The Garden by the Sea by Amanda James – ARC Review

The Garden by the Sea by Amanda James

Series: Cornish Escapes, Book 2

Publisher: HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter

Expected Publication January 14th 2022

Genres: Contemporary, Romance

Pages: 299

Format: ARC

Buy: Amazon

* Received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much! This doesn’t affect the review in any way. My opinions are, as always, my own.*

A heartwarming novel of new beginnings, community and finding your tribe when you need them the most…

A precious heirloom passed down from mother to daughter…

Lowena Rowe’s beloved mum always claimed her family seed box was special. Said to contain soil from Tintagel, the mysterious seat of the legendary King Arthur, whomever made a wish upon the box would have ‘a beautiful garden, bountiful crops and love of their fellow man’. Lowena isn’t inclined to believe the myth but can’t part with the box, knowing how much it meant to her mum.

Starting over with a new home and a new job in the Cornish village of St Merryn, Lowena can’t help feeling lost and alone… but she isn’t the only one. Now, as a community of misfits finds solace and friendship in the shade of her growing garden, she realises there might have been truth to the mythical box after all, and she may just be growing the life and love she’s always wanted…

After Lowena’s mother dies, she decides to sells both their houses and buys a beautiful cottage by the sea, where she usually always went to relax.

She starts working in a new tiny library in the area and with that starts also doing tiny projects in it. This brings her to new people, new friends, a new life. But her most prized possession, surprisingly enough for her is her new garden, where she loves to pass her time.

She got from her mother, and later grandmother, a box full of soil and seeds. She decides to plant them, not knowing what could come for it. And slowly the garden starts flourishing and bringing not only happiness but people together.

This is a feel good story, I’m not big on plants or anything garden-related to be honest. Mostly because I hate bugs and I always think of the garden my great-aunt had where I saw the biggest spider (I was a kid but believe me it really was big even from an adult perspective) ever and from the moment the spider disappeared from her web, I just can’t with gardens, gives me the creeps. It also doesn’t help that flowers bring bees and I’m allergic to them, so yeah. This book was all kinds of interesting for me.

I really enjoyed seeing the power of nature bringing people together tho. It was beautiful land heartwarming.

I also really enjoyed our main character – she is a really good person, damaged by life and still kicking. I loved seeing her discover a new life, making new friends and even having her luck at love. I loved the romantic banter and I could totally feel the chemistry. It was fun to see their relationship from both perspectives and I was definitely rooting for them.

However I still love the last book by the author better. The writing is as beautiful and the story has the same kind of soul in it, but I just found the last book more interesting and engaging.