Escape to Darling Cove by Holly Hepburn

Eve has always lived on Ennisfarne, an idyllic island just off the coast of Northumberland and only accessible when tides are low. There she runs a bar overlooking Darling Cove, a heavenly horseshoe-shaped beach named after her seafaring ancestors, whose links to the Farne Islands stretch back centuries.

Logan is a famous photographer desperate to evade the limelight after a difficult break-up. Renting a cottage from Eve, he chooses Ennisfarne in the hope of anonymity but is immediately spellbound by its natural beauty.

The pair don’t get off to the best start, butting heads over Eve’s adorable but boisterous Chocolate Labrador. But when Logan’s true identity is revealed, Eve realises her new tenant isn’t quite the man she thought he was. Is it too late to start again or will Logan’s island escape be over almost before it’s begun?

The brand new novel from Holly Hepburn, author of Coming Home to Brightwater Bay, will whisk you away to a sublime seaside retreat you’ll never want to leave.

My thoughts:

Thank you to Books and the City / Simon and Schuster UK for the gorgeous paperback copy to read and review. I’ve enjoyed reading many of Holly’s previous books and you can read my last review here: https://mentoringmumof2bookreviews.home.blog/2022/01/12/the-little-shop-of-hidden-treasures-by-holly-hepburn/

Escape to Darling Cove was my second read of 2023 and I loved my virtual visit to Ennisfarne. I love how Holly created a stunning island (there is a map at the start of the book) and strong characters to care about.

Eve loves living on Ennisfarne and is an important member of the local community. Her first meeting with her new tenant doesn’t go well when Huxley, her very enthusiastic dog, knocks him over and damages his camera lens. Can Eve moved forward from this? Why is her new tenant hiding away?

Thank you to Books and the City for the opportunity to listen to Holly reading from the book last year. I loved hearing about and then reading about the dog training session featuring Huxley and the canal.

This is an uplifting read I escaped into, full of community spirit, friendships, romance, scuba diving, secrets and a chocolate labrador. The book was published on Thursday 5 January and is available in all good bookshops plus I saw it in Asda. Happy to recommend for readers looking for an uplifting read – this is a hug in a book, perfect for curling up with under a blanket on a winter evening.