The Cliff House.
Sixteen-year-old Tamsyn longs to live the life of the Cliff house residents, She sees their perfect life, the perfect family and luxurious life style and wants nothing more than it to be hers. Eventually she is accepted into their world only to uncover the truth - all is not what it seems.......

As The Cliff House began i was immediately plunged into the beautiful Cornish coast with Seagulls, waves and the taste of the fresh sea air on my lips; I was there. Transported magically by the evocative descriptions Amanda Jennings paints and straight into the lives of the Davenports and Tamsyn and her family. The sense of unbearable yearning that Tamsyn feels for the house is palpable; the belief that she is almost destined for more than she has, without realising that she already has far more than the house can offer her.

The old adage of 'money can't buy you happiness' is illustrated beautifully by the Davenports, and though at times Edie is a typical self-absorbed teenage, the hurt and insecurity she suffers from is achingly clear. Caught up in that overwhelming place between adolescence and adulthood, added to the fact that she has no real parental support or guidance, or even interest, from her mother in particular, goes to make her a complex and rather sad figure in the book. In fact the whole family cut rather a wretched portrait; even narcissistic Eleanor, whilst I want to shake her for the trauma she is inflicting on Edie, is ultimately a lonely and tragic character.

So then to Tamsyn - a girl whose sense of security and love was lost at sea with her father. Little wonder then that she is continually searching for that missing piece of the puzzle, and not understanding that she can never find it. Amanda Jennings writes so beautifully, the scenes are picture perfect, but the real strength in The Cliff House is the characters. They are painted so intricately and given so many layers that they become fully-formed real people who I did care about; perhaps helped too by the 80s references of White Musk and Walkmans that echoed by own adolescence.

I got a real sense of foreboding running through the book, which at times felt slightly oppressive with the repeated appearance of a raven, feared by Tamsyn as a symbol of death and destruction. But whilst Tamsyn sees them as the messenger of bad news there's also that image of them being symbolic of change and a sort or rebirth into a new life, which is effectively what she dreams of. Then again maybe I'm thinking about this too much! Actually all you really need to know is that The Cliff House is a brilliant and beautiful tale of loss, envy, love and families. A terrific read.

Not my kind of story at all. Unsympathetic characters who cared only for themselves and not really much of a plot.

The Cliff House is an engrossing read which begins slowly and builds up to a great climax. It is different from Amanda Jennings' previous novel, In Her Wake, which I also enjoyed.

At the beginning of the school summer holidays in 1986 15 year old Tamsyn takes her binoculars to spy on the new occupants of The Cliff House, the glamorous Art Deco house she remembers from secretly visiting with her father. She dreams of living there and swimming in the pool away from her small home in a Cornish village. When wealthy Edie, the 17 year old beautiful and bored daughter of Max and Eleanor Davenport, who live in The Cliff House befriends Tamsyn she thinks her dreams have come true. But the Davenports are not all they seem on the outside and Tamsyn faces a rude awakening.

I felt for Tamsyn, still mourning her father while worrying about her cleaner mother making ends meet and moving on with her life, and her grandfather's illness. Her devastation at what she perceives as betrayal by her older brother and Edie was well written, although the final outcome of Tamsyn's relationship with the Davenports was unrealistic to me.

My reasons for giving The Cliff House 4* not 5* is because I felt Tamsyn read as much younger than her years. But of course she may have remained childlike because of her father's untimely death. I also didn't 'get' the ghost element, which other reviewers haven't remarked upon either.

The Cliff House is an atmospheric coming-of-age story set in beautifully described Cornwall and will appeal to a wide age group. I am sure it will be very successful and add new fans to Amanda Jennings writing. Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the opportunity to read and review the book.

A decent weekend read with enough suspense to keep the reader entertained. Many of the class differences were acutely observed, which I'd like to have seen carry through to the rest of the story.

A compelling read which is truly gripping in parts. Quite dark and tackles two families at opposite ends of the social and financial spectrum. The main characters, teenagers Tamsyn and Edie, are both loners within their own lives and each see the others life as more interesting, particularly Tamsyn whose interest grows into an obsession with Edie's family and perceived lifestyle. Tamsyn is troubled and comes from a disadvantaged but loving family who are struggling to hold things together after the death of her father and caring for a sick grandfather in a beautiful but, for a lot of people, poor part of the country. Edie's family are rich and live a luxurious lifestyle with a holiday home in the area, seemingly confident and having it all but underneath there are divisions and great unhappiness. Some quite disturbing and haunting passages set on the rugged scenic Cornish coast which is well described and evokes the atmosphere of the area. It is fairly slow paced but gripping as the story draws you in and there are many twists and turns with an unforeseen finish. I would recommend this book as, although told mainly by the two teenagers, it is by no means a book just for young adults and certainly makes you think about how lives are lived beneath the surface.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, this book illustrates the grass not always being green but certainly looking greener from the fence. I felt sympathy for both Tamsyn and Edie as both had their own troubles behind closed doors. Quite a disturbing tale of obsession. Very well written.

Really enjoy this dark , tense dramatic story set in the beautiful scenic coastline of Cornwall. Tamsyn the lead character had fell in love with The Cliff house and it inhabitants several years ago on an outing with her now deceased father. Her love of the house and the owners grew to an obsession once he had passed away. She could only enjoy the house from afar and the occasional trespass mission , until that is she meets Edie the teenage daughter of the couple and a strange friendship begins. Tamsyn is trapped in the twisted grips of jealousy and can not see that life is not always perfect on the other side. A real page turner , definitely recommend !!!!

Excellent book with a brilliant storyline and great main characters. I would recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this book. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading. It’s hauntingly dark and I wasn’t sure how it was going to end but wasn’t disappointed. The characters are intriguing and really drew me in.

In this reviewer’s opinion this has the potential to become a YA classic. It is a poignant coming of age novel.

It is a compelling read about 16 year old Tamsyn's struggle to cope with the loss of her father and to understand how the world works. She seeks out the inhabitants of The Cliff House, partly because her father was so drawn to the place. The Davenports, particularly the daughter, Edie appear to have it all. In Tamsyn's eyes, Edie is beautiful, arrogant, sophisticated, confident and rich, whereas she struggles with her self-image and her financially poor background. Tamsyn is yet to realise that appearances can be deceptive.

We watch as Tamsyn sees her preconceptions unravel. She feels poor and unworthy alongside the Davenports revelling in their attention but begins to understand that they do not regard her as their equal in any way. This is brought into sharp relief when the Davenport's hold a party to which she is invited.

This is a beautifully observed novel about the disparity between rich and poor, the veneers that families can create and how they can be smashed to pieces.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

Brilliant , gripping from the first page , this is one to read in one sitting ! Fast paced believable characters with plenty of twists and turns !

Thank you to Amanda Jennings and Netgalley for a chance to read The Cliff House in exchange for an honest review.

This book was an enjoyable read from the outset. I loved how vividly the beautiful Cornish landscape was described, I could really imagine being there. I also loved that it was set in the 1980's.

The Cliff House follows the story of a blossoming friendship between 2 teenage girls Tamsyn and Edie. Tamsyn has become a loner after losing her father some years before. She has taken to watching "The Cliff House" with her binoculars imagining the perfect life of the inhabitants until one day she meets Edie and they become friends. To the outside world Edie and her family are rich, beautiful, and successful everything Tamsyn and her family arent. However the more we get to know the Davenports we see not is all as it seems and they have secrets.

You will not be disappointed this book is a great read!

I didn't think this book would be my taste but I found myself immersed in its murky depths
It revolves around a house the cliff house and there are 6 main players, you will hear all their sides to the story as you read the book but the main character is a 16 yr old girl Tamsyn and what happens during her summer holidays in 1986
That summer is the year all their lives changed forever

A beautifully written story that slowly draws you in and then you are hooked!! Whilst not action packed the descriptive writing more than atones for this. Thank you Amanda Jennings and Netgalley for this wonderful book.

This was a very enjoyable read.

What is ultimately an in depth look into two contrasting families and their intertwined struggles to deal with two very distinct circumstances, with a touch of the common factor of young adults finding their own place in this world. What makes the writing brilliant is the constant undertone of foreboding that the story is delivered with, an undertone that slowly develops and comes bursting to live as we near the conclusion.

You get a real sense of the characters and what makes them unique, as well as a surreal appreciation of the scenery and the omnipresent pivotal role of the Cliff House itself.

I did have some reservations about how one or two things played out at the end. Some plot sequences just didn’t fit in, in my opinion. But I also feel this was acceptable as we drifted towards a darker (and oh so good) finale.

Will definitely keep an eye on Amanda Jennings and future offerings.

Thanks NetGalley and HQ for a review copy.

This is the most intriguing of books, I was drawn to it in a way that was almost magnetic. Whilst not action packed, it does have a certain mystery, a gentleness and yet some disturbing events that gripped me in a way that I didn’t expect. The writing is wonderful and so beautifully descriptive it felt that I was there on that hilltop, or following the coastal path , or drinking in a Cornish village pub with the locals. Just a stunning read, so thank you Amanda Jennings and NetGalley.

Shows that the grass is not always greener. What seems idyllic, in reality, may not be. It also shows how obsession can twist and distort the mind.

The Cliff House is the second novel I've read by Amanda Jennings. As an honourary Cornishwoman, I love diving into a book set in my beloved Cornwall.

Set in the 1980s, The Cliff House is a coming of age story about the delicate, passionate friendship between teenage girls. Think Girls On Fire, Mean Girls, 13 Minutes. Set against the beautiful, dramatic backdrop of Cornwall, in amongst places I know and love - Sennen, Botallack (emphasis on the t and the first a, thank you very much), St Just - with the moody sea and sweeping landscapes as much of a character as the people who dwell there.

Tamsyn is all of us, at some point in our lives. A loner, swept up with grief after losing her father. Desperate for a friend, for comfort, she watches the cliff house, a place her father used to love. Until, one day, she finds it occupied, and meets Edie, teenage daughter of the Davenports - rich, beautiful, successful. Everything Tamsyn - and her mother, who cleans for the Davenports and works in a chippy - isn't, could never dream to be. But, just like The OC, all is not it seems. Lurking beneath the glittering surface of their lives, the Davenports have secrets, darkness, tragedy.

Jennings is a talented author, one of those rare writers who manages to sweep you up entirely, capturing you in her net, and dragging you into her story. For the past few years, I've run the Cornish Reading Challenge on my blog, and Jennings gave a fascinating insight into the history of the Cornish side of the family. I believe that she has so many stories inside her, and I for one am looking forward to them all coming out.

Slow paced and very atmospheric. Felt Cornish, good story and strong characters. But left me wondering a bit at the end, was she mad or it was really a ghost? Well worth a read.