Review of ‘The Girl at the Last House Before the Sea’ by Liz Eeles
Review of The Girl at the Last House Before the Sea by Liz Eeles.
Due out Feb 28th, 2022.
What a deeply moving story! I am overwhelmed with emotion. It is obvious The Girl at the Last House Before the Sea (book #3 of Heaven’s Cove) by Liz Eeles has been written with great love and respect on a sensitive subject. I do not want to reveal the main secret in the novel, since it is an important part of the plot and character development of Kathleen but I can say that at a younger age, this elderly lady was forced to move from Ireland to England under painful circumstances. Shamed and rejected by her family and betrayed by another, she goes through life feeling less than whole and plagued by remorse.
After losing her husband and moving to Heaven’s Cove, Kathleen, now in her eighties, faces the re-occurrence of painful memories and heartache from her youth. Realisations and regrets haunt her, often leaving her sobbing alone in her room. Her sadness (along with her age) is weakening her and she can no longer properly care for herself. The town organiser/gossiper, Belinda, tries to convince her she needs help. But Kathleen is determined to remain alone in her frailties and misery— until Belinda’s half-sister, Freya, comes to town. Freya is fleeing a broken marriage and needs a job and a place to live. She is an experienced care giver for the elderly. After a kitchen fire, Kathleen admits she needs help. Freya appears to be the perfect fit for the job and becomes the new live-in carer but Kathleen’s son, Ryan, is unconvinced.
The novel opens with a prologue that contains hints of Kathleen’s trauma and a secret that she plans to take to her grave. We are provided with a wide perspective as the story is told through three points of view: Freya, Ryan (Kathleen’s son) and Chloe (his teenage daughter) but during the epilogue Kathleen gets to tell her bit at the end which delivers a beautiful finale. Nobody could read this without shedding some tears as it is so expertly delivered.
Also, part of this magnificent setting is a residence called Driftwood Manor, set high on a cliff overlooking the sea. It is a house filled with many secrets from the past. The walls of its structure stand strong but the memories inside that have been hidden for years are about to surface and the tales it will tell will change lives. But this is an important part of the restoration theme for these secrets must be shaken from their foundations to free burdened hearts. Early on Freya notices Kathleen’s reaction to this place and begins to wonder of its connection to her. Did something happen there to Kathleen? This journey of revelation becomes an interesting one and it unfolds at an appropriate pace, thus keeping us intrigued.
It is also a story about identity and becoming comfortable with who you are and that you should not become someone else to impress others: especially to please those not deserving of your devotion. For a real friend and a truly loving, forgiving family member, would not ask such things of you.
The issues and hazards of peer pressure are strong in this novel. Valuable lessons need to be learned that trying to become someone you are not will only lead to a path of deceit and heartache. Chloe particularly must learn this for her insecurities were caused by unfortunate events beyond her control. For Kathleen, it is based more on family pressures and public perceptions of the time. Unfortunately, these things caused each of them emotional damage and made them vulnerable to exploitation by others on power trips. Fear of rejection has taken root in their hearts leading to frustration, anger, tearful outbursts, reclusiveness, hiding true feelings, blaming others, blaming themselves, feeling unloved and unlovely. These negative emotions created such bondage that the journey to healing becomes a very difficult one—though not impossible.
This is where Freya, a wounded soul herself fleeing from a broken marriage, comes to Heaven’s Cove for a new beginning and to see her half-sister Belinda (but brings so much more). These two have never been close. Partly due to their father’s actions that affected each of their lives. But Freya’s broken life leads her to the only person she can reach out to (a family member) and Belinda has offered to help her find a job. Their journey from being an acquaintance to having a deeper and honest relationship is a rocky road, but hope is on the horizon when honesty unveils their wounds.
In fact, it appears that Freya’s arrival to Heaven’s Cove ends up having a positive effect on many of its residents’ lives but not without turning some worlds upside down first. She becomes the true catalyst for healing. Not only for others but herself, too. So, it seems that this coastal village originally an initial escape for her and others becomes a place of redemption.
And there are a lot of damaged souls in this story who need healing, including Kathleen’s son, Ryan. He carries his own secrets and remorse for his wife, Chloe’s mother, who has died in an accident. The circumstances surrounding those events, too, have affected him and it becomes clear as to why he struggles to find happiness. But as with each person in this story, he learns about the destruction of secrets and how honesty is necessary to truly become free.
I had never read any of Liz’s books before but I am happy I took this one on. It has been a wonderful author discovery. I feel she has done an amazing job covering the topic of healing and what it would be like to be Kathleen dealing with such life-altering traumas. I also admired Freya for having the courage to move on after her dilemma and how she handled all the secrets everyone placed on her. I felt compassion for Chloe who starts out as an angry teenager making bad choices partly due to the loss of her mother. And with Ryan, his annoying reactions are understandable as he tries to care for his mother and daughter. I am happy to say Liz provides wonderful character development for each (including Belinda). As these characters deal with their flaws and secrets, the reader is left with a satisfying ending.
It is interesting that before Christmas I bought a copy of Liz’s first book in the Heaven’s Cove series. Now I look forward to not only reading it but also adding book 2 to my collection. The Girl At The Last House Before the Sea was such a moving experience, I know I will love the others, too. I became fully engaged with the story and characters at all times. It may be a second chance feel good story, but there’s a tremendous amount of depth and thought below the surface. The heart of this story is genuine compassion and particularly Freya is the one who delivers it. She has quite an effect on everyone. Unveiling secrets is messy business but necessary for change to come. And it does bring a whole new array of experiences--even unexpected love--between siblings, parents and children and two people not looking for it. I highly recommend this unforgettable novel. 5 heartfelt Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for a copy to review.
