Welcome to the School by the Sea

The First School by the Sea Novel

By: Jenny Colgan

Narrated by: Jilly Bond

The first book of Jenny Colgan’s delightful new four-part series, set at a charming English boarding school on the sea.

Maggie went to the window and opened it wide, inhaling the lovely salt air off the sea. Why had she never lived by the sea before? Why had she always looked out on housing estates and not the little white hulls of trawlers bobbing off in the distance?

It’s gloriously sunny in Cornwall as the school year starts at the little boarding school by the sea. Maggie, the newest teacher at Downey House, is determined to make her mark. She’s delighted by her new teaching job, but will it come at the expense of her relationship with her safe, dependable boyfriend Stan?

Simone is excited and nervous: she’s won a scholarship to the prestigious boarding school and wants to make her parents proud. Forced to share a room with the glossy, posh girls of Downey House, she needs to find a friend, fast.

Flissis furious. She’s never wanted to go to boarding school and hates being sent away from her home. As Simone tries desperately to fit in, Fliss tries desperately to get out.

Over the course of one year, friendships will bloom and lives will be changed forever. Life at the Little School by the Sea is never dull…

Good Story and Narration

This was fun to listen to and I enjoyed the multiple storylines. This one did not have as much language and sexual content as some other Colgan novels, perhaps because it is intended to appeal to YA readers. That is fine with me. I wish the rest of the story was available now.

Liked it!

Would recommend! Looking forward to the second book in the series to be released in August, 2023

Looking forward to the rest!

This is a nice beginning to a series! Characters are well established and the stage is set! This story meandered a little more than other Colgan novels, but is still a good read! I look forward to the rest of the series.

Enjoyable read!

The book was enjoyable to listen to and had a wonderful storyline! Easy and fun!

Wonderful fun story!

I love the English life and hearing tales of it. This is a great story of friendship and life at a girl's school.