my reviews, you can follow these links: Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove and Finding Family at the Cornish Cove.
I’m grateful to Rachel Gilbey of Rachel’s Random Resources for the blog tour invite and to Boldwood Books for providing my digital review copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. You can read my thoughts below.
Synopsis
It’s never too late…
After five husbands and five broken hearts, Lydia feels like she’s always been chasing something. But now she’s found her purpose, and having moved to Driftwood Bay to spend more time with her daughter Meredith, she’s happier than ever.
But there’s still life in these old bones yet! With her newfound sense of identity, she’s keen to re-explore the things that made her happy as a younger person. Lydia’s passion was dancing – she used to compete in her younger years, and there’s no place she’s more at home than on the dancefloor.
So when widower and antiques restorer Martin tells her about a big dance competition, she’s ready and raring to bring more joy into her life. But while making memories with Martin, the more she realises that both of their hearts need restoring too…
Review
I have honestly loved each of the books in Kim’s Cornish Cove series and think that this one may very well be my favourite. Each of her books feature a range of ages, but this one focused on more mature characters for the central themes.
We first met Lydia in the first book in the series, when her estranged daughter moved to Cornish Cove having bought a lighthouse while scrolling through house listings accompanied by a few too many glasses of wine. Their relationship has slowly limped to the current status, which sees a glimmer of hope for a permanent ceasefire between mother and daughter.
A box from the loft of her former home triggers memories and a determination to take control of her future and includes a couple of moments when I actually howled with laughter. We soon learn that in her youth, Lydia was an accomplished dancer, and we get to follow the series of events that ensue when Lydia discovers an old dance dress and the matching shoes from her former life.
This is definitely an ensemble story with many familiar faces reappearing as the story unfolds. I think my favourite characters, beside getting to know Lydia, were definitely Vi and newcomer Dianne (with two n’s). They brought a breath of fresh air and some truly lovely doses of comedy. A special mention has to made to the gorgeous, platonic friendship that forms between Lydia and Martin. Martin operates a repair shop that is now based in the former church, and he finds his life interwoven with Lydia’s as they discover how deeply their connection is rooted.
There’s a lot packed into this delightful book from health scares, both physical and mental, for a few members of the community, to life-changing decisions and second-chance opportunities. Despite that, I never felt overwhelmed and instinctively knew that Kim would guide the story with a skilled hand.
This series is incredibly special, and I cannot recommend it enough.
Author Bio
Kim Nash is an author of uplifting, funny, heartwarming, romantic, feel-good fiction and has wanted to write books since she was a little girl. The Cornish Cove series is set in the fictional seaside village of Driftwood Bay in Cornwall and is published by Boldwood Books. She lives in Staffordshire with her son Ollie and English Setter rescue dog Roni, is Digital Publicity Director for publisher Bookouture (a division of Hachette UK) and is a book blogger.
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Please take a look at the other stops on this fabulous tour
Book Escapes with BabsW67 