I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

*The Cliff House* by Amanda Jennings is simply a fine piece of writing and a story that will linger long after the final page. Set against the stunning, windswept coast of Cornwall, this novel beautifully captures the wild, magnetic power of its setting and how that physical landscape mirrors the emotional complexity of the characters. Jennings masterfully draws the reader into a haunting world, one filled with envy, obsession, and desire, all subtly woven into the interactions between two families.

Jennings' writing is evocative, painting vivid imagery of The Cliff House itself, an imposing house that becomes almost a character in its own right. The plot twists and turns, driven by the tensions between the protagonist, Tamsyn, who dreams of escaping her own life, and the wealthy family that owns the house she yearns for. The novel explores social divides, secrets, and the fragility of dreams in a way that feels both intimate and universally relatable. It's a haunting, atmospheric read that stays with you long after closing the book. Highly recommended for fans of psychological thrillers and evocative, character-driven storytelling.

"Cornwall, summer of 1986.
The Davenports, with their fast cars and glamorous clothes, living the dream in a breathtaking house overlooking the sea.
If only… thinks sixteen-year-old Tamsyn, her binoculars trained on the perfect family in their perfect home.
If only her life was as perfect as theirs.
If only Edie Davenport would be her friend.
If only she lived at The Cliff House…"

This book is very reminiscent of the book/film The Talented Mr Ripley where someone wants another person's life and becomes absolutely fascinated by who they are, how they live/act/speak and it becomes an obsession. It plays out in a slow warming up of the story with a twist at the ending.

With its more considered pace, The Cliff House is a sneakily gripping thriller rather than a fast read. As you uncover the mysteries, bask in the eerily beautiful and yet haunting atmosphere of 1980s Cornwall, and enjoy a well written tale.

I can't get over how phenomenal Amanda Jennings books are! So captivating and just so emotionally driven. This story of obsession and secrets got me and drew me in. I loved it!

Tamsyn is the main character in this atmospheric and evocative story set in 1980's Cornwall. She lives with her mother, brother and grandfather in a small cottage and is still suffering from the loss of her father six years earlier. She finds herself drawn to a big house, The Cliff House, where she and her father snuck into when she was young. She spies on the wealthy family that visit at weekends and unexpectedly makes friends with the daughter, Edie. They have led very different lives. Tamsyn becomes increasingly obsessed with The Cliff House. There are plenty of themes to keep you reading. A good mystery thriller. Thank you to Amanda Jennings, Net Galley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an addictive read, full of suspense and navigating the difficult world of teenage girls, their need to idolize but also the need to destroy those who threaten them. Beautifully plotted and wonderfully written.

I found this book to be quite slow and it did not grip me as much as I thought it would. Unfortunately this is not a book for me, however, others may enjoy it.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I might. It didn't feel pacy enough for me, and I kept waiting for something to happen or a twist to appear but it never really got going for me, unfortunately.

If there is one thing you are assured of when picking up a book by Amanda Jennings it is that you are going to be taken on a journey, one that is beset with haunting imagery and language, and that will bring out a myriad of emotions. The Cliff House is yet again such a book, one which speaks of family, emotional connections, loss, grief, envy and prejudice , all set within a tight knit Cornish community. A tall order for any book to pull all of that off, but an order which is delivered in style from the author's very safe hands.

This is the story of Tamsyn, a teenager who has learned all about loss at far too young an age following the death of her father. This loss is something she has never gotten over and due to her grief and her unwavering love for her father, she forms deep emotional attachments to anything that reminds her of him. There are two things in her town that bring forth memories more than any other. One is the sea, the dangerous waters that claimed his life as he attempted to save others. The other... The Cliff House. Her father had created such a romantic view of the house in her mind, telling her time and again that one day they would all live their together, that spending time there brings her closer to him than any other place. She spends as much time there as she can, sneaking in when the house is unattended which is often as its owners live in London. All is fine until one fateful summer when the house isn't empty anymore and Tamsyn finds herself at the heart of a very complicated and fractious family dynamic as she strives to become friends with the owner's daughter, Edie, the one person she feels finally sees and accepts her for who she is.

Tamsyn is a very complex character and the author has done a brilliant job of capturing her broken spirit and increasingly obsessive nature. Like many teenagers she wants things to remain the way they are, begrudging her mother any chance of happiness and friendship with others as she wants to protect her father's memory. Quite natural you may thing. Until you realise that Tamsyn is 16. Her jealousy and anger go unchecked, something which begins to feed the dark undertone of the story. She is the odd girl, the person who never quite fits. Governed by her emotions, she lives in an almost fantasy existence which is vidily painted on the page. I felt a strange blend of empathy and dislike for her at varying points in the book. She is a deeply troubled young girl who needed proper help. There are good reasons behind her nature and she has a truly heart wrenching backstory, but beyond her naivety, her immaturity, there was just something which kept me on edge. A sense that everything was building towards some inevitable tragedy involving the poor girl.

Edie is equally as troubled a character and for all her swagger and bravado, she is as broken as Tamsyn. Amanda Jennings has created the perfect spoiled rich girl whose attitude and confidence hide the dark truth of her home life. I love the way in which the author has a knack for turning things on their head. For holding a magnifying glass to the oh too glossy veneer of the perfect family and showing you the tiny cracks in the porcelain lie beneath it. Cracks that with the right build up of pressure grow and expand, leading to the threat of a complete collapse. And that is exactly what happens over that fated summer. I will be honest and say that I felt perhaps more for Edie than I did Tamsyn. Seeing how she struggled to hide her dark family secrets, the fact that everything about her was a front designed to deflect, to keep others at bay. There was a real feeling that the friendship with Tamsyn was as important to Edie as it was the other way around. To be honest, all of the characters, so rich in terms of diversity and authenticity, are bearing their own scars, but some do better than others at hiding them.

Now this is not a fast paced book, it is not meant to be. It is a story of a community and of two very polar families, a tale that is rich in atmosphere, something that this author develops perfectly. From the haunting setting of coastal Cornwall, the sense of the small town community and through to the opulence of The Cliff House, she has created such vivid imagery you can almost feel that you are there - feel the salt spray of the water against your face. The book looks deeply and the themes of loss and of grief, but not only the kind of grief that stems from the death of a loved one. But at the heart of it all is obsession, and it is from this that the real darkness stems. Recommended for lovers of haunting and evocative family based dramas.

A slow burner of a read. Relatable characters but a disappointing story., the ending of which almost fizzled our. I still don’t understand the main characters fascination with the cliff house, I thought that would have been discussed as the book drew to a close. Well written and very descriptive

I loved everything about this novel; the characters, the setting and the storyline. Everything was sheer perfection and I cannot wait to see what Amanda has in store for us in the future.

This was a very evocative book, both a summer 'beach read' and something of a mystery too. A family drama with obsession and desire at it's heart. I loved the character of Tamsyn and her isolation, how she found herself inside the place she had only viewed from the outside and that perhaps the grass isn't always greener.

I am in charge of our Senior School library and now during this time of lockdown, I am looking for a diverse array of new books to furnish their shelves with and inspire our young people to read a wider and more diverse range of books as they move through the senior school. It is hard sometimes to find books that will grab the attention of young people as their time is short and we are competing against technology and online entertainments.
This was a thought-provoking and well-written read that will appeal to readers across the board. It had a really strong voice and a compelling narrative that I think would capture their attention and draw them in. It kept me engrossed and I think that it's so important that the books that we purchase for both our young people and our staff are appealing to as broad a range of readers as possible - as well as providing them with something a little 'different' that they might not have come across in school libraries before.
This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for school so that our young people can enjoy it for themselves. A satisfying and well-crafted read that I keep thinking about long after closing its final page - and that definitely makes it a must-buy for me!

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

This is an overlong and over worded story that I failed to engage with. However, a beautifully described Cornish setting makes it a good beach read.

I loved the Cornish setting, the descriptions of the scenery, and the idea of this story. I had reasonable enjoyment from reading it, but felt it was let down by the ending.

Told from varying perspectives, The Cliff House is an atmopsheric, magnificent and at times emotional story of a young girl who desperately wants to be accepted, and doesn't realise that money really doesn't equal happiness.

Really found this book gripping. A first from this author but I will definitely be looking out for future books from Amanda.

A tale of obsession, fraught with tension, tightly woven into this masterful plot.

Tamsyn has coveted The Cliff House for as long as she can remember, it is somewhere that was special between her and her father as well as the embodiment of everything she could wish for in life. As she watches the family that live there from her perch up on the cliffs, she imagines their perfect life and how happy they must be, how happy she would be if only she lived there in their world, where money isn’t a daily worry and everything is good. But things very rarely are as clear cut as they seem.

A chance encounter with the owner’s daughter opens up a doorway for Tamsyn into that world and into the house which she grabs with both hands. As a friendship blooms between herself and Edie, both Edie’s parents welcome her into their home and for once she feels like she belongs. But not everything that glitters is gold as the saying goes and piece by piece the glitter from the world, she has longed to be a part of starts to fade and the cracks begin to appear.

This may not be the fastest paced book in the world, and action packed it’s not, but it delivers a ratcheting feeling of unease, a building tension that just keeps on growing alongside the page numbers. This is a character driven novel with a protagonist that many will be able to relate to in some way and others that will exasperate you but inevitably they will all entertain you from the first page to the very last.

The Cliff House has been out for a while now but if like me you have had this buried in your to be read pile for ages I can’t recommend bringing it to the top of your pile straight away! It is worthy of being top of the pile!

Set in 1980’s Cornwall and told from various perspectives, The Cliff House is a beautifully written novel with a haunting theme.