It Started at Sunset Cottage by Bella Osborne

Kate Marshall is slowly getting her life back on track after losing her fiancé. As an author she has been able to hide herself away from the world and its expectations – but now one of her books has been optioned for a film and Hollywood suddenly comes knocking on her door. 

When Kate is given the opportunity to stay at a beautiful country retreat in the Cotswolds and concentrate on the screenplay, it’s an offer she can’t refuse. Though the last thing Kate expects is for Timothy Calder, A-list actor and leading man in the movie adaptation of her book, to turn up on her doorstep, hoping to lie low after his latest tabloid scandal. 

 After a rocky start, they find they have a few things in common: a liking for Lady Grey tea, walnut whips and bad ‘knock knock’ jokes. 
Actually, the bad jokes are just Tim. 
As the sun begins to set on Sunset Cottage, an unlikely friendship begins to blossom…

I know we should never judge a book by its cover but it is impossible not to with It Started at Sunset Cottage, this is easily my favourite cover of the year so far, it looks so quaint and soft so I was expecting an enjoyable comforting easy read and that was exactly what I got.

Friends Kate and Sarah have both had a lousy time when it comes to their love lives, poor Kate is now a widow and her friend Sarah has now separated from her good for nothing partner Shaun. Both women are supporting each other through the next chapter of their lives with the help of the knight in shining armour Andy, Kate who is an author has had news that hew book is going to be made into a film and Sarah is juggling two jobs around being a single mum she just needs Shaun to stop sniffing around.

I love the opening chapter to this book the author managed to coax me in and started to set an emotional seen until I realised the wool had been pulled over my eyes already! The book has an overall light hearted feel to it with a few laughable moments my favourite being with the clown. There were some more emotional and serious parts to the book too but it doesn’t dampen the cheery feel to the book.

I found that both Kate and Sarah had likability to them even though I couldn’t relate to either of them. What I did like is the idea of an author’s book being made into a film as it is a question I often ask authors about which book of theirs they would like to be made into a film and also sometimes when I read a book I feel that it would be perfect as a movie. I also liked the idea of having these two friends who are so close and yet their lives are so different, Kate is having a taste of the high life whilst Sarah has firmly got her feet on the ground as she struggles with the typical day to day running around.

The book had a great pace at the beginning of the book but I did feel that the storyline seemed to be slowing down and I wasn’t as engrossed in the storyline by the last third of the book and I found the sex scene really out of place in this book and I had a cringe moment afterwards with the explanation of how Andy learnt his “moves”.

Overall this was an enjoyable read and has shown me what this author is capable of and I think this was a well written debut.  I look forward to this authors next book to see how her writing grows, this was just shy of a 4 star review.

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