Amelia is a single mother, doing her very best to look after her young son, Charlie - but money is tight and times are tough. When she first hears that she is the last descendent of the Chesterford family and that she has inherited a Real-Life Castle by the sea, Amelia can't quite believe her ears. But it's true!
She soon finds that owning a castle isn't quite the ticket to sorting out her money problems that she'd first hoped: she can't sell, because the terms of the ancient bequest state that any Chesterford who inherits the castle, must live there and work towards the upkeep and maintenance of the family home. So ever-practical Amelia decides to uproot her little family and move to this magnificent castle by the sea.
Living in a castle on the beautiful Northumberland coast is fun at first, but organising the day-to-day running is a lot more complicated than Amelia first imagined. Luckily she has help from the small band of eccentric and unconventional staff that are already employed there - and a mysterious unseen hand that often gives her a push in the right direction just when she needs it most. It's only when she meets Tom, a furniture restorer who comes to the castle to help repair some antique furniture, that Amelia realises she might get the fairy-tale ending that she and Charlie truly deserve...
Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay is the latest release by Ali McNamara and I was so wrapped up in this storyline that I read the book greedily from cover to cover in one day.
Amelia is trying to make ends meet after her husband walked out on her and their son leaving her with no money to pay their mortgage. Out of the blue she is contacted and informed that she has inherited a castle!
Amelia and her son Charlie begin their new chapter as they move into Chesterford Castle but they have a challenge on their hands as the castle needs a fresh pair of eyes to bring the castle back on the tourist path and turning a profit.
I can not tell you what a breath of fresh air it was reading this exciting and uplifting storyline. I really felt for Amelia being left in such an awful situation and wanting to still try and do the best for her son even though everything has been swiped away from under her feet. I was so pleased that she had been dealt this good hand of inheriting the castle and you could see her determination to get stuck in and make this work not just for her and Charlie but also for those who work at the castle.
I found myself swept along with the excitement as ideas began to flow to improve the appeal of the castle and I love that we was there every step of the way as the changes began to take shape. I would have loved to have jumped into the pages of this novel to be a part of all the changes.
There are so many wonderful characters in this novel that all add a lovely touch and all come together as a team all wanting the castle to be a success, they knew the true meaning of community spirit.
I am truly sad to be leaving these characters behind but I do feel that the storyline has been tied up perfectly not leaving a sequel needed. I would definitely say this novel is Ali McNamara at her best, she kept my interest piqued the whole way through and I found it impossible to put down as I was so eager to see what was going to happen next. I highly recommend this novel it is an excitable uplifting feel good read that ticks all the right boxes, true escapism.
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