The Sea Gate

By: Jane Johnson

Narrated by: Jayne Entwistle, Barrie Kreinik

“I need your help getting Chynalls in order so I can stay in my own house. Come down right away!”

After the death of her mother, Rebecca is sorting through her empty flat. Starting with the letters piling up on the doormat, she finds an envelope postmarked from Cornwall. In it is a letter that will change her life forever. A desperate plea from her mother’s elderly cousin, Olivia, to help save her beloved home.

Rebecca arrives at Chynalls to find the house crumbling into the ground and Olivia stuck in hospital with no hope of being discharged until her home is made habitable.

Though slightly daunted, Rebecca sets to work. But as she peels back the layers of paint, plaster and grime, she uncovers secrets buried for more than seventy years. Secrets from a time when Olivia was young, the Second World War was raging, and danger and romance lurked round every corner …

©2020 Jane Johnson (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

Interesting story

Overall a great story. However, I wasn’t fond of Olivia’s narrator. Very interesting family dynamics. I enjoyed the ending.

Interesting

Engaging storytelling! There are many perspectives woven together in this story of love, loss, grief, and family. Different from any other 40”s/modern era story I have ever read.

It was a really magnificent story.

I liked all the twists and turds in the plot and how it ended. You never knew what to expect.
I also liked the parrot.

A thoroughly enjoyable story

This is a new author for me and I will certainly seek out more books by her. The story was interesting from the beginning and just got better and better. I enjoyed the narration although the voice for Olivia was grating at first but as the story proceeded it grew less so. A wonderful story that interweaves a WWII story with a current day mystery resulting in a very richly satisfactory ending. I highly recommend.

This one surprised me!

Loved how all of the stories of each character developed. If you love history and a cleaner type of romance (there are some love scenes but they are not vulgar), you will love this book! There are surprises and a surprise at the end.