Her Mother's Secret By Rosanna Ley ** Blog Tour review**

Today we are celebrating the paperback publication of Rosanna Ley's Her Mother's Secret by Quercus, on June 14th 2018. It sounds like a perfect holiday read this summer- what do you think?

For many years Colette has avoided returning to her homeland - the magical island of Belle-Île-en-Mer in Southern Brittany - afraid to confront the painful memories she left behind. She is living on the Cornish coast when she hears about her mother Thea's failing health and realises that the time has come for her to go home. But can Colette ever forgive Thea for what she has done?

Despite Colette's wariness, romantic Belle-Île still fascinates her. She takes on the running of her mother's flower shop and makes friends with Élodie from the Old Lighthouse where Thea once worked as a nanny and with the enigmatic Étienne who shares Colette's mixed feelings about the island. As Thea opens up to her for the first time, Colette finds herself softening and being drawn back into the landscape of her past. But can Belle-Île also be a part of her future?

The ghosts of that past still linger. What happened all those years ago and how did it cause the rift between mother and daughter? It becomes clear that the beauty of Belle-Île hides a devastating family secret - one that Colette is determined to unravel at any cost.

Escape to the heart of enchanting Brittany with the bestselling author of The Villa and The Little Theatre by the Sea. The perfect treat for fans of Santa Montefiore and Veronica Henry.

My Thoughts

This is such a gentle novel that I just became immersed in the story which features such an interesting selection of characters. It moves seamlessly back and forth through the generations and has a satisying explanation to all the mysteries of the past.  With its settings in Cornwall and Southern Brittany, it has such a lovely summer feel. Colette and Eloise always seem to be slightly detached from their environment, slightly apart and yet the environments are wonderfully evoked, through the sights, colours, sounds and smells of the coast. All the author's research into these places has repaid her so much.

    The secrets of the past, with hints of loss, guilt and betrayal, swirl throughout the story. The relationship between mothers and their offspring are all complicated and I was particularly struck by how Colette feels the pull of that relationship to bring her back to France, despite the emotional distance between them. Rosanna Ley's writing style is particularly suited to the pace of the story, as the characters' feelings ebb and flow and they try to come to terms with forgiving the past and living in the present. 

In short: A gorgeous Summer read with mesmerising settings and beautifully crafted characters.

   

About the Author

Rosanna Ley works as a creative tutor and has written many articles and stories for national magazines. Her writing holidays and retreats take place in stunning locations in Spain and Italy. 

When she is not travelling, Rosanna lives in West Dorset by the sea.

You can follow Rosanna here: Twitter   |  Website 

Book links: Amazon UK 

Thanks to Rosanna Ley, Quercus Books and Anne Cater of Random Things Tour for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.

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